Ibn Buraidah narrated that his father said:
"The Messenger of Allah said: 'Allah has commanded me to love four people, and He told me that He also loves them.' He was asked: 'O Messenger of Allah, who are they?' He said: ''Ali is one of them,' and he said that three times, 'and Abu Dharr, Salman and Miqdad.'"

حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ مُوسَى، وَسُوَيْدُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا شَرِيكٌ، عَنْ أَبِي رَبِيعَةَ الإِيَادِيِّ، عَنِ ابْنِ بُرَيْدَةَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ ﷺ ـ " إِنَّ اللَّهَ أَمَرَنِي بِحُبِّ أَرْبَعَةٍ وَأَخْبَرَنِي أَنَّهُ يُحِبُّهُمْ " . قِيلَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ مَنْ هُمْ قَالَ " عَلِيٌّ مِنْهُمْ " . يَقُولُ ذَلِكَ ثَلاَثًا " وَأَبُو ذَرٍّ وَسَلْمَانُ وَالْمِقْدَادُ " .