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What is attributed to Sayyidina Salman

 

The narration from Kitab Sulaim ibn Qais

 

Sulaim ibn Qais reported: I heard Salman al Farisi narrate a long story about the pledge of Abu Bakr. It was mentioned that when ‘Ali refused to pledge allegiance to Abu Bakr and ‘Umar, they sent a group to force him to pledge. The narration states:

 

فقال عمر اذهبوا فإن أذن لكم وإلا فادخلوا عليه بغير إذن فانطلقوا فاستأذنوا فقالت فاطمة عليها السلام أحرج عليكم أن تدخلوا على بيتي بغير إذن فرجعوا وثبت قنفذ الملعون فقالوا إن فاطمة قالت كذا وكذا فتحرجنا أن ندخل بيتها بغير إذن فغضب عمر وقال ما لنا وللنساء ثم أمر أناسًا حوله أن يحملوا الحطب فحملوا الحطب وحمل معهم عمر فجعلوه حول منزل علي وفاطمة وابناهما عليهم السلام ثم نادى عمر حتى أسمع عليًا وفاطمة عليهما السلام والله لتخرجن يا علي ولتبايعن خليفة رسول الله وإلا أضرمت عليك بيتك النار فقالت فاطمة عليها السلام يا عمر ما لنا ولك فقال افتحي الباب وإلا أحرقنا عليكم بيتكم فقالت يا عمر أما تتقي الله تدخل علي بيتي فأبى أن ينصرف ودعا عمر بالنار فأضرمها في الباب ثم دفعه فدخل فاستقبلته فاطمة عليها السلام وصاحت يا أبتاه يا رسول الله فرفع عمر السيف وهو في غمده فوجأ به جنبها فصرخت يا أبتاه فرفع السوط فضرب به ذراعها فنادت يا رسول الله لبئس ما خلفك أبو بكر وعمر فوثب علي عليه السلام فأخذ بتلابيبه ثم نتره فصرعه ووجأ أنفه ورقبته وهمَّ بقتله فذكر قول رسول الله وما أوصاه به فقال والذي كرم محمدًا بالنبوة يا ابن صهاك لولا كتاب من الله سبق وعهد عهده إلي رسول الله لعلمت إنك لا تدخل بيتي فأرسل عمر يستغيث فأقبل الناس حتى دخلوا الدار وثار علي عليه السلام إلى سيفه فرجع قنفذ إلى أبي بكر وهو يتخوف أن يخرج علي عليه السلام إليه بسيفه لما قد عرف من بأسه وشدته فقال أبو بكر لقنفذ ارجع فإن خرج وإلا فاقتحم عليه بيته فإن امتنع فأضرم عليهم بيتهم النار فانطلق قنفذ الملعون فاقتحم هو وأصحابه بغير إذن وثار علي عليه السلام إلى سيفه فسبقوه إليه وكاثروه وهم كثيرون فتناول بعضهم سيوفهم فكاثروه وضبطوه فألقوا في عنقه حبلًا وحالت بينهم وبينه فاطمة عليها السلام عند باب البيت فضربها قنفذ الملعون بالسوط فماتت حين ماتت وإن في عضدها كمثل الدملج من ضربته لعنه الله ولعن من بعث به وقد كان قنفذ لعنه الله ضرب فاطمة عليها السلام بالسوط حين حالت بينه وبين زوجها وأرسل إليه عمر إن حالت بينك وبينه فاطمة فاضربها فألجأها قنفذ لعنه الله إلى عضادة باب بيتها ودفعها فكسر ضلعها من جنبها فألقت جنينًا من بطنها فلم تزل صاحبة فراش حتى ماتت صلى الله عليها من ذلك شهيدة

‘Umar said, “Go, and if he allows you, enter; otherwise, enter without permission.”

They went and asked for permission, but Fatimah said, “I urge you not to enter my house without permission.”

They returned and only Qunfudh, the accursed, remained. They told ‘Umar, “Fatimah said such and such, and we are hesitant to enter her house without permission.”

‘Umar got angry and said, “What do we have to do with women?”

He then ordered people around him to carry firewood and he carried some with them, placing it around the house of ‘Ali, Fatimah, and their sons. Then ‘Umar called out, loud enough for ‘Ali and Fatimah to hear, “By Allah, O ‘Ali, you will come out and pledge allegiance to the Khalifah of the Messenger of Allah, or I will set your house on fire.”

Fatimah said, “O ‘Umar, what is the matter between us?”

He replied, “Open the door, or we will burn your house.”

She said, “O ‘Umar, do you not fear Allah in entering my house?”

He refused to leave. ‘Umar called for fire and set the door on fire, then pushed it in.

Fatimah faced him and cried out, “O my father, O Messenger of Allah!”

‘Umar raised his sword, which was in its sheath, and struck her side, causing her to scream, “O my father!” He raised his whip and struck her arm, making her call out, “O Messenger of Allah, how bad is what Abu Bakr and ‘Umar have left me with.”

