I would certainly give this standard to a person at whose hand Allah would grant victory and who loves Allah and His Messenger and Allah and His Messenger love him also. The people spent the night thinking as to whom it would be given. When it was morning the people hastened to Messenger of Allah ﷺ all of them hoping that that would be given to him. He (the Holy Prophet) said: Where is 'Ali b. Abu Talib? They said: Messenger of Allah, his eyes are sore. He then sent for him and he was brought and Messenger of Allah ﷺ applied saliva to his eyes and invoked blessings and he was all right, as if he had no ailment at all, and conferred upon him the standard. 'Ali said: Messenger of Allah, I will fight them until they are like us. Thereupon he (the Holy Prophet) said: Advance cautiously until you reach their open places, thereafter invite them to Islam and inform them what is obligatory for them from the rights of Allah, for, by Allah, if Allah guides aright even one person through you that is better for you than to possess the most valuable of the camels.  

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ يَوْمَ خَيْبَرَ لأُعْطِيَنَّ هَذِهِ الرَّايَةَ رَجُلاً يَفْتَحُ اللَّهُ عَلَى يَدَيْهِ يُحِبُّ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ وَيُحِبُّهُ اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ قَالَ فَبَاتَ النَّاسُ يَدُوكُونَ لَيْلَتَهُمْ أَيُّهُمْ يُعْطَاهَا قَالَ فَلَمَّا أَصْبَحَ النَّاسُ غَدَوْا عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ كُلُّهُمْ يَرْجُونَ أَنْ يُعْطَاهَا فَقَالَ أَيْنَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ فَقَالُوا هُوَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ يَشْتَكِي عَيْنَيْهِ قَالَ فَأَرْسَلُوا إِلَيْهِ فَأُتِيَ بِهِ فَبَصَقَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فِي عَيْنَيْهِ وَدَعَا لَهُ فَبَرَأَ حَتَّى كَأَنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ بِهِ وَجَعٌ فَأَعْطَاهُ الرَّايَةَ فَقَالَ عَلِيٌّ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أُقَاتِلُهُمْ حَتَّى يَكُونُوا مِثْلَنَا فَقَالَ انْفُذْ عَلَى رِسْلِكَ حَتَّى تَنْزِلَ بِسَاحَتِهِمْ ثُمَّ ادْعُهُمْ إِلَى الإِسْلاَمِ وَأَخْبِرْهُمْ بِمَا يَجِبُ عَلَيْهِمْ مِنْ حَقِّ اللَّهِ فِيهِ فَوَاللَّهِ لأَنْ يَهْدِيَ اللَّهُ بِكَ رَجُلاً وَاحِدًا خَيْرٌ لَكَ مِنْ أَنْ يَكُونَ لَكَ حُمْرُ النَّعَمِ  

from his father, saying "Mu'awiyah bin Abu Sufyan ordered Sa'd, saying 'What prevented you from reviling Abu Turab?' He said: 'Three things that I remember from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ prevent me from reviling him. That I should have even one those things is more beloved to me than red camels. I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ speaking to 'Ali, and he had left him behind in one of his battles. So 'Ali said to him: "O Messenger of Allah! You leave me behind with women and children?" So the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to him: "Are you not pleased that you should be in the position with me that Harun was with Musa? Except that there is no Prophethood after me?" And on the Day of (the battle of) Khaibar, I heard him saying: "I shall give the banner to a man who loves Allah and His Messenger, and Allah and His Messenger love him." So we all waited for that, then he said: "Call 'Ali for me." He said: 'So he came to him, and he had been suffering from Ramad (an eye condition), so he ﷺ put spittle in his eye and gave the banner to him, then Allah granted him victory. And when this Ayah was revealed: 'Let us call our sons and your sons, our women and your women...' (3:61) the Messenger of Allah ﷺ called 'Ali, Fatimah, Hasan, and Husain and said: "O Allah, these are my family."  

