Umm Kulthum was the daughter of Amir al-Mu'minin 'Ali Ibn Abi Talib Ibn 'Abd al-Muttalib al-Qurayshi al-Hashimi ('a). Her mother was Lady Fatimah al-Zahra' ('a), her grandfather was the Holy Prophet (S) and her grandmother was Khadijah al-Kubra ('a). She was born during the lifetime of the Holy Prophet (S) in 6 A.H. Ibn Abu al-Hadid writes, "Zaynab al-Kubra and Umm­Kulthum al-Kubra were the daughters of Lady Fatimah ('a), while Zaynab al­Sughra and Umm Kulthum al-Sughra1 were from other mothers."2

Ibn al-Athir has written about the progeny of Imam 'Ali ('a) from Fatimah the daughter of Allah's Messenger (S) as follows, "(They were) Zaynab al-Kubra and Umm­Kulthum al-Kubra." He also mentions that the mother of Zaynab al-Sughra and Umm Kulthum al-Sughra was a bondmaid (Umm walad).3

Ibn Hazm4 has written, "The mother of Zaynab and Umm Kulthum was Fatimah ('a) the daughter of God's Messenger (S)."5 Ibn 'Anbah quotes Abu'l­Hasan al-'Umari6 about the daughters of Lady Fatimah ('a) saying, "Umm­Kulthum's name was Ruqayyah and her mother was Lady Fatimah ('a)." He also mentions Zaynab al-Sughra, who married Muhammad Ibn 'Aqil, and Umm Kulthum al-Sughra, who was the wife of 'Abdullah Ibn 'Aqil al­Asghar.7

Shaykh al-Mufid writes, "Zaynab al-Kubra and Zaynab al-Sughra - whose epithet was Umm Kulthum - were the daughters of Lady Fatimah ('a), the most elevated of all women." Of course, Shaykh al-Mufid mentions Zaynab al­Sughra' among the daughters of Amir al-Mu'minin from a mother other than Lady Fatimah ('a), but he does not mention an Umm Kulthum al-Sughra.8

Mamqani also writes, "Umm Kulthum was the daughter of Amir al-Mu'minin, and her epithet was Zaynab al-Sughra."9 Al-Mas'udi writes about the progeny of Imam 'Ali ('a), "The mother of Umm Kulthum al-Kubra and Zaynab al­Kubra was Fatimah ('a) the daughter of God's Messenger (S)." He also mentions Umm Kulthum al-Sughra and Zaynab al-Sughra, but does not tell us who their mothers were.10

Umm Kulthum was a very young girl when 'Umar Ibn al-Khattab asked for her hand in marriage. Imam 'Ali ('a) responded, "She is still a child." (Some time later) 'Umar asked for her hand again and again, and Imam 'Ali ('a), who did not want Umm Kulthum to marry 'Umar, refused under different pretexts.

Eventually, 'Umar married Umm Kulthum, giving her a dowry of 40,000 Dirham,11 and Umm Kulthum gave birth to Zayd and Ruqayyah.12 People asked 'Umar, "Why did you marry Umm Kulthum?"

He said, "I heard the Messenger of God say, 'Every connection and blood relation will cease to exist (be of no avail) on the Judgment Day, except for my connection and my blood relation.' I was his companion (in this world); and, I wanted to have this relation with him (in the next world)."

The chain of narrators as well as the content of this tradition is doubtful. Even if both are correct, this connection and relation to the Holy Prophet (S) will be valid on the Judgment Day under the condition that God and the Holy Prophet are satisfied with the individual in question. Otherwise, Abu Jahl and other relations of the Holy Prophet (S) like him would be safe on the Judgment Day.

Shaykh al-Kulayni has written in this respect, "After the death of 'Umar, Imam 'Ali ('a) took Umm Kulthum to his own house."13 Umm Kulthum then married Awn Ibn Ja'far Ibn Abi Talib, (her paternal cousin).

Ibn Hazm has written that after her husband was martyred in Karbala', Umm Kulthum married Muhammad Ibn Ja'far, and after him 'Abdullah Ibn Ja'far (that is the husband of Lady Zaynab).14 However, according to the traditions concerning the death of Umm Kulthum this cannot be true, because Umm Kulthum died before the tragedy of Karbala', and Lady Zaynab ('a) remained the wife of 'Abdullah Ibn Ja'far until after this.

