[161] And from it: Al-Tha'labi in Al-Kashshaf, tracing it back to Ibn 'Abbas, who said: When the saying of the Almighty was revealed: ["You are only a warner, and for every people is a guide,"] 1 the Messenger (exalted be his might) placed his hand upon his chest and said: "I am the warner and Ali is the guide, and by you, O Ali, the guided are guided." And its embodiment (misdaq) is the saying of the Creator in the Noble Quran:
[And he whom Allah guides is the [rightly] guided; but he whom He leaves astray - never will you find for them protectors besides Him, and We will gather them on the Day of Resurrection [falling] on their faces - blind, dumb and deaf. Their refuge is Hell; every time it subsides We increase them in blazing fire."] 2
[162] And from it: On the authority of 'Atiyyah al-'Awfi, from Abu Sa'id al-Khudri (peace be from him), who said: "I asked the Messenger of Allah (exalted be his might) about this verse: 'One with whom was knowledge of the Scripture,' He said: 'This is the vizier of my brother Solomon son of David (exalted be his might).' And I asked him about His saying (Mighty and Majestic): 'Say,[ "Sufficient is Allah as Witness between me and you, and [also] whoever has knowledge of the Scripture."'] 3 He said: 'That is my brother Ali bin Abi Talib.'"
Elucidation (Bayan): From this sacred prophetic saying (al-qawl al-nabawi al-qudsi), we deduce that Asif is Ali, and Ali is Asif.