The Facilitator of Sayyidina ‘Ali ibn Abu Thalib’s (k.w.) Marriage

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

Sayyidina Abu ‘Amr ‘Utsman ibn ‘Affan (r.a.) was instrumental in the marriage of Sayyidina ‘Ali ibn Abu Thalib (k.w.) to Sayyidatina Fathimah az-Zahrah (r.a.).  Imam Abu al-Hasan ‘Ali ibn ‘Isa ibn Abi al-Fath al-Arbali (r.a.), a Shi’ah scholar, mentioned this in his Kashf al-Ghummah.  He recorded that Sayyidina ‘Ali (k.w.) said, “Then, the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) told me, ‘Go now and sell your armour and come back with its value so I may prepare what is good for you and Fathimah.’  So, I went and sold my armour to ‘Utsman ibn ‘Affan for 400 darahim. 

When the money was in my hand and the armour was in his hands, ‘Utsman said to me, ‘Abu al-Hasan!  Do you not need the armour more than I do and do you not need the money more than I do?’  I answered with a yes.  So, he said, ‘Then take back the armour.  It is a gift from me to you.’  So, I took back the armour and the money and went to the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.).  I handed the armour and the money over to the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) and I told him what happened between ‘Utsman and I.  The Prophet (s.a.w.) then asked Allah (s.w.t.) for Goodness for ‘Utsman.”