Question:
It is often heard from a Tablighi Deobandi speaker that when Sayyida Fatimah (RA) fell ill and Sayyidina Ali (RA) was away for some work, she asked her maid to prepare water and clothes for her bath. The maid prepared the water, and Sayyida Fatimah (RA) took a bath. She then asked for specific clothes, wore black clothes, and said, "Place my bed in the middle of the room." The bed was placed in the middle of the room, and she lay down facing the Qiblah and said, "I am about to die. Tell Ali (RA) that my ghusl has already been done, and my shoulder should not be uncovered." When Sayyidina Ali (RA) came, he was informed of her message, and he said, "This will be followed." Accordingly, she was buried. (Muhammad Usman Pind Dadan Khan Qamar)
Answer:
This narration is weak and rejected.
It has been narrated by Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal (RA) from the chain of Muhammad bin Ishaq from Ubaidullah bin Ali bin Abi Rafi from his father from Umm Salamah. [Musnad Ahmad 6/461, 462 Hadith 27615, Usd al-Ghaba vol. 5 p. 590, Ma'rifat al-Sahabah by Abu Nu'aim 6/3507 Hadith 7944]
This chain is weak and rejected.
In this chain, Muhammad bin Ishaq is a mudallis and Ibn Ali bin Abi Rafi is weak.Ibn al-Jawzi said:
This hadith is not authentic.
Al-Dhahabi said:
This is a rejected (munkar) narration. [Siyar A'lam al-Nubala 2/129, also see Majma' al-Zawaid 9/211]
In Musannaf Abdur Razzaq [3/411 Hadith 6126 second copy: 6152], Al-Ahad wa al-Mathani by Ibn Abi Asim [5/356 Hadith 2940], Al-Mu'jam al-Kabir by Al-Tabarani [22/399 Hadith 996], and Hilyat al-Awliya by Abu Nu'aim al-Asbahani [2/43], a similar story supporting this tale is narrated by Abdullah bin Muhammad bin Aqil.This story is weak for two reasons:
In Musannaf Abdur Razzaq and Al-Ahad wa al-Mathani, the teacher of Abdur Razzaq is written as Muhammad bin Rashid, while in other books it is Ma'mar (bin Rashid). Nasb al-Raya [2/251] also mentions Ma'mar. Muhammad bin Rashid al-Makhuli and Ma'mar bin Rashid are both teachers of Abdur Razzaq and students of Ibn Aqil.Ibn Kathir (RA) said:
And what has been narrated that she (Sayyida Fatimah RA) performed a ghusl before her death and instructed not to be given a ghusl after that is weak and not relied upon. Allah knows best. [Al-Bidaya wa al-Nihaya 6/338]
Summary of the Investigation:
This narration, with all its chains, is weak and rejected. Therefore, it is not acceptable. In contrast, Muhammad bin Musa (Ibn Abi Abdullah al-Fatri Abu Abdullah al-Madani) said that Ali (RA) gave ghusl to Fatimah (RA). [Tabaqat Ibn Sa'd 8/28, Tarikh al-Madina 1/109]The chain of this narration is authentic up to Muhammad bin Musa (trustworthy) but it is weak due to being disconnected. A similar weak narration is also narrated by Asma bint Umais (RA). See Al-Mustadrak by Al-Hakim [3/123, 124 Hadith 4769], Hilyat al-Awliya [2/43], Al-Sunan al-Kubra by Al-Bayhaqi [3/397], Tarikh al-Madina [1/109], and Al-Talkhis al-Habir [2/143 Hadith 907, where it says: and its chain is Hasan].
The statement by some scholars that the narration of Sayyida Asma bint Umais (RA) is Hasan is debatable. (27 Rabi' al-Thani 1427 AH)
It is often heard from a Tablighi Deobandi speaker that when Sayyida Fatimah (RA) fell ill and Sayyidina Ali (RA) was away for some work, she asked her maid to prepare water and clothes for her bath. The maid prepared the water, and Sayyida Fatimah (RA) took a bath. She then asked for specific clothes, wore black clothes, and said, "Place my bed in the middle of the room." The bed was placed in the middle of the room, and she lay down facing the Qiblah and said, "I am about to die. Tell Ali (RA) that my ghusl has already been done, and my shoulder should not be uncovered." When Sayyidina Ali (RA) came, he was informed of her message, and he said, "This will be followed." Accordingly, she was buried. (Muhammad Usman Pind Dadan Khan Qamar)
Answer:
This narration is weak and rejected.
