Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah 34271 — The virtues of Ali bin Abi Talib

Iyas bin Salamah (may Allah have mercy on him) said: My father informed me that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) sent him to call Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), and said: "I shall certainly give the flag to a man who loves Allah and His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), and whom Allah and His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) love." The narrator said: So I brought him, walking ahead of him to show him the way, because he was suffering from an eye inflammation. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) put his blessed saliva in his eyes, then bestowed the flag upon him. And that very day Allah granted victory at his hands.