Musnad Ahmad — Hadith #45125

Muawiyah told us, Abu Ishaq told us, on the authority of Shu’bah, on the authority of Al-Hakam, on the authority of Abu Muhammad Al-Hudhali, on the authority of Ali, may God be pleased with him, who said it was The Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace, at a funeral and said: Which of you goes to Medina and does not leave an idol with it without breaking it or A grave except that He changed it, and no image except that He smeared it. Then a man said, “I am, O Messenger of God.” Then he went off, and the people of Medina were frightened. He returned and said, “Ali, may God be pleased with him.” On his authority, “I will go, O Messenger of God.” He said, “Go, and he went.” Then he came back and said, “O Messenger of God, I did not leave an idol with it without breaking it.” There is no grave but I have leveled it, and there is no image but I have smeared it. Then the Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace, said: Whoever returns to making any of this has done so. He disbelieved in what was revealed to Muhammad, may God bless him and grant him peace. Then he said, “Do not be a seducer, nor arrogant, nor a merchant except a merchant.” Goodness, for those are the ones who come first in deed. Muhammad bin Ja’far told us, Shu’bah told us about the ruling, on the authority of a man from the people of Basra. He said: The people of Basra called him Abu Mura`. He said: The people of Kufa called him Abu Muhammad. He said: The Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace, was peace be upon him at a funeral, so he mentioned the hadith, but he did not say, on the authority of Ali, may God be pleased with him, who said, “Not even a picture without smearing it, and he said, I have not come to you, O Messenger of God.” Until he left no picture without smearing it and saying, “Do not be a seductress or a conceited person.”