fear Allah with regard to the orphans: do not let their mouths go hungry, (1) and do not allow them to be neglected while you are present. Fear Allah with regard to your neighbours, for they are the charge of your Prophet. He continued to counsel their right until we thought he would allot them a share of inheritance. Fear Allah concerning the Quran; let no one outstrip you in acting upon it. Fear Allah concerning the prayer, for it is the pillar of your religion. Fear Allah with respect to the House of your Lord; never abandon it as long as you live, for if it is deserted you will not be given respite. (2) Fear Allah regarding the month of Ramadan, for fasting it is a shield against the Fire. Fear Allah regarding jihad in the path of Allah with your wealth and your lives. Fear Allah concerning the zakat, for it extinguishes the Lord’s wrath. Fear Allah concerning the covenant of your Prophet; let none who are under your protection be wronged in your midst. (3) Fear Allah concerning the Companions of your Prophet, for the Messenger of Allah ﷺ commended them to you. Fear Allah regarding the poor and the destitute; share with them in your livelihood.
Fear Allah with respect to those whom your right hands possess, for the last words spoken by the Messenger of Allah ﷺ were:
“I charge you concerning the two weak ones: your women and those whom your right hands possess.”
Attend to the prayer, attend to the prayer! Do not fear the blame of any blamer for the sake of Allah; He will suffice you against whoever seeks you out or transgresses against you. Speak kindly to people as Allah has commanded you. Do not abandon enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong, lest the worst of you be put in authority over you and you then supplicate without receiving an answer. Maintain mutual bonds and mutual exchange, and beware of turning your backs on one another, of severing ties, and of division. Cooperate in righteousness and piety and do not cooperate in sin and aggression. Fear Allah—indeed, Allah is severe in punishment. May Allah protect you, O People of the House, and preserve for you your Prophet. I entrust you to Allah and convey to you peace and the mercy of Allah. (4)
After this he spoke nothing save “There is no god but Allah” until he passed away in the month of Ramadan, in the year 40 AH. His two sons, al-Hasan and al-Husayn, together with ʿAbd Allah ibn Jaʿfar, washed his body, and al-Hasan led the funeral prayer over him, pronouncing nine takbīrs.
Imam Aḥmad (5) said: “Abū Aḥmad az-Zubayrī narrated to us; Shurayk narrated to us, from ʿImrān ibn Ẓabiyān, from Abū Tiḥyā (6), who said: When Ibn Muljam struck ʿAlī he said to them, ‘Do with him as the Messenger of Allah ﷺ intended to do with a man who tried to kill him, for he said: ‘Kill him and then burn him.’’”
It is reported that Umm Kulthūm said to Ibn Muljam as he stood there, “Woe to you! Why did you strike the Commander of the Believers?” He replied, “I struck only your father.” She responded, “He will suffer no harm.” He retorted, “Then why do you weep? By Allah, I dealt him a blow that, had it fallen upon the people of an entire city, they would all have perished. By Allah, I have poisoned this sword for a full month; I bought it for a thousand and spent another thousand to poison it.”
Al-Haytham ibn ʿAdī said: “A man of Bajīlah narrated to me, from the elders of his people, that ʿAbd ar-Raḥmān ibn Muljam saw a woman of the [Banū] Taym ar-Rabāb tribe named Qaṭām, who was among the most beautiful of women and who espoused the views of the Khārijites; ʿAlī had killed her kinsfolk for holding that view. When he beheld her he fell in love with her and sought her hand, but she said, ‘I will not marry you unless you give me three thousand dirhams, a slave, and a singing-girl.’”