And despite the fact that Fatimah (s.

And despite the fact that Fatimah (s.a.) was in official possession of the land - and one in possession of something is not asked to present witnesses - she was asked to present her witnesses (that Fadak belonged to her). She presented them, who testified that the Noble Prophet (S) had personally gifted it to her, but they disregarded these witnesses.

In later periods, those Caliphs who desired to express their inclinations towards the Ahlul Bayt (a.s.), would return Fadak to them but soon after another would come up and confiscate it once again! This was repeated on numerous occasions during the time of the Umayyad and the 'Abbasid caliphs.

The incident of Fadak and the events associated with it during the initial stages of Islam and in the later eras are of the most painful, sorrowful but at the same time, the most admonitory portions of the history of Islam which ought to be placed under meticulous study so that it illuminates various other incidents of Islam.

158 [^4]: Refer the book Fadak, pg. 49 [^5]: Sharh of Nahjul Balagha of Ibn Abil Hadid, vol. 16, pg. 209 onwards [^6]: Sahih Muslim, vol. 3, pg. 1380, no. 52 of 'The Book of Jihad' [^7]: Tafsir-e-Namuna, vol. 23, pg. 510 Previous…