INVITE THE OPPOSITION TO ISLAM H H 176 "Before the battle of Khybar the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, announced: 'Tomorrow I shall give the standard to a man in whose hands Allah will bestow victory upon us. He loves Allah and His Messenger, and Allah and His Messenger love him.' The Companions spent the night speculating and discussing who they thought would receive the standard. Next morning they went to the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, everyone hoping that they would receive it. The Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, asked: 'Where is Ali - may Allah honor his face - son of Abu Talib?' He was told Ali was suffering from sore eyes, so he said: "Send for him." When he came, the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, put his saliva in his eyes and prayed for him. He recovered as if his eyes had never been troubled. Then the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, gave him the standard. Ali asked: 'O Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, shall I fight them till they become like us?' He replied: 'Continue until you reach them. Then invite them to Islam and explain to them their obligations to Allah. If just one person is guided by Allah through you that will be better for you than a herd of (valuable) red camels.'" R 176 Bukhari and Muslim with a chain up to Sahl son of Sa'ad who related this.
175- وعن أَبي العباس سهل بن سعد الساعدي رضي الله عنه : أنَّ رَسُول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم ، قَالَ يوم خَيبَر : "لأُعْطِيَنَّ الرَّايَةَ غَداً رجلاً يَفْتَحُ الله عَلَى يَدَيهِ ، يُحبُّ اللهَ وَرَسولَهُ ، ويُحِبُّهُ اللهُ وَرَسُولُهُ" ، فَبَاتَ النَّاسُ يَدُوكُونَ لَيْلَتَهُمْ أيُّهُمْ يُعْطَاهَا . فَلَمَّا أصْبَحَ النَّاسُ غَدَوْا عَلَى رسولِ الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم كُلُّهُمْ يَرْجُو أنْ يُعْطَاهَا . فَقَالَ : "أينَ عَلِيُّ ابنُ أَبي طالب ؟" فقيلَ: يَا رسولَ الله، هُوَ يَشْتَكي عَيْنَيهِ . قَالَ : "فَأَرْسِلُوا إِلَيْه" فَأُتِيَ بِهِ فَبَصَقَ رسولُ الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم في عَيْنَيْهِ ، وَدَعَا لَهُ فَبَرِىءَ حَتَّى كأنْ لَمْ يكُن بِهِ وَجَعٌ ، فأعْطاهُ الرَّايَةَ . فقَالَ عَليٌّ رضي الله عنه : يَا رَسُول اللهِ ، أقاتِلُهمْ حَتَّى يَكُونُوا مِثْلَنَا ؟ فَقَالَ : "انْفُذْ عَلَى رِسْلِكَ حَتَّى تَنْزِلَ بسَاحَتهمْ ، ثُمَّ ادْعُهُمْ إِلَى الإسْلاَمِ ، وَأخْبِرْهُمْ بِمَا يَجِبُ عَلَيْهِمْ مِنْ حَقِّ اللهِ تَعَالَى فِيهِ ، فَوَالله لأَنْ يَهْدِيَ اللهُ بِكَ رَجُلاً وَاحِداً خَيرٌ لَكَ مِنْ حُمْرِ النَّعَم" مُتَّفَقٌ عَلَيهِ . قوله : "يَدُوكُونَ" : أي يَخُوضُونَ وَيَتَحَدَّثُونَ . وقوله : "رِسْلِكَ" بكسر الراءِ وبفتحها لغتانِ ، والكسر أفصح .