Mentioning The Miscarriage And The Reason For It

 

1. It has already been stated that al-Maqdisi attributes the miscarriage of al-Muhassan to the Shi`as who state that it was because `Omer beat al-Zahra’ (A.S.).

 

2. He has said, “And among them is what is narrated by al-Balathiri, whose statement is famous among the Shi`a, saying that `Omer squeezed Fatima (A.S.) behind the door till she miscarried Muhassan despite everyone’s knowledge of her father’s statement: ‘She is part of me; whoever hurts her hurts me.’”1

 

3. `Imad ad-Din al-Tabari (one of the 7th century scholars) has said the following: “And they have said that Fatima (A.S.) miscarried Muhassan because `Omer beat her on her stomach.”2

 

4. Sayyid Taj ad-Din Ali ibn Ahmed al-Husaini (one of the four scholars of the 11th Hijri century) has said, “The reason for her death is the beating which she received in the aftermath of which she miscarried the fetus.”3

Listing the sons of Ali (A.S.), he said, “... And the miscarried son whom the Prophet (A.S.) named Muhassan in his own lifetime even prior to birth.”4

 

5. Ali ibn Muhammed al-`Umari, the genealogist, has said, “And they did not count Muhassan because he was born dead. Shi`as have reported the incident of al-Muhassan and of how his mother was kicked. I have found some genealogy books referring to al-Muhassan by name without saying anything about such kicking from a venue upon which I rely.”5

 

6. According to some, “And her sons are: al-Hasan (A.S.), al-Husain (A.S.), and al-Muhassan who was miscarried. According to Al-Ma`arif by Ibn Qutaybah, Muhassan was damaged because of the pressure of Qunfath al-`Adawi.”6

In another place, he said, “So Fatima (A.S.) gave birth to al-Hasan (A.S.), al-Husain (A.S.) and al-Muhassan whom she miscarried.”7

 

7. Ali (A.S.) is also quoted as having said, “... And Muhassan will come, drenched in his blood, carried by Khadija daughter of Khuwaylid and Fatima (A.S.) daughter of Asad... and Gabriel will announce the name of Muhassan who will say, `I am wronged, so redress!’ The Messenger of Allah (A.S.) will take Muhassan in his hands and raise him to the heavens as he says..., etc.”8

 

8. He (A.S.) is also quoted in a tradition saying, “... and the killer of Fatima (A.S.), and the killer of al-Muhassan..., etc.”9

 

9. He (A.S.) is also quoted as having said, “... So he kicked her with his foot, and she was pregnant by a son named al-Muhassan, causing her to miscarry al-Muhassan.”10

 

10. He (A.S.) is also quoted as having said, “And the reason for her death is that Qunfath, slave of the man (of Abu Bakr) pinched her with his sword’s scabbard according to his master’s orders, causing her to miscarry Muhassan.”11

 

11. In a supplication by Imam al-Rida (A.S.) during the thanksgiving prostration (sajdat al-shukr), he says, “... and they both [Abu Bakr and `Omer ibn al-Khattab] killed the son of your Prophet,”12

 

12. Ibn Sa`d al-Jaza’iri has said, “... And they beat Fatima (A.S.), so she miscarried a fetus.”13

 

13. Al-Fattani al-`amili has said, “... According to narratives told by Ahl al-Bayt (A.S.), `Omer pushed the door in order to enter by force, and Fatima (A.S.) was behind the door. The door hit her stomach, so she miscarried her fetus named al-Muhassan.”14

 

14. Al-Khawajoo’i al-Mazandarani has said, “... And they hit Fatima (A.S.), so she miscarried her fetus.”15

 

15. He also said, “What was the shortcoming of Fatima (A.S.), the Purified one, and for what did she deserve to be beaten till she miscarried her fetus?”16

 

16. He also said, “... And they broke her rib and caused her to miscarry her son.”17

 

17. Shaikh Yousuf al-Bahrani has said, “... and their beating al-Zahra’ (A.S.) till she miscarried her fetus.”18

 

18. Sayyid Muhammed Qulli Al-Musawi has detailed this incident, so refer to him.19

 

19. The great religious authority, Sayyid 20Muhammed Mehdi al-Qazwini, has said, “... And when she opened the door, they pushed it on her, breaking her rib and causing her to miscarry her fetus, al-Muhassan.”

