Al-Ḥākim narrated that Abū Umāma said:
"When the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) established brotherhood among the people, he also established brotherhood between himself and ʿAlī." In my view, one should reflect on the authenticity of this hadith.
It is narrated from Anas and ʿUmar that the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) addressed ʿAlī, saying: "You are my brother in this world and the Hereafter." However, the chains of transmission (isnād) of these and similar hadiths are weak, and they are not considered as proof. Allah knows best.
In a narration transmitted through several chains, it is reported that ʿAlī said:
"I am the servant of Allah. I am the brother of His Messenger. If anyone says this after me, he is certainly a liar."
Al-Tirmidhī narrated from Ibn ʿUmar that he said:
"The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) established brotherhood among his Companions (ṣaḥāba). ʿAlī came there with tears in his eyes and said:
- O Messenger of God, you have established brotherhood among your Companions, but you have not established brotherhood between me and anyone else.
- You are my brother in this world and the Hereafter."
This is a ḥasan (good) and gharīb (rare) hadith. ʿAlī participated in the Battle of Badr. On one occasion, the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) said to ʿUmar: "What do you know? Perhaps Allah, the Exalted, looked upon those who participated in the Battle of Badr and said to them: 'Do as you wish, for I have forgiven you.'"
At the Battle of Badr, ʿAlī engaged in single combat with the leading champions of the enemy and displayed great valor that day. Though he was only twenty years old, the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) gave him the banner.
Al-Ḥakam narrated from Ibn ʿAbbās that:
"In all battles, the banner of the Muhājirūn was in the hand of ʿAlī." Saʿīd b. al-Musayyab and Qatāda also said the same.
Khaythama b. Sulaymān al-Ṭarābulusī al-Ḥāfiẓ narrated from Jābir b. Samura that:
"The Companions (ṣaḥāba) said:
- O Messenger of God, who will carry your standard on the Day of Resurrection?
- Who can carry my standard on the Day of Resurrection?
No one can carry it except the one who carried it in this world. That is ʿAlī, the son of Abū Ṭālib."
The chain of this narration is weak.
Ḥasan b. ʿArafa narrated from Abū Jaʿfar Muḥammad b. ʿAlī that:
"On the day of Badr, we heard a voice from the sky, whose unseen owner was saying: 'There is no sword but Dhū al-Faqār, and there is no hero but ʿAlī.'"
Al-Ḥāfiẓ Ibn ʿAsākir said: "The sword Dhū al-Faqār was gifted to the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) at the Battle of Badr. Later, he gifted it to ʿAlī." Al-Zubayr b. Bakkār narrated from Maʿmar b. al-Muthannā that:
"At the Battle of Badr, the standard-bearer of the polytheists was Ṭalḥa b. Abī Ṭalḥa. ʿAlī, the son of Abū Ṭālib, killed him. Regarding this event, Ḥajjāj b. ʿUlat al-Sulamī composed the following poem:
"For Allah's sake, O you who sinned in battle, that is, ʿAlī, son of Fāṭima, who was granted abundant gifts!
Your hand acted swiftly, you struck the blow. Thus, Ṭulayḥa fell face down to the ground.
You attacked heroically and fiercely.
You revealed them with the truth.
Even those who received gifts were humbled at that time.
Your sword was stained with blood once, and then again.
You killed men one after another."
ʿAlī also participated in the Pledge of Riḍwān. The Exalted Allah said regarding this pledge:
"Certainly was Allah pleased with the believers when they pledged allegiance to you, [O Muhammad], under the tree." (al-Fatḥ 48:18)
The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) also said about those who participated in this pledge: "None of those who pledged allegiance under the tree will enter the Fire."
According to the authentic collections of al-Bukhārī and Muslim and other hadith books, during the Battle of Khaybar, the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Tomorrow I will give the banner to a man who loves Allah and His Messenger, and whom Allah and His Messenger love. He does not flee from the battlefield. Allah will grant victory through him." That night, people discussed among themselves, "To whom will the banner be given tomorrow?" So much so that ʿUmar said: "I never desired leadership except on that day." In the morning, the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) gave the banner to ʿAlī, and Allah granted victory through him. Before handing over the banner, the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) called ʿAlī, whose eyes were aching, blew upon his eyes, and they were healed.
Muḥammad b. Isḥāq narrated from Salama b. ʿAmr b. al-Akwaʿ that:
"The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) sent Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq with the banner to one of the fortresses of Khaybar. He fought and returned, but victory was not granted. He was exhausted. After him, the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) sent ʿUmar, son of al-Khaṭṭāb. He also fought and returned, but victory was not granted. He too was exhausted. Thereupon, the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) said: 'Tomorrow I will give the banner to a man who loves Allah and His Messenger, and whom Allah and His Messenger love. Allah will grant victory through him. He does not flee from the battlefield.'"
