The Master of Muslims

Mohammad bin Hammad bin Bashir narrated from Mohammad bin Hasan bin Abdil Karim, from Ibrahim bin Maymun and Uthman bin Saeed, from Abdul Karim bin Ya’qoub, from Z’iyaa’ Al-Jo’fi, from Abi T’ufail, from Anas bin Malik, who said: 

I (Anas bin Malik) was the servant of the Prophet. Once while I was helping the Prophet do his WUDHU (ablution), the Prophet said, 

“The person who will enter just now is the Commander of the Believers, the Master of Muslims, and the best of successors. He is worthy of having a higher authority on people than they have on themselves, and he is the glorified leader of those who seek Allah.” 

“O Allah, make it someone from the Ansar,” I (Anas bin Malik) prayed to myself. 

Then someone knocked at the door.  It was Ali bin Abi Taleb. 

When Ali entered, the Prophet’s face started to sweat profusely.  The Prophet wiped the sweat from his face and put it over Ali’s face. “Did you receive a revelation?” Ali asked (the Prophet)

The Messenger of Allah said, “You are from me; you repay my debt; you perform my religious affairs; you will clear my liabilities; and you will preach my prophethood,” the Prophet replied. 

“Did you not preach it yourself?” Ali asked. 

“Yes I did, but people need to learn the TA’WEEL (deeper, inner meaning) of Qur'an after me, and you will teach them things that they did not learn during my time,” the Prophet replied.

(Ref : Bihar Volume 37 Page No. 296 Hadees No. 13)