and his approval of them (1).

Indeed, if someone were to say that the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—is not known to have ever reproached Uthmān for anything, whereas he reproached Alī on more than one occasion when Alī went too far, that claim would be borne out by the following: when Alī wished to marry the daughter of (2). (3) “Fātimah complained about him (4) to her father and said, ‘People say that you do not become angry on behalf of your daughters.’ [The Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—] (5) then stood to address the people and said, ‘The Banū al-Mughīra have asked my permission to marry their daughter to Alī ibn Abī Tālib. I do not give permission; again, I do not give permission; again, I do not give permission—unless Ibn Abī Tālib wishes to divorce my daughter and marry theirs. Fātimah is but a part of me; [whatever troubles her troubles me”] (6), and whatever hurts her hurts me.’ He then mentioned a son-in-law of his from the Banū Abd Shams and said, ‘He spoke to me and was truthful with me; he made me a promise and fulfilled it.’” The hadith (7) is firmly established and authentic; we have cited it from the two Sahīh collections.

Likewise, it is related in both Sahīh collections (8) that when he came to Alī and Fātimah at night, he asked:

“Will you not pray?”

Alī replied, “Our souls are in Allah’s hand. If He wills to awaken us, He will awaken us.”

He then departed, slapping his thigh and saying:

“But man is more contentious than anything else.” (9)

As for legal rulings, he issued the ruling that (10) a woman whose husband had died while she was pregnant (11) must observe as her waiting period