The Divine marriage of 'Ali & Fatima
- Anonymous
- 4 days ago
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After the Battle of Badr, during the month of Ramadan and approximately 1–2 years after the Hijrah, the Holy Prophet (saw) married the greatest woman in Islam to the second greatest man, Ali b. Abi Talib (as). This blessed union uplifted the morale of the entire Ummah and brought light to every household in Medina.
What is the story behind this sacred marriage? What is its significance? And how do Sunnis view it? By the end of this article, we hope the reader gains a deeper understanding of this momentous marriage.
Introduction
Fatima (as) was only five years old when her mother Khadija (sa) died, and so her father was left to fill the role of a mother for her. The death of her mother created a void in her life, but her father filled it with his love and tenderness. He gave the utmost attention to the education and upbringing of his daughter, such that she became the ideal woman for all to emulate, just as her father was the ideal man all should emulate.
A’isha goes so far as to say the following in Jami’ at-Tirmidhi 3872:
"I have not seen anyone closer in conduct, way, and manners to that of the Messenger of Allah in regards to standing and sitting, than Fatimah the daughter of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)."
When Sayyida Fatima (as) was ready for marriage, the companions hurried to the Prophet (saw) so that they could be the ones honoured by marrying his pure daughter. However, none of them were permitted, nor were any given this right, after all this is a special lady that requires a special man.
The occurrence of the marriage has a few separate dates. From the narrative in Kitab Al-Kafi, Vol. 15, pg. 750 - 754, it states:
Ibn Mahbub, from Hisham b. Salim, from Abu Hamzah, from Sa‘id b. al-Musayyab, said: I said to Ali b. al-Husayn:
“When did the Messenger of Allah ﷺ marry Fatima to Ali?” He said: “In Medina, one year after the Hijrah, and she was nine years old at the time.”
This report highlights it was one year after the Hijra and does not mention the Month. However, Al-Irbili states in Kashf al-Ghumma, Vol. 1, Pg. 648:
وعن جعفر بن محمد قال : تزوج على فاطمة في شهر رمضان، وبنى بها في ذي الحجة من السنة الثانية من الهجرة
Imam Ja‘far b. Muhammad al-Sadiq (AS) said: Ali married Fatimah in the month of Ramadan and consummated the marriage with her in Dhu al-Hijjah of the second year after the Hijrah.
They married in the month of Ramadan in the year 1 after Hijra, and consummated in Dhu al-Hijjah of either the same year or the next.
In the report from al-Kafi, Fatima (SA) was described as 9 years old. However, Sunnis generally believe Fatima is 10 years older than the Shi’a do. They claim that Fatima was born 5 years before the bi’tha (announcement of the Prophetic mission), while Shi’a sources attest to her being born 5 years after the bi’tha.
For instance, al-Manawi records Ithāf al-Sā’il, pg 33:
لما شبت فاطمة وترعرعت ، وبلغت من العمر خمس عشرة سنة ، وقيل : ست عشرة سنة وقيل : ثمانى عشرة سنة ، وقيل إحدى وعشرين ، تزوجها على وعمره نحو إحدى وعشرين سنة وقيل : غير ذلك في رمضان من السنة الثانية من الهجرة
When Fatima grew up and reached maturity, she was fifteen years old. It is also said she was sixteen, eighteen, or twenty-one years old. Ali married her when he was around twenty-one years old, though other opinions exist. This took place in Ramadan in the second year after the Hijra.
The reason for this discrepancy was likely due to political reasons, where Sunnis had to justify Fatima (AS) passing away at the bright young age of 18. Her passing just short of age 30 was more justifiable as a natural death. This point is very important to keep in mind for the following point.
Who requested Fatima’s hand in marriage?
What many people remain unaware of, is that before Imam Ali (as) married Fatima (as), multiple companions came to ask for her hand. A question to ponder upon, is why did the Prophet (saw) reject all of their requests, but accepted Ali’s (as)?
Let us read the narrative recorded in Sunan an-Nasa'i 3221:
"Abu Bakr and 'Umar proposed marriage to Fatimah but the Messenger of Allah said: 'She is young.' Then 'Ali proposed marriage to her and he married her to him."
The same was reported was recorded in Al-Mustadrak ‘ala al-Sahihayn, Vol. 2, pg. 181 by al-Hakim, where al-Dhahabi authenticates the report.
It was also recorded in Fadha’il al-Sahaba, Vol. 2, pg. 614 by Ahmad b. Hanbal and the editor likewise graded it as Sahih.
And finally in Al-Ihsan Fi Taqrib Sahih b. Hibban, Vol. 15, pg. 399, where it was also graded as Sahih.
In the commentary of Sunan al-Nasa’i by Nur al-Din al-Sindi, he states the following in Hashiyat al-Sindi, vol. 6, pg. 62:
His statement: "(Ali proposed to her)" means immediately after that without delay, as indicated by the conjunction fa.
