In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

All praise to Allah (SWT), who is the creator of this world and all the things, which
we see in this materialistic world. The heaven and hell and everything which our
Prophet Muhammad (SAW) has mentioned is being created by him. Allah has sent
1,24,000 more of less Prophets to spread the message of peace around the world and
Muhammad (SAW) was the LAST and FINAL Messenger of Allah (SWT).
The Topic which we are about to deal is Umar's marriage to Umm Kulthum bint Ali
bin Abi Talib.
The Muslim Veiw
A narration attributed to Anas Ibn Iyad al-Laythi from Ja’far Al-Sadiq from his father
Muhammad Al-Baqir reports:
“Umar ibn al-Khattab asked Ali ibn Abi Talib for the hand of Umm Kulthoom in
marriage. Ali said, I had kept my daughters for the sons of Jafar. Umar said, Marry
her to me, O Abul Hasan, for by Allah, there is no man on the face of the earth who
seeks to achieve through her good companionship that which I seek to achieve. Ali
said, I have done so.

Then Umar came to the Muhajirun between the grave (Muhammad [SAW]) and the
pulpit. They, ….Ali, Uthman, Zubayr, Talhah and Abd ar-Rahman, used to sit there,
and whenever a matter used to arrive from the frontiers, Umar used to come to them
there and consult with them. He came to them and said, Congratulate me. They
congratulated him, and asked, With whom are we congratulating you, O Amir al-
Mu’minin? He replied, With the daughter of Ali ibn Abi Talib.
(Ref : al-Tabaqat al-Kubra Vol.8 p.338 by Ibn Sa'ad (ed. Dar al-Kutub al-'Ilmiyyah,
Beirut 1990)
The Isnad of this narration is also considered Sahih among the Shia (Ref: Jami‘ ar-
Ruwat, vol. 1 p. 109, Dar al-Adwa, Beirut 1983)
A Narration Reports:
'Umar bin Al-Khattab distributed some garments amongst the women of Medina. One
good garment remained, and one of those present with him said, "O chief of the
believers! (Amir-ul-Momineen) Give this garment to your wife, the (grand)
daughter of Allah's Apostle." They meant Um Kalthum, the daughter of 'Ali.
'Umar said, Um Salit has more right (to have it)." Um Salit was amongst those Ansari
women who had given the pledge of allegiance to Allah's Apostle.' 'Umar said, "She
(i.e. Um Salit) used to carry the water skins for us on the day of Uhud."
(Ref: Sahih Bukhari, Volume 4, Page 86, Book 52, Chapter 66, Number 132)
The Shi’as have argued against this Hadith by saying that the real Arabic text of this
narration does not mention "the daughter of Ali" and that is in reality an addition by

  1 
the translator, Dr. Muhsin Khan. The Muslims, however, argued that this is a blatant
lie and the actual narration does mention her to be "the daughter of Ali."
(Ref. http://www.sunnidefense.com/exp/content/5-blatant-lie-about-
%C5%9Fa%C4%A5%C4%AB%C4%A5-al-bukh%C4%81r%C4%AB-i-umm-
kulth%C5%ABm-%E2%80%9Cbint-al%C4%AB%E2%80%9D).

The Shias also argued that this narration is unauthentic because one of its narrators is
Thalabah ibn Abi Malik and he is a completely unknown personality. But as usual the
Muslims showed that this is a lie as well
(Ref: http://www.sunnidefense.com/exp/content/13-thalaba-ibn-ab%C4%AB-
m%C4%81lik-ra-and-continuity-answering-ansar%E2%80%99s-deception).

A Narration Reports:
“Yahya ibn Subayh said: Ammar client of al-Harith ibn Nawfal told me that he
attended the funeral of Umm Kalthum, and her son. The body of the boy was placed
near the Imam. I objected to it. Among the people there were Ibn Abbas, Abu Sa'id al-
Khudri, Abu Qatadah and Abu Hurayrah. They said: This is the Sunnah (established
practice of the Prophet)”
(Ref: Sunan al-Sughra by Imam Al-Nasa'i Volume 1, Chapter Janâza,)

A Narration Reports:
“Abdullah ibn Umar lead nine combined funerals, this included the funeral of Umme
Kalthum binte 'Ali. This was during the governorship of Sa'eed bin Aas. Hadhrath
'Ali's daughter Umme Kalthum was married to Hadhrath Umar. Her funeral and
that of her son were read at one and the same time. Participants in the funeral included
Ibn Umar, Ibn Abbas, Abu Hurayra, Abu Saeed and Abu Qatadah. Ibn Umar lead the
congregation.”
(Ref: Sunan al-Sughra by Imam Al-Nasa'i Volume 1, Chapter Janâza, page 317)

Muslim Scholars Recognizing the marriage

Muslim’s believe that it was Umm Kulthum bint Ali that married Umar, as stated by
several Muslim and Shia narrations mentioned. This view is, among many others,
held by following prominent Muslims scholars:

• al-Ya'qubi (Tarikh al-Yaqubi vol. 2 pp.260)

• Ibn Shabba (Tarikh al-Madina vol 2 p654)
• al-Bukhari (Tarikh al-Saghir vol. 1 p. 102)
• Ibn Qutayba (Ma'arif p. 107)
• Imam al-Bayhaqi (Sunan al-Kubra vol. 4 p. 33)
• al-Dhahabi (Siyar Aalam al-Nubalaa 5:22-24)
• al-Nawawi (Tahdhib al-Asmaa wa al-Lughat 2:267 #1219)
• al-Suyuti (al-Hawi lil Fatawa 2:179)
• Ibn Kathir (Al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah vol. 8 p. 14)
• Ibn Asakir (Tarikh al Dimashq 42:555)
• Hakim al-Nishaburi (Al-Mustadrak alaa al-Sahihain, by al-Hakim al-
Nishaburi, 3/142)
• Ibn Abd al-Barr (al-Istiab fi ma'rifat al-Ashab vol 4 p 509)

