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A Critical Assessment of Umm Kulthum’s Marriage to Umar

Author(s): Sayyid Ali al-Husayni al-Milani

Translator(s): Jawid Akbari

www.alhassanain.org/english

This text discusses about Umm Kulthum‘s marriage to Umar ibn Al - Khattab, presenting the narrations from the most famous books authored by Sunni scholars, carefully examining the chains of the narrations, their significations, the narrators and their goals.

Miscellaneous information:

A Critical Assessment of Umm Kulthum’s Marriage to Umar Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Hussaini Milani Translated by Jawid Akbari Islamic Truths Center A Series of Theological Studies www.al - milani.com

Notice:

This version is published on behalf of www.alhassanain.org/english

The composing errors are not corrected.

Table of Contents

Prelude 9

Introduction 11

A Critical Assessment of Umm Kulthum’s Marriage to Umar 12

Section 1: The Narrators and Their Narrations 13

1. Ibn Sa’ad’s Narrations in Al - Tabaqat Al - Kubra 13

The first narration 13

The second narration 13

The third narration 14

The fourth narration 14

The fifth narration 14

The sixth narration 14

The seventh narration 15

The eighth narration 15

The ninth narration 15

The tenth narration 15

The eleventh narration 15

2. Dulabi’s Narrations in Al - Durriyat Al - Tahira 15

The first narration 15

The second narration 15

The third narration 16

The fourth narration 16

The fifth narration 17

The sixth narration 17

The seventh narration 17

The eighth narration 17

The ninth narration 17

The tenth narration 17

The eleventh narration 18

The twelfth narration 18

3. Hakim Nishaburi’s Narration in Al - Mustadrak 18

4. Bayhaqi’s Narrations in Al - Sunan Al - Kubra 19

The first narration 19

The second narration 20

5. Khatib Baghdadi’s Narrations in Tarikh Baghdad 20

6. Ibn Abd Al - Barr’s Narrations in Al - Isti’ab 21

The first narration 21

The second narration 21

The third narration 22

The fourth narration 22

7. Ibn Athir’s Narrations in Usd Al - Ghabah 22

The first narration 22

The second narration 23

8. Ibn Hajar’s Narrations in Al - Isabah 24

The first narration 24

The second narration 25

The third narration 25

The fourth narration 25

The fifth narration 25

The sixth narration 25

Notes 26

Section 2: A Study of the Chains of Transmission of the Narrations 27

The Focal Point in this Regard 27

Ahmad ibn Abdul Jabbar as Seen by Biographers 29

Yunus ibn Bukair as Seen by Biographers 29

Ibn Abi Shaybah says: He was characterized by weakness 30

Amr ibn Dinar as Seen by Biographers 30

Sufyan ibn Uyainah as Seen by Biographers 31

Waki’ bin Jarrah as Seen by Biographers 31

Ibn Juraij as Seen by Biographers 32

Ibn Abi Malikah as Seen by Biographers 32

Husham ibn Sa’ad as Seen by Biographers 32

Ibn Wahab as Seen by Biographers 33

Musa ibn Ali Lakhmi as Seen by Biographers 33

Ali ibn Rabah Lakhmi as Seen by Biographers 34

Uqbah ibn Amir Juhani as Seen by Biographers 34

Ata Khurasani as Seen by Biographers 34

Muhammad ibn Umar Waqidi as Seen by Biographers 35

Abdul Rahman ibn Zaid as Seen by Biographers 35

Zaid ibn Aslam as Seen by Biographers 36

Zubair ibn Bakkar as Seen by Biographers 36

A Study of the Chains of Transmission of Narrations about Umm Kulthum’s Marriage to Umar 37

A Study of the Authenticity of the Narrations Concerning Umm Kulthum’s Death 37

A Look at the Biography of ‘Amir Shu’abi 37

A Look at the Biography of Ammar ibn Abi Ammar 38

A Look at the Biography of Nafi’ 38

A Look at the Biography of Abdullah Al - Bahi 38

Notes 38

Section 3: The Text of the Narrations and their Significations 41

The first dimension 41

The second dimension 43

Third dimension 44

The Fourth dimension 44

The fifth dimension 45

The sixth dimension 46

The seventh dimension 46

The eighth dimension 47

The ninth dimension 47

The tenth dimension 48

Summary 49

One Question 51

Answer 51

Notes 52

Section 4: Umar’s Marriage to Umm Kulthum in Shiite Narrations 54

The first tradition 54

The second tradition 54

The third tradition 55

Final word concerning the marriage of Umm Kulthum 56

Notes 57

Summary of the Book 58

Bibliography 59

Prelude

With the prophetic mission of Prophet Muhammad (S), the seal of the prophets, the last and the most perfect divine religion was conveyed to humanity and prophethood came to an end. The religion of Islam emerged in Mecca but after twenty three years of arduous efforts made by the Messenger of Allah (S) and a handful of his loyal companions it spread all over the Arabian Peninsula.

The continuation of this divine mission was an important undertaking that was entrusted publicly on Dhul Hijja, the eighteenth, by Glorious Allah, to Ali (a.s.), the Commander of the Faithful and the first personality after the Holy Prophet (S) in the world of Islam.