It is understood that the Prophet considered her young age in relation to both suitors, and once that concern no longer applied with respect to Ali, he married her to him. This shows that age compatibility or closeness is taken into account, as it is more conducive to mutual affection.
However, such consideration may be set aside for a higher purpose, as in the marriage of Aisha. And Allah knows best.
Al-Sindi concedes that the narration clearly shows the marriage of 'Ali and Fatima took place immediately after the rejection of the proposals from Abu Bakr and Umar. Why, then, did the Prophet (saw) say “she is young” to them, but not to Ali (as)?
Afterall, Sunnis believe Fatima was 18/19 at the time of her marriage, which is far older than the average age of marriage for a woman at that time. She most certainly passed puberty, so why would he call her young?
Al-Sindi suggests that perhaps the Prophet (saw) viewed a marriage between two people with a significant age gap as unsuitable. However, he also acknowledges the weakness in this argument by referencing the much greater age difference between the Prophet (saw) and A’isha, thereby undermining the validity of that reasoning. Why, then, did the Holy Prophet (saw) tell Abu Bakr and Umar that Fatima (as) is too young for marriage?
The truth is that, in the culture of that time, claiming someone was ‘too young’ was a polite way to decline a marriage proposal, rather than explicitly stating that the suitor was not suitable for one’s daughter. This is why the same was not said to ‘Ali (as) when he approached and asked for the hand of Fatima (as).
This same phrasing was used by Imam ‘Ali (as) when ‘Umar requested for his daughter’s, Umm Kulthum, hand in marriage. This was referenced in Musannaf ‘Abd al-Razzaq, vol. 6, pg. 163:
Abd al-Razzaq, from Ibn Uyaina, from Amr b. Dinar, from Abu Jafar [al-Baqir]:
When Umar asked for the hand of Umm Kulthum (sa) in marriage, Ali (as) reminded him that she was a minor. It was explained to Umar that this was a polite way to reject his proposal.
Ali then said he would send her to him, and if he liked her, she would be his wife. Upon sending her, Umar exposed Umm Kulthum’s thigh, to which she replied, "If you were not a caliph, I would have blinded your eye."
Note: The report is authentic, and if someone claims that this report is mursal (disconnected), because Imam al-Baqir (as) did not see this event, refer to this article here for the refutation.
Thus, this is evidence for the fact that the meaning of the Prophet’s words was to politely decline Abu Bakr and Umar from marrying her.
Proof that it was a Divine Marriage
Now we come to the next point: Did the Prophet (SAW) reject Abu Bakr and Umar’s proposal out of personal desire, or was it based on a commandment from God? The sources evidently agree on the fact that it was, in fact, a divine commandment.
The fact that Allah (swt) mandated the marriage of Ali (as) and Fatima (sa) is found in both Shi’i and Sunni sources alike. However, there has been much censorship and criticism made against these reports by the Sunnis, to such an extent that most of them claim that it was fabricated.
Nonetheless, let us present the sources so that the reader can make their own judgement.
We read in Tabarani’s Mu’jam al-Kabir, Vol. 8, Pg. 2583:
حدثنا ابو مسعود عبد الرحمن بن الحسين الصابوني التستري، ثنا اسماعيل بن موسى السدي، ثنا بشر بن الوليد الهاشمي، ثنا عبد النور بن عبد الله المسمعي، عن شعبة بن الحجاج، عن عمرو بن مرة، عن ابراهيم، عن مسروق،
عن عبد الله بن مسعود، عن رسول الله ﷺ قال: ان الله امرني ان ازوج فاطمة من علي.
Abu Mas’ud Abd al-Rahman b. al-Husayn al-Sabuni al-Tustari told us, Isma’il b. Musa al-Suddi told us, Bishr b. al-Walid al-Hashimi told us, Abd al-Nur b. Abd Allah al-Misma’i told us, from Shu’bah b. al-Hajjaj, from Amr b. Murrah, from Ibrahim, from Masruq:
From Ibn Mas’ud, from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ who said: Indeed, Allah commanded me to marry Fatima to Ali.
Note: Al-Haythami declared it as reliable in Majma al-Zawa’id, vol. 9, pg. 240 - 241.
Several scholars attempt to weaken this report and accuse it of fabrication due to ‘Abd al-Nur b. Abdullah al-Musam’a. However, this justification of weakness does not follow because he was weakened solely for the fact of narrating this incident, and any sound mind knows that such a justification is evidently wrong. Someone merely narrating what does not fit your beliefs is not necessarily lying, for it could be your beliefs that are in wrong, not his testimony.
Moreover, he has valid ta'dil (praise), such as authentication by Ibn Hibban in Kitab al-Thiqat, Vol. 8, pg. 423.
Al-Bukhari also mentions him in Tarikh al-Kabir Vol. 6, pg. 134 without any criticism against him.
