In order to defend Abu Bakr, the Nawasib have sought to point out that if Sayyida Fatima (s)’s anger is on par with that of Rasulullah ﷺ then Shia books highlight her anger at Ali ع . Their logic is simple if the anger of Sayyida Fatima (s) do not harm the status of Imam Ali ع then the same rationale applies to Abu Bakr. This is a powerful weapon used by the Nasibi's to silence the Shia's

Accusation :

The Shia say that Fatima (s) was angry at Abu Bakr in the incident of Fadak, but what about their own narrations that say that she was also angry at Ali at the same time ?
Thus, based on the simple fact that Ali made Fatima (s) angry on more than one occassion, we arrive at the following conclusions :

1) The Prophet’s saying “whoever disturbs her, disturbs me” is addressed to Ali but the Shia use it only for Abu Bakr ; if this statement involved punishment from Allah then it would certainly befall Ali before Abu Bakr

2) There are other incidents (narrated by the well-reknowned Al-Majlisi, Al-Tusi, Al-Erbali, and others) that occurred in which Ali angered Fatima. What is the Shia response to this anger ?

Reply :

Before we launch into analysing the traditions, we feel it apt to cite the way that Allah praises this marriage.

We read in the Holy Quran:

He has let free the two bodies of flowing water, meeting together:
Between them is a Barrier which they do not transgress:
Then which of the favours of your Lord will ye deny ?
Out of them come Pearls and Coral:

Al-Qur’an, Surah 55, Ayah 19 – 22, translated by Yusufali

Comment :

The two rivers of chastity and purity are Imam Ali ع and Fatima (s). The barrier between them is the Holy Prophet ﷺ and pearl and coral are Imam Hassan ع and Husayn ع

This is confirmed by the following esteemed Sunni works :

Tafseer Dur al Manthur, Volume 6 page 143
Tadhkiratul Khawwas al Ummah, page 134
Yanabi al Muwaddah, page 118 Chapter 39
Shawahid al-Tanzil by Hasakani, Volume 2 page 285
Tafsir al-Thalabi, Volume 9 page 181

Dur al Manthur :

According to Ibn Abbas the two rivers mean ‘Ali and Fatima. The barrier means the Holy Prophet and the pearl and coral mean Hasan and Husayn

Yanabi al Muwaddah :

The companions and the Imams in exegesis of this verse say that Fatima and Ali are two deep rivers of the secrets of nature, rivers that do not overstep each other and the barrier between them is the Holy Prophet and the pearls and corals extracted from them are Hasan and Husayn.

Deobandi scholar Shah Rafiudeen translated the words as follows :

They do not contravene each other.

Allah has decreed that Ali ع and Fatima (s) are two rivers of chastity who never transgress each other. Therefore strife between them is impossible or else God forbid the report of the Quran is false. If an incident is found in any book that indicates that strife between the two existed, it contradicts the Qur’an and is therefore false. Let us now look at the traditions that our opponents regularly cite against us.

Tradition 1 :

The Nasibi authors in their works have used the following tradition to highlight a quarrel between Imam Ali ع and Fatima Zahra (s) :

Ibn Abdrabu al-Andalusi in his book al-Aqd, from Abdullah bin al-Zubair from Mu’awyia bin Abi Sufyan who said: ‘…I said: ‘Oh Allah’s messenger, you went away sad and returned happy ?’ He replied: ‘Oh Mu’awyia, why should I not feel happy when I have achieved a reconciliation between the two, that are the most honorable creatures of Allah’

Bihar al-Anwar, Volume 43 page 42

Reply

As the Shia scholar Shaykh Baqir Majlisi recorded this tradition in his book Bihar al-Anwar, the Nawasib have grasped an opportunity to cast doubts on the esteemed merits of the revered couple. The reality is this tradition is of no use for use to them, since the primary source of the tradition as cited by Shaykh Majlisi is the famed Sunni book Al-Aqd al-Farid by Allamah Ibn Abdrabu al-Andalusi. Moreover the narrator of the tradition is the notorious enemy of Ahulbayt ع whose parentage is usually attributed to Sufiyan. It is therefore not surprising that Shaykh Baqir Majlisi cited the comments of Shaykh Seduq about this tradition that the filthy Nawasib conveniently fail to mention:

