Question: Who was “Maulood-e-Kaaba” (i.e., born inside the Holy Kaaba)? Was it Hazrat Ali (RA) or Hazrat Hakim bin Hizam (RA)? Please clarify with authentic evidence.
Answer:
Alhamdulillah:
Every individual with a passion for Islamic history is well aware that from the day Islam emerged in the Arabian Peninsula, enmity towards it also began. This animosity grew with the passage of time. Whether it was the polytheists of Makkah or the Jews and Christians of Madinah and its surroundings, none could tolerate the greatness, superiority, and success of Islam. However, throughout Islamic history, the nation most infamous for its enmity towards Islam has been the Jewish people. Indeed, the tricks and tactics this deceitful, falsehood-loving nation used against Islam proved to be extremely dangerous. The promotion and propagation of Shia beliefs is a product of this very nation. The founder of Shi’ism, the enemy of Islam, Abdullah ibn Saba, was the same Jew who played a significant role in shattering the unity of the Muslim Ummah by making false claims about the Ahl al-Bayt (the Prophet’s household). Among these myths, tales, and false fabrications is the assertion that Hazrat Ali (RA) was definitively born inside the Kaaba. There is no such evidence in the books of the Ahlus Sunnah. However, in Shia sources, Mullah Baqir Majlisi has written about this in considerable detail in his book Jila al-Uyun.
However, the story narrated by Mullah Baqir Majlisi is utterly absurd. It claims that when Sayyiduna Ali’s (RA) mother, Fatimah bint Asad (RA), went to the Kaaba and pressed her abdomen against its wall, the Kaaba split open, and she went inside. She remained enclosed within the Kaaba for three days, and on the fourth day, she emerged with Sayyiduna Ali (RA) in her hands. A voice from the unseen was heard, giving the glad tidings of Fatimah bint Asad’s superiority over all the women of the world and prophesying that Sayyiduna Ali (RA) would be granted the knowledge of the first and the last. It even claims that Sayyiduna Ali (RA) himself, like Sayyiduna Isa (AS), spoke from the cradle in his infancy, testifying to being the Wasi (successor) of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and the Imam of the Awliya (saints). In short, the falsehoods narrated by Mullah Baqir Majlisi are so nonsensical that refuting them and elongating this text would be entirely fruitless. The fact that no hadith scholar or historian of the Ahlus Sunnah has narrated this incident with an authentic chain of transmission is sufficient to prove this story is a lie. Even if some less cautious historians and scholars, ignoring these absurdities, have mentioned Sayyiduna Ali (RA) being born in the Kaaba, they have used صيغة التمريض (a passive form indicating weakness), such as “it is said,” which is enough to establish that this fabricated virtue and title is an invention.
In today’s series, we will conduct a research-based analysis of who was born in the Kaaba: Hazrat Ali (RA) or Hazrat Hakim bin Hizam (RA)?
The narrations and statements presented by the Shias or their sympathizers to prove that Hazrat Ali (RA) was born in the Kaaba are as follows:
Imam Hakim, while mentioning the life of Hazrat Ali (RA), wrote:
” وقد تواترت الاخبار ان فاطمه بن اسد ولدت امیر المؤمنین علی بن طالب کرم الله وجه فی جوف الکعبه،
“It has been successively narrated (mutawatir) that Fatimah bint Asad gave birth to the Commander of the Faithful, Ali ibn Abi Talib (karram Allahu wajhahu), inside the Kaaba.”
(Al-Mustadrak ‘ala al-Sahihayn, 3/483)
Allama Ibn Zahira, in his book Al-Jami’ al-Latif, narrated this statement in a passive form (sigha majhool), saying that it is said Hazrat Ali (RA) was born inside the Kaaba.
