Ahmad Ibn Hanbal said...

Ahmad Ibn Hanbal said, ”'Ali is the one for whom a great deal of true virtues is said.”[^6] He said, إن ابن أبي طالب لا يقاس به أحد [^7] “No noe deserves being compared to 'Ali.” Among these virtues, some narrations for whose correctness there is no doubt can be mentioned. Significance of some is to the extent that through them Imam's personality in the Messenger's eyes can be imagined.

Abu Sa'id Khudri said, كان لعلي من النبي (ص) دخلة ليست لأحد وكان للنبي (ص) من علي دخلة ليست لأحد غيره فكانت دخلة النبي (ص) من علي ان النبي (ص) كان يدخل عليهم كل يوم “No one met the prophet more than 'Ali, so did the Prophet.

The Prophet's meeting was to come up to them every day.” [^8] Also Zayd Ibn Thabit said to Imam, أنت من رسول الله (ص) بالمكان الذي لا يعدله أحد [^9] “No one owns thy dignity in front of the Messenger (S).” These words were said by Zayd when he used to tenaciously support 'Uthman. This caused Imam to know the Prophet (S) as long as none of the other companions did so.[^10] One evidence indicating the Prophet's heed to Imam was that he married Fatima (S), world selected women, to him.

Abu Bakr and 'Umar had popped the question to Fatima before but they were rejected by the Prophet. But Imam (a) proposing marriage to Fatima was accepted and said, لست بدجال [^11] “I'm not deceiver.” “Fatima is yours.” Having married Fatima, Imam (a) was asked to find a house but it was far from the Prophet's.