A Critical Assessment of Umm Kulthum’s Marriage to Umar

Description

A Critical Assessment of Umm Kulthum’s Marriage to Umar is a scholarly and objective examination of one of the most controversial historical claims in early Islamic history—the reported marriage between Caliph ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb and Umm Kulthūm, the daughter of Imam Ali and Lady Fāṭima al-Zahrā (peace be upon them).

This claim has long been used by certain groups to discredit or downplay the painful events that followed the Prophet Muhammad’s (peace be upon him and his family) passing—especially the assault on the house of Fāṭima and the resulting injustices against the Ahlul Bayt. The common argument suggests that if such hostility had occurred, Ali (a) would not have allowed his daughter to marry ʿUmar, implying that no significant discord existed between the two figures.

This book critically analyzes this argument through deep textual research and a careful evaluation of Sunni and Shia narrations. It raises three essential questions:

1. Did Umm Kulthūm, the daughter of Fāṭima and Ali, actually exist?

2. If the marriage was contracted, is there clear evidence that it was consummated?

3. Was the marriage conducted with full consent, or was it influenced by political pressure and coercion?

Through these inquiries, the author challenges the logic and reliability of the historical argument used to dismiss the oppression of the Prophet’s family. Drawing on classical sources and scholarly opinions from both sects, the book offers a reasoned, evidence-based rebuttal to a long-standing narrative.

Essential for readers interested in Islamic history, inter-sectarian dialogue, and the legacy of the Ahlul Bayt, this work brings clarity and insight to a widely debated topic.