 

20. Sayyid al-Khunsari, discussing al-Zahra’ (A.S.), has said, “... And who caused her to miscarry her fetus, and who made her loudly wail..., etc.?”21

 

21. Shaikh al-Tusi has said, “What is well known and regarding which there is no contention among the Shi`as is that `Omer hit Fatima (A.S.) on her stomach till she miscarried Muhassan, and the incident in this regard is quite famous among them.”22

 

22. `Abd al-Jalal al-Qazwini has said, “`Omer beat the stomach of Fatima (A.S.), killing her fetus whom the Messenger of Allah (A.S.) had named Muhassan.”23

 

23. Al-Fadil al-Miqdad has said, “`He dispatched Omer to her who beat her on the stomach, causing her to miscarry Muhassan.”24

 

24. Al-Bayadi has said, “It is well known among the Shi`as that he (`Omer) squeezed Fatima (A.S.) with the door, causing her to miscarry Muhassan.”25

 

25. Ibn Aba Jumhar has said, “... and how she wa squeezed by the door till she miscarried her fetus.” He also said, “As regarding the incident of the burning, the beating, and the miscarriage of the fetus, some of it is narrated from you..., etc.”26

 

26. Al-Karki, the researcher, has said the following protesting against them, “... And how he gathered firewood at the door, and how he caused Fatima (A.S.) to miscarry Muhassan...”27

 

27. Al-Tasatturi, the judge, has stated some proofs about the miscarriage, so refer to what he has said.28

 

28. Al-Husaini has said, “... So they rushed towards the door, pushing it in her direction, and she was pregnant, causing her to miscarry a son whom the Messenger of Allah (A.S.) had named Muhassan.”29

 

29. Al-Mas`adi has said, “... And they pressed the door against the Head of the Women of the World till she miscarried Muhassan.”30

 

30. Al-Nizam is quoted as having said, “`Omer hit the stomach of Fatima (A.S.) on the day of the swearing of allegiance [to Abu Bakr] till she miscarried the fetus, al-Muhassan, from her womb.”31

 

31. Ibn Abul-Hadid, the Mu`tazilite scholar, has transmitted the Shi`as saying that `Omer pressured her between the door and the wall, so Fatima (A.S.) called out, “O Father! O Messenger of Allah (A.S.)!,” causing her to miscarry.”32

 

32. Al-Nu`man, the judge, has said, “... So they beat her, hence her miscarriage.”33

 

33. Mughamis al-Hilli has said:

 

Having miscarried because of a blow she received,

She passed away as her property remained confiscated.34

 

34. Shaikh al-Hurr al-`amili has composed the following lines:

 

Five are her sons: Husain, Hasan, Zainab and Umm Kulthum

And Muhassan, miscarried when `Omer opened the door as known.

 

He goes on to say the following about the cause of her death:

 

She soon miscarried her fetus and remained

Till death mourning him, moaning.35

 

35. Al-Isfahani, the researcher, has said:

 

In the fetus of glory there is something that

Causes the insides to bleed;

Can they really hide what is already known?

The door, the wall and the blood testify

As witnesses from which nothing can hide:

The oppressor committed against her fetus a crime

So the mountains, from her anxiety, are shaken.36

 

36. In a narrative transmitted about the Prophet (A.S.), it is recorded that “Her rib was broken, and she miscarried her fetus,” till he comes to say, “Lodged forever in Your Fire the one who hit her side till she miscarried her son.”37

 

37. In her Ziyarat, it is stated: “... the one whose son was killed.”38

 

38. Al-Kaf`ami has said that the cause of her death (A.S.) was her being beaten and subsequent miscarriage.39

 

39. SALIM ibn Qais has said, “... He shoved her, breaking her rib, so she miscarried her fetus.”40

 

40. Al-Kanji has added the following to what Shaikh al-Mufid has stated: “He added to what the majority have reported saying that Fatima (A.S.) miscarried a male after the demise of the Prophet (A.S.) whom the Messenger of Allah (A.S.) had named Muhassan.”41

