Re: The Truth About the Land of Fadak
So the question arises, “Why did she die angry with Abu Bakr?!?”
There are two approaches to this issue. The first that Faatimah ('alayhas salaam) became angry with Abu Bakr (radhiya Allahu 'Anhu) but near the end of her life Abu Bakr and Her Noble beloved self (alayhas salaam) reconciled. The second approach was that she stayed angry with the Abu Bakr until her death. Both approaches will be discussed in the following.
The First Approach
It is clear that Faatimah ('alayhas salaam) did become angry with Abu Bakr As Siddeeq for not giving what she demanded. We have established that the Nabi refused inheritance after him except by Knowledge. So the demand of our beloved Faatimah and the wives of the Nabi and others from Ahlul Bayt was rejected by Abu Bakr, 'Umar, 'Uthmaan, and Aliyy because the Nabi had forbidden such inheritance.
So, it is possible that the people demanded this inheritance out of ignorance and this seems to be the apparent reality of the matter. They simply did not know that the Nabi forbade the inheritance. When the daleel (proofs and evidences) were brought some may have felt hurt or angry. In reality however, the proof stands and the Sunnah must be followed. That is why the Noble and blessed Faatimah bint Muhammad did not further demand after Abu Bakr had refused. She knew the proof and so she obeyed.
The claim that she remained angry, seems to be incorrect. A’ishah reports that she remained angry. However, 'A’ishah (radhiya Allahu 'Anhaa) was not around Faatimah (alayhas salaam) at all times. Neither was she around Abu Bakr and other Sahaba at all times. So we can see that it is possible she is mistaken. How can we say this? Because there is proof from the Authentic Sunnah that Faatimah (alayhas salaam) became pleased with Abu Bakr As-Siddeeq before her death.
al-Hafidh Ibn Katheer mentions in his al bidayaah 6/333 that: When Fatima (alayhas salaam) was experiencing her sickness [before death], Abu Bakr as Sideeq came to her and sought to please her, and she became pleased. "
The exact narration has originally been reported by Imaam al-Baihaqi through Ismaeel ibn Abee Khaalid who narrated from Ash-Sh’ubi, and the isnaad (chain) of this report is sahih (authentic).
So it was reported by others that She was pleased with Abu Bakr in the end of her life. This conclusion and narration is rejected by the Shi’aa. Why? It is NOT due to the chain or any weakness in it. Rather it is because it decimates and debunks their entire methodology in dealing with the Issue of Fadak. So, the sane minded intellectual will follow the authentic proofs and not fabrications or ‘opinion’.
The Second Approach
Faatimah (alayhas salaam) didn’t get what she wanted and because of that she was upset. May Allah shed His immense mercy upon her and make her of rafeeq Al 'Alaa aameen.
There was no proof that she should have had the land of fadak. She produced no proof to Abu Bakr As Siddeeq. Aliy and Al 'Abbas agreed with the decision of Abu Bakr. Abu Bakr judged this situation by the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger. It is possible that Faatimah (alayhas salaam) did not know that the Nabi forbade monetary inheritance and that when she heard it from Abu Bakr, it upset her for not getting what she had hoped for. So if it is true that she died angry with Abu Bakr (radhiya Allahu 'Anhu), then indeed that is between her and Allah. For her anger against him was not based upon proof. However as we have seen from the report found by the Imaam Al Bayhaqi which is authentic, Faatimah (alayhas salaam wa Radhiya Allahu 'Anhaa) died pleased with Abu Bakr.
Was Fadak A Gift to Faatimah ('alayhas Salaam)?
Some shi’aa claim that she was not seeking inheritance. Rather she was seeking it as a gift given to her by the Nabi.
There are several problems with this claim.
-
There is no authentic report from the Prophet Muhammad to state that it was a gift. Rather just statements from scholars. We do not follow statements of scholars without proof!
-
In all of the narrations about this issue, it clearly states that she was seeking ‘inheritance’, not a gift.
-
By giving Faatimah (alayhas salaam) fadak, it would be unfair. For indeed his other daughters were alive during that time and he did not impart upon them any ‘gifts’.
