CHAPTER 31
HISTORICAL DISTORTIONS
REGARDING ALI'S RIGHT
We have previously spoken of the unjustified slandering and distortion of Ali (AS) and his noble life with Fatima (AS). We have also stated that Imam Ali's marriages to Fatima caused many people to show their hidden resentment and envy to them, by following every possible means to disturb Fatima's life with her husband.
Among the many fabricated stories told against Imam Ali (AS) was that he had asked for Abu Jahl's (the chief of infidels) daughter's hand in marriage. When this news reached Fatima (AS), she rushed to her father who found out the falsity of the story.
Yet, let us review how some writers used this story to put down the Commander of the Faithful, and their attempt to tarnish his reputation.
An Egyptian writer, for instance, considered this story to be undoubtedly authentic and wrote the following in her book. The Prophet's Daughters, p.167.
"Ali intended to marry a second wife besides Fatima ... without bearing in mind that such a action would be resented by the daughter of the prophet of Islam.
The invalidity of this statement is obvious, for there is not a man in the who does not realize that his wife prefers to be
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the only woman he marries.
The writer adds:
"It would have been better if Ali had been satisfied with one wife," and filled up the pages of her book trying to show Abu Jahl's bad deeds and his long-standing enmity to Islam. She then made a comparison between the Prophet's daughter and Abu Jahl's daughter with the intention of showing the disadvantages of he fabricated would- be marriage.
Strangely enough, the writer also made clear her resentment and disapproval of fanatic Christian Orientalists who distorted the history of Islam, especially the famous Christian missionary-La Manze. Yet, unfortunately, she herself was heedless of the need to very such a story, and instead considered it's revelation undisputed. So she used her imagination and fictitious style of writing for this story, just as fable writers would do.
Sayid Hassan Al-Ameen in V.3 of his book, The Shiite Islamic Encyclopedia, refuted such a story and wrote:
"It has been written in Dhakhaer Al-Uqbi that Ali wanted to marry Abu Jahl's daughter, and that the Prophet was angered by this act and ascended the minbar to speak with resentment and rejection about this matter." The book also elaborates on the story in such a manner which not only discredits Ali and Fatima, but also the Prophet (P.B.U.H) himself.
This story makes Muhammad (P.B.U.H) appear as someone who refuses to practice what he preaches, or does not accept to apply the Islamic law to himself and those related to him while requesting others to abide by them. Because he (P.B.U.H) deems it lawful for others to marry more than one wife, but refuses this law when it comes to his daughter ... This indeed is a disastrous fabrication against the Prophet which the enemies of Islam were able to insert in the pages of our history books, depending on
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unscruent narrators who reported such without reflecting upon them.
The story also defames Ali (AS) by shoeing him as someone who angered both Fatima (AS) and her father (P.B.U.H); and defames Fatima for refusing to practice Allah's commands, which He revealed to her father.
I shall not verify the discredibility of the authority on which the narration was based, for it-within itself-proves its own discredibility. Yet, it is inevitable to ask: Why have the narrators, who fabricated this story, insisted on saying that he (AS) wanted to marry Abu Jahl's daughter, and not any other woman?! How come they did not claim that Ali (AS) attempted to marry another woman? Surely, Abu Jahl's daughter did not enjoy beauty and perfection which no other Arab girl enjoyed!
The fact is that they wanted their defamation of Ali (AS) specifically chose the daughter of the chief of the enemies of Islam.
This plot exposed itself and those who perpetuated it, when they praised themselves while discrediting Muhammad, his daughter, and his cousin. They claimed in the same story that he (P.B.U.H) mentioned his other son-in-law, how is a young man from Bani Abd Shams, and praised him as a noble son-in-law; they claim that the Prophet P.B.U.H) said:
"He-the young man from Bani Abd Shams-was truthful in his speech and executed his promises to me."
They want us to believe that the Prophet (P.B.U.H) praised his Ummaid son-in-law (the Ummaids belong to the tribe of Bani Abd Shams), which in turn means that he (P.B.U.H) was trying to discredit his first son-in-law Ali (AS) who, according to the story, lied to the Prophet and violated his promises to him by being an unfaithful husband to his daughter!!
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Another aim for fabricating this story was to divert the attention from the actual people who angered Fatima, and put Ali under the spotlight as the one who did so. It was for this reason that they mentioned the following tradition at the beginning of the story:
The Prophet (P.B.U.H) said:
Fatima os part of me, discomforts me that which discomforts her, and harms me that which harms her". They interpret it as: the meaning of this tradition is that Allah prohibited Ali from marrying another woman besides Fatima, which would harm Allah's Messenger!!
