Question 644 - The Enlightening Answer Across the Ether, Vol 6

Supporters Response:

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may Allah send prayers upon Muhammad and his family, the Imams and the Mahdis, and grant them peace. The oppression of al-Zahra (a) is real. Among the causes of her death was the harm done to her in her home when her door was burned, her rib was broken, and her fetus was miscarried. They brought Imam Ali (a) out with his hands bound so that he would pledge allegiance to Abu Bakr ibn Abi Quhafah by force and compulsion. Al-Zahra (a) remained angry with and estranged from Abu Bakr and Umar until her death-peace be upon her. Al-Bukhari related this in his Sahih: Sahih al-Bukhari, vol. 8, p. 3: ‘From Aishah: Fatima and al-Abbas-peace be upon them both-came to Abu Bakr seeking their inheritance from the Messenger of Allah-may Allah’s prayers and peace be upon him. At that time, they were claiming their lands in Fadak and their shares of Khaybar. Abu Bakr told them, “I heard the Messenger of Allah-may Allah’s prayers and peace be upon him-say, ‘We are not inherited from; what we leave is charity. The family of Muhammad eat from this property.’” Abu Bakr said, “By Allah, I will not abandon any practice I saw the Messenger of Allah-may Allah’s prayers and peace be upon him-perform regarding it; I will perform it.” He said: So Fatima estranged herself from him and did not speak to him until she died.’ It is authentically reported that the Messenger (s) said concerning Fatima (a): ‘Fatima is a part of me; whoever angers her angers me’ (^[111]); ‘Fatima is a part of me; what harms her harms me’ (^[112]); and ‘Allah becomes angry at your anger and is pleased at your pleasure’ (^[113]). Al-Zahra (a) was buried in al-Baqi with her pain, rage, and oppression. As for the reason for calling her sons ‘the caliphs’ [as phrased in the source], it is because they are the successors of the Messenger Muhammad (s) and his caliphs after their father, Ali ibn Abi Talib (a). This is established in many authentic hadiths related by Sunni scholars, including the hadith of the Two Weighty Things: Zayd ibn Arqam narrated that the Messenger of Allah-may Allah’s prayers and peace be upon him-said: ‘I am leaving among you that which, if you hold fast to it, you will never go astray after me. One is greater than the other: Allah’s Book, a rope extending from heaven to earth, and my progeny, my Household. They will never separate until they come to me at the Pond, so consider how you succeed me concerning them’ (^[114]). The progeny here are Ali, Fatima, and their descendants, as explained in the authentic, famous hadith of the Cloak. This is confirmed by the Prophet’s words about the Two Weighty Things: ‘They will never separate until they come to me at the Pond.’ That is, they remain together until the Day of Resurrection, and both must be held fast to, not only one. Whoever interprets the progeny as the Prophet’s wives must now produce for us one of the Prophet’s wives in this age so we may hold fast to her. This is plainly false. Indeed, no one has claimed that holding fast to the Prophet’s wives is obligatory. Those who followed Aishah in the Battle of the Camel went astray, fought the Imam of their age, and lost this world and the Hereafter. The discussion is lengthy and cannot be included here. As for Ali (a) marrying his daughter to Umar, the case has not been established. Even supposing it were established, it has no connection to the question of the caliphate or who was most entitled to it after the Messenger of Allah (s). May Allah guide you to support your Prophet, the Chosen One, and his progeny, his good and purified Household. Praise be to Allah alone. The Scientific Committee Supporters of Imam al-Mahdi (may Allah establish him on earth) Sheikh Nazim al-Uqayli End of Dhu al-Hijjah, 1432 AH