Question:

What was Al-Mufid’s opinion about the marriage of the daughter of Ali (a.) with Umar?

Answer:

Abu Abdillah Al-Mufid writes: “The transmitted report in which the commander of the believers (a.) married his daughter to Umar is not authentic and his path goes back to Az-Zubair Ibn Bakkar. He is not a trustworthy transmitter and he is accused, as has been mentioned, regarding his enmity against the Commander of the Believers (a.) and as unreliable. The traditions themselves are contradictory. Once it is reported that the Commander of the Believers (a.) was the guardian for his daughter in the contract with him and once it is reported that Al-Abbas was the guardian for it and once it is reported that the contract was not completed until Umar was prevented and there was a danger for the sons of Hashim and once it is reported that an election took place. Then some of the traditions report that Umar had a son with her, whom they called Zaid, and some of them say: “Zaid, the son of Umar, had descendants.”And others of them say: “He was killed and had no descendants.” And some of them say: “His mother and he were killed.” And some of them say: “His mother lived after him.” And some of them say: “Umar gave Umm Kulthum 40,000 dirham as a bridal gift.” And some of them say: “He gave her 4,000 dirham as a bridal gift.” And some of them say: “He gave her 500 dirham as a bridal gift.” And this contradiction brings with it the falseness of the tradition. If the tradition was authentic (Sahih), then two points of view would come into question for them, which do not contradict the school of law of the followers of the people of the house (a.) in that the rulers were in error before the commander of the believers (a.). One of them is that marriage is a matter of outward Islam (Zahir), which consists of the two creeds, prayer towards the house of God and the general recognition of the legislation, although marriage with the one who internalizes the faith is more excellent and marriage with the one who outwardly claims Islam and advocates heresies that exclude him from the faith is to be avoided. As long as there is no necessity in marriage with a maniac who outwardly pretends the creed of Islam, it is a matter to be avoided.The commander of the believers (a.) found himself in need regarding marriage with the man, for he endangered him and made promises to him. He had no security for himself and his followers, and came to meet him out of that necessity, just as we say that when there is a necessity, it is lawful to speak out of disbelief. The Exalted One says: “Except he who is compelled, while his heart is at rest in faith.” (16:106) And this is no more surprising than the statement of Lot (a.): “These are my daughters, they are purer for you.” (11:78) Therefore, he called them to a covenant with them concerning his daughters, while they were misguided disbelievers, whose downfall was already sanctioned by God, and the Prophet Muhammad (s.) married his two daughters before sending them out with two disbelievers who were in the habit of worshipping idols. One of them is Utbah, the son of Abu Lahab and the other is Abu Al-As, the son of Ar-Rabi’.” [Al-Masa’il-us-Sirawiyyah, pages 86 – 92]

قال شيخ الإسلام أبو عبد الله المفيد رضي الله عنه: إن الخبر الوارد بتزويج أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام ابنته من عمر لم يثبت، وطريقته من الزبير بن بكار ولم يكن موثوقا به في النقل، وكان متهما فيما يذكره من بغضه لأمير المؤمنين عليه السلام وغير مأمون، والحديث نفسه مختلف، فتارة يروى أن أمير المؤمنين تولى العقد له على ابنته، وتارة يروى عن العباس أنه تولى ذلك عنه، وتارة يروى أنه لم يقع العقد إلا بعد وعيد عن عمر وتهديد لبني هاشم، وتارة يروى أنه كان عن اختيار و إيثار، ثم بعض الرواة يذكر أن عمر أولدها ولدا سماه زيدا، وبعضهم يقول: إن لزيد بن عمر عقبا، ومنهم من يقول: إنه قتل ولا عقب له، ومنهم من يقول: إنه وأمه قتلا، ومنهم من يقول: إن أمه بقيت بعده، ومنهم من يقول: إن عمر أمهر أم كلثوم أربعين ألف درهم، ومنهم من يقول: مهرها أربعة آلاف درهم، ومنهم من يقول: كان مهرها خمسمائة درهم، وهذا الاختلاف مما يبطل الحديث. ثم إنه لو صح لكان له وجهان لا ينافيان مذهب الشيعة في ضلال المتقدمين على أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام أحدهما أن النكاح إنما هو على ظاهر الاسلام الذي هو الشهادتان والصلاة إلى الكعبة والاقرار بجملة الشريعة، وإن كان الأفضل مناكحة من يعتقد الايمان، ويكره مناكحة من ضم إلى ظاهر الاسلام ضلالا يخرجه عن الايمان، إلا أن الضرورة متى قادت إلى مناكحة الضال مع إظهاره كلمة الاسلام زالت الكراهة من ذلك، وأمير المؤمنين عليه السلام كان مضطرا إلى مناكحة الرجل، لأنه تهدده وتواعده، فلم يأمنه على نفسه وشيعته، فأجابه إلى ذلك ضرورة، كما قلنا أن الضرورة تشرع إظهار كلمة الكفر قال تعالى: إلا من أكره وقلبه مطمئن بالإيمان. وليس ذلك بأعجب من قول لوط: هؤلاء بناتي هن أطهر لكم فدعاهم إلى العقد عليهم لبناته وهم كفار ضلال قد أذن الله تعالى في هلاكهم، وقد زوج رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله ابنتيه قبل البعثة كافرين كانا يعبدان الأصنام، أحدهما عتبة بن أبي لهب والآخر أبو العاص بن الربيع