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CHAPTER 32
IMAM HASSAN IS BORN
When Fatima (AS) was twelve, she took a pregnant of Imam Hassan. Thus, the light of Imamate was carried on from Ali unto Fatima (AS). The day the child was to be born was approaching; the Prophet (P.B.U.H) had to go out town, but before leaving, he (P.B.U.H) made several requests about the would be born child-including the order not wrap the new baby in a yellow cloth.
On Ramadhan 15,3,A.H, Fatima gave birth to her first son. On the great day, Asma Bint Umais was present with Fatima. The women who attended the event, unintentionally wrapped Al-Hassan in a yellow cloth; they were not aware of the Prophet's request.
When the Prophet returned, he said: "Bring me my son; what have you named him?"After Al-Hassan was born Fatima asked Ali (AS) to name the baby, but Ali said:
"I would no name him before Allah's Prophet (P.B.U.H)
When the Prophet (P.B.U.H) saw that Al-Hassan was wrapped in a yellow cloth, he said:
"Didn't I tell you not to wrap him in a yellow cloth?" He then threw the yellow cloth away and wrapped the baby in a white one. When the Prophet inquired about the name of the child, Ali (AS) answered;
I would not name him before you. The Prophet replied:
"I too would not name him before my Lord, Glory be to Him." At that moment Allah revealed to
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Gabriel:
"A son was born to Muhammad, therefore descend and give him My blessings and congratulate him and say: Surely Ali is to you as Haroun was to Musa, so give him ( the newborn baby) the name of Haroun's son." When Gabriel had revealed the massage to the Prophet, he (P.B.U.H) asked:
"What was Haroun's son's name?
Gabriel said:
"Shubbar"
The Prophet then said:
"My tongue is Arabic"
Gabriel said:
"Name him Al-Hassan."
Hence, the Prophet gave him the name Al-Hassan, and made Adhan in his right ear, and Eqamah in his left ear. On the seventh (7) day, he (P.B.U.H) sacrificed two rams from which he gave the midwife a thigh and a dinar; he then shaved the baby's head and gave as charity the weight of his hair in silver. Finally, the Prophet (P.B.U.H) wiped the baby's head "Khalou" which is a special perfume made of saffron and other substances.
At that time in history, it was customary to cover newborn babies" heads with blood; with this in mind, the Prophet (P.B.U.H) told Asma: "Asma, using blood is an act performed by the ignorant."
He (P.B.U.H) would embrace Al-Hassan and put his tongue in the baby's mouth, who would suckle it.
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CHAPTER 33
THE BIRTH OF IMAM
HUSSAIN (AS)
Six months after Al-Hassan was born, Fatima (AS) became pregnant for her second child.
Lady Fatima started noticing the sings that childbearing was near, but the Prophet (P.B.U.H) had already foretold of Imam Hussain's birth.
Imam Sadiq (AS) said:
Once, Um Ayman's neighbors came to the Prophet and said;
"Messenger of Allah, Um Ayman did not sleep last night because of crying: she surely cried until morning."
The Prophet summoned her and said:
"Um Ayman, your neighbors say that you spent the night crying, may Allah not cause your eyes to cry!! What made you cry?"
She answered: "Messenger of Allah, I had a fearful dream which caused me to cry all night long."
The Prophet (P.B.U.H.) said: "Tell me your dream, for surely Allah and His Messenger are most knowledgeable."
She said: "Last night I saw a dream as if one of your limbs was thrown in my house!!
The Messenger of Allah (P.B.U.H) said:"Your eyes have slept, but you visioned a good thing. Um Ayman, Fatima will give birth to Al-Hussain, and you will bring him to me. So one of my limbs will be in your house."
When Al-Hussain was born, Um Ayman brought him to the
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Prophet (P.B.U.H) who said:
"Both the carrier and he who is being carried are welcome. Um Ayman, this is the interpretation of your dream."
Um Al-Fadhl, Al-Abbas wife, had a similar dream.
Safia Bint Abdul Muttalib, Asma Bint Umais, and Um Salama were present when Imam Hussain was born. When the Prophet asked Safia (his aunt) to bring him the newborn child, she said: "We have not cleaned him yet." When the Prophet heard this, he said:
"You clean him?!Surely Allah the Exalted has cleaned and purified him."
