Is the story attributed to Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) authentic, in which it is mentioned that he said to Fatima al-Zahra (may Allah be pleased with her) when he saw her using a miswak: "How fortunate you are, O Arak twig, to touch her mouth! Did you not fear, O Arak twig, that I would see you? Had you been one of those who fight, I would have killed you! No one has escaped me, O miswak, but you"?
Source: FtawySummary from Ftawy's records · added here Sep 2, 2026
The attribution of the two verses mentioned to Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) has not been substantiated in the available sources, and much of what is narrated from him is unproven. Sheikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah stated that the sound meanings found in Ali's words are also present in the words of others, and that some authors attribute the words of others to him, such as the author of "Nahj al-Balagha."
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
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