أَمَّا مَا ذَكَرْتُ ثَلاَثًا قَالَهُنَّ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَلَنْ أَسُبَّهُ لأَنْ تَكُونَ لِي وَاحِدَةٌ مِنْهُنَّ أَحَبُّ إِلَىَّ مِنْ حُمْرِ النَّعَمِ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ لِعَلِيٍّ وَخَلَفَهُ فِي بَعْضِ مَغَازِيهِ فَقَالَ لَهُ عَلِيٌّ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ تُخَلِّفُنِي مَعَ النِّسَاءِ وَالصِّبْيَانِ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَمَا تَرْضَى أَنْ تَكُونَ مِنِّي بِمَنْزِلَةِ هَارُونَ مِنْ مُوسَى إِلاَّ أَنَّهُ لاَ نُبُوَّةَ بَعْدِي وَسَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ يَوْمَ خَيْبَرَ لأُعْطِيَنَّ الرَّايَةَ رَجُلاً يُحِبُّ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ وَيُحِبُّهُ اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ قَالَ فَتَطَاوَلْنَا لَهَا فَقَالَ ادْعُ لِي عَلِيًّا فَأَتَاهُ وَبِهِ رَمَدٌ فَبَصَقَ فِي عَيْنِهِ فَدَفَعَ الرَّايَةَ إِلَيْهِ فَفَتَحَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَأُنْزِلَتْ هَذِهِ الآيَةُ ( فَقلْ تَعَالَوْا نَدْعُ أَبْنَاءَنَا وَأَبْنَاءَكُمْ ) الآيَةَ دَعَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ عَلِيًّا وَفَاطِمَةَ وَحَسَنًا وَحُسَيْنًا فَقَالَ اللَّهُمَّ هَؤُلاَءِ أَهْلِي  

What prevents you from abusing Abu Turab (Hadrat 'Ali), whereupon be said: It is because of three things which I remember Messenger of Allah ﷺ having said about him that I would not abuse him and even if I find one of those three things for me, it would be more dear to me than the red camels. I heard Messenger of Allah ﷺ say about 'Ali as he left him behind in one of his campaigns (that was Tabuk). 'Ali said to him: Messenger of Allah, you leave me behind along with women and children. Thereupon Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to him: Aren't you satisfied with being unto me what Aaron was unto Moses but with this exception that there is no prophethood after me. And I (also) heard him say on the Day of Khaibar: I would certainly give this standard to a person who loves Allah and his Messenger, and Allah and his Messenger love him too. He (the narrator) said: We had been anxiously waiting for it, when he (the Holy Prophet) said: Call 'Ali. He was called and his eyes were inflamed. He applied saliva to his eyes and handed over the standard to him, and Allah gave him victory. (The third occasion is this) when the (following) verse was revealed: "Let us summon our children and your children." Messenger of Allah ﷺ called 'Ali, Fatima, Hasan and Husain and said: O Allah, they are my family. (Using translation from Muslim 2404d)   

سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ لَهُ وَخَلَّفَهُ فِي بَعْضِ مَغَازِيهِ فَقَالَ عَلِيٌّ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ أَتُخَلِّفُنِي مَعَ النِّسَاءِ وَالصِّبْيَانِ؟ قَالَ يَا عَلِيُّ أَمَا تَرْضَى أَنْ تَكُونَ مِنِّي بِمَنْزِلَةِ هَارُونَ مِنْ مُوسَى إِلا أَنَّهُ لَا نُبُوَّةَ بَعْدِي وَسَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ يَوْمَ خَيْبَرَ لَأُعْطِيَنَّ الرَّايَةَ رَجُلًا يُحِبُّ اللهَ وَرَسُولَهُ وَيُحِبُّهُ اللهُ وَرَسُولُهُ فَتَطَاوَلْنَا لَهَا فَقَالَ ادْعُوا لِي عَلِيًّا فَأُتِيَ بِهِ أَرْمَدَ فَبَصَقَ فِي عَيْنِهِ وَدَفَعَ الرَّايَةَ إِلَيْهِ فَفَتَحَ اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَلَمَّا نَزَلَتْ هَذِهِ الْآيَةُ {نَدْعُ أَبْنَاءَنَا وَأَبْنَاءَكُمْ} [آل عمران 61] دَعَا رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ عَلِيًّا وَفَاطِمَةَ وَحَسَنًا وَحُسَيْنًا رِضْوَانُ اللهِ عَلَيْهِمْ فَقَالَ اللهُمَّ هَؤُلاءِ أَهْلِي  

