With the Custodian of the Ka!

With the Custodian of the Ka!bah Then the Apostle of God sat in the mosque. Imam Ali came to him bringing the key to the Ka'bah. Then al-'Abbas stood up and asked the Apostle of God to give him the key. At this point the Qur'anic verse was revealed: eVerily God orders you to return all things held in trust to their rightful ownersf 146 So the Apostle of God ordered Imam Ali to return the key to Othman ibn Talhah.

When he did so, Othman ibn Talhah, who did not expect that the key would be returned to him, said: 'O Ali, you took it from me by force and now you return it to me with kindness?' Imam Ali said: 'Yes, for God Almighty has sent down a revelation about you in the Qur'an and has said: eVerily God 145 The Holy Qur'an: Joseph (12): 92. 146 The Holy Qur'an: The Women (4): 58.

orders you to return all things held in trust to their rightful ownersf 147 When 'Othman ibn Talhah heard this he accepted Islam and the Prophet ratified his position as custodian himself. It is also related that Othman ibn Talhah said: 'In the Jahiliyyah we used to open the Ka'bah on Mondays and Thursdays. One day the Prophet approached and sought to enter the Ka'bah with some people. This was before he migrated to Medina. But I locked the door and abused him.

He treated me with kindness and said: 'O 'Othman, perchance you will one day see this key in my own hand to do with as I will. I said: 'That is the day when the Quraysh are destroyed and humiliated.' He said: 'On the contrary, they will live and be honoured.' Then he entered the Ka'bah and his words were such that made me think that they would come true. When the day of the conquest of Mecca came he said: 'O Othman, bring me the key.' But I refused to bring him it.

So Ali took it from me and gave it to him. When he had completed his prayers and his visit to the House he returned it to me and said: 'O Othman ibn Talhah, God has given you custody of His House (the Ka'bah) so eat from that which comes to you from this House as is customary.' As I was leaving he called me and said: 'Did not what I say come to pass?' 147 The Holy Qur'an: The Women (4): 58. Then I remembered what he had said to me in Mecca before the Hijrah and I said: 'Indeed.