2. He said: Abu Ubaidullah Muhammad ibn Imran al-Marzbani reported to me from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Isa al-Makki, who reported from Abdullah ibn Ahmad ibn Hanbal, who reported from his father, who reported from al-Husayn ibn al-Hasan, who reported from Sharik, from Abi Raabia’h al-Ayadi, who was heard narrating even in his old age, from Ibn Buridah, from his father, who said: The Prophet, peace be upon him and his progeny, said:

"Surely, Allah has commanded me to love four of my companions; and has revealed to me that He indeed loves them." We said: "Who are they, O messenger of Allah? And there is none from us who does not wish to be among them." He, peace be upon him and his progeny, said: "Be it known that ‘Ali is among them" - and he repeated this three times - "and al-Miqdad and Abu Dharr al-Ghifari and Salman al-Farsi."