Hadith of Muhammad's inheritance
Encyclopedia
- This is a sub-article to the Succession to MuhammadSuccession to MuhammadThe Succession to Muhammad concerns the various aspects of successorship of Muhammad after his death, comprising who might be considered as his successor to lead the Muslims, how that person should be elected, the conditions of legitimacy, and the role of successor...
Muhammad's inheritance is a well-documented and controversial topic, both then and at the present.
Overview
Muhammad's inheritance did not occur as is prescribed in the Qur'an, since Abu BakrAbu Bakr
Abu Bakr was a senior companion and the father-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. He ruled over the Rashidun Caliphate from 632-634 CE when he became the first Muslim Caliph following Muhammad's death...
, one of Muhammad's most prominent companions said that he heard Muhammad said so. This happened during the Succession to Muhammad
Succession to Muhammad
The Succession to Muhammad concerns the various aspects of successorship of Muhammad after his death, comprising who might be considered as his successor to lead the Muslims, how that person should be elected, the conditions of legitimacy, and the role of successor...
, the day after the meeting at Saqifah
Saqifah
The Saqīfah , also known as Saqīfah banī Sāˤidat , was a roofed building used by the tribe called the banū Sāˤidat of the faction of the banū Khazraj tribe of the city of Medina in the Hejaz, northwestern Arabia.- Significance of Saqifah :...
.
Controversially, several of Muhammad's relatives were not convinced of his testimony, and this resulted in a dispute that continued all the way to the era of Umar II
Umar II
Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz was an Umayyad caliph who ruled from 717 to 720. He was also a cousin of the former caliph, being the son of Abd al-Malik's younger brother, Abd al-Aziz. He was also a great-grandson of the companion of the Prophet Muhammad, Umar bin Al-Khattab.-Lineage:Umar was born around...
, around one hundred years later.
People involved in the event include:
- AliAli' |Ramaḍān]], 40 AH; approximately October 23, 598 or 600 or March 17, 599 – January 27, 661).His father's name was Abu Talib. Ali was also the cousin and son-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, and ruled over the Islamic Caliphate from 656 to 661, and was the first male convert to Islam...
- Muhammad's cousin and son-in-law, future fourth Sunni Caliph and first Shi'a ImamImamah (Shi'a doctrine)Imāmah is the Shia doctrine of religious, spiritual and political leadership of the Ummah. The Shīa believe that the A'immah are the true Caliphs or rightful successors of Muḥammad, and further that Imams are possessed of divine knowledge and authority as well as being part of the Ahl al-Bayt,... - FatimahFatimahFatimah was a daughter of the Islamic prophet Muhammad from his first wife Khadijah bint Khuwaylid. She is regarded by Muslims as an exemplar for men and women. She remained at her father's side through the difficulties suffered by him at the hands of the Quraysh of Mecca...
- Muhammd's daughter, married to Ali - `Abbas ibn `Abd al-Muttalib`Abbas ibn `Abd al-Muttalib‘Abbas ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib was a paternal uncle and Sahabi of Muhammad, just a few years older than his nephew. A wealthy merchant, during the early years of Islam he protected Muhammad while he was in Mecca, but only became a convert after the Battle of Badr in 624 CE...
, also known as Al-Abbas - a paternal uncle of Muhammad. - `Abd Allah ibn `Abbas`Abd Allah ibn `AbbasAbd Allah ibn Abbas was a paternal cousin of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. He is revered by Muslims for his knowledge and was an expert in Tafsir , as well as an authority on the Islamic Sunnah.-Family:...
, also known as Ibn Abbas - Muhammd's cousin - Abu BakrAbu BakrAbu Bakr was a senior companion and the father-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. He ruled over the Rashidun Caliphate from 632-634 CE when he became the first Muslim Caliph following Muhammad's death...
- one of Muhammad's companions and the first Sunni Caliph - UmarUmar`Umar ibn al-Khattāb c. 2 November , was a leading companion and adviser to the Islamic prophet Muhammad who later became the second Muslim Caliph after Muhammad's death....
- one of Muhammad's companions and the second Sunni Caliph - UthmanUthmanUthman ibn Affan was one of the companions of Islamic prophet, Muhammad. He played a major role in early Islamic history as the third Sunni Rashidun or Rightly Guided Caliph....
- one of Muhammad's companions and the third Sunni Caliph - A'isha - Abu Bakr's daughter and Muhammad's wife
- Muhammad's wivesMuhammad's marriagesMuhammad's wives were the eleven or thirteen women married to the Islamic prophet Muhammad. Muslims refer to them as Mothers of the Believers . Muslims use the term prominently before or after referring to them as a sign of respect...
, the rest of them
The present interpretation of the sources describing the event is also controversial. Shi'a and Sunni do not agree on whether a piece of property named Fadak
Fadak
Fadak was a garden oasis in Khaybar, an tract of land in northern Arabia; it is now part of Saudi Arabia. Situated approximately thirty miles from Medina, Fadak was known for its water-wells, dates, and handicrafts. When the Muslims defeated the people of Khaybar at the Battle of Khaybar; the...
that was included in conflict between Fatimah and Abu Bakr only constituted inheritance, or if it actually was conficated by Abu Bakr, and Fatimah demanded it back together with her inheritance.
