before me?’

They said, ‘By Allah, no.’

He said, ‘I adjure you (1) by Allah: Is there anyone among you, other than me, who has a brother like my brother Ja'far, who flies in Paradise with the angels?’

They said, ‘By Allah, no.’

He said, ‘I adjure you by Allah: Is there anyone among you, other than me, who has an uncle like my uncle Hamza—the Lion of Allah, the Lion of His Messenger, and the leader of the martyrs?’

They said, ‘By Allah, no.’

He said, ‘I adjure you by Allah: Is there anyone among you, other than me, who has a wife like my wife Fātima, daughter of Muhammad and leader of the women (2) of Paradise?’

They said, ‘By Allah, no.’

He said, ‘I adjure you by Allah: Is there anyone among you who has (3) two children like mine, al-Hasan and al-Husayn, the leaders of the youth of Paradise, other than me?’

They said, ‘By Allah, no.’ He said, ‘I adjure you by Allah: Is there anyone among you who privately conferred with the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—ten times, giving (4) charity before each confidential consultation (5), other than me (6)?’

They said, ‘By Allah, no.’

He said, ‘I adjure you by Allah: Is there anyone among you, other than me, to whom the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said, “Whoever’s patron I am, Ali (7) is his patron. O Allah, befriend whoever befriends him and oppose whoever opposes him (8). Let (9) those present convey this to those absent”?’