93 – Al-Ḥusayn narrated to us; ʿAbd Allah narrated to us; al-Munzir ibn ʿAmmar ibn Ḥabīb ibn Ḥassān ibn al-Ashras al-Kāhilī told me. Ibn Abī al-Ḥathḥāth al-ʿIjlī related to me from his father, Abū al-Ḥathḥāth, who said:
I informed ʿAlī of the arrival of Ibn Muljam, whereupon his face changed. Later I brought the man to him, and when ʿAlī saw him he recited:
I would shower him with gifts, yet he seeks my murder—
What refuge have I from a comrade of Murād?
Someone exclaimed, “Glory be to Allah! Why do you say that, Commander of the Believers?” He replied, “So it is.” Then ʿAlī said to Ibn Muljam, “I will ask you about three matters.
- Did a man ever come upon you while you were playing with the boys, make you sit, and say, ‘Full brother of the man who hamstrung the she-camel’?”
He answered, “Glory be to Allah! Why do you say that, Commander of the Believers?” ʿAlī continued, “Two traits remain.
- When you were young, were you called ‘the son of the woman who herds the dogs’?”
He said, “Glory be to Allah! What made you mention that?” ʿAlī said, “One trait remains.
- Did your mother ever tell you that she caught you up while she was menstruating?”
At this, Ibn Muljam became angry and stood up. ʿAlī thereupon ordered two garments for him and gave him thirty dirhams. Someone remarked, “If only you had killed him!” ʿAlī said, “How astonishing! Would you have me kill the man who is to kill me?”