قال ابن بابويه: هذا غير معتمد

Ibn Babweh (Saduq) said: ‘This is unreliable’

If the question is raised as to why Majlisi would cite a false narration, then we should point out that there is no prohibition on citing traditions from other Sects (beliefs). Allah has also mentioned the beliefs of the Kuffar and Munafiqeen in the Holy Quran

Tradition 2 :

Al-Qummi and Al-Majlisi narrated on the authority of Abu Thar: I migrated with Jafar ibn Abi Talib to Abyssynia. A slave girl worth 4,000 dirhams was given to Jafar as a gift. When we came to Madina he gave it to Ali as a gift that she may serve him. Ali kept her in Fatima’s house. One day Fatima entered and saw that his head was in the girl’s lap. She said: 'O Abu Al-Hasan! Have you done it ?' He said: 'O daughter of Muhammad! I have done nothing, so what is it that you want ?' She said: 'Do you allow me to go to my father’s house ?' He said: 'I will allow you' So she wore her Jilbab and went to the Prophet

(Ibn Babaveh Al-Qummi’s 'Elal al-Sharae', pg 163 ; it is also narrated in Bihar al-Anwar, pg 43-44, Chapter on 'How her life with Ali was')

Reply one :

The complete chain of narration is :

My father narrated from Saad bin Abdullah from al-Hassan bin Arafa from Wakee from Muhammad bin Israel from Abu Saleh on the authority of Abu Dharr :

Only the Nawasib could have attributed such a thing to Imam Ali ع which is why we see that two of the narrators in the chain namely Hassan bin Arafa and Wakee bin al-Jarah are famed Sunni figures whose work and biographies can easily be found in Sunni books, neither have been authenticated by Shia scholars. Rather than expecting the Shia to react to this narration, the Nasibi's should know that two of their own ancestors who actually narrated such a thing. Moreover, the narration is of no value to us since another narrator in the chain namely Abu Saleh is completely unknown (Majhul Alain). The narration becomes even more unreliable when we see that there is an unknown (Majhul al-Haal) Shia narrator in the chain namely Muhammad bin Israel as stated by Allamah Jawaheri in Al-Mufid in Mujam al-Rijal, page 499

With all these grave defects in the chain, the Nasibi's has failed again to embarrass us.

Reply two :

As the truth of the whole incident depends on the testimony of Abu Dhar we should highlight the fact that he never migrated to Abyssinia, hence the entire episode has been falsely attributed to Abu Dharr. As proof we shall rely on the following classical Sunni works:

al-Isaba, v 7 pg 105
Asad al-Ghaba, v 5 pg 186
Mashaher Ulama al-Amsar by Ibn Haban, pg 30
Siar alam al-Nubala, v 2 pg 46
al-Istiab, v 4 pg 1652

We read in Siar alam al-Nubala :

'He was the fifth person that converted to Islam, then he returned back to his homeland upon the instruction of the Prophet ﷺ and then when the Prophet migrated, Abu Dhar migrated along with Him'

We read in al-Istiab:

أسلم بعد أربعة فكان خامسا ثم انصرف الى بلاد قومه فأقام بها حتى قدم النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم المدينة

'He converted to Islam after four persons, hence he was the fifth, then he returned to his homeland and lived there until the Prophet ﷺ migrated to Madina'

Both of the above mentioned texts explicitly state that Hadhrat Abu Dharr (ra) returned to his tribe after embracing Islam and stayed there. Then the battles of Badr, Uhud and Khandaq took place after which he migrated to Madina.

