Conclusion

The position of the Imami scholars and authors
March 19, 2025
DEVOTEES OF THE QUR’AN
March 20, 2025
The position of the Imami scholars and authors
March 19, 2025
DEVOTEES OF THE QUR’AN
March 20, 2025

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Conclusion

 

After the above, it has become clear to every fair-minded person and seeker of the truth that the story of the attack on Fatimah al Zahra is a myth and fantasy. Only those with weak minds would narrate it, or those who have not contemplated its aspects properly, or those who have been forced to say it out of love[1]; and love blinds and deafens. As for the rational, fair-minded, contemplative person, he does not doubt its falsehood.[2] It is correct to say about it what has been said about its counterparts of false reports, “This is a fabricated, rejected narration and a fabricated, made-up report, which is not correct to rely on, nor is it appropriate to resort to it, and its isnad is darkness upon darkness.”[3] The details of the discussion of the origin of this report, the conditions of its narrators, and the flaws of its chains and texts have already been mentioned. The summary of the results we have reached is as follows:

  1. The report of the assault on Fatimah al Zahra’ radiya Llahu ‘anha, the breaking of her rib, and the miscarriage of her foetus, is a report that did not exist until the second century. Therefore, the researcher does not find any trace of this report in history books and hadith collections. It was not transmitted even by the accused narrators, from the peers of al Waqidi, Abu Mikhnaf, al Kalbi, and their like. Rather, it was circulated on the tongues of some extremists such as Hisham ibn al Hakam.
  2. This report transformed from a tittle-tattle story to a narration transmitted with chains in some of the Imami narrative books, starting from the middle of the fourth century. During this period, this legend began to seep into the books of beliefs and theological debates and was employed to attack the Companions radiya Llahu ‘anhum, deny the validity of the pledge of allegiance to Abu Bakr al Siddiq radiya Llahu ‘anhu, and claim that injustice had befallen the Ahlul Bayt radiya Llahu ‘anhum. Then this story was mentioned in books of supplications and visitations, until it later became one of the stories that are told in gatherings and recited on pulpits.
  3. All the reports that were narrated about the rib-breaking legend are weak, their chains are weak, and their texts are contradictory and confused. It was narrated by a group of narrators who were described by the Imami scholars of Rijal as unknown, extremists, liars, and fabricators. We did not find it supported by the narration of trustworthy people, which is what raises astonishment, as none of these reports are correct according to the standards of the Imami scholars of Rijal themselves.
  4. Most of the reports of the rib-breaking story are taken from Kitab Sulaim ibn Qais al Hilali, who narrated this incident in detail, which we did not find elsewhere. After a detailed study of this book, it became clear that it is a fabricated book, and that Sulaim ibn Qais, from whom this book is narrated and attributed, is not a real person, in addition to the distortion, forgery, fraud, additions, and subtractions that have befallen this book throughout history, coupled with the signs of lying and fabrication that are apparent from the texts of his stories. In fact, the stories of Sulaim ibn Qais about the rib-breaking myth were not transmitted in the books of the predecessors, but rather the transmission of this story from Sulaim appeared in the sixth century and after. As for the circulated version of this book, it is not reliable due to the gross inconsistencies that occurred in the handwritten copies that reached us. Even if we ignore all these defects that plagued the book, it is sufficient to know that all the chains by which Sulaim’s book is transmitted depend on one man, and he is Aban ibn Abi ‘Ayyash, who was declared weak by most of the Imami scholars of Rijal.
  5. The most important isnad relied upon by the supporters of the rib-breaking myth is the report attributed to Jafar al Sadiq rahimahu Llah in the book Dala’il al Imamah attributed to Muhammad ibn Jarir al Tabari, which is a book that is academically invalid. The truth is that its author is unknown, in addition to the fact that the isnad is not valid due to the presence of several flaws that undermine it.
  6. The supporters of this myth resorted to trying to prove its validity by sometimes claiming it is famous and by claiming that it is frequently reported; the investigation is definitely the opposite. The reports of the breaking of al Zahra’s rib are few, reported by some of the extremist Imamiyyah and narrated by a few people. So, most of it goes back to the works that can be counted on the fingers. What some of them imagine about the large number of narrations of this myth has no share of validity and what is imagined about the fame of this report is included in that. The investigation is that it does not reach the level of fame, because it is based on a few narrators, in addition to the fact that none of its chains are valid, because fame does not result in the validity of the report as al Khu’i and others have determined. When this is decided, then it is more appropriate that this report has not reached the level of tawatur.
  7. The claim that there is consensus on the rib-breaking incident is rejected due to the existence of those who disagreed with this issue, both in the past and in the present. The Imami genealogist Abu al Hassan al ‘Umari (who lived in the fifth century) stated that the story of Muhsin’s miscarriage was not proven in his sight. Moreover, presently, a group of Imami scholars, headed by Marja’ Muhammad Hussain Fadl Allah, have denied this story and thus it becomes clear that the claim of consensus has no truth.
  8. The invalidity of the rib-breaking narrations is not limited to the defects in their chains, but their texts testify to this story being false and fabricated as they contain many exaggerations and strange elements, in addition to the contradictions, conflicts, and gross inconsistencies that occurred in its details.
  9. The rib-breaking story has been denied by a large group of scholars, both in the past and in the present and from all directions and schools of thought. They ruled that this story is a lie and a myth. This is the clearest evidence that every fair-minded person, when he investigates this issue impartially, will conclude that this story is false and fabricated.