The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) called ʿAlī, whose eyes were aching. ʿAlī came. The Messenger of God blew upon his eyes and said: "Take this banner and go. Continue fighting until Allah grants victory through you." ʿAlī took the banner and ran. We followed him. He planted the banner on a pile of stones beneath the fortress. A Jew looked down from above and asked:
- Who are you?
- I am ʿAlī, son of Abū Ṭālib.
- By Allah, who revealed the Torah to Moses, we are defeated. ʿAlī did not return until victory was complete.
Imām Aḥmad b. Ḥanbal narrated from Burayda b. al-Ḥaṣīb that:
"We besieged Khaybar. Abū Bakr took the banner and fought, but returned without victory. The next day, ʿUmar took the banner and went to the front. He fought, but returned without victory. That day, people were very tired and exhausted. The Messenger of God then said: 'Tomorrow I will give the banner to a man who is loved by Allah and His Messenger, and who loves Allah and His Messenger. He will not return from the front until victory is achieved.'"
We spent the night in peace and comfort, expecting victory the next day. In the morning, the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) performed the morning prayer, then asked for the banner to be brought. People were lined up in rows. He called ʿAlī, whose eyes were aching. The Messenger of God blew upon his eyes and gave him the banner. ʿAlī went and fought, and victory was granted. I was among those who stood on tiptoe, craning my neck to see to whom the Messenger of God would give the banner."
Abū Yaʿlā narrated from Ibn ʿAbbās that the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Tomorrow I will give the banner to a man who loves Allah and His Messenger, and who is loved by Allah and His Messenger. Where is ʿAlī?"
They said: "He is grinding wheat." He said: "None of them would be content to grind wheat." Eventually, ʿAlī came to the Messenger of God. The Messenger of God gave him the banner. He went, fought, and brought Safiyya, the daughter of Ḥuyayy b. Akhṭab. This is a rare narration.
Imām Aḥmad b. Ḥanbal narrated from ʿAmr b. Maymūn that: "I was sitting with Ibn ʿAbbās. A delegation of nine men came to him and said: 'O Ibn ʿAbbās! Either you come with us, or send away those with you so we may speak privately.'"
Ibn ʿAbbās said: "No, I will come with you." At that time, Ibn ʿAbbās was not yet blind. They went and began to speak. We do not know what they said. When Ibn ʿAbbās returned, he was shaking his garment and said: "Woe to them! They spoke against a man about whom the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) said: 'I will send a man to the front whom Allah will never disgrace. He loves Allah and His Messenger.' After the Messenger of God said this, those present stood on tiptoe, craning their necks to see. The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) then asked: 'Where is ʿAlī?' Those present said that ʿAlī was grinding wheat at the mill. The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) said: 'None of you is in a state to grind wheat.' Then ʿAlī came, his eyes aching, almost unable to see.
The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) blew upon his eyes, then shook the banner three times and gave it to ʿAlī. ʿAlī went, fought, and brought Safiyya, the daughter of Ḥuyayy b. Akhṭab. Later, the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) sent a certain man with Sūrat al-Tawba to Mecca. Then he sent ʿAlī after him. ʿAlī took the surah from that man. Then the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) said regarding ʿAlī: 'No one should carry Sūrat al-Tawba to Mecca except a man who is from me and I am from him.' Then the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) said to his cousins: 'Which of you will be my friend in this world and the Hereafter?' No one answered. ʿAlī, who was sitting there with the Messenger of God, stood up and replied: 'I will be your friend in this world and the Hereafter.' The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) left him in his place. Then he turned to the men and asked: 'Which of you will be my friend in this world and the Hereafter?'
No one answered. ʿAlī said: 'I will be your friend in this world and the Hereafter.' Thereupon, the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) addressed him: 'You are my friend in this world and the Hereafter.' After Khadīja, the first Muslim was ʿAlī. The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) lifted the edge of his cloak and placed it over ʿAlī, Fāṭima, Ḥasan, and Ḥusayn, and recited the following verse:
"O people of the house, Allah intends only to remove from you impurity [of sin] and to purify you with [extensive] purification." (al-Aḥzāb 33:33)
During the Hijra, ʿAlī sacrificed himself for the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him). He wore his garment and lay in his bed. The polytheists wanted to kill the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). At that time, Abū Bakr came. ʿAlī was sleeping in the Prophet's bed. Abū Bakr, thinking he was the Prophet, called out: "O Messenger of God!" ʿAlī replied: "The Messenger of God has gone towards the Well of Maymūna. Go and catch up with him." Abū Bakr immediately went in that direction and caught up with the Prophet. He entered the cave with him and hid. The polytheists, thinking ʿAlī was the Prophet, began to stone him. He was in pain from this. He put his head under the blanket and remained so until morning. When he threw off the blanket and went outside in the morning, the polytheists said to him: 'You are not a person of high rank. We were stoning your companion, and he did not complain or groan. But you feel pain and groan from the stones we throw. We found this strange.'