Historians differ as to the date of the death of Umm Kulthum. Most historians and scholars write that Umm Kulthum and her son, Zayd Ibn 'Umar, died at the same time in al-Madinah15 and are both buried there in the Baqi' cemetery.

Sayyid al-Amin has written, "By transmission from our followers (the Shi'ah) it is narrated from Qaddah from Imam al-Sadiq ('a) that his father, Imam al-Baqir ('a), said, 'Umm Kulthum, the daughter of 'Ali ('a) and her son Zayd died at the same hour. We do not know who died first, and they did not inherit from one another."' He also wrote, "Umm Kulthum died in al-Madinah during the reign of Mu'awiyah, before 54 A.H.16

'Umar Ridha Kahhalah has written, "She read a sermon to the inhabitants of al­Kufah in 61 A.H."

Zaynab Fawwaz has written, "Umm Kulthum accompanied her brother al­Husayn ('a) to Karbala' and entered al-Madinah with the other members of his household after the battle. She died in al-Madinah."

'Allamah Mamqani says, "Umm Kulthum was present at Karbala' alongside her brother al-Husayn and traveled to Damascus and then to al-Madinah in the entourage of Imam al-Sadiq ('a). There are speeches and poems attributed to this lady about the incident of Karbala'.17

However, because of the findings of most scholars concerning the death of Umm Kulthum and her son, and especially because of the traditions that Shaykh al-Tusi and Ibn Sa'd have related about the prayer said for two deceased at the same time (which we will quote later), these claims cannot be true with regard to Umm Kulthum the daughter of Fatimah ('a). Relying on the findings of Shaykh al-Tusi, we can conclude that Umm Kulthum al-Kubra left this world when her two brothers al-Hasan ('a) and al-Husayn ('a) were still alive, e.g. several years before the incident of Karbala', and this is closer to the truth.

Ibn Sa'd relates a tradition through several different chains of narrators, which can be summarized as follows, "Zayd Ibn 'Umar and Umm Kulthum died and one burial prayer was said for the two of them. During this prayer, the body of Zayd lay in front. Al-Hasan and al-Husayn ('a) were present during this prayer.18

Shaykh al-Tusi writes, "All people agree on this information, 'Ammar Ibn Yasir transmitted this tradition, and he said, "The body of Umm Kulthum Bint 'Ali ('a) and that of her son Zayd Ibn 'Umar were brought out (of the house), and al­Hasan ('a) and al-Husayn ('a) were among the mourners in the procession, as were 'Abdullah Ibn 'Umar and.... They put the boy's body in front and that of the woman behind it, saying, 'This is the sunnah (the way it was done by the Prophet)19

There is a grave in Damascus which is said to be Umm Kulthum's.20 However, this grave is not the resting place of Umm Kulthum the daughter of Fatimah al-Zahra' ('a), because all the source books used in this research agreed that Umm Kulthum had died in al-Madinah.

Her Merits

When Lady Fatimah ('a) passed away, Umm Kulthum was only five years old. Despite her youth, she threw a veil over her face, donned a cloak which was so long that it trailed on the ground, and shouted with a trembling voice, "O my father, O Messenger of God! (Only) now have we really lost you and will never see you again."21

After the martyrdom of Amir al-Mu'minin ('a), Umm Kulthum, while weeping all the time, said to Ibn Muljam, "Woe upon you, things are quite well for my father. But, God has made you a base man in this world and the hereafter. Your way is to go to the fire, and you will dwell therein eternally.22

Umm Kulthum was forced to witness and experience the death of her sublime grandfather, the Holy Prophet (S), the oppression her father and mother suffered after his death, the death of her beloved mother, Lady Fatimah ('a), and the martyrdom of her esteemed father Amir al-Mu'minin ('a). She bore all these tragedies with great patience. The words she spoke to the second Caliph show her great courage.

Ibn 'Abd al-Barr, Ibn al-Athir and Ibn Hajar mention her as one of the companions of the Holy Prophet (S), and Ibn Sa'd also lists her among those persons who narrated traditions from people other than the Holy Prophet (S).23

Allamah Mamqani has written, "She was very honorable, and possessed deep understanding and great eloquence. I count her among the trustworthy people."24

'Umar Ridha Kahhalah has written, "She was one of the best women of her time."25

From the information presented here about Umm Kulthum's death we can conclude that Umm Kulthum, the daughter of Lady Fatimah ('a) was not present during the battle of Karbala'. Umm Kulthum who was the daughter of Amir al-Mu'minin ('a) and the sister of Imam al-Husayn ('a) described as being present during the battle of Karbala' in some books and poems dealing with this subject was probably Umm Kulthum al-Sughra, the daughter of Amir al­Mu'minin and the wife of Muslim Ibn 'Aqil. She, along with her husband and children, accompanied Imam al-Husayn ('a) to the battlefield of Karbala'.26

As has already been explained in discussing Umm Kulthum's name, it is possible that some of the poems and sayings attributed to her were really the words of Lady Zaynab ('a), because her epithet was also Umm Kulthum.