  2 
Some Pro-Shi’a Sunni Writer Denying the marriage
A minority of Sunni scholars rejects that it was Umm Kulthum bint Ali that married
Umar.
These include
• The Pakistani scholar Mufti Ghulam Rasool Jamaati, who has written a book
named Hasab aur Nasab rejecting that it was Umm Kulthum bint Ali that
married Umar.
• The Pakistani scholar Malik Daulath Abadi, who wrote in his book Hidayaat
al Saud:
“Asma bint Umays was initially the wife of Ja'far al-Tayyar then she married
Abu Bakr from this relationship two children were born a boy and a girl called
Umm Kulthum. After that she married Hadhrath 'Ali and Umm Kulthum came
into his house. This is the Umm Kulthum that Umar married…”
(Ref: al-Istiab fi ma'rifat al-Ashab vol 4 p 509)

Like among the Muslim's, there is also a dispute among Shia's at this point. While the
majority of Muslim's acknowledge Umar's marriage to Umm Kulthum bint Ali, this
view is disputed among the Shia scholars today.

Shi’a Scholars Recognizing the marriage

The Sh’ia authors Muhammad Al-Hassun and Umm 'Ali Mashkur stated in their book
A'lam al-Nisaa al-Mu'minat:

“The marriage of Umm Kulthum to Umar ibn al-Khattab is counted amongst the
important issues presented to us by Islamic history, and as one of those matters
around which debate and research has continued at length—and still continues. Those
who regard this marriage as an authentic fact use it to prove the righteousness of her
husband [Umar] and Ali’s acceptance of him. Otherwise, why would he give him his
daughter in marriage? As for those who reject the historic occurrence of the marriage,
or are of the opinion that it took place under pressure which Umar brought to bear
upon Ali use this issue to justify the unrighteousness and viciousness of Umar, and
that Ali did not approve of him”
(Ref: “A‘lam an-Nisa al-Mu’minat” (p. 182) by Muhammad al-Hassun and Umm ‘Ali
Mashkur)

Also, the famous Shi'a website Al-Shia.com states following in a commentary to the
hadith in Furu al-Kafi stating that she was a "woman" who was taken from us by
force.
“Translated from arabic: [Regarding] Umm Khulthum, who is the daughter of
Ameer al-Mu’mineen Ali, Umar proposed to Ali for her hand in marriage during his
[Umar’s] caliphate, and at first Ali refused him. So then Umar said what he said, and
did what he did”
(Ref: http://www.al-shia.com/html/ara/books/al-kafi-5/213.html)

The original Arabic text is:

‫ﺥﻝﺍﻑﺕﻩ ﺯﻡﻥ ﻑﻱ ﻉﻡﺭ ﺍﻝﻱﻩ ﺥﻁﺏﻩﺍ ﻕﺩ ﺍﻝﺱﻝﺍﻡ ﻉﻝﻱﻩ ﺍﻝﻡﺅﻡﻥﻱﻥ ﺍﻡﻱﺭ ﺏﻥﺕ ﻩﻯ ﻩﺫﻩ ﻙﻝﺙﻭﻡ ﺍﻡ‬
‫ﻡﺍﻑﻉﻝ ﻭﻑﻉﻝ ﻡﺍﻕﺍﻝ ﻉﻡﺭ ﻑﻕﺍﻝ ﺍﻭﻝﺍ ﻑﺭﺩﻩ‬

The shi'a scholar Abul Qasim al-Kufi (died 352 AH) also believed that it was Umm
Kulthum bint Ali who married Umar, but stated that "when Umar asked for the hand

  3 
of Umm Kulthum, Ali thought to himself: “If I say no, that thing would come to pass
which Rasul-Allah tried to prevent, and for which reason he asked me to exercise
patience, which is that people will fall into apostasy.” Thus, it was better to hand over
Umm Kulthum to him.
(Ref: al-Istighathah fi Bida' ath-Thalathah”, p.90)

Shaykh Tabarsi, a 12th century Shi'a Islamic scholar also believed that Umm
Kulthum bint Ali married Umar. He wrote following in his book I‘lam al-Wara bi-
A‘lam al-Huda: “As for Umm Kulthoom, she is the one whom Umar ibn al-Khattab
married. Our associates say that he (Ali) only married her to him after putting up a lot
of resistance, severe refusals and finding excuses. Ultimately he was forced by
circumstances to turn her matter over to Abbas ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib who married her
off”
(Ref: I'lam al-Wara bi A'lam al-Huda by al-Tabarsi p.204)

Among the Shi'a scholars who believed that the marriage took place is also:
• Agha al-Tahrani (Al-Dhari'ah 5:184)
• Al-Hurr Al-'Amily (Wasa'il al-Shi'a aal al-Bayt 15:19, 17:594, 21:263,
26:314)
• Al-Muhaqqiq al-Ardabili (Majmaa al-Fa’ida vol.11 p.530)
• Sheikh Abu Jaafar al-Tusi (al-Mabsut vol.4 p.272)
• Fadil al-Hindi (Kashf al-Litham vol 2 pp.312)
• Mohamad Soleiman-Peneh

While the above scholars believed that the marriage took place, all of them held the
opinion that Ali was forced to give away his daughter - not that he happily married
her off, as claimed by the Ahl al-Sunnah.