 

41. Al-Maqdisi al-Ardabili has said, “... `Omer in person hit her on her stomach, and his slave whipped her on her shoulder. That was the reason for her miscarriage.”42

 

42. In a letter from `Omer to Mu`awiyah, the first admits the following: “And her pain of childbirth intensified. I entered the house, so she miscarried a son whom Ali called Muhassan.”43

 

43. Al-Saduq has transmitted from some mentors the following explanation of the Prophet ‘s statement to Ali (A.S.) wherein he said, “There is a treasure for you in Paradise”: “This treasure is his son al-Muhassan, the one whom Fatima (A.S.) miscarried when she was squeezed between both doors.”44

 

44. In a narrative from Imam al-Sadiq (A.S.), he said, “... And she was beaten even while being pregnant... and she miscarried because of such beating... The first in whose regard a judgment will be issued shall be Muhassan son of Ali (A.S.) against his killer, then against Qunfath.”45

 

45. In another narrative from Imam al-Sadiq (A.S.), he says, “He kicked her in the stomach, hence the miscarriage of Muhassan.” The same narrative also says, “And he kicked the door with his foot till he hit her stomach, and she was six months pregnant with al-Muhassan, causing her to miscarry.” It also states: “... and she was beaten, and her fetus was killed inside her womb... Due to the kick, she suffered from childbirth, and when he slammed the door, she miscarried Muhassan... And Muhassan shall come [on the Day of Judgment] carried by [his grandmother] Khadija daughter of Khuwaylid and Fatima daughter of Asad... The one unjustly killed (referred to in 81:8 of the Holy Qur’an) is, by Allah, Muhassan...”46

 

46. In another tradition from Imam al-Sadiq (A.S.), he says, “And the killing of Muhassan with that kick is surely a greater [sin] and more bitter.”47

 

47. Abul-Sa`adat, namely As`ad ibn `Abd al-Qahir, has said, “... And they both squeezed Fatima (A.S.) behind her door till she miscarried al-Muhassan.”48

 

48. Imam Ali (A.S.) used to supplicate in his qunut saying, “... and a fetus which they caused to miscarry, and a rib which they crushed, and a property title which they tore to pieces...”49

 

49. In a narrative transmitted by al-Daylami about al-Zahra’ (A.S.), she is quoted as having said, “... And he kicked the door with his foot, slamming it on me, and I was pregnant, so I fell on my face... And childbirth overcame me, so I miscarried Muhassan who was killed without having committed any crime.”50

 

50. Imam al-Hasan (A.S.), addressing al-Mugharah, has said to the latter, “You are the one who hit Fatima (A.S.) daughter of the Messenger of Allah (A.S.) till you caused her to bleed and to miscarry what she had in her womb, thus humiliating the Messenger of Allah (A.S.)..., etc.”51

 

51. Imam al-Baqir (A.S.) has said, “And she was big with Muhassan. When the Messenger of Allah (A.S.) passed away, and when the folks forced their way into her house, taking her cousin, the Commander of the Faithful (A.S.), out by force, and when she was harmed by that man (`Omer ibn al-Khattab), she miscarried a boy..., etc.”52

 

52. Al-Majlisi I has said, “Due to the beating [of Fatima (A.S.)], a son named Muhassan was miscarried.”53

 

53. Al-Majlisi II has said, “They squeezed her behind the door, so she miscarried one whom the Messenger of Allah (A.S.) had named Muhassan.”54

He also said, “So, she miscarried a fetus whom the Messenger of Allah (A.S.) had named Muhassan.”55

He also said, “Our narratives have over-flown, so have their narratives as well, with the incident of how Fatima (A.S.) was scared till she miscarried what she had in her womb.”56

He has also said, “And they both squeezed Fatima (A.S.) behind her door till she miscarried Muhassan.”57

 

54. Al-Kashani has said, “That beating was the most serious cause of her miscarriage of a son whom the Messenger of Allah (A.S.) had named Muhassan.”58

 

55. Al-Turayhi has said, “When Khalid ibn al-Walid squeezed her, she miscarried Muhassan.”59

 

56. The author of the book Conference of the Scholars of Baghdad has said, “`Omer squeezed Fatima (A.S.) between the wall and the door very hard and with cruelty till she miscarried her fetus.”60

1Ithbat al-Hudat, Vol. 2, p. 370. Al-Bayadi (may Allah have mercy on him), Al-Sirat al-Mustaqim, Vol. 3, p. 12.