The scholars do not agree as to the marriage of Umm Kulthum, the daughter of 'Ali Ibn Abi Talib ('a), with 'Umar. Therefore, some of their opinions will be given here.

Some of those who deny that such a marriage took place are as follows:

l) Shaykh al-Balaghi27 wrote a special treatise entitled "Treatise on the marriage of Umm Kulthum Bint Amir al-Mu'minin ('a), and the denial of its happening", in order to prove that this marriage never took place. Agha Buzurg Tehrani has referred to this work.28

2) Shaykh Mahallati has written, "The authors of Al-Isti’ab, al-Isabah and Usd al-Ghabah have related the account of Umm Kulthum's marriage to 'Umar Ibn al-Khattab, made up some stories to prove that it took place, and then disseminated them among the unsuspecting public. But, any knowledgeable and far-sighted individual will surely realize, after thinking about these stories, that such a marriage can never have taken place."29

However, many scholars are of the opinion that this marriage has taken place. They agree that it was abominable to Amir al-Mu'minin, and that he was pressured into accepting this marriage by 'Umar.

l) Al-Tabarsi wrote, "Umm Kulthum married 'Umar."30

2) Ibn 'Anbah, in listing Imam 'Ali's children, says, "It is written in al-Mujdi, that the name of Umm Kulthum was Ruqayyah, her husband was 'Umar, her son was Zayd and her mother was Fatimah al-Zahra' ('a).31

3) Sayyid Murtada 'Alam al-Huda says in a treatise that this marriage took place in spite of great aversion (on the part of Umm Kulthum and Imam 'Ali).32

4) Shaykh al-Kulayni, relying on his own sources, relates from Imam al-Sadiq ('a) that this marriage took place under coercion and with great aversion.33

In the chapter on women whose husbands died before them, al-Kulayni relates the following tradition from Imam al-Sadiq ('a) with two different chains of transmission, "Verily, when 'Umar died, Imam 'Ali went to Umm Kulthum and took her to his house."34

5) Shaykh al-Tusi has transmitted the same tradition.35

6) Al-Hakim, in al-Mustadrak 'ala'l-Sahihayn, has said that Umm Kulthum married 'Umar.36

7) Ibn 'Abd al-Barr, Ibn al-Athir, Ibn Hajar, Ibn Hazm and al-Tabari have all mentioned the marriage of Umm Kulthum the daughter of Fatimah the daughter of God's Messenger (S).37

Contrarily, some Shi'ah scholars have claimed that Umm Kulthum, the wife of 'Umar, was not the daughter of Lady Fatimah ('a), rather another daughter of 'Ali ('a) from another mother.

In response to these claims the following arguments may be made:

1. According to Usd al-Ghabah and al-Isabah, 'Umar quoted the Holy Prophet (S) as saying, "Every connection and blood relation will cease to exist on the Judgment Day, except for my connection and blood relation," (and quoted this tradition as his reason to marry Umm Kulthum). If he married a daughter of Imam 'Ali ('a) whose mother was not Lady Fatimah ('a), he would not have reached his aim of becoming a relative of the Holy Prophet (S).

2. Lady Fatimah passed away in 11 A.H., and 'Umar died in 23 A.H. He must have married Umm Kulthum several years before his death because she bore him Zayd and Ruqayyah. On the other hand, some writers have imagined that Umm Kulthum al-Sughra (another daughter of Imam 'Ali) was 'Umar's wife. However, this could not be correct, because Umm Kulthum al-Sughra could not have been born before 14 or 15 A.H. Therefore, Umm Kulthum al-Sughra would have been seven or eight years old when 'Umar's son Zayd was born. How could a girl of about seven years of age have a baby? All witnesses and circumstantial evidence thus confirm that Umm Kulthum al-Kubra was married to 'Umar.

She has related traditions from Amir al-Mu'minin Imam 'Ali ('a), and Ahmad Ibn 'Ali al-Muqri, al-Hasan al-Basri and Umm Musa (Imam 'Ali's servant) have related traditions from her.

