Love him for the sake of my love...

Love him for the sake of my love, because Allah through Jabra'eel has bade me to tell you this". The Sunnis have also narrated from the Prophet, inter-alia, that a glance at Ali's face and description of his merits is like offering a prayer. Tabri narrates from 'Aisha saying, "I saw that my father would constantly gaze at Ali. I asked him, 'My dear father! I see you often looking at Ali, why so'?

He replied 'O my daughter, I have heard the Prophet saying: 'a glance at Ali's face is like saying a prayer". Ibn Hojr reports from 'Aisha that the Prophet said, "The best of my brothers is Ali and the best of my uncles is Hamza. Remembrance and mention of Ali is like saying of a prayer". ( 85 ) By Allah and by Prophet, Ali was the most loved. Hence he is the best of the loved ones. Anas bin Malik says, "One of the boys from Ansar would be detailed each day for attending the Prophet.

One day it was my turn, when Umm-i-Aiman brought a roasted fowl to the Prophet. She said 'Oh Prophet of God! I myself have caught it and have roasted it for you'. The Prophet said' 'Oh Allah! Send Thy cherished servant to join me in this feast'. In the meantime the door was knocked and the Prophet asked me to open it. I said to myself may be he is an Ansar. But I saw Ali at the back of the door. I told him that the Prophet was busy, and I returned to my own position.

Once again there was a knock; the Prophet asked me to open the door. Again I prayed: may he be an Ansar. I opened the door, but again it was Ali. I said to him that the Prophet was busy, and I myself resumed my position. Again there was a knock and the Prophet said, 'Anasr go and open the door and let him in. You are not the first to be clannish. He is not an Ansar'. I went and conducted Ali in. He joined the Prophet in eating the roasted fowl". Previous…