The onus is therefore on these Nasibi to prove that Abu Dharr migrated to Abyssinia, no such evidence exists, and the entire event is a lie. Not only Sunni but Shia books likewise, do not mention any thing about his migration to Abyssinia. One only needs to consult authoritative texts such as:

Al-Tabaqat by Burqi, pg 29
Rijal Tusi, pg 32
Al-Ikmal by Khatib Tabrizi, pg 59
Mustadrakat Ilm al-Rijal by Shahroodi, v 2 pg 240
Mujam al-Rijal by Khoei, v 5, pg 138

Reply three :

The incident quotes Abu Dharr as saying that he and Jafar bin Abi Talib came to Madina together. Jafar came to Madina following the conquest of Khyber that took place in the 7th Hijra whilst Abu Dharr arrived there after the battle of trench that was fought in the 5th Hijra. The conclusion arrived at is that Abu Dharr had reached Madina long before Jafar. Abu Dharr never went to Abyssinia nor did he return from there. This serves as further proof that the tradition is a fabrication

Tradition 3 :

It is narrated on the authority of Abu Abdullah Jafar Al-Sadiq ع :

A miserable of the miserables came to Fatima, the daughter of the Messenger of Allah, and said to her: 'Did you not know that Ali proposed to marry (Khataba) the daughter of Abu Jahl ?' She said: 'Is it true what you say ?' He said three times: 'What I say is true' Jealousy entered into her (heart) to an extent she could not control, for Allah has ordained that women be jealous and that men perform Jihad, and He has made the reward of the patient (woman) similar to that of the Murabit and Muhajir in the way of Allah.He said: And Fatima’s anguish became severe and she remained thinking about it until night time…she moved to her father’s residence. Ali came to his residence and did not see Fatima and his anguish increased and became great on him, even though he did not know what happened, and he was ashamed to call her from her father’s house so he went to the Masjid and prayed as much as Allah willed, and he collected some of the sand in the Masjid and laid on it.When the Prophet saw how sad and anguished Fatima was, he poured water over himself and wore his clothes and entered the Masjid. He kept praying, making Rukoo and Sujood, and after every time he completed two Raka he made Du’a that Allah remove what Fatima had of sadness and anguish because he left her turning over and breathing heavily. When the Prophet saw that she could not sleep and could not rest he said: 'O daughter, rise !' So she rose and the Prophet carried Al-Hassan and she carried Al-Hussain and took hold of Umm Kulthoom’s hand until they reached Ali ع while he was sleeping.

The Prophet put his foot on Ali, pinched him, and said: 'Rise Abu Turab! You have disturbed many a resting person. Call for me Abu Bakr from his house and Umar from his Majlis and Talha' So Ali went and got them from their houses and they gathered around the Messenger of Allah.

The Messenger of Allah then said: 'O Ali ! Do you not know that Fatima is a piece of me and I am from her. Whoever disturbs her, disturbs me and whoever disturbs me has disturbed Allah, and whoever disturbs her after my death then as if he has disturbed her in my lifetime and whoever disturbed her in my lifetime then as if he has disturbed her after my death'

(Ibn Babveh Al Qummi’s 'Elal Al-Sharae', pg 185-186, Al-Najaf Print; also narrated in Majlisi 'Bihar' 43/201-202)

This story is not only narrated by the Shia founding father Al-Qummi, but it is also narrated by Al-Majlisi in his book Jala Al-Eoyon. There are not many scholars of the Shia considered more authoratative than Al-Qummi and Al-Majlisi, and both narrate this story

The Nasibi claims :

It was actually Ali who had angered Fatima, and consequently, the Prophet ﷺ chastised him by saying that whoever angers Fatima angers him

Reply one :

The complete chain of narration is:
Ali bin Ahmad narrated from Abu al-Abbas Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Yahya from Amro bin Abi al-Miqdam and Ziyad bin Abdullah on the authority of Abu Abdullah Jafar Al-Sadiq:

Several defects are evident in the chain of narration that renders it a useless and in fact rejected tradition. Firstly, one of the narrators Ali bin Ahmad bin Matil is unknown (Al-Mufid min Mujam al-Rijal, page 384). Secondly, a narrator Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Yahya has not been authenticated by Shia scholars, see:

Kitab Ejara, by Al-Khoei, Volume 1 page 51
Rijal ibn Dawoud, page 45
Zakhirat al-Maad, Volume 1 page 305
Sharh Arwa Wuthqa, Volume 1 page 464
Muhadrat fi Usool al-Fiqh, Volume 4 page 334

Last but not the least, FIVE narrators are missing in the chain between Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Yahya and Amro bin Abi al-Miqdam that means the chain is disconnected.