Yet another book of the partisan named Furoo-e-Kaafi”, Vol. 5, Page 346, states that
Umm-e-Kulthum was Ali’s daughter. Umar proposed for her to Ali during his
(Omar’s) Khilaafat, who (Ali) authorized Abbas to carry out the marriage contract.
Abbas did as he was told and had the two of them married publicly. This took place in
Thil Qa’dah (11th Islamic month) 17 AH. Umm-e-Kulthum was 14 years old at that
time. Umar went through with this marriage in order to acquire the privilege of being
related to Nabi (SAW) after he heard the Prophet (SAW) saying that every relation
whether it be direct or indirect will be of no benefit on the Day of Judgment except
for the ones related to me. In this same happiness Umar fixed forty thousand (40000)
dirham as Maher (Alimony). Umar acquired a son named Zaid and a daughter
Ruqayyah from this marriage.

The Common Shi’a View

The view that Umm Kulthum bint Ali married Umar is not held by the majority of the
Shi'a. The common Shi'a view is as follows:
• Asma bint Umays from the Banu Hashim was married to Ja'far ibn Abu Talib,
also from Banu Hashim.
• After martyrdom of Jafar in 8 AH, she was married to Abu Bakr, from the
Banu Taim.

Then the Succession to Muhammad in 10 AH happened, viewed by Shi'as a joint

military coup by Umar and Abu Bakr.

  4 
 • After the death of Abu Bakr in 13 AH, she got married to Ali, from Banu
Hashim.

When she went to the house of Ali, her daughter Umm Kulthum bint Abi Bakr also
went with her.
Umar asked to marry Umm Kulthum bint Ali, but Ali refused, arguing she was to
little. Umar got furious, and `Abbas ibn `Abd al-Muttalib helped to settle the issue.
So, in 17 AH, she asked Umar (caliph at that time) to call Umm Kulthum bint Abu
Bakr. Ali was not ready to send this girl but Abbas said "We must not fight on such
minor issues". So Umm Kulthum bint Abi Bakr was sent to Umar.

Also, Shi'a point out that Fatima Zahra, the mother of Umm Kulthum bint Ali, refused
to talk to Abu Bakr and Umar, and actually cursed them according to some sources,
and willed that she be buried in secret, so that Umar and Abu Bakr would not be able
to pray over her grave. Then, Shi'a argue that it is improbable that Ali would give
Fatimah's daughter in marriage to the very same person four years later.

Shi’a Narration:
A narration attributed to Muhammad ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Hisham ibn Salim from
Ja'far al-Sadiq reports:
“When Umar sought the hand of Umm Kultham for marriage, Ali (A.S.) said, `But
she is only a child,’ Umar said to al-`Abbas, ‘I sought the hand of the daughter of
your nephew, and he turned me down. By Allah, I shall damage the well of Zamzam,
and I shall leave nothing precious belonging to you except that I ruin it, and I shall get
two witnesses to testify that he stole, and I shall cut off his right hand.’ Al-`Abbas
came and informed Ali (A.S.) (of what Umar had said), asking him to let him take
care of that matter, which he did.”

Shias tend to view this as Sahih and have included it in Usul al-Kafi
(Ref: Usul al-Kafi, Vol. 5, p. 346, as quoted in Tragedy of al-Zahra.)

A narration reports:
“Umar ibn Adheena asked Imam Jafer Sadiq 'People claim that 'Ali married his
daughter to such a person'. The Imam, who was until then sitting down, stood up and
said angrily, "Whoever holds such a viewpoint is misled." Subhanallah! Was Imam
'Ali unable to free his daughter from their clutches? He could have stood between
them and her to protect, they have fabricated a lie”

Shias tend to view this as Sahih and have included it in Usul al-Kafi
(Ref: Nasihk al-Tawarikh Volume 3 page 408)

Shi'as tend to view this as Sahih* and have included it in Furu al-Kafi.
(Ref: Furu al-Kafi, vol. 5 p. 347, Dar al-Adwa, Beirut 1992)

* 1. Ahadith from Ali ibn Ibrahim was rated Sahih by Ayatollah Khomeini in his
work Al-Hukumatu al-Islamiya p. 133.,
2. Ali ibn Ibrahim is also considered reliable in Jami' ar-Ruwât, vol.1, p.545
3. One of the narrators, Ibn Abi Umayr, was considered very reliable by Abu Jaafar
al-Tusi in Al-Fihrist p.169

  5 
Umar ibn al-Khattab particular veneration for the Prophetic Household (Ahl al-
Bayt) as illustrated by the following additional reports:

(a) Ibn Sa`d narrated from al-Sha`bi and al-Hasan that al- `Abbas had some need of
`Umar one day and said to him: "Commander of the Believers, suppose the uncle of
Musa, upon him peace, came to you as a Muslim, how would you treat him?" He
replied, "I swear by Allah that I would treat him well!" Al-`Abbas said, "Well, I am
the uncle of Muhammad the Prophet - upon him and his House blessings and
peace!" `Umar said, "Abu al-Fadl, and what do you suppose? By Allah, your father
[`Abd al-Muttalib] is certainly dearer to me than my own father!" He said, "By
Allah?" `Umar said, "By Allah, yes! Because I know that he [`Abd al-Muttalib] is
dearer to the Messenger of Allah than my own father, therefore I prefer the love of the
Messenger of Allah to my love."