[Machine] Muawiya said to Saad bin Abi Waqqas, "What prevents you from insulting Ibn Abi Talib?" Saad replied, "I do not insult what I mentioned three times, which the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said. It is more beloved to me than the red camels." Muawiya asked, "What are they, O Abu Ishaq?" Saad replied, "I do not insult him what I mentioned when the revelation came down upon him, and he took Ali and his two sons and Fatimah and hid them under his garment, then said, 'O Lord, these are the people of my household.' And I do not insult him what I mentioned when he left me behind in the Battle of Tabuk, which the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, led. Ali said to him, 'You left me with the children and women.' He replied, 'Do you not like to be to me like Aaron was to Moses, except that there is no prophethood after me?' And I do not insult him what I mentioned on the day of Khaybar, when the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said, 'I will give this banner to a man who loves Allah and His Messenger, and whom Allah will grant victory through his hands.' So, we rushed towards the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, and he asked, 'Where is Ali?' They told him that he had sore eyes. He said, 'Call him.' When Ali came, the Prophet spat in his face and then gave him the banner. Allah granted him victory. I swear by Allah, Muawiya did not mention anything correctly until he left the city."  

قَالَ مُعَاوِيَةُ لِسَعْدِ بْنِ أَبِي وَقَّاصٍ مَا يَمْنَعُكَ أَنْ تَسُبَّ ابْنَ أَبِي طَالِبٍ؟ قَالَ فَقَالَ لَا أَسُبُّ مَا ذَكَرْتُ ثَلَاثًا قَالَهُنَّ لَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ لِأَنْ تَكُونَ لِي وَاحِدَةٌ مِنْهُنَّ أَحَبَّ إِلَيَّ مِنْ حُمْرِ النَّعَمِ قَالَ لَهُ مُعَاوِيَةُ مَا هُنَّ يَا أَبَا إِسْحَاقَ؟ قَالَ لَا أَسُبُّهُ مَا ذَكَرْتُ حِينَ نَزَلَ عَلَيْهِ الْوَحْيُ فَأَخَذَ عَلِيًّا وَابْنَيْهِ وَفَاطِمَةَ فَأَدْخَلَهُمْ تَحْتَ ثَوْبِهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ «رَبِّ إِنَّ هَؤُلَاءِ أَهْلُ بَيْتِي» وَلَا أَسُبُّهُ مَا ذَكَرْتُ حِينَ خَلَّفَهُ فِي غَزْوَةِ تَبُوكَ غَزَاهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقَالَ لَهُ عَلِيٌّ خَلَّفْتَنِي مَعَ الصِّبْيَانِ وَالنِّسَاءِ قَالَ «أَلَا تَرْضَى أَنْ تَكُونَ مِنِّي بِمَنْزِلَةِ هَارُونَ مِنْ مُوسَى إِلَّا أَنَّهُ لَا نُبُوَّةَ بَعْدِي» وَلَا أَسُبُّهُ مَا ذَكَرْتُ يَوْمَ خَيْبَرَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ «لَأُعْطِيَنَّ هَذِهِ الرَّايَةَ رَجُلًا يُحِبُّ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ وَيَفْتَحُ اللَّهُ عَلَى يَدَيْهِ» فَتَطَاوَلْنَا لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقَالَ «أَيْنَ عَلِيٌّ؟» قَالُوا هُوَ أَرْمَدُ فَقَالَ «ادْعُوهُ» فَدَعَوْهُ فَبَصَقَ فِي وَجْهِهِ ثُمَّ أَعْطَاهُ الرَّايَةَ فَفَتَحَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ قَالَ فَلَا وَاللَّهِ مَا ذَكَرَهُ مُعَاوِيَةَ بِحَرْفٍ حَتَّى خَرَجَ مِنَ الْمَدِينَةِ  