(Al-Jami’ al-Latif: 338, with reference to Akhbar al-Mukarram bi-Akhbar al-Masjid al-Haram: 194)
The most famous narration cited in this regard is that Halimah bint Abi Dhu’ayb Abdullah bin al-Harith al-Sa’diyah once went to meet Hajjaj bin Yusuf during his governorship. Hajjaj said, “Welcome, Halimah! Allah has brought you to me. I wanted to summon you and take revenge on you.” Halimah asked, “What is the reason for this anger and fury?” Hajjaj replied, “I have heard that you give precedence to Ali (RA) over Abu Bakr (RA) and Umar (RA).” Halimah said, “O Hajjaj! By Allah, I do not give precedence to my Imam over Abu Bakr and Umar alone. What standing do Abu Bakr and Umar have to be compared with Hazrat Ali? I give my Imam precedence over Adam, Nuh, Ibrahim, Sulaiman, Musa, and Isa.”
Hajjaj, infuriated, exclaimed, “I am fed up with you! My body is on fire. If you can prove this claim, fine; otherwise, I will cut you into pieces so that you become a lesson for others.” Then, Halimah proceeded to prove Ali’s (RA) superiority with arguments, one by one. When Hajjaj asked, “On what grounds do you prefer Ali over Isa (AS)?” Halimah replied, “Listen, O Hajjaj! When Maryam bint Imran was about to give birth while she was in Bayt al-Maqdis (Jerusalem), the divine command came for her to leave Bayt al-Maqdis and head towards the wilderness so that the sacred house would not be profaned by her postpartum bleeding. But when Hazrat Ali’s mother, Fatimah bint Asad, was near childbirth, a revelation came for her to enter the Kaaba and honor My house with the birth of this child.” Then Halimah said, “O Hajjaj, now you be the judge, which of the two children is more noble?” Upon hearing this, Hajjaj was pleased and granted Halimah a stipend.
(Aina Mazahib-e-Imamiyah, Urdu translation of Tuhfa-e-Ithna Ashariyah by Shah Abdul Aziz Muhaddith Dehlvi, pp. 111-113)
Another narration is attributed to Imam Zain al-Abidin as follows: Zahida bint ‘Ajlan al-Sa’diyah informed me on the authority of Umm ‘Amarah bint ‘Ibad al-Sa’diyah, who said, “One day I was sitting among some Arab women when Abu Talib arrived, looking sorrowful. I asked, ‘What is the matter?’ Abu Talib replied, ‘Fatimah bint Asad is in labor, and despite the time having come, the child is not being born.’ Then Abu Talib brought his wife Fatimah inside the Kaaba and said, ‘Sit in the name of Allah.’ She sat down, and labor began. A pure child was born, whom Abu Talib named Ali.”
(Aina Mazahib-e-Imamiyah, Urdu translation of Tuhfa-e-Ithna Ashariyah by Shah Abdul Aziz Muhaddith Dehlvi, pp. 111-113)
A similar narration is attributed to Umm ‘Aarah bint ‘Ibadah, stating:
“One day I was with some Arab women when Abu Talib came looking sad and distressed. I asked, ‘Abu Talib! What happened?’ He said, ‘Fatimah bint Asad is in severe labor.’ Saying this, he covered his face with his hands. Just then, Muhammad (ﷺ) arrived. He asked, ‘Uncle, what is the matter?’ He replied, ‘Fatimah bint Asad is in labor.’ She was brought into the Kaaba and made to sit. Then he (the Prophet ﷺ) said, ‘Sit down in the name of Allah.’ She gave birth to a beautiful, clean, and handsome baby. Abu Talib named him Ali. The Prophet (ﷺ) took the baby and brought him home.”
(Manaqib ‘Ali bin Abi Talib by Ibn al-Maghazili, No. 3)
A statement is attributed to Sayyiduna Umar ibn al-Khattab (RA):
“The first person born in the Kaaba was Sayyiduna Hakim bin Hizam (RA)… and the first person born among the Banu Hashim was Sayyiduna Ali ibn Abi Talib (RA).”
(Akhbar Makkah by al-Fakihi: 3/198, No. 2018)
These are the arguments upon which Ali (RA) is claimed to be born in the Kaaba. In the following lines, we will, Insha’Allah, critically examine these narrations.
