عَنْ جَابِرٍ قَالَ نَاجَى رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّي اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهٖ عَلِيَّ بْنَ أَبِي طَالِبٍ عَلَيْهِمَا السَّلَامُ يَوْمَ طَائِفٍ فَأَطَالَ مُنَاجَاتَهُ فَرُئِيَ الْكَرَاهَةُ فِي وُجُوهِ رِجَالٍ فَقَالُوا قَدْ أَطَالَ مُنَاجَاتَهُ مُنْذُ الْيَوْمِ فَقَالَ مَا انْتَجَيْتُهُ وَ لَكِنَّ اللهَ انْتَجَاهُ
Jaabir Ibn Abdillah al-Ansari (r.a.) reports: On the day of Taaef, the Messenger of Allah (peace be on him and his progeny) was having some secret conversation with Ali Ibn Abi Talib (peace be on them both). His conversation became prolonged due to which displeasure was manifest on the faces of some men. They remarked, ‘His conversation has prolonged today’. To which the Holy Prophet (peace be on him and his progeny) replied, ‘It was not me who was having a secret chat with him; rather, it was Allah who was having a secret conversation with him’.”
References:
1. Al-Amaali of al-Shaikh al-Toosi (r.a.), p. 260, 10th Majlis
2. Behaar al-Anwaar, vol. 39, p. 151, H. 1
Notes:
1) The above narration proves that there were some confidential talks between Allah the High, the Messenger of Allah (peace be on him and his progeny) and Ameer al-Momineen Ali (peace be on him) and none of the ordinary Muslims were privy to these discussions.
2) Such confidential talks were a cause of heartburn to some; obviously, these were hypocrites who looked at the proximity of Ali (peace be on him) with the Holy Prophet (peace be on him and his progeny) with disdain.
3) In this case, they could not hide their displeasure and even uttered their dislike with their unclean tongues. To which, the Holy Prophet (peace be on him and his progeny) replied that it was not me but Allah Who was talking with him.