2Kamil Baha’i (in Persian), p. 309.

3Al-Tatimma fa Tawarakh al-A’imma, p. 28 (1412 A.H. edition), p. 28 (distributed by Dar al-Kitab al-Islami, Beirut, Lebanon).

4Ibid., p. 39.

5Al-Mujdi fa Ansab al-Talibiyyan, p. 12.

6Ibn Shahr ashab, Al-Manaqib, Vol. 3, p. 407 (published by Dar al-Adwa’). Al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 43, pp. 237, 233. Al-`Awalim, Vol. 11, p. 539.

7Ibn Shahr ashab, Manaqib al Aba Talib. Refer also to p. 91, Vol. 42 of Bihar al-Anwar.

8Fatima al-Zahra’: Bahjat Qalb al-Mustafa, Vol. 2, p. 532. Nawa’ib al-Duhar, p. 192.

9Al-Ikhtisas, pp. 343-44. Kamil al-Ziyarat, pp. 326-27. Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 25, p. 373. Basa’ir al-Darajat.

10Al-Ikhtisas, pp. 184-85. Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 29, p. 192. Al-Muqarram, Wafat al-Siddaqa AL-ZAHRA’ (A.S.), p. 78.

11Dala’il al-Imama, p. 45. Bihar al-Anwar, vo. 43, p. 170. `Awalim al-`Ulam, Vol. 11, pp. 411, 504.

12Muhaj al-Da`awat, pp. 257-58. Al-Kaf`ami, Misbah, pp. 553-54. Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 3, p. 393 and Vol. 83, p. 223. Al-`Ataridi, Musnad al-Imam al-Rida (A), Vol. 2, p. 65.

13Al-Imama (manuscript), p. 81

14Diya’ al-`alaman (manuscript), Vol. 2, pp. 62-64.

15Al-Khawajoo’i, Al-Rasa’il al-I`tiqadiyya, p. 444.

16Ibid., p. 446.

17Al-Khawajoo’i, Taraq al-Rashid (included among Al-Rasa’il al-I`tiqadiyya), p. 301.

18Al-Hada’iq al-Nadira, Vol. 5, p. 180.

19Sayyid Muhammed Qulli Al-Musawi, Tashyeed al-Mata`in, Vol. 1 where he has written scores of pages detailing this incident.

20Al-Sawarim al-Madiya (manuscript), p. 56.

21Rawdat al-Jinan, Vol. 1, p. 358.

21Talkhis al-Shafi, Vol. 3, pp. 156-57.

22Al-Naqd, p. 298.

23Al-Lawami` al-Ilahiyya fa al-Mabahith al-Kalamiyya, p. 302.

24Al-Sirat al-Mustaqim, Vol. 3, p. 12.

25A Debate Between al-Gharawi and al-Harawi (published in 1397 A.H.), pp. 47-48

26Nafahat al-Lahat, p. 130.

27Al-Tasatturi, Ihqaq al-Haqq, Vol. 2, p. 374.

28Sirat al-‘A’imma al-Ithnai `Ashar, Vol. 2, p. 374.

29Ithbat al-Wasiyya, p. 143. Al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 28, pp. 308-09.

30Al-Shahristani, Al-Milal wal Nihal, Vol. 1, p. 57. `Awalim al-`Ulam, Vol. 11, p. 416. Al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 28, pp. 271, 281. Bahj al-Sibagha, Vol. 5, p. 15. Al-Wafi bil Wafiyyat, Vol. 6, p. 17. Bayt al-Ahzan, p. 124.

31Ibn Abul-Hadid, Sharh Nahjul Balagha, Vol. 2, p. 60.

32Al-Urjaza al-Mukhtara, pp. 88-93.