The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) set out for the expedition of Tabūk. ʿAlī asked him:
- Shall I come with you?
- No, do not come, he replied. ʿAlī wept. The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) said to him:
- Are you not content to occupy the position with me that Hārūn held with Mūsā? Except that you are not a prophet. But I must go on this expedition, and you will be my deputy."
On one occasion, the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) said to ʿAlī: "You are my friend, and after me, you are the friend of all the believers."
The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) closed all the doors of the mosque except the door of ʿAlī. ʿAlī would enter the mosque from his own door on the side of the mosque. This was his way; he had no other way.
About him, the Messenger of God said: "Whoever I am the friend (mawlā) of, ʿAlī is also his friend." Allah, Exalted is He, has informed us in the Qur'an that He is pleased and content with those who participated in the Pledge of Riḍwān and that He knows what is in their hearts. After informing us of this, has Allah ever stated that He became angry with them? (No, He has not.)
When ʿUmar, referring to Ḥāṭib b. Abī Baltaʿa, who informed the Meccan polytheists by letter that the Muslims were going to battle, said: "O Messenger of God, allow me to strike the neck of this hypocrite," the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "What do you know? Perhaps Allah has looked upon the people who participated in the Battle of Badr and said to them: 'Do as you wish, for I have forgiven you.'"
In his work "Tārīkh," al-Bukhārī narrated from ʿImrān b. Ḥuṣayn that the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) said during the Battle of Khaybar:
"I will give the banner to a man who loves Allah and His Messenger, and whom Allah and His Messenger love." After saying this, the Messenger of God sent for ʿAlī. ʿAlī came, his eyes aching. The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) blew upon his eyes and gave him the banner. ʿAlī did not turn his face away and never complained about his eyes again."
Imām Aḥmad b. Ḥanbal narrated from Abū Saʿīd al-Khudrī that:
"The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) took the banner, shook it, and said: 'Who will take this with its due right?' A man came and said: 'I will take it.' The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) said to him: 'Pass on.' Then another man came and said: 'I will take it.' The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) also said to him: 'Pass on.' Then he said:
'By Allah, who has honored the face of Muḥammad, I will give this banner to a man who does not flee from the battlefield.' ʿAlī came, took the banner, and ran to the front, until Allah granted him the conquest of the fortresses of Khaybar and Fadak. He brought their dates and roasted meat."
Imām Aḥmad b. Ḥanbal narrated from ʿAbd al-Raḥmān b. Abī Laylā that:
"My father was traveling with ʿAlī, who wore winter clothes in summer and summer clothes in winter. They told my father to ask ʿAlī why he did this. When he asked, ʿAlī replied:
'The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) sent for me. At that time, my eyes were aching. We were at the Battle of Khaybar. I said to him: "O Messenger of God, my eyes are aching." He blew upon my eyes and supplicated: "O Allah, remove heat and cold from ʿAlī." Since that day, I have not felt heat or cold in my body. In that battle, the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) said about me: "I will give the banner to a man who loves Allah and His Messenger, and whom Allah and His Messenger love, who does not flee from the battlefield." The Companions (ṣaḥāba) stood on tiptoe, craning their necks to see to whom the banner would be given. At that moment, the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) gave the banner to me.'"
Abū Yaʿlā narrated from ʿAlī that:
"After the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) wiped my head and blew upon my eyes at the Battle of Khaybar and gave me the banner, my eyes never ached again, nor did my head."
In the authentic collections of al-Bukhārī and Muslim, it is narrated from Saʿd b. Abī Waqqāṣ that the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) said to ʿAlī:
"Are you not content to occupy the position with me that Hārūn held with Mūsā? Except that there will be no prophet after me."
Imām Aḥmad b. Ḥanbal narrated from Abū Waqqāṣ that:
"Muʿāwiya, son of Abū Sufyān, asked me:
- What prevents you from cursing Abū Turāb (ʿAlī)?
- I do not curse ʿAlī because I remember three things the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) said about him. To possess one of these three would be dearer to me than having red camels. For when I was going on a campaign, ʿAlī was left in charge of my family, and I heard him say to the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him):
- O Messenger of God, will you leave me behind with women and children?
