Musnad Ahmad 25:1202

Yahya ibn Hammad narrated to us, Abu 'Awanah narrated to us, Abu Balj narrated to us, 'Amr ibn Maymun narrated to us, he said: I was sitting with Ibn 'Abbas when nine groups of people came to him and said: "O Abu 'Abbas, either you stand with us, or these people should leave us alone." He said: Ibn 'Abbas said: "Rather, I will stand with you." He said: And he was healthy on that day before he became blind. He said: So they began to speak, and we do not know what they said. He said: Then he came shaking his garment and saying: "Uff and Tuff! They have attacked a man who has ten [virtues]. They have attacked a man to whom the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: 'I will certainly send a man whom Allah will never disgrace, who loves Allah and His Messenger.'" He said: So those who were eager for it stretched their necks. He said: "Where is 'Ali?" They said: "He is at the hand-mill, grinding." He said: "Could none of you grind?" He said: So he came, and he had sore eyes, barely able to see. He said: So he spat into his eyes, then shook the banner three times and gave it to him. He returned with Safiyyah bint Huyayy. He said: Then he sent so-and-so with Surat al-Tawbah, then he sent 'Ali after him and took it from him. He said: "None shall convey it except a man from me, and I am from him." He said: And he said to his paternal uncles: "Which of you will be my ally (wali) in this world and the Hereafter?" He said: And 'Ali was sitting with him, and they refused. So 'Ali said: "I will be your ally in this world and the Hereafter." He said: "You are my ally in this world and the Hereafter." He said: So he left him, then turned to a man among them and said: "Which of you will be my ally in this world and the Hereafter?" They refused. He said: So 'Ali said: "I will be your ally in this world and the Hereafter." He said: "You are my ally in this world and the Hereafter." He said: And he was the first of the people to accept Islam after Khadijah. He said: And the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) took his garment and placed it over 'Ali, Fatimah, Hasan, and Husayn, and said: "Allah only intends to remove from you the impurity, O people of the household, and to purify you with a thorough purification" [Al-Ahzab: 33]. He said: And 'Ali sold his soul; he wore the garment of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), then slept in his place. He said: And the polytheists were throwing stones at the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), and Abu Bakr came while 'Ali was sleeping. He said: And Abu Bakr thought he was the Prophet of Allah. He said: So he said: "O Prophet of Allah." He said: So 'Ali said to him: "The Prophet of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) has set off toward the well of Maymun, so catch up with him." He said: So Abu Bakr set off and entered the cave with him. He said: And 'Ali began to be pelted with stones just as the Prophet of Allah used to be pelted, and he was writhing in pain, having wrapped his head in the garment, not taking it out until morning. Then he uncovered his head, and they said: "You are indeed mean; we used to pelt your companion and he would not writhe, yet you writhe, and we found that strange." He said: And he went out with the people on the expedition of Tabuk. He said: So 'Ali said to him: "Shall I go out with you?" He said: So the Prophet of Allah said to him: "No." So 'Ali wept. He said to him: "Are you not pleased that you should be to me as Aaron was to Moses, except that you are not a prophet? It is not appropriate that I should leave unless you are my successor." He said: And the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said to him: "You are my ally (wali) for every believer after me." He said: And he closed the doors of the mosque except the door of 'Ali, so he would enter the mosque while in a state of major ritual impurity (junub), and it was his path; he had no other path. He said: And he said: "Whoever I am his master (mawla), then his master is 'Ali." He said: And Allah (Mighty and Majestic is He) informed us in the Quran that He was pleased with them, the people of the Tree, so He knew what was in their hearts. Did He inform us that He was displeased with them afterward? He said: And the Prophet of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said to 'Umar when he said: "Permit me to strike his neck." He said: "And would you do it? What do you know, perhaps Allah looked at the people of Badr and said: 'Do what you wish.'"