Imam Hakim claims tawatur (successive narration), whereas no reliable or trustworthy historian has stated with certainty that Hazrat Ali (RA) was born inside the Kaaba. Therefore, the meaning of tawatur is not met here. This is a grave error on the part of Imam Hakim. Due to his Shia inclinations, Imam Hakim included several fabricated narrations regarding the virtues of Sayyiduna Ali (RA) in his Mustadrak and declared them authentic based on the criteria of Sahihayn (Bukhari and Muslim), while the majority of them are based on discredited and unknown narrators. The narrator of this report cited by Imam Hakim, Abu Tahir Yahya bin Hasan al-Alawi, is of unknown status (majhool al-haal). Furthermore, the central narrator of this report, Umm al-‘Aarah bint ‘Ibadah, is also of unknown status.
The commentator of Nahj al-Balaghah, Allama Ibn Abi al-Hadid, after quoting this narration, states that there is a difference of opinion regarding the birthplace of Sayyiduna Ali (RA). However, the Muhaddithin (scholars of Hadith) have not accepted Ali (RA) being born in the Kaaba and have deemed this narration a mere lie and fabrication. They believe that the one whose birth occurred in the Kaaba was Hakim bin Hizam bin Khuwaylid.
(Sharh Nahj al-Balaghah by Ibn al-Hadid, 1/14, cited by Abul Hasan al-Nadwi, p. 49)
Ibn Zahira narrated this in a passive form (sigha majhool): “It is said that he [Ali] was born in the Kaaba.” Opposite this unknown statement, he also cited a well-known view, which identifies Ali’s (RA) birthplace as a place known as Shi’b Ali, located near the birthplace of the Prophet (ﷺ).
(Al-Jami’ al-Latif: 338, with reference to Akhbar al-Mukarram bi-Akhbar al-Masjid al-Haram: 194)
Therefore, the narration of him being born in the Kaaba is the weaker view (marjooh). The renowned 11th-century Hijri author, Ahmad bin Muhammad al-Asadi al-Makki, declared the statement narrated by Ibn Zahira in the passive form (“that he was born in the Kaaba”) as weak, based on the view of Imam al-Nawawi.
(Al-Jami’ al-Latif: 338, with reference to Akhbar al-Mukarram bi-Akhbar al-Masjid al-Haram: 194)
The incident narrated in this report is a complete fabrication, filled with lies and slander from beginning to end. It contains many false and fabricated points, detailed below:
تفسیر القرآن الکریم – سورۃ نمبر 19 مريم_آیت نمبر 23
أَعـوذُ بِاللهِ مِنَ الشَّيْـطانِ الرَّجيـم
بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ
فَاَجَآءَهَا الۡمَخَاضُ اِلٰى جِذۡعِ النَّخْلَةِۚ قَالَتۡ يٰلَيۡتَنِىۡ مِتُّ قَبۡلَ هٰذَا وَكُنۡتُ نَسۡيًا مَّنۡسِيًّا ۞
Translation:
Then the labor pains drove her to the trunk of a palm tree. She said, "Oh, I wish I had died before this and was forgotten, completely forgotten."
Tafsir:
فَاَجَاۗءَهَا الْمَخَاضُ:
The word “جَاءَ” means “to come,” while “أَجَاءَ” means “to bring,” but it implies bringing someone by force (Zamakhshari). “الْمَخَاضُ” refers to the pain a woman experiences during childbirth. It is derived from “مَخْضٌ,” which means intense movement, named so because of the baby’s intense movements in the mother’s womb near birth. That is, compelled by the intensity of labor pains, she leaned against the trunk of a palm tree. Imagining the future, when accusations of immorality would come from all sides, when she would be taunted, and when the reputation of her entire past life of piety, purity, and honor would be destroyed, she said, “Oh, I wish I had died before this and that no one even remembered that a person named Maryam ever existed.” (Tafsir al-Qur’an)
6. The statement that Fatimah bint Asad also received a revelation (wahy) to go and give birth inside the Kaaba is a complete lie. No Islamic or non-Islamic sect believes that Fatimah bint Asad was a prophetess, whereas the word wahy here is specific to prophets.
Criticizing the narration attributed to Imam Zain al-Abidin, Shah Abdul Aziz Dehlvi states that this is “mere nonsense that contradicts authentic Islamic history.”
