Article 2: The Books Indicating The Ba Alawi Lineage Is Dead-Ended In The 9th Century

Book title:  Indonesia Ulema Challenge Spurious Lineage: KH. Imaduddin Utsman al-Bantani's Refutation of the Book by Hanif Alatas et al
Title of Original / Indonesian version: Ulama Nusantara Menggugat Nasab Palsu: Jawaban KH. Imaduddin Utsman al-Bantani terhadap Buku Hanif Alatas dkk
Penulis: KH. Imaduddin Utsman Al-Bantani, pengasuh pesantren Nahdlatul Ulum, Banten
Cetakan pertama: November 2024
Publisher:  Lakeisha 2024
15,6 cm X 23 cm, 691 Pages
ISBN : 978-623-119-469-5 
Bidang studi: Sejarah Baalawi, sejarah Nabi, ilmu nasab, sejarah Islam, genealogi, garis keturunan, filologi/manuskrip, Tes DNA 
Publisher of English version: Al-Khoirot Research and Publication 
Fields of study: Ba'alawi history, history of the Prophet, science of lineage, Islamic history, genealogy, bloodline / lineage, philology/manuscripts, DNA testing  

Contents

1. Article 2: The Books Indicating The Ba Alawi Lineage Is Dead-Ended In The 9th Century 
2. Lineage Books from the 3rd to the 13th Century Hijri
1. The Book: Nasab Quraysh  (d. 236 AH)
2. The Book: Sirr Silsilat al-Alawiyyah (d. 341 AH)
3. Tahdhib al-Ansab (d. 435 AH)
4. The Book: Al-Majdi (d. 490 AH)
5. Al-Muntaqilat al-Thalibiyyah (d. 479 AH)
6. Abna' al-Imam Fi Mishra Wa al-Sham (d. 478 AH)
7. Al-Syajarah al-Mubarakah (d. 606 AH)
8. The Book: Al-Fakhri Fi Ansab al-Thalibiyyin (d. 614 AH)
9. The Book: Al-Ashili Fi Ansab al-Thalibiyyin (d. 709 AH)
10. The Book: Al-Thabat al-Mushan (d. 787 AH)
11. The Book: Umdat al-Thalib al-Shugra  (d. 828 AH)
12. Umdat al-Thalib Fi Ansab Al-Abi Thalib (d. 828 AH)
13. The Book: Al-Nafhah al-Anbariyyah (d. 880)
14. The Book: Shihah al-Akhbar (d. 885 AH)
15. Bahr al-Ansab or Al-Musyajjar al-Kasyaf (d. 900 AH)
16. The Book: Tuhfat al-Thalib (d. 996 AH)
17. The Book: Tuhfat al-Azhar (d. 1090 AH)
18. The Book: Al-Raud al-Jaliy (d. 1205 AH)
3. Conclusion 
4. Back to Book  Indonesia Ulema Challenge Spurious Lineage: KH. Imaduddin Utsman al-Bantani's Refutation of the Book by Hanif Alatas et al   

CHAPTER 2: THE MANUSCRIPTS CONFIRMING THAT THE BA'ALWI LINEAGE DEAD-ENDS IN THE 9TH CENTURY

In the book, Hanif et al. created a subheading in Chapter II titled:
The Lineage Validation (Itsbat Nasab) of Non-Ba'alwi Genealogists for the Validity of the Sadat Ba'alwi Lineage.

The title sounds impressive, but is it true that the scholars later cited by Hanif et al. can be said to validly verify the Ba'alwi lineage? Let us examine this closely. Before listing the non-Ba'alwi manuscripts that he claims have validated the Ba'alwi lineage, Hanif et al. lay down a disclaimer:

"If a lineage is recorded in lineage manuscripts written by credible and trustworthy genealogists (even if the genealogist was not contemporary to that lineage), it becomes one of the benchmarks for the validity of a lineage from the perspective of lineage science."

Thus, according to Hanif, if a genealogist in the 9th century AH recorded an arrangement of names in a family tree stretching back to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, it must be accepted as validation for that lineage, even if it contradicts lineage manuscripts written before the 9th century.

