Aban narrated from Sulaym. He said: “I asked Miqdad about Ali (AS). He said: “We were traveling with the Holy Prophet (SAW) and this is when he had not ordered his women to wear hijab. He (Ali AS) was serving the Holy Prophet (SAW). Except him, he did not have any attendant and the Holy Prophet (SAW) had only one quilt. He did not have any other and Ayeshah was with him.
The Holy Prophet (SAW) used to sleep in between Ali (AS) and Ayeshah and he dd not have any other quilt over him. When he woke up at night for prayers, with his hands he moved the quilt between him and Ayeshah, until the quilt touched what was underneath it. The Holy Prophet (SAW) used to wake up and start praying.
One night Ali (AS) had fever, which kept him awake the whole night. Because he kept awake, the Holy Prophet (SAW) also kept awake the whole night. He passed the whole night in such a way that sometimes he recited prayer and sometimes came to Ali (AS) and comfort him, looked at him until morning. When he recited the fajr prayer with his companions he said: “Allah, make Ali feel better and give him good health because he has kept me awake because of his pain.” Ali (AS) got better as if he was freed from rope and he had no problem.
Then the Holy Prophet (SAW) said: “Good news is for you, O my brother.” He said this when his companions who were listening surrounded him. Ali (AS) said: “O Messenger of Allah, May Allah give you good news about righteousness, and make me a sacrifice over you.” So he, (SAW) said: “Tonight I have not asked Allah anything but He has given it to me. And I have not asked anything for myself but have asked similar things for you from Allah. I have prayed to Allah that He gives brotherhood between you and myself so He did and I asked Him to make you Guardian of all faithfuls after me so He did. I asked Him that when He has given me clothes of Prophethood and Messenger, He gives you clothes of divergence and bravery, so He did. And I asked Him that He makes you my successor, inheritor and the treasure of my knowledge, so He did. And I asked Him that He grants you the same status with me that Haroon had with Musa, so He did, and through you He strengthens my back, and makes you a partner in my work, so He did, except He said that after me there will not be another prophet. I became happy and I asked that He marries you to my daughter and makes you the father of my children, so He did.”
One person told his companion: “Did you hear what he asked? By God, if only he had asked Allah that an angel descends who will help him against his enemies, or open a treasure for him that he and his companions can spend, which is what he needed – this is better that what he asked for.” The second one said: “By God, one Saa (3 Kilos) of dates was better than what he asked for.”