Fadak: Difference between revisions

'''Fadak''' (Arabic: {{ia|فدك}}) is a village in [[Hijaz]], which had lush gardens with date palm trees which was conquered by Muslims after the [[Battle of Khaybar]]. The notability of Fadak is because of the quarrel between [[Fatima (a)]] and [[Abu Bakr]] over its ownership, after the [[demise of Prophet (s)]]. After [[Abu Bakr]] reached caliphate he confiscated Fadak which was gifted to Lady Fatima (a) by the Prophet (s). The [[al-Fadakiyya Sermon]] was delivered by Lady Fatima (a) in order to complain about this incident, and Abu Bakr refused to give it back to Lady Fatima (a). For many centuries, the garden of Fadak was frequently given back to and retaken from the descendants of Lady Fatima (a). Today, Fadak is located in a city called al-Hait.

Fadak is located in Hijaz, 160 Km from [[Medina]].<ref>Ḥamawī, ''Muʿjam al-buldān'', vol. 4, p. 238.</ref> Although it is situated in the dry lands of al-Harra, it is covered with date palms and provided land for gardens and farming. In the early Islamic period, Jews resided there.<ref>Balādī, ''Muʿjam maʿālim al-ḥijāz'', vol. 2, p. 205-206; vol. 7, p. 23.</ref> The Shamrukh castle was located near Fadak, which was strategically regarded as the main military base for the Jews.<ref>Subḥānī, "Ḥawādith-i sāl-i haftum-i hijrat", p. 14.</ref> Reports state that the Jewish people were living there until the time of [[Umar b. al-Khattab]], the second caliph, who ordered them to evacuate the region.<ref>Marjānī, ''Bahjat al-nufūs'', vol. 1, p. 438.</ref>

During the emergence of [[Islam]], the fertile soil and rich water sources allowed Fadak to be rich in date palms and other gardens. As a result, Fadak was a productive and fruitful land with profitable income.<ref>Ḥamawī, ''Muʿjam al-buldān'', vol. 4, p. 238.</ref> It is said the date palms of Fadak are worth the same as date palms of [[Kufa]]-which is well-known for its extensive cultivation of date palms.<ref>Ibn Abī l-Ḥadīd, ''Sharḥ Nahj al-balāgha'', vol. 16, p. 236.</ref> When Umar b. al-Khattab decided to expel the Jews, he paid them 50 thousand Dirhams (old currency of Hijaz) for the remaining half of Fadak, which was owned by the Jews.<ref>Jawharī al-Baṣrī, ''al-Saqīfa wa Fadak'', p. 98.</ref>

After the [[Battle of Khandaq]] where Muslims defeated their opponents. The Jewish people of Fadak sent their representative to Prophet Muhammad (s) in order to negotiate and make [[peace]] with Muslims. According to their peace treaty Jews were supposed to give half of their gardens and fields of Fadak to [[Prophet (s)]].<ref>Maqrizī, ''Imtāʿ al-asmāʿ'', vol. 1, p. 325.</ref> As dictated in the [[Quran]], the properties achieved for Muslims, in which they did not fight for, are owned only by Prophet (s). Such properties are called [[fay']] which belong to Prophet Muhammad (s) and he can transfer the ownership or control of such properties to whomever he decides.<ref>Fakhr al-Rāzī, ''Mafātīḥ al-ghayb'', vol. 29, p. 506; Ṭabāṭabāyī, ''al-Mīzān'', vol. 19, p. 203.</ref> The Holy Prophet (s) would give away the income achieved from Fadak to [[Banu Hashim]], the poor, and travelers in need of support. Subsequently, he (s) gave Fadak to Lady Fatima (a). Following the [[revelation]] of the verse 26 of [[Quran 17]]{{enote|{{ia|وَآتِ ذَا القُربىٰ حَقَّهُ وَالمِسكينَ وَابنَ السَّبيلِ وَلا تُبَذِّر تَبذيرًا}}: Give the relatives their [due] right, and the needy and the traveler [as well], but do not squander wastefully. (Qur'an 17:26)}}, Prophet Muhammad (s) gave Fadak to Lady Fatima (a).<ref>ʿAyyāshī, ''Tafsīr al-ʿAyyāshī'', vol. 2, p. 287; Ḥusaynī Jalālī, ''Fadak wa l-ʿawālī'', p. 141; Qummī, ''Tafsīr al-Qummī'', vol. 2, p. 18, Ibn Abī l-Ḥadīd, ''Sharḥ Nahj al-balāgha'', vol. 16, p. 216; Suyūtī, ''al-Durr al-manthūr'', vol. 2, p. 158; vol. 5, p. 273; Qundūzī, ''Yanābīʿ al-mawadda'', p. 138, 359.</ref>

