The allegation is
that Muhammad had
sex with Fatima bint
Asad when she was
dead.
---------------
Source :http://thefactsaboutislam.blogspot.com/
It is a nonsensical
and a malicious
claim which is
gaining some
popularity
the aberrations on
the internet
The simplest way to
disprove this
allegation is to go
to Islamic
Jurisprudence.
As the charge is
that of necrophilia
(sex with a dead
body) we can look
into Islamic
theology. If the
allegation is true
then the act of
necrophilia would be
allowed in Islam. So
what does the expert
(Ibn Hajar Haytami)
say?
Well, he includes
necrophilia in his
list of sins [1].
Thus we can realise
necrophilia is not
allowed in Islam and
the Prophet did not
engage in such a
deed.
In fact if we
consult Fiqh we
realise “it is
unlawful to look at
the nakedness of the
deceased or touch
it” [2].Thus further
showing sex with the
deceased (dead)
cannot possibly be
allowed. This
further shows the
Prophet did not
engage in such a
deed as if he did
then the practice of
necrophilia would
have been allowed in
Islam.
Now we know
the claim of
necrophilia against
Prophet Muhammad is
incorrect we can
analyse the
methodology used by
the claimant (Zakaria
Botros) and the
narration he uses.
This course of
action will suffice
for us to be fully
conversant with this
claim and able to
explain why the
claims are erroneous
(false).
It is important to
be able to explain
it as there is a
growing number of
willing propagators
of such falsehood,
thus this false
claim will only
become popular if
good people sit on
their hands.
Analysing the
Allegation:
Authentic?
The narration which
is used is from a
book named Kanza ul
Amal. This book
contains fabricated
and weak narrations,
thus is not
recognised as an
authoritative source
(individual
narrations need to
be checked).
Regardless of the
authenticity let’s
still look at the
narration and
context to gain
understanding so we
can realise the
actual meaning of
such a narration
(regardless of
authenticity)
The Narration
Narrated by Ibn
Abbas:
"I
(Muhammad) put on
her my shirt that
she may wear the
clothes of heaven,
and I SLEPT with her
in her coffin
(grave) that I may
lessen the pressure
of the grave. She
was the best of
Allah's creatures to
me after Abu Talib"...
The prophet was
referring to Fatima,
the mother of Ali.
Looking at the
narration alone one
would not cry
“necrophilia” or any
wrong doing as “sex”
is not mentioned.
However, simply
looking at the
narration’s English
translation one
would find it odd.
Sleeping with
somebody in a coffin
(grave) is an odd
occurrence indeed.
However, once the
context is given we
realise what
actually happened.
The Context and
Explanation
Firstly the
translation of “I
slept” does
not best
convey the meaning
based on the
context, the Arabic
word translated as
“I Slept” is Idtaja’
(اضطجع ). This word
can either mean:
lie down,
lie, recline, repose
[3].
I hope you have
noticed within the
list of definitions
(lie down, lie,
recline, repose)
the word
“sleep” (or “sex”)
does not appear.
Lane’s Lexicon does
indicate it can
refer to sleeping
too:
lay upon his side;
or] he laid his side
upon the
ground; [and simply
he lay; and he slept
[4]
Though the word can
refer to sleep,
I have seen NO
indication
in Lane’s Lexicon
nor the other
dictionary which
indicates the word
means sex. (I will
elaborate on this
later on in this
paper whilst
discussing Father
Zakaria’s bizarre
and fallacious
interpretation of
the narration)
So we are left with
the question: did
Muhammad sleep or
lie in the grave?
The context explains
it all, as it was a
grave we realise the
word cannot possibly
mean “sleep” but
rather it means
“lie/lay in the
grave”.
This actually makes
sense with the other
bits of context we
have at our
disposal;
“When the
grave was prepared
Muhammad himself
examined it and
placed her into the
grave”
[5].
Thus, it is
reasonable to think
the examination
procedure also
involved Muhammad
lying in the grave.
This would not have
been at length in
terms of duration
(time).
