21. Abul-Hasan al-Fattani

 

The honorable Abul-Hasan al-Fattani, one of the greatest scholars of his time^[1], has said,

 

Now we are going to explain some of what she underwent following the demise of the Messenger of Allah (A.S.): the aggression and disrespect to which she was exposed, so much so that she openly complained about it, demonstrating her agitation and anger with those who assaulted her. She even willed that they should be banned from entering her funeral. No fair person can overlook these facts if he keeps in mind her merits which we have listed. Their committing such atrocities clearly indicts them. First of all, they did not care about the ahadith of the Prophet (A.S.) honoring her, then they did not fear the Wrath of Allah (A.S.) and of His Messenger (A.S.).

The Prophet (A.S.) wept as his end came close, so he was asked about the reason. He said, “I weep over my offspring and how the evil ones from among my nation shall do to them. It is as though I see Fatima (A.S.) being oppressed after me and she calls out: `Father! Father!’ while none from among my nation helps her.”

This statement of the Prophet (A.S.) is a reference to what I will state in the 4^th essay of Part II which will clearly explain how `Omer and a group of men with him, according to orders issued by Abu Bakr, assaulted the house of Fatima (A.S.) in order to get Ali (A.S.) and al-Zubayr out to swear the oath of allegiance to him. It will also explain how she was deprived of Fadak, of her share of the khums tax as well as the confiscation of whatever remained of her inheritance from her father (A.S.).

There is no harm in mentioning a summary of the same here:

A group of writers, whose names will be mentioned in the said topic as well as the book wherein they wrote, including al-Tabari, al-Jawhari, al-Qutaybi, al-Sayyati, ibn `Abd Rabbih, al-Waqidi and others have all stated that `Omer ibn al-Khattab and a group of men with him, including Khalid ibn al-Walid, were ordered by Abu Bakr to go to the house of Fatima (A.S.), where Ali (A.S.) and al-Zubayr and others were. They knocked at the door, and `Omer called upon them, but they refused to go out. When Fatima (A.S.) heard their voices, she cried out as loudly as she could, “O Father! O Messenger of Allah (A.S.)! What have we suffered after you at the hands of the son of al-Khattab and the son of Aba Quhafah!”

According to the wayal-Qutaybi and a group of others narrate it, when they refused to come out, `Omer ordered firewood to be brought then said, “By the One Who holds in His hand the life of `Omer, you shall have to come out or else I shall burn all of you!” Someone said to him, “But Fatima (A.S.) is inside it!” He said, “So what?!”

According to the narrative of Ibn `Abd Rabbih, Fatima (A.S.) said to him, “O son of al-Khattab! Did you come to burn our house?” He said, “Yes.”

According to the narrative of Zaid ibn Aslam, she said to him, “Are you going to burn Ali (A.S.) and my children?!” `Omer said, “Yes, by Allah, unless they come out and swear the oath of allegiance (to Abu Bakr).” Then when those in the company of `Omer heard Fatima (A.S.) crying, most of them dispersed weeping, leaving behind `Omer and a group of men with him who took Ali (A.S.) out.

Most of them narrate saying that `Omer entered the house by force and took out al-Zubayr then Ali (A.S.).

People assembled looking on. Fatima (A.S.) screamed and wailed, and she came out to the door of her chamber and said, “How swift you are in assaulting the house of the family of your Prophet (A.S.)!”

In his book titled Al-Milal wal Nihal, al-Sharistani has said that the ruling system transmitted saying that `Omer hit the stomach of Fatima (A.S.) on that day till she miscarried al-Muhassan, and he was screaming, `Burn it and everyone inside it!’”

According to the narratives of the Ahl al-Bayt (A.S.), `Omer pushed the door in order to force his way in, and Fatima (A.S.) was behind the door. The door hit her stomach, causing her to miscarry her son named al-Muhassan. She died on account of that pain.

Some narrate saying that `Omer hit her with the whip on her back. In another narrative, it was Qunfath who hit her as ordered by `Omer.

(Here the author, may Allah have mercy on him, summarizes what is recorded in the book of SALIM ibn Qais and also citing what Imam al-Hasan (A.S.) said to al-Mugharah ibn Shu`bah then adds saying:)

Suffices what they mentioned of what is proven as a fact that her house, which was one of the houses of the Prophet (A.S.), was entered by force without her permission, that she was hurt, especially the threats of burning. Even Al-Ista`ab and the book titled Al-Ghurar as well as others cite Zaid ibn Aslam saying, “I was one of those who carried firewood with `Omer to the house of Fatima (A.S.).” Some of such incidents will be discussed in the 4^th essay of Part II.^[2]

It has been proven how both men (`Omer and Abu Bakr) harmed Fatima (A.S.) exceedingly on the day when Ali (A.S.) was pressured to swear the oath of allegiance (to Abu Bakr), including how her hous was assaulted, how people entered it by force without permission, even how she was hit, how firewood was gathered in order to burn it, how she was harmed when Fadak was confiscated from her, how she was deprived of her inheritance, and how her share of the khums was cut off and other such incidents. Proven also how she argued with those who harmed her, how she was angry with those who stood in her way till she died in the aftermath. We, Imamite, do not doubt any of these incidents because of the consecutively reported incidents transmitted by her offspring from among the Purified Imams (A.S.) as well as by the righteous companions who have recorded the same in their books, nay, even by the admission of a group of others as well as we shall discuss some of it in addition to what we have already quoted of what those who chose to follow a path different from theirs have recorded.

As for the opponents, their case is truly odd and strange in this regard because all the ancient Ones (A.S.) from among their traditionists have recorded all what we have quoted from them, providing many details. Most of such details are available in their respected reference books, even in their reliable Sihah books, especially both Sihah books (of al-Bukhari and Muslim) which, according to them, come next to the Book of Allah in reliability as they themselves have described them.

You have already come to know how clear such texts are, including clarity in the way wherein she was dismissed and how she was deprived of her inheritance, of her Fadak, of her khums, and how she remained angry because of all this till she died. Add to this how these texts agree to what is a known fact that she was buried secretly, how the whereabouts of her grave are unknown, so much so that they till know dispute with one another regarding its location.

He deleted from the text which he copied anything which clearly showed that she continued to be angry (till her death). He even cheated in the way he copied them in order to give the impression that there was no anger involved. He overlooked the fact that such an action is futile in the face of strong and numerous objections which are reliable and proven.