(b) A man disparaged `Ali ibn Abi Talib in the presence of `Umar whereupon the
latter said: "Do you know the dweller of this grave? He is Muhammad ibn `Abd Allah
ibn `Abd al-Muttalib. And `Ali is the son of Abu Talib ibn `Abd al-Muttalib.
Therefore, do not mention `Ali except in a good way for if you dislike him you will
harm this one in his grave." Narrated by Ahmad with a good chain in Fada'il al-
Sahaba (2:641 #1089).

(c) After `Umar saw al-Husayn ibn `Ali ibn Abi Talib waiting at his door he said to
him: "You are more deserving of permission to enter than [my son] `Abd Allah ibn
`Umar! You see the goodness that was placed on our head; [therefore] first Allah then
you [the Prophetic Household]" and he placed his hand on his head as he spoke.
Narrated by Ibn Sa`d, Ibn Rahuyah, and al-Khatib.

(d) `Umar distributed garments to the Companions but found nothing appropriate for
al-Hasan and al-Husayn so he sent a message to Yemen and had a kiswa sent, which
he offered them. Then he said, “Now I am content.” Narrated by Ibn al-Jawzi in
Manaqib `Umar (p. 97).

  6 
Q: In Mishkat Shareef, it is reported that when Abu Bakr and Umar asked the
holy Prophet [SAW] for his daughter, Lady Fatima's hand the Prophet [SAW]
replied she is too young to marry. If this is correct then think rationally over the
fact that, Umme Kulthum whose mother was too young to marry these people,
marries these same personalities, does this make sense?

Ans: Observe in the above lines the jump from the hadith "she is too young to marry"
to the spin that she "was too young to marry these people".

Rather, as Sharh al-Mishkaat states (Dar al-Fikr ed. 10:476-477), she had been asked
at an early time and the Prophet waited, upon him blessings and peace, for specific
heavenly revelation concerning Fatima, period.

This is confirmed by the other version of the proposal of the Two Shaykhs of Islam -
Allah be well-pleased with them. Abu Bakr and `Umar, in which the Prophet (SAW)
replies, "The qada' [concerning this decision] has not been revealed yet."

Q: Secondly, Umar's daughter, Hafsa was a wife of Prophet Muhammad (SAW).

This makes Hafsa the Step-mother of Fatima and the Step-Grandmother of
Umme Kalthum, the daughter of Ali and Fatima. Do you know what this means?
It makes Umar the Step-Great Grandfather of Umme Kalthum. The Muslims
claim the daughter of Ali married her Great Grandfather? Is such sort of
marriage allowed in Islam, please prove from the Quran.

Ans: It also makes Hadrat the step-grandfather of Fatima whom he did ask in
marriage and the Prophet (SAW) did not reply "This is not allowed in Islam"! Instead
Muhammad (SAW) replied, “The qada' [concerning this decision] has not been
revealed yet."

The reason is, this sort of marriage is definitely allowed in Islam and this *is* proven
from the Qur'an.
“Wa Lā Tankiĥū Mā Nakaĥa 'Ābā'uukum Mina An-Nisā' 'Illā Mā Qad Salafa 'Innahu
Kāna Fāĥishatan Wa Maqtāan Wa Sā'a Sabīlāan”

Translation: And marry not women whom your fathers married,- except what is past:
It was shameful and odious,- an abominable custom indeed.
(Al Qur’aan: Al Nisa, Verse 22)

“Ĥurrimat `Alaykum 'Ummahātukum Wa Banātukum Wa 'Akhawātukum Wa

`Ammātukum Wa Khālātukum Wa Banātu Al-'Akhi Wa Banātu Al-'Ukhti Wa
'Ummahātukumu Al-Lātī 'Arđa`nakum Wa 'Akhawātukum Mina Ar-Rađā`ati Wa
'Ummahātu Nisā'ikum Wa Rabā'ibukumu Al-Lātī Fī Ĥujūrikum Min Nisā'ikumu Al-
Lātī Dakhaltum Bihinna Fa'in Lam Takūnū Dakhaltum Bihinna Falā Junāĥa
`Alaykum Wa Ĥalā'ilu 'Abnā'ikumu Al-Ladhīna Min 'Aşlābikum Wa 'An Tajma`ū
Bayna Al-'Ukhtayni 'Illā Mā Qad Salafa 'Inna Al-Laha Kāna Ghafūrāan Raĥīmāan”

Translation: Prohibited to you (For marriage) are:- Your mothers, daughters, sisters;
father's sisters, Mother's sisters; brother's daughters, sister's daughters; foster-mothers
(Who gave you suck), foster-sisters; your wives' mothers; your step-daughters under
your guardianship, born of your wives to whom ye have gone in,- no prohibition if ye

  7 
have not gone in;- (Those who have been) wives of your sons proceeding from your
loins; and two sisters in wedlock at one and the same time, except for what is past; for
God is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful;-
(Al Qur’aan: Al- Nisa Verse 23)

