English translation
3701. Narrated Sahl bin Sa'd رضي الله عنه: Allāh's Messenger ﷺ said, "Tomorrow I will give the flag to a man with whose leadership Allāh will grant (the Muslims) victory." So the people kept on thinking the whole night as to who would be given the flag. The next morning the people went to Allāh's Messenger ﷺ and everyone of them hoped that he would be given the flag. The Prophet ﷺ said, "Where is 'Ali bin Abi Ṭalib?" The people replied, "He is suffering from eye trouble, O Allāh's Messenger". He said, "Send for him and bring him to me." So when 'Ali came, the Prophet ﷺ spat in his eyes and invoked good on him, and he became alright as if he had had no ailment. The Prophet ﷺ then gave him the flag. 'Ali said, "O Allāh's Messenger! Shall I fight them (i.e., enemy) till they become like us?" The Prophet ﷺ said, "Proceed to them steadily till you approach near to them and then invite them to Islām, and inform them of their duties towards Allāh which Islām prescribed for them, for by Allāh, if one man is guided on the right path (i.e., converted to Islām) through you it would be better for you than (a great number of) red camels."
