One of the baseless accusations made by the Rafidah against Sayyiduna Umar ibn al-Khattab (RA) is that he set fire to the house of Sayyida Fatimah (RA) and knocked down the door on her, causing her miscarriage, etc.
However, there is no truth to this incident; it is merely a fabricated story. Even the authentic books of the Rafidah themselves do not confirm this event.
First, we examine the narrations from the books of Ahl al-Sunnah which are used as the basis for this claim.
📚 First narration:
Aslam Mawla Umar (RA) narrates:
حِينَ بُويِعَ لِأَبِي بَكْرٍ بَعْدَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ، كَانَ عَلِيٌّ وَالزُّبَيْرُ يُدْخِلانِ عَلَى فَاطِمَةَ بِنْتِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ، فَيُشاوِرُونَها وَيَرْتَجِعُونَ في أَمْرِهِمْ. فَلَمَّا بَلَغَ ذَلِكَ عُمَرَ بْنَ الْخَطَّابِ خَرَجَ حَتَّى دَخَلَ عَلَى فَاطِمَةَ، فَقَالَ: يَا بِنْتَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ، وَاللَّهِ مَا مِنْ أَحَدٍ أَحَبَّ إِلَيْنَا مِنْ أَبِيكِ، وَمَا مِنْ أَحَدٍ أَحَبَّ إِلَيْنَا بَعْدَ أَبِيكِ مِنْكِ، وَأَيْمُ اللَّهِ مَا ذَاكَ بِمَانِعِي إِنِ اجْتَمَعَ هَؤُلَاءِ النَّفَرُ عِنْدَكِ أَنْ آمُرَ بِهِمْ أَنْ يُحْرَقَ عَلَيْهِمُ الْبَيْتُ.فَلَمَّا خَرَجَ عُمَرُ جَاءَتْ فَاطِمَةُ فَقَالَتْ: أَتَعْلَمُ مَا قَالَ لِي عُمَرُ؟ قَالَ: قَالَ كَذَا وَكَذَا. قَالَتْ: وَاللَّهِ لَيَحْرِقَنَّ عَلَيْكُمُ الْبَيْتَ. وَأَيْمُ اللَّهِ مَا ذَاكَ بِمَانِعِهِ مِمَّا أَرَادَ.
After the death of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, allegiance was given to Sayyiduna Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه. Sayyiduna Ali and Sayyiduna Zubair رضي الله عنهما used to come to Sayyida Fatimah رضي الله عنها for consultation and then leave. When this reached Sayyiduna Umar ibn Khattab رضي الله عنه, he came to Sayyida Fatimah رضي الله عنها and said: “O daughter of the Messenger of Allah! By Allah, among the creation, there is no one more beloved to us than your father, and after him, there is no one more beloved than you. By Allah! If these people gather at your place again, I will not stop myself from setting this house on fire upon them.”
When Sayyid Umar رضي الله عنه left, those people came to Sayyida Fatimah رضي الله عنها.
They said: “Do you know that Sayyiduna Umar رضي الله عنه came to me?”
He swore by Allah that if you come again, he will set the house on fire.”
By Allah! He will fulfill the oath he took. Therefore, leave peacefully and reconsider your opinion.”
Thus, those people left and gave allegiance to Sayyiduna Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه.
🔵 Answer:
Firstly: This narration neither mentions setting the house on fire, nor breaking down the door, nor does it mention the death of Sayyida.
*Secondly:* This is a disconnected (munqati) narration.
The narrator who reports this narration is Aslam, the freed slave of Umar, who was not even present in Medina at that time.
Aslam was purchased by Sayyiduna Umar (RA) during Hajj.
As Imam Bukhari (RA) writes:
بَعَثَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ عُمَرَ بْنَ الْخَطَّابِ سَنَةَ إِحْدَى عَشْرَةَ، فَأَقَامَ لِلنَّاسِ الْحَجَّ، وَابْتَاعَ فِيهَا أَسْلَمَ.
“When Hazrat Abu Bakr (RA) sent Hazrat Umar ibn Khattab (RA) in the year 11 Hijri, he performed Hajj on behalf of the people and purchased the slave Aslam there.”
Now the question is, if the person who came to Medina two months after the death of Sayyida Fatima (RA) is narrating this incident, then from whom did he hear it?
When the middle narrator is missing, how can the narration be authentic?
