Fadak: Difference between revisions

After the event of [[Saqifa]], Abu Bakr took over the caliphate and seized Fadak as he regarded it as a state property. Then [[Lady Fatima (s)]] reacted to this event and they had a discussion about Fadak which is narrated in historical sources in different fashion. As it is narrated, Lady Fatima (s) claimed Fadak her own property, as it was a gift given by her father Prophet Muhammad (s). [[Abu Bakr]] claimed: "I have heard Prophet Muhammad (s) saying that, we, prophets, do not leave any inheritance behind and what is left is charity." Then Lady Fatima (s) responded: "Fadak was given to me as a gift by my father, Prophet (s)." So Abu Bakr asked her to prove it. According to several narrations Ali b. Abi Talib (a) and Umm Ayman approved Lady Fatima (s) was right. As a result Abu Bakr accepted their claim and documented Fadak as property of Lady Fatima (s). However, it is said after [[Umar b. Khattab]] found out about the document, he tore it to pieces.

According to other narrations, after Ali b. Abi Talib (a) and Umm Ayman came to Abu Bakr in order to provide evidence for Fadak as property of Lady Fatima (s), caliph did not accept them and refused to give it back to Lady Fatima (s). Then she went among companions of Prophet Muhammad (s) and delivered [[Al-Khutbat al-Fadakiyya]] (Sermon of Fadakiyya) in which she claimed Fadak was a gift given to her by Prophet (s), although again caliph refused to return it.

The number of witnesses who came to testify against Abu Bakr's claim are mentioned differently in sources. According to one narration [[Lady Fatima (s)]] has brought her sons, [[Al-Hasan (a)]] and [[Al-Husayn (a)]] to testify. [[Fakhr al-Razi]] believed one servant of Prophet Muhammad (s) also came to testify; [[al-Baladhuri]] mentioned the name of the servant as Ribah. Shi'a sources state Asma' bt. Umays was among the witnesses of Lady Fatima (s). It is said Prophet Muhammad (s) himself has written a letter to emphasize the fact that Fadak is property of Lady Fatima (s).

As sources mentioned, at the time of demise of Prophet Muhammad (s), Fadak was owned and managed by Lady Fatima (s), as she appointed agents and workers there. According to historians this proves Fadak was property of Lady Fatima (s).

Fadak was still seized as state property in the time of second caliph, [[Umar b. Khattab]]. Then [[Uthman]], the third caliph, gave it to [[Marwan b. Hakam]]. It also remained under the control of Marwan, in the time of caliphate of Ali b. Abi Talib (a) until the end of [[Umayyad dynasty]].

[[Al-Sayyid Muhammad Baqir al-Sadr]] in his book [[Fadak fi l-tarikh]] (Fadak in history) counts the raising of the topic of Fadak by Fatima (s) as a political move which represents opposition of Islam and belief against disbelievers and hypocrites. He believes that Fadak is a symbol of a significant goal and a full-scale revolution against the government of that time, which was founded in Saqifa by three people: [[Abu Bakr]], [[Umar b. Khattab]] and [[Abu Ubayda al-Jarrah]]. If Lady Fatima (s) was willing to reclaim Fadak as her heritage, she could have certainly brought a number of Shi'a Muslims in order to testify for her. According to the analysis presented by Baqir al-Sadr, Lady Fatima manifested her opposition to the government in 6 stages:

# A brief conversation with Abu Bakr and Umar and stating that she was angry at them when they had come to propitiate her;

[[Al-Sayyid Muhammad Baqir al-Sadr]] explained the reason why Lady Fatima (s) herself started this movement, not Ali b. Abi Talib (a): "Starting this movement by Lady Fatima (s) had two significant elements: Emotional aspect, as she was the daughter of Prophet Muhammad (s) she could remind people of Prophet's saying along with evoking public feelings; and political aspect, because if Imam Ali (a) would have started this argument, it could lead to a civil war among Muslims or an uprising against caliphate. "It seems after [[Ali b. Abi Talib (a)]] became caliph of Muslims he did not pursue Fadak, because it was a symbol of protesting and giving power to its rightful owner.

Analyzing the Sermon of Fadakiyya, [[Dr. Shahidi]] writes: "It is clear that they ignored the core of her words and dealt with it as a speech that was only delivered in achieving her inheritance. Obviously, she did deliver her sermon for taking some date palms and sheaves of wheat. A household that give away the only food they have to feed the hungry, would not cry for their stomach. She wanted to keep the tradition ([[sunna]]) and the justice alive. She feared that the thoughts of the [[Ignorance Era]], which was hidden under the cover of Islam, comes to light again; and tribal prides comes to existence. Today it is Banu Tamim's turn and tomorrow Banu 'Uday's and then Banu Umayya's, who fought Islam with all they got and embraced Islam not by heart, but only by tongue as they did not have any other option."

In a letter to [[Uthman b. Hanif]], Imam Ali (a) explained about Fadak and his judgment: "Fadak was only our property, while some people were jealous of it and some were not. God Almighty is the best Judge of all, having or not having Fadak does not change me as we all die leaving our properties behind." [[Ibn Abi l-Hadid]] in analyzing Imam's narration stated: "Imam (a) was displeased with the situation of Fadak and left it for God to judge."

Regarding historical reports, Fadak was owned by government in [[Umayyad]] era. When [[Umar b. Abd al-Aziz]] became caliph, he ordered to spend the income of Fadak on descendants of [[Prophet Muhammad (s)]], although it was still property of government.

Paying income of Fadak to descendants of Prophet Muhammad (s) by Umar b. Abd al-Aziz angered Umayyads, then he tried to justify his decision; he claimed Fadak was property of Prophet Muhammad (s): "Then his daughter, Lady Fatima (s) asked to own Fadak but Prophet refused. From the time of Prophet Muhammad (s) a part of income of Fadak was used for the needy of [[Banu Hashim]], but after years this tradition was changed. Now I am trying to give its income back to its owners."

In Abbasid era (132–232/749-847) Fadak was owned by government, but [[al-Ma'mun]] gave it back to descendants of Lady Fatima (s) in an official order. In his letter to [[Qatham b. Ja'far]], governor of [[Medina]], he stated: "I follow religion of Prophet Muhammad (s), my relative, and his [[Sunna]]; therefore, I shall follow traditions of Prophet and Give Fadak back to descendants of Lady Fatima (s)."

After al-Ma'mun, [[al-Mutawakkil]] ordered to confiscate Fadak again, afterwards Fadak was never given back to descendants of [[Ahl al-Bayt (a)]].

[[Sayyid Ja'far Shahidi]], history researcher and author, believes: al-Ma'mun's order on giving Fadak back to descendants of Ahl al-Bayt (a) was issued some days after anniversary of Prophet Muhammad's demise, and it is regarded a political strategy of al-Ma'mun. Although al-Ma'mun has done it in order to compensate the troubles descendants Ali b. Abi Talib (a) faced and more importantly to tempt feelings of Shi'a Muslims, he should have done what Umar b. Abd al-Aziz has done and only give the income of Fadak to them, not rejecting previous rulers' command. He believes the disagreement between Lady Fatima (s) and Abu Bakr on Fadak took place only to prevent later [[Ijtihad]] (diligence) against what Prophet had explicitly stipulated ([[Nass]]), because it would prevent imminent changes in Sunna of Prophet Muhammad (s) in Islamic community.