Therefore we realize
Muhammad simply laid
in the grave
to make sure it was
comfortable for his
deceased foster
mother as well as to
honour the lady as
it would be seen as
a fabulous honor to
be resting in a
place where a
Prophet of God had
previously laid.
Did Muhammad Lie
with his Foster
Mother (Fatima Bint
Asad) in the Grave?
It does not appear
so as the process of
investigating/examining
the grave would have
been PRIOR (before)
lowering Fatima Bint
Asad into the grave.
Therefore Muhammad
would have reclined
(lied) in the grave
in order to check
the grave before
Fatima was placed in
the grave, thus he
would not have lied
with her.
Furthermore, there
were two types of
graves in vogue at
the time of the
Prophet which were
Lahd and Shaqq (shiq)
[6], [7].
The Shaqq
type of grave is
characterized by a
niche within the
grave for the dead
body to be placed
within. So it is
impossible to lie
with the body due to
the niche. [8]
The Lahd
form of grave is
characterized by a
lateral hollow which
is dug into the side
of the base of the
grave for the body
to be placed [8].
This type of grave
makes lying with the
deceased body risky
as the earth could
cave in on top of
the body and the one
who is lying with
the deceased.
Thus, it seems the
laying in the grave
for examination
purposes was done
prior to Fatima
being lowered into
her resting place.
This is despite the
Arabic phraseology
used literally
denoting “with”:
اضطجعت معها في قبرها
However, even if one
takes it literally
it does not mean
wrong doing took
place and it
certainly does not
refer to sex.
If
Muhammad did lie
with his foster
mother whilst she
was in the grave in
order to check for
comfort and honor
her before the
companions filled
the grave it would
only have been for a
short time and this
would have been
witnessed by other
people too. There is
nothing wrong with
lying in the grave
to ensure comfort
for your foster
mother and honor; in
fact it was an act
of great compassion.
Having established
all the above we can
move on to discuss
and deconstruct the
misdirection of
Father Zakaria (the
one who initially
made this fallacious
claim)
This seems
to be a transcript
of Father Zakaria’s
explanation to the
narration:
The
Arabic scholar
Demetrius explains:
"The Arabic word
used here for
"slept" is "Id'tajat,"
and literally means
"lay down" with her.
It is often used to
mean, "lay down to
have sex." Muhammad
is understood as
saying that because
he slept with her
she has become like
a wife to him so she
will be considered
like a "mother of
the believers." This
will supposedly
prevent her from
being tormented in
the grave, since
Muslims believed
that as people wait
for the Judgment Day
they will be
tormented in the
grave. "Reduce the
pressure" here means
that the torment
won't be as much
because she is now a
"mother of the
believers" after
Muhammad slept with
her and
"consummated" the
union."
Firstly, who is
“Demetrius”? Zakaria
gives no
introduction to this
scholar. Why? I have
had a look at Lane’s
Lexicon and I did
not get the
inference the word
meant sex. However,
this is a smaller
point in the
deconstruction of
Zakaria’s claim.
We will look
at Father Zakaria’s
unauthorised
interpretation of
the event and show
the holes within his
reasoning.
Have Sex with Her in
Order to give her a
Special Status?
Zakaria states:
“Muhammad is
understood as saying
that because he
slept with her she
has become like a
wife to him so she
will be considered
like a "mother of
the believers””
Zakaria’s premise is
that Muhammad had
sex with Fatima
because he wanted
her to attain
special status as
the “mother of the
believers”.
Well, Zakaria’s
premise falls flat
on its face
because
Fatima bint Asad
already had the
special status of
being Muhammad’s
foster mother.
[5]
In the transcript
this information has
been
withheld
(i.e. nobody is told
of her special
status as the foster
mother of Muhammad).
Why is this
information not
relayed to us in the
transcript which is
circulating the
internet? It is
because Zakaria’s
premise is thrown
into doubt
immediately if we
are told she already
has a special
status. Thus if she
already had a
special status then
there would be no
need for her to be
given the special
status of being
“like a wife to him”
as she was already
like a mother to him
(Muhammad).
So Father
Zakaria’s reasoning
is flawed from the
start.