According to many scholars, the silence of al-Bukhari and Ibn Abi Hatim is proof for the reliability of the narrator. This was mentioned by Dr. Muhammad Ali Qasim al-’Umri in Darasat Fi Minhaj al-Naqd, pg. 277:
Among those who attributed this view to al-Bukhari and Ibn Abi Hatim is the scholar al-Tahanawi, who said: “Everyone mentioned by al-Bukhari in his Tarikh without any criticism is considered trustworthy, for it was his habit to mention defects and those who were criticized.”
He also stated the same about Ibn Abi Hatim, supporting it with what he understood from Ibn Hajar’s words regarding some narrators he mentioned in al-Taʿjil: “Ibn Abi Hatim mentioned him without mentioning any criticism.”
Al-Tahanawi said: “His method indicates that Ibn Abi Hatim’s silence about a narrator’s weakness constitutes tawthiq, just as al-Bukhari’s silence does.”
Moreover, there are chains for this report coming from sources other than ‘Abd al-Nur, which would prove that he could not be the one who fabricated this report.
For example, in Tarikh Dimashq Vol 37. pg. 13 by Ibn ‘Asakir, we read the same report via an independent chain from Anas b. Malik:
Abu al-Qasim Hibatullah b. Abdullah reported to us, who said: Abu Bakr al-Khatib informed us, who said: al-Hasan b. Abi Bakr and ‘Uthman b. Muhammad b. Yusuf both said: Muhammad b. Abdullah al-Shafi‘i narrated to us, who said: Muhammad b. Nahar b. Abi al-Muhayya narrated to us, who said: ‘Abd al-Malik b. Khiyar — a relative of Yahya b. Ma‘in — narrated to us, who said: Muhammad b. Dinar at the coast of Damascus narrated to us, who said: Hishim narrated to us, from Yunus, from al-Hasan, from Anas, who said:
I was sitting with the Prophet ﷺ when revelation came upon him. When it was lifted, he said to me, “O Anas, do you know what Jibril has brought to me from the Lord of the Throne?” I said, “May my father and mother be sacrificed for you! What did Jibril bring to you from the Lord of the Throne?”. He said, “Indeed Allah has commanded me to marry Fatimah to Ali.”
The chain is devoid ‘Abd al-Nur, and likewise is this following report by Ibn Mas’ud in Tarikh Dimashq Vol 42. pg. 129 - 130:
Abu al-Qasim al-‘Alawi reported to us, who said: Abu Bakr Muhammad b. ‘Abd al-Malik b. Muhammad b. ‘Abdullah b. Bishran al-Baghdadi, in his book sent to us, said: Abu al-Husayn Muhammad b. al-Muzaffar b. Musa al-Hafiz narrated to us, who said: Abu Ja‘far Muhammad b. al-Husayn b. Hafs al-Khath‘ami in Kufa narrated to us, who said: Isma‘il b. Musa, the grandson of al-Suddi, narrated to us, who said: Bishr b. al-Walid al-Basri narrated to us, who said: ‘Abd al-Nur al-Sha‘bi narrated to us, from Shu‘bah b. al-Hajjaj, from ‘Amr b. Murrah, from Ibrahim, from Masruq, who said:
When ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud arrived in Kufa, we said to him, “Tell us a hadith from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.” He mentioned Paradise, then said: “I will narrate to you a hadith I heard from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, for which I always sought martyrdom to confirm its truth, but I was not granted it. I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say during the expedition of Tabuk, as we were traveling with him: ‘When Allah commanded me to marry Fatimah to Ali, I did so.
Then Jibril said to me: Indeed, Allah has built a garden of pearls and hollowed reeds; between each two reeds is a pearl of ruby fastened with gold. Its ceilings are of green emerald. Within it are niches of pearls adorned with rubies, and chambers made of alternating bricks of silver, gold, ruby, and emerald. In it are springs flowing from all sides, surrounded by rivers. Over the rivers are domes of crystal pearls connected by chains of gold, surrounded by various trees. In every dwelling is a couch, and in every dome a throne of white pearl, its covering of fine silk and brocade. The ground is carpeted with saffron, musk, and ambergris. In each dome is a fair maiden, and each dome has a hundred doors, at every door two maidservants and two trees. Around the domes are inscribed the verses of Ayat al-Kursi.’
I said to Jibril, ‘For whom has Allah built this garden?’ He said, ‘It is a garden Allah has built for Ali and Fatimah as a gift with which Allah, Blessed and Exalted, has honored them both. May Allah delight your eyes, O Messenger of Allah.”
Another chain corroborating this report is from Sibt b. al-Jawzi’s Tadkhirathul Khawwas, pg. 306, from Buraidah as well, devoid of 'Abd al-Nur.
