Salman narrates that once the Satan came across some people who were talking ill of Amir’ul-Mu’mineen ‘Ali (as). He stood near them. The people asked him who he was and he replied that he was Abu Marra. Those persons asked him if he overheard what they were talking about. He said, “May evil overtake you! You talk ill of your own master ‘Ali (as)!” Those persons asked him why he was saying that ‘Ali (as) was their master.
The Satan said, “According to the announcement of your Prophet, ‘Ali (as) is the master of all those of whom the Prophet (S) is the master and also that ‘Ali (as)’s friendship is Allah’s friendship and enmity with ‘Ali (as) is enmity with Allah.” Those persons asked him, “Are you a Shi’a of ‘Ali (as)?” the Satan said, “No. However I am a friend of ‘Ali (as) and I am also present in the progeny of his enemies.” Those people asked him, “O Abu Marra! Can you recount some of ‘Ali (as)’s excellence.
The Satan replied, “O group of misguided persons! You have become heretics! I was busy in prayer with some people on the land for twelve thousand years when those persons were destroyed by Allah. I was left all alone. I protested to Allah about my loneliness. Allah, in His Kindness, raised me to the Heaven where, along with the Angels I was busy in prayers for another twelve thousand years. One day when I was busy praying to Allah, I noticed a ray of light pass by. The Angels fell down in prostration and said that this light was that of some great Prophet (S). A proclamation came from Allah, “O My Angels! The light you have seen is that of my Wali, Amir’ul-Mu’mineen ‘Ali bin Abi Talib (as).”