And the Nabi refused to give witness to Bishr Ibn Sa’ad (radhiya Allahu 'Anhu) when he tried to give a garden to one son but not the other.
He said, “Go away, for I will not be a witness to injustice.” [Saheeh Muslim]
Thus it is unimaginable that He would give it to Faatimah (alayhas salaam) and not Zaynab (died 8th A.H.) or Umm Kulthum (died 9 A.H.).
Some doubts of the Shi’aa Removed
Due to the fact that the Shi’aa can not disprove the authenticity of anything that we have stated here, they attempt to use their ‘minds’ over the texts. They question as to why the Nabi did not leave anything as inheritance, when Allah commanded the rules of inheritance upon mankind and also because of the Aayah in the Qur’aan which states about the Prophet Zakariya (alayhis salaam)
“And Verily! I fear my relatives after me, since my wife is barren. So give me from Yourself an heir, Who shall inherit me, and inherit (also) the posterity of Ya’qûb (Jacob) (inheritance of the religious knowledge and Prophethood, not the wealth, etc.). And make him, my Lord, one with whom You are Well-pleased!”. (Maryam 19:5-6)
So their argument is, Zakariya was asking for an heir, i.e. someone to “inherit” from him. So why would the Muhammad not seek an heir?
The first argument we pose is towards the claim of Zakariya which they produce.
-
The word irth (inheritance) does not refer to material possessions exclusively. It is also used to denote Al-'Ilm knowledge, Nubuwwa prophethood or sovereignty. Examples of such usage are found in Surah Fatir:32, where Allah says: “Thereafter We gave the Book as inheritance (awrathna) to such of Our servants as We have chosen”; and in Surah al-Mu’minun:10-11, where Allah says: “Those are the Inheritors (al-warithun) who will inherit Paradise.” Thus we see that inheritance does not necessarily mean that which is monetary, rather it refers to knowledge, and prophethood.
-
If you refer to aforementioned hadith which was said, Abu ‘Abdillah (Imam Ja‘far as-Sadiq) says that Rasulullah said: “… And the ‘Ulama (scholars) are the heirs of the Anbiyaa (prophets); and the Anbiyaa did not leave dinars and dirhams as inheritance; but they left knowledge. Therefore whosoever takes knowledge has taken a great portion.” (al-Kafi, vol. 1 p. 42 - note that the reference may differ on each publication)
So we see that these narrations show mankind that inheritance was not monetary from the Prophets (alayhim Salaam), rather inheritance was of a greater nature.
The same response is given for Dawood and Sulaymaan (alayhimaas salaam).
The Shi’aa Believe that Women Do Not Inherit Estates or Land etc.
According to The Shi’i Fiqh, a woman is not allowed to have shares of inheritance in terms of land or real estate in the first place. For this reason al-Kulyani, author of al-Kafi, prepared a whole chapter in his work, titled : “The women are not to inherit land and real estate.” Under this chapter he reported a narration from Imam Abu Jaffar Muhammad al Baqir that : “The women are not supposed to inherit anything in terms of land and real estate.”
Also at-Tusi reports in his at-Tahdeeb and al Majlisi in his Bihar ul Anwar from Mayser that he asked Abu Abdullah Imam Jaffar as Sadiq that what are the women supposed to inherit, to which he replied: “The women can have their share in wood, qasab, qematu toub, however in terms of land and real estate they are not supposed to have anything.”
Also Muhammad ibn Muslim al Jufi and Abdul Malik ibn Ayan two top Shii narrators who were from the companions of the two Imams Abu Jaffar al Baqir, and Abu Abdullah jaffar as sadiq] report the same from Imam Abu Jaffar.
It is amazing that the Shi’ah ignore this fact and insist that Faatimah (alayhas salaam) was supposed to have a share of the land of fadak whereas in reality, their fiqh opposes women to inherit, in terms of land, in the first place.
And Allah ta’alaa knows Best and peace, mercy, and blessings be upon our beloved Nabi Muhammad, his family, and his companions.
[Written and Edited by the RevivingIslam.com Research Team]
http://www.revivingislam.com/bidah/groups/thetruthaboutfadak.htm