It is therefore clear that ‘Abd al-Nur cannot be conclusively deemed the fabricator of this report, as it is corroborated by several independent chains. Moreover, he was authenticated by certain scholars such as Ibn Ḥibbān, and Bukhari did not weaken him. It's very clear that the accusation of him fabricating arose solely in connection with this particular hadith.
Another similar report is in Tabaqat Ibn Sa’d, Vol. 8, pg 16:
وأخبرنا مسلم بن إبراهيم، حدثنا المنذر بن ثعلبة عن علباء بن أحمر اليشكري
أن أبا بكر خطب فاطمة إلى النبي ﷺ، فقال: يا أبا بكر انتظر بها القضاء، فذكر ذلك أبو بكر لعمر، فقال له عمر: ردّك يا أبا بكر. ثم إن أبا بكر قال لعمر: اخطب فاطمة إلى النبي ﷺ، فخطبها فقال له مثل ما قال لأبي بكر: انتظر بها القضاء، فجاء عمر إلى أبي بكر فأخبره، فقال له: ردّك يا عمر. ثم إن أهل علي قالوا لعلي: اخطب فاطمة إلى رسول الله ﷺ، فخطبها فزوجه النبي ﷺ، فباع علي بعيراً له وبعض متاعه فبلغ أربعمائة وثمانين، فقال له النبي ﷺ: اجعل ثلثين في الطيب وثلثاً في المتاع
Muslim b. Ibrahim told us, al-Mundhir b. Tha’laba narrated from Albaa b. Ahmar al-Yashkuri:
Abu Bakr proposed to Fatima through the Prophet, and he said, “O Abu Bakr, wait for the decree.” Abu Bakr mentioned this to Umar, and Umar said to him, “He turned you down, O Abu Bakr.”
Then Abu Bakr said to Umar, “Propose to Fatima through the Prophet.” So he proposed, and the Prophet said to him the same as he said to Abu Bakr, “Wait for the decree.” Umar then went to Abu Bakr and informed him, and he said, “He turned you down, O Umar.”
Then the family of Ali said to him, “Propose to Fatima through the Messenger of Allah.” So he proposed to her, and the Prophet married her to him.
Ali sold a camel he had and some of his belongings, and it amounted to four hundred and eighty. The Prophet said to him, “Spend two-thirds on perfume and one-third on household goods.”
Chain analysis:
Muslim b. Ibrahim al-Azdi is thiqha per Ibn Hajar in his Taqrib pg. 937, Bio # 6660.
Al-Mundhir b. Tha’laba al-Abdi is thiqah per al-Nasa’i & Ahmad b. Hanbal per Tahdhib al-Mizzi, Vol. 28, Pg. 499-500.
Albaa b. Ahmar al-Yashkuri is saduq per Ibn Hajar in Taqrib pg. 688, Bio # 4708.
However, he did not witness this report, but this is acceptable since the mursal of a reliable Tabi’i is acceptable in areas of Maghazi as we covered in our 'Historical Methodology' article.
Notice that the Prophet (saw) did not explicitly reject Abu Bakr or Umar outright. Instead, he said to both of them, “Wait for the decree,” meaning: wait for the divine command (Wahy). This was no ordinary refusal. These two men were not turned down due to the Prophet’s personal preference or due to a disparity in age. Rather, the Prophet (saw) was acting upon a divine command which stipulated that only ‘Ali b. Abi Talib (as) was entitled to marry Fatima (sa).
How it proves Imam Ali’s superiority
Upon reflection, it becomes clear that this command from God illustrates the superiority of ‘Ali (as) over Abu Bakr and Umar; for what other reason would Allah single him out, granting him the exclusive honour of marrying the Master of the Women of Paradise?
Hence Ali (AS) says the following in Al-Mu’jam al-Kabir by al-Tabarani, Vol. 3, pg. 891:
Ali b. Abdul Aziz narrated to us, Abu Nu’aym narrated to us, Musa b. Qais al-Hadrami said:
I heard Hajr b. Anbas, who used to eat blood in the Jahiliyyah, and who witnessed with Ali at the battles of Jamal and Siffin, say: Abu Bakr and Umar proposed for Fatimah, and the Prophet said: She is yours, O Ali.
Ali (AS) is clearly using the marriage he had to Fatima (SA) as a proof for his superiority. Otherwise, he would not bring this point up during the Battle of Jamal and Siffin.
Hence, the author of Tuhfatul Habib Vol. 3, Pg. 364 states:
And in Sharh al-Khasa’is: The family of the Prophet were uniquely distinguished such that no one from creation could be considered equal to them in marriage. As for the marriage of Fatima to Ali, it was said that at that time there was no one equal to her except him.
An objection was raised, as his father was a disbeliever while her father was the master of all humankind, yet she was married to him by the command of Allah, as narrated by al-Tabarani from b. Mas‘ud: when Abu Bakr and Umar proposed to her, the Prophet rejected them and said: “Indeed, Allah has commanded me to marry Fatima to Ali.”
