"I was sitting [with the Prophet (ﷺ)] when 'Ali and Al-'Abbas came seeking permission to enter. They said: 'O Usamah, seek permission for us from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ).' So I said: 'O Messenger of Allah, 'Ali and Al-'Abbas seek permission to enter.' He said: 'Do you know what has brought them?' I said: 'No [I do not know].' So the Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'But I know, grant them permission.' So they entered and said: 'O Messenger of Allah, we have come to you, to ask you which of your family is most beloved to you.' He said: 'Fatimah bint Muhammad.' So they said: 'We did not come to ask you about (immediate) family.' He said: 'The most beloved of my family to me is the one whom Allah favored and I favored, Usamah bin Zaid.' They said: 'Then who?' He said: 'Then 'Ali bin Abi Talib.' Al-'Abbas said: 'O Messenger of Allah, you have made your uncle the last of them.' He said: 'Indeed, 'Ali has preceded you in emigration.'"
حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ، حَدَّثَنَا مُوسَى بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَوَانَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا عُمَرُ بْنُ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، أَخْبَرَنِي أُسَامَةُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ، قَالَ كُنْتُ جَالِسًا عِنْدَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِذْ جَاءَ عَلِيٌّ وَالْعَبَّاسُ يَسْتَأْذِنَانِ فَقَالاَ يَا أُسَامَةُ اسْتَأْذِنْ لَنَا عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم . فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ عَلِيٌّ وَالْعَبَّاسُ يَسْتَأْذِنَانِ . فَقَالَ " أَتَدْرِي مَا جَاءَ بِهِمَا " . قُلْتُ لاَ أَدْرِيَ . فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم " لَكِنِّي أَدْرِي " . فَأَذِنَ لَهُمَا فَدَخَلاَ فَقَالاَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ جِئْنَاكَ نَسْأَلُكَ أَىُّ أَهْلِكَ أَحَبُّ إِلَيْكَ قَالَ " فَاطِمَةُ بِنْتُ مُحَمَّدٍ " . فَقَالاَ مَا جِئْنَاكَ نَسْأَلُكَ عَنْ أَهْلِكَ . قَالَ " أَحَبُّ أَهْلِي إِلَىَّ مَنْ قَدْ أَنْعَمَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَأَنْعَمْتُ عَلَيْهِ أُسَامَةُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ " . قَالاَ ثُمَّ مَنْ قَالَ " ثُمَّ عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ " . قَالَ الْعَبَّاسُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ جَعَلْتَ عَمَّكَ آخِرَهُمْ قَالَ " لأَنَّ عَلِيًّا قَدْ سَبَقَكَ بِالْهِجْرَةِ " . قَالَ هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ . وَكَانَ شُعْبَةُ يُضَعِّفُ عُمَرَ بْنَ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ .
Tirmizi
Chapters on Virtues • Hadith 4058