He said: Abu Nasr Muhammad b. al-Husain al-Muqri reported to me from Abu Abdillah al-Husain b. Ubaidullah al-Zurari, who reported from Abu Abdillah Ja'far b. Abdullah al-Alawi al-Muhammadi, who reported from Yahya b. Hashim al-Ghassani, who reported form Ismail b. Ayyash, from Muadh b. Rafaah, from Shahr b. Hawshab, who said:
By ALLAH (SWT), I cannot be stopped by mu'awiya's (LA) authority to speak the truth about ALI , peace be upon him. I heard the PROPHET (SAWW), say: "ALI (ASWS) is the best among you; and in matter of religion, he is the most learned jurist among you, and he knows incisively about my Traditions, more than any of you.
And as far the Book of ALLAH (SWT) (i.e. the Qu'ran), he is its best student among you all. O, ALLAH (SWT)! I love ALI (ASWS), so You also love him; O ALLAH (SWT)! I love ALI (ASWS), so You also love him."
(Al-Amali Shaikh Mufeed: The Tenth Assembly: Hadees No 6)