However, it gets
worse for the
Zakaria.
“She has become like
a wife to him”
Father
Zakaria is trying to
fool us. He
is claiming Muhammad
had sex with Fatima
in order for her to
have a status of a
wife of Muhammad and
thus the title of
“mother of the
believers”.
Zakaria is
either ignorant or
dishonest.
Muhammad could NOT
possibly have taken
Fatima Bint Asad as
a wife as Islamic
Law dictates consent
be given by BOTH
parties in a
marriage; of course
marrying a dead
person would not be
allowed simply based
on this injunction.
Father Zakaria knows
this but continues
with his fanciful
claim because it
suits his agenda to
besmirch the
reputation of the
Prophet Muhammad
So the point here is
that Fatima could
never have become
his wife through
such an act, despite
Father Zakaria’s
nonsensical
pleadings.
Thus Father Zakaria
is looking even more
foolish in his
claim. It
gets more
embarrassing for
Father Zakaria
“Muhammad did this
to save her from the
torment of the
grave”?
Father Zakaria
is showing signs of
a fertile
imagination and
utter ignorance.
If we consult
Ahadith literature
we will realise
Muhammad’s PRAYER
made the grave a
better abode for
people (Hadith)
through the grace of
God. This shows us
if Muhammad
seriously felt
Fatima Bint Asad was
in danger of the
punishment of the
grave he would have
simply PRAYED for
her grave to be a
better dwelling. [9]
Thus we realise
Zakaria’s debauched
idea that sex (or
marriage) is
required to save a
person from the
punishment of the
grave is warped and
fallacious to say
the least. It gets
worse for Father
Zakaria.
“Muslims believed
that as people wait
for the Judgment Day
they will be
tormented in the
grave”
Zakaria is showing
signs of clear
ignorance. Muslims
of course believe in
the punishment of
the grave but
those whom
Allah is pleased
with are NOT
punished.
Fatima Bint Asad is
considered a saintly
woman thus Muslims
do not
believe she is
subjected to the
punishment of the
grave.
In fact the Muslim
belief concerning
pious people (such
as Fatima Bint Asad)
is that their graves
will reflect
Paradise and will be
very comfortable and
blissful indeed.
'The grave is a
garden of paradise
or a pit of hell."
(Mishkat)
Rasulullah
said,
'The grave is a
garden of paradise
or a pit of hell.' (Mishkat).
Concerning the pious
people (such as
Fatima Bint Asad) “A
believer will answer
all three questions
and he will be
honored with the
clothing of Jannah.
The window of Jannah
will be opened for
him and he will
enjoy the sight of
Jannah”
(Mishkat) (appendix
1)
Thus we
realise the
grave of a saintly
woman (i.e. Fatima
Bint Asad) would not
be one of torment
but of splendour,
peace and bliss. She
will also see Jannah
(Paradise).
This just
illustrates Father
Zakaria’s ignorance
and shows his
crackpot idea of
Muhammad having sex
with his foster
mother in order to
save her from
torment is
unadulterated
nonsense and a
product of a very
strange mind indeed.
Father Zakaria’s
Hypocrisy
The one making this
odd claim is a
Christian and it
just goes to reveal
his
hypocritical nature
because the same
word (a construct of
Idtaja) is used in
the Arabic Bible and
it is not translated
as sex but is
translated as
“LAID”. Does Father
Zakaria want to be
consistent now and
withdraw his silly
claims?
Please also bear in
mind the dictionary
references (given
earlier) which
disprove Father
Zakaria’s malicious
claims, well the
Bible is now
disproving hm.
The same Arabic word
is used in the Bible
(2Kings 4:32) and it
is translated as
“laid” and not sex
or anything of that
nature:
وَدَخَلَ
أَلِيشَعُ الْبَيْتَ
وَإِذَا بِالصَّبِيِّ
مَيْتٌ وَمُضْطَجعٌ
عَلَى سَرِيرِهِ.
English Translation:
And when Elisha was
come into the house,
behold, the child
was dead, and laid
upon his bed.