Imam Ali had a virtue and station that Abu Bakr and ‘Umar did not, and for that reason they were prohibited from marrying Fatima (as). This statement that the Sunni scholar above mentioned has been expressed widely by the Ahl al-Bayt (AS) such as by Imam al-Sadiq (as) in Al-Kafi, Vol. 2, Pg. 498 and Amali al-Saduq, Ch. 86, H. 18:
سمعتُه يقول: لو لا أن الله تبارك وتعالى خلق أمير المؤمنين لفاطمة، ما كان لها كفواً على ظهر الأرض من آدم ومن دونه
Were it not that God, blessed and exalted, created the Commander of the Faithful for Fatima, there would be no one on the face of the earth from Adam’s descendants who would be her equal or suitable except him.
Further proof for this reasoning can be located in Uyun Akhbar al-Ridha, vol. 1, pg. 469 - 471 by Shaykh al-Saduq:
The Messenger of God (saw) said to me: “O Ali! Men from Quraysh have reproached me concerning Fatima and said: We proposed to her for you, but you prevented us and married her to Ali.”
I said to them: By God, I did not prevent you and marry her, but God Almighty prevented you and married her.
Then Gabriel (as) descended upon me and said: O Muhammad! God, the Glorious and Exalted, says: If I had not created Ali (AS) there would have been no suitable match for your daughter Fatimah on the face of the earth among Adam’s descendants except him.
Why didn’t Allah choose Abu Bakr or Umar?
The reason Rasulullah (SAW) gave Fatima to Ali (AS) is stated in Al-Mu’jam al-Kabir by al-Tabarani, Vol. 3, pg. 891:
حدثنا أحمد بن عمرو البزار، ثنا زيد بن أخزم، ثنا عبد الله بن داود، عن موسى بن قيس، عن حجر بن قيس وكان قد أدرك الجاهلية:
قال خطب علي عليه السلام إلى رسول الله ﷺ فاطمة نا، فقال هي لك على أن تحسن صحبتها
Ahmad bin Amr al-Bazzar narrated to us, Zayd bin Akhzam narrated to us, Abdullah bin Dawud narrated from Musa bin Qais, from Hajr bin Qais who had lived during the Jahiliyyah period, who said:
Ali proposed to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ for Fatimah, and he said: She is yours provided you treat her well.
Al-Albani recorded this narration in Silsilah al-Ahadith al-Sahiha, Vol. 1, Pg. 318-319 and deemed it as authentic.
Al-Manawi also recorded it in Ithaf al-Sail bima pg. 45 and likewise authenticated it.
If the condition for 'Ali marrying Fatima (AS) was that he treat her well, then it would follow that the Prophet (SAW) did not see the others as being able to treat her well, hence he rejected them. This was clearly stated as to be the reason in Tabaqat Ibn Sa’d, vol. 8, pg. 16:
أخبرنا الفضل بن دكين، حدثنا موسى بن قيس الحضرمي قال سمعت حجر بن عنبس قال: وقد كان أكل الدم في الجاهلية وشهد مع علي الجمل وصفين قال:
خطب أبو بكر وعمر فاطمة إلى رسول الله، فقال النبي ﷺ هي لك يا علي لست بدجال، يعني لست بكذاب. وذلك أنه قد كان وعد علياً بها قبل أن يخطب إليه أبو بكر وعمر
Al-Fadl b. Dukayn narrated to us, Musa b. Qays al Hadrami narrated to us, he said: I heard Hujr b. Anbas say:
Abu Bakr and Umar proposed to Fatima through the Messenger of Allah, and the Prophet said: "She is for you, O Ali, for you are not a deceiver," meaning: not a liar. This was because he had already promised her to Ali before Abu Bakr and Umar had come to propose.
This report requires some commentary. This is because it states: يا علي، لست بدجال which means “O Ali, you are not a deceiver”. However, Sunnis will translate it as “O Ali, I (the Prophet) am not a deceiver”.
The reason for that is because of the explanation inserted by Ibn Sa’d, and al-Bazzar gave a similar explanation in Kashf al-Astar Vol. 2, pg. 151, where he interprets the phrase of “I am not a deceiver” as someone who does not break his covenant, because he allegedly already promised Fatima to Ali.
The reader should be aware that in the version of Ibn Sa’d they added a dhama (vowel) on the ت to make it ‘I am not’ instead of ‘You are not’. However, this is problematic and visibly incorrect for a number of reasons:
In numerous sources, it shows that ‘Ali (AS) was shy to ask for the hand of Fatima (SA), which could not be the case if he was already promised to her marriage.
If the Prophet was trying to negate the breaking of a promise as suggested by Ibn Sa’d and al-Bazzar then he would have used a phrase like, ‘I do not break my promises’ as it fits more in line with their suggestion. Saying ‘I am not a decipher’ is unfit.
