The dispute over Fadak marks one of the most pivotal moments in early Islamic history, reflecting the tension between the Prophet’s divinely ordained authority and the emerging political leadership after his death. From the Shia perspective, the confiscation of Fadak by the first caliph, Abu Bakr, represented both a legal injustice and a theological rupture. This paper reconstructs the Shia argument using Qur’anic evidence, authenticated Shia narrations, and a critical analysis of Sunni reports.
Abstract
The dispute over Fadak marks one of the most pivotal moments in early Islamic history, reflecting the tension between the Prophet’s divinely ordained authority and the emerging political leadership after his death. From the Shia perspective, the confiscation of Fadak by the first caliph, Abu Bakr, represented both a legal injustice and a theological rupture. This paper reconstructs the Shia argument using Qur’anic evidence, authenticated Shia narrations, and a critical analysis of Sunni reports. It demonstrates that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) granted Fadak to his daughter Fatimah al-Zahra (peace be upon her) during his lifetime, and that its later confiscation lacked any legitimate legal or religious basis.
1. Introduction
The issue of Fadak arose immediately after the passing of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family). Fatimah al-Zahra, his daughter and a member of the Ahl al-Bayt, requested the return of her property—land that her father had given her during his life. Abu Bakr, the newly appointed caliph, rejected her claim by citing single hadith:
“We, the Prophets, do not leave inheritance. What we leave behind is charity.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 4240)
For Shia scholars, this was not a simple dispute over property but a political act that marginalized the Prophet’s family and marked the beginning of their systematic exclusion from authority. It represented the first public moment when the rightful leadership (Imamate) of the Ahl al-Bayt was denied.
2. Fadak in the Qur’anic Framework
2.1. The Nature of Fadak
Fadak was land obtained peacefully, thus classified as fay’ according to the Qur’an (59:6–7). The Qur’an affirms that the Prophet had complete authority over such property:
“And whatever Allah restored to His Messenger from them—you did not spur for it any horses or camels—but Allah gives authority to His Messenger over whom He wills.” (Qur’an 59:6)
Therefore, Fadak belonged fully to the Prophet, who had the right to dispose of it as he saw fit.
2.2. The Gift to Fatimah
Numerous Shia narrations state that the Prophet gifted Fadak to Fatimah (PBUH) during his lifetime, in accordance with the divine command:
“And give to the near of kin their due.” (Qur’an 17:26)
Al-Kulayni narrates in al-Kafi (Vol. 1, p. 542) that the Prophet told his daughter:
“O Fatimah, Allah has commanded me to grant you Fadak as your property.”
Thus, her ownership of Fadak was established during the Prophet’s life—not through inheritance after his death.
3. The Claim and Its Denial
After the Prophet’s demise, Fatimah demanded that Abu Bakr return Fadak. She presented witnesses—Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib, Umm Ayman (whom the Prophet described as a woman of Paradise), and al-Hasan and al-Husayn (peace be upon them). Despite this, Abu Bakr refused her claim, repeating the hadith:
“We, the Prophets, do not leave inheritance. What we leave is charity.”
Shia scholars reject this decision for several reasons:
- It contradicts the Qur’an, which affirms that prophets do leave inheritance (19:6).
- It relies on a solitary narration, which cannot override clear Qur’anic text.
- It dismisses credible witnesses, despite Islamic law forbidding the rejection of valid testimony—especially from figures like Imam Ali (peace be upon him).
4. Theological and Ethical Dimensions
Fatimah al-Zahra’s celebrated sermon in the Mosque of Madinah—recorded in Balaghat al-Nisa and Bihar al-Anwar—was a profound defense of divine justice and Qur’anic law. She declared:
“Do you claim that we do not inherit from our father? Did Allah exclude my father alone? Or have you found a verse that abrogates where He says, ‘And Solomon inherited David’?”
Scholars such as Shaykh Mufid and Allamah Hilli regarded her eloquence as a reflection of her unparalleled knowledge and as testimony to the injustice inflicted upon the Ahl al-Bayt.
5. Critical Analysis of the Sunni Hadith
The hadith “We, the Prophets, do not leave inheritance” is deemed unreliable by Shia theologians for several reasons:
- It contradicts the Qur’an, which explicitly states that prophets inherit and are inherited from (19:6; 27:16).
- It conflicts with reason, since the Prophet himself possessed and distributed property.
- It lacks corroboration, being transmitted solely through Abu Bakr and Umar—those who directly benefited from its content.
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