Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah 34237 — The virtues of Ali bin Abi Talib

Umm Musa said that Sayyidah Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: I swear that Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) was, among all people, the closest to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) in terms of last contact. She said: We were visiting the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) on the day he (peace and blessings be upon him) passed away in the house of Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her). In the morning, every little while, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) kept saying repeatedly: Has Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) come? She (may Allah be pleased with her) said: I thought that he (peace and blessings be upon him) had sent him on some task. He came after a little while, and we felt that he (peace and blessings be upon him) had some matter with him, so we went out of the house and sat by the door. Of all of them I was the closest to the door. Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) bent over him (peace and blessings be upon him) and kept whispering with him (peace and blessings be upon him). Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) passed away that same day. So he (may Allah be pleased with him) was the closest of all to him (peace and blessings be upon him) in terms of last contact.