Arabic (Original)
حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ حَدَّثَنَا يَعْقُوبُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ عَنْ أَبِي حَازِمٍ أَخْبَرَنِي سَهْلُ بْنُ سَعْدٍ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ يَوْمَ خَيْبَرَ لَأُعْطِيَنَّ هَذِهِ الرَّايَةَ غَدًا رَجُلًا يَفْتَحُ اللَّهُ عَلَى يَدَيْهِ يُحِبُّ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ وَيُحِبُّهُ اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ قَالَ فَبَاتَ النَّاسُ يَدُوكُونَ لَيْلَتَهُمْ أَيُّهُمْ يُعْطَاهَا فَلَمَّا أَصْبَحَ النَّاسُ غَدَوْا عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ كُلُّهُمْ يَرْجُو أَنْ يُعْطَاهَا فَقَالَ أَيْنَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ فَقَالَ هُوَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ يَشْتَكِي عَيْنَيْهِ قَالَ فَأَرْسِلُوا إِلَيْهِ فَأُتِيَ بِهِ فَبَصَقَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي عَيْنَيْهِ وَدَعَا لَهُ فَبَرَأَ حَتَّى كَأَنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ بِهِ وَجَعٌ فَأَعْطَاهُ الرَّايَةَ فَقَالَ عَلِيٌّ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أُقَاتِلُهُمْ حَتَّى يَكُونُوا مِثْلَنَا فَقَالَ انْفُذْ عَلَى رِسْلِكَ حَتَّى تَنْزِلَ بِسَاحَتِهِمْ ثُمَّ ادْعُهُمْ إِلَى الْإِسْلَامِ وَأَخْبِرْهُمْ بِمَا يَجِبُ عَلَيْهِمْ مِنْ حَقِّ اللَّهِ فِيهِ فَوَاللَّهِ لَأَنْ يَهْدِيَ اللَّهُ بِكَ رَجُلًا وَاحِدًا خَيْرٌ لَكَ مِنْ أَنْ يَكُونَ لَكَ حُمْرُ النَّعَمِ.
English Translation
Qutaybah ibn Sa'id narrated to us: Ya'qub ibn Abd al-Rahman narrated to us, from Abu Hazim: Sahl ibn Sa'd informed me that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said on the day of Khaybar: Tomorrow I will surely give this banner to a man through whose hands Allah will grant victory, who loves Allah and His Messenger, and whom Allah and His Messenger love. He said: The people spent the night wondering to whom it would be given. When morning came, the people went early to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, each of them hoping to be given it. He said: Where is Ali ibn Abi Talib? It was said: O Messenger of Allah, he is complaining of his eyes. He said: Send for him. So he was brought, and the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, spat in his eyes and prayed for him, and he was healed as though he had never had any pain. So he gave him the banner. Ali said: O Messenger of Allah, shall I fight them until they become like us? He said: Proceed calmly until you reach their courtyard, then call them to Islam and inform them of what is due from them of the right of Allah in that. For by Allah, if Allah guides through you a single man, it is better for you than possessing red camels.