Marriage of Umar ibn al-Khattab to Umm Kulthum bint Ali

Source: Fatawa Ilmiyyah (Tawdih al-Ahkam) vol. 2, p. 545

The marriage of Umm Kulthum bint Ali (may Allah be pleased with them both) to Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him): Detailed evidence from Sunni and Shia books

Question:

Is it a fact that Sayyiduna Umar bin al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) married Hazrat Umm Kulthum, the daughter of Hazrat Ali bin Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him)? Can evidence for this be provided from the books of both the Ahl al-Sunnah and the Shia schools of thought?

Answer:

الحمد لله، والصلاة والسلام علىٰ رسول الله، أما بعد!

Yes! This marriage is historically established, and evidence for it is found in the authoritative books of both parties, namely the Ahl al-Sunnah and the Shia. The evidence is presented below in detail:

📚 Evidence from the authoritative Sunni books

1. Evidence from Sahih al-Bukhari

Narration:
Tha’labah bin Abi Malik al-Qurazi (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates:
“Umar bin al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) distributed cloaks among the women of Madinah. When one new cloak was left over, the people said: ‘O Commander of the Faithful! Give this cloak to the granddaughter of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ who is in your household.’ The reference was to Umm Kulthum bint Ali (may Allah be pleased with her). Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: ‘Umm Sulayt (may Allah be pleased with her) has more right to it.'”

Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari: 2881, translation by Muhammad Dawud Raz, Maktaba Islamia 4/212

2. The funeral of Umm Kulthum and Zayd bin Umar

Narration:
Nafi, the freed slave of Ibn Umar, reports:
“The funeral of Umar bin al-Khattab’s wife Umm Kulthum bint Ali and her son Zayd (bin Umar) was placed.”

Reference: Sunan al-Nasa’i 4/71–72, hadith 1980

Reference: Ibn al-Jarud (narration: 545), al-Nawawi (in al-Majmu’ 5/224), Ibn Hajar (in al-Talkhis al-Habir 2/146, hadith 807)

3. Narration of Imam al-Sha’bi

Narration:
“Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) prayed the funeral prayer over his brother Zayd bin Umar and Zayd’s mother Umm Kulthum bint Ali (may Allah have mercy on them).”

Reference: Musnad Ali bin al-Ja’d: 593

Reference: Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah 3/315, hadith 1157; second edition: 11690

4. Testimony of Abdullah al-Bahi (may Allah have mercy on him)

Narration:
“I saw Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) pray the funeral prayer over Umm Kulthum and Zayd bin Umar bin al-Khattab.”

Reference: Tabaqat Ibn Sa’d 8/464

Testimony of Ammar bin Abi Ammar:
“I too was present at that funeral.”

Reference: Tabaqat Ibn Sa’d 8/465

🧾 Statements of the Ahl al-Bayt Imams

5. Narration of Imam Zayn al-Abidin (may Allah have mercy on him)

Narration:
“Umar bin al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) asked Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) for the hand of Umm Kulthum. Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: ‘I have kept her for my nephew Abdullah bin Ja’far.’ Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: ‘By Allah! No one else is as eager as I am.’ Then the marriage took place, and Umar requested congratulations from the Muhajirun.”

Reference: al-Mustadrak lil-Hakim 3/142, hadith 4684; al-Sirah li-Ibn Ishaq pp. 275–276

6. Narration of Imam Muhammad bin Ali bin al-Husayn al-Baqir (may Allah have mercy on him)

Narration:
“Umar asked for Umm Kulthum’s hand. Ali first refused, then performed the marriage.”

Reference: Sunan Sa’id bin Mansur 1/146, hadith 520; Tabaqat Ibn Sa’d 8/463

7. Statement of Asim bin Umar bin Qatadah al-Madani (may Allah have mercy on him)

“Umar bin al-Khattab married Umm Kulthum bint Ali, who was the granddaughter of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.”

