Ali Ibn Abi Talib - Volume 2 of 2

'Ali ibn Abi Tilib 625
ibn al-'AS told Khirijah ibn Hudhsah, who was his chief of police
and was of (the tribe) Banu 'Amir ibn Lu'ayy, to go out and lead the
prayer. 'Amr ibn Balcr attacked and killed him, thinking that he was
'Amr ibn al-'As. The people caught him and took him to 'Amr ibn al-
'As, greeting him as the governor. The killer said: "Who is this?"
They said: " 'Am (ibn d-'A$)." He said: "Who did I kill?" They
said: "Kh2rijah ibn Hudhsah." He said to 'Am ibn al-'AS: "Woe to
you, 0 evildoer. By Allah, I did not think that he was anyone but
you." 'Amr said: "Yon wanted me, but Allah wanted Khirijah."
Then 'Amr ordered that he be executed.1253
4.5.7. The length of 'Ali's caliphate, the location
of his grave and the age at which he was killed
According to Khaleefah ibn Khayy;!,
'Ali's caliphate lasted
four years, nine months and six days - or, it was said, three days or
fourteen days.'254 But it seems that it was four years, nine months
and three days, because allegiance was sworn to him as caliph on 18
Dhul-Ifijjah 35 AH, and he died as a martyr on 21 Ramadan 40
AH."^^
The body of Amir al-Mu'mineen 'Ali(4)
was washed by d-
Hasan, al-Husayn and Abdullah ibn Ja'far (may Allah be pleased
with them) and was shrouded in three pieces of cloth, among which
was no chemise.1256 Al-Hasan ibn 'Ali (4) offered the funeral
prayer for him, saying takbeer four times.'257 According to one
report with no chain of narration, he said nine takbeers over him.1258
As for the location of his grave, the reports differ concerning it.
Ibn alJawzi narrated a number of reports concerning that, then he
said: "Allah knows best which is most correct."1259 Among the
reports concerning this matter are the following: