ABU BAKR'S FAMILY
VERSUS FATIMA'S PROGENY
The
early injustices done by Abu Bakr against Lady Fatima Zahra (A), paved
the way for his offspring to do the same against the Prophet's progeny.
Sayyid Safdar Hussain, in his valuable book The Early History of Islam
p.242, summarized the wrongdoings committed by the Bakrs (the
descendants of Abu Bakr) against Fatima (A) and her descendants in
several points. He wrote:
"History shows that Abu Bakr himself and
his whole family (excepting Asma and her son Muhammad) were hostile to
the Prophet's family, in utter disregard to what the Quran ordained or
what the Prophet had said relating to the respect and love for his
family. The following is the list of those whose hostility was
distinctively marked:
1.
Abu Bakr, on his accession to the Caliphate, sent Umar to Fatima's house
to compel Ali, by force, to come in and do fealty to him. Umar
threatened to burn the house down upon Fatima, and brought Ali under
escort to Abu Bakr where he was so humiliated and insulted that he cried
bitterly at the tomb of the Prophet complaining against the treatment he
had received. Subsequently, Fatima was so much grieved by Abu Bakr that
as long as she survived her father, she never spoke a word to Abu Bakr
and on her deathbed she forbade his joining her funeral.
2.
Abu Bakr's daughter, Aisha, revolted against Ali, the Caliph, and at the
head of thirty thousand soldiers, she fought the battle of Jamal; but
she was discomfited with heavy loss.
3.
Abu Bakr's son-in-law, Zubair Ibn Al Awwam, the husband of Asma, the
eldest daughter of Abu Bakr, was the Commander of Aisha's armies; during
the heat of the battle, he withdrew and took the road towards Mecca, but
was slain only at a short distance from the field of battle.
4.
Abu Bakr's grandson, Abdullah, the son of Zubair by Asma, was the
commander of Aisha's infantry. He was the adopted son of Aisha. After
the battle, he was pulled out from under a heap of the slain lying in
the battlefield.
5.
Abu Bakr's cousin, Talha, and the husband of Abu Bakr's daughter Umme
Kulthum, was a Commander of Aisha's Troops. In the heat of the battle,
Marwan (the Secretary and the evil genius of Caliph Othman), an officer
in the same forces, seeing Talha busily engaged, said to his slave: `It
was but the other day that Talha was busily instigating the murderers of
Othman and now he busily seeks to revenge his blood. What a hypocrisy to
gain worldly grandeur!' So saying, he shot an arrow, which pierced
through Talha's leg and struck his horse, which flew wildly off the
ranks and Talha fell to the ground. He was instantly taken to Basra
where he died after awhile.
6.
Abu Bakr's cousin, Abu Al-Rahman, a brother of Talha, also fell fighting
in the same battle.
7.
Muhammad, the son of Talha, also fell in the same battle.
8.
Abu Bakr's sister, Umme Farwa's daughter, Jo'da Bint Ash'ath poisoned
Al-Hassan, the son of Ali, to death. She was suborned to commit the
wickedness by Yazid the son of Mu'awiya or by Mu'awiya himself.
9. Abu Bakr's sister's (Umme Farwa's) son
Ishaq, both brothers, the sons of Ash'sth, appeared among the armies of
Yazid, fighting against Hussain, the son of Ali, at the Karbala tragedy.
Later on, the former was killed fighting against Mukhtar, who was
avenging the murder of Hussain; while the latter, who had taken off the
dead body of Hussain some of his clothes, was torn to death by dogs.
10. Mos'ab, a son of Zubair, the
son-in-law of Abu Bakr, fought against Mukhtar, who was killed avenging
the murder of Hussain."
|