Masla‑e‑Bagh e Fadak (the issue of the Fadak garden), written in the light of Hanafi fiqh,

 ---Mufti Usman Siddiqui'

 ## 🌿 1.  Introduction

 The "Maslae Baagh e Fadak" is about a piece of land called "Fadak" that the Prophet Muhammad owned and used during his lifetime. After his passing in 11 AH (632 CE), his daughter, Lady Fatimah al-Zahra (RA), claimed inheritance or a gift of Fadak.  The controversy sparked a profound legal, spiritual, and familial debate that resonates across Islamic jurisprudence and collective memory.

 This article explores:

 * The **historical sequence** of Fadak’s ownership.

 * The **Hanafi fiqh evaluation** of the claims.

 * The **legal arguments** of each side.

 * The **historical aftermath** and wider implications.

 * Poetic reflections that capture the emotional gravity of the issue.

 ---

 ## 2.  Historical Background of Fadak

 ### 2.1.  What Was Fadak?

 Fadak was a fertile oasis near Khaybar gifted to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ without battle.  Its revenues supported the Muslim community’s welfare and the Prophet’s household.

 ### 2.2.  Lady Fatimah’s Claim

 Six months after the Prophet’s death, Lady Fatimah approached **Caliph Abu Bakr** (RA), asserting:

 > “I demand what is due as inheritance from the Prophet—Khaybar, Fadak, and the charitable endowments in Medina.”

 Abu Bakr’s famous reply:

 > **“We (the Prophets) leave no inheritance; what we leave is sadaqa (charity).”** ([hamarenabi.com][1])

 This statement forms the cornerstone of Sunni jurisprudence: Prophetic property is charitable trust, not hereditary estate.

 ### 2.3.  Adherents of Both Outcomes

 * **Sunni / Hanafi view:** Abu Bakr’s decision aligns with clear **hadith** (Bukhari, Muslim), deeming Fadak non-inheritable property. 

 * **Shi‘a perspective:** Fadak was a gift from the Prophet to his daughter, supported by witnesses like Imam Ali and Umm Ayman.  It shattered traditional expectations of inheritance because it was legally hers ([en.islamica.org][2]). ---

 ## 3.  Hanafi Fiqh Analysis

 ### 3.1.  Foundational Principle: Waraṡah al-Anbiyāʾ

 In Sunni-Hanafi jurisprudence, **Narrated in Sahih Bukhari and Muslim**: “We are not inherited, whatever we leave is sadaqa."  This principle is considered covenant-binding. ([hamarenabi.com][1])

 ### 3.2.  Rulings on Property: Fadak as Sadaqa

 1.  **The hadith** is accepted as authentic and categorical.

 2.  As a result of the fact that fadak falls under the category of "adaqah / fay," the money it generates is used for public good rather than private property. 3.  Any exceptional claim (e.g., gift) requires clear, authenticated documentation.

 **Mufti Ebrahim Desai (Hanafi scholar)** explicitly ruled:

 > “Fadak was not gifted to Lady Fatimah by the Prophet….” ([hamarenabi.com][1], [islamqa.org][3])

 ### 3.3.  The Burden of Proof in Hanafi Usul

 * Hanafi usūl asserts that ownership claims need either explicit waqf deed, legal transfer, or authoritative testimony, none of which exist here.

 * Lady Fatimah’s team could not produce documentation recognized under Sunni evidentiary standards of that era. 

 Thus, Caliph Abu Bakr applied strict legal standard: property remains communal unless proven otherwise.

 ---

 ## 4.  The Counter-Arguments

 While Hanafi ruling emphasizes textual proof, Fatimah’s supporters in some traditions highlight:

 * **Witness testimony:** e.g., Ali and Umm Ayman.

 * **Scriptural appeal:** Prophetic precedent that his household should be maintained by communal revenue.

 * Consistency in history: Recurrent restoration attempts (such as those under Caliph Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz, the Abbasids, and Al-Ma'mun) indicate that Fatimah is entitled (al-islam.org, en.islamica.org, and islamquery.com, respectively). Hanafi scholarship, on the other hand, views these as "post-event decisions" rather than "original prophetic legislation," and as a result, they are not decisive for "ukm shar." ---

 ## 5.  Ownership History Over Centuries

 Between 100–300 AH, Fadak’s ownership changed at least 16 times—returned and seized repeatedly:

 * Restored by **Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz** (99 AH)

 * Taken during Umayyad reign, restored by **Al‑Ma’mun** (210 AH), and again seized by later Abbasid rulers ([islamquery.com][5])

 These shifts reflect political, not purely legal, maneuvering.

 ---

 ## 6.  Why This Issue Persists

 * **Legal precedent:** It defines how Prophetic estate is treated in Islamic fiqh.

 * **Political resonance:** It tied to early power dynamics of Caliphal succession.

 Moral symbolism: A daughter whose bounty is withheld by a consensus ruler elicits profound empathy. * **Ecclesiastical debate:** Reflects Sunni–Shi‘a divergence in theology and law.

 ---

 ## 7.  Poetry: A Voice of Memory

 To capture the emotional weight, consider this inspired couplet:

 > **“Where roses bloomed with Prophet’s breeze,

 > A daughter’s tears made silent pleas.” **

 In English rhyme:

 > **“Fadak's green rose-twined walls still tell

 > A daughter’s cry, a father's will.” **

 Salient metaphors:

 * **Roses/Roses** symbolize the beauty of justice and spiritual legacy.

