Assessing a Report on the Share of Dhū al-Qurbā in the Khums and Spoils of War

On the authority of Yazid al-Raqashi, from Anas ibn Malik: Fatima, peace be upon her, came to Abu Bakr and said, “You know how we, the People of the House, have been deprived of the charity due to us, and of what God granted us from the spoils of war in the Qur’an as the share of near kin.” Then she recited to him the words of the Exalted: وَ اعْلَمُوا أَنَّما غَنِمْتُمْ مِنْ شَيْ‏ءٍ فَأَنَّ لِلَّهِ خُمُسَهُ وَ لِلرَّسُولِ وَ لِذِي الْقُرْبى‏ «2» the verse. Abu Bakr said to her, “May my father and mother, and the father of your children, be your ransom. I read the Book of God from which you read, but my knowledge of it does not extend to this share of the fifth being handed over to you in full.” She said, “Is it yours and your relatives’?” He replied, “No. Rather, I will spend some of it on you and use the rest for the welfare of the Muslims.” She said, “This is not the ruling of God Most High.” He said: …

*Al-Saqifa wa Fadak*, p. 114

Anas ibn Mālik is not regarded favourably among either the Shiʿa or the Sunnis. Nevertheless, there is merit in relying on the report attributed to him. Setting aside his personal character, it is better to follow the example of the esteemed Sayyid ibn Ṭāwūs, may God have mercy on him, and accept this report and act upon it in the hope of reward. Of course, this does not mean affirming or denying the measure of reward mentioned in the report.

We must acknowledge that soundly transmitted hadiths speak of rewards for deeds comparable to the one under discussion that may, at first glance, seem implausible to reason. Even so, it is better to perform such deeds simply in the hope of drawing nearer to God.

A number of reports from Anas ibn Mālik concern the rank of the Master and the Ahl al-Bayt, peace be upon them. Several examples are given below. Some reports even mention his presence at the gathering of the accursed Ibn Ziyād, including an account praising the Imam al-Ḥusayn, peace be upon him, and noting that Anas wept there.

Another important point is that there may be hidden motives behind casting doubt on the report concerning the month of Dhū al-Qaʿdah—motives that could lead people to disregard Anas’s other reports in praise of the Ahl al-Bayt, peace be upon them. Hadith criticism, moreover, is a broad field, and all its relevant considerations must be taken into account.

و روى السبط عن البخاري عن ابن سيرين انه قال: لما وضع رأس الحسين بين يدي ابن زياد جعل في طست، و جعل يضرب ثناياه بالقضيب. و كان عنده انس بن مالك فبكى و قال: اشبههم برسول اللّه‏
The Martyrdom of al-Ḥusayn, p. 260

عن ابي جعفر الباقر عليه السّلام برواية عمّار الدهني: 5: 390 و رواه المسعودي: 3: 71 انه قال: ارفع قضيبك، فطال- و اللّه- ما رأيت رسول اللّه صلّى اللّه عليه [و آله‏] و سلّم يضع فمه على فمه يلثمه! و رواه سبط ابن الجوزي ثم ذكر عن البلاذري: أن الذي كان عند يزيد و قال هذه المقالة انس بن مالك.
The Battle of al-Taff, p. 269
عَنْهُ عَنْ أَبِي طَالِبٍ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الصَّلْتِ عَنْ أَبِي هَدِيَّةَ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي أَنَسُ بْنُ مَالِكٍ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص كَانَ ذَاتَ يَوْمٍ جَالِساً عَلَى بَابِ الدَّارِ وَ مَعَهُ عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ ع إِذْ أَقْبَلَ شَيْخٌ فَسَلَّمَ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص لِعَلِيٍّ ع أَ تَعْرِفُ الشَّيْخَ فَقَالَ عَلِيٌّ ع مَا أَعْرِفُهُ فَقَالَ ص هَذَا إِبْلِيسُ فَقَالَ عَلِيٌّ ع لَوْ عَلِمْتَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ لَضَرَبْتُهُ ضَرْبَةً بِالسَّيْفِ فَخَلَّصْتُ أُمَّتَكَ مِنْهُ قَالَ فَانْصَرَفَ إِبْلِيسُ إِلَى عَلِيٍّ فَقَالَ لَهُ ظَلَمْتَنِي يَا أَبَا الْحَسَنِ أَ مَا سَمِعْتَ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ يَقُولُ- وَ شارِكْهُمْ فِي الْأَمْوالِ وَ الْأَوْلادِ فَوَ اللَّهِ مَا شَارَكْتُ أَحَداً أَحَبَّكَ فِي أُمِّه‏
Al-Maḥāsin, vol. 2, p. 332
َ عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ خَادِمِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص يَا عَلِيُّ أَنْتَ تُعَلِّمُ النَّاسَ تَأْوِيلَ الْقُرْآنِ بِمَا لَا يَعْلَمُونَ فَقَالَ [عَلَى‏] مَا أُبَلِّغُ رِسَالَتَكَ بَعْدَكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص قَالَ تُخْبِرُ النَّاسَ بِمَا أَشْكَلَ عَلَيْهِمْ مِنْ تَأْوِيلِ الْقُرْآنِ.
Baṣāʾir al-Darajāt fī Faḍāʾil Āl Muḥammad Ṣallā Allāhu ʿAlayhim, vol. 1, p. 195