And warn ˹all, starting with˺ your closest relatives,

And warn, [O Muḥammad], your closest kindred.

When the verse "and warn your tribe of near kindred" was revealed to the Messenger of God, he called me and said to me, "Ali, God has commanded me to warm my tribe of near kindred. I was troubled by this, for I knew that when I broached the matter to them they would respond in a way which I would not like. I kept silent until Gabriel came to me and said, "Muhammad, if you do not do what you are commanded, your Lord will punish you. So prepare a measure of wheat for us, add a leg of mutton to it, fill a large bowl of milk for us, and then assemble the Banu 'Abd al-Muttalib for me so that I may speak to them and tell them what I have been commanded to tell them."

I did what he had told me to do and then called them to him. At that time they numbered fourty men, more or less, including his uncles Abu Talib, Hamzah, al- 'Abbas, and Abu Lahab. When they had gathered together, he called on me to bring the food which I had prepared. I brought it, and when I put it down the Messenger of God took a piece of meat, broke it with his teeth, and threw it towards the dish. Then he said, "Take, in the name of God." They ate until they could eat no more, and yet the food was as it had been, except for where their hands had been. I swear by God, in whose hand 'Ali's soul rests, that a single man could have eaten the amount of food which I put before all of them. Then he said, "Give them something to drink," so I brought them that bowl and they drank from it until they had drunk their fill, and I swear by God that one man could have drunk that amount.

When the Messenger of God wanted to speak to them, Abu Lahab forstalled him and said, "Your host has long since bewitched you." Then they dispersed, without the Messenger of God speaking to them. On the following day he said to me, 'Ali, this man forestalled me by saying what you heard him saying, so that the people dispersed before I could speak to them. Prepare the same food for us as you did yesterday, and assemble them here."

I did this, assembled them, and brought the food to them when he called me. He did as he had done the previous day, and they ate until they could eat no more. Then he said, "Bring the bowl," and they drank until they could eat no more. Then he spoke to them, saying, "Banu 'Abd al-Muttalib, I know of no young man among the Arabs who has brought his people something better than what I have brought to you. I bring you the best of this world and the next, for God has commanded me to summon you to him. Which of you will aid me in this matter, so that he will be my brother, my agent (wasi) and my successor (khalifah) among you?"

They all held back, and although I was the youngest and the most bleary-eyed, pot-bellied, and spindly-legged of them, I said, "I will be your helper, Prophet of God." He put his hand on the back of my neck and said, "This is my brother, my agent, and my successor among you, so listen to him and obey him." They rose up laughing and saying to Abu Talib, "He has commanded you to listen to your son and to obey him!"