(Aina Mazahib-e-Imamiyah, Urdu translation of Tuhfa-e-Ithna Ashariyah by Shah Abdul Aziz Muhaddith Dehlvi, pp. 111-113)
It is attributed to Umm ‘Aarah bint ‘Ibadah that:
“One day I was with some Arab women when Abu Talib came looking sad and distressed… etc.”
(Manaqib ‘Ali bin Abi Talib by Ibn al-Maghazili, No. 3)
This is a fabricated narration because:
What credibility can a narration have that is transmitted by a chain of “unknown” (majhool) narrators?
It is attributed to Sayyiduna Umar ibn al-Khattab (RA) that:
“The first person born in the Kaaba was Sayyiduna Hakim bin Hizam (RA)… and the first person born among the Banu Hashim was Sayyiduna Ali ibn Abi Talib (RA).”
(Akhbar Makkah by al-Fakihi: 3/198, No. 2018)
The chain of transmission (isnad) for this statement is also “weak” (da’if), because the biography of Imam al-Fakihi’s teacher, Ibrahim bin Abi Yusuf, could not be found. The Shari’ah has obliged us to follow the narrations of trustworthy and reliable narrators, not the tales and stories told by unknown and unreliable ones.
I say that the more the followers of Shi’ism try to prove that Ali (RA) was born in the Kaaba, the more worthless and weak their arguments become. It is an innovation designed to mislead the simple-minded public.
Because if anyone were to be born in such a revered place as the Kaaba, it would be a matter of great fame. Historians would never neglect to mention it. Yet we see that:
In addition, among other noteworthy and reliable historians and Muhaddithin, Ibn al-Athir in his book Usd al-Ghabah (4/100-134), Abu Nu’aym al-Isfahani in Ma’rifat al-Sahabah (1970-1986), Imam al-Mizzi in Tahdhib al-Kamal (20/472), Imam Muslim in the chapter “Min Fada’il ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib,” and the Imam of Muhaddithin, Muhammad ibn Isma’il al-Bukhari (may Allah have mercy on him) in the chapter “Manaqib ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib,” all mentioned countless virtues of Hazrat Ali, but nowhere did any of them write that he was born in the Kaaba.
On the contrary, almost everyone who has written about Hakim bin Hizam (RA) has mentioned him as being born in the Kaaba. A few statements are listed below:
حكيم بن حزام ولد في جوف الكعبۃ، ولا يعرف ذلك لغيره. وأما ما روي أن عليا ولد فيها فضعيف عند العلماء۔
“Hakim bin Hizam was born inside the Kaaba, and this is not known for anyone else. As for what is narrated that Ali was born there, it is weak according to the scholars.”
(Al-Sirah al-Halabiyyah, by Nur al-Din al-Halabi)
وذكر أبو الفرج بن الجوزي في كتابہ «مثير العزم الساكن إلى أشرف الأماكن»: وقول من قال: إن علي بن أبي طالب ولد في جوف الكعبۃليس بصحيح، لم يولد فيها غير حكيم۔
“Abu al-Faraj ibn al-Jawzi mentioned in his book Muthir al-‘Azm al-Sakin ila Ashraf al-Amakin: The statement of those who say that Ali ibn Abi Talib was born inside the Kaaba is not correct. No one was born there except Hakim.”
(Ikmal Tahdhib al-Kamal fi Asma’ al-Rijal, by ‘Ala al-Din)
ولد حكيم فى جوف الكعبۃ، ولا يُعرف أحد ولد فيها غيره
“Hakim was born inside the Kaaba, and no one else is known to have been born there.”
(Tahdhib al-Asma’ wa al-Lughat, by Imam al-Nawawi)
أنہ ولد في جوف الكعبہ، قال العلماء : ولا يعرف أحد شاركہ في هذا ،
“He was born inside the Kaaba. The scholars said: And no one is known to have shared this distinction with him.”
(Fawa’id Mukhtarah min al-Nawawi, compiled by Sulayman al-Luhaymid)
ولم يولد في جوف الكعبۃ سوى حكيم بن حزام ،
“And no one was born inside the Kaaba except Hakim bin Hizam.”
