Objection 4: Report of ‘
In one of their objections, the Wahabis have mentioned:
We have numerous authentic traditional reports, which mention the
proposal of Ali (r) to Juwairiya, Abu Jahl’s daughter, which say that when
Fatima (r) was yet alive, Ali (r) sent a proposal to Abu Jahl’s daughter. When Fatima came to know about this, she was extremely
distraught and the Holy Prophet (s) also, after coming to know about it, came
to the Masjid and said: “Fatima is a part of
me; one, who has hurt her, has in fact hurt me.”
In spite of these traditional reports, why do the Shia try to use
this report as condemnation of Abu Bakr and Umar, whereas the Prophet was
himself infuriated and displeased with his son-in-law – Ali Ibne Abi Talib (a)
– may Allah honor his countenance – and he mentioned the captioned tradition?
The true source of the fiction of the marriage proposal of Amirul
Momineen (a) to Abu Jahl’s daughter, Juwairiya, is the traditional report,
which Muhammad bin Ismail Bukhari has mentioned in a number of places in his Sahih.
First, we would quote the original version and then analyze it:
That when they (caravan of Ahle Bayt) reached Medina after
returning from (captivity in Shaam with) Yazid bin Muawiyah after the martyrdom
of Husain bin Ali (may Allah bestow His Mercy upon him), Al-Miswar bin Makhrama
met him and asked, “Do you have any need you may order me to satisfy?” Ali
said, “No.” Al-Miswar asked, “Will you give me the sword of Allah’s Apostle for
I am afraid that people may take it from you by force? By Allah, if you give it
to me, they will never be able to take it till I die. [till Makhrama said in
the due course] When Ali bin Abi Talib asked for the hand of Abi Jahl’s
daughter to be his wife besides Fatima , I
heard Allah’s Apostle on his pulpit delivering a sermon in this connection
before the people, and I had then attained puberty. Allah’s Apostle said: Fatima is from me, and I am afraid she will be subjected
to trials in her religion (because of jealousy). The Prophet then mentioned one
of his sons-in-law from the tribe of Abu Shams, and praised him as a good
son-in-law, saying: Whatever he said was the truth, and he promised me and
fulfilled his promise. I do not make a legal thing illegal, nor do I make an
illegal thing legal, but by Allah, the daughter of Allah’s Apostle and the
daughter of the enemy of Allah, (i.e. Abu Jahl) can never get together (as the
wives of one man).”[1]
Bukhari has written, on another occasion in his book:
Narrated Al-Miswar bin Makhrama: Ali asked for the hand of Abu
Jahl’s daughter. Fatima heard of this and went to Allah’s Apostle saying, “Your
people think that you do not become angry for the sake of your daughters as Ali
is now going to marry Abu Jahl’s daughter. “On that Allah’s Apostle got up and
after his recitation of Tashahud. I heard him saying, “Then after! I married
one of my daughters to Abul Aas bin Rabi (the husband of Zainab, the daughter
of Prophet) before Islam and he proved truthful in whatever he said to me. No
doubt, Fatima is a part of me; I hate to see
her being troubled. By Allah, the daughter of Allah’s Apostle and the daughter
of Allah’s enemy cannot be wives of one man.” So Ali gave up that engagement.[2]
Although other traditional reports also exist in this regard in Ahle
Sunnat books of traditions, but since Bukhari is considered to be the most
important traditional book of Ahle Sunnat, we have analyzed the reports of this
book. Without any doubt, if the suggestions of these reports are clarified the
implication of the rest of them would also become clear.
Before the analysis of Bukhari, it is appropriate to state the
viewpoint of Ahle Bayt (a) regarding this fiction.
