Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah 34249 — The virtues of Ali bin Abi Talib

Abd al-Rahman bin Sabit (may Allah have mercy on him) said that Sayyiduna Sa'd (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Sayyiduna Mu'awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) came on the occasion of one of his Hajj journeys, and Sayyiduna Sa'd (may Allah be pleased with him) came to him. The people mentioned Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), whereupon Sayyiduna Mu'awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) said some words against him. Sayyiduna Sa'd (may Allah be pleased with him) became angry and said: "You say this about a man concerning whom I myself heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) state these three distinctions? For one of these distinctions to be given to me would be dearer to me than the world and all that is in it. I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) say: 'Whoever I am the friend of, Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) is his friend too.' I heard the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) say: 'You are to me just as Sayyiduna Harun (peace be upon him) was to Sayyiduna Musa (peace be upon him), except that there is no prophet after me.' And I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) say: 'I shall certainly give the flag to a man who loves Allah and His Messenger.'"