IMAM ALI (AS) PROPOSED MARRIAGE TO ABU JAHL'S DAUGHTER!!!

[Taqavi]

 Does the narration 'Fatimah is a part of me' refer to the claim that Ali (AS) proposed marriage to the daughter of Abu Jahl?

 

The narration 'Fatimah is a part of me' signifies that Fatimah Zahra (SA) is an inseparable part of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and is one of the most well-known hadiths about her status. This hadith is widely accepted and transmitted by all Islamic schools of thought.[1]

Shia scholars, such as prominent figures like Shaykh Mufid, [2] Shaykh Tusi, [3] and Shaykh Saduq, [4] have transmitted this narration in their works, highlighting its significance and authenticity within the Shia tradition.

This hadith has been narrated in various forms in both Sunni sources. However, in some Sunni sources like Sahih al-Bukhari, it is stated that Ali (AS), while married to Fatimah Zahra (SA), also proposed marriage to the daughter of Abu Jahl. When the Prophet (SAW) became aware of this, he declared from the pulpit: 'Fatimah is a part of me, and I dislike anyone harming her. By Allah, the daughter of the enemy of God shall not dwell in the same house as the daughter of the Prophet of God.'[5]

Due to its contradiction with the noble character of Ali (AS) and his deep love for Fatimah (SA), this particular Sunni version has been criticized and examined by Shia scholars.

Reasons for Rejecting this Narration:

1.        Contradiction with Imam Ali’s Character: This narration contradicts the elevated character of Imam Ali (AS) and his loyalty to Lady Fatimah (SA). Imam Ali himself explicitly stated that he never caused any distress to Fatimah al-Zahra.

“By Allah, I never made Fatimah angry or displeased until she left this world. Whenever I felt sorrowful, I would look at Fatimah’s face to alleviate my grief.” [6]

2.        Weak chain of narration: The chain of transmission (isnad) for this narration has multiple weaknesses, and many scholars consider it unreliable. [7]

When analyzing the narrative, we find elements that highlight the weaknesses and fragility of the story, such as:

            ᴏ Historical inconsistency: The only narrator who mentioned the marriage proposal incident is “Al-Miswar ibn Makhrama.” However, his timeline does not align with the event. Ibn Hajar Al-Asqalani states that Al-Miswar was born two years after the Hijra, and he arrived in Medina in the eighth year after the conquest of Mecca. Thus, he could not have witnessed the event he narrated. [8]

ᴏ Biased Narrator: Another point is Al-Miswar's enmity towards the Ahl al-Bayt (AS). The Khawarij had a good relationship with him and considered him one of their own. [9] He was a supporter of Mu'awiyah to the extent that whenever he heard Mu'awiyah's name, he would send blessings upon him. [10] This behavior indicates that his purpose in narrating this hadith was to tarnish the character of Imam Ali (AS).

ᴏ The historical impossibility of the event: Juwayriya, the daughter of Abu Jahl, had not converted to Islam before the conquest of Mecca, and after embracing Islam, she married ʿAttāb ibn Asīd ibn Abī al-ʿĪṣ ibn Umayya. [11]

3.        Attempt to tarnish the Ahl al-Bayt (AS): This narration was likely fabricated to defame the character of Imam Ali (AS); As Imam Sadiq (AS) indicated the story of Imam Ali (AS) proposing to Abu Jahl's daughter was fabricated by his opponents.

"'Alqama, you cannot please everyone and silence every tongue. How can you remain safe from something that even prophets and saints were not safe from? Didn't they say about the Messenger of Allah (SAW) that he was a seeker of worldly gains and power? Didn't they attribute to Ali (AS) the desire to marry the daughter of Abu Jahl while he was already married to Fatimah (SA)?" [12]

4.        The existence of this narration without mentioning the act of proposing marriage: This narration exists in Sunni sources without mentioning the event of Imam Ali (AS) proposing to the daughter of Abu Jahl, [13] which is similar to how Shia sources narrate this story. This itself is evidence that the event of the proposal is a fabricated story created to defame Imam Ali (AS) and diminish the significance of Fatimah's (SA) distress over Abu Bakr and Umar. [14]

Conclusion:

The narration "Fatimah is a part of me" is unrelated to the story of Ali's proposal to the daughter of Abu Jahl. Many scholars reject the account of this proposal due to its weak chain of transmission and its contradiction with Ali’s character. This event appears to have been fabricated to damage Imam Ali's (AS) reputation and to undermine the seriousness of Fatimah's (SA) grievances against Abu Bakr and Umar.

 

 

 

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[1] . Majmu’at al-Rasa’il: Al-Safi, Sheikh Lutfullah, Vol: 2 P: 312.

