Hadith of Fatimah, Fadak and Abu Bakr
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- This is a sub-article to the Succession to Muhammad
A famous recorded oral tradition among Muslims (Arabic: hadith) is about Fatimah, Fadak and Abu Bakr.
Although the narration is prominently quoted and referred to, it is not given any formal name, in contrast to other hadith such as the Hadith of the pond of Khumm or the Hadith of Qur'an and Sunnah
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[edit] Introduction
This hadith is a part of the Succession to Muhammad, were several sources state that the land of Fadak was the personal property of Muhammad. After this, it becomes more controversial, some sources claiming that Muhammad gifted this property to her daughter Fatimah during his life, and yet other sources stating that the land was annexed by Abu Bakr during the succession. All Shi'a accept the mentioned sources, while Sunni's are divided on those sources.
[edit] Narration
A narration attributed to Aisha reports:
| After the death of Allah 's Apostle Fatima the daughter of Allah's Apostle asked Abu Bakr As-Siddiq to give her, her share of inheritance from what Allah's Apostle had left of the Fai (i.e. booty gained without fighting) which Allah had given him. Abu Bakr said to her, "Allah's Apostle said, 'Our property will not be inherited, whatever we (i.e. prophets) leave is Sadaqa (to be used for charity)." Fatima, the daughter of Allah's Apostle got angry and stopped speaking to Abu Bakr, and continued assuming that attitude till she died. Fatima remained alive for six months after the death of Allah's Apostle.
She used to ask Abu Bakr for her share from the property of Allah's Apostle which he left at Khaibar, and Fadak, and his property at Medina (devoted for charity). Abu Bakr refused to give her that property and said, "I will not leave anything Allah's Apostle used to do, because I am afraid that if I left something from the Prophet's tradition, then I would go astray." ...[1] |
A narration attributed to Aisha reports:
| Fatima the daughter of the Prophet sent someone to Abu Bakr (when he was a caliph), asking for her inheritance of what Allah's Apostle had left of the property bestowed on him by Allah from the Fai (i.e. booty gained without fighting) in Medina, and Fadak, and what remained of the Khumus of the Khaibar booty. On that, Abu Bakr said, "Allah's Apostle said, "Our property is not inherited. Whatever we leave, is Sadaqa, but the family of (the Prophet) Muhammad can eat of this property.' By Allah, I will not make any change in the state of the Sadaqa of Allah's Apostle and will leave it as it was during the lifetime of Allah's Apostle, and will dispose of it as Allah's Apostle used to do." So Abu Bakr refused to give anything of that to Fatima. So she became angry with Abu Bakr and kept away from him, and did not task to him till she died. She remained alive for six months after the death of the Prophet. When she died, her husband 'Ali, buried her at night without informing Abu Bakr and he said the funeral prayer by himself. ... [2] |
The above is also retold by ibn Sa'd, a 9th century Sunni Islamic scholar [3].
Other versions include:
| When the Prophet died, Abu Bakr took Fadak from Fatima. Fatima went to him and said 'Restore the land of Fadak to me, as my father the Prophet (s) gave it to me'. [4] |
Muhammad al-Shahrastani, 12th century Islamic scholar writes:
| The 6th dispute concerned Fadak and the inheritance of Rasulullah (s). Sayyida Fatima deemed it her land, and the claim of Fatima to its ownership [5] |
Yaqut al-Hamawi, 13th century Islamic scholar writes:
| After the death of the Prophet, Hadhrat Fatima [r] said to Abu Bakr, my father the Prophet gave Fadak to me, restore it to me [6] |
Ahmad Ibn Yahya al-Baladhuri, a 9th century Sunni Islamic scholar
| Sayyida Fatima said to Abu Bakr, restore the land of Fadak to me, as my father the Prophet (s) gave it to me [7] |
Fakhr al-Din al-Razi, a 13th century Sunni Shafi'i Islamic scholar
| When Rasulullah (s) died, Fatima claimed that Fadak was land bestowed to me by my father the Prophet (s); Abu Bakr said 'I don't know if you are telling the truth". [8] |
A text adapted largely from Abu Tahir `Abd al-Qahir al-Baghdadi states:
| Differences in the ummah arose very soon after the death of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace)... they differed regarding inheritance of the land of Fadak. This was a piece of land which the Prophet had acquired as a form of booty, and which he retained dring his lifetime. When he passed away, `Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said that the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) had assigned it to Fatimah (may Allah be pleased with her) during his lifetime. Al- `Abbas denied this. Once more, it was Abu Bakr who passed judgement, ruling that it could not be inherited because fo the hadith, "The Prophets do not leave behind inheritance." [9] |
Qazi Halb Burhan-ud-din, a ?th century Sunni Hanafi Islamic scholar writes:
| Sibt ibn Jauzi narrates that after Fatima made her claim to the ownership of Fadak, Abu Bakr heard her claim and Abu Bakr left a written instruction that it be restored to her, then Umar came to Abu Bakr, and asked 'Who is this document for?' The Khalifa said 'It's with regards to Fadak this is a written document for Fatima in relation to her father's inheritance. Umar was angry with Abu Bakr and said, "If you give Fadak back to Fatima, where the expenses for army and defence will come from for at present all the Arabs are fighting against you. He then took the papers of Fadak from Fatima (as), and tore them into shreds [10] |
[edit] Views
Scholars are divided in three regards:
- Weather Muhammad had the land as his personal property
- Weather Muhammad gifted the land to Fatimah
- Weather Abu Bakr had the right to take possession of the land
[edit] Muhammad's property
All Shi'a scholars and most Sunni scholars, except for two, view that the land was the personal property of Muhammad and that he had personal control over it.
[edit] Gifted
All Shi'a scholars and some Sunni scholars view that the land was the property was gifted by Muhammad to Fatimah during his life.
[edit] Abu Bakr
All Sunni's view that Abu Bakr was correct in taking control of Muhammad's inheritance, despite the complaints of Muhammad's daughter. This view is rejected by Shi'a. Some Sunnis view that Abu Bakr took control of the property as part of Muhammad's inheritance.
Other Sunnis view that Abu Bakr took control over the land independent of Muhammad's inheritance. Shi'a hold this view, and view the annexation as an illegal seizure of private property aimed to enhance his own stance and weaken Ali's stance during the Succession to Muhammad, viewed by Shi'a as a military Coup d'état.
[edit] References
- ^ Sahih Bukhari Vol 4 Book 53 Hadith 325
- ^ Sahih Bukhari Vol 5 Book 59 Hadith 546
- ^ The Book of the Major Classes Volume 2, page 392 translated by S. Moinul Haq assisted by H.K. Ghazanfar M.A.
- ^ Riyadh al Nadira Volume 4 page 231 (Baghdad publishers)
- ^ Kitab al-Milal wa al-Nihal, page 13
- ^ Kitab mu'jam al-buldan Volume 14 page 239, Dhikr Fadak
- ^ Fath al-Buldan page 46-47
- ^ Tafsir al-Kabir (al-Razi) Volume 8 page 125 Ayat Fay
- ^ Al-Farq bayn al-Firaq (The Difference between the Sects) [1]
- ^ Insanul Ayun fi Seerah al Halbeeya Volume 3, p487-488
