The story of Fadak in the time of Imam Ali

According to the Shiite narrations, after Hazrat Zahra (may God be well pleased with her) gave a sermon and came back from the mosque, she complained Hazrat Ali '' you have sat at home like fetus and they are usurping our rights''. You believe that Fateme Zahra is innocent, but why did Amir Momenan (peace be upon him) as an innocent person fight with another innocent person?

The origin of the narration:

فَلَمَّا اسْتَقَرَّتْ بِهَا الدَّارُ، قَالَتْ لِأَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَعليه السلام يَا ابْنَ أَبِي طَالِبٍ عَلَيْكَ السَّلامُ اشْتَمَلْتَ شَمْلَةَ الْجَنِينِ، وَقَعَدْتَ حُجْرَةَ الظَّنِينِ، نَقَضْتَ قَادِمَةَ الْأَجْدَلِ، فَخَانَكَ رِيشُ الْأَعْزَلِ، هَذَا ابْنُ أَبِي قُحَافَةَ يَبْتَزُّنِي نَحِيلَةَ أَبِي وَبُلْغَةَ ابْنَيَّ، لَقَدْ أَجْهَرَ فِي خِصَامِي، وَأَلْفَيْتُهُ أَلَدَّ فِي كَلامِي، حَتَّى حَبَسَتْنِي قَيْلَةٌ نَصْرَهَا، وَالْمُهَاجِرَةُ وَصْلَهَا، وَغَضَّتِ الْجَمَاعَةُ دُونِي طَرْفَهَا، فَلا دَافِعَ وَلا مَانِعَ، خَرَجْتُ كَاظِمَةً، وَعُدْتُ رَاغِمَةً، أَضْرَعْتَ خَدَّكَ يَوْمَ أَضَعْتَ حَدَّكَ، افْتَرَسَتِ الذِّئَابُ وَافْتَرَشْتَ التُّرَابَ، مَا كَفَفْتَ قَائِلًا، وَلا أَغْنَيْتَ بَاطِلًا، وَلا خِيَارَ لِي، لَيْتَنِي مِتُّ قَبْلَ هَنِيئَتِي [هَيْنَتِي‏]، وَدُونَ زَلَّتِي، عَذِيرِي اللَّهُ مِنْكَ عَادِياً، وَمِنْكَ حَامِياً، وَيْلايَ فِي كُلِّ شَارِقٍ، مَاتَ الْعَمَدُ، وَوَهَتِ [وَهَنَتِ‏] الْعَضُدُ، شَكْوَايَ إِلَى أَبِي، وَعَدْوَايَ إِلَى رَبِّي، اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ أَشَدُّ قُوَّةً وَحَوْلًا، وَأَحَدُّ بَأْساً وَتَنْكِيلًا.
After Hazrat Zahra came back, he bade to Amir Momenan (peace be upon him) '' O' the son of Abu Taleb! Say hello to you; you have sat on the corner of the house like a fetus that has accumulated in the stomach of the mother and has sat on your knees and heels and you have sat on the corner of the house like accused and suspicious persons. You were a person that beat the wings of , but now the unarmed persons have betrayed you. The son of Abi Ghahafe (Abu Bakr) robbed the gift of my father and the means of my easy life. He tried to have animosity with me and when I had a conversation with him, I found him the worst and the most stubborn enemy until the supporters refused to help me, the migrants ignored their relationship with me and this group in the mosque closed their eyes in order not to see me. There was no one to defend me and no one prevented from tyranny. I came back to the mosque when i had a lump in my throat and I had covered my grief in my inner and I came back to the house when I was humiliated( because of lack of the support of the Muslims). One day you spoilt the sharpness of your sword and you made yourself degraded. One day you killed wolves and today you have considered dirt as your carpet and you have sat on the corner of the house and you never prevent any tellers against you. Moreover, you never do useful actions to suppress riots and I have no choice. I wish I had died before I saw this stagnation and aloofness and I wish I had died before I became humiliated. God excuses you on behalf of me you prevented from tyrannies for me in some cases and you supported me in some cases. Woe is me in each morning and woe is me in each night because our support and man has weakened. I express my complaint to my father and my health to my God and his torture and retribution from others will be stronger.
Al-Tabarsi, Abi Mansur Ahmad Ibn Ali IbnAbiTaleb (died in 548 Hejira) Al-Ehtejaj v 1 p 145; researched by: al-Sayed Muhammad Bagher Al-Khorasan; published by: Dar Al-Neaman; Najaf; 1386 Hejira; 1966
-IbnShahrAshub, Rashid Al-Din Abdullah Muhammad Ibn Ali Al-Seravi Al-Mazandarani (died in 588 Hejira) Managheb Al AbiTaleb; v 2 p 50; researched by: Min Asateze; Najaf; published by: Al-Heidarie; 1376 Hejira; 1956

