Fadak, Fatima and Abu baker
The issue surrounding Fadak and the claims made by Fatimah, the daughter of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, against Abu Bakr, the first caliph, centers on inheritance and rights. When Fatimah sought her inheritance from her father, particularly the land of Fadak, Abu Bakr responded by stating, I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say, 'We do not inherit; what we leave behind is charity, and the family of Muhammad eats from this wealth.'
Sahih al-Bukhari 85:3. This statement indicates that Abu Bakr believed that the Prophet's possessions were not to be inherited but rather distributed as charity.
In Shia sources, there are also mentions of Fatimah's will concerning her wealth. For instance, Abu Basir reported that Abu Abdillah said, "Shall I recite to you the will of Fatimah (peace be upon her)?" He then provided a document detailing how she entrusted her wealth to Ali ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon him), stating: If he dies, then to Al-Hasan; if he dies, then to Al-Husayn; if Al-Husayn dies, then to the eldest of my children except your children...
Al-Kafi 1:184. This will illustrates her intentions for her inheritance and how it should be distributed among her family after her passing.
The disagreement over Fadak and the inheritance reflects deeper tensions regarding the rightful leadership and authority within the Muslim community following the Prophet's death.
Sources
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Sahih al-Bukhari 85:3
Sahih al-Bukhari · Book 85, Hadith 3 · Narrated by Aisha
Fatimah and Al-Abbas came to Abu Bakr seeking their inheritance from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), which at that time involved their claims to the land of Fadak and their shares of Khaybar. Abu Bakr said, 'I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say, "We do not inherit; what we leave behind is charity, and the family of Muhammad eats from this wealth." By Allah, I will not leave aside anything that I saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) do in this matter without doing the same.' Fatimah shunned him and did not speak to him until she died. It was also narrated by Ismail ibn Aban that the Prophet (ﷺ) said, 'We do not inherit; what we leave behind is charity.'
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Al-Kafi 1:184
Al-Kafi · Book 1, Hadith 184
The most intense form of worship is piety. — OR — We stayed in a place that had a filthy alley between us and the mosque. I entered upon Abu Abdullah (peace be upon him) and he asked where we had stayed. I said: In the house of so-and-so. He said: Between you and the mosque is a filthy alley. Or he said: Between us and the mosque is a filthy alley. He said: No harm; the earth cleanses itself. I added: And there is also fresh straw; can I walk on it? He said: It does not harm you the same as the earth. — OR — Concerning the words of Allah, the Exalted and Glorious: 'As for he who gives and fears Allah and believes in the best, We will make smooth for him the path of ease.' He said: He does not desire any good except that Allah makes it easy for him. And as for he who is miserly and considers himself self-sufficient, he is miserly with what Allah has given him and denies the best by disbelieving in the promise that Allah gives ten to a hundred thousandfold. We will make smooth for him the path of hardship. He does not desire any evil except that Allah makes it easy for him. And his wealth will not avail him when he falls. He said: By Allah, he does not fall into a well, or from a cliff, or from a wall, but he falls into the fire of Hell. — OR — The mothers nurse their children. While the child is still nursing, he is equally under the care of both parents. When he is weaned, the father has stronger right over him than the mother. If the father dies, then the mother has stronger right over him than the heirs. If the father finds someone to nurse the child for four dirhams, and the mother demands five dirhams for it, the father has the right to withhold the child from her, unless it is better and more compassionate for the child to remain with his mother. — OR — Abu Basir said: Abu Abdillah said, 'Shall I recite to you the will of Fatimah (peace be upon her)?' I said yes. He took out a document and said: This is what Fatimah daughter of Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) entrusted with her wealth to Ali ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon him). If he dies, then to Al-Hasan; if he dies, then to Al-Husayn; if Al-Husayn dies, then to the eldest of my children except your children: Ad-Dalal, Al-‘Awaf, Al-Maythab, Al-Burqah, Al-Husna, As-Safiyah, and what belongs to Umm Ibrahim. God Almighty is witness to that, as are Miqdad ibn al-Aswad and Zubayr ibn al-Awwam. — OR — We are Quraysh, and our followers are Arabs, while the rest of the people are wild Romans.
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