The author of Rehm al Baneham cites ala al Shayr Chapter 149 as follows:
"A suspicious man approached Sayyida Fatima and said “Don’t you know that that ‘Ali intends on marrying the daughter of Abu Jahil, she said ‘Is this true?’ he said "Yes it’s true’. Fatima then became upset and took her children to the Prophet (s) and told him about the matter”.
Reply One
This narration appears at four different points in Sahih al Bukhari, three times in Sahih Muslim and can also be located in Sunan ibn Majah. When we examine the books of Rijjal we learn that the tradition in fact goes back to just one person Al-Miswar bin Makhrama and it cannot even be established that he was a Sahaba, since at the time of making this narration his age was at maximum eight. Some of the traditions have chains via Imam Zaynul Abideen (as), but even these originate from Al-Miswar bin Makhrama. Common sense cannot accept the way that these traditions are narrated. The biggest thing to note is the fact that, not even one tradition discloses the name of this daughter.
Reply Two
This is a blatant lie, Allah (swt) states in Surah Hujuraath verse 6:
O ye who believe! If a wicked person comes to you with any news, ascertain the truth
(Al-Qur’an, Surah Hujuraath, Ayah 6, translated by Yusufali)
**Sayyida Fatima (as) knew the Qur’an better than these individuals, **a suspicious man is mentioned in the tradition, such a person is a Fasiq, hence it was against the status of Sayyida Fatima (as) to accept the word of this Fasiq without seeking to verify the truth first.
Reply Three
When the conquest of Makka occurred in 8th Hijra Abu Jahil’s daughter was in Makka she had a bad mouth, for we read in Ahl’ul Sunnah’s authority work Tareekh Abu’l Fida Volume 1 page 165:
"At the time of Zuhr on the day of the conquest of Makka Bilal climbed onto the roof of the Ka’aba and recited the Adhaan, Juwarya binte Abu Jahil said “Allah protected my father Abu Jahil’s honour, since he is not present to hear the voice of Bilal”
We appeal to justice; this obscene praises the honour of her Kaafir father. There was no duress on the Imam 'Ali (as) to abandon his four children and marry such a woman.
Reply Four
Our Holy Prophet came to this world to teach equity and justice. The Shari’a which he preached allows every man to have four wives at one time. If Imam Ali (as) intended to marry Abu Jahl’s daughter was this marriage permissible (halaal) or prohibited (haram) for him? If it was haram it would have been pointless for Hadhrat 'Ali (as) to express his desire to carry through a prohibited act and if it was halaal, if it was then there it was pointless for the Holy Prophet (s) and Fatima (as) to be angry at Ali carrying out what was a halaal act.
Reply Five
Ilal Sharai mentions this tradition as having been reported by Umro Ibne Abi Maqdam and Ziyad bin Ubaid Ullah. The compilers of traditions have designated Umro as “Da’eef” (weak). Ziyad bin Ubaid Ullah was Mu’awiya governor. He did not live up to the time of Hadhrat Imam Jafar Sadiq (as) and had a bad end like Iblis. Ziyad is the illegitimate child whom Mu’awiya made his brother. He was an open Nasibi. Hence this tradition is unauthentic.
Reply Six
The same book cited by the Nasabi, Ilal Sharai page 145 states:
Muhammad Ibne Ali Bin Husayn the author of this book says that the tradition which narrates strife between 'Ali and Fatima does not be relied upon as no unpleasant incidents occurred between 'Ali (as) and Fatima (as) that required the intervention and reconciliatory skills of Rasulullah (s). 'Ali and Fatima are leaders of all men and women and both are true reflection of the conduct of the holy prophet.
Reply Seven
We read in Kanz al Ummal page 53
Once after a quarrel with Umar, Ibn Abbas said that Ali never changed or modified anything taught by the Holy Prophet nor did he ever act contrary to his (the prophet’s) liking.
We also read in Tareekh’ul Khulafa page 179:
"Ibn Abbas said: Allah did not reveal an Ayah beginning ‘O you who believe’ but that 'Ali is its Amir and its eminence. Allah reproached the companions of Muhammad in more than one place but he never mentioned Ali but with approval".
Comment
The testimony of Ibn Abbas is clear on the point that Ali (as) never made the Holy Prophet (s) or Allah (swt) angry. Hence the story of Abu Jahl’s daughter is a concoction.
Reply Eight
If anything this tradition lifts the veils on the true faces of the “Shaykhayn” It is a normal practice that when a dispute arises between two friends brought about by the scheming of others, those responsible for the clash are brought before these friends at the time of reconciliation. It is mentioned at the end of this narration that the holy prophet summoned Umar and Abu Bakr at the time of reconciliation between 'Ali (as) and Hadhrat Fatima (as). 'Ali (as) said to the Holy prophet that whatever had been reported to Zahra (as) was false and he would never contemplate such a thing. The Prophet (s) replied to him that he knew that 'Ali (as) was correct and that Zahra (as) was also correct.