Criticism and analysis

In addition to morsal of this narration, Alame Majlesi ( may he reside in God's paradise) and other Shiite scientists have answered this doubt which we will mention some of them briefly:

The clarification of ugliness of the deeds of Abu Bakr

Alame Majlesi (may he reside in God's paradise) (1111A.H.) has said this doubt in this way in book '' Sharif Bahar Al-Anvar''
فأقول: يمكن أن يجاب عنه: بأن هذه الكلمات صدرت منها عليها السلام لبعض المصالح، ولم تكن واقعا منكرة لما فعله، بل كانت راضية، وإنما كان غرضها أن يتبين للناس قبح أعمالهم وشناعة أفعالهم، وأن سكوتهعليه السلام ليس لرضاه بما أتوا به. ومثل هذا كثيرا ما يقع في العادات والمحاورات، كما أن ملكا يعاتب بعض خواصه في أمر بعض الرعايا، مع علمه ببراءته من جنايتهم، ليظهر لهم عظم جرمهم، وأنه مما استوجب به أخص الناس بالملك منه المعاتبة. ونظير ذلك ما فعله موسى عليه السلام لما رجع إلى قومه غضبان أسفا، من إلقائه الألواح، وأخذه برأس أخيه يجره إليه، ولم يكن غرضه الانكار على هارون، بل أراد بذلك أن يعرف القوم عظم جنايتهم، وشدة جرمهم، كما مر الكلام فيه.

Hazrat Zahra (peace be upon her) wanted to depict ugly deeds of the government usurpers and the tyrannies they committed. In fact, the harshness of Hazrat Zahra was due to this tact because sometimes, when a person wanted to make a person understand the greatness of a matter, he addresses and criticizes him whereas they never want to express harshness toward that person. This is so common in discourses. For example, when a king or a ruler of a country sees people committing crimes, he criticizes some agents in order to show the importance of their crime although he knows that he has no fault. However, criticizing them, he wants to depict the importance and greatness of their ugly action.
Another example: when Hazrat Musa came back from Tur Mountain and he saw that Bani Israeil became worshiper of calf, he admonished and reprimanded Harv Nalie Al-Salam and then he pulled his beard and said '' what the hell did you do? Harun answered
يَابْنَ أُمّ، لاتَأْخُذْ بِلِحْيَتى وَلابِرَأْسى إنّى خَشيتُ اَنْ تَقُولَ فَرَّقْتَ بَيْن بَنِى اسرائيلَ ولَمْ تَرْقُبْ قَوْلى...
O son of my mother! Seize (me) not by my beard nor by (the hair of) my head! Truly I feared lest thou shouldst say, ´Thou has caused a division among the children of Israel, and thou didst not respect my word! (Ta-Ha/ verse 94)
Hazart Fateme (peace be upon her) wanted to reflect the greatness of done tyranny; therefore, he talks in this way in order make the people of that time and the history understand what tyrannies happened for Ahle Beit ( peace be upon them) .
Al-Majlesi, Muhammad Bagher (died in 1111 Hejira) Behar Al-Anvar v 29 p 234; researched by: Muhammad Bagher Al-Nehbudi; published by: Al-Vafa Institute; Beirut; Lebanon; second edition; 1403 Hejira; 1983
Hence, no fight has been seen, but it demonstrates the highest point of excitement of the dear daughter of the messenger of God (peace of Allah be upon him and his descendants) in the tyrannies. On the other hand, this way has been used in order to record it in the history, to mislead the enemies and to inform human about what happened in the future.