📚Second narration:
It is narrated from Ziyad bin Kalib:
Sayyiduna Umar (RA) came to Sayyiduna Ali’s (RA) house where Talha (RA), Zubair (RA), and some other Muhajireen were present. Umar (RA) said, “Come and pledge allegiance, otherwise I will set this house on fire and burn you all.” Zubair (RA) drew his sword and advanced towards Umar (RA), but he stumbled on the floor and fell. Then the others immediately restrained Zubair (RA).
🔵Answer:
Now, based on this narration, some say that Hazrat Umar (RA) set the house on fire. However, this narration does not mention setting the house on fire, only a threat, and the narration itself is not authentic.
In the margin below this narration, the investigator has written “اسنادہ معضل وفی متنہ نکارة”.
Its chain of transmission is problematic (weak) and there are contradictions in its text.
First Reason:
In this narration, Muhammad bin Humaid al-Razi is a liar narrator.
Second Reason:
Mughira bin Muqsim is a mudallis (one who conceals defects in the chain) and he is narrating with the phrase ‘an’ (from).
Whereas a narration from a mudallis using ‘an’ is not acceptable.
Third Reason:
Jarir bin Hazim is trustworthy, but he became confused in his later years.
📚Third narration:
الْمَدَائِنِيُّ، عَنْ مَسْلَمَةَ بْنِ مُحَارِبٍ، عَنْ سُلَيْمَانَ التيمى، وعى ابْنِ عَوْنٍ أَنَّ أَبَا بَكْرٍ أَرْسَلَ إِلَى عَلِيٍّ يُرِيدُ الْبَيْعَةَ، فَلَمْ يُبَايِعْ. فَجَاءَ عُمَرُ، ومعه فتيلة. فتلقته فاطمة على الباب، فقالت فاطمة: [يا ابن الْخَطَّابِ، أَتُرَاكَ مُحَرِّقًا عَلَيَّ بَابِي؟ قَالَ: نَعَمْ، وَذَلِكَ أَقْوَى فِيمَا جَاءَ بِهِ أَبُوكِ. وَجَاءَ عَلِيٌّ، فَبَايَعَ وَقَالَ:كُنْتُ عَزَمْتُ أَنْ لا أَخْرُجَ مِنْ مَنْزِلِي حَتَّى أَجْمَعَ الْقُرْآنَ] .
Translation:
Mada’ini narrated from Muslimah bin Muharib, who narrated from Sulaiman al-Taymi and Ibn Awn that:
Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) sent a message to Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) to pledge allegiance, but Ali did not pledge allegiance.
Then Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) came, and he had a futilah (fire-starting tool) with him.
Fatimah (may Allah be pleased with her) met him at the door and said:
“O son of Khattab! Will you set fire to my door?”
Umar said: “Yes, and this (action) is stronger in favor of what your father (the Prophet ﷺ) came with.”
Then Ali came and pledged allegiance, and said:
“I had intended not to leave my house until I gathered the Quran.”
🔵Response:
Firstly:
“This narration is very weak”
The narrator of this hadith is Ibn Awn, who was born in 66 AH, while this incident is said to have occurred in 11 AH, meaning he was not present at that time.
So from whom did he hear this incident? There is no clarification about this.
Therefore, the narration is disconnected.
*Secondly:*
This weak narration does not prove that the house was set on fire, or the door was set on fire, or the door was dropped on Lady Fatimah (RA).
📚Fourth narration:
The expression of regret by Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq (RA).
Before his death, Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq (RA) regretted doing three things, one of which was that he said: I wish I had not opened Lady Fatimah’s (RA) house, even though those people had closed its door to fight…
🔵Answer:
This narration is very weak.
In the chain of narration, Alwan bin Dawood is weak and a denier of hadith
Note: For a detailed discussion on the weakness of this narration, see:
📚Fifth narration:
“ان عمر رفس فاطمة حتی اسقطت بمحسن”
Hazrat Umar (RA) struck Bibi Fatima (RA), which caused the miscarriage of her son Mohsin.
🔵Answer:
Imam Dhahabi (RA), while mentioning a Rafidi and liar narrator Ahmad bin Muhammad bin al-Suri in Mizan al-I’tidal, writes that he began to narrate such traditions in which the companions of the Prophet (PBUH) were criticized, and a person narrated this (mentioned) tradition in his presence.
Who was that coming person? There is no clarification; that is, an unknown person, and the one narrating in front of him is also a Rafidi and liar, so how can the tradition be authentic?
♦️Question:
Sayyiduna Ali (RA) was the Lion of God and, according to the beliefs of the Rafidah, also the solver of difficulties. If such a major incident had occurred before him, why did he not help Bibi Fatima (RA) and why did he not take revenge?
Certainly, if such a matter had happened, Sayyiduna Ali (RA) would have taken some action, but there is nothing of the sort.