(KJV)
This along
with the dictionary
references shown
earlier just further
indicates the
narration in
question has nothing
to do with sex.
Clarification: Why
Do You Say There Was
No Sex?
I think this point
needs reiteration
and summarizing so
nobody is in any
doubt. It is a
silly, unfair and
false claim to say
sex was involved,
consider the
following:
*The word
used (Idtaja’) does
not infer sex. It
simply refers to
lying down or
sleeping. The
meaning of lying
down is further
highlighted by the
context. There is NO
way it refers to
sex. NO authority
would consider it
meaning sex. In fact
if the narrator
wanted to convey the
idea of sex/marriage
taking place he
would have used a
totally DIFFERENT
Arabic word (i.e. a
construct of nikah).
*The same Arabic
word is used in the
Bible (2Kings 4:32)
and it is translated
as “laid” and NOT
“sex” or “sleep”.
*Islam does
not allow sex with
dead people (already
mentioned above).
Islam is based on
the deeds and
actions of the
Prophet as well as
the Quran. Thus if
Muhammad did involve
himself in this type
of activity it would
be allowed within
Islam. This just
goes to show
Muhammad never
committed such an
act.
*Fiqh
(Jurisprudence)
tells us it is not
allowed to touch the
nakedness of the
deceased, as most
Fiqh is also based
upon Muhammad’s
actions we can
realize Muhammad did
not touch any
deceased body in a
sexual manner.
*Fatima Bint
Asad was deceased,
thus meaning a
marriage between
Muhammad and her or
any subsequent
conjugal (sexual)
relations would be
rejected by Islam
*The burying of a
deceased person is a
community effort
thus Muhammad would
not have been alone
whilst at the grave
side. Thus it would
be absurd to suggest
somebody had sex
with a deceased
woman whilst
everybody sat and
watched
* Muhammad’s
enemies would have
mentioned it and
used it against him
if he did commit
such an act.
Muhammad’s enemies
never accused him of
necrophilia. This
further shows this
allegation of
necrophilia is false
and baseless.
*As we have
already mentioned,
the dictionary
references do not
indicate sex but
lying down/sleeping
(the context of
which simply refers
to lying down).
These references are
further strengthened
by the context.
*Also, the
two grave types (Lahd/Shaqq)
would physically
render the grave as
unsuitable for sex.
*The body of the
deceased is meant to
be handled with care
[10] so much so that
a bone of the body
must not be broken.
Of course it goes
without saying this
would mean sex would
be out of the
question.
*Fatima bint
Asad was the foster
mother of Muhammad.
“When Muhammad heard
Fatima Bint Asad had
died, he immediately
went to her house
sat beside her body
and prayed for her
soul”
*“When the grave was
prepared Muhammad
himself examined it
and placed her into
the grave. Thus, she
was one of the few
people whose graves
were examined by
Muhammad”.
Examination of a
grave does involve
lying down in a
grave but does NOT
involve sex.
* It is
dehumanizing and a
disconnection from
reality to believe a
world religion of
nearly 2 billion
will be founded by a
man who involved
himself in
necrophilia
Conclusion
Muhammad was
doing what any
loving and caring
person should do;
that was focussing
on the well being of
his relative (foster
mother and aunt,
Fatima bint Asad) )
both in this life
and the hereafter.
There was no sex or
wrong doing
involved.
This heart warming
story
of compassion and
love for one’s
family member is now
being hijacked by
the debauched and
hateful mind of a
few who are
motivated by hatred
and destruction.
Father Zakaria
should be ashamed
with himself; this
man has a poor
reputation in the
Arab world, both
Christians and
Muslims will see him
as a man looking for
controversy and
attention whilst
viewing him as a
crackpot figure.
I have had some
dealings with the
English speaking
version of Father
Zakaria and he, too,
is seen as a man
motivated by
deviance and
outright deception.
This man’s deception
extends to making up
his own BIBLICAL
verses up! (Appendix
2)
Fair people (both
Muslims and
Christians)
should be wary of
such characters and
help fight their
misinformation. If
you happen to be
somebody who
dislikes Islam or a
supporter of such
perpetuators of
outrage and
dishonesty then I
urge you to have a
rethink and refrain
from supporting such
individuals
financially as they
will ultimately be
laughing all the way
to the bank at the
expense of the
truth.
