It is narrated from Sayyiduna Sa’d bin Abi Waqqas (may Allah be pleased with him) that on one occasion, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) left Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) as his deputy behind him in a certain expedition. Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said,“Are you leaving me behind with the women and children?”The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:“Ali! Are you not pleased that your relation to me is like that of Harun (peace be upon him) to Musa (peace be upon him)? Except that there will be no prophet after me.”And I heard the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) say on the occasion of the Battle of Khaybar:“Tomorrow I will give this flag to a man who loves Allah and His Messenger, and Allah and His Messenger love him.”We tried to make ourselves prominent for that honor, but the tongue of Prophethood declared:“Call Ali to me.”When he was called, it was found that he was suffering from an eye ailment. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) applied his saliva to his eyes, and handed the flag to him. Allah granted victory to the Muslims at his hands. And when this verse was revealed: «﴿نَدْعُ أَبْنَاءَنَا وَأَبْنَاءَكُمْ﴾ [آل عمران: 61] » “We will call our sons and you call your sons,”the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) called Sayyiduna Ali, Sayyidah Fatimah, Sayyiduna Hasan, and Sayyiduna Husayn (may Allah be pleased with them all) and said:“O Allah! These are my family.”