Finally, we thank Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala for His success in completing this study. There is no doubt that this research will not be free of shortcomings and errors because that is human nature. Therefore, if anyone finds any shortcomings in this research, please do not hesitate to send us your comments. In any case, whatever is correct in this research is from Allah’s success and guidance while error is from us and from Shaitan. We ask Allah for forgiveness and repent to Him and we ask Allah for continued success and guidance.

 


[1]Yajibu appears in the source whereas the accurate version is what we wrote.

[2]Muqtabas min Kalam al Khu’i ‘an Hadith Tahrif al Qur’an, al Bayan fi Tafsir al Qur’an, pg. 259.

[3]Muqtabas min Kalam Ibn ‘Abdul Hadi, al Sarim al Manki fi al Radd ‘ala al Subki, pg. 321.

BACK Return to Table of contents

 

Conclusion

 

After the above, it has become clear to every fair-minded person and seeker of the truth that the story of the attack on Fatimah al Zahra is a myth and fantasy. Only those with weak minds would narrate it, or those who have not contemplated its aspects properly, or those who have been forced to say it out of love[1]; and love blinds and deafens. As for the rational, fair-minded, contemplative person, he does not doubt its falsehood.[2] It is correct to say about it what has been said about its counterparts of false reports, “This is a fabricated, rejected narration and a fabricated, made-up report, which is not correct to rely on, nor is it appropriate to resort to it, and its isnad is darkness upon darkness.”[3] The details of the discussion of the origin of this report, the conditions of its narrators, and the flaws of its chains and texts have already been mentioned. The summary of the results we have reached is as follows:

