Some of the famous traditions in praise of Imam Ali (AS) recorded in the books of our Sunni brothers.

Hadees Al-Tashbih

The Holy Prophet (S.A.W) said:  

"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 (A.S) ibn Abu Talib (A.S)."

Sunni References: 

• al Muhibb al Tabari in al Riyad al Nadirah, ii, 218, 208;  
• al Muttaqi in Kanz alummal, i, 226;  
• Ibn Abi al Hadid, Sharh Nahj al Balaghah (Egypt, ed. Muhammad Abu al?Fadl), ix, 168; 
• al Qunduzi, Yanabi al Mawaddah (Istanbul), p. 214, 312; 
• Ibn Asakir, Tarikh Dimashq, "Tarjumat al-Imam Ali (A.S) ibn Abu Talib (A.S)," ii, 280; 
• Fakhr al Razi, Tafsir, ii, 700;
• Ibn al Maghazili, Manaqib, 212;
• Ibn al Sabbagh al Maliki, al Fusul al Muhimmah, 107. 

Hadees Al-Noor

The Holy Prophet (S.A.W) said:

"Fourteen thousand years before Adam, upon whom be peace, was created, I and Ali were a light in the presence of God. When God created Adam, upon whom be peace, He divided it into two parts. I am one of the parts and Ali is the other part."

Sunni References: 

• Al Muhibb al Tabari narrates this tradition on the authority of Salman (RA) from the Prophet (S.A.W) in al Riyad al Nadirah, ii, 163
• Ahmad ibn Hanbal in al Faza'il; 
• Sibt ibn al Jawzi in Tazkirat Al­khawass, 46; 
• Abu Hatim Muhammad ibn Idris al Razi in Zayn al Fata fi tafsir Surat Hal ata, MS.; 
• Abd Allah ibn Ahmad ibn Hanbal in Zawaid manaqib Amir al Muminin, MS., 
• This tradition has also been narrated by also Ibn Mardawayh, Ibn Abd al Barr, al Khatib al Baghdadi, Ibn al Maghazili, al-Asimi, Shiruyah al Daylami and others from Imam Ali (AS), Salman (RA), Abu Zarr (RA), Anas ibn Malik (RA), Jabir ibn Abd Allah (RA) and other Companions.

Hadees Al-Rayah(Alam) 

Al Bukhari mentions this tradition in his Sahih, "Kitab al Jihad wa al Siyar":
Sahl ibn Sad said: "The Prophet (S.A.W.) said on the day of (the victory of) Khaybar:

"Tomorrow I will give the standard to a man, by whose hand God shall conquer (Khaybar). He loves God and His Messenger, and God and His Messenger love him."

The people passed the night wondering as to who will receive it and everyone was hopeful of getting it. (The next day) the Prophet (S.A.W) declared: "Where is Ali (A.S)?" He was told: 'He is suffering with an eye pain.' (When Ali (A.S) came) the Prophet (S.A.W) applied his saliva to his eyes and prayed for him. Ali (A.S) recovered as if he had no pain before. Then the Prophet (S.A.W) gave it (the standard) to him...

Other Sunni References: 

• Muslim in his Sahih, "Kitab al-jihad wa al Siyar" and "Kitab faza'il al Sahabah"; 
• al Tirmizi in his Sahih, i, 218;  
• Ibn Majah in Sunan (Matba`at al Faruqi, Delhi) "bab faza'il ashab Rasul Allah (S.A.W)"; 
• al Hakim in Mustadrak, iii, 38, 437;  
• Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal in Musnad, i, 99, 133, 185, 320, iv, 51, v, 353; 
• Abu Nu`aym in Hilyat al 'awliya', i, 26, 62;
• al Nasa'i in Khasa'is, 4, 5, 7, 8, 32;  
• al Muttaqi in Kanz al Ummal, v, 283, 285, vi, 394, 395, 405;
• al Haysami in Majma al Zawa'id, vi, 150, 151, ix, 119, 123, 124;  
• Ibn Hajar, Tahzib al Tahzib, vii, 337, 339; 
• al Muhibb al Tabari, al Riyad al Nadirah, ii, 185, 187, 203;
• al Tabari, Tarikh, ii, 300;
• Ibn Sa`d, al Tabaqat, ii, part one, 80;
• Ibn Abd al Barr, al Istiab (Hyderabad, 1336), ii, 450;
• al Bayhaqi in Sunan, vi, 362.