2) Proving the usurp of her personal rights:

Hazrat Sedighe Tahere (peace be upon her) bade to Hazrat Amir (peace be upon him) about this matter
هَذَا ابْنُ أَبِي قُحَافَةَ يَبْتَزُّنِي نَحِيلَةَ أَبِي وَبُلْغَةَ ابْنَيَّ.
Abu Bakr robbed the gift of my father and the means of easy life of my children
She referred to three basic points in this sentence

a)Fadak, the gift of the prophet (peace of Allah be upon him and his descendants)

This sentence proves that Fadak was the gift of the prophet (peace of Allah be upon him and his descendants) to Hazrat Fateme Zahra and the great Sunni scientists, such as Tabari (died in 310 A.H.) and Zehbi (died in 748 A.H.)) have also said clearly that Fadak was the personal estate of the prophet ( peace of Allah be upon him and his descendants) that was granted to Hazrat Fateme ( peace be upon her)
فكانت خيبر فيئا للمسلمين وكانت فدك خالصة لرسول الله لأنهم لم يجلبوا عليها بخيل ولا ركاب.
Khabir belonged to all of the Muslims, but Fadak was for the messenger of God (peace of Allah be upon him and his descendants) because it was not gained by military expedition.
Al-Tabari, AbiJafar Muhammad IbnJarir (died in 310 Hejira) History of Tabari v 2 p 138; published by: Dar Al-Kotob Al-Elmie; Beirut
-Al-Zahabi, Shams Al-Din Muhammad Ibn Ahmad Ibn Osman (Died in 748 Hejira), History of Islam and Vafiat Al-Mashahir and Alam; v 2 p 422; researched by: D. Umar Abd Al-Salam Tadmeri; researched by: Dar Al-Ketab Al-Arabi; Lebnon; Beirut; first edition;; 1407 Hejira; 1987
Jalal Al-Din Siuti (died in 911 A.H.)Has written
وأخرج البزار وأبو يعلى وابن أبي حاتم وابن مردويه عن أبي سعيد الخدري رضي الله عنه قال: لما نزلت هذه الآية «وآت ذا القربى حقه» دعا رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فاطمة فأعطاها فدك.

Yala, Ebn Abi Hatem and Ebn Mardudie have narrated from Abu Saeid Bazar ,
Khodri '' when verse
«وآت ذا القربى حقه»
Was descended, the messenger of God (peace of Allah be upon him and his descendants) called Fateme and he granted Fadak to him.
Al-Souti, Abd Al-RahamanIbnAbiBakr Jalal Al-Din (Died in 911 Hejira) Al-Dor Al-Mansur v 5 p 273; published by: Dar Al-Fekr; Beirut; 1993

b) Fadak, only place for the children of Hazrat Fateme (peace be upon her) to make money