Why was it necessary to put forward such a disclaimer first? The answer is because the manuscripts they are about to mention completely dead-end in the 9th century. The very first lineage manuscript recording the Ba'alwi that they are able to cite is the book Al-Nafhah al-Anbariyah by Muhammad Kadhim bin Abil Futuh al-Yamani (d. 880 AH). They cannot produce any other evidence from lineage manuscripts besides this. Furthermore, the contents of the book Al-Nafhah contradict earlier lineage manuscripts, namely the book Al-Syajarah al-Mubarakah by the Master Genealogist Al-Imam Fakhruddin al-Razi (d. 606 AH).

Is Hanif's claim true that according to genealogists, a lineage manuscript can be used as a primary reference even if it contradicts previous lineage manuscripts? Of course not; that is merely a tactical maneuver used by a clan whose lineage is fabricated.

In the book Ushulu 'Ilmi al-Nasab wa al-Mufadlalah Bain al-Ansab by the Genealogist Fuad bin Abduh bin Abil Gaits al-Jaizani, it is stated:

    ولا يمكننا الحديث عن النسب القديم بناءاً على ما ورد في الكتب الحديثة المستندة إلى كلام غير منطقى أو على الذاكرة الشعبية فقط

"And it is impossible for us to discuss ancient lineage based on what is found in modern books that rely on illogical arguments or solely on popular memory."

Pay close attention to the statement of the Genealogist Fuad bin Abduh bin Abil Gaits al-Jaizani: it is impossible for us to accept an ancient lineage based merely on contemporary writings. We cannot rely on the 9th-century book Al-Nafhah to verify a son of Ahmad bin Isa who lived in the 4th century, especially when it is clear that Al-Nafhah contradicts preceding books.

From this, we understand the evidence provided by lineage experts that a past lineage cannot be verified purely by contemporary lineage books; it must be verified by contemporary lineage manuscripts or those closest to that era, as the author has previously demonstrated.

Before we look at the lineage books that Hanif et al. managed to bring forward to defend their lineage, let us first look at the chronological lineup of lineage manuscripts that have existed from the 3th century all the way to the 13th century Hijriyah. From there, we will see that the appearance of the name Ubaid/Ubaidillah/Abdullah as a son of Ahmad bin Isa only emerged in the ninth century Hijriyah—651 years after the passing of Ahmad bin Isa. 

Lineage Books From the 3rd to the 13th Century Hijriyah

(1) The Book: Nasab Quraysh

The name of this book is Kitab Nasab Quraysh by Mus'ab bin Abdullah al-Zubayri (d. 236 AH). The printed version of this book was edited (tahqiq) by the French historian Évariste Lévi-Provençal (d. 1959 CE) and was published by the publisher "Dar al-Ma'arif" without a specified year of publication.

In this book, the descendants of Al-Husayn through the lineage of Ali al-Uraydi bin Ja'far al-Sadiq are not yet mentioned. The descendants of Al-Husayn through Muhammad al-Baqir bin Ali al-Sajjad are only mentioned up to Ja'far. The descendants of Husayn through Zaid bin Ali al-Sajjad are only mentioned up to Ahmad bin Isa bin Zaid bin Ali bin Husayn bin Ali bin Abi Thalib. 

 

As for the statement found in the fabricated book Al-Raud al-Jaliy—attributed to Murtadla al-Zabidi—claiming that Mus'ab bin Abdullah al-Zubayri mentioned Ahmad bin Isa al-Naqib as having two sons, Abdullah and Muhammad (Al-Raud al-Jaliy, Dar al-Fath, 1444 AH, p. 120), it is a completely fabricated quotation and does not exist anywhere within Kitab Nasab Quraysh.

(2) The Book: Sirr Silsilat al-Alawiyyah

The full title of this book is Sirr Silsilat al-Alawiyyah Fi Ansab Sadat al-‘Alawiyyah by Sheikh Abu Nasr Sahl bin Abdullah al-Bukhari (d. 341 AH). The printed version of this book was edited (tahqiq) by Muhammad Sadiq Bahrul Ulum and published by "Al-Haidariyah" Publishing House, Najaf, in the year 1962 CE.

In this book, it is mentioned that Muhammad bin Ali al-Uraydi bin Ja'far al-Sadiq had a son named Isa al-Arat (p. 49). Within this text, the name Ahmad bin Isa does not yet appear. The only name mentioned as a child of Isa is Al-Husayn. However, al-Bukhari does not explicitly limit the children of Isa al-Arat to Al-Husayn alone. Thus, the possibility remains open that there were other children who were simply not mentioned.

