Question Summary:
In overflowing tears, Imam Ali (may Allah have mercy upon him) approached the Prophet (pbuh) until he was an arms length away. ….Is this story authentic?

Question Detail:

Is this story authentic?
In overflowing tears, Imam Ali (may Allah have mercy upon him) approached the Prophet (pbuh) until he was an arms length away. e said while wiping away his tears with the tip of his clothes: "O Prophet of Allah, you have paired off your companions as blood brothers, but you still have not paired me with anyone"..
The Prophet (pbuh) smiled, and sat Ali beside him. He put his arms around Ali and embraced him kindly and whispered: "You are my brother in life and in the hereafter."
The Prophet then announced this loudly to rows of crowded people: "Oh People, Ali is my brother, Ali is my brother!"
Source: Translated from "100 Stories from the Life of Ali Bin Abi Taleb" by Muhammad Sedeeq Al Minshawi, Dar Al Fadeela Publishing, 2002.

Answer :

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
Assalaamu `alaykum waRahmatullahi Wabarakatuh
The hadith which has been referred to is the following:
حدثنا يوسف بن موسى القطان البغدادى حدثنا على بن قادم حدثنا على بن صالح بن حى عن حكيم بن جبير عن جميع بن عمير التيمى عن ابن عمر قال آخى رسول الله -صلى الله عليه وسلم- بين أصحابه فجاء على تدمع عيناه فقال يا رسول الله آخيت بين أصحابك ولم تؤاخ بينى وبين أحد.فقال له رسول الله -صلى الله عليه وسلم- « أنت أخى فى الدنيا والآخرة ». قال أبو عيسى هذا حديث حسن غريب. وفى الباب عن زيد بن أبى أوفى. (سنن الترمذى
2-213 سعيد)

This hadith has been narrated in the following kitabs:
1)      Sunan At Tirmidhi
2)      Mujam al kabeer of Imam At Tabrani
3)      Mujam al awsat of Imam At Tabrani
4)      Mustadrak of Imam Hakim
After narrating this hadith, Imam Tirmidhi mentioned that it is hasan (good and suitable). There is a narrator, Jami bin Umair who has been slightly accused. Nevertheless, this accusation does not cause much harm to the narration.
قال الحافظ في التقريب  - (ج 1 / ص 165)
970 - جميع بن عمير التيمي أبو الأسود الكوفي صدوق يخطؤ يتشيع
And Allah knows best
Wassalam
Ml. Ismail Moosa,
Student Darul Iftaa
Checked and Approved by:
Mufti Ebrahim Desai
Darul Iftaa, Madrassah In'aamiyyah