After Al-Hussain was born, Gabriel again descended to the Prophet (P.B.U.H)and revealed to him to give the new baby the name Al-Hassan. Al-Hussain is the Arabic version of the old Hebrew name Shabir, which was Haroun's second son's name. When Gabriel descended to the Prophet, scores of angels accompanied him to congratulate and console the Prophet for Hussain's birth and expected martyrdom.
Imam Hussain (A.S) was not nursed by any woman, including his mother (AS); instead he suckled the Prophet's tongue until he grew old enough to eat. Because of this, his characteristics were exactly as those of the Prophet (P.B.U.H).
Seven days after the birth the, Messenger of Allah shaved Hussain's head and gave the weight of his as charity for him.
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CHAPTER 34
THE BIRTH OF LADY
ZAINAB (AS)
Lady Zainab was (accurately) the third child born by Lady Fatima Zahra (AS). In other words, she was born directly after Imam Hussain (AS); despite the false claim of some historians who hold the opinion that Zainab was born after the marriage which Lady Fatima (AS) had and resulted in the martyrdom of Mohsen. These historians are motivated by their desire to divert the attention from the merciless attack on Lady Fatima's house which not only resulted in Mohsen's martyrdom,but also in the eventual death of Lady Fatima herself.
Among these writers is the Egyptian Bin Ash-Shati who wrote in her book Batlat Karbala:
"Zahra, the prophet's daughter was about to give birth to a new baby after bringing happiness unto Messenger's life by giving birth to his beloved sons: Al-Hassan and Al-Hussain, and the third child, who was not destined to live and whose name was to be Mohsen Ibn Ali ..."58
Regardless of these unfounded claims, it has been established that Lady Zainab (AS) was born in 5 A.H., and that she was the third child of the honorable Alawi household.
It is said that her grandfather, the Prophet (P.B.U.H), named her Zainab which is derived from two words: "Zain" and "Ab" that together means "The embellishment of her father." Yet, Muhammad Jawad Mughniah quoted the Egyptian newspaper,
____________
58. Ibn Hazm in Jamharat Ansab Al-Arab, Tabari in his book on history.
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Al-Jomhuria dated October 31, 1972, in his book Al-Hussain Batala karbala as saying:
Zainab was born in Shaban 5 A.H. When her mother brought her to Imam Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) and said: "Name her before Allah's Messenger." At this time the Prophet was on a trip and when he returned, he again refused to name her before her Lord. So Gabriel descended to Inform the Prophet about Allah's blessings and said: "The name of this baby is Zainab; Allah chose this name for her."
Zainab's history itself speaks of her honorable life and noble traits, as well as the miseries she encountered during her childhood, such as the death of her great grandfather, the martyrdom of her mother (AS), and the various inflictions which she lived through during the quarter of a century that her father, Imam Ali (AS), was confined to his house as a result of his rights having been usurped by others.
Moreover, when Zainab immigrated from Medina to Kufa, her father's capital then, several misfortunes were destined for her; starting with the martyrdom of Imam Ali (AS). This was followed by fierce battles between her brother, Al-Hassan, and Mu'awia which resulted in the poisoning of the Imam (AS). After several years, Zainab faced the greatest disaster of history when Imam Hussain along with the prominent Hashimite men were massacred at Karbala by the Ummaid's. After massacring the men, Zainab and the women taken to syria,but she did not panic nor did she give in to the enemy. From syria she was sent to Medina and then exiled in to Egypt to live the rest of her life.
Zainab's tomb is well-known in Egypt today and is visited by believers from all over the world.(There is disagreement about the location of Zainab's tomb; it is believed by most to be located in Syria.) (compiler's note)
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CHAPTER 35
LADY UM KULTHUM
Lady Fatima's household welcomed their second daughter and fourth child with happiness and glorification,as with the other children.
Lady Um Kulthum,like her sister, shared the honorable relationship to the Prophet, Imam Ali,and Fatima Zahra in addition to the excellent upbringing.
She was also a victim of historical oppression and sorrowful inflictions and pains which strong men can barely put up with.
Perhaps I will be able to elaborate on the life of Lady Um Kulthum when I speak about Zainab in new book, if Allah wills.
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CHAPTER 36
FATIMA IN THE
VERSE OF RELATIONSHIP
The verse of relationship, from the Quran, says;
"Say: "No reward do I ask of you for this except the love of those near of Kin." And if anyone earns any good, We shall give him an increase of good in respect thereof; for Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Ready to appropriate (service)." XLII:23.