📚Sixth Tradition:
Expression of regret by Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq (RA).
Before his death, Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq (RA) expressed regret over doing three things that he wished he had not done. One of these was that he said: I wish I had not opened the door of Sayyida Fatimah’s (RA) house, even though those people used to close its door to fight…
🔵Answer:
This narration in the mentioned three books is narrated from Alwan bin Dawood, who is a very weak and rejected narrator.
Hafiz Ibn Hajar (RA) has counted this narration among the rejected narrations of Alwan bin Dawood
.
Therefore, the narration is not authentic.
📚Seventh narration
Hazrat Umar (RA) struck Sayyida Fatimah (RA) on her abdomen, due to which her unborn child Mohsin died
.
🔵Answer:
On the same page of this book, it is written that the narrator of this narration, Ibrahim bin Sayyar, was inclined towards Rafidism and used to insult the Companions.
So how can the narration of such a narrator be acceptable?
Furthermore, the chain of this narration is also not available.
♦️Similarly, this narration is also mentioned in Tarikh Abi al-Fida without a chain of transmission. And no narration without a chain of transmission is acceptable.
📚Eighth Narration:
فقال أبو بكر أجل لا آسى على شئ من الدنيا إلا على ثلاث فعلتهن وددت أني لو تركتهن وثلاث تركتهن وددت أني فعلتهن وثلاث وددت لو أني سألت عنهن رسول الله (ﷺ) فأما التي وددت أني تركتهن فوددت أني لم أكشف بيت فاطمة عن شئ ووددت أني لم أكن حرقت الفجاءة السلمي وقتلته سريحا أو خليته نجيحا ووددت لو أني يوم سقيفة بني ساعدة كنت قدمت الأمر في عنق أحد الرجلين يريد عمرا وأبا عبيدة فكان أحدهما أميرا وكنت وزيرا۔:
Hazrat Abu Bakr (RA) said:
“Yes, I have no regret over anything in the world except three things —
Three deeds I did, and I wish I had not done them;
Three deeds I did not do, and I wish I had done them;
And three matters about which I wish I had asked the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
So among those first three things which I wish I had not done:
I wish I had never opened the door of Fatimah’s (رضی اللہ عنہا) house for anything.
And I wish I had not killed فُجَاءَہ سُلَمی by burning him in fire, rather I would have either killed him directly (with a sword) or left him alive,
And I wish I had entrusted the matter of governance on the day of Saqifah Bani Sa’idah to the neck of one of my companions — that is, either Umar (رضی اللہ عنہ) or Abu Ubaidah bin Al-Jarrah (رضی اللہ عنہ).
So that he would have been the leader and I would have been his minister.”
🔵Answer:
Firstly:
After this narration, Hafiz Ibn Asakir writes: Khalid bin Al-Qasim Al-Madaini has omitted Alwan bin Dawood after Laith in the chain, meaning the narration is disconnected.
*Secondly:*
In the chain of this narration, Abu Al-Haytham Khalid bin Al-Qasim Al-Madaini, the narrator, has been declared a liar, weak, and a denier of hadith by all muhaddithin, especially his narrations from Laith bin Saad are rejected.
📚Ninth Narration:
Another version of the same mentioned narration is also present in Majma’ al-Zawa’id.
🔵Answer:
In its chain as well, Alwan bin Dawood is a narrator who is a denier of hadith.
♦️After narrating this tradition, Imam Haithami (may Allah have mercy on him) writes: فيه علوان بن داود البجلي وهو ضعيف وهذا الأثر ممّا أنكر عليه۔
“In this tradition, there is Alwan bin Dawood Al-Bajali, and he is weak (a weak narrator), and this narration is among those narrations which have been denied (i.e., considered rejected).”
♦️وقال العقيلي: له حديث لا يتابع عليه، ولا يعرف إلاّ به. وقال أبو سعيد بن يونس: منكر الحديث۔
Imam Aqili said:
“He (Alwan bin Dawood) has only one hadith, which no other narrator follows, and that hadith is known only through him (i.e., he alone narrates it).
And Abu Saeed bin Yunus said:
“He is a denier of hadith (i.e., he narrates narrations that are not acceptable).”
📚 The reality of some books attributed to Ahl al-Sunnah:
Now, briefly, we mention some books from which the Rafidah present some references to prove the aforementioned narration and false stories and try to attribute them to Ahl al-Sunnah, whereas these books have no connection with Ahl al-Sunnah.
