It is narrated from Isma'il bin Abd al-Rahman that Abd al-Rahman bin Muljam al-Muradi fell in love with a Kharijite woman named Qatam from the tribe of Taym al-Rabab. He married her, and her dowry was fixed as three thousand dirhams and the killing of Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him). Concerning this, al-Farazdaq said (in his verses): "I have never seen a dowry given by any generous man like the dowry of Qatam, perfectly plain: three thousand dirhams, a slave, a slave girl, and striking Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) with the sharp sword. So there is no dowry dearer than the blood of Ali, however great it may be, and there is no treacherous deed like the blow of Ibn Muljam."

It is narrated from Imam al-Sha'bi that when Ibn Muljam struck Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) that blow, he made a bequest, saying: "He has struck me, so treat him well and keep his bedding soft. Then, if I live, it will be my right to forgive or to take retaliation (qisas); and if I die, then send him (by killing him) to join me, and I will bring my case against him before my Lord, the Mighty and Majestic."

It is narrated from Abu Tihya that when they seized Ibn Muljam and brought him to Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), he said: "Do with him what the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) did with the man who intended to kill him (peace and blessings be upon him); he (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered that he be killed and burned with fire."

It is narrated from Abu Ishaq al-Hamdani that he said: "I saw the killer of Sayyiduna Ali bin Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) being burned with fire among the spear-bearers."

It is narrated from Asma' al-Ansariyyah that on the night Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) was martyred, no stone was lifted in Bayt al-Maqdis (Iliya) except that fresh, thick blood came out from beneath it. Imam al-Hakim said: The narrations differ concerning the age of the Commander of the Faithful at the time of his martyrdom:

Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq narrates from his father (Imam al-Baqir) that when Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) was martyred, he was fifty-eight years old.

It is narrated from Abdullah bin Muhammad bin Aqil that he said: I heard (Muhammad) Ibn al-Hanafiyyah, at the beginning of the year in which he passed away (that is, the year 81 AH), say: "I am now sixty-five years old; I have passed the age of my father, for when my father passed away he was sixty-three years old." And Ibn al-Hanafiyyah passed away in that same year. Imam al-Hakim said: As for the duration of the caliphate of the Commander of the Faithful Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), it is according to what the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) decreed:

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Safinah Abu Abd al-Rahman (may Allah be pleased with him), the freed slave of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The caliphate of Prophethood will last thirty years." Sa'id says: Count it up (the duration of the caliphates): the caliphate of Sayyiduna Abu Bakr was two years, that of Sayyiduna Umar bin al-Khattab ten years, that of Sayyiduna Uthman bin Affan twelve years, and the caliphate of Sayyiduna Ali comes to six years.

It is narrated from Sa'sa'ah bin Suhan that when Ibn Muljam made the murderous attack on Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), he addressed us, and we said: O Commander of the Faithful! Appoint a successor over us. He said: "I am leaving you in the same state in which the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) left us." We had (earlier) said: O Messenger of Allah! Appoint a successor over us, and he (peace and blessings be upon him) had said: "If Allah knows good in you, He will appoint the best of you as ruler over you." Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "So Allah saw good in us and made Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) our leader."

It is narrated from Habib bin Abi Thabit that Sa'sa'ah bin Suhan came to Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) and said: O Commander of the Faithful! Whom are you appointing as your successor? He said: "If Allah sees good in your hearts, He will make the very best of you caliph over you." Sa'sa'ah said (commenting): "So Allah saw evil in our hearts and made (such a person) ruler over us."