Sahih Muslim Book - 44, Hadith - 6223

حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْعَزِيزِ ، يَعْنِي ابْنَ أَبِي حَازِمٍ ، عَنْ أَبِي حَازِمٍ ، عَنْ سَهْلٍ (ح) وَحَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ ، وَاللَّفْظُ هَذَا ، حَدَّثَنَا يَعْقُوبُ ، يَعْنِي ابْنَ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ ، عَنْ أَبِي حَازِمٍ ، أَخْبَرَنِي سَهْلُ بْنُ سَعْدٍ ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ، قَالَ يَوْمَ خَيْبَرَ : لأُعْطِيَنَّ هَذِهِ الرَّايَةَ رَجُلاً يَفْتَحُ اللَّهُ عَلَى يَدَيْهِ ، يُحِبُّ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ وَيُحِبُّهُ اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ قَالَ : فَبَاتَ النَّاسُ يَدُوكُونَ لَيْلَتَهُمْ أَيُّهُمْ يُعْطَاهَا ، قَالَ فَلَمَّا أَصْبَحَ النَّاسُ غَدَوْا عَلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ، كُلُّهُمْ يَرْجُونَ أَنْ يُعْطَاهَا ، فَقَالَ أَيْنَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ فَقَالُوا : هُوَ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ ، يَشْتَكِي عَيْنَيْهِ ، قَالَ فَأَرْسِلُوا إِلَيْهِ ، فَأُتِيَ بِهِ ، فَبَصَقَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي عَيْنَيْهِ ، وَدَعَا لَهُ فَبَرَأَ ، حَتَّى كَأَنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ بِهِ وَجَعٌ ، فَأَعْطَاهُ الرَّايَةَ ، فَقَالَ عَلِيٌّ : يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ ، أُقَاتِلُهُمْ حَتَّى يَكُونُوا مِثْلَنَا ، فَقَالَ : انْفُذْ عَلَى رِسْلِكَ ، حَتَّى تَنْزِلَ بِسَاحَتِهِمْ ، ثُمَّ ادْعُهُمْ إِلَى الإِسْلاَمِ ، وَأَخْبِرْهُمْ بِمَا يَجِبُ عَلَيْهِمْ مِنْ حَقِّ اللهِ فِيهِ ، فَوَاللَّهِ لأَنْ يَهْدِيَ اللَّهُ بِكَ رَجُلاً وَاحِدًا خَيْرٌ لَكَ مِنْ أَنْ يَكُونَ لَكَ حُمْرُ النَّعَمِ.

Sahl bin Sa'd narrated that the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) said on the Day of Khaibar: "I shall give this flag to a man at whose hands Allah will grant victory; he loves Allah and His Messenger and Allah and His Messenger love him." The people spent the night wondering which of them would be given it. When morning came the people went to the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) ' all of them hoping to be given it. He said: "Where is 'Ali bin Abi Talib?" They said: "O Messenger of Allah, he has a problem in his eyes." They sent for him and he was brought, and the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) put some spittle in his eyes and prayed for him, and he was healed, such that it was as if there had been no pain in him. He gave him the flag and 'Ali said: "0 Messenger of Allah, shall I fight them until they become like us?" He said: "Advance cautiously, until you reach their open space, then invite them to Islam, and tell them of their duties before Allah. By Allah, if Allah were to guide one man through you, that would be better for you than having red camels."