Harith ibn Tha’labah said:
Two men left for Makkah and Medina in or before the month, and came upon a group leaving for Haj. They said: We joined them, and as we rode forward, we came across a man who seemed to be their leader. He pulled himself aside from the group, and came to us asking: “You are from Iraq?” We said: “Yes, we are Iraqis.” He said: “You may be from Kufa?” We said: “Yes, we are from Kufa.” He asked: “To which clan do you belong?” We said: “We are from Banu Kananah.” He asked: “Which family of Banu Kananah?” We said: “We are from the descendants of Malik ibn Kananah.”
He said: “Most welcome, most welcome. I beseech you in the name of the Holy Revelation and the Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny), did you ever hear ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib (as) abusing me, or saying that he was my enemy or that he would fight me?” We said: “No, but we have heard him say: Be on your guard against the deviations of the pug-nosed.” He said: “There are many who are pug-nosed, but did you hear him grudging against me by name?” We said: “No.”.
(Upon hearing this), he said: “Allah is Great. Allah is Great. I should have gone astray, and would not be among the rightly guided, if I fight or be his adversary, (especially) after the four virtues I learned from the messenger of Allah, peace be upon him and his progeny, regarding him {i.e. ‘Ali (as)}. For if I had only one of those four, I would have valued it more than the whole world and whichever is in it, spending in it the life span of Noah.”
We said: “Mention them to us.”
He said: “I did not recall this but for the purpose of mentioning them. The Prophet, peace be upon him and his progeny, sent Abu Bakr with the verses of al-Bar’aah (Surah al-Tawbah) to declare them to the infidels (of Makkah), but when he had travelled for a night or a part of it, the Prophet sent ‘Ali to Abu Bakr saying: “Take charge of the declaration from him, and send him back to me.” So Amirul Mu’mineen, peace be upon him, proceeded, and having taken the charge from Abu Bakr, asked him to return to the Prophet.
When he arrived before the Prophet, he (i.e. Abu Bakr) wept and said: “O messenger of Allah! Has anything (untoward) happened about me, or has any Qur’anic revelation occurred about me?” Then the Prophet, peace be upon him and his progeny, said: “No Qur’anic revelation has come to me about you, but Jibraeel, peace be upon him, descended upon me with the divine command, saying: ‘No one can discharge this responsibility except yourself or someone of yourself.’ And ‘Ali is of me and I am of him, so no one will purvey on my behalf but ‘Ali.”
We asked: “And what is the second one?” He said: We lived in the mosque of the Prophet, peace be upon him and his progeny, together with the family of ‘Ali. The family of Abu Bakr, the family of Umar and his uncles. Then one night, it was announced to us: “With the exception of the Prophet’s family and the family of ‘Ali, all others must withdraw and quit. So we vacated dragging our bag and baggage. In the morning, his uncle, Hamzah, came to him and said: “O messenger of Allah, you evicted us and allowed this young boy to remain? We are your uncles and the elders of your family.” Then the Prophet said: “I did not ask you to leave, nor did I allow him (i.e. ‘Ali) to stay. It was by the command of Allah, Most High.” We said: “And what is the third?”
He said: The Prophet, peace be upon him and his progeny, appointed Abu Bakr as a standard bearer and sent him to the fort of Khaybar. He brought it back. Then he appointed Umar, who also brought it back (without success). The Prophet, peace be upon him and his progeny, was deeply disturbed, so he said: “Tomorrow, I shall indeed give the standard to a man who Allah and His Prophet love, and he (too) loves Allah and His Prophet. He will be the steadfast one, never running away. He will not return till Allah blesses (us) with victory upon his hands.”
When the next day dawned, we raised ourselves on our knees and toes, but did not find him calling anyone from among us. He then announced: “Where is ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib?” ‘Ali was brought to him, suffering from sore-eye. He put his saliva into his eyes, gave him the standard. And Allah blessed (us) with the victory at his hands.”
We aid: “And what is the fourth one?”
He said: The Prophet, peace be upon him and his progeny, left for the battle of Tabuk, leaving behind ‘Ali in his place. The Quraishites became jealous of him (i.e. ‘Ali) and said: “The Prophet has left him behind because he does not like his company.” (When ‘Ali heard this), he followed the Prophet and upon arrival, placed his hand on the stirrup of the Prophet’s camel, saying: “Surely, I will follow you.”
The Prophet said: “What has happened to you?” He wept and said: “The Quraishites believe that you left me behind because you hate me, and do not prefer my company.”
The Prophet ordered an announcement for people to assemble and then (addressing them) said: “O people, Is there anyone among you who does not have the closest and most distinctly notable among his relatives.” They said: “Yes, we do have.” Then he said: “Surely, ‘Ali, son of Abu Talib, is the closest to me among my relatives, and is most beloved to my heart.” Then he came to ‘Ali (as) and said: “Does it not please you to be to me what Haroon was to Musa; except that there is no prophet after me?” ‘Ali said: “My pleasure is with Allah and His Prophet.”
Then Sa’d said: “These are the four virtues, and if you feel inclined, I may relate to you the fifth one!” We said: “We would like to know it.”
He said: “We were with the Prophet, peace be upon him and his progeny, in the farewell pilgrimage. When returning (from Haj) he dismounted at Ghadeer Khumm, and ordered an announcement for all to assemble. Then he proclaimed: “O people, of whoever I am the master, this ‘Ali also is his master. O Allah, befriend one who befriends him, and hate one who hates him. Help one who helps him, and forsake one who forsakes him.”