Some of these books are named as follows:
Kifayat al-Talib:
Regarding the author of this book, Muhammad bin Yusuf bin Muhammad Al-Kanji, Imam Ibn Kathir writes:
He was a Rafidhi Sheikh and possessed a vile nature
Similarly, it is written in the preface of this book:
“The author of the book was associated with the Shia sect.”
Al-‘Aqd al-Farid:
This book is not acceptable among Ahl al-Sunnah; it contains many fabricated narrations of the Rafidha, and the Shia scholar Aqa Bozorg al-Tehrani has included it among his works.
Fara’id al-Samtayn:
This book also has no relation to Ahl al-Sunnah; rather, the Shia scholar Aqa Bozorg al-Tehrani has counted it among Shia writings.
Sharh Nahj al-Balagha by Ibn Abi al-Hadid:
Firstly: In the preface of Sharh Nahj al-Balagha, it is written that Ibn Abi al-Hadid first studied theological sects, then adopted the Mu’tazila creed, and finally became an extremist Shia.
Secondly: He wrote this commentary at the behest of the Abbasid Shia minister Ibn al-Alaqami
Al-Imama wa al-Siyasa:
This book is attributed to Imam Ibn Qutaybah al-Dinawari, whereas in reality, it is not his book but a fabricated book by the Rafidah.
Dr. Ali Muhammad al-Sallabi has discussed this in detail and cited many evidences which make it clear that this book is falsely and wrongly attributed to Imam Ibn Qutaybah.
Therefore, this narration is not proven with an authentic chain from any reliable book of Ahl al-Sunnah; it is merely a fabricated narration and false tale by the Rafidah.
🟣From the books of the Rafidah:
Note! Evidence of this false tale is not found in any source before the Rafidah’s book “Kitab Sulaym ibn Qays.”
Whereas the book Sulaym itself has been declared fabricated by the Rafidah’s own researchers, the reality of which we will clarify ahead.
📚Al-Ihtijaj by al-Tabarsi:
Tabarsi has narrated a long tradition in Al-Ihtijaj from the book of Salim bin Qais in which this incident is described that Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) came to Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) and said: If Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) does not come out for allegiance, I will set his house on fire.
Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) and Fatimah (may Allah be pleased with her) were inside the house.
Fatimah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: “Will you set fire to a house in which the daughter of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ is?”
After that, the house was set on fire, then Fatimah (may Allah be pleased with her) was pushed, her rib was broken, Mohsin was miscarried, and she later died from that wound.
📚Book of Salim bin Qais Al-Hilali:
In this book, this story has been elaborated in more detail and others have narrated from it further.
They write:
Hazrat Umar said loudly:
“O Ali! You must come out of the house and pledge allegiance to the Caliph of the Prophet ﷺ, Abu Bakr, otherwise I will burn your people.”
Hazrat Fatimah (RA) said:
“O Umar! Do you know that this is my house?”
Hazrat Umar said:
“Yes, but those inside should come out.”
Hazrat Fatimah (RA) said:
“O Umar! Do you not fear God that you want to enter my house?”
Then Hazrat Umar went back, but when the refusal to pledge allegiance continued, he ordered fire to be brought and set it at the door of the house.
He knocked on the door and forcefully pushed it open and entered. Etc.
♦️Book of Saleem in the view of Shia researchers:
Shia researcher Ibn al-Ghadhairi writes:
“وکان اصحابنا یقولون ان سلیماً لایعرف ولا ذکر فی خبر”
Our companions say Saleem bin Qais is unknown to me and he is not mentioned in any narration.
And further, they have declared his book fabricated, i.e., forged.
Shia scholar Allama Hilli writes:
This book is attributed to Saleem bin Qais, which is fabricated
Allama Khoei writes:
The entire chain of narration of this book is weak
♦️The narrator of the book Aban bin Abi Ayyash in the view of Shia researchers:
This book is transmitted only from the narrator Aban bin Abi Ayyash, whom the Shia researchers themselves have declared weak.
1. Shia researcher Abdullah Ali Ahmad al-Daqqaq writes:
The narrator of this book is Aban bin Abi Ayyash, whom the earlier scholars have declared weak, so neither he nor his book can be trusted.
Sheikh Ali al-Namazi writes:
Aban is a Tabi’i and weak
Allama Tafreshi writes:
Aban bin Abi Ayyash was weak and he fabricated the book of Saleem bin Qais
Sheikh Abdullah Ali Ahmad al-Daqqaq writes:
Aban bin Abi Ayyash was declared weak by the earlier scholars
It has been found that the story of the house of Sayyida Fatimah رضي الله عنها being set on fire is fabricated by the Rafidah and is based on lies; it has no connection with the truth.