[2] . Al-Amali: Sheikh Al-Mufid, Vol: 1, P: 259. «قَالَ سَمِعْتُ سَعْدَ بْنَ مَالِكٍ يَعْنِي ابْنَ أَبِي وَقَّاصٍ يَقُولُ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص يَقُولُ‌ فَاطِمَةُ بَضْعَةٌ مِنِّي مَنْ سَرَّهَا فَقَدْ سَرَّنِي وَ مَنْ سَاءَهَا فَقَدْ سَاءَنِي فَاطِمَةُ أَعَزُّ الْبَرِيَّةِ عَلَيَّ.»  

[3] . Al-Amali - Dar Al-Thaqafah Edition: Sheikh Al-Tusi, Vol: 1, P: 24.

[4] . Ilal Al-Shara'i': Sheikh Al-Saduq, Vol: 1, P: 185 and 186.

[5] . Sahih Al-Bukhari: Al-Bukhari, Vol: 5, P: 22.

[6] . Kashf Al-Ghummah fi Ma'rifat Al-A'immah: Al-Muhaddith Al-Irbili, Vol: 1, P: 352. «فَوَ اللَّهِ مَا اَغْضَبْتُهَا وَ لَا اَکْرَهْتُهَا عَلَی اَمْرٍ حَتَّی قَبَضَهَا اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ وَ لَا اَغْضَبَتْنِی وَ لَا عَصَتْ لِی اَمْراً وَ لَقَدْ کُنْتُ اَنْظُرُ اِلَیْهَا فَتَنْکَشِفُ عَنِّی الْهُمُومُ وَ الْاَحْزَان.»

[7] . For more information, please refer to the article: The Legend of the Proposal of the Daughter of Abu Jahl by the Commander of the Faithful (AS).

[8] . Al-Isabah fi Tamyiz Al-Sahaba: Al-Asqalani, Ibn Hajar, Vol: 6, P: 94.

[9] . Si’ar A’lam al-Nubala: Al-Dhahabi, Shams al-Din, Vol: 4, P: 414. «قَالَ الزُّبَيْرُ بنُ بَكَّارٍ: كانت تَغْشَاهُ، وَيَنْتَحِلُوْنَهُ»

[10] . History of Islam - Tadmuri edition: Al-Dhahabi, Shams al-Din, Vol: 5, P: 246 «قَالَ عُرْوَةُ: فَلَمْ أَسْمَعِ الْمِسْوَرَ ذَكَرَ مُعَاوِيَةَ إِلا صَلَّى عَلَيْهِ».

[11] . Al-Tabaqat al-Kubra: Ibn Saad, Vol: 8, P: 262.

[12] . Amali: Sheikh al-Saduq, P: 165. «فَقَالَ علیه السلام: یَا عَلْقَمَةُ اِنَّ رِضَا النَّاسِ لَا یُمْلَکُ وَاَلْسِنَتَهُمْ لَا تُضْبَطُ وَکَیْفَ تَسْلَمُونَ مِمَّا لَمْ یَسْلَمْ مِنْهُ اَنْبِیَاءُ اللَّهِ وَرُسُلُهُ وَحُجَجُ اللَّهِ (علیهم‌السّلام).... اَ لَمْ یَنْسُبُوا سَیِّدَ الْاَوْصِیَاءِ (علیهم‌السّلام) اِلَی اَنَّهُ کَانَ یَطْلُبُ الدُّنْیَا وَالْمُلْکَ ...... اَ لَمْ یَنْسُبُوهُ اِلَی اَنَّهُ (علیه‌السّلام) اَرَادَ اَنْ یَتَزَوَّجَ ابْنَةَ اَبِی جَهْلٍ عَلَی فَاطِمَةَ (علیهاالسّلام) وَاَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ (صلی‌الله‌علیه‌و‌آله‌وسلّم) شَکَاهُ عَلَی الْمِنْبَرِ اِلَی الْمُسْلِمِینَ فَقَالَ اِنَّ عَلِیّاً یُرِیدُ اَنْ یَتَزَوَّجَ ابْنَةَ عَدُوِّ اللَّهِ عَلَی ابْنَةِ نَبِیِّ اللَّهِ اَلَا اِنَّ فَاطِمَةَ بَضْعَةٌ مِنِّی فَمَنْ آذَاهَا فَقَدْ آذَانِی وَمَنْ سَرَّهَا فَقَدْ سَرَّنِی وَمَنْ غَاظَهَا فَقَدْ غَاظَنِی.»

[13] . Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah: Ibn Abi Shaybah, Abu Bakr, Vol: 6, P: 38.

[14] . Al-Imamah wal-Siyasah: Al-Dinawari, Ibn Qutaybah, Vol: 1, P: 31 / Sahih al-Bukhari: Al-Bukhari, Vol: 4, P: 79.