It has been narrated by Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal (RA) from the chain of Muhammad bin Ishaq from Ubaidullah bin Ali bin Abi Rafi from his father from Umm Salamah. [Musnad Ahmad 6/461, 462 Hadith 27615, Usd al-Ghaba vol. 5 p. 590, Ma'rifat al-Sahabah by Abu Nu'aim 6/3507 Hadith 7944]
This chain is weak and rejected.
- Muhammad bin Ishaq bin Yasar is a mudallis (a narrator who commits tadlis) and the narration is "an" (which is a form of tadlis).
- Ubaidullah bin Ali bin Abi Rafi: He is weak in hadith. [Taqreeb: 4322]
- I do not know of the authentication of Ali bin Abi Rafi.
In this chain, Muhammad bin Ishaq is a mudallis and Ibn Ali bin Abi Rafi is weak.Ibn al-Jawzi said:
This hadith is not authentic.
Al-Dhahabi said:
This is a rejected (munkar) narration. [Siyar A'lam al-Nubala 2/129, also see Majma' al-Zawaid 9/211]
In Musannaf Abdur Razzaq [3/411 Hadith 6126 second copy: 6152], Al-Ahad wa al-Mathani by Ibn Abi Asim [5/356 Hadith 2940], Al-Mu'jam al-Kabir by Al-Tabarani [22/399 Hadith 996], and Hilyat al-Awliya by Abu Nu'aim al-Asbahani [2/43], a similar story supporting this tale is narrated by Abdullah bin Muhammad bin Aqil.This story is weak for two reasons:
- Abdullah bin Muhammad bin Aqil is considered weak by the majority of hadith scholars.
- Abdullah bin Muhammad bin Aqil did not live during the time of Sayyida Fatimah (RA), so this chain is disconnected (munqati').See Majma' al-Zawaid by Al-Haythami [9/211] and Nasb al-Raya [2/251, where it says: with a weak and disconnected chain].
In Musannaf Abdur Razzaq and Al-Ahad wa al-Mathani, the teacher of Abdur Razzaq is written as Muhammad bin Rashid, while in other books it is Ma'mar (bin Rashid). Nasb al-Raya [2/251] also mentions Ma'mar. Muhammad bin Rashid al-Makhuli and Ma'mar bin Rashid are both teachers of Abdur Razzaq and students of Ibn Aqil.Ibn Kathir (RA) said:
And what has been narrated that she (Sayyida Fatimah RA) performed a ghusl before her death and instructed not to be given a ghusl after that is weak and not relied upon. Allah knows best. [Al-Bidaya wa al-Nihaya 6/338]
Summary of the Investigation:
This narration, with all its chains, is weak and rejected. Therefore, it is not acceptable. In contrast, Muhammad bin Musa (Ibn Abi Abdullah al-Fatri Abu Abdullah al-Madani) said that Ali (RA) gave ghusl to Fatimah (RA). [Tabaqat Ibn Sa'd 8/28, Tarikh al-Madina 1/109]The chain of this narration is authentic up to Muhammad bin Musa (trustworthy) but it is weak due to being disconnected. A similar weak narration is also narrated by Asma bint Umais (RA). See Al-Mustadrak by Al-Hakim [3/123, 124 Hadith 4769], Hilyat al-Awliya [2/43], Al-Sunan al-Kubra by Al-Bayhaqi [3/397], Tarikh al-Madina [1/109], and Al-Talkhis al-Habir [2/143 Hadith 907, where it says: and its chain is Hasan].
The statement by some scholars that the narration of Sayyida Asma bint Umais (RA) is Hasan is debatable. (27 Rabi' al-Thani 1427 AH)
