Umar at Fatimah's house

In the immediate aftermath of the death of Muhammad, a gathering of the Ansar (natives of Medina) took place in the Saqifah (courtyard) of the Banu Sa'ida clan.[6] The general belief at the time was that the purpose of the meeting was for the Ansar to decide on a new leader of the Muslim community from among themselves, with the intentional exclusion of the Muhajirun (migrants from Mecca), though this has since become the subject of debate.[7] Nevertheless, Abu Bakr and Umar, both prominent sahabah of Muhammad, upon learning of the meeting became concerned of a potential coup and hastened there. After a partially heated debate, Abu Bakr was ultimately elected by those gathered as the new head of the Muslim community.[8]

Though his ascension was near-universally accepted, Abu Bakr faced contention as a result of the rushed nature of his election. Several sahabah, most prominent among them being Ali ibn Abi Talib, initially refused to acknowledge his authority.[6] Ali himself may have been reasonably expected to assume leadership, being both cousin and son-in-law to Muhammad.[9] Among the Shia sect of Islam, it is also traditionally held that Ali had previously been designated by Muhammad as his desired heir, though this is subject to dispute.[10] Whether his candidacy for the succession was raised during Saqifah is unknown, though it is not believed to be unlikely.[11]

The door of Fatimah's House

After the gathering at Saqifa, Umar (who had been among Abu Bakr's advocates) and his supporters were allegedly sent by the new Caliph to Ali's house where Ali, Fatimah and some of their allies were gathered.[12] Several scholars, such as Al-Tabari and Ibn Qutaybah, narrate that Umar threatened to burn the building down if Ali refused to acknowledge Abu Bakr's authority, with Al-Tabari adding that Umar's men beat Ali's friend Zubayr ibn al-Awam.[13][14][15][16] According to the Al-Imama wa al-Siyasa (mistakenly attributed to Ibn Qutaybah),[17] when Umar was informed that Fatimah was inside the house, he responded that her presence made no difference to him.[18][19]

While the historian Al-Baladhuri states that the altercation never became violent and ended with Ali's compliance,[20] and Tabari makes no mention of Fatimah's involvement,[13] some traditions add that Umar and his supporters forcibly entered the house, resulting in Fatimah's miscarriage of her unborn son Muhsin.[21] Twelver Shia sources state that this occurred when Umar forced the front door open, crushing Fatimah behind it and breaking her ribs.[1] However, the Mu'tazilite theologian Ibrahim al-Nazzam narrates that, "Umar hit Fatimah (sa) on the stomach such that the child in her womb died."[22] Alternatively, Ibn Rustam Al-Tabari states that it was a client of Umar's named Qunfudh who caused the miscarriage, having struck her with the sheath of his sword.[23] Other traditions add that Qunfudh had her whipped[24] or had struck her face.[25] The Kitab Sulaym ibn Qays (attributed to Sulaym ibn Qays, but possibly a much later creation)[26] concludes the incident with Ali being dragged out of the house with a rope tied around his neck.[27]

Mohammad-Baqer Majlesi, writing in his Bihar al-Anwar, states that Fatimah died soon after due to injuries sustained during the altercation.[4] The aforementioned Al-Imama wa al-Siyasa records that before her death, Fatimah said to Abu Bakr and Umar, "I take Allah and the angels to be my witness that you have not pleased me; on the other hand, you have angered me. When I shall meet the Prophet (S) I will complain about you two."[28] According to Morteza Motahhari, she asked Ali to bury her at night to ensure that none of her enemies participated in her funeral.[29]

Fatemeh's house symbolically

The events that took place in the house have been the subject of dispute between various accounts, with the versions including violence primarily having Shia origins.[1] Several early historical sources narrate that Fatimah's child Muhsin had died in early childhood rather than being miscarried. Al-Baladhuri, along with Al-Ya'qubi and Al-Masudi, list Muhsin among the children of Fatimah, but without any mention of a miscarriage. Similarly, the Shia theologian Al-Shaykh Al-Mufid, when writing his Kitab al-Irshad, makes no mention of violence in relation to Muhsin's death. The earliest known reference of the miscarriage during the altercation only appears in the 10th century, in Ibn Qulawayh Al-Qummi's Kamil al-ziyarat.[30]

Other sources also add that Fatimah and Abu Bakr had ultimately reconciled,[31] and that she died of illness,[32] with him attending and praying at her funeral.[33] Ali is also believed to have later willingly offered his oath of allegiance to Abu Bakr and gave a praise-filled oration during the latter's funeral.[34] Professor Coeli Fitzpatrick surmises that the story of the altercation reflects the political agendas of the period and should therefore be treated with caution.[21]

• Burial place of Fatimah
• Shia view of Fatimah
• Marital life of Fatimah
• Fatimiyya
• Fadak
• Twelver
• Ahl al-Bayt