The following is one of its versions:
من أراد أن ینظر إلی آدم في علمه وإلی نوح في تقواه وإلی ابراهیم في حلمه وإلی موسی في بطشه وإلی عیسی في عبادته فلینظر إلی علی بن أبي طالب
Whoever wishes to see Adam in his knowledge, Noah in his piety, Abraham in his forbearance, Moses in his strength, and Jesus in his worship and devotion should look at `Ali ibn Abi Talib.
Among the narrators who have recorded similar traditions in their works are:
- alMuhibb alTabari in alRiyad alnadirah, ii, 218, 208;
- alMuttaqi in Kanz al`ummal, i, 226;
- Ibn Abi alHadid, Sharh Nahj albalaghah (Egypt, ed. Muhammad Abu alFadl), ix, 168;
- alQunduzi, Yanabi` almawaddah (Istanbul), p. 214, 312;
- Ibn `Asakir, Ta'rikh Dimashq, "tarjumat al'Imam `Ali ibn Abi Talib," ii, 280;
- Fakhr alRazi, Tafsir, ii, 700;
- Ibn alMaghazili, Manaqib, 212;
- Ibn alSabbagh alMaliki, alFusul almuhimmah, 107.
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