عَنْ اَنَسٍ عَنْ عَائِشَةَ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ عَلِيُّ بْنُ اَبِي طَالِبٍ خَيْرُ الْبَشَرِ مَنْ اَبَى فَقَدْ كَفَرَ فَقِيلَ فَلِمَ حَارَبْتِهِ فَقَالَتْ وَ اللهِ مَا حَارَبْتُهُ مِنْ ذَاتِ نَفْسِي وَ مَا حَمَلَنِي عَلَيْهِ اِلَّا طَلْحَةُ وَ الزُّبَيْرُ
Anas ibn Maalik narrates from Ayesha, “I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his holy progeny) say, ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon him) is the best of mankind. Whoever denies (this) had indeed disbelieved.’ She (Ayesha) was asked, ‘Then why you fought against him (in the battle of Jamal)?’ She replied, ‘By Allah! I did not fight him of my own accord. But Talhah and Zubair forced me to fight against him’.”
Notes:
1) Ayesha and Talhah were from the same clan of Bani Taim.
2) Talhah was married to one of the sisters of Ayesha while Zubair was married to another. The name of the wife of Zubair was Asmaa bint Abi Bakr while that of Talhah was Umm Kulthum bint Abi Bakr.
References
1. Behaar al-Anwaar, vol. 26, p. 306, H. 68
2. Meah Manqebah, p. 138, 70th Manqebah