Seerah

Adopted from the book : "Fatima; the Gracious" by : "Abu Muhammad Ordoni"

Since the reason which motivated the inhabitants of Fadak to transfer its possession to Allah's Messenger was fear of the Muslims after they had conquered Khaibar, this Property became the sole possession of the Prophet (P.B.U.H). This conforms to Allah's decree in Holy Quran:

"What Allah has bestowed on His Apostles (and taken away) from them for this (which) ye made no expedition with either calvary or camelry: But Allah gives power to His Apostles over any He pleases: and Allah Has power over all things."

There was no dispute between the Muslims that Fadak belonged to the Prophet (P.B.U.H); rather, the disagreement was related to how much Fadak had the Jews granted him as part of the peace settlement. Thus, it is strange to hear Abu Bakr narrate a tradition from the Prophet saying:

"We the group of Prophets do not inherit, nor are we inherited; what we leave is for alms!! Because, had the Prophet (P.B.U.H) actually said so (which is doubted), how did Abu Bakr understand from this saying that Fadak did not belong to him (P.B.U.H). There is clear contradiction in Abu Bakr's arguments.

Therefore, after realizing beyond doubt that Fadak was the personal Property of Allah's Messenger (P.B.U.H), it is appropriate to inquire as to what he did with it? But the answer is clear. He (P.B.U.H) granted it to Fatima (AS) before his death. In other words, Fadak became the personal property of Lady Fatima Zahra (AS). Moreover, it is not for anyone to object to the Prophet for granting his own Property to any person he wished-including is daughter.

Moreover, the following factors can be cited as proofs that the Prophet (P.B.U.H) granted Fadak to his noble daughter (AS):

1. Fatima's saying to Imam Ali (AS):

"This is Ibn Abu Quhafa snatching away my father's grant to me."

2. Fatima Zahra's saying to Abu Bakr:

"Surely Fadak was granted to me by my father, the Messenger of Allah (P.B.U.H)"

Especially in light of the fact that her infallibility prevents her from uttering falsehood or from demanding that which does not belong to her.

3. Ali (AS), the infallible Imam, would not allow his wife to demand something which did not belong to her.

4. Imam Ali (AS) wrote in his letter to Uthman Ibn Hunaif:

Yes! Fadak was the only land from that which was under the heavens, in our hands; but the inclinations of certain men lusted for it and the souls of others relinquished it".

Hence, had it been part of the Prophet's inheritance, he (AS) would not have said that it belonged to them (Ali and Fatima).

5. Imam Ali (AS) together with Um Ayman testified to the fact that Allah's Messenger (P.B.H.U) granted it to Lady Fatima Zahra (AS), when Abu Bakr requested Fatima to summon witnesses that he (P.B.U.H) granted it to her.

Yet, despite these undisputable proofs Abu Bakr denied Fatima possession of Fadak and brought the following as proof of the correctness of his action;

1. According to Abu Bakr, Fadak did not belong to the Messenger of Allah (P.B.U.H); it rather was the property of all Muslims.

2. Besides, according to Abu Bakr, even if it belonged to the Prophet of Allah (P.B.U.H), he had heard him (P.B.U.H) saying:

"We the group of Prophets do not inherit nor are we inherited."

3. Abu Hurairah narrated that the Prophet (P.B.U.H) said:

"My inheritance of not to be divided after me, even if it is one dinar or dirham. That which I leave is alms, save what is to maintain my wives and dependents."

However, when these hypothetical points made by Abu Bakr are put on the board of discussion, free from ideological or emotional prejudgments, and far from blind sanctification of the early followers of Islam, we can record the following points against them:

1. It is true he denied the Prophet's ownership of Fadak was the sole possession of Allah's Prophet (P.B.U.H). This fact is also supported by the Quranic verse which we have mentioned. Therefore, Abu Bakr's claim is invalidated for being a mere endeavor to null the effect of the Quran.

2.Abu Bakr's claim that he heard the Prophet of Allah (P.B.U.H) say:

"We the group of prophets do not inherit, nor are we inherited; what we leave is for alms,"

A. This narration is irrelevant regarding this issue; because we have already stated that Fadak was a grant from the Prophet (P.B.U.H) to his daughter to the issue of inheritance with the purpose of denying Lady Fatima (AS) her property.

B. This narration was only reported by one man-who is Abu Bakr, himself -and since the Holy Quran stated a general rule concerning inheritance, the Prophets and their heirs are included in this rule. So Abu Bakr 's claim can not taken as proof verses the Holy Quran, nor can it be proof for excluding the Prophets and their families from the Quranic rule.

C. Yet, the real reason which provoke Abu Bakr and his followers to deprive Fatima Zahra (AS) from her own property, despite the fact that the Prophet (P.B.U.H) said;

"Fatima is part of me, he who loves her loves me, and he who angers her angers me,"

had more dangerous and implicit motives behind them, and were directly related to the political events of that time.

3. As for Abu Hurairah's narration; it is sufficient for us to keep in mind that he was famous for forging Prophetic traditions. Even he, himself, admitted this; and anyone wishing to study more about his life, should refer to Sheik Al-Madhirah -Abu Hurairah Dowsi, written by Mahmoud Abu Raieh.