Al-Majlisi quotes al-Saduq, who relies on his own sources and quotes Ahmad Ibn 'Ali al-Muqri as relating that Umm Kulthum said, "The last instructions my father gave to my brothers was to say, 'O my two sons, if I die, you two shall wash me and dry my body with the cloth which you used to dry the Holy Prophet (S) and Fatimah ('a). Then, embalm me and lay me out in my shroud on my bier. Wait until the front part of the bier rises from the ground, then, carry the back part."'

She said, "We left to lead my father's burial procession. When we arrived behind the al-Ghari building, the front of the bier stopped moving, and we placed the back part (on the ground). Imam al-Hasan ('a) came forward carrying the cloth with which he had dried the bodies of the Holy Prophet (S), Lady Fatimah ('a), and Imam 'Ali ('a). Then, he took the pickaxe and hit the ground with it.

Immediately, the grave opened, revealing a sepulcher. Suddenly, he found a piece of wood, on which were written two lines in the Siryani language. It was written, 'In the Name of God, The Merciful, The Compassionate. This is the grave which Prophet Noah has dug for 'Ali the trustee and successor of Muhammad, seven hundred years before the great storm.'"

Umm Kulthum continued, "The grave had opened, but I do not know whether my master was buried in the ground or raised to heaven. Then, we heard a voice paying condolences to us and saying: 'God has favored you by paying condolences on the occasion (of the demise) of your master, proof of God's (existence) to His creation.'"38

Shaykh al-Mufid, relying on his own sources, quotes al-Hasan al-Basri as relating, "On the night preceding the day when Imam 'Ali ('a) was killed, the Imam was awake, but he did not go to the mosque for prayer, as was his habit.

His daughter Umm Kulthum (may God have mercy upon her) said to her father, 'What is keeping you awake?' He answered, 'Verily, I shall be killed (tomorrow), if I am still alive in the morning.' (At that moment) Ibn Nabba (the muezzin of Imam Ali) arrived and read the call for the Morning Prayer. Imam 'Ali ('a) went a short way (towards the mosque); then, he returned.

Umm Kulthum told him, 'Order Ju'dah to lead the people in prayer.' Imam Ali (a) said, 'Yes, give the order to Ju'dah to lead the people in prayer.'

Then he said, 'There is no way to escape from one's death', and he left the house and went to the mosque."39

Allamah al-Majlisi writes that Umm Kulthum, the daughter of Amir al­Mu'minin ('a) said, "On the night of the nineteenth of the holy month of Ramadan, I offered him (Amir al-Mu'minin) a tray with two loafs of barley bread, a bowl of milk and some coarse salt for breaking the fast. When he finished his prayer, he approached his meal, looked at it and contemplated it.

Then he shook his head, wept vehemently, and said, 'O my daughter, are you offering your father two kinds of food on one tray? Do you want me to be made to stand longer before God on the Judgment Day? I wish to follow my brother and paternal cousin, the Holy Prophet (S). O my daughter, this world has reckoning for its permitted (halal) things and punishment for its forbidden (haram) things.'

Then he continued, 'O my daughter, the world is the place of deception and abasement. Whoever does any deed will see its result. O my daughter, by God, I shall not eat anything until you take away one of the two kinds of food.' When I took away one of them, he approached his meal and ate one loaf of bread with coarse salt.

Then he thanked God twice and got up to pray. He prayed for a long time, bowing and prostrating himself, supplicating and beseeching Almighty God."40