- Are you not content to have the position with me that Hārūn had with Mūsā? Except that there will be no prophet after me." I also heard the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) say at the Battle of Khaybar: 'I will give the banner to a man who loves Allah and His Messenger, and whom Allah and His Messenger love.' I stood on tiptoe, craning my neck to see to whom he would give the banner. At that moment, the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered: 'Call ʿAlī to me.' ʿAlī was brought to him, his eyes aching. The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) blew upon his eyes and gave him the banner. Allah granted victory through him."
"Say, [O Muhammad], 'Come, let us call our sons and your sons, our women and your women, ourselves and yourselves, then supplicate earnestly and invoke the curse of Allah upon the liars among us.'" (Āl ʿImrān 3:61)
When this verse was revealed, the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) called ʿAlī, Fāṭima, Ḥasan, and Ḥusayn, and said: "O Allah, these are my family."
Ḥasan b. ʿArfa al-ʿAbdī narrated from Saʿd b. Abī Waqqāṣ that:
"Muʿāwiya came for the pilgrimage. Saʿd b. Abī Waqqāṣ visited him. ʿAlī was mentioned. Saʿd said: 'There are three things, to possess one of which would be dearer to me than possessing the world and all that is in it. For I heard the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) say:
'Whoever I am the friend (mawlā) of, ʿAlī is also his friend.' I also heard the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) say: 'Tomorrow I will give the banner to a man who loves Allah and His Messenger, and whom Allah and His Messenger love.' I also heard the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) say to ʿAlī: 'You have a position with me like that of Hārūn with Mūsā, except that there will be no prophet after me.'"
Abū Zurʿa al-Dimashqī narrated from ʿAbdullāh b. Abī Najīḥ, from his father, that:
"When Muʿāwiya came for the pilgrimage, he took the hand of Saʿd b. Abī Waqqāṣ and said to him:
- O Abū Isḥāq, this war has exhausted us. It has prevented us from performing the pilgrimage. We have even forgotten some of its sunnahs. Guide us in the circumambulation so we may perform it with you."
After completing the circumambulation, Muʿāwiya took Saʿd to Dār al-Nadwa, seated him on his own couch, and then mentioned ʿAlī, son of Abū Ṭālib, and spoke against him. Saʿd said to Muʿāwiya:
"You brought me into your house, seated me on your couch, and then began to speak against ʿAlī. By Allah, ʿAlī has three qualities, to possess one of which would be dearer to me than possessing everything over which the sun rises. If only, when the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) went to the expedition of Tabūk, he had said to me: 'O ʿAlī, are you not content to have the position with me that Hārūn had with Mūsā? Except that there will be no prophet after me.' Yes, to have the position the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) mentioned would be dearer to me than possessing everything over which the sun rises. Also, if only, at the Battle of Khaybar, the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) had said to me what he said about ʿAlī: 'Tomorrow I will give the banner to a man who loves Allah and His Messenger, and whom Allah and His Messenger love. Allah will grant victory through him. He does not flee from the battlefield.' If only I were the son-in-law of the Messenger of God like ʿAlī, and his daughter bore me children. The children his daughter would bear me would be more precious to me than possessing everything over which the sun rises. From this day on, I will not come to you again." After saying this, Saʿd b. Abī Waqqāṣ shook his collar and left Muʿāwiya."
Imām Aḥmad b. Ḥanbal narrated from his father Saʿd, from ʿĀʾisha, that:
"ʿAlī went out of Medina with the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him). When they reached near the Farewell Hill, ʿAlī wept and said:
- Are you leaving me behind with those who remain behind from the front?
- Are you not content to have the position with me that Hārūn had with Mūsā? Only prophethood is excepted from this."
Abū Yaʿlā narrated from Abū Hurayra that ʿUmar said: "ʿAlī, son of Abū Ṭālib, was given three qualities. To possess one of them would be dearer to me than having red camels." When asked, "What are those qualities, O trustee of the believers?" ʿUmar explained: "ʿAlī married the daughter of the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him), Fāṭima. He resided with the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) in the Prophet's Mosque, and what was lawful for the Messenger of God in that mosque was also lawful for ʿAlī. The banner was given to ʿAlī at the Battle of Khaybar."
Imām Aḥmad b. Ḥanbal narrated from ʿAbdullāh b. ʿUmar that:
"In the time of the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him), we used to say: The best of people is Abū Bakr, then ʿUmar. ʿAlī, son of Abū Ṭālib, was also given three things: To possess one of these three would be dearer to me than having red camels." ʿAbdullāh b. ʿUmar explained each of these three things separately.