[Pooya/Ali Commentary 25:54] It is mentioned in Rawdzat al Ahbab and Tarikh al Khamis, and also reported by Tabari, Tibrani, Ahmad bin Hanbal and Ibn Asakir that the betrothal of Fatimah and Ali - as revealed to the Holy Prophet - was ordained by Allah, who, the Holy Prophet said to his daughter, had informed him of His choice from the noblest on the earth of two blessed men, one being her father and the other her husband; and that He had decreed his (the Holy Prophet's) lineal descendants to spring forth from the couple (Ali and Fatimah) and not from himself. Earlier, before their marriage, Abu Bakr, Umar and Abdur Rahman had expressed their desires to marry the daughter of the Holy Prophet, but the Holy Prophet made known the fact to all and sundry that Allah would choose the husband of Fatimah. Then they went to Ali, and, after telling him about their unsuccessful attempt, advised him to try his hand at this venture, as to marry Bibi Fatimah was a great privilege and the best blessings Allah could bestow on a man in this world and the hereafter. Ali went to the house of Ummi Salima and knocked at the door. The Holy Prophet was in. He said to Ummi Salima: "Go and open the door. On your door is standing the man who loves Allah and the messenger of Allah and Allah and His messenger love him the most." Ali entered, greeted the Holy Prophet and sat before him with his usual graceful demureness. The Holy Prophet asked: "What it is that brings you here? Do you want to marry Fatimah?" Ali said: "O Messenger of Allah, you have brought me up as your own son. You alone have the right to decide everything that concerns me." "What can you offer as a dower?" The Holy Prophet asked. "Everything is known to you. I have a horse, a camel, a coat of mail and a sword," Ali replied. "You need the horse and the sword to defend the truth, the camel to earn your livelihood, but you do not need the coat of mail, so sell it," said the Holy Prophet. Ali sold it for 500 dirhams. When he brought the money to pay the dower, the Holy Prophet informed Ali that the man to whom he sold the coat of mail was Jibrail. "O Ali, Jibrail has returned the coat of mail to me and conveyed the decree of Allah that your marriage with Fatimah has already been solemnized in the heaven and I have been I commanded to do the same here," said the Holy Prophet.