The Prophet (SAW) has mentioned to Abu Bakr & Umar that Fatima (SA) was of small age to reject them instead of telling them that she was promised to ‘Ali. This would be a contradiction of the Prophet if true.
Al-Uqayli narrated a very similar hadith where one can see that the Prophet (saw) was addressing Imam Ali (as) as not being a deceiver.
This was recorded in Kitab al-Dhu’afa, Vol. 4, Pg. 165:
حدثنا محمد بن عبد الله الحضرمي، حدثنا أبو بلال الأشعري، حدثنا قيس بن الربيع، عن موسى بن قيس، عن حجر بن عنبس:
قال لما زوج رسول الله فاطمة من علي رضي الله عنهما قال زوجتك غير دجال
Narrated to us Muhammad b. Abd Allah al-Hadrami, narrated to us Abu Bilal al-Ash‘ari, narrated to us Qays b. al-Rabi‘, from Musa b. Qays, from Hujr b. ‘Anbas, who said:
When the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, married Fatimah to Ali, may Allah be pleased with them both, he said: “I have married you to someone who is not a deceiver”
Although he weakens this rendition, it serves as a corroborating proof for this fact, that Rasulullah (SAW) married Fatima (SA) to Ali (AS) because he was not a dajjal (a deceiver who would mistreat her) and he would not say this to him specifically if it didn’t apply to anyone else. The fact that he excluded ‘Ali (AS), shows that it does in fact apply to Abu Bakr and ‘Umar.
Lastly, we’ve proven how the marriage of Ali to Fatima was a divine command of God, and so it could not have been as a result of a private covenant between the Prophet (SAW) and Ali (AS).
Authenticity of this report
One of the objections the Sunni’s cite is that Ibn al-Jawzi ruled on the hadith regarding ‘You are not deceitful’ to be fabricated as can be seen from his Kitab al-Mawdu'at Vol. 1, pg. 286:
ʿAbd al-Wahhab al-Hafiz informed us, who said: Muhammad b. al-Muzaffar informed us, who said: al-ʿAtiqi informed us, who said: Yusuf b. Ahmad informed us, who said: al-ʿUqayli informed us, who said: Ali b. Abd al-Aziz narrated to us, who said: Abu Nuʿaym narrated to us, who said: Musa b. Qays al-Hadrami narrated to us, who said: I heard Hujr b. ʿAnbas say:
Abu Bakr and Umar each proposed marriage to Fatima, but the Prophet (SAW) said, “She is yours, O Ali, for I am not a deceiver”
This is a fabricated hadith. It was forged by Musa b. Qays, who was known to be among the extreme Rāfiḍa and nicknamed “Asfūr al-Jannah,” though the critics said he is, God willing, among the donkeys of Hellfire. He attempted to obscure the merits of Abu Bakr and Umar in a supposed praise of Ali. Al-‘Uqaylī remarked that Musa b. Qays narrated false and reprehensible reports, and the scholars unanimously judged this narration to be baseless and fabricated.
Ibn al-Jawzi claims there is consensus that Musa b. Qays is a fabricator, however, we find no evidence to corroborate his claim. In contrast, Ibn Hajar records in Taqrib al-Tahdhib pg. 984, Bio # 7052:
موسى بن قيس الحضرمي، أبو محمد الفراء الكوفي، يلقب عصفور الجنة، صدوق رمي بالتشيع، من السادسة. د س
Musa b. Qays al-Hadrami, Abu Muhammad al-Farraʾ al-Kufi, nicknamed ‘Asfour al-Jannah (Bird of Paradise), was truthful but accused of Shi‘i tendencies. He belonged to the sixth generation (of hadith transmitters).
Likewise in Tahdhib al-Kamal by al-Mizzi, Vol. 29, Pg. 134 - 135, it reads:
Abdullah b. Ahmad b. Hanbal said: I heard my father mention Musa b. Qays, and he said: I know nothing but good about him.
Ishaq b. Mansur reported from Yahya b. Ma‘in: trustworthy.
Abu Hatim said: there is no harm in him.
As for him being Shi’a, this does not discredit his reliability, and such a criteria is absurd, because it is established he is trustworthy. For this reason, both Al-Albani and Al-Manawi authenticated this report.
As for the main narrator, Hujr b. ‘Anbas, his bio was recorded in al-Isabah Fi Taymiz al-Sahabah by Ibn Hajar al-'Asqalani, Vol. 2, pg. 143, Bio # 1962:
Hujr b. al-Anbas, he is also referred to as Ibn Qays. He was known by the kunya Abu al-Sakan, and some say Abu al-Anbas al-Hadrami al-Kufi.
Al-Tabarani mentioned him among the Companions, while Ibn Hibban listed him among the trustworthy Followers (Tabi'in). Ibn Ma'in said: A trustworthy and well-known shaykh from Kufa. He narrated from Ali and others.