“Wa Qul Lilmu'umināti Yaghđuđna Min 'Abşārihinna Wa Yaĥfažna Furūjahunna Wa

Lā Yubdīna Zīnatahunna 'Illā Mā Žahara Minhā Wa Līađribna Bikhumurihinna `Alá
Juyūbihinna Wa Lā Yubdīna Zīnatahunna 'Illā Libu`ūlatihinna 'Aw 'Ābā'ihinna 'Aw
'Ābā'i Bu`ūlatihinna 'Aw 'Abnā'ihinna 'Aw 'Abnā'i Bu`ūlatihinna 'Aw 'Ikhwānihinna
'Aw Banī 'Ikhwānihinna 'Aw Banī 'Akhawātihinna 'Aw Nisā'ihinna 'Aw Mā Malakat
'Aymānuhunna 'Awi At-Tābi`īna Ghayri 'Ūlī Al-'Irbati Mina Ar-Rijāli 'Awi Aţ-Ţifli Al-
Ladhīna Lam Yažharū `Alá `Awrāti An-Nisā' Wa Lā Yađribna Bi'arjulihinna
Liyu`lama Mā Yukhfīna Min Zīnatihinna Wa Tūbū 'Ilá Al-Lahi Jamī`āan 'Ayyuhā Al-
Mu'uminūna La`allakum Tufliĥūna”

Translation: And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and
guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except
what (must ordinarily) appear thereof; that they should draw their veils over their
bosoms and not display their beauty except to their husbands, their fathers, their
husband's fathers, their sons, their husbands' sons, their brothers or their brothers'
sons, or their sisters' sons, or their women, or the slaves whom their right hands
possess, or male servants free of physical needs, or small children who have no sense
of the shame of sex; and that they should not strike their feet in order to draw
attention to their hidden ornaments. And O ye Believers! turn ye all together towards
God, that ye may attain Bliss.
(Al Qur’aan: Al-Nur, Verse: 31)

Q: Umm Kulthum was the daughter of Ali Ibne Abi Talib. Muslim Historical
evidence shows that the marriage of Umm Kulthum and Umar took place in the
year 17 Hijri when Umm Kulthum was 5 or 4 years of age. This would put her
date of birth to 12 or 13 Hijri. History of Abul Fida, vol I p 171 - Al Farooq by
Shibli Numani, vol II p 539. Please Explain.

Ans: The above is a deceptive way of quoting because the sources only mention the
date of the marriage as the year 17 AH. They do not say Umm Kulthum was 5 or 4
that year nor anything about her date of birth. This is your own claim inserted as an
historical premise, followed by your own conjecture.

Besides, the "History of Abul-Fida" is by the king of Hama, Isma`il ibn `Ali ibn
Mahmud (d. 732) and Nu`mani is a contemporary. Surely, they must have an earlier
transmitted basis for whatever they supposedly say. However, they did not say
anything other than the date of marriage as the year 17 AH.

Ibn Kathir's Tarikh states the year 16 for the marriage of `Umar with Umm Kulthum;
so she was between 10 and 12 since her date of birth is mentioned by al-Dhahabi in
Siyar A`lam al-Nubala' as around the 6th year after the Hijra. Allah knows best from
where the claim that she "was 5 or 4" comes from.

Among the Shi`a sources that narrate the fact of this marriage from Imam Muhammad
al-Baqir with the statement "Umm Kulthum bint `Ali ibn Abi Talib died at the same

  8 
time as her son Zayd ibn `Umar ibn al-Khattab" and the narration from Muhammad
ibn al-Hasan that "`Umar ibn al-Khattab married Umm Kulthum bint `Ali with a
dowry of 40,000 dirhams":

1. Agha Burzug al-Tahrani's al-Dhari`a (5:184).

2. `Ali ibn Muhammad al-`Alawi's al-Mujdi fi Ansab al-Talibiyyin (p. 17).
3. Al-Fadil al-Hindi's Kashf al-Litham (2:312).
4. Al-Hurr al-`Amili's Wasa'il al-Shi`a Al al-Bayt (15:19, 17:594, 21:263, 26:314).
5. Muhammad ibn Habib al-Baghdadi's al-Munammaq fi Akhbar Quraysh (p. 301).
6. Al-Muhaqqiq al-Ardabili's Majma` al-Fa'ida (11:530).
7. Al-Muhaqqiq al-Naraqi's Mustanad al-Shi`a (19:452).
8. Al-Muhaqqiq al-Sabzawari's Kifayat al-Ahkam (p. 307).
9. Al-Sayyid Muhammad Sadiq al-Rawhani's Fiqh al-Sadiq (24:496).
10. Al-Shahid al-Thani's Masalik al-Afham (13:270).
11. Al-Shaykh al-Amini's al-Ghadir (6:136-137).
12. Al-Shaykh al-Tusi's al-Mabsut (4:272)
13. and Tahdhib al-Ahkam (9:362-363).
14. Al-Shaykh al-Jawahiri's Jawahir al-Kalam (39:308).

Q: Historical evidences show that Hazrat Fatima passed away 6 month after the
demise of her father (SAW), and thus her date of death was in the year 11 Hijri,
and that Umm Kulthum, daughter of Ali was born in the year 9 Hijri. Sahih al-
Bukhari, Arabic-English Version, Tradition 5.546 - Anwarul Hussania, V3, p39.

Ans: The above reference to al-Bukhari contains nothing about Umm Kulthum.
Rather, al-Bukhari narrates in his Tarikh al-Saghir (1:102) – like everyone else - that
Umm Kulthum had married `Umar. As for her date of birth it is 6 AH as cited above.

Umm Kulthuim was the second daughter of Ali and Fatima and the youngest among
their children. She was born in about 6 AH. She became of marriageable age during
the Caliphate of Umar and the Caliph asked for her hand in marriage. This is recorded
by Ibn Sa’d in his work Tabaqat al-Kubra Vol.8, Page 338, editor Muhammad Ab’dl-
Qadir, Dar-al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut 1990.

