Sahih Muslim Book - 44, Hadith - 6224

حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ ، حَدَّثَنَا حَاتِمٌ ، يَعْنِي ابْنَ إِسْمَاعِيلَ ، عَنْ يَزِيدَ بْنِ أَبِي عُبَيْدٍ ، عَنْ سَلَمَةَ بْنِ الأَكْوَعِ ، قَالَ: كَانَ عَلِيٌّ قَدْ تَخَلَّفَ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ، فِي خَيْبَرَ وَكَانَ رَمِدًا ، فَقَالَ: أَنَا أَتَخَلَّفُ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ، فَخَرَجَ عَلِيٌّ فَلَحِقَ بِالنَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَلَمَّا كَانَ مَسَاءُ اللَّيْلَةِ الَّتِي فَتَحَهَا اللَّهُ فِي صَبَاحِهَا. قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: لأُعْطِيَنَّ الرَّايَةَ ، أَوْ لَيَأْخُذَنَّ بِالرَّايَةِ غَدًا رَجُلٌ يُحِبُّهُ اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ ، أَوْ قَالَ يُحِبُّ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ ، يَفْتَحُ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ فَإِذَا نَحْنُ بِعَلِيٍّ ، وَمَا نَرْجُوهُ . فَقَالُوا: هَذَا عَلِيٌّ ، فَأَعْطَاهُ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ الرَّايَةَ . فَفَتَحَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ.

It was narrated that Salamah bin Al-Akwa' said: "Ali stayed behind and did not go with the Prophet (s.a.w) during the campaign of Khaibar, and he had an inflammation in his eyes. He said: 'How could I stay behind and not go with the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w)?' So 'Ali set out and caught up with the Prophet (s.a.w). On the evening before Allah granted victory, the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) said: 'Tomorrow I shall give the flag' - or 'the flag will be carried by' - 'a man whom Allah and His Messenger love' - or he said: 'who loves Allah and His Messenger' - and Allah will grant him victory.' Then we saw 'Ali, and we were not expecting to see him. They said: 'Here is 'Ali.' And the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) gave the flag to him, and Allah granted victory to him."