It is narrated from Sayyiduna Buraydah al-Aslami (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Indeed Jibril (peace be upon him) came to me and said: Your Lord loves four of your Companions, and He commands you to love them too."
A group of the Companions said: "O Messenger of Allah, name them for us." He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Know that Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) is one of them."
Then, when the next day came, they said: "O Messenger of Allah, who are those people about whom Allah Almighty has informed you that He loves them, and has commanded you to love them too?" He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Know that Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) is one of them."
When the third day came, they said: "O Messenger of Allah, who are those people about whom Allah Almighty has told you that He loves them, and has commanded you to love them too?" He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Know that Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) is one of them."
(Then) he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "(The four are:) Sayyiduna Ali, Sayyiduna Abu Dharr al-Ghifari, Sayyiduna al-Miqdad bin al-Aswad and Sayyiduna Salman al-Farisi (may Allah be pleased with them)."
Imam al-Tabarani (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "No one narrated this hadith from Abd al-Malik bin Abi Sulayman (may Allah have mercy on him) except Abd al-Nur bin Abdullah (may Allah have mercy on him), and Khalid al-Samti (may Allah have mercy on him) is alone in narrating it."
Hadith Referenceالمعجم الأوسط / باب الميم / 7146
Hadith Gradingمحدثین:إسناده ضعيف جدًّا، فيه عبد النور بن عبد الله كذبه شعبة
Hadith Takhrij«قال الهيثمي: فيه عبد النور بن عبد الله كذبه شعبة ووثقه ابن حبان «مجمع الزوائد ومنبع الفوائد، ج 9، ص 155»» «أخرجه الحاكم فى «المستدرك» برقم: 4674، والترمذي فى «جامعه» برقم: 3718، وابن ماجه فى «سننه» برقم: 149، وأحمد فى «مسنده» برقم: 23434، 23481، والبزار فى «مسنده» برقم: 4394»