He informed all the people...

He informed all the people, saying: “O People, am I not worthier of you than yourselves?” They answered him: “Allah and His Apostle know best!” So he (a.s) said: “Most surely, Allah is my Guardian, and I am the guardian of the believers, and I am worthier of them than themselves; therefore, whoever mentioned by al-Wahidi in his Asbab al-Nuzool, and by al-Fakhr al-Razi in his al-Tafseer al-Kabeer, and by others. I am his guardian, Ali is his guardian.” He said that three or four times.

Then he said: “O Allah, befriend whoever befriends him, love whoever loves him, hate whoever hates him, support whoever supports him, desert whoever deserts him, and turn the truth with him wherever he turns! Those present should inform those absent!”[^1] In his sermon, the Prophet greatly honored Imam Ali, the Commander of the faithful (a.s) and entrusted him with the great office of the caliphate.…