Why did Lady Fatima (as) stand behind the door ? - Reply

Why did Lady Fatima (as) stand behind the door even though Imam Ali (as) was present in the house?

The argument usually put forward:

How can we believe that with the presence of Imam Ali (as) inside the house, his wife Fatima (as) will go and open the door? Why didn’t Imam Ali (as) go and open the door himself?

Answer:

First: From some narrations, we understand that Fatima (as) was sitting close to the entrance door of the house, and by seeing Umar and his followers, she (as) closed the door on them.

Al-Ayyashi and al-Mufid have narrated like many others:

“Umar said: ‘Lets us go to him (Ali (AS))’, so then Abu-Bakr, Umar, Uthman, Khalid ibn Al-Walid, Mughira ibn Shu’ba, Abu Ubaida ibn al- Jarrah, Salim Mawla Abu-Hudhayfa and Qunfudh stood up and I stood up with them. As we approached the door Fatima (AS) saw them and she closed the door in their faces and had no doubt they would not enter (the house) without her permission. Umar then kicked and broke down the door with his leg, which was made of date (tree) branches. Then they entered the house, and brought Ali (as) out while holding him by his neck...” [1]

1.Al-Ayyashi, Tafsir al-Ayyashi, vol. 2, p. 67,Al-Mufid, al-Ikhtisas, p. 186, Al-Majlesi, Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 28, p. 227

Sulaim ibn Qays narrates that:

“Then Umar reached the house of Ali (as), and Fatima (as) was sitting behind the door. She had tied a piece of cloth to her head and had lostmuch weight due to the tragic loss of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH&HF). Umar came forward and knocked on the door and cried ‘Oh Son of Abu Talib (as) [open the door]’. Fatima (as) replied: ‘O Umar! What do you want from us? Leave us with the tragedy which has fallen upon us.’ Umar said: ‘Open the door else I will set it on fire on to you!’ Fatima (as) said: ’Oh Omar, do you not fear Allah the Almighty? You want to enter my house and attack my home?” Umar declined to back off, instead he asked for fire then set the door alight till it burnt down.”[2]

2. Sulaim ibn Qays, Kitab Sulaim ibn Qays, p.864

Janabe Fatima Zahra (s.a.) - The Criterion of Truth Part 5

Continued from part 4........

The earlier discussions in this treatise clearly demonstrate that Siddiqah-e-Kubra, Janabe Fatima Zahra (s.a.) did not pledge her allegiance to Abu Bakr and when she departed from this world, she was extremely angry with both – Abu Bakr& Umar. Also as per the tradition of Bukhari, till the time that J. Zahra (s.a.) was alive, H. Ali (a.s.) too had not sworn allegiance to Abu Bakr.

Almost all the authentic books of traditions of the Shias & the AhleSunnah, mention an oft quoted tradition that anyone who dies without recognising and submitting to the Imam of the time, has died as an infidel.  The famous tradition of Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) states,

(1)

مَنْ مَاتَ بِغَیْرِ اِمَامٍ مَاتَ مِیْتَۃً جَاہِلِیَّۃ.

“The one who dies without an Imam dies the death of (the era of) ignorance” [1]

(Era of ignorance implies the period before the advent of Islam. The people living at time were idolaters and polytheists)

(2)

مَنْ مَاتَ وَ لَیْسَ فِیْ عُنُقِہٖ بَیْعَۃٌ مَاتَ مِیْتَۃً جَاہِلِیَّۃً.

“The one dies without pledging his allegiance to an Imam, dies the death of (the era of) ignorance” [2]

(3)

مَنْ خَرَجَ مِنَ الطَّاعَةِ وَ فَارَقَ الْجَمَاعَةَ فَمَاتَ مَاتَ مِيْتَةً جَاهِلِيَّة.

“The one who forsakes an Imam, leaves the society and dies later, then he has died the death of (the era of) ignorance [3]

The above traditions emphatically state that it is obligatory for every Muslim to swear his allegiance to the Imam of the time. Anyone who fails to do so will not die as a Muslim.

The previous pages make it amply clear that J. Fatima Zahra (s.a.) did not pledge her allegiance to Abu Bakr in her entire life. In fact she departed from this world without acknowledging and endorsing the caliphate of Abu Bakr.  On the other hand, there are traditions that unequivocally state that J. Zahra (s.a.) is the leader of the women of Paradise and she was the beloved of Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.). Analysing the two sets of traditions, we are confronted with three questions.

(a)      All the traditions that speak about the recognition, allegiance& obedience of Imam are false & fabricated

(b)      God forbid, god forbid, the leader of all the women of Paradise will herself not go to Paradise since her death is of ignorance (god forbid)

(c)       The caliphate of Abu Bakr is unfair and unjust while the Imamate of H. Ali (a.s.) is valid and lawful. And J. Zahra (s.a.) was subscribing to the Imamate of H. Ali (a.s.).

It is obvious that no sane and god fearing Muslim will ever accept the first two views. The same three points are also applicable to H. Ali (a.s.). If a person dies without submitting to the Imam of the time then he has died as a polytheist. Now, if a person’s death is on ignorance, then obviously his life too is of disobedience and ignorance. On the other hand, in the light of Hadees-e-Saqlain, H. Ali (a.s.) has been equated with the Holy Quran.