‘Ali then jumped up, grabbed ‘Umar by his collar, yanked him down, and threw him to the ground. He hit his nose and neck and was about to kill him, but he remembered the words of the Messenger of Allah and what he advised him. He said, “By the One who honoured Muhammad with prophethood, O son of a black concubine, if it were not for a decree from Allah and a covenant that the Messenger of Allah made with me, you would have known that you would not enter my house.”

‘Umar called for help and people rushed until they entered the house. ‘Ali went to his sword, but Qunfudh returned to Abu Bakr, fearing that ‘Ali would come out with his sword due to his well-known courage and strength. Abu Bakr told Qunfudh, “Go back. If he comes out; otherwise break into his house. If he resists, set their house on fire.”

Qunfudh, the accursed, broke into the house with his companions without permission, and ‘Ali went for his sword, but they overpowered him and restrained him. They tied a rope around his neck, and Fatimah stood between them and him at the door of the house. Qunfudh, the accursed, struck her with a whip and she died because of it at her appointed time of death. The mark of the whip was like a bracelet on her upper arm. May Allah curse him and those who sent him. Qunfudh also pushed her against the doorpost, breaking her rib and causing her to miscarry. She remained bedridden until she died as a martyr because of this.^[1]

 

Study of the Isnad

We have previously discussed Kitab Sulaim ibn Qais and shown that it is a fabricated book that cannot be relied upon.

 

The Opinion of Imamiyyah Scholars on the Isnad

Muhammad Asif Muhsini ruled this narration as unreliable in his book Mashra’at Bihar al Anwar.^[2]

 

Discussion on the Narration’s Text

This narration contains several indications of falsehood and fabrication, including many lies and myths, some of which are based on superstition.

One of the falsehoods in this narration is that the first to pledge allegiance to Abu Bakr al Siddiq was Iblis. The text states that ‘Ali said:

 

ولكن هل تدري من أول من بايعه حين صعد المنبر قلت لا قال علي عليه السلام فإن ذلك إبليس لعنه الله

“Do you know who was the first to pledge allegiance when he ascended the pulpit?”

I said, “No.”

‘Ali ibn Abi Talib responded, “It was Iblis, may Allah curse him.”

 

The narrator of this story falsely attributed to the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam the statement:

 

يبايع الناس أبا بكر في ظلة بني ساعدة بعد تخاصمهم بحقنا وحجتنا ثم يأتون المسجد فيكون أول من يبايعه على منبري إبليس في صورة شيخ كبير مشمر

People will pledge allegiance to Abu Bakr under the shade of Banu Sa’idah after disputing our right and our proof, and then they will come to the Masjid where the first to pledge allegiance on my pulpit will be Iblis in the form of an old man with his clothes rolled up.^[3]

 

Can any rational person believe such an obvious lie? It is well-established and confirmed in authentic narrations that the first to pledge allegiance to Abu Bakr al Siddiq was ‘Umar ibn al Khattab.^[4] Moreover, the fabricator of this narration has inserted clear fabrications and obvious lies, which is why the Imami scholar Hashim Ma’ruf classified this narration among the fabricated reports in his book al Mathalib, saying:

 

ويكفي هذه الرواية عيبا أنها من مرويات سليم بن قيس

It is sufficient to dub this narration flawed as it is from the narrations of Sulaim ibn Qais.^[5]

 

Another falsehood in this narration is the claim that ‘Ali went around with Fatimah asking the Muhajirin and the Ansar for their support. The narration states that Salman said:

 

فلما أن كان الليل حمل علي عليه السلام فاطمة عليها السلام على حمار وأخذ بيدي ابنيه الحسن والحسين عليهما السلام فلم يدع أحدًا من أهل بدر من المهاجرين ولا من الأنصار إلا أتاه في منزله فذكَّرهم حقه ودعاهم إلى نصرته فما استجاب له منهم إلا أربعة وأربعون رجلًا فأمرهم أن يصبحوا بكرة محلقين رؤوسهم معهم سلاحهم ليبايعوا على الموت فأصبحوا فلم يواف منهم أحد إلا أربعة

When night fell, ‘Ali took Fatimah on a donkey and took his two sons, Hassan and Hussain, by the hand. He did not leave any of the participants of Badr among the Muhajirin and Ansar except that he visited them in their homes, reminding them of their duty and calling them to support him. Only forty-four men responded to him. He commanded them to come in the morning with their heads shaved and their weapons to pledge allegiance upon death, but only four of them came in the morning.^[6]

 

Can it be imagined that ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu would seek support from the Companions by using his wife? Is the status of ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu among the Companions lower than that of Fatimah radiya Llahu ‘anha such that he would need her to seek support? Is it appropriate for ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu to leave his protective jealousy over his wife and go around with her to the men’s houses in Madinah? We, the Ahlus Sunnah, believe that ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu is more honourable and dignified than to seek support from the Companions in such a degrading manner.

