ভূমিকা

Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Biography of Imam `alĪ Ibn AbĪ-tĀlib The Land of Fadak Fadak is on the outskirts of Khaybar. It is a fertile and lush green settlement where Fadak ibn Ham was the first to pitch his tents. The place was therefore named after him. Like Khaybar, here too the Jews lived. They organized the irrigation facility and made the barren land bloom!

Yaqūt al-Hamawi writes: “This land had bubbling ponds and many oases.”[1] After the conquest of Khaybar, the people living in the neighborhood owed allegiance to the Muslims without any conflict. The inhabitants of Fadak too surrendered the proprietary rights over the land and entered into an agreement to share the produce equally with the Muslims.

Therefore, they sent word to the Prophet (a.s) that they had no intention of fighting and they were willing to accept the same conditions as were imposed on the people of Khaybar. The Prophet (a.s) accepted their offer and sent `Ali (a.s) to finalize the agreement with their chief, Yūsha` ibn Nūn. After the discussions, it was agreed that the people of Fadak would forego the proprietary rights over the land, until it and share the crop equally with the Prophet (a.s).

And whatever Allah restored to His Messenger from them, you did not press forward against it any horse or a riding camel but Allah gives authority to His messengers against whom He pleases, and Allah has power over all things The territories that are annexed through warfare are termed as ghanimah or Booty. The land and property that is acquired without any war or conflict is called fay ’ or anfal .

The land of Fadak too came in the category of anfal [1] Mu`jam al-Buldān, Vol 14, Page 338 because it was acquired without any physical conflict. Therefore, it was the personal property of the Prophet (a.s) on which the other Muslims had no right.