The Thirtieth Narration: ‘Umar ibn al Khattab sent a proposal to ‘Ali for his daughter…..

The Thirtieth Narration

Mustazil ibn Hussain says:

أن عمر بن الخطاب خطب إلى علي ابنته، فاعتل عليه بصغرها فقال: إني أعددتها لابن أخي جعفر، قال عمر: إني والله ما أردت بها الباءة، إني سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول كل سبب ونسب منقطع يوم القيامة إلا سببي ونسبي

‘Umar ibn al Khattab sent a proposal to ‘Ali for his daughter. He excused her citing her young age and said, “I had kept her for my brother’s son, (‘Abdullah ibn Jafar). ‘Umar said, “I intend marrying her because I heard Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam saying, ‘Every tie of kinship, and every association will be cut off on the Day of Qiyamah, except my kinship and my association.”[1]

This narration is sound even though in the chain of narrators there is Sharik who is considered weak as this hadith has been narrated by many other Sahabah radiya Llahu ‘anhum with different chain of narrations. It has also been reported that the Sahabah radiya Llahu ‘anhum congratulated ‘Umar radiya Llahu ‘anhu on this marriage of his.

Imam Ahmed has proven through this narration that Muawiyah radiya Llahu ‘anhu too is included as he was the brother in-law of Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and also shared tribal relations with him.

The daughter of ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu mentioned in this narration is Umm Kulthum as is expressly mentioned in other narrations.

Commentary and Lessons Learnt from this Narration:

The Ahlul Bayt are unique in the sense that it is only their kinship that will hold weight on the Day of Judgment. No other family relation will benefit on that day.

This narration and the following verse seem contradictory:

فَإِذَا نُفِخَ فِيْ الصُّوْرِ فَلَا أَنسَابَ بَيْنَهُمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ وَلَا يَتَسَاءَلُوْنَ

So when the Horn is blown, no relationship will there be among them that Day, nor will they ask about one another.[2]

In an attempt to reconcile between the hadith and this verse some have refuted the hadith which is not correct to say the least. Some have said that sabab and nasab as mentioned in this narration is in the meaning of the Qur’an and ahadith, whilst others have opined that the narration speaks of the people of this ummah specifically as they have a special connection with Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam.

The Sahabah radiya Llahu ‘anhum and the Khalifas understood this narration to be specific with the Ahlul Bayt which is the correct view.

Question: What then of the following narration:

ومن بطأ به عمله لم يسرع به نسبه

He who lags behind in doing good deeds, his noble lineage will not make him go ahead.[3]

Answer: This narration is general in its meaning whilst the narration of the chapter is specific.

Question: The narration of the chapter is refuted by the following statement of Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam addressing the Banu Hashim:

لا يأتيني الناس بأعمالهم وتأتوني بأنسابكم

It should not be that people come with their deeds and you come with your lineage.

Answer: This narration is not found with this wording. For arguments sake if one were to believe it to be a sound narration, it was a warning sounded by Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam and not a negation of their unique speciality. If this was the case, then the understanding of the Sahabah radiya Llahu ‘anhum and the Khalifas’ would be wrong.

Question: What would one make of the following narration:

يا بني عبد مناف لا أغني عنكم من الله شيئا

O Banu ‘Abd Manaf, I cannot avail you against Allah.[4]

Answer: This was part of a sermon delivered at the initial stages of prophethood where the Quraysh were called towards monotheism. Refusal to this call would result in Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam not being able to assist them. It is for this reason that Abu Lahab did not benefit in anyway though he was the uncle of Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. The answer is thus, whoever attests to the Islamic creed will be worthy of special treatment whilst those who do not will not be worthy of such.

The desirability of intermarrying into the Ahlul Bayt. The greats amongst the Sahabah radiya Llahu ‘anhum attained this blessing. The four rightly guided Khalifas’ had all attained this accolade.

This narration does not necessarily mean that no one from the Ahlul Bayt will be punished on their misdeeds. It is possible that Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam will intercede on their behalf after their punishment or that the mercy of Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala will envelop them after the atonement for their sins.

The Ahlul Bayt should by no means rely on this hadith whilst committing to a sinful lifestyle. Doing so will result in the fears of Ibrahim ‘alayh al Salam coming true:

وَلَا تُخْزِنِيْ يَوْمَ يُبْعَثُوْنَ

And do not disgrace me on the Day they are [all] resurrected.[5]

What disgrace can be greater than people come with good deeds whilst the Ahlul Bayt come with evil deeds on the Day of Qiyamah.

Intermarrying amongst the Ahlul Bayt is better unless the proposal is from the likes of ‘Umar radiya Llahu ‘anhu.

The honorable wives of Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam will remain as his wives in the hereafter as well as established by other ahadith. The Sahabah radiya Llahu ‘anhum and the scholars of the ummah have a consensus on this matter.

The extreme adherence to the Sunnah of Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam by ‘Umar radiya Llahu ‘anhu and his love for being included as one who married into the Ahlul Bayt even though he was elderly at the time.

Generally young girls would not be married till they had matured. However, there were most definitely exceptions to this rule.

The permissibility of taking oaths on important issues.

NEXT⇒ The Thirty First Narration

[1] Al Mukhtarah of al Imam al Maqdisi

[2] Surah al Mu’minun: 101.

[3] Sahih Muslim, Hadith: 2699.

[4] Sahih al Bukhari, Hadith: 4493.

[5] Surah al Shu’ara’: 87.

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