Shaykh Saduq (r) has, in his Amali, narrated from Imam
Sadiq (a) a detailed report concerning this:
Al-Qama says: I asked Imam Sadiq (a): O son of the Messenger of
Allah (s), people (Ahle Sunnat) accuse us (Shia) of committing vile acts; in
such a way that it has made us extremely distressed. Imam (a) said: O Al-Qama, man
cannot invite the attention of people and bridle their tongues. How can you
remain safe from that from which the prophets, messengers and successors had
not remained safe? Did they not accuse Yusuf of having intention to commit
fornication? Did they not say about Ayyub (a) that he was involved in those
calamities due to his sins? Did they not say about Prophet Dawood (a) that he
pursued the bird till he glanced at the wife of Uriya for a moment and became
infatuated with her; and in order to achieve his aim, he sent the husband of
that woman to the battlefront and placed him before the Ark of Covenant till he
was killed and after that he married her?... Did they not accuse the Messenger
of Allah (s) of being partial to his cousin, Ali (a) and that he spoke under
the influence of his selfish desires…and they have said more than this
regarding his successors…Did they not allege that the chief of successors, Ali
Ibne Abi Talib (a) wanted to marry Abu Jahl’s daughter while having Fatima as a
wife? And that the Prophet in the presence of Muslims ascended the pulpit and
complained about him saying: O people, Ali wants to bring the daughter of the
enemy of God upon the head of the daughter of the Messenger of Allah. Know that
Fatima is a part of me; one, who has hurt her,
has in fact hurt me and one who has pleased her has in fact pleased me and
whoever has infuriated her has in fact made me furious….[3]
All these the reports, which Ahle Sunnat have recorded,
especially in Sahih Bukhari and Muslim, are on the authority of a
person named Miswar bin Makhrama, a devotee of Abdullah bin Zubair. He was a member
of Ibne Zubair’s army. During Yazid’s attack on Holy Mecca, he shot rocks from catapults
on Yazid’s army; he was killed along with a number of people.
Abdullah bin Zubair was among the enemies of Ahle Bayt (a). So
much so that he omitted the recitation of Salawat[4],
because the Ahle Bayt (a) of the Prophet were also included in it. Balazari
writes in Ansabul Ashraf:
Among the vile acts of Abdullah Ibne Zubair was not mentioning
the name of the Messenger of Allah (s) in his sermons. When he was asked about
this, he said: Some relatives of the Messenger of Allah (s) were evil human
beings; they become arrogant, pleased and conceited by hearing his name.[5]
In order to prove the enmity of Miswar bin Makhrama to Ahle Bayt (a)
it is sufficient to say that Khawarij had very good relations with them and
they considered him as one of their own. Dhahabi has written in the biography
of Miswar bin Makhrama:
Khawarij have adopted him and they consider him as one of their
own.[6]
In the same way, he was a supporter of Muawiyah to such an extent
that whenever he heard the name of Muawiyah, he used to invoke blessing on him
(recite Durood). Dhahabi has written about this in Seer Aalamun Nubla:
I never saw Miswar hearing the name of Muawiyah without invoking
divine blessings for him.[7]
In spite of all this, is it all right to accept the reports of
this character about Ahle Bayt (a)?
It is interesting that according to Bukhari, Miswar bin Makhrama
has mentioned this in the presence of Imam Sajjad (a) when he had just returned
from Shaam and was shattered by the martyrdom of his father and brothers. At a
time when Imam Zainul Abideen (a) was in need of condolence and comforting,
would any sane person, except an enemy of Ahle Bayt (a) would permit himself to
utter these statements and break the heart of the Holy Imam (a)?
It is very interesting and remarkable to look at the condition of
Ahle Sunnat narrators on the basis of what their own scholars of science of
narrators have said.
Miswar bin Makhrama was born in 2 A.H. in Mecca and in 8 A.H. he migrated to Medina . On the other hand
they have narrated that the incident of proposing to the daughter of Abu Jahl
occurred in 8 A.H.; that was when Miswar bin Makhrama was not more than six years
of age.
Ibne Hajar Asqalani has written in Al-Isabah:
Miswar was born two years after migration (Hijrat) and he
entered Medina
after the conquest of Mecca
during the month of Zilhajj in 8 A.H. and he was not more than six years old.[8]
In the same way, there are two other points in the report of
Miswar, which if examined carefully will fully expose the falsity of this
fiction and they are as follows:
A. In the report of Bukhari. it is mentioned that Miswar says: I
heard about this incident when I had reached puberty.[9]
Now, our question is: When the age of puberty is around fifteen
years, how is it possible for a six year old boy to reach puberty?
Ibne Hajar Asqalani noted this basic difficulty, but as per his
usual habit has overlooked it and justified it in the following way that: It is
possible that ‘reaching puberty’ is in the literal sense; that is mental
maturity.