Reference: al-Sirah li-Ibn Ishaq p. 275

8. Explicit statement of Imam Ibn Ishaq

“Umm Kulthum, the daughter of Ali and Fatimah, was married to Umar bin al-Khattab; from her Zayd and a daughter were born.”

Reference: al-Sirah li-Ibn Ishaq p. 275

9. Narration of Ata al-Khurasani (may Allah have mercy on him)

“Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) gave Umm Kulthum a dowry of forty thousand dirhams.”

Reference: Tabaqat Ibn Sa’d 8/463, 466

10. Statement of Imam al-Zuhri (may Allah have mercy on him)

“Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) married Umm Kulthum bint Ali, and Zayd was born from her.”

Reference: Tarikh Dimashq by Ibn Asakir 21/342

📖 Statements in other important Sunni books

Reference: al-Tarikh al-Awsat lil-Bukhari 1/672, hadith 379

Reference: Kitab al-Jarh wa al-Ta’dil by Ibn Abi Hatim 3/568

Reference: Tabaqat Ibn Sa’d 3/265

Reference: Kitab al-Thiqat by Ibn Hibban 2/216

Consensus of the Ahl al-Sunnah:
There is a consensus among the Ahl al-Sunnah on the establishment of this marriage, and there is no disagreement on it.

🕌 Evidence from Shia books

1. Al-Kafi by al-Kulayni

Narration:
“When Umar died, Ali came and took Umm Kulthum back to his house.”

Reference: al-Furu’ min al-Kafi 6/115

2. Narration from Ja’far al-Sadiq (may Allah have mercy on him)

“This marriage was taken away from us.”

Reference: al-Furu’ min al-Kafi 5/346

Note: According to the Ahl al-Sunnah, this narration is fabricated (mawdu’) and unacceptable.

3. Another narration from Ja’far al-Sadiq (may Allah have mercy on him)

“After Umar’s death, Ali took Umm Kulthum by the hand and brought her home.”

Reference: al-Furu’ min al-Kafi 6/115–116

4. Al-Istibsar by Shaykh al-Tusi

“After Umar’s death, Ali brought Umm Kulthum to his house.”

Reference: al-Istibsar 3/472, hadith 1258

5–10. References from other Shia books

Reference: Tahdhib al-Ahkam 8/161, 9/262

Reference: al-Shafi by al-Sayyid al-Murtada Alam al-Huda (p. 116)

Reference: Manaqib Al Abi Talib by Ibn Shahr Ashub 3/162

Reference: Kashf al-Ghummah by al-Arbili (p. 10)

Reference: Majalis al-Mu’minin by al-Shushtari (p. 76)

Reference: Hadiqat al-Shi’ah by al-Arbili (p. 277)

Detailed research:
For further information, see:

Reference: al-Shi’ah wa Ahl al-Bayt by Allamah Ihsan Ilahi Zahir (pp. 105–110)

📌 Summary

According to the authoritative books and chains of both the Ahl al-Sunnah and the Shia, this marriage is established.
Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) married Umm Kulthum bint Ali (may Allah be pleased with her).
Zayd bin Umar bin al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) was born from her.
Numerous Companions, Successors and the Imams of the Ahl al-Bayt have confirmed this marriage.

⚠️ A lesson-giving incident

The repentance of Ahmad bin Buwayh:
When that Rafidi minister heard that Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) had married his daughter to Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), he expressed remorse, repented, gave charity, freed slaves, and fainted.

Reference: al-Muntazam by Ibn al-Jawzi 14/183, biography 2653

✅ Important note

For Hazrat Ali, Hazrat Fatimah, Hazrat Hasan, Hazrat Husayn and all the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), writing radiyallahu anhu/anha/anhum (may Allah be pleased with him/her/them) instead of alayhi al-salam is preferred and correct.

🔚 Conclusion

It is a fact completely established from historical, hadith-based and rational perspectives that Hazrat Umar bin al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) married Hazrat Umm Kulthum bint Ali (may Allah be pleased with her).

ھذا ما عندی، والله أعلم بالصواب