 

In the fabricated book Al-Raudl al-Jaliy attributed to Murtadla al-Zabidi, it states that Sheikh Abu Nasr al-Bukhari mentioned Ahmad bin Isa al-Naqib as having two sons: Muhammad and Abdullah (Al-Raudl al-Jaliy, Dar al-Fath, 1444 AH, p. 120). This is a completely fabricated quotation and does not exist in the book Sirr Silsilat al-Alawiyyah.

(3) Tahdhib al-Ansab

This book is titled Tahdhib al-Ansab Wa Nihayat al-Alqab by Abul Hasan Muhammad bin Abi Ja'far Shaykh al-Sharaf al-'Ubaidili (d. 435 AH). The printed version of this book was edited (tahqiq) by Muhammad Kadhim al-Mahmudi, published without a specified publisher in the year 1410 AH.

In this book, Al-Ubaidili mentions only one child of Ahmad al-Abah bin Isa, who is Muhammad. In the fabricated book Al-Raudl al-Jaliy attributed to Murtadla al-Zabidi, it is stated that Shaykh Sharaf Al-Ubaidili said Ahmad bin Isa al-Naqib migrated from Medina to Basra (p. 121); this quotation is completely fabricated and cannot be found in this book, Tahdhib al-Ansab.

(4) The Book: Al-Majdi

This book is named Al-Majdi Fi Ansab al-Thalibiyyin, written by Ali bin Muhammad bin Ali bin Muhammad al-Alawi al-Umari (d. 490 AH). The second printed edition of this book was edited (tahqiq) by Ahmad al-Mahdawi al-Damighani, published by "Maktabah Ayatullah al-Udzma al-Mar'ashi al-Najafi al-'Aammah" in the city of Najaf in the year 1422 AH.

In this book, Al-Umari explains the lineage of Isa bin Muhammad al-Naqib, mentioning that the descendants of Ahmad electromagnetic-Abah bin Isa are located in Baghdad, specifically through Al-Hasan Abu Muhammad al-Dallal al-Addauri bin Muhammad bin Ali bin Muhammad bin Ahmad bin Isa (p. 337). Exactly like Al-Ubaidili, Al-Umari mentions only one child of Ahmad al-Abah.

(5) Al-Muntaqilat al-Thalibiyyah

This book is titled Muntaqilat al-Thalibiyyah, authored by Abu Ismail Ibrahim bin Nasir bin Tabataba (d. 479 AH). The first edition of this book was edited (tahqiq) by Muhammad Mahdi Hasan al-Khurasan and published by Matba'ah Al-Haidariyah in the year 1968 AH.

Muntaqilat al-Thalibiyyin is a book that describes the geographical locations to which the descendants of Abi Thalib migrated. In this book, it is mentioned that the descendant of Abi Thalib residing in Ramlah is Ali bin Ahmad al-Naffath (p. 146). As is well known, the descendants of the Prophet are simultaneously the descendants of Abi Talib, because Sayyidah Fatimah, the daughter of the Prophet, married Ali bin Abi Thalib.

Furthermore, this book mentions that the descendant of Abi Thalib in the city of Rayy is Muhammad bin Ahmad al-Naffat (p. 160). Therefore, this book mentions two children of Ahmad bin Isa: Muhammad and Ali. Both lived in Rayy and Ramlah. No mention is made of any descendants of Ahmad bin Isa living in Yemen.

 

(6) Abna' al-Imam Fi Mishra Wa al-Syam

This book is named Abna' al-Imam Fi Mishra Wa al-Syam al-Hasan Wa al-Husain. This is a fabricated book falsely attributed to Abu al-Mu'ammar Yahya bin Tabataba (d. 478 AH). The printed version of this book was edited (tahqiq) by Yusuf Jamalullail Ba'alwi and published by "Maktabah Jull al-Ma'rifah" and "Maktabah Al-Taubat" in the year 2004 CE.

This book is fabricated and cannot be relied upon because it was composed by an author from the Tabataba family who passed away in the year 199 AH. Yet, it mentions the name Abdullah or Ubaidillah as a child of Ahmad bin Isa, who passed away in the year 383 AH. How can someone who passed away in the year 199 AH record Ubaidillah, who passed away in the year 383 AH? To circumvent this problem, the book was subsequently attributed to another member of the Tabataba family, namely Abul Mu'ammar Yahya, who passed away in the year 478 AH, as written on the volume of the book.

