‘Ali (رضي الله عنه) said, when he finished with the people of Basrah: The best of this ummah after its Prophet is Abu Bakr, and after Abu Bakr it is ‘Umar (رضي الله عنهما), then we got involved in matters which Allah will judge as He wills.
It was narrated from al-Musayyab bin `Abd Khair, that his father said:
`Ali (رضي الله عنه) stood up and said: The best of this ummah; after its Prophet (ﷺ) is Abu Bakr, and ‘Umar, then we got involved in matters which Allah will judge as He wills.
My father told me that `Ali (رضي الله عنه) said to al-Miqdad: Ask the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) about a man who gets close to a woman and emits madhi, for I am too shy to ask him because his daughter is married to me. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Let him wash his private part and testicles, and do wudoo`.
They distracted us on the day of al-Ahzab from `Asr prayer, until I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: `They distracted us from the middle prayer, ‘Asr prayer. May Allah fill their graves and houses or stomachs with fire.”
We have nothing except the Book of Allah, may He be exalted, and this document from the Prophet (ﷺ). Madinah is a sanctuary from `A`ir to Thawr; whoever commits an offence in it or gives refuge to an offender, may the curse of Allah, the angels and all the people be upon him and no obligatory or nafl act of worship will be accepted from him.` And he said: `Protection given by any Muslim is binding upon all of them. Whoever transgresses protection given by a Muslim, upon him be the curse of Allah, the angels and all the people, and Allah will not accept from him any nafl or obligatory act of worship. Whoever takes people as mawla without the permission of the ones who set him free, upon him be the curse of Allah, the angels and all the people, and Allah will not accept from him any nafl or obligatory act of worship.”
I said: O Messenger of Allah, why do I see you marrying from Quraish and you do not marry from among us? He said: “Do you have someone?` I said: The daughter of Hamzah. He said: `She is the daughter of my brother through breastfeeding.”
It was narrated that Abu `Abdur-Rahman as-Sulami said:
`Ali said: If I tell you a hadeeth from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), then think of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) in the best, the most guided and the most pious manner.
When the fighting grew intense on the day of Badr, we sought shelter by drawing close to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), who was one of the strongest of the people, and no one was closer to the mushrikeen than him.
It was narrated from `Ali bin Abi Talib (رضي الله عنه) that The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) forbade garments made from a blend of linen and silk, or garments dyed with safflower, wearing gold rings and reciting Qur`an whilst bowing.
It was narrated from Ibraheem bin Fulan bin Hunain, that his grandfather Hunain said:
‘Ali said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) forbade me to wear garments dyed with safflower, or garments made from a blend of linen and silk, or gold rings, and reciting Qur`an whilst bowing.
It was narrated from ‘Ali (رضي الله عنه) that he said:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) told me to sell two slaves who were brothers, so I sold them and separated them, I mentioned that to the Prophet (ﷺ) and he said: `Go and take them back, and only sell them together; do not separate them.”
I saw ‘Ali (رضي الله عنه) doing wudoo`. He washed his hands until they were clean, then he rinsed his mouth three times, then he rinsed his nose three times; he washed his face three times and his forearms three times; he wiped his head and washed his feet up to the ankles. And he took the leftover water and drank it whilst standing. Then he said: I wanted to show you how the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) did wudoo`
‘Abd Khair narrated a hadeeth like that of Abu Hayyah from `Ali, except that ’Abd Khair said: When he finished his wudoo’, he took some of the leftover water in his hand and drank it.
It was narrated from Jurayy bin Kulaib, that he heard `Ali (رضي الله عنه) say:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) forbade sacrificing an animal that has lost most of its horn or ear. Qatadah said: I mentioned that to Sa’eed bin al-Musayyab and he said. [That refers to] one that has lost half or more (of its horn or ear).
I saw ‘Ali urinate in ar-Rahbah. (Then) he called for water and did wudoo’. He washed his hands three times, rinsed his mouth and nose three times, washed his face three times, washed his forearms three times each, wiped his head and washed his feet three times each. Then he stood up and drank from the leftover water, then he said: I saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) do what you have seen me do, and I wanted to show it to you.
`Alqamah bin Qais struck this minbar and said: ‘Ali (رضي الله عنه) addressed us from this minbar, he praised and glorified Allah, and said what Allah willed that he should say, and he said:The best of this ummah after the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) is Abu Bakr, then ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both. Then we got involved in events and Allah will decide concerning that.
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was neither short not tall; he had a large head and beard, large hands and feet, large joints, a reddish face, and a long line of hair from his chest to his navel. When he walked he walked energetically, as if lifting his feet from a rock. I have never seen anyone like him before or since, may the blessings and peace of Allah be upon him.
I thought that ‘Ali (رضي الله عنه) was the best of the people after the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)... and he quoted the hadeeth. I said: No by Allah, O Ameer al-Mu`mineen, I did not think that any of the Muslims after the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was better than you. He said: Shall I not tell you of the best of the people after the Messenger of Allah? I said: Yes. He said: Abu Bakr (رضي الله عنه). Then he said: Shall I not tell you of the best of the people after the Messenger of Allah and Abu Bakr? I said: Yes. He said: `Umar (رضي الله عنه).
from ‘Abd Khair. I heard him say: `Ali (رضي الله عنه) stood on the minbar and mentioned the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). He said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) died and Abu Bakr (رضي الله عنه) was appointed as his successor, and he did what he had done and followed in his footsteps, and persisted in doing so until Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, took his soul in death. Then ‘Umar (رضي الله عنه) was appointed as his successor and he did what they had done and followed in their footsteps, and persisted in doing so until Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, took his soul in death.
It was narrated that ‘Ali bin Rabee`ah said I rode behind ‘Ali (رضي الله عنه). When he put his foot in the stirrup, he said:
Bismillah (in the Name of Allah). When he got on his mount, he said: Al-Hamdu Lillah. `Glory be to the One Who has placed this (transport) at our service and we ourselves would not have been capable of that, and to our Lord is our final destiny` [Az-Zukhruf 43:13,14]. Abu Sa’eed, the freed slave of Banu Hashim, said: Then he said Al-Hamdu Lillah three times and Allahu Akbar three times, then he said Subhan Allah three times. Then he said: There is no god but You. Then he [the narrator] went back to the hadeeth of Wakee’ and said: Glory be to You, I have wronged myself, so forgive me; no one forgives sins but You. Then he smiled, and I said: What made you smile? He said: I was riding behind the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), and he did what you have seen me do, then he smiled and I said: What made you smile, O Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)? He said: `Allah, may He be blessed and exalted, says: How remarkable is My slave; He knows that no one forgives sin except Me.`