Janabe Fatima Zahra (s.a.) - The Criterion of Truth Part 4

Continued from part 3........

One more point

All the scholars & historians of AhleSunnah who have narrated the events of J. Fatima Zahra (s.a.)& her demand for inheritance, have also discussed the matter of H. Ali’s(a.s.) allegiance.

Ibn Qutaibah Dainoori writes in his book “Al-Imamat-o-was-Siyaasato”, vol. 1, p. 13,

“All those who did not pledge their allegiance to Abu Bakr were present in the house of H. Ali (a.s.). Abu Bakr sent Umar to arrest them. When Umar reached there, he asked them to come out of the house but they refused. Umar asked his men to collect some firewood and he placed it at the door of H.Ali (a.s.) and shouted, “I swear by the One in whose hands lies the life of Umar. Either you come out of the house or I will set it ablaze and burn you to death” Someone said from inside, “O Abu Hafs (kuniyat of Umar)! J. Zahra is in the house”. Umar replied “So what? I don’t care.”  Umar, along with his companions had reached the door of J. Zahra (s.a.). She heard their menacing voices and complained to Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) loudly,

“O my beloved father! O Messenger of Allah! After your demise, Ibn Khattab & Ibn Quhafah crushed us with calamities.”

 

When the rioters heard the voice of J. Zahra, they were taken aback and felt ashamed. They too began to cry and withdrew themselves. Only Umar (and a few of his cronies) were left standing at the door.Finally they arrested H. Ali (a.s.) and dragged him to Abu Bakr and compelled him to pay allegiance.

H. Ali (a.s.) asked, “What if I refuse?”

l          They said, “I swear by the One besides whom there is no other god! We will behead you”

l          H. Ali (a.s.) said, “In that case you have killed a servant of Allah and the brother of Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.)”

l          They said, “You may be a servant of Allah,but not the brother of Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.)”

 

All this while, Abu Bakr was a silent spectator. Umar snubbed him and said, “Why don’t you order H. Ali (a.s.) to give you allegiance?” Abu Bakr replied, “Till the time J. Fatima (s.a.) is with him I shudder to do such a thing.”  At that time, H. Ali (a.s.) turned towards the blessed grave of Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) and uttered the same words that H. Haroon had told to H. Moosa(a.s.)when the Bani Israel had turned their backs to him (H. Haroon(a.s.)) and began worshipping the cow. At that time H. Haroon told H. Moosa(a.s.)

قَالَ ابْنَ اُمَّ اِنَّ الْقَوْمَ اسْتَضْعَفُوۡنِیۡ وَکَادُوۡا یَقْتُلُوۡنَنِیۡ.

“O son of my mother! Indeed the people weakened me (i.e. rebelled against me) and it was certain that they would have killed me”[1]

WILADAT OF HAZRAT MAHDI (ATFS) MUBARAK

 Janabe Fatema Zehra (S.A.) said to Imam Husain (A.S.):

"When you were born Prophet of Islam (S.A.W.) came to me and took you in his arms and then said, ‘O Fatema! take Husein (A.S.) and know that he will be father of nine Imams and from his proge­ny will come guided Imams of whom the ninth one will be QAEM.’"

(Isbatul Huda, Vol. 2, Pg. 552) 

Janabe Fatima Zahra (s.a.) - The Criterion of Truth Part 3

Continued from part 2 .....

Now let’s pay attention to an argument mentioned in the book of Tabaqaat-e-IbnSa’ad.[1] It is written 

قَالَ جَاءَتْ فَاطِمَةُ إِلٰى أَبِيْ بَكْرٍ تَطْلُبُ مِيْرَاثَهَا وَ جَاءَ عَبَّاسُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبٍ يَطْلُبُ مِيْرَاثُهٗ وَ جَاءَ مَعَهُمَا عَلِيٌّ ؑ فَقَالَ اَبُوْ بَكْرٍ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺلَا نُوْرِثُ، مَا تَرَكْنَا صَدَقَةً فَقَالَ عَلِيٌّ: وَ وَرِثَ سُلَيْمَانُ دَاؤُدَ وَ قَالَ زَكَرِيَّا يَرِثُنِيْ وَ يَرِثُ مِنْ آلِ يَعْقُوْبَ قَالَ اَبُوْ بَكْرٍ هُوَ هٰكَذَافَقَالَ عَلِيٌّ هٰذَا كِتَابُ اللهِ يَنْطِقُ...

“J. Zahra (s.a.), accompanied by Abbas bin Abdul Muttalib& H. Ali (a.s.) went to Abu Bakr to demand her inheritance. Abu Bakr said, ‘Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) has said, ‘We do not leave behind any inheritance. Whatever we leave behind is charity” Hearing this, H.Ali(a.s.) presented the following verses of the Holy Quran as his argument.

وَوَرِثَسُلَيْمَانُدَاوُودَ

“And H. Sulaiman(a.s.) was the inheritor of H. Dawood(a.s.)[2]

يَرِثُنِيوَيَرِثُمِنْآلِيَعْقُوبَ

When H. Zakariya prayed to his Lord for a son he said “O Lord! Grant me a son who will inherit from me and inherit from the progeny of H. Yaqub” [3]