Author: Hazrat Mawlana M. Nafi Mohammadi Translator: Sayyed Musleh Uddin
The Four Beloved Daughters of the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) [Part One]
Abstract:
Some friends and loved ones have a habit of going to extremes in their friendship and enmity with others, while both are wrong. Some people have adopted such a method regarding the daughters of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH). Among the four daughters of the Prophet (PBUH), they only accept Fatima Zahra (MABH) as the Prophet’s daughter, denying the lineage of the other daughters from the Prophet and excluding them from the family of the Messenger of Allah. They believe that these daughters are adopted daughters of the Prophet (PBUH), unaware of the fact that Allah Almighty says: «ادْعُوهُمْ لِآبَائِهِمْ هُوَ أَقْسَطُ عِندَ اللَّهِ»؛” Translation: Call them by [the names of] their fathers; that is more just in the sight of Allah.” [1]
That is, from now on, do not call your adopted children by your names; rather, call them by their fathers’ names, because this is more just in the sight of Allah. As is evident, this divine command is general and has been revealed for all men and women. The Messenger of Allah (PBUH), as the executor and legislator of the religion, must be the first to implement this divine command and apply it in his personal life. In the first step, he changed the title of Zaid bin Muhammad to Zaid bin Haritha and introduced Ruqayyah and Umm Kulthum as Ruqayyah bint Muhammad and Umm Kulthum bint Muhammad so that everyone could be known by their true lineage and avoid relative confusion of lineage. If, Allah forbid, Ruqayyah and Umm Kulthum (may Allah be pleased with them) were not the daughters of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) and continued to be called by this name, the divine command would be violated, and the divine law would be broken, while such a thing is impossible for the Messenger of Allah (PBUH).
Of course, we cannot ignore the problems of the present era, because on the one hand, religious programs have declined and maintaining faith has become very difficult in such circumstances. On the other hand, the clear issues of Islam and religious rituals have been distorted and subjected to innovation (bid’ah). Important Islamic beliefs are audaciously subjected to change and alteration, and the descendants of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) are subjected to the most vile insults and reproaches, and no disrespect is spared in their regard, which itself leads to the desecration of the Prophet’s family. The situation demanded that religious scholars roll up their sleeves and explain a part of the biography of the daughters of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) to the seekers of truth and the path of guidance, so that the path of guidance would be clear to those who pursue it, and truth would be distinguished from falsehood, and lies from honesty for everyone.
Introduction:
Allah Almighty has placed special importance on the correctness of lineage and precise emphasis on it in His Holy Book. In the era of ignorance (Jahiliyyah), it was customary for adopted sons to be attributed to the person with whom they lived instead of their fathers. The sacred law of Islam vehemently fought against this incorrect custom and introduced it as contrary to human nature.
Islam completely rejected all incorrect customs with complete determination and attached special importance to the correctness and proof of individuals’ lineage, and declared it one of the most necessary and important instructions and natural matters. A wise and intelligent person would never allow himself to gain honor and glory by attributing himself to another person.
Allah Almighty says explicitly: «ادْعُوهُمْ لِآبَائِهِمْ هُوَ أَقْسَطُ عِندَ اللَّهِ». “Call them by [the names of] their fathers; that is more just in the sight of Allah.” [2]
The aforementioned instruction contains a collection of wisdoms, of which the purity of lineage and the chain of individuals can be considered a small example. This ruling was not only specific to men, but also included women; because the purity of lineage and the lack of mixing in it also adds to the honor and dignity of a woman’s family.
Arabs were very sensitive about tribal matters, and their lineage, tribe, and region were very important to them.
The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: «مَنْ ادَّعَى إِلَى غَيْرِ أَبِيهِ وَ هُوَ يَعْلَمُ أَنَّهُ غَيْرُ أَبِيهِ فَالْجَنَّةُ عَلَيْهِ حرام». And in another place, he said: «مَنْ ادَّعَى إِلَى غَيْرِ أَبِيهِ أَوْ انْتَمَى إِلَى غَيْر مَوَالِيهِ فَعَلَيْه لَعْنَةُ اللَّهِ الْمُتَتَابِعَةُ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ» Translation: He added, “Whoever knowingly attributes himself to someone other than his father, Paradise is forbidden to him, and he will never enter Paradise, and upon him will be an everlasting curse until the Day of Judgment.” [3] [4]
This transformative psychological impact of Islam was so pervasive and significant that the adopted son of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH), who was previously known as Zayd ibn Muhammad before the revelation of this verse, now had his name changed to Zayd ibn Harithah, and no one had the right to call him Zayd ibn Muhammad. Indeed, this is the most sensible course of action and way to preserve tribal and familial relationships and to uphold kinship ties. If people do not know their own tribe and family and do not trust in maintaining their sanctity, then kinship ties will have no meaning.
