Fuzt wa Rabb al-Ka'ba

Fuztu wa Rabb al-Ka'ba (Arabic: فُزْتُ وَ رَبِّ الْكَعْبَة) is a phrase said by Imam 'Ali (a) when he was struck in the head. The sentence means: “I swear to the Lord of the Ka'ba that I have prospered”. Different Shiite scholars, such as al-Sayyid al-Radi and Ibn Shahrashub as well as Sunni scholars, such as Ibn Athir and al-Baladhuri, have cited the sentence. A few recent sources have cited the sentence as follows: “Fuztu bi Rabb al-Ka'ba” (فُزتُ بِرَبِّ الکَعبة).

Ibn Qutayba al-Dinawari, a historian of the 3rd/9th century, gives the following report of the event:

Ibn Muljam went to 'Ali (a) and said: “the verdict is God’s, not yours”, and then struck 'Ali’s forehead with his sword. 'Ali (a) said: “I swear to the Lord of the Ka'ba that have prospered”. He then said: “do not let this man (Ibn Muljam) run away”. Then, people arrested Ibn Muljam.

The sentence was also uttered before Imam 'Ali (a) in 4/625 in the event of Bi'r Ma'una by a person called Haram b. Milhan before his martyrdom. A historian of the 5th/11th century, Ibn 'Abd al-Birr reports:

In the event of Bi'r Ma'una, Haram b. Milhan was struck in the head. He let the blood pour in his hand and then rubbed it all over his head and face and then said: “I swear to the Lord of the Ka'ba that I have prospered”.