Q: Then how is it possible for Umm Kulthum to be born after the death of
Fatima if the Muslims claim that she was married to Umar in the year 17 Hijri at
an age of 4 or 5 years, that would put the date of birth as 12 or 13 Hijri, which is
long after the death of her mother?

Ans: The Sunnis do not claim that she was 4 or 5 in the year 17 AH but 11 or 12.

Q: Sunni historical evidence shows that Umm Kulthum (the so-called wife of
Umar) died before 50 Hijri, since Imam Hasan (as), Abdullah ibn Umar and
Sa'ad bin Abi Waqas offered the funeral prayers.

Ans: Not Sa`d ibn Abi Waqqas but Sa`id ibn al-`As (2-59 AH) and he was the Imam
as the (universally respected) governor of Madina who had dearly wished to marry
Umm Kulthum but desisted when he learnt of al-Husayn bin Ali bin Abi Talib
disapproval. It is also possible that he let Ibn `Umar be the imam. In the congregation
there was also Abu Qatada (d. 54 AH). This is agreed upon in BOTH the Muslim

  9 
sources and the 14 Shi`a sources cited above. Some narrations in Ibn Sa`d, al-
Bukhari, and al-Bayhaqi state that al-Hasan bin Ali bin Abi Talib (d. 50) was part of
the congregation, which brings the terminus ante quem for Umm Kulthum’s death to
49 AH.

Q: Also it is worthy to note that Imam Hasan was martyred in the year 50 Hijri.
Or 49 AH. But then other references show that Umm Kulthum were present in
Kerballa during the year 61 Hijri.

Ans: ONLY non-Sunni sources that stand out for their unreliability, such as Muruj al-
Dahab by the Mu`tazili chronicler (akhbaari) al-Mas`udi (d. 345); Sharh al-Akhbar fi
Fada'il al-A'immat al-At-har (3:198) by the ex-Maliki apostate (murtadd cf. Siyar,
Fikr ed. 12:284), al-Qadi al-Nu`man ibn Muhammad ibn Mansur al-Maghribi (d.
363AH); Muthir al-Ahzan by Ibn Nama al-Hilli (d. 645 AH); and Bihar al-Anwar by
Muhammad Baqir al-Majlisi (d. 1111 AH) among other similarly unscrupulous
sources.

However, that claim is not found in the 14 Shi`i sources cited earlier nor in the Sunni
sources.

The Siyar (Fikr ed. 4:418) among other Sunni sources only name the following Ahl
al-Bayt women as present at Karbala' and taken prisoner:- Zaynab and Fatima the
daughters of `Ali;- Fatima and Sukayna the daughters of al-Husayn;- al-Rabab al-
Kalbiyya the wife of al-Husayn and mother of Sukayna;- Umm Muhammad the
daughter of al-Hasan ibn `Ali.

Sukayna is the one that spoke the famous words to Yazid, "Have you taken prisoner
the daughters of the Messenger of Allah?" which words are spuriously attributed to
Umm Kulthum bint `Ali in some of the non-Sunni accounts such as al-Raghib al-
Asfahani's Maqatil al-Talibiyyin (p. 79) and the above-cited sources.

The only Umm Kulthum present in the whole episode of Karbala' was Yazid's own
wife, Umm Kulthum bint `Abd Allah ibn `Amir.

Q: Long after the incident of Kerbala Zainab binte Ali died, then it was that
Abdullah bin Jafer Tayyar were married to Umm Kulthum bint Ali. It is more
likely that `Abd Allah ibn Ja`far (d. 80 AH), unlike his two brothers `Awn and
Muhammad [he also named his sons thus], was never married to Umm Kulthum
(d. 49 AH) at all but only to her sister Zaynab (d. 61 AH). There is no
contradiction to the fact that before Umm Kulthum bint Ali, Zainab were
married to Abdullah bin Jafer.

Ans: The marriage of Zaynab to `Abd Allah ibn Ja`far is unquestioned. Both the
parties Agree to the fact

Q: Also it is true that till the year 61 AH (incident of Kerbala ) Zaineb were
alive, and that Umm Kulthum bint Ali were married after the year 61 AH to
Abdullah bin Jafer
Ans: Incorrect: Zaynab was at Karbala? But Umm Kulthum had died before 49 AH.

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Q: But where does the contradiction lie? With respect to the first references, the
lady married to Umar by the name Umm Kulthum died in the year before 50
AH, as Imam Hasan had offered her funeral prayers. This leaves us to believe
that the Umm Kulthum married to Umar were in fact some other lady and NOT
the daughter of Imam Ali. Roza tul Ihbab Volume 3 page 585 - Al Bidayah wa
al-Nihayah – Tareekhe Khamees Volume 3 page 318.

Ans: This nonsense is definitely not in the latter two references nor even in the 14
Shi`i sources other than the few discrepant sources I've identified.

