Virtues of Zayd bin Harithah (may Allah be pleased with him): when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not go out on a campaign, he gave his weapons only to Ali or Zayd (may Allah be pleased with them)

It is narrated from Abu Umamah bin Sahl that when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) had finished with the Battle of Badr, he (peace and blessings be upon him) sent two bearers of good news to the people of Madinah: he sent Zayd bin Harithah (may Allah be pleased with him) to the people of the lower area (al-Safilah) and Abdullah bin Rawahah (may Allah be pleased with him) to the people of the upper area (al-Aliyah), so that they would give the people the good news of the victory that Allah had granted to His Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Zayd bin Harithah (may Allah be pleased with him) arrived just as his son Usamah had finished levelling the earth over the grave of Sayyidah Ruqayyah (may Allah be pleased with her), the daughter of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). Usamah was told: "Look, your father has come." Usamah said: I came, and he was standing before the people (announcing the victory), saying: "Utbah bin Rabi'ah, Shaybah bin Rabi'ah, Abu Jahl bin Hisham, Nubayh, Munabbih and Umayyah bin Khalaf have been killed." I asked: "O dear father! Is this true?" He said: "Yes, by Allah, O my dear son!"
This hadith is sahih (authentic) on the condition of Muslim, but the two Shaykhs (Bukhari and Muslim) did not record it.

It is narrated from Jabalah bin Harithah (may Allah be pleased with him), the brother of Zayd bin Harithah, that when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) did not go out on a military campaign himself, he would give his weapons only to Sayyiduna Ali or Sayyiduna Zayd bin Harithah (may Allah be pleased with them both) (for safekeeping or as an honour).
This hadith is sahih (authentic) on the condition of Bukhari, but the two Shaykhs (Bukhari and Muslim) did not record it.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Salamah bin al-Akwa' (may Allah be pleased with him); he said: I took part in seven military campaigns with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and I fought in nine campaigns in the company of Zayd bin Harithah (may Allah be pleased with him), in which the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) had appointed him as our commander.
This hadith is sahih (authentic) on the condition of the two Shaykhs (Bukhari and Muslim).

It is narrated from Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) that whichever expedition the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) sent Zayd bin Harithah (may Allah be pleased with him) with, he always appointed him as commander over them all.
This hadith is sahih (authentic) on the condition of the two Shaykhs (Bukhari and Muslim), but they did not record it.