Debunking the Controversy between Fatima and Abu Bakr (May Allah be pleased with them both) بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم الحمد لله وحده و الصلاة و السلام على من لا نبي بعده و على آله و أصحابه أجمعين “Therefore Fatima left Abu Bakr and did not speak to him till she died.” The following has been misunderstood by many. One of the most made controversial issue of the early Islamic history is that of the allegedly unsettled row between Abu Bakr (RA), the closest companion to the Prophet (and his Father in Law) and Fatima (RA), the daughter of the Prophet. The story essentially relates to the question of the Prophet’s material inheritance. We shall dwell on the details of it some other time, but in this article we aim at answering misconceptions about a narration, rather a part of it, recorded in Sahih Bukhari and other hadith works. —— Discussion I. The Narration Is Mursal To Al Zuhri The narration has a few different wordings. One of them is as follows: عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، عَنْ عُرْوَةَ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ: أَنَّ فَاطِمَةَ وَالعَبَّاسَ عَلَيْهِمَا السَّلاَمُ، أَتَيَا أَبَا بَكْرٍ يَلْتَمِسَانِ مِيرَاثَهُمَا مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، وَهُمَا حِينَئِذٍ يَطْلُبَانِ أَرْضَيْهِمَا مِنْ فَدَكَ، وَسَهْمَهُمَا مِنْ خَيْبَرَ، فَقَالَ لَهُمَا أَبُو بَكْرٍ: سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم يقول: «لا نورث، ما تركنا صدقة، إنما يأكل آل محمد من هذا المال» قال أبو بكر: والله لا أدع أمرا رأيت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يصنعه فيه إلا صنعته، قال: فهجرته فاطمة، فلم تكلمه حتى ماتت Al-Zuhri narrated from ‘Urwa that narrated 'Aisha: Fatima and Al 'Abbas came to Abu Bakr, seeking their share from the property of Allah's Messenger and at that time, they were asking for their land at Fadak and their share from Khaibar. Abu Bakr said to them, " I have heard from Allah's Messenger saying, 'Our property cannot be inherited, and whatever we leave is to be spent in charity, but the family of Muhammad may take their provisions from this property." Abu Bakr added, "By Allah, I will not leave the procedure I saw Allah's Messenger following during his lifetime concerning this property." [He said:] Therefore Fatima left Abu Bakr and did not speak to him till she died. Sahih al-Bukhari 6725, 6726 —— The problem can easily be spotted. The translator didn’t bother to translate قال (He said) which is present in the original Arabic text which is why I have made the appropriate modification to the translation according to the original text in which the words “He said” is clearly said. The words “He said” are not the words of Aisha (RA) but of Al Zuhri, someone who hadn’t even witnessed the events in question. The Mursal of Az-Zuhri are generally considered absolutely worthless and weak. Yahya bin Sa’eed Al-Qattan said: The disconnected reports of Az-Zuhri are worse than the disconnected reports of others, for he is a hafith, and he could name names, but wouldn’t name those that aren’t qualified or that he is embarrassed to name. Al-Shafi’i said: The disconnected reports of Az-Zuhri are like nothing, for we found him narrating from those like Sulaiman bin Arqam. Ibn Maeen said: The disconnected reports of Az-Zuhri are like nothing. Ibn Al-Madeeni said: The disconnected reports of Az-Zuhri are terrible. Al-Hadith Al-Mursal 1/337 —- Ibn Taymiyyah also notes that Az-Zuhri is unreliable and writes: Allah has provided evidence establishing the authenticity or lack thereof for the narrations that are necessary in matters of the religion. It is well-known that most of what is reported in books of exegesis is similar to what is reported in books of history and battles. For this reason, Imam Ahmad said that three matters are not reliable: exegesis, stories of battles, and history. These matters are narrated without a basis or chain of narration from those who omit narrators such as what is mentioned from Urwah ibn Az-Zubair, Ash-Sha’bi, Az-Zuhri, Musa ibn Uqbah, and Ibn Ishaq. Majmu Al Fatawa 13/346 —— Ibn Hajar writes: إِنَّ الْقَائِل فِيمَا بَلَغَنَا هُوَ الزُّهْرِيّ ، وَمَعْنَى الْكَلَام أَنَّ فِي جُمْلَة مَا وَصَلَ إِلَيْنَا مِنْ خَبَر رَسُول اللَّه صَلَّى اللَّه عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي هَذِهِ الْقِصَّة وَهُوَ مِنْ بَلَاغَات الزُّهْرِيّ وَلَيْسَ مَوْصُولًا “The one who says ‘as we have heard’ (fi ma balaghana) is Al-Zahri. And this means the sentence that has reached us [as if] from the reports about the Prophet, on whom be the peace and blessings of Allah, in this narration is from amongst the un-attributive reports of Zuhri and is not fully linked.” Fath Al-Bari 19/449 —— Though it was about another narration which Ibn Hajar was referring to, it’s still applicable here. We understand that the words of Al-Zuhri in this narration is most likely a forgery. II. Narration In Tarikh Al Madina We must also see more narrations to provide the context of this saying even if we accepted it as authentic (which we have no reason to). There is a narration which grants clarity found in Tarikh Al Madina: عن الزهري، عن عروة، عن عائشة رضي الله عنها، أن فاطمة، والعباس رضي الله عنهما أتيا أبا بكر رضي الله عنه يلتمسان ميراثهما من رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، وهما حينئذ يطلبان أرضه من فدك، وسهمه من خيبر فقال لهما أبو بكر رضي الله عنه: إني سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول: «لا نورث، ما تركنا صدقة، إنما يأكل آل محمد من هذا المال» ، وإني والله لا أغير أمرا رأيت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يصنعه إلا صنعته. قال: فهجرته فاطمة رضي الله عنها، فلم تكلمه في ذلك المال حتى ماتت Al-Zuhri narrated from Urwa' that 'Aisha narrated: Fatima and 'Abbas came to Abu Bakr, seeking their share from the property of Allah's Messenger and at that time, they were asking for their land at Fadak and their share from Khaibar. Abu Bakr said to them, " I have heard from Allah's Messenger -on him be the peace and blessings of Allah- saying, 'Our property cannot be inherited, and whatever we leave is to be spent in charity, but the family of Muhammad may take their provisions from this property." Abu Bakr added, "By Allah, I will not change the procedure I saw Allah's Messenger -on him be the peace and blessings of Allah- following (during his lifetime concerning this property)." He said: Therefore Fatima left Abu Bakr and did not speak to him about this property till she died. Tarikh al-Madina Vol 1., p. 197 —— With all the details about the narrations from al-Zuhri mentioned above, this narration takes away whatever little effect his reports had left at least on the issue of alleged unsettled row. This means that Fatima (RA) did not speak to Abu Bakr (RA) only on the particular topic thereafter till her death. III. Narrations that prove the issue was resolved 1- The Following report from Musnad Ahmad is very important; عن أبي الطفيل، قال لما قبض رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم أرسلت فاطمة إلى أبي بكر: أنت ورثت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، أم أهله؟ قال: فقال: لا، بل أهله. قالت: فأين سهم رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم؟ قال: فقال أبو بكر: إني سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول: " إن الله عز وجل، إذا أطعم نبيا طعمة، ثم قبضه جعله للذي يقوم من بعده " فرأيت أن أرده على المسلمين. قالت: فأنت، وما سمعت من رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم أعلم Narrated Abu Tufail (RA), when the Messenger of Allah -on him be the peace and blessings of Allah- died, Fatimah sent a message to Abu Bakr; 'Are you the heir of the Messenger of Allah or his family? He said: 'His family.' She said, 'So where is the share of the Messenger of Allah -peace and blessings of Allah be upon him?' Abu Bakr said: "I have heard the Messenger of Allah (saaw) saying, 'Verily when Almighty Allah feeds the Prophet (i.e. provides a source for sustenance for him) and then causes him to die, it is for his successors to manage it after him.' Therefore I wish to distribute it among Muslims." She said, 'You are more knowledgeable of what you have heard from the Messenger of Allah." Musnad Ahmad 14, Grade: Sahih (According to Ahmad Shakir) —- One wonders about the words of Abu Bakr (RA) to the effect that that family of the Prophet (saaw) is actually his heir and yet his refusal to give ownership to them. Considering the essence of the issue Abu Bakr (RA) might have said this for his knowledge and handling of the issue. What he meant was that what was reserved for the Prophet (saaw) cannot become property of his family after him though they can benefit from it. 2- Another narration says; Narrated 'Aisha: Fatima and 'Abbas came to Abu Bakr, claiming their inheritance of the Prophet's land of Fadak and his share from Khaibar. Abu Bakr said, "I heard the Prophet saying, 'Our property is not inherited, and whatever we leave is to be given in charity. But the family of Muhammad can take their sustenance from this property.' By Allah, I would love to do good to the Kith and kin of Allah's Messenger rather than to my own Kith and kin." Sahih al-Bukhari 4035, 4036 —— 3- Also, the following narration says it all; Ali ibn Abu Talib said: I divided it (one fifth of the booty) during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him). Abu Bakr then assigned it to me. During the last days of the caliphate of Umar a good deal of property came to him.” I said to him: We are well to do this year; but the Muslims are needy, so return it to them. He, therefore, returned it to them. No one called me after Umar. I met al-Abbas when I came out from Umar. He said: Ali, today you have deprived us of a thing that will never be returned to us. He was indeed a man of wisdom. Sunan Abi Dawud 2984 The muhadith are disputed on whether or not the above is hasan or daif. As shown above, Al Albani considered it as daif but Ahmad Shakir considered it as hasan ( cf. Musnad Ahmad 646). This shows that even though Abu Bakr (RA) according to the Prophetic instruction did not divide the said property to his family he left it with them to manage it as they did it during the life of the Prophet (saaw). The key point in the narration of Musnad Ahmad is that Fatima (RA) on listening to Abu Bakr (RA) said: 'You are more knowledgeable of what you have heard from the Messenger of Allah." This shows she was satisfied as she learnt that what Abu Bakr (RA) held was on the basis of the saying of the Prophet himself- peace and blessings be upon him. —— 4- There is also the following clear narration through much reliable chain; أخبرنا عبد الله بن نمير. حدثنا إسماعيل عن عامر قال: جاء أبو بكر إلى فاطمة حين مرضت فاستأذن فقال علي: هذا أبو بكر على الباب فإن شئت أن تأذني له. قالت وذلك أحب إليك؟ قال: نعم. فدخل عليها واعتذر إليها وكلمها فرضيت عنه. (Ibn Sa'd writes) Abdullah bin Numayr informed us- Ismail (bin Abi Khalid) narrated from 'Amir (al-Sha'bi) who said: Abu Bakr came to Fatima when she was ill and asked for permission to see her. Ali said, 'This is Abu Bakr on the door, if you (O Fatima) allow him (to enter). She said (to Ali); 'And you like me to (permit)? Ali said: 'Yes' Abu Bakr entered (and came to her) and pleaded with her and talked to her, therefore she became pleased with him. Tabaqat al-Kubra 8/22 IV. Narration from Shi’i sources proving this agreement took place: Here is an excerpt from Sharh Nahaj al-Balagha of Maitham bin Ali bin Maitham al-Bahrani (d. 679 A.H.). ان لك ما لابيك كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه و اله ياخذ من فدك قوتكم و يقسم الباقى و يحمل منه فى سبيل الله، و لك على الله ان اصنع بها كما كان يصنع. فرضيت بذلك و اخذت العهد عليه به (Abu Bakr -RA- said to Fatima- RA): "You have the same rights as your father had. The Messenger of Allah -on him be the peace and blessings of Allah used to take provision for you from Fadak and used to distribute the rest and arrange for his ride (from it to use) in the same. I give you my word in the name of Allah that I will do as he (the Prophet) did. So she became pleased with him and had his word on this. —— Conclusion Narrations from other Sahaba e.g. Abu Tufail's (RA) narration from Musnad Ahmad given above, show Fatima (RA) agreed when Abu Bakr (RA) told her the saying of the Prophet (saaw) for his contention on the issue. Narrations from Sunan al-Kubra of al-Baihaqi etc. categorically show that the issue was easily resolved. As to the wording in Sahih Bukhari etc. we come to understand that they were actually uttered by al-Zuhri and with the above stated facts about al-Zuhri's narrations and other reports it becomes clear that they cannot be taken as people often take. Moreover, the narration from Ibn Shabbah in Tarikh Al Madina makes it clear that there was no talk only on the subject i.e. Fatima (RA) gave up asking for it as she learnt the basis of Abu Bakr's (RA) view. This is even supported by the fact that the management of the Fadak was handed over to Ahlal Bayt only as was the case during the time of the Prophet (saaw).