Al-Bukhari included him in his treatise Raf al-Yadayn, and both Abu Dawud and al-Tirmidhi also narrated from him. Al-Bukhari recorded in his Tarikh that he drank blood during the pre-Islamic period (Jahiliyyah).
Al-Tabarani reported through the chain of Musa b. Qays, from him, that he said: "Abu Bakr and Umar proposed to Fatimah, and the Prophet SAW said: 'What about you, O Ali?'"
Comment: They (the scholars) agreed that Hujr b. al-Anbas never saw the Prophet, so it is as if he heard this narration from one of the Companions.
If Hujr is not a companion, then at the very least - as Ibn Hajar mentions - he has heard it from one of the companions, and since all companions are reliable then it is not necessary to know who it is. However, it is likely he is a companion as the report we mentioned of him earlier would imply that he directly witnessed the report.
From the narration that has the ‘you are not a deceiver’ part we can draw parallels to another narrative in Khaybar and how this exposes Abu Bakr & Umar.
The narrations is as follows in Musnad al-Bazzar, Vol. 2, pg. 135 - 136, Hadith # 496:
Narrated by Yusuf b. Musa who said: ‘Ubayd Allah b. Musa narrated to us, who said: Ibn Abi Layla narrated to us from al-Hakam and al-Mutahhal, from Abd al-Rahman b. Abi Layla from his father, who said:
I said to Ali - while I used to spend evenings with him - "People have found it strange that you go out in the intense heat wearing a thick padded garment, and in the winter you wear two light sheets."
Ali said: "Were you not with us?"
I said: "Yes."
He said: "The Messenger of Allah SAW summoned Abu Bakr and tied the standard for him and dispatched him, so he marched with the people but was defeated and returned. Then he summoned Umar, tied the standard for him, and he marched, but he too was defeated and returned with the people.
Then the Messenger of Allah SAW said: 'I will certainly give the banner to a man who loves Allah and His Messenger, and Allah and His Messenger love him. Through him, Allah will bring victory. He is not one who flees.'
So he sent for me. I came to him while I was suffering from an eye ailment and could not see anything. He spat in my eye and said: 'O Allah, protect him from the pain of heat and cold.'
After that, neither heat nor cold ever harmed me."
Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani authenticated this report in Mukhtasar al-Bazzar, Vol. 2, pg. 314 - 315, Hadith # 1924.
We urge the reader to pay attention to this important phrase from the Prophet from these reports: ‘He is not one who flees’. Anyone can deduce from this that the Prophet was indirectly criticising the people who came before Imam Ali (as), namely Abu Bakr & Umar and how they essentially ‘fled’ thus the Prophet (saw) made it clear that Imam Ali (as) will not flee.
Now after this has been understood we shift back to our topic at hand: ‘O Ali, you are not a deceiver’. It is an insinuation against Abu Bakr & Umar- where just like Khaybar- the Prophet (saw) described Imam Ali (as) as someone who doesn’t flee (unlike those before him fled i.e. Abu Bakr & Umar), likewise the Prophet’s statement ‘O Ali, you are not a deceiver’ means that the Imam isn’t deceitful like those who came before him (meaning those who proposed to Lady Fatima, namely Abu Bakr & Umar).
Essentially, he implied: ‘O Ali, you are not a deceiver [like them] (Abu Bakr & Umar)’.
The Full Story
The full story of Ali’s marriage to Fatima (SA) can be read from Al-Amālī Shaykh al-Saduq, Ch. 83, Hadith. # 1:
I wanted to marry Fatima bt. Muhammad (s), but I did not dare mention it to the Prophet (s). That distress remained in my chest night and day, till I visited the Messenger of Allah (s).
So, he said: O `Ali! I said: I am at your service, O Messenger of Allah. He said: Will you be getting married? I said: The Messenger of Allah knows better [than I]. I thought he wanted to marry me to one of the women of Quraysh, and I was afraid that Fatima would slip away. I did not indicate anything; till the Messenger of Allah (s) sent for me, saying: Respond to the Prophet and hurry. We did not see the Messenger of Allah (s) more gleefully happy than we did that day.
He said: So, I hurried to him, and he was in the house of Umm Salama. When he looked at me, his face brightened with happiness and he smiled, until I saw his shining, white teeth. So, he said: Be happy, `Ali, for Allah has sufficed me in my concern over your marriage.
Then, I said: How is that, O Messenger of Allah? He said: Gabriel came to me with a bouquet and cloves from Paradise and gave them to me. So, I took them and smelled them; then I said: “What is the reason for this bouquet and the cloves?”
So, he said: “Allah has commanded the angelic inhabitants of Paradise to adorn all of Paradise in its estates, its trees, its fruits, and its palaces; and He called for it to be perfumed, so it was bestowed with various perfumes. Its houris were commanded to recite Surat Taha, Surat al-Shu`ara’, Surat al-Qisas, Surat al-Naml, Surat Yasin, and Surat al-Shura. Then, a caller called from beneath the Throne:
‘Surely, today is the walima of `Ali b. Abi Talib. Surely, I testify to you that I have married Fatima bt. Muhammad to `Ali b. Abi Talib by My will, each of them is for the other.’