There is no
copyright
restriction on this
work so feel free to
share it in order to
further the truth
Contact:
yahysnow@hotmail.com
May Allah’s peace
and blessings be
upon Prophet
Muhammad and may
Allah send more good
upon Fatima bint
Asad. Ameen
References
1. Reliance of the
Traveller, Ahmad ibn
Naqib al Misri,
edited and
translated by Nuh Ha
Mim Keller, Amana
Publications, 1994
[W52.1, 343]
2. Reliance of the
Traveller, Ahmad ibn
Naqib al Misri,
edited and
translated by Nuh Ha
Mim Keller, Amana
Publications, 1994
[g2.7]
3. Online
Arabic-English
dictionary,
http://www.stars21.com/dictionary/English-Arabic_dictionary.html
4. An Arabic-English
Lexicon by Edward
William Lane,
Williams and Norgate,
1872
5. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fatima_bint_Asad
6. Bulug al Maram,
compiled by Al-Hafiz
ibn Hajar al-Asqalani
(with brief notes
from Subul us Salam),
Darussalam
Publishers and
Distributors, 2002
pg 186
7. Reliance of the
Traveller, Ahmad ibn
Naqib al Misri,
edited and
translated by Nuh Ha
Mim Keller, Amana
Publications, 1994
g5.3
8. Ibid. g5.3
9. Bulug al Maram,
compiled by Al-Hafiz
ibn Hajar al-Asqalani
(with brief notes
from Subul us Salam),
Darussalam
Publishers and
Distributors, 2002
pg179 Hadith no 447
(see appendix 3)
10. Reliance of the
Traveller, Ahmad ibn
Naqib al Misri,
edited and
translated by Nuh Ha
Mim Keller, Aman
Publications, 1994
w52.1/119
Appendix 1
Rasulullah said,
'When a person is
buried and the
people go away, two
angels approach the
deceased and ask
three questions, a)
Who is your lord? b)
What is your
religion? and c) Who
is he (Rasulullah
)?. A believer will
answer all three
questions and he
will be honored with
the clothing of
Jannah. The window
of Jannah will be
opened for him and
he will enjoy the
sight of Jannah. On
the contrary, a
disbeliever will
express regret at
not being able to
answer the
questions. Upon
that, an angel who
is blind and deaf is
appointed to punish
him. Blind so that
the angel does not
see the punishment
and feel mercy and
deaf so that the
punishment is not
heard. The hammer
used to punish a
disbeliever is so
heavy that it can
reduce a mountain to
dust. The
disbeliever screams
with pain and every
creation can hear
him besides human
and Jinns.' (Mishkat)
Rasulullah said,
'The grave is a
garden of paradise
or a pit of hell.'
(Ibid)
http://www.albalagh.net/qa/punishment_in_grave.shtml
Appendix 2
The English
speaking version of
Father Zakaria makes
up his own Biblical
verse in order to
fit in with a
strange
“mathematical code”
idea:
http://yahyasnow.wordpress.com/2010/07/15/code-of-quran-prove-christ/
Such is the
disrespect for the
truth people of this
nature possess.
Appendix 3
Narrated Abu
Huraira ®: Regarding
the story of a woman
who used to sweep
the mosque. The
Prophet (S) asked
about her and they (
the Companions) told
him she had died. He
(S) then said, “why
did you not inform
me?” and it appeared
as if they had
considered her as of
little importance.
He (S) said, “show
me her grave”, and
when they did so he
prayed on her. And
Muslim added : He
(S) then said,
“these graves are
full of darkness for
their occupants, but
Allah will
illuminate them (the
graves) for them
(the occupants)
because of my prayer
on them”.