Q: The Sunni scholar Ibn Qutaybah in his book "al Maarif " mentioned that all
the daughters of Imam Ali were married to the sons of Aqeel and Abbas with a
few exceptions, but he did NOT mention the claim that Umm Kulthum were
married to Umar. The exceptions were for Ummul Hasan binte Saeed and
Fatima. al-Maarif, Ibn Qutaybah, p 80

Ans: Wrong. Ibn Qutayba said in al-Ma`arif (Beirut: Dar al-Kutub al-`Ilmiyya, 1987)
p. 122:

"THE DAUGHTERS OF `ALI IBN ABI TALIB: As for Zaynab the elder daughter of
Fatima, she was [married] with `Abd Allah ibn Ja`far and gave him children whom
we already named. As for Umm Kulthum the elder, also the daughter of Fatima, she
was [married] with `Umar ibn al-Khattab and gave him children we also already
named. When `Umar was killed Muhammad ibn Ja`far ibn Abi Talib married her. He
died before her then `Awn ibn Ja`far ibn Abi Talib married her and she died before
him. The rest of `Ali's daughters were married off to the sons of `Aqil and the sons of
al-`Abbas except Umm al-Hasan – she was married to Ja`da ibn Hubayra al-
Makhzumi -- and except Fatima -- she was married to Sa`id ibn al-Aswad of Banu al-
Harith ibn Asad."

The same Ibn Qutayba also says in the same book (p. 107):

"THE CHILDREN OF `UMAR IBN AL-KHATTAB FROM HIS BLOOD AND

THEIR DESCENDENTS: .... also Fatima and Zayd, their mother being Umm
Kulthum the daughter of `Ali ibn Abi Talib from his union with Fatima the daughter
of the Messenger of Allah upon him blessings and peace. It is also said that Umm
Kulthum's daughter from `Umar was named Ruqayya...."

Q: For those who claim that such marriage happened; kindly answer the
following questions. What was the age for Omar at the time of the marriage?

Ans: Approximately forty-seven. (47) for Umar and Umm Kulthum was between 10
and 12.

Q: When Omar died what was the age of Umm Kulthum?

Ans: Between 17 and 19. `Umar was fifty-four or five.

  11 
Could you briefly state the names of the wives of Omar?
Ans:
1. `Atika bint Zayd ibn `Amr al-`Adawiyya.
2. Fukayha who gave him offspring. [Mulk al-yamin]
3. Luhayya al-Yamaniyya who gave him `Abd al-Rahman al-Asghar or al-
Awsat, the latter known as Abu Shahma whom `Umar whipped for
drunkenness. [May have been mulk al-yamin]
4. Mulayka bint Abi Umayya al-Khuza`iyya who may have given him `Ubayd
Allah.
5. Qariba bint Abi Umayya al-Makhzumiyya [in Jahiliyya].
6. Subay`a bint al-Harith al-Aslamiyya.
7. Umm `Asim Jamila bint Thabit al-Awsiyya who gave him `Asim.
8. Umm Hakim bint al-Harith al-Makhzumiyya who gave him Fatima.
9. Umm Kulthum bint `Ali al-Hashimiyya who gave him Ruqayya and Zayd
al-Akbar but Ibn Qutayba in the Ma`arif names them Fatima and Zayd.
10. Umm Kulthum bint (`Amr ibn) Jarwal al-Khuza`iyya who gave him Zayd al-
Asghar and `Ubayd Allah [in Jahiliyya] and whom al-Waqidi also calls
Mulayka bint Jarwal, followed in this by Ibn Qutayba, Ibn Kathir, and Ibn al-
Athir.
11. Zaynab bint Maz`un al-Jumahi who gave him `Abd Allah, Hafsa, and `Abd al-
Rahman al-Akbar [in Jahiliyya and Islam].

Q: Could you assert to the truthfulness of the character of the person who
narrated this story?

Ans: There are so many that it is mutawatir (mass-transmitted) including from the
Imams of Ahl al-Bayt such as Ja`far al-Sadiq, from his father.

Q: I am talking about Zubair bin Bakar ?

Ans: He is "thiqa thabt" (extremely trustworthy) according to al-Baghawi and al-

Khatib while al-Daraqutni, al-Dhahabi, Ibn Hajar and others simply grade him
thiqa, which is the highest grade of reliability.

Q: Do you know how many children were born of Umm Kulthum with the
marriage to Omar?

Ans: Two: a boy Zayd ibn Umar al-Khattab and a girl named Ruqayyah, but Ibn
Qutayba in the Ma`arif name her as Fatima.

Umm Kulthum bint Ali married Umar Al Khattab and had a son named Zayd bin
Umar al Khattab was famously known as IBNUL KHALIFATAYN; the son of
two caliph i.e, Umar and Ali. And a daughter named Ruqaiyyah bint Umar. (Ref:
Al Kamel fe al-Tareekh (Vol:2, Pg 212) written by Ali ibn al-Athir in the year
1231 CE.

After `Umar died she remarried, upon `Ali's order, with `Awn ibn Ja`far ibn Abi
Talib. When `Awn died `Ali remarried her with `Awn's brother Muhammad ibn
Ja`far.

  12 
 Zayd al-Akbar died a young man, childless, from a stone throw in the time of
Mu`awiya. Umm Kulthum died at the same time and Sa`id ibn al-`As ibn Sa`id or
Ibn `Umar prayed over them, Allah have mercy on them.

