The martyrdom of ʿAli ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him)
The Kharijite ʿAbd al-Rahman ibn Muljam struck the Commander of the Faithful ʿAli ibn Abi Talib with a poisoned sword as he went out for the Fajr prayer in Kufa. He died two days later, folding the page on the fourth of the Rightly-Guided Caliphs.
Three of the Khawarij conspired to kill ʿAli, Muʿawiya and ʿAmr ibn al-ʿAs on a single night, claiming they would thereby relieve the Ummah. The assassins of Muʿawiya and ʿAmr failed, while Ibn Muljam lay in wait for ʿAli in the mosque of Kufa.
At dawn on 19 Ramadan 40 AH, ʿAli went out rousing the people for prayer, calling: Prayer, prayer! Ibn Muljam struck him on the crown of his head with a poisoned sword, crying the Kharijite slogan: There is no rule but for Allah. ʿAli said: I have succeeded, by the Lord of the Kaʿba.
He lingered two days, counselling fear of Allah, adherence to the community, and good treatment of his killer — pardon if they forgave, or retaliation in kind without mutilation. He died on the night of 21 Ramadan at sixty-three; his two sons washed him, prayed over him and buried him in Kufa, and after him his son al-Hasan was given the pledge.
Note — differing reports on the date: He was struck at dawn on 19 Ramadan and died on the night of the 21st of it in 40 AH by the well-known view; some reports say 17 Ramadan.