Hadees Madinat al-Ilm

The Holy Prophet (S.A.W) said:

"I am the city of knowledge and Ali is its gate; whoever intends to enter the city should come to its gate."

Sunni References: 

• Al Hakim in his Mustadrak, iii, 126, 127: 
• al Khatib in Tarikh Baghdad, ii, 348, 377; vii, 172; xi, 48, 49;  
• al Muhibb al Tabari in al Riyad al Nadirah, ii, 193;
• al Muttaqi in Kanz al ummal, vi, 152, 156, 401; 
• Ibn Hajar in al Sawa'iq al Muhriqah, 73; 
• al Manawi in Kunuz al Haqaiq, 43 and Fayd al Qadir, iii, 46; 
• al Haysami, Majma al Zawa'id, ix, 114; 
• Ibn al Asir in Usd al Ghabah, iv, 22 and Tahzib al Tahzib (Hyderabad, 1325), vi, 152; 
• as well as al Uqayli, Ibn Adi and al Tabarani. 

Hadees Al-Tayr

Al Tirmizi in his Sahih reports that once when the Prophet (S.A.W) sat down to eat a fowl that had been prepared for his dinner, he prayed to God:

"My God, bring the most beloved of Your creatures, that he may eat this fowl with me." Then Ali (A.S) came and the Prophet (S.A.W) ate with him.

Other Sunni References:

• al Hakim in Mustadrak, iii, 130, 131;  
• Abu Nuaym in Hilyah, vi, 339; 
• al Khatib in Tarikh Baghdad, ii, 171; 
• al Muhibb al Tabari in al Riyad al Nadirah, ii, 160, 161, and Zakha'ir al-uqba, 61; 
• al Haysami in Majma al Zawa'id, ix, 125, 126; 
• al Muttaqi in Kanz al Ummal, iv, 406;
• Ibn al Asir in Usd al Ghabah, iv, 30. 

Hadees Al-Wilayah

The Holy Prophet (S.A.W) said:

"Verily, Ali and I are inseparable, and he is the master (wali) of every believer after me."

Sunni References: 

• Al Tirmizi, in his Sahih, ii, 297 
• Ahmad ibn Hanbal in his Musnad, iv, 437, v, 356 
• Abu Dawud al Tayalisi in his Musnad, iii, 111, xi, 360 
• al Haysami, Majma al Zawaid, ix, 109, 127, 128, 199 
• al Khatib al Baghdadi, Tarikh Baghdad, iv, 339 
• al Muhibb al Tabari, al Riyad al Nadirah, ii, 203, 171 
• al Muttaqi al Hindi, Kanz al Ummal, vi, 154, 155, 396, 401 
• Ibn al Asir in Usd al Ghabah, v, 94 
• Abu Nuaym in Hilyat al Awliya, vi, 294
• al Nasa'i, Khasais, 19, 23
• as well as Ibn Abi Shaybah, al Tabari, al Tabarani, al ?Daylami, Ibn Mardawayh, Ibn al Jawzi, al Rafii, and Ibn Hajar.

Hadees Al-Manzilah

The Holy Prophet (S.A.W) is reported to have said to Imam Ali (AS):

"Are you not pleased to have the position (manzilah) in relation to me as that Haroon had in relation to Musa?"

Sunni References: 

• Al Bukhari in his Sahih (al Matba'at al Khayriyyah, Egypt, 1320) in "Kitab bad' al Khalq", "Bab manaqib `Ali (A.S) ibn Abu Talib (A.S)" and "Bab ghazwat Tabuk," in two places, records this tradition  
• Muslim in his Sahih (Matba`at Bulaq, 1290), "Kitab fada'il al Sahabah," through three chains;  
• al Tirmizi, in his Sahih, ii, 301; 
• Ibn Majah in his Sunan, p. 12; 
• al Hakim in Mustadrak, ii, 337 
• Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal in Musnad, i, 29, 170, 173, 174, 175, 177, 179, 182, 184, 185; 230, iii, 338, vi, 369 
• al Nasa'i in Khasa'is, 4, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 32 
• Ibn Sad in al Tabaqat (Leiden 1322) iii, part one, 14, 15 
• Abu Nuaym in Hilyat al Awliya', vi, 345, vii, 194, 195, 196, viii, 307 
• al Khatib in Tarikh Baghdad, i, 324, iii, 288, iv, 71, 204, 382, vii, 452, viii, 52, ix, 394, x, 43, xi, 432, xii, 323 
• al Tabari in his Tarikh al Umam wa al Muluk (Matbaat al Istiqamah, Cairo, 1357), ii, 368 
• Ibn al Asir, Usd al­ghabah, v, 8 
• al Muttaqi al Hindi, Kanz al Ummal, iii, 154, v, 40, vi, 154, 188, 395, 402, 404, 405, viii, 215 
• al Haysami, Majma al Zawa'id, ix, 109, 110, 111, 119 
• al Muhibb al Tabari, in al Riyad al Nadirah, i, 13, ii, 162, 163, 164, 175, 195, 203 and Zakha'ir al Uqba, 120 

Hadees Al-Ghadeer

The Prophet (S.A.W), while returning from his last pilgrimage stopped the entire caravan at Ghadeer Khumm and made the announcement:

"Of whomever I am his master (mawla), Ali (A.S) also is his master (mawla)."

Sunni References: 

• al Hakim in Mustadrak ala al Sahihayn vol. iii, pp. 109110;
• Al Tirmizi in his Sahih (Bulaq, 1292), ii, 298;
• Sunan Ibn Majah (Matba`at al Faruqi, Delhi), in "bab Faza'il ashab Rasul Allah (S.A.W)" from al Bara' ibn `Azib and Sa`d ibn Abi Waqqas;
• Al Hakim in Mustadrak (Hyderabad, 1313) from Zayd ibn Arqam (iii, 109, 533), Sa`d ibn Malik (iii, 116), from Rifa`ah ibn Ayas al Dabbi from his father from his grandfather (iii, 371), and from Buraydah al Aslami; (iii, 110; ii, 129);
•  Ahmad ibn Hanbal in his Musnad, al Matbaat al Maymaniyyah, Egypt, 1313, from al Bara' ibn Azib (iv, 281), Buraydah al Aslami (v, 347, 350, 358), Zayd ibn Arqam (iv, 372, iv, 368, v, 307), Ibn Abbas (i, 330), Abu al Tufayl (iv, 270) and Ali (A.S) ibn Abu Talib (A.S) (A) (i, 84, 88, 118, 139, 152, v, 307, 366, 419);
• Abu Nuaym al Isfahani; in Hilyat al Awliya (Egypt: Matbaat al­ Saadah, 1351) iv, 23, v, 26;
• Fakhr al Din al Razi; in al Tafsir al Kabir (Dar Tibaat al Amirah) under the verse 5:67;
• Al Khatib al Baghdadi, in Ta'rikh Baghdad (Matbaat al Saadah, 1360), vii, 377, viii, 290, xii, 343, xiv, 236;
• Al Nasai in Khasa'is (Matbaat al Taqaddum al Ilmiyyah, Egypt, 1348), pp.4, 21, 22, 23, 25, 26, 40;
• Al Muhibb al Tabari, in al Riyad al Nadirah (Matbaat al Ittihad, Egypt, 1st ed.), ii, 169, 170, 172, 203 and Zakhair al Uqba (Egypt 1356), 86;
• Ibn Hajar al Asqalani in al Sawaiq al Muhriqah (al Matba`at al?Maymaniyyah, Egypt; 1312), pp. 25, 26;
• `Ali al Muttaqi al Hindi in Kanz al Ummal (Hyderabad, 1312), i, 48, vi, 83, 153, 154, 390, 397, 398, 399, 403,405, 406, 407;
• Ibn Hajar al Asqalani in al Isabah (Calcutta, 1853 A.D.), i, part one, 57, 319; iii, part one, 29; iv, part one, 14, 16, 61, 143, 169, 182; vi, 223, vii, part one, 78, 156;
• Ibn al Asir in Usd al Ghabah (al Matba`at al Wahbiyyah, Egypt, 1285), i, 308, 367, 368, ii, 307, 233, iii, 92, 93, 321, 374, iv, 28, v, 205, 276, 383;
• Ibn Qutaybah in al Imamah wa al Siyasah (Matba`at al Futuh al-Adabiyyah, 1331), 93;
• Al Tahawi in Mushkil al Aasar (Hyderabad, 1333), ii, 307;
• Al Manawi in Fayd al Qadir (Egypt, 1356), vi, 218, 358 and Kunuz al?Haqa'iq (Istanbul, 1285), 92;
• Al Haysami Majma al Zawa'id (Egypt, 1352), vii, 17, ix 103, 104, 105, 106,107, 108, 119, 163, 164;
• `Ali ibn Sultan Muhammad al Qari in Mirqat al Mafatih (al Matba`at al?Maymaniyyah, Egypt, 1309), v, 568.