Reply Two :

The Nasibi's also employed the same type of dishonesty as was employed by their first Caliph. In their feeble attempt to protect their first caliph from the wrath mentioned in the Prophetic Hadith about Fatima Zahra (s) ie. ‘Fatima is a piece of me and I am from her. Whoever disturbs her, disturbs me and whoever disturbs me has disturbed Allah’ the author has tried to prove that these words were spoken for Imam Ali ع since He ع wanted to marry the daughter of Abu Jahal but Ibn al Hashimi did not cite the remainder of the tradition that makes it clear that Imam Ali ع did not have any such intention and it was a lie attributed to Him ع by the dishonest ancestors of Nasibi's

The tradition they cited ends in this manner:

The Messenger of Allah then said: 'O Ali ! Do you not know that Fatima is a piece of me and I am from her ? Whoever disturbs her, disturbs me and whoever disturbs me has disturbed Allah, and whoever disturbs her after my death then as if he has disturbed her in my lifetime and whoever disturbed her in my lifetime then it is as if he has disturbed her after my death.

Ali said: ‘Oh Allah’s messenger, yes’. The Prophet said: ‘Then why you did so ?’ Ali said: ‘By the one who sent you as Prophet, what you heard about me is not true and I never thought about that’ The Prophet said: ‘You have spoken the truth’. Then Fatima smiled until her smile was visible.

Reply three :

As we stated earlier, the false news about Imam Ali ع was spread by his (as) enemies. Up till now, we have proved that Imam Ali ع never had any such intention, let us also present the testimony of Imam Jafar Sadiq ع who asserted it was a baseless rumour spread by the Nawasib (hypocrites). Shaykh Saduq records in Amali, page 165:

Imam Jafar Sadiq ع said: ‘….Didn’t they claim that the Master of the believers was seeking (worldly) life and government and he preferred fitna over peace, and he shed the blood of the Muslims without basis, and if he (Ali) was carrying benefit they would not ask Khalid bin al-Walid to assassinate him ? Didn’t they claim that he (Ali) wanted to marry Abu Jahl’s daughter over Fatima and then Allah’s messenger complained of him to the Muslims on the pulpit and said: ‘Ali wants to marry the daughter of Allah’s enemy over the daughter of Allah’s Prophet, surely Fatima is part of me, whoever hurts her hurts me, whoever made her happy made me happy, whoever disturbs her disturbs me’ (Imam Jafar Sadiq ع continues) Oh Alqamah how strange are the claims of the people about Ali !’

Reply four :

At the end we should point also out that the alleged story of Imam Ali ع intending to mary the daughter of Abu Jahl is not considered authentic by the ulema of Ahle Sunnah. Modern day Sunni scholar Shaykh Hassan Saqaf in his book Majm’o Rasael al-Saqqaf, Volume 2 page 738 stated on this alleged story:

وهو حديث شاذ تكلم عليه بعض الحفاظ !! لأنه من رواية المسور بن مخرمة وكان منحرفاً عن سيدنا علي

'It is an odd tradition and some scholars reject it because it is narrated by Musawar bin Makhrama who was deviated from Sayedna Ali'

Another angle from which Sunni scholars rejected the cited story is:

ووقع في صحيح مسلم من حديثه في خطبة علي لابنه أبي جهل قال المسور سمعت النبي صلى الله عليه و سلم وأنا محتلم يخطب الناس فذكر الحديث وهو مشكل المأخذ لأن المؤرخين لم يختلفوا أن مولده كان بعد الهجرة وقصة خطبة علي كانت بعد مولد المسور بنحو من ست سنين أو سبع سنين فكيف يسمى محتلما

In Sahih Muslim recorded his (Musawar’s) tradition about Ali’s proposal to Abu Jahl’s daughter, he said: ‘I heard the prophet (s) addressing to the people while I was adult’. There is a problem in accepting the hadith because the historians never disagreed about his (Musawar’s) birth which was after the migration while the story of Ali’s proposal is about six or seven years after Musawar’s birth, thus how come he was an adult ?’

Courtesy : Shiapen