demonstrates that Fadak was only place for the family of Harat «وَبُلْغَةَ ابْنَيَّ»
Fateme to make money. Amir Momenan (peace be upon him) bade in a letter that he wrote to Usman Ben Hanif
بَلَى كَانَتْ فِي أَيْدِينَا فَدَكٌ مِنْ كُلِّ مَا أَظَلَّتْهُ السَّمَاءُ فَشَحَّتْ عَلَيْهَا نُفُوسُ قَوْمٍ وَسَخَتْ عَنْهَا نُفُوسُ قَوْمٍ آخَرِينَ وَنِعْمَ الْحَكَمُ اللَّهُ.
Fadak was only our property on the earth. Some of people were greedy about it and other people ignored it generously. God is the best judge.
Nahj Al-Balaghe, SobhiSaleh; letter no 45
-Ibn Hamdun, Muhammad Ibn Al-Hassan Ibn Muhammad Ibn Ali (Died in 608 Hejira) Al-Tazakarat Al-Hamdunie v 1 p 99; researched by: Ehsan Abbas; Bakr Abbas; published by: Dar Sader; Beirut; first edition; 1996

c) Abu Bakr , the usurper of Hazrat Fateme 's rights:
«هَذَا ابْنُ أَبِي قُحَافَةَ يَبْتَزُّنِي»

Demonstrate that Abu Bakr usurped the rights of Hazrat Fateme (peace be upon her)
Yaghut Hamavi (died in 262 A.H.) has written in book '' Majam Al-Beldan'' after narrating the geography of Fadak
وهي التي قالت فاطمة رضي الله عنها: إن رسول اللَه صلي الله عليه وسلم نحلنيها.
Hazrat Fateme (peace be upon her) said about Fadak '' the prophet (peace of Allah be upon him and his descendants) granted it to me''.
Al-Hamavi, Abu Abdullah YaghootIbn Abdullah (died in 626 Hejira) Mojam Al-Boldan; v 4 p 238; published by: Dar Al-Fekr; Beirut
Ebn Shobbe (died in 262 A.H.) narrated from Namiri, the child of Ehsan, in book '' the history of Medina'' that he said to Zeid Ben Ali
وأنا أريد أن أُهَجِّنَ أمر أبي بكر إن أبا بكر رضي الله عنه انتزع من فاطمة رضي الله عنها فدك... فأتته فاطمة رضي الله عنها فقالت إن رسول الله أعطاني فدك فقال لها هل لك على هذا بينة فجاءت بعلي رضي الله عنه فشهد لها ثم جاءت بأم أيمن فقالت أليس تشهد أني من أهل الجنة قال بلى، قالت فأشهد أن النبي أعطاها فدك فقال أبو بكر رضي الله عنه فبرجل وامرأة تستحقينها ... .
I want to denounce the action of Abu Bakr that spoilt the right of Hazrat Fateme (peace be upon her). Hazrat Fateme Zahra (peace be upon her) came to Abu Bakr and bade '' the messenger of God granted Fadak to me ''. Abu Bakr said '' do you have any witness for your claim? ''. Hazrat Fateme brought Ali and attested. At the same time, Um Ayman was not ready to attest and Um Ayman said to Abu Bakr '' do you attest that I am deserved to enter the heaven?'' Abu Bakr answered '' yes.'' Um Ayman said '' I attest that the messenger of God (peace of Allah be upon him and his descendants) granted Fadak to Hazrat Fateme (peace be upon him).
Abu Bakr said '' do you want to take back your right with two witnesses (a man and a woman).
Al-Nomeiri Al-Basri, Abu Zeid Umar IbnShebe (Died in 262 Hejira) History of Medina; v 1 p hadith no 554; researched by: Ali Muhammad Dandal and YasinSaad Al-Din Bayan; published by: Dar Al-Kotob Al-Elmie; Beirut; 1417 Hejira; 1996
-al-Heisami, Abu Al-abbas Ahmad Ibn Muhammad Ibn Ali IbnHajar (died in 973 Hejira) Al-Savaegh Al-MohregheAlaAhl Al-Rafz and Al-Zalal and Al-Zendeghe v 1 p 157; researched by: Abd Al-RahmanIbn Abdullah Al-Torki; Kamel Muhammad Al-Kharat; published by: Al-Resalat Institute; Lebanon; first edition; 1417 Hejira; 1997