Hadees Al-Munasabah

The Holy Prophet (S.A.W) said:

"Whoever contests Ali in regard to the khilafat is an unbeliever (Kafir)."

Sunni References: 

• Ibn al Maghazili in his Manaqib (Tehran), p.45, from Abu Zarr al Ghifari;
• Allamah Ayni Hyderabadi in Manaqib Sayyidina Ali (Alam Press, Charminar), p.52, from al Khatib al Khwarazmi and Ibn al Maghazili;

Hadees Al-Muqatalah

Al Nasa'i in Khasa'is, 40, reports this tradition on the authority of Abu Said al Khudri:

Abu Said al Khudri reports: "We sat waiting for the Messenger of Allah (S.A.W) when he came out to meet us. The strap of his sandal was broken and he tossed it to Ali. Then he (S.A.W) said: "A man amongst you will fight the people over the tawil (interpretation) of the Quran in the same way as I have fought over its tanzil (revelation)." Thereupon Abu Bakr said, 'Is that I?' The Prophet (S.A.W) said: "No." Then Umar asked him, 'Is that I?' "No." said the Prophet (S.A.W). "It is the mender of the sandal (i.e. Ali)."

Other Sunni References: 

• al Hakim in Mustadrak, iii, 122;
• Ahmad ibn Hanbal in his Musnad, iii, 33, 82;
• Abu Nuaym in Hilyat al Awliya', i, 67;
• Ibn al Asir in Usd al Ghabah, iii, 282, iv, 33;
• Ibn Hajar, al Isabah, i, 22, iv, 152;
• Ibn Abd al Barr, al lsti`ab, ii, 423;
• al Haysami, Majma al Zawa'id, v, 186;
• al Muttaqi, Kanz al Ummal, vi, 155, 390, 391.

The Holy Prophet (S.A.W) said:

"May God's mercy be upon Ali. My God, keep the Haqq (truth, righteousness, justice) always with Ali."

Sunni References: 

• Sahih Al Tirmizi, ii, 298:
• al Hakim in Mustadrak, iii, 119, 124;
• al Khatib in Ta'rikh Baghdad, xiv, 321;
• al Haysami in Majma` al Zawa'id, vii, 134, 235; 243;
• al Muttaqi in Kanz al Ummal, vi, 157.

Hadees Al-Safinah

The Holy Prophet (S.A.W) said: 

"The parable of my Ahylul Bayt is that of the boat of Noah, whoever gets aboard it is saved and whoever stays away from it is drowned."

Sunni References:

• Al Hakim in his Mustadrak, ii, 343, iii, 150:
• Abu Nuaym in Hilyat al Awliya', iv, 306;
• al Khatib in Ta'rikh Baghdad, xii, 19;
• al Suyuti in al Durr al Mansur (al-Matba`at al Maymaniyyah, Egypt, 1314), under verse 2:58;
• al Muttaqi in Kanz al Ummal, i, 250, vi, 216;
• al Haysami in Majma` al Zawa'id, ix, 167, 168; 
• al Muhibb al Tabari in Zakha'ir al Uqba, 20; al Manawi in Kunuz al?Haqa'iq, 132.