Question:
Dear Sufis
I need your guidance for our religion, I am very confused regarding hadrat Umar and Abubeker as-Sidique, some extreme Shia’s claim hadrat Fatima was killed by Umar and Abubeker as-Sidique even the Prophet of Allah also died by poisoned it was prepared by Hadrat Aisha Hafsa Abubeker Sidique and hadrat Umar what will be our defence for this question according to our respected Sufi Sheickhs for the answer raised by such extreme Shias. The other point is the bring Sunni books to convince other people.
Answer:
Assalamu alikum wa rahmatu Allahi wa barakatu:
Such false accusations against the beloved sanctified Companions of our master Prophet Muhammad salla allahu ‘alayhi wa sallam go back many centuries to the early formation of Islam and have deep political reasons behind them. In order to better refute these accusations, one must understand this early history better inshallah.
First, our beloved Prophet Muhammad salla allahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said:
عن جابر قال : قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : أصحابي كالنجوم بأيهم اقتديتم اهتديتم
“My companions are like the stars, with whichever of them you seek to follow, you will be guided!”. In a more relevant hadith, our beloved master Muhammad salla allahu alayhi wa sallam also said:
عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مُغَفَّلٍ ، قَالَ : قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : ” اللَّهَ اللَّهَ فِي أَصْحَابِي ، لَا تَتَّخِذُوهُمْ غَرَضًا مِنْ بَعْدِي ، ثَلَاثًا ، مَنْ أحَبَّهُمْ فَبِحُبِّي أَحَبَّهُمْ ، وَمَنْ أَبْغَضَهُمْ ، فَبِبُغْضِي أَبْغَضَهُمْ ، وَمَنْ آذَاهُمْ فَقَدْ آذَانِي وَمَنْ آذَانِي فَقَدْ آذَى اللَّهَ ، وَمَنْ آذَى اللَّهَ فَيُوشِكُ أَنْ يَأْخُذَهُ “
“Allah Allah in regards to my companions, do not take them as a disputable affair amongst yourselves after me. Whoever loves them, then they love them with my love. Whoever hates them, then they hate them by hating me. Whoever hurts them, hurts me!”
There are numerous proofs as well that the beloved Companions, Allah’s blessings and contentment be upon all of them, shared that tremendous love and respect for each other through their immense love for the Prophet salla allahu alayhi wa sallam. The simplest proof is that the companions who are usually involved in these accusations named their own children after the beloved Companions that are accused. Consider, for example, Imam Ali b. Abi Talib alayhi al salam who named three of his sons: Abu Bakr, ʿUmar and Uthman. Sayyidina ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, who is accused – may Allah elevate him above such accusations – of hurting our lady Fatima al-Zahra alayha al salam, named one of his daughters Fatima.
This love and respect goes beyond simply the naming of children but to an intimate attempt by the blessed companions and sanctified Ahl al-Bayt (prophetic household) to intermarry. Consider the following:
- two of the daughters of the Prophet Muhammad salla allahu alayhi wa sallam: Ruqayya and Umm Kalthoum, were married to Sayyidina Uthman.
- Umm Farwa, the great granddaughter of Sayyidina Abu Bakr al-Siddiq and daughter of his son al-Qasim, was mother of Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq, the sixth Imam in the Shi’ite creed. Not to mention that Imam Ja’far and his grandfather Sayyidina Qasim, alayhim al salam, are cornerstones of the al-Tariqa al-Naqshbandiya al-‘Aliyya.
- Hafsa, the granddaughter of Sayyidina Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, was married to Sayyidina Hasan b. Ali, alayhim al salam.
- Hafsa, the daughter of Sayyidina Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, was married to the Prophet salla allahu alayhi wa sallam.
- Zayd and Ruqayya, daughters of Sayyidina Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, were conceived from his marriage with Umm Kalthoum, daughter of Imam Ali alayhim al salam.
- Aban, son of Sayyidina Uthman, may Allah be pleased with them, was married to Umm Kalthoum, who is the daughter of our master Abd Allah b. Ja’far b. Abi Talib.