The fame of Fadak among Shi'a is due to an event which took place after the [[demise of the Prophet (s)]] in which [[Abu Bakr]] took Fadak from [[Lady Fatima (a)]] and confiscated it for the [[caliphate]].<ref>Kulaynī, ''al-Kāfī'', vol. 1, p. 543; Mufīd, ''al-Muqniʿa'', p. 289-290.</ref> Abu Bakr argued that the [[prophets]] do not leave [[inheritance]] as he had heard it from the Prophet (s).<ref>Balādhurī, ''Futūḥ al-buldān'', vol. 1, p. 40-41.</ref> But, Lady Fatima (a) mentioned that Abu Bakr's argument was against the Qur'an<ref>Majlisī Kupaʾī, ''Fadak az ghaṣb tā takhrīb'', p. 94.</ref> and took [[Imam Ali (a)]] and [[Umm Ayman]] as [[witnesse]]s that the Prophet (s) had gifted Fadak to her before his demise (and Fadak was not an inheritance). Abu Bakr accepted that and wrote a handwriting that no one should encroache on it. When Lady Fatima (a) exited the meeting, [[Umar b. al-Khattab]] saw her, took the handwriting and tore it.<ref>Ḥalabī, ''al-Sīra al-Ḥalabīyya'', vol. 3, p. 512; Kulaynī, ''al-Kāfī'', vol. 1, p. 543. </ref> As Imam Ali's (a) petition was rejected, Lady Fatima (a) went to the [[mosque]] and gave [[al-Fadakiyya sermon]].<ref>Shahīdī, ''Zindigānī-yi Fātimā-yi Zahrā'', p. 121-122.</ref>

After the [[first three caliphs]], Fadak was in the hands of caliphs during the time of [[Umayyads]] and [[Abbasids]] and only in some periods, was given to the descendants of Lady Fatima (a):  

# Rule of [[Umar b. Abd al-Aziz]]<ref>Balādhurī, ''Futūḥ al-buldān'', vol. 1, p. 41; Ibn ʿAsākir, ''Tārikh madina Damascus'', vol. 45, p. 178-179.</ref>

# Rule of [[Abu l-Abbas al-Saffah]]

# Rule of [[al-Mahdi al-Abbasi]]<ref>Majlisī Kupaʾī, ''Fadak az ghaṣb tā takhrīb'', p. 138.</ref>{{enote|however according to some accounts, [[Imam al-Kazim (a)]]'s request for Fadak was rejected by al-Mahdi al-'Abbasi.}}

When al-Ma'mun (ruled 198/813-14 – 218/833) decided to return Fadak to descendants of Lady Fatima (a), many oppositions arose. Thus, he invited two hundred of prominent scholars of his time and asked them to mention their opinions about Fadak's ownership. After the presentation of ideas, the conclusion of the meeting was that Fadak belonged to [[Lady Fatima (a)]] and needed to return to its original inheritors. The insistence of objectors made al-Ma'mun hold another meeting with more scholars from around the Islamic world. The result of this session was similar to the result of the first meeting. Therefore, in [[210]]/825-26, he wrote to the governor of [[Medina]], Qutham b. Ja'far, to return Fadak to children of Lady Fatima (a).<ref>Balādhurī, ''Futūḥ al-buldān'', vol. 1, p. 37-38; Ḥamawī, ''Muʿjam al-buldān'', vol. 4, p. 240.</ref>

Fadak is today located in Ha'it province of [[Saudi Arabia]]. According to a report (in 2008), the region of Fadak is known as "Wadi Fatima" and its palm gardens are known as "Bustan Fatima". Also, there are a mosque and wells in this area which are called "Masjid Fatima" and "Uyun Fatima".<ref>Majlisī Kūpāʾī, ''Fadak az ghaṣb tā takhrīb'', p. 248, 250.</ref> Houses and towers of this area are turned to ruins and most palm trees have died.<ref>Majlisī Kūpāʾī, ''Fadak az ghaṣb tā takhrīb'', p. 248, 278-282.</ref>

  | good article =5 September 2018