What prevents you from abusing Abu Turab (Hadrat 'Ali), whereupon be said: It is because of three things which I remember Messenger of Allah ﷺ having said about him that I would not abuse him and even if I find one of those three things for me, it would be more dear to me than the red camels. I heard Messenger of Allah ﷺ say about 'Ali as he left him behind in one of his campaigns (that was Tabuk). 'Ali said to him: Messenger of Allah, you leave me behind along with women and children. Thereupon Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to him: Aren't you satisfied with being unto me what Aaron was unto Moses but with this exception that there is no prophethood after me. And I (also) heard him say on the Day of Khaibar: I would certainly give this standard to a person who loves Allah and his Messenger, and Allah and his Messenger love him too. He (the narrator) said: We had been anxiously waiting for it, when he (the Holy Prophet) said: Call 'Ali. He was called and his eyes were inflamed. He applied saliva to his eyes and handed over the standard to him, and Allah gave him victory. (The third occasion is this) when the (following) verse was revealed: "Let us summon our children and your children." Messenger of Allah ﷺ called 'Ali, Fatima, Hasan and Husain and said: O Allah, they are my family. (Using translation from Muslim 2404d)   

أَمَا مَا ذَكَرْتُ ثَلَاثًا قَالَهُنَّ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ فَلَنْ أَسُبَّهُ لَأَنْ تَكُونَ لِي وَاحِدَةٌ مِنْهُنَّ أَحَبَّ إِلَيَّ مِنْ حُمْرِ النَّعَمِ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ لَهُ وَخَلَّفَهُ فِي بَعْضِ مَغَازِيهِ فَقَالَ لَهُ عَلِيٌّ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ «تُخَلِّفُنِي مَعَ النِّسَاءِ وَالصِّبْيَانِ؟» فَقَالَ لَهُ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ «أَمَا تَرْضَى أَنْ تَكُونَ مِنِّي بِمَنْزِلَةِ هَارُونَ مِنْ مُوسَى إِلَّا أَنَّهُ لَا نُبُوَّةَ بَعْدِي؟» وَسَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ فِي يَوْمَ خَيْبَرَ «لَأُعْطِيَنَّ الرَّايَةَ رَجُلًا يُحِبُّ اللهَ وَرَسُولَهُ وَيُحِبُّهُ اللهُ وَرَسُولُهُ» فَتَطَاوَلْنَا لَهَا فَقَالَ «ادْعُوا لِي عَلِيًّا» فَأُتِيَ بِهِ أَرْمَدَ فَبَصَقَ فِي عَيْنَيْهِ وَدَفَعَ الرَّايَةَ إِلَيْهِ وَلَمَّا نَزَلَتْ زَادَ هِشَامٌ {إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ اللهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنْكُمُ الرِّجْسَ أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ} [الأحزاب 33] دَعَا رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ عَلِيًّا وَفَاطِمَةَ وَحَسَنًا وَحُسَيْنًا فَقَالَ «اللهُمَّ يَعْنِي هَؤُلَاءِ أَهْلِي»  

[Machine] Muawiyah said to Saad ibn Abi Waqas, "What prevented you from insulting Ali ibn Abi Talib?" Saad replied, "I do not insult him as long as I remember three things that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said. He said, 'It would be more beloved to me than the red camels if I were to take Ali, his sons, and Fatimah, and enter them under my cloak.' Then he said, 'These are my family and the people of my household.' And I do not insult him as long as I remember when he left him behind in a battle and said, 'Did you leave me with the children and the women?' He replied, 'Do you not want to be to me like Aaron was to Moses, except that there is no prophethood?' And I do not insult him as long as I remember the day of Khaybar when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, 'I will give this flag to a man who loves Allah and His Messenger, and Allah will grant victory through him.' So, we kept asking, 'Where is Ali?' They said, 'He has sore eyes.' He was called and he came. He spat in his eyes, then he handed him the flag. Allah granted him victory, and by Allah, Muawiyah did not utter a single word of what he mentioned until he left the city."  