- Umar, son of Sayyidina Uthman, may Allah be pleased with them, was married Sakina b. Husayn b. Ali b. Abi Talib, alayhim al salam.
And the list goes on and on. It is worthwhile noting that the intermarriage does not stop at the generation of the companions, but evidently extends to the next generations as well. If there was truly any animosity between Ahl a-Bayt and the companions, peace and blessings be upon all of them. How could they continue intermarrying for generations, after the passing of Sayyidina Abu Bakr, Uthman and Ali alayhim al salam?
The fact is that many of the narrations attributed to the Imams of Ahl a-Bayt that accuse the Sahaba alayhim al salam were, quite frankly, forged many centuries later by some extreme Shiite scholars who sought to establish religious proof for the existence of a Shiite political rule in later centuries. This is very well known amongst historians, for example, of the Safavid Dynasty and scholars who lived at the time, such as Majlisi. The latter authored a work of 10 volumes, filled with these non-authentic traditions.
Even early on, after the passing of the Imams, extreme Shiite scholars sought to look back at the history of the early Muslim community and create these tensions between Ahl al-Bayt and the Sahaba, only to distinguish themselves from the rest of the Muslim community. The blessed Imams themselves, including Imam Ja’far alayhi al salam, had various students who showed extreme tendencies and he distanced himself from them. These include the likes of Hisham b. al-Hakam who was a Mu’tazilite and believed the Qur’an to be created. It is from this group of extremist students, from whom the Ahl a-Bayt Imams distanced themselves, that accusations against the Sahaba developed; again for mostly political purposes.
What supports this fact is that the four Imams of Sunni thought were themselves students of the school of Ahl al-Bayt. Consider that Imam Abu Hanifa and Malik, may Allah be pleased with them, were both direct students of Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq alayh al salam. Imam Shafi’i then was a student of both Abu Hanifa and Imam Malik whereas Imam Ahmad b. Hanbal was a student of Imam Shafi’i. Imam Malik based his entire approach to law on the actions of the people of Madina, where Ahl al-Bayt and the companions lived for generations. Meanwhile, Imam Shafi’i was known for his avid love for Ahl al-Bayt and he authored numerous verses of poetry to that end. How can the Imams of Ahl al-Bayt produce students who were both lovers of Ahl al-Bayt and the companions and other students who despised the companions? Moderate Shi’as know this and for that reason avoid making such accusations.
The answer to this question boils to one’s knowledge of who the Prophet salla allahu alayhi wa sallam is. If someone thinks that the Prophet salla allahu alayhi wa sallam brought love and mercy, then they should know that nothing can emerge from those who were with him of his family and companions except love and mercy. Any other accusation against his followers and family is reflected back upon the Prophet’s character himself salla allahu alayhi wa sallam – may Allah preserve him and his generation from all blemishes. Knowing this, one can simply reach the conclusion that both Ahl al-Bayt and the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them both and send His tremendous blessings upon them, would not return any animosity shown towards them except with love and mercy, much less show animosity towards any creation of God, much less show animosity towards the family of the Prophet salla allahu alayhi wa sallam and his other companions.
Our lady Fatima alayha al salam passed from this worldly existence due to her longing to be with her father, our beloved master Muhammad salla allahu alayhi wa sallam and the Prophet salla allahu alayhi wa sallam was given poisoned meat by a non-Muslim who hated him. The common thread in the truth of our Islamic history is that nothing existed between the companions and Ahl al-Bayt, alayhim al salam, except love and mercy. And it was hate and rancor that attempted to destroy that unity from the outside and which unfortunately still continues until today by extremists among both these major sects who are lured by political purposes.
May Allah grant us to be sincere, adopting the verse: “And hold fast to the Rope of Allah and do not separate…”
Wa mina Allah al-tawfiq, bi hurmat al habib bi hurmat al Fatiha
Ali Hussain
Graduate Student in Islamic Studies
Near Eastern Studies Department
University of Michigan
202 S. Thayer St. Ann Arbor, MI 48104