33Al-Turayhi, Al-Muntakhab, p. 293.

34Urjaza fa Tawarakh al-Nabiy wa al-’A’imma (A) (manuscript), pp. 13, 14. A photocopy of this book is available at the Library of the Center for Islamic Studies in Beirut, Lebanon. Refer to A`lam al-Nisa’, Vol. 2, pp. 316, 317.

35Al-Anwar al-Qudsiyya, pp. 42-44.

36Fara’id al-Simtayn, Vol. 2, pp. 34, 35. Shaikh al-Saduq, Al-Amali, pp. 99-101. Ithbat al-Hudat, Vol. 1, pp. 280-81. Al-Daylami, Irshad al-Qulab, p. 295. Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 28, pp. 37-39 and Vol. 43, pp. 172-73. Al-`Awalim, Vol. 11, pp. 391-92. Jala’ al-`Uyan, Vol. 1, pp. 186-88. Bisharat al-Mustafa, pp. 197-200. Ibn Shathan, Al-Fada’il, pp. 8-11 edited by al-Armawi. Ghayat al-Maram, p. 48. Al-Muhtadir, pp. 199-200.

37Iqbal al-A`mal, p. 625. Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 97, pp. 199-200.

38Al-Kaf`ami, Misbah, p. 522.

39Salam ibn Qais’s book, pp. 590-97. Al-Tibrisi, Al-Ihtijaj, Vol. 1, pp. 210-16. Jala’ al-`Uyan, Vol. 1. Refer also to Mir’at al-`Uqal, Vol. 5, pp. 319-20, Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 28, pp. 268, 270 and Vol. 43, pp. 197-200, Al-`Awalim, Vol. 11, pp. 400, 404 and Diya’ al-alaman, Vol. 2, pp. 63, 64.

40Kifayat al-Talib, p. 413.

41Hadaqat al-Sha`a, pp. 265-66.

42Al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 30, pp. 294-95.

43Ma`ani al-Akhbar, pp. 205-07. Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 39, pp. 41-42.

44Kamil al-Ziyarat, pp. 332-35. Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 28, pp. 62-64. Refer also to Vol. 53, p. 23. `Awalim al-`Ulam, Vol. 11, p. 398. Al-Majlisi, Jala’ al-`Uyan, Vol. 1, pp. 184-86.

45Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 53, pp. 14-23. Al-`Awalim, Vol. 11, pp. 441-443. Al-Hidaya al-Kubra, p. 392. Hilyat al-Abrar, Vol. 2, p. 652.

46Fatima al-Zahra’: Bahjat Qalb al-Mustafa, Vol. 2, p. 532, citing Nawa’ib al-Duhar, p. 194. Al-Hidaya al-Kubra, p. 417.

47Refer to the footnote on p. 553 of Shaikh al-Kaf`ami’s book Al-Misbah. Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 82, p. 261.

48Al-Kaf`ami, Al-Misbah, p. 553. Al-Balad al-Aman, pp. 551-52. `Ilm al-Yaqan, p. 701. Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 2, p. 261.

49Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 30, pp. 348-50, citing al-Daylami’s Irshad al-Qulab.

50Al-Tibrisi, Al-Ihtijaj, Vol. 1, p. 414. Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 43, p. 197. Mir’at al-`Uqal, Vol. 5, p. 321. Diya’ al-alaman (manuscript), Vol. 2, p. 321.

51Dala’il al-Imama, pp. 26-27. Al-`Awalim, Vol. 11, p. 504.

52Rawdat al-Muttaqan, Vol. 5, p. 342.

53Jala’ al-`Uyan, Vol. 1, p. 193.

54Mir’at al-`Uqal, Vol. 5, p. 318. Refer to the biographies in A`lam al-Nisa’, Vol. 2, p. 321.

55Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 28, pp. 209-10.

56Ibid., Vol. 82, p. 264.

57Nawadir al-Akhbar, p. 183. `Ilm al-Yaqan, pp. 686, 688. `Awalim al-`Ulam, Vol. 11, p. 414.

58Al-Turayhi, Al-Muntakhab, p. 136.

59Conference of Baghdad’s Scholars, pp. 135-37.