With the proclamation of Hazrat Ali‘s guardianship and succession on this day, divine blessings were completed and the religion of Islam was perfected and announced as the only religion chosen by Allah. That was how unbelievers and pagans despaired of destroying Islam.

Soon after the demise of the Messenger of Allah (S), some of the companions of the Holy Prophet (S), based on their pre - hatched conspiracies, deviated from the course of guidance and leadership. They closed the gate of the city of knowledge putting Muslims in perplexity. From the very beginning of their rule, they placed the truths of Islam – that were like the shining sun – behind the dark clouds of doubt and skepticism by way of putting a ban on recording prophetic narrations, spreading fabricated narrations, casting doubts and embarking on hypocritical and deceptive tactics.

Obviously, in spite of all conspiracies hatched by the enemies of Islam, the truths of Islam and noble sayings of the Messenger of Allah (S) were promulgated by the Commander of the Faithful, Ali (a.s.), his successors and a few of his devout companions and those truths continued to flow and manifest themselves in one way or the other in the course of history. By explaining the truths, they did away with doubts, specious arguments, and wicked beliefs inculcated by the enemies of Islam, and made the truth clear to all.

In this respect, great scholars and men of knowledge such as Sheikh Mufid, Sayyid Murtadha, Khaja Nasir, Allamah Hilli, Qadhi Nurullah, Mir Hamid Hussain, Sayyid Sharafuddin, Allamah Amini etc. having been glittering like shining stars, since they are the ones who defended Islamic truths, explained the realities of the school of Ahl Al - Bayt (a.s.) and dealt with spurious arguments using their tongues and pens.

In our era, one of the outstanding scholars and researchers who has, with his eloquent pen and expressive writing, explained the truths of the religion of Islam and astutely defended the imamate and wilayah (guardianship) of the Commander of the Faithful, Ali (a.s.) is Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Husaini Milani, a great researcher.

The Islamic Truths Center is proud to take up the task of reviving the fruitful and precious works of that great researcher by reviewing, translating and publishing them in a bid to make them available to students, scientific figures and those who are in search of Islamic truths.

The book in your hand is a translation of one of his works which will now acquaint the English readers with Islamic truths. It is expected that this humble effort will earn the pleasure of the Remnant of Allah, the Imam of Time, may Allah hasten his reappearance.

Islamic Truths Center

Introduction

The purpose of writing this book is to conduct a research into the narrations or reports regarding Umar‘s marriage to Umm Kulthum, the daughter of the Commander of the Faithful, Ali, peace be upon him. This event has always been used by a group of people to deny the bitter incidents and adverse events that took place during the early period of Islam in regards to Ali bin Abi Talib and Fatima Zahra, peace be upon them. Thus, they argue as such:

If what is known as Umar‘s assault on Ali‘s house were correct and his attack led to the martyrdom of Fatima, the daughter of Holy Prophet (S), such a marriage or matrimony would not have taken place but it took place and we conclude, therefore, that the alleged events are not true and that Ali (a.s.) and Umar were in quite good terms with each other.

This study delves into the narrations regarding Umar‘s marriage to Umm Kulthum in a bid to clarify whether the foregoing argument is complete and reasonable or invalid and fruitless.

Obviously, such an argument can be complete and acceptable only when the subject around which we discuss should have existed. That is to say, it must be proved, in the first place, that the Commander of Faithful, Ali (a.s.) had a daughter by the name Umm Kulthum. Therefore, if a daughter by this name never existed, or Fatima Zahra (a.s.) did not have such a daughter – as stated by some scholars, the above argument would be incomplete and out of place.

It could be termed as a marriage between Umar and Umm Kulthum by simply pronouncing the formula of marriage contract. If the conclusion of marriage contract between those two depends on conjugal relations, this argument will again be incomplete and you will see that there is no concrete evidence to show that the two sides had conjugal relations.

Assuming that such a marriage took place, the argument would be justified only when the marriage should have taken place with complete consent and approbation. In case the marriage, as stated by the narrations of the Two Sects, has taken place under coercion, intimidation and pressure, making recourse to such an argument would then be counterproductive and it will be counted as another injustice done to the Prophet‘s progeny (a.s.).

A Critical Assessment of Umm Kulthum’s Marriage to Umar

In the name of Allah, the Compassionate the Merciful

All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the worlds. May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon our Master, Muhammad, and his pure family, and may the curse of Allah be upon all of their enemies.

Since the early Islamic centuries as of now, many inquiries and investigations have been made and answers given concerning the following narration: “The Commander of Faithful, Ali (a.s.) married his daughter to Umar b. Khattab”.

As well, books, treatises and articles have been written in this regard. For instance, Sheikh Mufid, may Allah be pleased with him, has authored two well - researched treatises in this regard, of which one has been presented in the book titled Ajwebat Al - Masail Al - Sarawiyah in reply to the tenth question and the other has been presented in Ajwebat Al - Masail Al - Hajibiyah in reply to the fifteenth question.

The present book is the result of research concerning this incident. In this study, first of all, the original narration has been cited from the most famous Sunni books whereupon their chains of transmission as well as their significations have been examined and criticized.

This study aims to examine the story, unveil and clarify the truth and finally put a stop to controversies and disputes in this regard.

And Allah is Felicitous and He is the Helper.