Mukhtasar Muslim

‘The conqueror of Persia, Sayyiduna Sa’d bin Abi Waqqas (may Allah be pleased with him) says that’ the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) appointed Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) as his deputy (in Madinah) on the occasion of the Battle of Tabuk. So he (Ali) said, “O Messenger of Allah! Are you leaving me among women and children?” The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Are you not pleased that your status with me is like that of Harun (Aaron) with Musa (Moses), except that there is no prophet after me?”

Narrated from Sayyiduna Sahl bin Sa’d (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said on the day of the battle of Khaybar: “I will give this flag to the person at whose hand Allah will grant victory, and he loves Allah and His Messenger, and Allah and His Messenger love him.” Then the people spent the whole night discussing who would be given this honor by the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). When morning came, everyone went to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) hoping that the flag would be given to him. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “Where is Ali bin Abi Talib?” The people replied, “O Messenger of Allah! His eyes are sore.” Then the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) sent for him, applied his saliva to his eyes, and prayed for him, so he was completely cured as if he had no ailment. Then the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) gave him the flag. Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) submitted, “O Messenger of Allah! Shall I fight them until they become like us (i.e., Muslims)?” The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “Proceed gently until you reach their ground, then invite them to Islam and inform them of what is obligatory upon them from the rights of Allah. By Allah, if Allah guides a single person through you, it is better for you than red camels.”

Sahl bin Sa’d (may Allah be pleased with him) says that when a man from the descendants of Marwan became the ruler in Madinah, he summoned Sahl (may Allah be pleased with him) and ordered him to curse Ali (may Allah be pleased with him). Sahl (may Allah be pleased with him) refused, so the man said, “If you refuse to curse, then say: May Allah’s curse be upon Abu Turab.” Sahl (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) loved no name more than Abu Turab, and he would be pleased with anyone who called him by this name.” The man said, “Tell me the story of why he was called Abu Turab.” Sahl (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) came to the house of Fatimah al-Zahra (may Allah be pleased with her) and did not find Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) at home. He (peace and blessings be upon him) asked, ‘Where is your cousin?’ She replied, ‘There was something between me and him, and he got angry and left, and he did not sleep here.’ The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said to a man, ‘See where he is.’ The man came and said, ‘O Messenger of Allah! Ali is sleeping in the mosque.’ The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) went to Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), who was lying down, and his cloak had slipped from his side and dust had gotten on his body. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) began to wipe off the dust and said, ‘O Abu Turab! Get up. O Abu Turab! Get up.’