My father narrated to us. He said: Ibrahim b. `Amr al-Hamadani narrated to us in Hamadan. He said: Abu `Ali al-Hasan b. Isma`il al-Qahtani narrated to us. He said: Sa`id b. al-Hakam b. Abi Maryam narrated to us from his father from al-Awza`i from Yahya b. Abi Kathir from `Abdullah b. Marra from Salama b. Qays. He said: The Messenger of Allah (s) said:

`Ali is to the seventh heaven as the Sun is to the Earth during the day and as the Moon is to the Earth during the night. Allah gave `Ali so much virtue that if He had allotted it to the people of the Earth, it would have encompassed them. He gave him so much understanding that if He had allotted it to the people of the Earth, it would have encompassed them. His gentleness is like that of Lut, and his form is like that of Yahya, and his asceticism is like that of Ayyub, and his generosity is like that of Ibrahim, and his joy is like that of Sulayman b. Dawud, and his strength is like that of Dawud. His name is written on every barrier in Paradise. My Lord gave me glad tidings of him, and it was good news to me. `Ali is considered praiseworthy by the truth, and he is considered purified by the angels. He is my elite one, my sincere one, my apparent one, my lantern, my garden, and my friend. My Lord made him amiable to me, so I asked my Lord to not cause him to die before me. I asked Him to cause him to die as a martyr. I entered Paradise, and I saw that `Ali had more houris than the leaves on a tree; and the palaces of `Ali are the number of humans [on Earth]. `Ali is from me, and I am from `Ali. Whoever befriends `Ali has befriended me. The love of `Ali is a blessing and following him is a virtue. The angels are brought near through him, and the righteous jinn walk due to him. No one will walk the Earth after me except that he is better than him in nobility, dignity, and creed. He is never hasty, nor corrupt, nor obstinate. The Earth carried him, yet he gave it honour. No one will come out of a womb after me in a way that is more honourable than his. He will not go to a place except that he would be auspicious. Allah has bestowed wisdom upon him, and He has given him understanding. The angels attend to him, but he does not see them. If revelation were to come to anyone after me, it would have come to him. Allah has ornamented the gatherings by him, and He has ennobled the fortifications by him, and He made the countries fertile by him, and He has given the soldiers glory by him. His example is like that of the Sanctified House of Allah: he is visited, and he does not visit others. His example is like that of the Moon: when he rises, he illuminates the darkness. His example is like that of the Sun: when he rises, he illuminates the world. Allah has described him in His Book, and He has commended him in His verses, and He has described his effects in it, and He maintained his residences. He is noble when alive, and a martyr when dead.