[Machine] O son of al-Hajjaj, don't you see that you belittle Ali ibn Abi Talib, whom Muhammad ﷺ sent with truth? I used to be the servant of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and every day I used to serve a young boy from the Ansar in front of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ . That day happened to be my daily routine when Umm Ayman, the foster mother of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ , came with a bird. I placed it in front of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ , and he asked, "O Umm Ayman, what is this bird?" She said, "I found this bird and made it for you." The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "O Allah, bring to me the dearest of Your creation to you and me, so that he may eat with me from this bird." He knocked on the door and said, "O Anas, see who is at the door." I said, "O Allah, make him a man from the Ansar." I went, and there was Ali at the door. I said, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ is in need." I came near and stood in my place, but I had barely stood when he knocked on the door and said, "O Anas, see who is at the door." I said, "O Allah, make him a man from the Ansar." I went, and there was Ali at the door. I said, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ is in need." I came near and stood in my place, but I had barely stood when he knocked on the door and said, "O Anas, go and let him in, for you are not the first to love his people, but he is not from the Ansar." So I went and let him in. He said, "O Anas, bring the bird near him." I placed it in front of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ , and they both ate. Muhammad ibn al-Hajjaj said, "O Anas, was this arranged by you?" I replied, "Yes." He said, "I swear by Allah, I have given you a pledge not to belittle Ali after this incident, and I don't know anyone who belittles him except that I will break his nose." Ibrahim ibn Thabit, you are incorrect.  

يَا ابْنَ الْحَجَّاجِ أَلَا أَرَاكَ تَنْقُصُ عَلِيَّ بْنَ أَبِي طَالِبٍ وَالَّذِي بَعَثَ مُحَمَّدًا ﷺ بِالْحَقِّ لَقَدْ كُنْتُ خَادِمَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ وَكَانَ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ يَخْدُمُ بَيْنَ يَدِي رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ غُلَامٌ مِنْ أَبْنَاءِ الْأَنْصَارِ فَكَانَ ذَلِكَ الْيَوْمُ يَوْمِي فَجَاءَتْ أُمُّ أَيْمَنَ مَوْلَاةُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ بِطَيْرٍ فَوَضَعْتُهُ بَيْنَ يَدِي رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ «يَا أُمَّ أَيْمَنَ مَا هَذَا الطَّائِرُ؟» قَالَتْ هَذَا الطَّائِرُ أَصَبْتُهُ فَصَنَعْتُهُ لَكَ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ «اللَّهُمَّ جِئْنِي بِأَحَبِّ خَلْقِكَ إِلَيْكَ وَإِلَيَّ يَأْكُلُ مَعِي مِنْ هَذَا الطَّائِرِ» وَضَرَبَ الْبَابَ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ «يَا أَنَسُ انْظُرْ مَنْ عَلَى الْبَابِ» قُلْتُ اللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْهُ رَجُلًا مِنَ الْأَنْصَارِ فَذَهَبْتُ فَإِذَا عَلِيٌّ بِالْبَابِ قُلْتُ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ عَلَى حَاجَةٍ فَجِئْتُ حَتَّى قُمْتُ مِنْ مَقَامِي فَلَمْ أَلْبَثْ أَنْ ضَرَبَ الْبَابَ فَقَالَ «يَا أَنَسُ انْظُرْ مَنْ عَلَى الْبَابِ» فَقُلْتُ اللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْهُ رَجُلًا مِنَ الْأَنْصَارِ فَذَهَبْتُ فَإِذَا عَلِيٌّ بِالْبَابِ قُلْتُ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ عَلَى حَاجَةٍ فَجِئْتُ حَتَّى قُمْتُ مَقَامِي فَلَمْ أَلْبَثْ أَنْ ضَرَبَ الْبَابَ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ «يَا أَنَسُ اذْهَبْ فَأَدْخِلْهُ فَلَسْتَ بِأَوَّلِ رَجُلٍ أَحَبَّ قَوْمَهُ لَيْسَ هُوَ مِنَ الْأَنْصَارِ» فَذَهَبْتُ فَأَدْخَلْتُهُ فَقَالَ «يَا أَنَسُ قَرِّبْ إِلَيْهِ الطَّيْرَ» قَالَ فَوَضَعْتُهُ بَيْنَ يَدَيْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَأَكَلَا جَمِيعًا قَالَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحَجَّاجِ يَا أَنَسُ كَانَ هَذَا بِمَحْضَرٍ مِنْكَ؟ قَالَ نَعَمْ قَالَ «أُعْطِي بِاللَّهِ عَهْدًا أَلَّا أَنْتَقِصَ عَلِيًّا بَعْدَ مَقَامِي هَذَا وَلَا أَعْلَمُ أَحَدًا يَنْتَقِصُهُ إِلَّا أَشْنَبَ لَهُ وَجْهَهُ» إبراهيم بن ثابت ساقط