THE CALL OF THE MESSENGER TO HIS COMPANIONS TO ALI IBN ABI TALIB

(193) By the chain of transmission from Abu al-Hasan Raiq ibn al-Khadar al-Ghassani al-Mahlami—may God be pleased with him—from Abu Abd Allah Ishaq ibn Fahd, in an interrupted report from our Master Salman the Persian, peace be upon him, who said: The Messenger of God, Mighty is His Might, called me one day to the house of Umm Salama. He had brought together a group of his elite companions, among them: al-Miqdad ibn al-Aswad al-Kindi, Abu Dharr Jundub ibn Junada ibn Sakan al-Ghifari, Ammar ibn Yasir, and Abu Ayyub Khalid ibn Zayd al-Ansari—peace be upon them—up to a total of forty men. Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr, peace be upon him, was among us as a child.

He brought us food, we ate and washed our hands, then the Messenger of God, Mighty is His Might, said to us: "Be at ease, for you are upon goodness, and I have called you only to goodness. Listen and perceive: your Prophet says to you: Do you believe in God Almighty and in me?" We said: "We believe in God Almighty and in you." He said: "Am I not truthful among you and not a liar?" We said altogether: "Yes, by God, O Messenger of God, we have never doubted you for a moment." He said: "God is a witness over you, so do not deny me in what I say." We said: "Hearing and obedience to you in all that you say."

He said: "Listen now to what I say to you, and beware of doubting what you hear from me. Know that I call you to Ali ibn Abi Talib just as I call you to God. Truly, this..."

In the narration of my sheikh: "Truly Ali is my Master and your Master. Truly you are my elite supporters. I say to you as Jesus son of Mary said to the disciples: {Who are my supporters for God? The disciples said: We are the supporters of God}. So a faction of the Children of Israel believed and a faction disbelieved; We supported those who believed against their enemy, and they became dominant. So be among those who believed and do not be among those who disbelieved. You are the witnesses of God and His chiefs. I call you to Ali upon insight—I and those who follow me—and Glory be to God, I am not of the polytheists.