Clearly the fact that this matter was concluded before Abu Bakr and Umar was because they were responsible for concocting the case of Abu Jahl’s daughter to cause strife between Hadhrat 'Ali (as) and Hadhrat Fatima (as). Fatima (as) went to the Holy Prophet (s) pleading that he curtail the activities of these mischief makers. The Holy Prophet summoned them so as to highlight that they would never succeed in disrupting the marital life of his daughter. If Abu Bakr and Umar had not been guilty in this case there would have been no need to call them during the night.
Analysing the event from Sunni sources
All the main Sunni sources narrate this event in different guises, and the Nasibi love quoting it as this gives them the necessary ammunition to prove that Imam 'Ali (as) pained Sayyida Fatima (as) and Rasulullah (s) hence the comments 'Whoever hurts Fatima, hurts me’wre directed at him. So let’s analyse this event and pose some questions for the followers of Mu’awiya to mull over.
Observation One
Sunan Abu Dawood records the remarkable event as follows, Rasulullah said,
“If 'Ali wants to marry the he should divorce my daughter and marry his daughter”. We appeal to justice does any father climb onto a pulpit and declare his public opposition to an act that is permitted under the Shari’ah, insisting that his daughter be divorced? When the Ahl’ul Sunnah attribute such an action to Rasulullah (s) [to defame 'Ali (as)] are they not insulting Rasulullah (s) in the process?
Observation Two
These types of issues can be resolved within the confines of ones home. No one wishes to air one’s daughter linen in public and make known to the people that marital tensions are taking place within the home. The first step is always to try and resolve things within the family, to in effect prevent the problem from exacerbating. Let us for example accept that this event is true, can the Ahl’ul Sunnah produce a single reference wherein Rasulullah (s) summoned Hadhrat 'Ali (as) to his home, telling him to refrain from this action?
Observation Three
Sahih Muslim Kitab Al-Fada’il Al-Sahabah Book Book 031, Number 6001 has Miswar bin Makhramah narrating that Rasulullah (s) sought to quell the plan of Maula 'Ali by…
"addressing the people on the pulpit. I was adolescing in those days. He said: Fatima is a part of me and I fear that she may be put to trial in regard to religion. He then made a mention of his son-in law who had been from the tribe of 'Abd Shams and praised his behaviour as a son-in-law and said: Whatever he said to me he told the truth and whatever he promised he fulfilled it for me. I am not going to declare forbidden what is lawful and make lawful what is forbidden, but, by Allah, the daughter of Allah’s Messenger and the daughter of the enemy of Allah can never be combined at one place".
Is it not curious that this public humiliation of Maula 'Ali (as) takes place with Rasulullah (s) actually making his opposition known by addressing the people on the pulpit, and yet the only person who seems to have recollection of this event is Miswar bin Makhramah? Were all the other Sahaba deaf? We have already cited the fact that **the Sunni Ulema have ruled that ‘a tradition that ought to have been known to all and sundry, but has only a single narrator is false, should be rejected without the need to look into narrators’ **- this rule clearly applies here.
Observation Four
Sahih Muslim Kitab Al-Fada’il Al-Sahabah Book 031, Number 6001 also attributes these comments to Rasulullah (s):
By Allah, the daughter of Allah’s Messenger and the daughter of the enemy of Allah can never be combined at one place’.
The difficulty with this comment is Rasulullah (s) was married to Abu Sufyan’s daughter, who was an enemy of Allah (swt).
For proofs we shall cite Tareekh Abu’l Fida (Chapter Dhikr Fath Makka) Volume 1 page 143:
Abu Sufyan came to Madina and went to the house of his daughter Ume Habiba who was married to the Holy Prophet. He was about to sit on the Prophet’s bed when his daughter rolled it back. He asked her why she disliked his sitting on the prophet’s bed. She replied, "this is the Prophet’s bed and u are a Mushrik (idol worshipper) and hence impure.
Abu Sufyan is an enemy of Allah and his daughter is in the house of the Prophet (s). If the daughter of the enemy of Allah (swt) cannot remain under the same roof with the daughter of Rasulullah (s), then how would he tolerate Sayyida Fatima (as) living in the same home as Enemy of Allah Abu Sufyan’s daughter?
We should also point out that according to Ahl’ul Sunnah Abu Bakr is the beloved of Allah and his daughter Ayesha is also in the house of the Prophet (s). The daughters of the enemy of Allah and the beloved of Allah are both present in the house of the Prophet (s). This makes it evident that all the previous traditions which Ismail Bukhari and Co. narrated are absolutely lies.
Observation Five
The Ahl’ul Sunnah believe that Rasulullah (s) married off his two daughters to the Kaafir sons of Abu Lahab. Why was the anger with regards to marrying only vented against Hadhrat 'Ali (as)? Why did he not make a declaration that his sons in laws divorce his daughters as their father was an enemy of Allah (swt)?