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PART V
KASHIFAL-GHITA’ AND SHARAFUD-DIN
What KASHIFAL-GHITA’ Says One individual seeks an excuse from a statement made by the renown scholar and authority, Shaikh Muhammed Husain KASHIFAL-GHITA’, whom he describes as a thinker, when asked about this subject. He considers the statement of KASHIFAL-GHITA’ as proving the invalidity of the claim that the rib of al-Zahra’ (A.S.) was broken because she was assaulted, and that this also negates the claim that they forcibly entered her house, beat her and were responsible for the events which preceded and succeeded that. The proofs upon which KASHIFAL-GHITA’ relies are the following:
1. He, may Allah have mercy on him, has said, “I do not exonerate these folks, but hitting a woman was in those days a shameful act. Anyone who beats a woman will incur shame on himself and on his offspring. In Nahjul-Balagha, Ali (A.S.) says, `Do not afflict women with any harm, even if they condemn your honour, because they are weak in body, in spirit, and in mind. If we, during the pre-Islamic era, used to be admonished to keep away from them, the polytheist that we were, so he and his offspring after him are all shamed for it.”[1] He, may Allah have mercy on him, has also said, “But the issue of al-Zahra’ (A.S.) and slapping her on the cheek is something which my conscience cannot accept, nor can my mind believe, nor my feelings are satisfied with it, because those folks would have been too embarrassed to commit such a momentous vile act. The Arab traditions and the pre-Islamic customs had already deepened such feelings of embarrassment..., etc.”[2]
3. Then he presumed that if they had something like that, they would have found from among the sahaba those who would have rebuked and stopped them.
4. He also derived his excuse from her lack of reference to their having beaten her or causing her to miscarry, nor did she refer to any of that in her speeches which contained her complaints against how she was treated by her people, how badly she was mistreated, such as her speech at the Mosque in the presence of the muhajiran and ansar “although she was rebellious, extremely upset.” She said to Ali (A.S.), “So-and-so usurped from me what I have inherited from my father (A.S.) and what will both my sons inherit.” She did not say that he or his friend beat her. So is the case when she spoke to the ladies from the muhajiran and the ansar when she started her statement by saying, “I have, by Allah, become indifferent to your world, despising your men..., etc.” But she did not complain except from the confiscation of Fadak and from the caliphate. Had beating her, slapping her cheek, breaking her rib and driving a nail in her chest been all true, these would have been much greater than the confiscation of Fadak. Also, when Abu Bakr and `Omer came to seek Ali’s permission to visit and appease her, she did not mention to them anything of what she had been through. Ali, the Commander of the Faithful (A.S.), did not refer to any of these things in his sermons or statements. His grief overwhelmed him after he had buried her. He addressed the Prophet (A.S.) saying, “Peace be upon you, O Messenger of Allah, from me and from your daughter who is lying beside you..., etc.” The occasion demanded that he should have mentioned it, had it been so; it is a strong argument against them, and it contains a great emotional outburst against them from all directions.[3] Then he, may Allah have mercy on him, regarded this matter as the doing of Qunfath al-Wardi and nobody else. Such is stated and upheld by Shaikh KASHIFAL-GHITA’, and this individual, who seeks to cast doubts, repeats it in order to stir the dust of doubt about this issue. In answer, we say that what is stated by Shaikh KASHIFAL-GHITA’ and which is utilized by this person to cast doubt about what happened to al-Zahra’ contains many points which we would like to state thus:
1. KASHIFAL-GHITA’ Does Not Deny What Took Place 3. People Accepting the Hitting of al-Zahra’ (A.S.) 4. Al-Zahra’ (A.S.) Arguing About What Took Place 6. Ali (A.S.) Refers To This Matter 7. Protest’s Justifications non-Existent 8. Al-Zahra’ (A.S.) Did Not Remind Abu Bakr of What Took Place |