• 1. Al-Kubra means 'the older one' and al-Sughra 'the younger one.' Imam 'Ali ('a) had two daughters named Zaynab and Umm-Kulthum.
• 2. Sharh Nahj al-Balaghah, vol. 2, p. 475; A'yan al-Shi'ah, vol 7, p. 136.
• 3. Al-Kamil fi'l-Tarikh, vol. 3, p. 263.
• 4. Abu Muhammad 'Ali Ibn Ahmad Ibn Hazm al-Umawi al-Andalusi (348 - 456 A.H.L) was from the region of Fars. He was the minister of 'Abd al-Rahman al-Mustansir Bi'llah Hisham Ibn 'Abd al-Jabbar Ibn 'Abd al-Rahman al-Nasir. After some time, he quit this post, and devoted his time to the pursuit of science. He wrote over 400 books on the subjects of jurisprudents, traditions, literature, and others. Some of his works include, Jamharat al-Ansab, al-Ihkam fi Usul al-Ahkam, and others. [Lughat Nama Dihkhuda].
• 5. Jamharat al-Ansab, p. 38.
• 6. Abu al-Hasan 'Ali Ibn Abu al-Ghana'im Muhammad Ibn 'Ali al-'Alawi al-Umari was transferred to Mosul from Basra during the reign of Sayyid al-Murtada in the year 443. He was the author of books such as al-Mujdi fi Ansab al-Talibiyyin. [al-Dhari'ah]
• 7. 'Umdat al-Talib, p. 54.
• 8. Kitab al-Irshad, p. 186.
• 9. Tanqih al-Maqal, vol. 3, p. 73 (chapter about women).
• 10. Muruj al-Dhahab, vol. 2, p. 92.
• 11. Usd al-Ghabah, vol. 5, p. 614; Al-Isti’ab, vol. 4, p. 1954; A'yan al-Shi'ah, vol. 3, p. 486; Tarikh al-Tabari, vol. 4, p. 199.
• 12. Al- Tabaqat al-Kubra, vol. 8, p. 463; Jamharat al-Ansab, p. 38; al-Isabah fi Tamyiz al-Sahabah, vol. 4, p. 468.
• 13. Al-Kafi, vol. 6, p. 115 (book on divorce).
• 14. Jamharat al-Ansab, p. 38.
• 15. Al-Isti'ab, vol. 4, p. 1955; al-Isabah, vol. 4, p. 468; Usd al-Ghabah, vol. 5, p. 615; Taj al-'Arus, vol. 8, p. 172.
• 16. A'yan al-Shi'ah, vol. 3, pp. 485 & 486.
• 17. A'lam al-Nisa', vol. 4, p. 259; al-Durr al-Manthur fi 'Tabaqat Rabbat al-Khudur, p. 62; Tanqih al-Maqal, vol. 3, p. 73 (chapter on women).
• 18. Al-'Tabaqat al-Kubra, vol. 8, p. 464.
• 19. Al-Khilaf, vol. 1, p. 294 (the book on dead bodies - the judgment on the placement of dead bodies if there is more than one in the same funeral procession).
• 20. A'yan al-Shi'ah, vol. 7, p. 136.
• 21. Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 43, p. 192 (the biography of Lady Fatimah al-Zahra').
• 22. Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 42, p. 289 (the biography of Imam 'Ali).
• 23. Al-Isti’ab, vol. 4, p. 1954; Usd al-Ghabah, vol. 5, p. 614; al-Isabah, vol. 4, p. 468; Al-'Tabaqat al-Kubra, vol. 8, p. 463.
• 24. Tanqih al-Maqal, vol. 3, p.73 (chapter on women).
• 25. A'lam al-Nisa', vol. 4, p. 255.
• 26. A'yan al-Shi'ah, vol. 7, p. 136.
• 27. Muhammad Jawad Ibn Hasan Ibn Talib Ibn 'Abbas Ibn... Basaghi Najafi was a jurisprudent, sage, and orator of the Shi'ah. He wrote various books including, Ala' al­Rahman fi Tafsir al-Qur'an, Ajwibat al-Masa'il al-Baghdadiyyah, and others. [Rayhanat al-Adab, vol. 1, p. 173].
• 28. Al-Dhari'ah ila Tasanif al-Shi'ah, vol. 4, p. 172, no. 912.
• 29. Rayahin al-Shari'ah, vol. 3, p. 245.
• 30. l'lam al-Wara, 204.
• 31. 'Umdat al-Talib, p. 83.
• 32. Tanqih al-Maqal, vol. 3, p. 73 (chapter about women).
• 33. Al-Kafi, vol. 5, p. 346, tradition no. 1 and 2.
• 34. Al-Kafi, vol. 6, p. 115, tradition no. 1 and 2.
• 35. Al-Kafi, vol. 6, p. 115, tradition no. 1 and 2; al-Tahdhib, vol. 8, p. 161.
• 36. Al-Mustadrak 'ala'l-Sahihayn, vol. 3, p. 142.
• 37. Al-Isti'ab, vol. 4, p. 1954; Usd al-Ghabah, vol. 5, p. 615; al-Isabah, vol. 4, p. 468; Jamharat al-Ansab, p. 38; Tarikh al-'Tabari, vol. 4, p. 199.
• 38. Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 42, p. 216.
• 39. Kitab al-Irshad, p. 15.
• 40. Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 42, p. 276 - 278.