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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books A Critical Assessment of Umm Kulthum’s Marriage to Umar Section 3: The Text of the Narrations and their Significations Truth-seeker! Come with me so we may, after we have examined the biographies of the narrators of this story, look into the text of the narrations and their significations.

This has to be done so that we should, throughout the stages of the story, look from close the malevolence and spiteful behaviors of the enemies of the household of the Holy Prophet, peace be upon them. We shall carry on this discussion from several dimensions.

The first dimension In the concocted story about Umm Kulthum‘s marriage to Umar, it has been narrated that the reason given by Imam Ali (a.s.) for not consenting to his daughter‘s marriage to Umar was the former‘s young age and that he had kept her for the son of his brother, Ja‘far ibn Abi Talib. It has been narrated in the narration by Ibn Sa‘ad that Ali (a.s.) said: I have kept my daughters for the sons of Ja‘far.

In the narration of Hakim, the Imam has been quoted as having said: I have prepared her for the son of my brother. In another narration quoted by Ibn Sa‘ad, it is reported that the Imam said: She is a young girl.‖ Of course Ibn Abd al-Barr, Ibn Athir and others have also reported the same thing. In Bayhaqi‘s narration, it has been reported that the Imam (a.s.) said: She is too young (for marriage).

So in these narrations, nothing else has been reported from the Imam (a.s.), except that Umar returned again and said: Marry her to me; I swear by Allah! There is no one in this world that…. According to these narrations, the Imam (a.s.) did not do anything except that he sent her daughter to Umar so that he could see her….! It has been added in some narration that the Imam (a.s.) ordered her to be prepared and made-up.

So that she was beautified and adorned and then, the Imam (a.s.) sent her to Umar so that if he liked her and agreed to marry, she would then become his wife! It is surprising to see how the Imam‘s position changes in respect of Umm Kulthum‘s marriage from total and decisive refusal to quick acceptance, thus reversing and changing his mind so quickly? Who believes this? At least this report is dubious and suspicious and requires some thought and reflection.