Appendix 4
Another example of
Muhammad caring for
people in the grave
Narrated Ibn 'Abbas:
The Prophet once
passed by two graves
and said, "These two
persons are being
tortured not for a
major sin (to
avoid). One of them
never saved himself
from being soiled
with his urine,
while the other used
to go about with
calumnies(to make
enmity between
friends)." The
Prophet then took a
green leaf of a
date-palm tree,
split it into
(pieces) and fixed
one on each grave.
They said, "O
Allah's Apostle! Why
have you done so?"
He replied, "I hope
that their
punishment might be
lessened till these
(the pieces of the
leaf) become dry."
(See the foot-note
of Hadith 215).
(217)
Narrated Ibn 'Abbas:
Once the Prophet,
while passing
through one of the
grave-yards of
Medina or Mecca
heard the voices of
two persons who were
being tortured in
their graves. The
Prophet said, "These
two persons are
being tortured not
for a major sin (to
avoid)." The Prophet
then added, "Yes!
(they are being
tortured for a major
sin). Indeed, one of
them never saved
himself from being
soiled with his
urine while the
other used to go
about with calumnies
(to make enmiy
between friends).
The Prophet then
asked for a green
leaf of a date-palm
tree, broke it into
two pieces and put
one on each grave.
On being asked why
he had done so, he
replied, "I hope
that their torture
might be lessened,
till these get
dried." (215)
Read more:
http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?pagename=IslamOnline-English-Ask_Scholar/FatwaE/FatwaE&cid=1119503543856#ixzz0ujoshLtE
http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?pagename=IslamOnline-English-Ask_Scholar/FatwaE/FatwaE&cid=1119503543856
http://www.searchtruth.com/book_display.php?book=4&translator=1&start=75&number=211
Appendix 5
Claim in full:
(Narrated by Ibn
Abbas:
"I (Muhammad)
put on her my shirt
that she may wear
the clothes of
heaven, and I SLEPT
with her in her
coffin (grave) that
I may lessen the
pressure of the
grave. She was the
best of Allah's
creatures to me
after Abu Talib"...
The prophet was
referring to Fatima
, the mother of Ali.
The Arabic scholar
Demetrius explains :
"The Arabic word
used here for
"slept" is "Id'tajat,"
and literally means
"lay down" with her.
It is often used to
mean, "lay down to
have sex." Muhammad
is understood as
saying that because
he slept with her
she has become like
a wife to him so she
will be considered
like a "mother of
the believers." This
will supposedly
prevent her from
being tormented in
the grave, since
Muslims believed
that as people wait
for the Judgment Day
they will be
tormented in the
grave. "Reduce the
pressure" here means
that the torment
won't be as much
because she is now a
"mother of the
believers" after
Muhammad slept with
her and
"consummated" the
union."
now, i know the same
word اضطجع
is used in 2
king:4:32-34
the word
means lay dawn , it
doesn't mean he have
sex with the boy.
Appendix 6
Lack of authenticity
in Kanzal ul Amal
http://www.ummah.com/forum/showthread.php?242218-Kanz-ul-Amal
Appendix 7
More context:
Fatima looked
after Muhammad
during his youth.
Anas bin Malik says
that when Muhammad
heard Asad had died,
he immediately went
to her house sat
beside her body and
prayed for her soul.
"My dear mother, may
God keep you under
His Protection. Many
times you went
hungry in order to
feed me well. You
fed me and clothed
me on delicacies
that you denied
yourself. God will
surely be happy with
these actions of
yours. And your
intentions were
surely meant to win
the goodwill and
pleasure of God and
success in the
Hereafter."
He gave his shirt to
be used as part of
her shroud. When the
grave was prepared
Muhammad himself
examined it and
placed her into the
grave. Thus, she was
one of the few
people whose graves
were examined by
Muhammad. Fatimah is
buried in Jannatul
Baqee' cemetery in
Madinah, Saudi
Arabia.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fatima_bint_Asad
Appendix 8:
Here is a
video refuting this
claim of Zakaria
Butrous. It also
contains some claims
related to Zakaria
Butrous' past and
morality. I'm not
sure of the
authenticity of the
claims related to
Butrus but the
refutation is useful
From Islamresponses:
The False Allegation of Muhammad having sex with a dead body