ভূমিকা

Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Biography of Imam `alĪ Ibn AbĪ-tĀlib The Land of Fadak Fadak was a personal property of the Prophet (a.s). When the Verse “And give to the near of kin his due, (17/26)” was revealed, he transferred its ownership to Fatimah al-Zahra’ (a.s) through a document. The land was in the possession and use of Fatimah (a.s) until the demise of the Prophet (a.s). When Abū-Bakr assumed power, he evicted her from the possession of the land and the garden thereon.

She went into appeal against this action and produced `Ali (a.s) and Umm Ayman as her witnesses. They both gave the evidence that Fatimah (a.s) was right in her claim that the Prophet (a.s), in his lifetime, had made the hibah of the property in her favor. Abū-Bakr rejected the claim saying: “O Daughter of the Prophet!

The evidence is not complete unless there are two male witnesses or one man and two female witnesses!”[1] Fatimah (a.s) seeing that the evidence of `Ali (a.s) and Umm Ayman was deemed incomplete and the gift of the Garden of Fadak was rendered invalid she claimed it as an inheritance from her father, the Prophet (a.s). The contention was that if Abū-Bakr did not consider it as a donation; he should concede it to her as an inheritance from her father.

Abū-Bakr said that the properties of the Prophet (a.s) are not to be transferred to his offspring as inheritance because the Prophet (a.s) had said: “We, the group of Prophets do not make any inheritors and our assets are the sadaqah .” Fatimah (a.s) rejoined, “Is it written in the Book of Allah that you receive your father’s inheritance and I do not?

Has the Prophet (a.s) not said that the right of a person is that his off springs are protected?”[2] Fatimah (a.s) was so upset with the verdict of Abū-Bakr that she stopped talking to him and was cross with him the rest of her life. This attitude was not a momentary thing.

The person, Fatimah (a.s), whose truthfulness and [1] Futūh al-Buldān, Page 38 [2] Tārīkh al-Ya`qūbī, Vol 2, Page 106 veracity the Prophet (a.s) established and proved on the day of Mubahalah was suspected of making a false claim by Abū-Bakr.

Imam al-Bukhari writes: “Fatimah (a.s), after her father’s demise, claimed from Abū-Bakr al-Siddik that the property that the Prophet (a.s) acquired from the infidels without battling, and had left behind as inheritance, was her right and must be given to her.