  1. The report of the assault on Fatimah al Zahra’ radiya Llahu ‘anha, the breaking of her rib, and the miscarriage of her foetus, is a report that did not exist until the second century. Therefore, the researcher does not find any trace of this report in history books and hadith collections. It was not transmitted even by the accused narrators, from the peers of al Waqidi, Abu Mikhnaf, al Kalbi, and their like. Rather, it was circulated on the tongues of some extremists such as Hisham ibn al Hakam.
  2. This report transformed from a tittle-tattle story to a narration transmitted with chains in some of the Imami narrative books, starting from the middle of the fourth century. During this period, this legend began to seep into the books of beliefs and theological debates and was employed to attack the Companions radiya Llahu ‘anhum, deny the validity of the pledge of allegiance to Abu Bakr al Siddiq radiya Llahu ‘anhu, and claim that injustice had befallen the Ahlul Bayt radiya Llahu ‘anhum. Then this story was mentioned in books of supplications and visitations, until it later became one of the stories that are told in gatherings and recited on pulpits.
  3. All the reports that were narrated about the rib-breaking legend are weak, their chains are weak, and their texts are contradictory and confused. It was narrated by a group of narrators who were described by the Imami scholars of Rijal as unknown, extremists, liars, and fabricators. We did not find it supported by the narration of trustworthy people, which is what raises astonishment, as none of these reports are correct according to the standards of the Imami scholars of Rijal themselves.
  4. Most of the reports of the rib-breaking story are taken from Kitab Sulaim ibn Qais al Hilali, who narrated this incident in detail, which we did not find elsewhere. After a detailed study of this book, it became clear that it is a fabricated book, and that Sulaim ibn Qais, from whom this book is narrated and attributed, is not a real person, in addition to the distortion, forgery, fraud, additions, and subtractions that have befallen this book throughout history, coupled with the signs of lying and fabrication that are apparent from the texts of his stories. In fact, the stories of Sulaim ibn Qais about the rib-breaking myth were not transmitted in the books of the predecessors, but rather the transmission of this story from Sulaim appeared in the sixth century and after. As for the circulated version of this book, it is not reliable due to the gross inconsistencies that occurred in the handwritten copies that reached us. Even if we ignore all these defects that plagued the book, it is sufficient to know that all the chains by which Sulaim’s book is transmitted depend on one man, and he is Aban ibn Abi ‘Ayyash, who was declared weak by most of the Imami scholars of Rijal.
  5. The most important isnad relied upon by the supporters of the rib-breaking myth is the report attributed to Jafar al Sadiq rahimahu Llah in the book Dala’il al Imamah attributed to Muhammad ibn Jarir al Tabari, which is a book that is academically invalid. The truth is that its author is unknown, in addition to the fact that the isnad is not valid due to the presence of several flaws that undermine it.
  6. The supporters of this myth resorted to trying to prove its validity by sometimes claiming it is famous and by claiming that it is frequently reported; the investigation is definitely the opposite. The reports of the breaking of al Zahra’s rib are few, reported by some of the extremist Imamiyyah and narrated by a few people. So, most of it goes back to the works that can be counted on the fingers. What some of them imagine about the large number of narrations of this myth has no share of validity and what is imagined about the fame of this report is included in that. The investigation is that it does not reach the level of fame, because it is based on a few narrators, in addition to the fact that none of its chains are valid, because fame does not result in the validity of the report as al Khu’i and others have determined. When this is decided, then it is more appropriate that this report has not reached the level of tawatur.
  7. The claim that there is consensus on the rib-breaking incident is rejected due to the existence of those who disagreed with this issue, both in the past and in the present. The Imami genealogist Abu al Hassan al ‘Umari (who lived in the fifth century) stated that the story of Muhsin’s miscarriage was not proven in his sight. Moreover, presently, a group of Imami scholars, headed by Marja’ Muhammad Hussain Fadl Allah, have denied this story and thus it becomes clear that the claim of consensus has no truth.
  8. The invalidity of the rib-breaking narrations is not limited to the defects in their chains, but their texts testify to this story being false and fabricated as they contain many exaggerations and strange elements, in addition to the contradictions, conflicts, and gross inconsistencies that occurred in its details.
  9. The rib-breaking story has been denied by a large group of scholars, both in the past and in the present and from all directions and schools of thought. They ruled that this story is a lie and a myth. This is the clearest evidence that every fair-minded person, when he investigates this issue impartially, will conclude that this story is false and fabricated.

Finally, we thank Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala for His success in completing this study. There is no doubt that this research will not be free of shortcomings and errors because that is human nature. Therefore, if anyone finds any shortcomings in this research, please do not hesitate to send us your comments. In any case, whatever is correct in this research is from Allah’s success and guidance while error is from us and from Shaitan. We ask Allah for forgiveness and repent to Him and we ask Allah for continued success and guidance.

 


[1]Yajibu appears in the source whereas the accurate version is what we wrote.

[2]Muqtabas min Kalam al Khu’i ‘an Hadith Tahrif al Qur’an, al Bayan fi Tafsir al Qur’an, pg. 259.

[3]Muqtabas min Kalam Ibn ‘Abdul Hadi, al Sarim al Manki fi al Radd ‘ala al Subki, pg. 321.