This verse is a clear command from Allah to His noble Prophet. It is as follows:
(Say) O Muhammad, to your nation: (no reward do I ask of you for this) the message of Islam (except the Love of those near of kin) to me.(i.e) Ahlul Bayt (AS)
It is unanimously agreed upon that the kin mentioned in this verse are Ahlul-Bayt (AS). There are many traditions narrated by both shiite and sunni scholars which not only specify the kin mentioned in this verse, but also state their names. Among the narrations mentioned in this regard by Sunni scholars, are the following:
When this verse was revealed, some said:
"Messenger of Allah, who are the kin whose love is obligatory for us?"
The Prophet (P.B.U.H) replied:
"Ali, Fatima,and her two children."
This narration has been reported by the following Sunni scholars:
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1. Ibn Hijr in his Sawaiq Al-Muhriqah.
2. Tha'labi.
3. Sayuti in Al-Dur Al-Manthur.
4. Abu Nu'aym in Hilyat Al-Awlia.
5. Hamwini Shafe'i in Al-Fara'ed.
Another narration similar to the one stated above, is reported by Tabari and Ibn Hijr, according to this narration the Messenger of Allah (P.B.U.H) is reported to have said:
"Surely Allah made it incumbent on you to love my kin,and I will ask you about them in the hereafter."
Moreover, the following narrations mentioned on the account of Ahlul-Bayt are a few of the many saying of the Imams (AS) in which they recite this verse as proof of the fact that loving them is a religious duty:
A. It is written in Sawa'iq Al-Muhriqha by Ibn Hijr that Imam Ali (As) said:
"It is stated that in the (Quranic chapter) Ha mim that no one upholds our love save the faithful ones. "He then read:
"Say: 'No reward do I ask of you for this except the love of those near of kin, and if any one earns any good, We shall give him an increase of good in respect thereof; for Allah is Oft-Forgiving,most ready to appreciate (service).'" XLII:23.
B. It has also been reported in the same book that Imam Hassan (A.S) gave a speech in which he said:
Surely we are among the Ahlul-Bayt whose love and support were made incumbent (upon the faithful) by Allah, the Exalted. He Glory be to Him said:
"Say: "No reward do I ask of you for his except the love of those near of kin, and if any good, We shall give him an increase of good in respect thereof; For Allah is Oft-Forgiving, most ready to appropriate (service).'" XLII:23
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C. Imam Ali Ibn Al-Hassan (Zain Al-Abedeen (AS)) replying to the Syrian who said to him while he was a prisoner of the Ummaids in Damascus:
"Praise be to Allah Who killed you ...",
said:
"Hassan's you read the verse:
say:
"No reward do I ask of you for this except the love of those near of kin, and if any-one earns any good, We shall give him an increase of good in respect thereof: for Allah is Oft-Forgiving, most ready to appreciate (serve).'" XLII:23
D. Jabir Ibn Abdullah said:
"A beduin came to the Prophet (P.B.U.H) and said: "Muhammad, present Islam to me."
The Prophet replied: 'Bear witness that there is no God but Allah, to whom an associate does not exist; and that Muhammad is the slave and Messenger of Allah."
The beduin said: 'Do you require any reward from me ( for bringing me to Islam)?"
He (P.B.U.H) answered: 'No save loving the nearest of kin.'
The beduin then asked: 'Mine or yours?'
The Prophet (P.B.U.H) said: 'My kin.'
The beduin said: 'Let me pay allegiance to you, and may the curse of Allah be on those who do not love you and your kin.'
Thus he (P.B.U.H) said: 'Amen'".
This narration has been reported by Al-Ganji in Kefayat At-Talib p.31.
Sheik Amini ( may Allah bless his soul) listed forty-five (45) sources in V.3 of Al-Ghadeer which state that the verse was revealed regarding Ali, Fatima Al-Hassan and Al-Hussain (AS). They are: Imam Ahmed, Ibn Al-Mundir, Ibn Abu Hatim, Tabari, Ibn Mardawaih, Tha'labi, Abu Abdullah Al-Mula, Abu Sheik Nisaee, Wahidi, Abu Nu'aym, Bagawi, Bazaz, Ibn Maghazili,
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Hasakani, Muhib Al-Deen, Zamakhshari, Ibn Asaker, Abu Al-Farj, Hamueeni, Nishabouri, Ibn Talhe, Razi, Abu Al-Saoud, Abu Hayan, Ibn Abu Al-Hadeed, Baidhawi, Nasfi, Haithami, Ibn Sabagh, Ganji, Manawi, Qastalan i, Zarandi, Khazin, Zargani, Ibn Hijr, Samhoudi, Sayuti, Safuri, Saban, Shab Lanje, Handhrami and Nabhawi.