Ref: Ibn al-Jarud, al-Muntaqa [an entirely sahih book] (p. 142); al-Zubayr ibn
Bakkar, al-Muntakhab min Azwaj al-Nabi SallAllahu `alayhi wa-Sallam (p. 30-
31); al-Dulabi, al-Dhurriyat al-Tahira (p. 62); Ibn Sa`d, Tabaqat (8:337-
340=8:463-464); al-Siyar wal-Maghazi (p. 248); Tarikh al-Ya`qubi (2:260); Ibn
Shabba's Tarikh al-Madina (2:654); Nasab Quraysh (p. 352); `Abd al-Razzaq,
Musannaf (3:465); al-Nasa'i, Sunan (4:71) and Sunan Kubra (1:641); al-Bukhari,
Tarikh al-Saghir (1:102); Ibn Qutayba, Ma`arif (p. 107, 122); al-Tabari, Tarikh
(4:199 and 5:335); al-Daraqutni, Sunan (2:79); al-Bayhaqi, Sunan Kubra (4:33);
Ibn `Abd al-Barr, Isti`ab (4:490-491); al-Nawawi, Tahdhib al-Asma' wal-Lughat
(2:267 #1219); al- Dhahabi, Siyar A`lam al-Nubala' (Dar al-Fikr ed. 5:22-24) and
Tarikh al- Islam (4:58-59, 4:137-139, 4:227, 5:21); al-Dimyati, Nisa' al-Rasul (p.
128); Ibn Hajar, Isaba (4:492 #1481); Ibn al-Athir, Usd al-Ghaba (7:387-388) and
al-Kamil fi al-Tarikh (3:54, 4:12); al-Suyuti, al-Hawi lil-Fatawa (2:179); etc.

Q: We also know that there were ' two ' Umm Kulthum's as Shibli Numani
writes above, correct?
Ans: Definitely. And he made a proper distinction too.
Ref: Al Farooq by Shibli Numani, Vol II page 539. (English)
Q: Or is she the same Umm Kulthum that is the daughter of Abu Bakr? If
yes then why doesn't the author point out so? What is the clear distinction
then?

Ans: The distinction is clear as day and night, they were two different persons.
Move on.

There were at least nine Companions named Umm Kulthum. Add the Umm
Kulthums of Jahiliyya and those of the Tabi`in. The fact that it was a popular
proper noun might be confusing to some.

Q: This would imply that the original claim made by the first references I
gave for the age of Umm Kulthum at the time of marriage of 4 or 5 years
would stand correct.

Ans: Actually, you gave no references to that effect but conjectured the age
yourself, which we established was completely inaccurate. However, Umm
Kulthum bint Abi Bakr al-Siddiq might well have been 3 or 4 at the time.

Q: Since for Umm Kulthum binte Abu Bakr to be born in 13 A.H and
married in 17 A.H would give her an age of 4 years. Since Aisha was the elder
sister of Umm Kulthum binte Abu Bakr, for this reason Umar had sent for
Umm Kulthum hand's to Aisha, and Aisha had accepted this. (Ref; Tareekhe
Khamees Volume 2 page 267 - Tareekhe Kamil Volume 3 page 21 - Al Istiab
by Ibn Abdul Barr Volume 2 page 795)

Ans: Except that the same sources state that Umm Kulthum bint Abi Bakr
*adamantly rejected* `Umar's proposal, after which `A'isha supposedly consulted

  13 
 `Amr ibn al-`As who supposedly dissuaded `Umar from pursuing the matter and
supposedly persuaded him to ask for `Ali's daughter instead.

However, the same sources all agree with the remainder of the sources to the fact
that `Umar ibn al-Khattab married the daughter of `Ali and Fatima, Allah be well-
pleased with all of them, as referenced above.

Nor is there any contradiction between the two incidents supposing the proposal
to Abu Bakr’s daughter actually took place and fell through.

Q: This leaves us no doubt to believe that Umm Kulthum who was the
daughter of Abu Bakr was married to Umar and NOT Umm Kulthum the
daughter of Imam Ali !

Ans; I have not seen this incoherent claim earlier than in the pages of al-Anwar
al-`Alawiyya wal-Asrar al-Murtadawiyya (p. 436) by an ignoramus named al-
Shaykh Ja`far al-Naqdi (d. 1370) who had the gall to introduce this fantasy with
the words: "I say, I saw in a book whose title I do not remember at the moment,
that of the Imams of guidance said, upon them peace....." A lie, no transmission
chain, and no source -- Shi`ism in a nutshell.

Rather, as all of the above Sunni and Shi`i sources already showed, there is no
doubt that the wife of `Umar was Umm Kulthum the daughter of `Ali.

In addition:
When `Ali was struck down by Ibn Muljam, Umm Kulthum said: "Ma li wali-
Salat al-ghadat, qutila zawji Amir al-mu'minin salata al-ghadah, wa-qutila abi
Salata al-ghadah! - What does the morning prayer want with me? My husband the
Commander of the believers was killed at the morning prayer and my father was
killed at the morning prayer!"

Narrated from al-Asbagh al-Hanzali by Ibn `Asakir in Tarikh Dimashq (42:555)

cf. al-Dhahabi, Tarikh al-Islam (3:648-649) and Ibn Kathir, Bidaya (8:14).

Perhaps it was another `Ali, another Ibn Muljam, another Umm Kulthum, another
Commander of the believers? Like they come up with another Tabari, another Ibn
Qutayba......

Q: Khateeb in his Tar'eekh even mentions that she tells her father that he
called me, kissed me and then grabbed my ankle and said, "tell you father
that I am pleased!

Ans: Yes, at the time `Ali himself had sent her to `Umar, and that report does
state that he had dressed her up. `Abd al-Razzaq's version of the same report in his
Musannaf (6:163 #10353) specifies that `Ali had previously told `Umar: "I shall
send her to you and, if you agree, then she is your wife and I have married her to
you."
Narrated in al-Khatib's Tarikh Baghdad (6:182), entry on Ibrahim ibn Mihran ibn
Rustum al-Marwazi, with a fair chain according to Dr. Khaldun al-Ahdab in his
book Zawa'id Tarikh Baghdad (5:209-214 #901).

  14