Translation: Aboo Aamir Ishaaq bn AbdirRaheem
As for Ibn Muljaam, the intended one, his people were in Kindah therefore he left and found his associates in Kuufah. He did not let them know what he had in plan lest something of his affair would become known to them. One day, he saw some associates from the tribe of Taym Ar-Rabbaab whom Alee (may Allâh be pleased with him) killed ten of them on the day of Nahrawaan; those people brought to remembrance the people that were killed among them. It was in one of those days that Ibn Muljam met a woman from the tribe whose name was Qataam daughter of Ash-Shajnah. Her father and brother were killed on the day of Nahrawaan. The woman was extremely beautiful. When Ibn Muljam saw her, he lose all his sense and forgot about his assignment for which he had come. Then he made a marriage proposal to her but she replied: 'I will not marry you unless you heal me.' He said: 'What will heal you?' She said: 'Three thousand (deenar or dir'ham), a male-slave, a chanteuse and killing of Alee bn Abee Taalib.'
He replied: 'You will have that as your mahr; as for the killing of Alee, I do not see you mentioning it to me while you want me (as a husband to you).' She said: 'Of course not; but seek him at dawn, if you can hit him you will heal yourself and myself and you will have a splendid living with me, but if you are killed, what is with Allâh is better than the world and its beauty.' He said: 'By Allâh, I have not come to this city except to kill Alee; you will have what you have asked for.' She said: 'I shall get for you someone who will aid you and see you through your mission.' She then sent for a man in her tribe by name Wir'daan; she talked to him and he answered her.
Then Ibn Muljam went to a very brave man whose name was Shubayb bn Bajrah and said to him: 'Do you want honour of this life and the hereafter?' Shubayb replied: 'How?' he said: 'Killing Alee bn Abee Taalib.' He said: 'May your mother be bereaved of you, you have come with a very terrible thing, how will you be able to get at Alee? He replied: 'I shall hide in the mosque and when he comes out for the morning prayer, we would pounce on him and kill him. If we are successful, we would have healed ourselves and taken the revenge, and if we are killed, what is with Allâh is better than this life and what it contains.' Shubayb said: 'Woe unto you, if it were other than Alee, it would be easy for me to carry out; you know his gallantry in Islam and his precedents with the Prophet; I am not comfortable with the act of killing him.' Ibn Muljam said: 'Don't you know that he killed the people of Nahrawaan; people that were righteous slaves?' He replied: 'Of course I know.' Ibn Muljam said: 'So we are going to kill him for those he killed among our brethren.' And the man succumbed to him.
They all came to Qataam while she was in the Great Mosque in seclusion. They said to her: 'We have all agreed to kill Alee.' She said: 'When you are ready (to actualize the act) come to me.'
Then Ibn Muljam came back in the night of Jum'ah, the morning of which he killed Alee – that was in year forty Hijrah; he said: 'Tonight is the night I agreed with my two (other) associates that we would kill the fellow that had been assigned each of us.' She called for silk for them and binded them with it. Then they took their swords and sat facing the door from which Alee (may Allâh be pleased with him) would come out. When Alee came out, Shubayb hit him with his sword but his sword fell on the door jamb or its vault. But Ibn Muljam hit him on his head with the sword. War'daan fled until he entered his house, a man from the tribe of his father entered upon him while the former was untying the silk from his chest. The man said to him: 'What is this silk and sword?' War'daan told him what had happened and the man turned to leave, War'daan went after the man with his sword, overpowered him and killed him.
As for Shubayb, he went in the direction of Kindah Gates in the dark, people cried out (as a result of the attack on Ameerul-Mu'mineen), a man from Hadaramaut by name Uwaymir met him while Shubayb was carrying a sword, he handled the sword well and the man from Hadaramut accosted him. When the man saw that people were coming in pursuit of Shubayb while the latter was holding the sword, the man feared for himself thus he left Shubayb alone who became safe in the crowd of people.
People became tough against Ibn Muljam; they were able to apprehend him; if not that a man from Hamdaan Abu Ad'maa by an agnomen, took Ibn Muljam's sword and cut his leg with it. That made Ibn Muljam to become paralyzed.
Alee (may Allâh be pleased with him) tarried behind, Ja'dah bn Hubayrah bn Abee Wahab was made to deputize for him in leading the Morning Prayer for the people. Alee (may Allâh be pleased with him) then said: 'Where is the man (referring to Ibn Muljam)?' He was brought to his presence then he said to him: 'O enemy of Allâh, have I not been good to you enough?' He replied: 'Yes.' Then Alee (may Allâh be pleased with him) said: 'What has made you to do this?' He said: 'I planned it for forty mornings and I asked Allâh to use me to kill the worst of His creation.' Alee (may Allâh be pleased with him) said: 'I do not see you except as someone that should be killed because of Allâh; and I do not see you except as the worst of Allâh's creation.'