Event
The events started the day after the death of Muhammad on . Fatimah came with Ali to Abu Bakr.writes:
Fatimah came to Abu Bakr and demanded her share in the inheritance. Al-Abbas came to him and demanded his share in the inheritance. Ali came with them. Thereupon Abu Bakr said, "The Apostle of GodMuhammadMuhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
said, "We leave no inheritance, what we leave behind us is sadaqah." I shall make provisions for those for whom the Prophet had made."
On this Ali said, "Sulayman (Solomon) inherited Dawud (David), and Zakariya said, ‘He may be my heir and the heir of the children of Yaqab (Zachariah and John the Baptist) ’".
Abu Bakr said, "This is as this is. By GodBy AllahBy Allah is Arabic expression meaning "[I promise] by God" used to make a promise or express great credibility on an expression. It is considered a sin among Muslim to use this phrase and follow it up with a lie...
! You know it as I know."
Thereupon Ali said, "This is the Book of GodQur'anThe Quran , also transliterated Qur'an, Koran, Alcoran, Qur’ān, Coran, Kuran, and al-Qur’ān, is the central religious text of Islam, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God . It is regarded widely as the finest piece of literature in the Arabic language...
that speaks." Then they became quiet and retired.
Fatimah asked Abu Bakr, "When you die who will inherit you?"
He replied, "My children and relatives."
She said, "What is the justification of your becoming inheritor of the Prophet keeping us away?"
He replied, "O daughter of the Apostle of God! I did not inherit your father’s land, gold, silver, slave, or property."
She said, "The share of God (KhumsKhumsKhums is the Arabic word for One Fifth . According to Shia Islamic legal terminology, it means "one-fifth of certain items which a person acquires as wealth, and which must be paid as an Islamic tax"....
i.e. one-fifth) which He has allotted to us and which is only our share, is in your hands."
Thereupon he replied, "I heard the Apostle of God saying, 'It is the food that God makes me eat. When I die it will be distributed among the Muslims'"
• • •
Abu Bakr said, "Verily, the Apostle of God said, 'We do not leave inheritance, what we leave goes into sadaqah.' Verily, the members of Muhammad’s family will get provision from this money. By GodBy AllahBy Allah is Arabic expression meaning "[I promise] by God" used to make a promise or express great credibility on an expression. It is considered a sin among Muslim to use this phrase and follow it up with a lie...
! I shall not change the distribution of the sadaqah of the Apostle of God from what it was in the time of Apostle of God. I shall continue to spend them under the same heads as the Apostle of God was spending."
So Abu Bakr refused to give any thing to Fatimah. Consequently Fatimah became angry with Abu Bakr and left him. She did not talk with him until she died. She lived six months after the Apostle of God.
writes:
Fatimah and al-Abbas came to Abu Bakr demanding their share of inheritance of the Messenger of God. They were demanding the Messenger of God’s land in Fadak and his share of Khaybar’s tribute. Abu Bakr replied, “I have heard the Messenger of God say, “Our, i.e. the prophets’ property cannot be inherited and whatever we leave behind is alms to be given in charity. The family of Muhammad will eat from it. (1) By GodBy AllahBy Allah is Arabic expression meaning "[I promise] by God" used to make a promise or express great credibility on an expression. It is considered a sin among Muslim to use this phrase and follow it up with a lie...
, I will not abandon a course which I saw the Messenger of god practicing, but will continue it accordingly. Fatimah shunned him and did not speak to him about it until she died. Ali buried her at night and did not permit Abu Bakr to attend her burial. While Fatimah was alive, Ali held respect among the people. After she died their attention turned away form him. A man asked al-ZuhriAl-ZuhriFor the hadith scholar Al-Zuhri see Ibn Shihab al-Zuhri.Mohammed Ibn Abu Bakr al-Zuhri of Granada was a geographer. He was the writer of a notable work, Kitab al-Jaghrafiyya . Al-Zuhri was able to use the writings of the geographers of the reign of Caliph Al-Ma'mun of Baghdad For the hadith...
, “Did Ali not give his oath of allegiance for six months?” “No, nor anyone of the Banu HashimBanu HashimBanū Hāshim was a clan in the Quraysh tribe. Muhammad, was a member of this clan; his great-grandfather was Hashim, for whom the clan is named. Members of this clan are referred to by the Anglicised version of their name as Hashemites, or Huseini or Hasani...
until Ali rendered his,” he replied.
Abu Bakr died two years, on , and at that point, the demands for the inheritance were renewed two the Umar, whom became the second Sunni Caliph.
Sunni view
Sunni view this conflict between Abu Bakr and Fatimah as unfortunate and are prone to view it as a disagreement with limited consequences.Shi'a views
Shi'a view this conflict as one of their primary evidence of the injustice done against Muhammad's household , and have written extensively on this issue. Shi'a consider that Abu Bakr simply gave false testimony when he claimed that Muhammad said he would not give inheritance.Shi'a also state that Abu Bakr's seizure of Ali and Fatimah's inheritance was complemented by the illegally seizure of that the land of Fadak
Fadak
Fadak was a garden oasis in Khaybar, an tract of land in northern Arabia; it is now part of Saudi Arabia. Situated approximately thirty miles from Medina, Fadak was known for its water-wells, dates, and handicrafts. When the Muslims defeated the people of Khaybar at the Battle of Khaybar; the...
, a gift given to Fatimah during Muhammad's life.
This issue is a hot topic among Shi'a, and they dedicate long article to this subject