 * **Silent pleas** evoke Fatimah’s muted grief.

 * **Walls** represent legal boundaries and divine decree.

 ---

 ## 8.  Legal Implications in Hanafi Fiqh

 ### 8.1.  Inheritance Norms

 Under Hanafi law, **general rules of inheritance** apply:

 * Siblings and children inherit.

 * Prophets excepted due to hadith of sadaqa.

 * Fadak’s revenues already used as charity—no remaining estate.

 ### 8.2.  Waqf & Gift Rules

 * Gifts are deemed valid only with explicit declaration and evidence.

 * Fatimah’s case had no authenticated contemporaneous deed.

 ### 8.3.  Authority of the Ruling Caliph

 In Hanafi thought, the first Caliph—**Abu Bakr—was junnah al-sharʿī**: divine authority manifested, his decisions binding.

 Thus, post‑Rashidun realities codified legal acceptance of prophetic property as communal trust.

 ---

 ## 9.  Modern Reflections

 ### 9.1.  Feminist-Theological Insights

 Cambridge University’s 2024 study views Fadak not merely as territory but as **a feminine justice narrative**: Fatimah’s stand symbolizes moral courage and equitable rights. ([youtube.com][6], [hamarenabi.com][1], [cambridge.org][7])

 ### 9.2.  Contemporary Jurisprudence

 Hanafi scholars continue to uphold Abu Bakr’s ruling; many Sunni communities commemorate Fadak day as a symbolic reminder of Islamic justice.

 ---

 ## 10.  Summary Table

 | Aspect                      | Hanafi Ruling              | Shi‘a/Alternative View            |

 | --------------------------- | -------------------------- | --------------------------------- |

 | Prophetic property (fadak)  | Sadaqa, non-heritable      | Gift/inherited by Fatimah         |

 | Evidence standard           | Hadith + documentation     | Witness tradition                 |

 | Validity of Abu Bakr’s rule | Binding jurisprudence      | Contested politically/religiously |

 | Historical restorations     | Political, not legal basis | Recognition of Fatimah’s rights   |

 ---

 ## 11.  Conclusive Reflections

 The Masla‑e‑Bagh e Fadak is a vivid crossroad of law, morality, gender, and power.  Under **Hanafi fiqh**, it resolved as:

 * Prophetic property is charity—thus non‑heritable.

 * No authenticated gift or manuscript existed.

 * Caliph’s authoritative legal decision completed the sequence.

 Yet, the enduring **emotional gravity**—a daughter denied—finds its echo in poetry, activism, and inter-sectarian dialogue.

 ---

 ## 12.  Final Couplets: Echoes of Memory

 > **“In Fadak’s shade, the daughter sighed,

 > A garden’s grace by law denied.

 > Yet history blooms with tear‑inscribed,

 > A legacy no law can hide.” **

 ---

 ## 👉 Further Reading and Sources

 * Hadiths of Abu Bakr’s verbal decree: Bukhari & Muslim ([islamquery.com][5], [hamarenabi.com][1], [youtube.com][8])

 * Historical shifts in ownership: IslamQuery, Cambridge Journal 

 * Hanafi legal reasoning: IslamQA (Mufti Desai) ([islamqa.org][3])

 * Feminist-theology perspective: Cambridge Univ Press ([archive.org][9])

 ---

 Would you like a deeper dive into specific fiqh rulings, poetic traditions, or the broader theological implications?

 [1]: https://www.hamarenabi.com/2017/05/bagh-e-fidaq-the-complete-truth.html? utm_source=chatgpt.com "Bagh-E-Fidaq The Complete Truth - Hamare Nabi ﷺ"

 [2]: https://en.islamica.org/wiki/Fadak? utm_source=chatgpt.com "Fadak - Islamica"

 [3]: https://islamqa.org/hanafi/askimam/18974/was-fadak-gifted-to-fatima-a-s-by-the-holy-prophet-s-a-w-why-was-it-taken-away-from-her-after-the-death-of-the-holy-prophet-s-a-w/? utm_source=chatgpt.com "Was Fadak gifted to Fatima A.S. by the Holy Prophet S.A.W ... - IslamQA"

 [4]: https://www.al-islam.org/shiite-encyclopedia/short-history-fadak-after-martyrdom-fatimah-sa? utm_source=chatgpt.com "A Short History of Fadak after the Martyrdom of Fatimah (sa)"

 [5]: https://www.islamquery.com/documents/Fadak.pdf? utm_source=chatgpt.com "FADAK, THE PROPERTY OF FATIMA (S.A.) - islamquery.com"

 [6]: https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=Pt8jYQRWsKk&utm_source=chatgpt.com "Masla e Fadak - Bagh e Fidak - Maulana Maududi - YouTube"

 [7]: https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/feminist-theology-and-social-justice-in-Islam/fadak-more-than-a-land-dispute/477778F0D008F4BA4BA4B74E78BFBCC7B80 utm_source=chatgpt.com "2 - Fadak: More than a Land Dispute - Cambridge University Press ..."

 [8]: https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=eiguuzkneBk&utm_source=chatgpt.com "allama farooq ul hassan bayan bagh e fadak||saifi sound lahore||"

 [9]: https://archive.org/details/nur-al-idah-english-translation-a-classical-manual-of-the-hanafi-law? utm_source=chatgpt.com "Nur ul Idah: The Light of Clarification - Archive.org"