"Take It Forever"

Now the key of the Kaʿbah was in the hands of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib, of the family of Banū Hāshim, told the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him): O Messenger of Allah, combine for us the honour of providing the pilgrims with water and of holding the key of the Kaʿbah. What did the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) do? And by the way, ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib said this because it was a great opportunity. These were very important things to the people of Quraysh: holding the key of the Kaʿbah was such a great honour; in fact, that is what gave Quraysh this prestige among all of the Arabs — because they were the custodians of the Kaʿbah. So ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib was trying to convince the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him); he took this opportunity and told the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him): how about combining for us, for our family, the honour of holding the key of the Kaʿbah? It is in your hands right now.

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) called ʿUthmān, gave him the key, and told him: khudhūhā khālidatan tālidatan lā yanziʿuhā minkum illā ẓālim — take it forever, and no one will take it from you but an oppressor; no one will take it from you but a tyrant. And that is why the key of the Kaʿbah still remains among the descendants of ʿUthmān ibn Ṭalḥah to this day, and they are called Banū Shaybah. The key has been passed on from father to son to this day.