قَالَ مُعَاوِيَةُ لِسَعْدِ بْنِ أَبِي وَقَّاصٍ «§مَا مَنَعَكَ أَنْ تَسُبَّ عَلِيَّ بْنَ أَبِي طَالِبٍ؟» قَالَ لَا أَسُبُّهُ مَا ذَكَرْتُ ثَلَاثًا قَالَهُنَّ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ لَأَنْ تَكُونَ لِي قَالَ «وَاحِدَةٌ أَحَبَّ إِلَيَّ مِنْ حُمْرِ النَّعَمِ لَا أَسُبُّهُ مَا ذَكَرْتُ حِينَ نَزَلَ عَلَيْهِ الْوَحْيُ فَأَخَذَ عَلِيًّا وَابْنَيْهِ وَفَاطِمَةَ فَأَدْخَلَهُمْ تَحْتَ ثَوْبِهِ» ثُمَّ قَالَ «رَبِّ هَؤُلَاءِ أَهْلِي وَأَهْلُ بَيْتِي» وَلَا أَسُبُّهُ حِينَ خَلَّفَهُ فِي غَزْوَةٍ غَزَاهَا قَالَ «خَلَّفْتَنِي مَعَ الصِّبْيَانِ وَالنِّسَاءِ؟» قَالَ «أَوَ لَا تَرْضَى أَنْ تَكُونَ مِنِّي بِمَنْزِلَةِ هَارُونَ مِنْ مُوسَى إِلَّا أَنَّهُ لَا نُبُوَّةَ» وَلَا أَسُبُّهُ مَا ذَكَرْتُ يَوْمَ خَيْبَرَ حِينَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ «لَأُعْطِيَنَّ هَذِهِ الرَّايَةَ رَجُلًا يُحِبُّ اللهَ وَرَسُولَهُ وَيَفْتَحُ اللهُ عَلَى يَدَيْهِ» فَتَطَاوَلْنَا فَقَالَ «أَيْنَ عَلِيٌّ؟» فَقَالُوا هُوَ أَرْمَدُ فَقَالَ «ادْعُوهُ فَدَعَوْهُ فَبَصَقَ فِي عَيْنَيْهِ ثُمَّ أَعْطَاهُ الرَّايَةَ فَفَتَحَ اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاللهِ مَا ذَكَرَهُ مُعَاوِيَةُ بِحَرْفٍ حَتَّى خَرَجَ مِنَ الْمَدِينَةِ»  

"عَنْ عَامِرِ بن سَعْد قَالَ: قَالَ سَعْدٌ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ لِعَلىٍّ ثَلَاثٌ لأَنْ يَكُونَ لِى وَاحِدَةٌ مِنْهُنَّ أَحَبُّ إِلَىَّ مِنْ حُمْرِ النَّعَمِ، نَزَلَ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ الْوَحْىُ فَأَدْخَلَ عَلِيًّا وَفَاطِمَةَ وَابْنَيْهِمَا تَحْتَ ثَوْبِهِ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: الَّلهُمَّ هَؤُلاءِ أَهْلِى وَأَهْل بَيْتِى، وَقَالَ لَهُ حِينَ خَلَّفَهُ فِى غَزَاةٍ غَزَاهَا فَقَالَ عَلِىٌّ: يَا رَسُول الله! خَلَّفْتَنِى مَعَ النِّساءِ وَالصِّبْيَانِ، فَقَالَ لَهُ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ أَلَا تَرْضى أَنْ تَكَونَ مِنِّى بِمَنْزِلَةِ هَارُونَ مِنْ موسَى إِلَّا أَنَّهُ لَا نُبَوَّةَ، وَقَوْلُهُ

يَوْمَ خَيْبَر: لأُعْطيَنَّ الرَّايَةَ رَجُلًا يُحِبُّ اللهَ وَرَسُولَهُ يَفْتَحُ اللهُ عَلَى يَدَيْهِ، فَتَطَاوَلَ المُهَاجِرُونَ لِرَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ لِيَرَاهُم، فَقَالَ: أَيْنَ عَلِىٌّ؟ قَالُوا: هُوَ رَمِدٌ قَالَ: ادْعُوهُ فَدَعَوْه فَبَصَقَ فِى عَيْنَيْهِ فَفَتَحَ اللهُ عَلَى يَدَيْهِ".