2634 – ʿUbayd Allah ibn Ahmad narrated to us, saying: al-Ḥusayn ibn Yaḥyā narrated to us ⦗1457⦘, saying: al-Ḥasan ibn Muḥammad ibn al-Ṣabbāḥ narrated to us, saying: Qutaybah narrated to us, saying: Ḥātim ibn Ismāʿīl narrated to us, from Bukayr ibn Mismār, from ʿĀmir ibn Saʿd, from his father, who said:

“There are three statements the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, made—were I granted just one of them it would be dearer to me than owning red-haired camels.

First: I heard the Messenger of Allah say it to ʿAlī when he left him behind on one of his expeditions. ʿAlī said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, do you leave me among the women and children?’ He replied, ‘Are you not pleased to occupy toward me the position of Aaron toward Moses, except that there is no prophethood after me?’

Second: I heard him on the day of Khaybar declare, ‘I shall surely give the banner to a man who loves Allah and His Messenger, and whom Allah and His Messenger love.’ We all stretched our necks hoping for it. He then asked, ‘Where is ʿAlī?’ He was brought while his eyes were inflamed; the Prophet spat into his eyes, handed him the banner, and Allah granted victory through him.

Third: When the verse, ‘Come, let us call our sons and your sons…’ (Āl ʿImrān 61) was revealed, the Messenger of Allah summoned ʿAlī, Fāṭimah, al-Ḥasan, and al-Ḥusayn and said, ‘O Allah, these are my household.’

Muslim recorded this narration through the chain of Qutaybah.