There was no name dearer to ʿAli than his nickname Abu Turab (the father of dust). He used to feel happy whenever he was called by this name. Once Messenger of Allah ﷺ came to the house of Fatima but did not find ʿAli in the house. So he asked "Where is your cousin?" She replied, "There was something (a quarrel) between me and him whereupon he got angry with me and went out without having a midday nap in my house." Messenger of Allah ﷺ asked a person to look for him. That person came, and said, "O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! He (Ali) is sleeping in the mosque." So Messenger of Allah ﷺ went there and found him lying. His upper body cover had fallen off to one side of his body, and so he was covered with dust. Messenger of Allah ﷺ started cleaning the dust from him, saying, "Get up, O Abu Turab! Get up, Abu Turab!" (See Hadith No. 432, Vol 1)  

مَا كَانَ لِعَلِيٍّ اسْمٌ أَحَبَّ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ أَبِي تُرَابٍ وَإِنْ كَانَ لَيَفْرَحُ بِهِ إِذَا دُعِيَ بِهَا جَاءَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ بَيْتَ فَاطِمَةَ عَلَيْهَا السَّلاَمُ فَلَمْ يَجِدْ عَلِيًّا فِي الْبَيْتِ فَقَالَ أَيْنَ ابْنُ عَمِّكِ فَقَالَتْ كَانَ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَهُ شَىْءٌ فَغَاضَبَنِي فَخَرَجَ فَلَمْ يَقِلْ عِنْدِي فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ لإِنْسَانٍ انْظُرْ أَيْنَ هُوَ فَجَاءَ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ هُوَ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ رَاقِدٌ فَجَاءَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَهْوَ مُضْطَجِعٌ قَدْ سَقَطَ رِدَاؤُهُ عَنْ شِقِّهِ فَأَصَابَهُ تُرَابٌ فَجَعَلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَمْسَحُهُ عَنْهُ وَهْوَ يَقُولُ قُمْ أَبَا تُرَابٍ قُمْ أَبَا تُرَابٍ