▁fought ▁more ▁vig or ously ▁than ▁Ab u ▁Bak r , ▁but ▁still ▁failed . ▁ ▁That ▁night ▁Muhammad ▁proc laimed , ▁" By ▁God , ▁tom orrow ▁I ▁shall ▁give ▁it ▁[ the ▁b anner ] ▁to ▁a ▁man ▁who ▁lov es ▁God ▁and ▁His ▁M essen ger , ▁whom ▁God ▁and ▁His ▁M essen ger ▁love . ▁Al lah ▁will ▁best ow ▁victory ▁upon ▁him ." ▁That ▁morning , ▁the ▁Q ur ay sh ▁were ▁wondering ▁who ▁should ▁have ▁the ▁honor ▁to ▁carry ▁the ▁b anner , ▁but ▁Muhammad ▁called ▁out ▁for ▁Ali ▁ibn ▁Ab i ▁ Ț al ib . ▁All ▁this ▁time , ▁Ali , ▁son - in - law ▁and ▁cousin ▁of ▁Muhammad , ▁was ▁ill ▁and ▁could ▁not ▁particip ate ▁in ▁the ▁failed ▁attempts . ▁Ali ▁came ▁to ▁Muhammad , ▁who ▁c ured ▁him ▁of ▁his ▁o ph th alm ia , ▁an ▁in hib itive ▁infl amm ation ▁of ▁the ▁eyes , ▁by ▁applying ▁his ▁sal iva ▁to ▁Ali ' s ▁eyes . ▁The ▁apost le ▁sent ▁him ▁with ▁his ▁flag ▁and ▁Ali , ▁with ▁new ▁vig or , ▁set ▁out ▁to ▁meet ▁the ▁enemy , ▁bearing ▁the ▁b anner ▁of ▁Muhammad . ▁When ▁he ▁got ▁near ▁the ▁fort ▁the ▁g arrison ▁came ▁out ▁and ▁he ▁fought ▁them . ▁During ▁the ▁battle , ▁a ▁Jew ▁struck ▁him ▁so ▁that ▁his ▁shield ▁fell ▁from ▁his ▁hand ▁and ▁Ali ▁lost ▁his ▁shield . ▁In ▁need ▁of ▁a ▁substitute , ▁he ▁picked ▁up ▁a ▁door ▁and ▁used ▁it ▁to