Considering such an important matter, knowledge of lineage and genealogy becomes very important. The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) also says, in consideration of this matter: «تَعَلَّمُوا مِنْ أَنْسَابِكُمْ مَا تَصِلُونَ بِهِ أَرْحَامَكُمْ فَإِنَّ صِلَةَ الرَّحِم مَحَبَّةٌ فِى الْأَهْل مَثرَاةٌ فِى الْمَال مَنْسَأَةٌ فِي الْأَثَر» Translation: “Learn your genealogies so that you may maintain your kinship ties, for maintaining kinship ties is a source of love among relatives, increases wealth, and leaves a lasting impact.”[5]
The Ahl al-Bayt (the family of the Prophet) of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) were nurtured under the life-giving laws of Islam, and these teachings reached the daughters of the Prophet, namely Hazrat Zainab, Ruqayyah, and Umm Kulthum. They understood that the law of preserving lineage and respecting it is a general law that applies to all Muslims, including the Ahl al-Bayt of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH). There is no law for them separate from the general law of Muslims, and history has not ordained a different ruling for them. It is impossible for the daughters of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) to be from someone else and still be recognized as the daughters of the Messenger of Allah, simply because of the kindness and compassion of the Messenger of Allah towards them. If the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) does not act upon the Quran and its commands, then who should act upon it?
Another question is: if after the revelation of the verse «ادْعُوهُمْ لِآبَائِهِمْ» “Call them by [the names of] their fathers” the connection of Hazrat Zaid to the Messenger of Allah is severed, and he becomes known as Zaid bin Haritha, how can we justify the continued attribution of these daughters to the Messenger of Allah and their remaining in the same state as before the revelation of the verse? Therefore, considering the clear guidance of the Quran and Hadith, it is impossible for the wives of the Prophet (PBUH) and the esteemed Sahaba of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) to call his adopted daughters his daughters after the revelation of this verse, and for the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) himself, as a preacher and executor of religion and Sharia, to act contrary to his own words.
Therefore, it can be stated as a definite and certain truth that these three noble women (Zainab, Ruqayyah, Umm Kulthum) were the biological daughters of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH), and it is impossible for someone to be called the daughter of someone in the Hereafter when their lineage in this world has been established for someone other than that person. Such an action did not occur in the family of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH).
Hazrat Abu Darda (MABH) said: The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: «إِنَّكُمْ تُدْعَوْنَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ بِأَسْمَائِكُمْ وَأَسْمَاءِ آبَائِكُمْ فَأَحْسِنُوا أَسْمَاءَكُمْ» Translation: “Indeed, you will be called on the Day of Judgment by your names and the names of your fathers, so choose good names for yourselves!”[6]
According to narrations, the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) expressed his family honor with special pride. This honor, although considered a kind of exclusive honor for those with virtue and greatness, is also a sign of tribal greatness and majesty for all relatives and kin, and its honors extend to each individual of the tribe. Expressing family and ancestral virtues is correct and commendable, provided that the aim is not to humiliate others or engage in mere self-praise. As the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: «أنا أنفَسُكَم نَسَباً و صهراً و حَسَباً لَيسَ فِي آبَائِي مِن لَّدُن آدَمَ سِفَاحٌ كُلُّنَا نِكَاحٌ» Translation: “I am the purest of you in lineage, relationship through marriage, and family nobility. There is no fornication in my ancestors from Adam onwards; all of us are from marriage.” [7]
Now, the judgment is yours. In such an environment and with such a background, how is it possible that the familial lineage of the daughters of the Messenger of Allah, (PBUH), remains shrouded in ambiguity, and it is not clear whether these daughters are his real daughters or his adopted daughters? How is it possible that after years have passed since the death of the Messenger of Allah, (PBUH), no one can say with certainty whether these are the daughters of the Prophet, (PBUH), or not? Whereas the circumstances of the Messenger of Allah, PBUH, as a role model and perfect example, should have been examined more closely and reliably so that such ambiguity would not arise in his life.
Considering the aforementioned evidence, we conclude that since the Messenger of Allah, (PBUH), did not allow his adopted son (Hazrat Zaid, MABH) to be called Zaid ibn Muhammad after the revelation of the Quranic verse, he certainly would not have allowed his adopted daughters (according to some) to be named after him. If such a thing were true, it would have been announced clearly and explicitly, just like the story of Hazrat Zaid, (MABH). Therefore, the absence of such a thing is itself evidence of the incorrectness of this claim.
Continues…
Next Part
[1] – Surah Al-Ahzab/ Verse: 5.
[2] – Surah Al-Ahzab/ Verse: 5.
[3] – Sahih Bukhari/ Chapter: Regarding one who claims lineage to someone other than his father/ Hadith Number: 6269.
[4] – Sunan Abi Dawood/ Chapter: Regarding a man who claims affiliation to other than his patrons/ Hadith Number: 4451.
[5] – Jami` at-Tirmidhi/ Chapter: What has been related about learning genealogy/ Hadith Number: 1902.
[6] – Narrated by Abu Dawood in Taghyir al-Asma (Changing Names)/ Hadith Number: 4297.
[7] – Al-Zarqani Sharh al-Mawahib/ Vol. 10 / p. 67.