(Sharh Sahih al-Imam al-Bukhari, by Shams al-Din al-Safiri)
أنہ ولد في جوف الكعبۃ، ولا يُعرف هذا لغيره وولد فِي جوف الكعبۃ، ولم يُسمع هَذَا لغيره،
“He was born inside the Kaaba, and this is not known for anyone else, nor has this been heard for anyone else.”
(Dhakirat al-‘Uqba fi Sharh al-Mujtaba [Sharh Sunan al-Nasa’i], by Muhammad ibn Adam al-Ithyubi)
Furthermore, the following scholars have written the same:
The reality is that being born in the Kaaba is only established with an authentic chain of narration for Sayyiduna Hakim bin Hizam (RA), who was the nephew of the Mother of the Believers, Sayyidah Khadijah (RA). Even while he was a disbeliever, he used to secretly send grain to the Muslims during their confinement in Shi’b Abi Talib. Imam al-Nawawi, in his commentary on Sahih Muslim, stated that one of the virtues of Hakim bin Hizam (RA) is that he was born in the Kaaba, and some scholars believe that no other companion shares this distinction with him. A special point about his life is that he lived a long life: sixty years in the state of disbelief and sixty years in Islam. He passed away in Madinah in 54 AH. Imam Bukhari, in his Tarikh, mentions his death in 60 AH. He embraced Islam on the occasion of the Conquest of Makkah but was never hostile to the Muslims. Ibn Hajar, in Al-Isabah, under his biography, wrote that he was born thirteen years before the Year of the Elephant and was of discerning age at the time of that event. His father, Hizam bin Khuwaylid, who was the brother of Sayyidah Khadijah bint Khuwaylid (RA), was killed in the Harb al-Fijar (Sacrilegious War).
For more details, see:
The authors of all the aforementioned books have also stated that Hakim bin Hizam (RA) was born in the Kaaba.
In short, authentic historical narrations only establish that Sayyiduna Hakim bin Hizam (RA) was born in the Kaaba. As for Sayyiduna Ali (RA) being born there, it is not proven by any authentic chain of narration, and even among the Shi’a, this belief is prevalent without evidence. This is all just the scribbling of the Rafidah, who seek to snatch the unique characteristics of every companion and attribute them to Sayyiduna Ali (RA). For example, “Asadullah” (Lion of Allah) was the title of Sayyiduna Hamzah (RA), given to him by Jibril (AS), and “Saifullah” (Sword of Allah) was the title of Khalid ibn al-Walid (RA). Today, many less-informed people attribute these titles to Sayyiduna Ali (RA), whereas, in reality, according to the narrations, these titles have no connection to Sayyiduna Ali (RA). However, he was brave and courageous, and the characteristics and virtues of Sayyiduna Ali (RA) mentioned in authentic narrations should be sufficient for his honor. Sayyiduna Ali (RA) is the crown on our heads, and love for him is a part of our faith.
The aforementioned facts indicate that calling Ali (RA) “Maulood-e-Kaaba” is a baseless fabrication. It has no reality. The authentically established history is that Hakim bin Hizam (RA) was the one born in the Kaaba.
So, where was Ali (RA) born?
The most correct and preferred view is that his birth took place in a valley near the birthplace of the Prophet (ﷺ), which is known as Shi’b Ali.
(See: Al-Jami’ al-Latif: 338, with reference to Akhbar al-Mukarram bi-Akhbar al-Masjid al-Haram: 194)
Therefore, there is no need to rely on baseless narrations to claim that Ali (RA) was born in the Kaaba. This does not diminish the stature of Hazrat Ali (RA) in any way. Rather, the personality of Ali (RA) is brilliant, possessing countless virtues, and is completely independent of false stories and tales.
Source: Muhaddith Forum (with some modifications)
Muhaddith Forum Link https://forum.mohaddis.com/threads/%D9%85%D9%88%D9%84%D9%88%D8%AF-%DA%A9%D8%B9%D8%A8%DB%81-%DA%A9%D9%88%D9%86%D8%9F.18386/
((And Allah the Exalted knows best what is correct.))
Reference: https://alfurqan.info/problems/1276
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