He has written concerning this in Tahdhibut Tahdhib:
There is doubt in the chain of narrators and sources of this
quotation, because there is no difference of opinion regarding the fact that
Miswar was born after migration (Hijrat) and the incident of proposing
to the daughter of Abu Jahl occurred after six or seven years after the birth
of Miswar, thus, how he could have reached sexual maturity; although it is
possible that ‘reaching puberty’ is in the literal sense, that is becoming
mentally matured.[10]
In reply it should be said:
Firstly: This justification is against rules of Arabic grammar
and general parlance and no sane person would accept this explanation;
Secondly: Supposing that ‘reaching puberty’ in the literal sense
means reaching mental puberty, even then this justification is not applicable
to Miswar bin Makhrama, because according to the report of Sahih Muslim,
when he was present in Medina, he was absolutely ignorant of the fundamentals
of religion, so much so that he did not conceal his privates from people and
even the Messenger of Allah (s); and came out without clothes. From this aspect
how is it possible to accept that he reached mental maturity at the age of six?
Miswar says:
I was carrying a heavy stone and my lower garment was loose, and
it, therefore, slipped off (so soon) that I could not place the stone (on the
ground) and carry to its proper place. Upon this the Messenger of Allah (may
peace be upon him) said: Return to your cloth (lower garment), take it (and tie
it around your waist) and do not walk naked.[11]
CONTINUED IN PART 2 ......
[1] Al-Jami
as-Sahih al-Mukhtasar (Sahih Bukhari), Vol. 3, Pg. 1132, Tr. no. 2443,
Muhammad bin Ismail Abu Abdullah Bukhari Jofi (d. 256 A.H.), Edited: Dr.
Mustafa Dibul Bagha, Daar Ibne Kathir, Yamama – Beirut, 3rd edition,
1407 – 1987.
[2] Al-Jami
as-Sahih al-Mukhtasar (Sahih Bukhari), Vol. 3, Pg. 1364, Tr. no. 3523,
Kitab Fadailus Sahaba, Chapter 16: Chapter of sons-in-law of the Holy Prophet
(s), including Abul Aas bin Rabi, Muhammad bin Ismail Abu Abdullah Bukhari Jofi
(d. 256 A.H.), Edited: Dr. Mustafa Dibul Bagha, Daar Ibne Kathir, Yamama –
Beirut, 3rd edition, 1407 – 1987.
[3] Al-Amali,
Pg. 165, Abu Ja’far Muslim bin Ali bin Husain Saduq (d. 381 A.H.), Edited and
published: Qism Darasatul Islamiya – Mausasil Batha, Markaz Taba-at wan Nashar
fee Mausasil Batha, First edition, 1417 A.H.
[4] O
God, please bless Muhammad and the progeny of Muhammad (Allaahumma S’alli A’laa
Muh’ammadinw wa Aaali Muh’ammad)
[5] Ansabul
Ashraf, Vol. 2, Pg. 418, Al-Balazari, Ahmad bin Yahya bin Jabir (d. 279
A.H.).
[6] Seer
Aalamun Nubla, Vol. 3, Pg. 391, Shamsuddin Muhammad bin Ahmad bin Uthman
al-Dhahabi, (d. 748), Mausisatur Risala, Beirut ,
1413, Ninth edition, Edited: Shuaib Arnaut, Muhammad Naeem Arqasusi.
[7] Seer
Aalamun Nubla, Vol. 3, Pg. 392, Shamsuddin Muhammad bin Ahmad bin Uthman
al-Dhahabi, Abu Abdullah, (d. 748), Mausisatur Risala, Beirut, 1413, Ninth
edition, Edited: Shuaib Arnaut, Muhammad Naeem Arqasusi.
[8] Al-Isabah
fee Tamizus Sahaba, Vol. 6, Pg. 119, Ahmad bin Ali bin Hajar Abul Fazl
Asqalani Shafei (d. 852 A.H.), Edited: Ali Muhammad Bajawi, Darul Jeel –
Beirut, First edition, 1412 – 1992.
[9] “I
heard Allah’s Apostle on his pulpit delivering a sermon in this connection
before the people, and I had then attained my age of puberty.”
[10] Tahdhibut
Tahdhib, Vol. 10, Pg. 137, Ahmad bin Ali bin Hajar Abul Fadhl Asqalani
Shafei (d. 852 A.H.), Darul Fikr, Beirut, 1404 – 1984 A.D., First edition.
[11] Sahih
Muslim, Vol. 1, Pg. 268, Tr. no. 341, Kitabul Haid, Baab Itniya Bihifzil
Awra, Muslim bin Hajjaj Abul Husain Qashiri Nishapuri (d. 261 A.H.), Edited:
Muhammad Fawad Abdul Baqi, Darul Ahya Turath Arabi, Beirut.