Then, Allah sent forth a white cloud, and it rained pearls, gems, and rubies onto them. The angels stood and sprinkled the flowers and cloves, and this is of what the angels sprinkled. Then, Allah ordered an angel from the angels named Rahil – and there is no angel more eloquent than him – to speak; saying: ‘Give a sermon, Rahil.’
Then, he gave a sermon that none from the people of heaven or Earth have heard of. Then, a caller called: ‘O My angels and inhabitants of My Paradise! Congratulate `Ali b. Abi Talib the beloved of Muhammad and Fatima bt. Muhammad, for they are blessed. Surely, I have married the most beloved of women to Me to the most beloved of men to Me after the prophets and messengers.’
Then, the angel Rahil said: ‘O Lord! How have you blessed them further than what we have already seen in Your Paradise and Your abode?’
So, he said: ‘O Rahil! Among My blessing of them is that I will gather them both upon My love and make them a Proof over My creation. By My glory and My majesty! I will create a creation from them, and create a progeny from them, and make them My treasuries in My Earth, goldmines of My knowledge, and callers to My religion. I will make them incumbent upon My creation after the prophets and messengers.’”
So, be happy, `Ali, for Allah has surely blessed you with a blessing that He has not blessed anyone with. I marry you to my daughter Fatima upon what the Merciful has married you. I am pleased with what Allah is pleased with for her. So, take your wife, for you have more right to her than me. Gabriel informed me that Paradise longs for you two; and had it not been for Allah wanting to bring a Proof over the creation from you, He would have brought you to Paradise and its people. You are the most blessed of brothers, the most blessed of grooms, and the most blessed of companions. The contentment of Allah suffices for you.
`Ali (a.s) said: So, I said: O Messenger of Allah! My destiny is such that I was mentioned in Paradise, and Allah married me before the angels!
So, he (a.s) said: When Allah blesses His friend, He loves him, and He blesses him with what no eye has seen, and no ear has heard. He wanted her for you, `Ali.
Then, `Ali (a.s) said: “O Lord! Help me thank You for the blessing that You have bestowed upon me.” (27:19) Then, the Messenger of Allah (s) said: Amen.
Should wealth stop you from marriage?
Upon reading the story of Imam Ali’s (as) proposal to Fatima (as), there are many stories to learn from it. Allah (SWT) most notably says in the Holy Qur’aan:
وَأَنكِحُوا ٱلْأَيَـٰمَىٰ مِنكُمْ وَٱلصَّـٰلِحِينَ مِنْ عِبَادِكُمْ وَإِمَآئِكُمْ ۚ إِن يَكُونُوا فُقَرَآءَ يُغْنِهِمُ ٱللَّهُ مِن فَضْلِهِۦ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ وَٰسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ
Marry off the ˹free˺ singles among you, as well as the righteous of your bondmen and bondwomen. If they are poor, Allah will enrich them out of His bounty. For Allah is All-Bountiful, All-Knowing. [24:32]
Allah (SWT) calls the believers to believe in his grace when they marry by entrusting the matters relating to sustenance to him. This was manifested in the marriage of Ali (AS) to Fatima (SA). From a report recorded in Al-Manaqib al-Khawarizmi, pg. 337 - 339, we read:
’Abd al-Razzaq, from Yahya ibn al-Ula al-Bajali, from his uncle Shu’ayb ibn Khalid, from Hanzala ibn Subayra ibn al-Musayyib ibn Najbah from his father, from his grandfather, from Ibn Abbas who said:
Then he (the Prophet) called Fatimah, so she came. When she saw Ali (AS) sitting next to the Prophet, she felt confined and cried. The Prophet (SAW) feared that her crying was because Ali had no wealth.
The Prophet said: What makes you cry? Your value to me is certain. I have given you the best of my family. By Him in whose hand my soul is, I have married you to a master in this world, and indeed he is among the righteous in the Hereafter.
The Prophet (SAW) clarified that Fatima’s marriage to Ali (AS) was valued not for material wealth, but for the merit and virtue he embodied. This principle stands as one of the most important foundations for building a strong and righteous marriage, which is that moral character, faith, and virtue of the spouses are the most important aspects when it comes to marriage.
The wisdom behind is that all other standards of marriage, such as living situation, size of the house, looks a person has, culture they come from and so on, are all decisions made by Allah (SWT) in his Qadha (Divine decree). They are often beyond the choices of a person, and so they cannot be judged fairly by that which is beyond their control.
In contrast, the virtues and moral character of a person, is entirely in their free will, and so for that reason is a superior means of judging a person, because it shows who this person truly is, in contrast to what wealth they have, culture they come from or looks they have.