after me.”

Al-Aʿmash narrated from Saʿd ibn ʿUbayda, from ʿAbdullāh ibn Buraydah, from his father, that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Whoever’s patron I am, ʿAlī is his patron.”

Ghundar reported: Shuʿbah related to us, from Maymūn Abū ʿAbd Allāh, from Zayd ibn Arqam, that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: “Whoever’s patron I am, ʿAlī is his patron.” This is an authentic ḥadīth.

Abū al-Jawwāb stated: Yūnus ibn Abī Isḥāq narrated to us, from his father, from al-Barāʾ, who said: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, sent out two wings of the army, placing ʿAlī in command of one and Khālid ibn al-Walīd over the other, and said, “If fighting breaks out, ʿAlī will have overall command.” ʿAlī captured a fortress and kept a slave-girl for himself, whereupon Khālid wrote to the Prophet about the matter. When the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, read the letter, he said, “What is your opinion of a man who loves Allah and His Messenger, and whom Allah and His Messenger love?” I replied, “I seek refuge in Allah from the wrath of Allah.” Abū al-Jawwāb is reliable; al-Tirmidhī recorded the report and judged it ḥasan (sound).

I read before Abū al-Maʿālī Aḥmad ibn Isḥāq—and al-Fatḥ ibn ʿAbd Allāh ibn Muḥammad had informed you. Likewise, Yaḥyā ibn Abī Manṣūr and a group, by way of authorization, told us: Abū al-Futūḥ Muḥammad ibn ʿAlī ibn al-Jallājilī informed us; both of them said: Abū al-Qāsim Hibat Allāh ibn al-Ḥusayn al-Ḥāsib informed us; he said: Abū al-Ḥusayn Aḥmad ibn Muḥammad ibn