The narration also contains falsehoods that insult Fatimah and ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhuma. It claims that the attackers entered Fatimah’s house while she was without a veil. The report states that Sulaim ibn Qais said:

 

قلت لسلمان أدخلوا على فاطمة عليها السلام بغير إذن قال إي والله وما عليها من خمار

I asked Salman, “Did they enter upon Fatimah without permission?”

He replied, “Yes, by Allah, and she had no veil on.”^[7]

 

Jafar Murtada al ‘Amili quoted a poem by Muhammad ibn Mahdi al Qazwini, saying:

 

فقال إي وعزة الجبار ليس على الزهراء من خمار

لكنها لاذت وراء الباب رعاية للستر والحجاب

He said: By the honour of the Almighty, there was no veil on Zahra’,

But she took refuge behind the door, preserving modesty and covering.^[8]

 

We hold Fatimah and ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhuma to be free from such false claims. Fatimah radiya Llahu ‘anha is purer than to be seen by men without a veil, and if that had happened, ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu, known for his bravery and protectiveness over his family, would not have remained silent.

This narration contains a strange contradiction. It attributes to ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu that he rushed at ‘Umar radiya Llahu ‘anhu after he had attacked Fatimah radiya Llahu ‘anha with a sword and lashed her with a whip. Then ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu supposedly said:

 

والذي كرم محمدًا بالنبوة يا ابن صهاك لولا كتاب من الله سبق وعهد عهده إليَّ رسول الله لعلمت إنك لا تدخل بيتي

By Him who honoured Muhammad with prophethood, O son of a black concubine, if it were not for a decree from Allah that preceded and a promise from the Messenger of Allah to me, I would have known that you would not enter my house.

 

‘Ali justified his failure to defend Fatimah as being due to the Prophet’s command, but later ‘Ali repeatedly drew his sword. If the Prophet had commanded him to avoid fighting, why did he rush to his sword? Moreover, according to the narrator:

 

وثار على عليه السلام إلى سيفه فسبقوه إليه وكاثروه وهم كثيرون

‘Ali reached for his sword but they preceded him to it and overwhelmed him and they were many in number.

 

If the attackers had not reached ‘Ali’s sword first, he would have fought them. Did ‘Ali forget the Prophet’s command and then remember it shortly after?

This confusion and contradiction stems from the fabricator of this story, and ‘Ali  radiya Llahu ‘anhu is innocent of it.

Jafar al Shakhuri added another critique of this narration, asking:

 

لماذا تأخر أمير المؤمنين ع عن إنقاذ الزهراء حيث جاء في حديث سليم فأحرق الباب ثمَّ دفعه عمر فاستقبلته فاطمة ع وصاحت يا أبتاه يا رسول الله فرفع السيف وهو في غمده فوجأ به جنبها فصرخت فرفع السوط فضرب به ذراعها فصاحت يا أبتاه فوثب علي بن أبي طالب ع فأخذ بتلابيب عمر ثمَّ هزه فصرعه ووجأ أنفه ورقبته وهم بقتله فذكر قول رسول الله وما أوصى به من الصبر والطاعة كتاب سليم ص 250 حيث لا يعقل أن ينتظر أمير المؤمنين أن يكيل هذا الشخص الضربات للزهراء وهو ينظر إليه ثم بعد ذلك يتدخل وثانيًا حسب رأي المتأخرين أن المعصوم لا ينسى فكيف تقول هذه الرواية فذكر قول رسول الله

Why did the Amir al Mu’minin delay rescuing al Zahra’? The narration states that ‘Umar burned the door, then pushed it, and Fatimah confronted him, crying out, “O my father, O Messenger of Allah.” ‘Umar then drew his sword and struck her side, causing her to cry out, and then he raised his whip and struck her arm, leading her to cry out again. ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib then allegedly grabbed ‘Umar and threw him, injuring his nose and neck and threatening to kill him, yet he remembered the words of the Prophet and what he had been instructed about patience and obedience. (Kitab Sulaim, pg. 250). This implies that ‘Ali waited while ‘Umar was hitting Fatimah and then intervened. Secondly, according to the view of later scholars, the infallible does not forget. How can this narration claim that he remembered the words of the Messenger of Allah?^[9]

 

NEXT⇒ What was attributed to Sayyidina ‘Ammar ibn Yasir

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^[1]  Kitab Sulaim ibn Qais, pg. 143-153. This narration was transmitted by al Tabarsi in al Ihtijaj, 1/80 from Sulaim ibn Qais, and there are many differences between the printed version of Kitab Sulaim ibn Qais and the version in al Ihtijaj.

^[2]  Mashra’at Bihar al Anwar, 2/24.

^[3]  Kitab Sulaim ibn Qais, pg. 144.

^[4]  See Sahih al Bukhari, Hadith: 6830.

^[5]  Al Mawdu’at fi al Athar wa al Akhbar, pg. 184.

^[6]  Kitab Sulaim ibn Qais, pg. 146.

^[7]  Kitab Sulaim ibn Qais, pg. 152.

^[8]  Ma’sat al Zahra’, 2/27.

^[9]  Marja’iyyat al Marhalah wa Ghubar al Taghyir, pg. 193.