However, note the phrasing within the introduction (muqaddimah) of the book Abna' al-Imam, which still lists the year 199 AH as the year of the author's passing; see the screenshot below:

The member of the Tabataba family who passed away in the year 199 AH was Muhammad bin Ibrahim Tabataba [Al-Kamil fi al-Tarikh, 5/464], not Abul Mu'ammar Yahya bin Tabataba, as the latter passed away in the year 478 AH. Yusuf Jamalullail Ba'alwi also admitted that this book is not purely the writing of Abul Mu'ammar, but that its contents were appended to by three scholars during the 12th and 13th centuries Hijriyah, namely: Abi Shadaqah al-Halabi (d. 1180 AH), Abul Aun Muhammad al-Safarini (d. 1188 AH), and Muhammad bin Nashar Ibrahim Al-Maqdisi (d. 1350 AH). Therefore, this book is highly problematic and inconsistent. It cannot be classified as the work of a 2nd-century or 5th-century scholar because its contents were altered by scholars of the 12th and 14th centuries Hijriyah; in fact, it is reasonable to suspect that the one who inserted the name Abdullah or Ubaidillah was Yusuf Jamalullail himself.

(7) Al-Syajarah al-Mubarakah

This book is named Al-Syajarah al-Mubarakah Fi Ansab al-Thalibiyah, authored by Imam Fakhruddin al-Razi (d. 606 AH). The second printed edition was edited (tahqiq) by Mahdi al-Raja'i and published by "Maktabah Ayatullah Udzma al-Mar'ashi al-Najafi" in the year 1419 AH.

Imam Fakhruddin al-Razi explicitly and firmly states that Ahmad al-Abh bin Isa only had descendants from three children, namely: Muhammad in the city of Rayy, Ali in Ramlah, and Husayn in Nishapur. Ahmad al-Abh did not have a son named Ubaidillah (p. 127). Of his three children, according to Imam Fakhruddin al-Razi, none lived in Yemen. It is also mentioned that some of the descendants of Ahmad bin Isa relocated from the city of Qum to the city of Rayy.

When stating that the progeny of Ahmad bin Isa originated from only three children, Imam al-Razi employs a nominal sentence (Jumlah Ismiyyah). In the rules of lineage science, if a writer uses a nominal sentence, it denotes restriction (hashr, meaning strictly limited to) [see Umdat al-Thalib, p. 340].

The manuscript of the book Al-Syajarah al-Mubarakah is preserved in the Library of Sultan Ahmed III Mosque in Istanbul under number 2677. This copy was written by Wahid bin Shamsuddin in the year 825 AH, based on the original manuscript signed by Imam Fakhruddin al-Razi, who finished writing it in the year 597 AH. The title and the attribution of this book are clearly and neatly recorded at the end of the text: stating that this book is named Al-Syajarah al-Mubarakah, its copy was verified by Muhammad bin Umar bin Husain al-Razi (the author of the book), and then Imam al-Razi wrote that he had read this book in front of Ali bin Sharaf Shah bin Abil Ma'ali and granted him an authorization (ijazah).

Below is the appearance of the handwritten manuscript of the book Al-Syajarah al-Mubarakah, a copy by Wahid bin Shamsuddin, and the last page of the second printed version:

(8) The Book: Al-Fakhri Fi Ansab al-Thalibiyyin

This book is named Al-Fakhri Fi Ansab al-Thalibiyyin, written by Azizuddin Abu Talib Ismail bin Husain bin Ahmad al-Marwazi al-Azwarqani (d. 614 AH). The first edition was edited (tahqiq) by Mahdi al-Raja'i and published by the publisher "Maktabah Ayatullah al-Udzma al-Mar'ashi al-Najafi" in the city of Najaf, Iran, in the year 1409 AH. It mentions the exact same thing as the book Al-Majdi, as it only lists a single line of descent from Ahmad bin Isa, which is through the line of Muhammad bin Ahmad bin Isa. Judging by its highly similar phrasing, it appears that this book simply quotes from Al-Majdi.

(9) The Book: Al-Ashili Fi Ansab al-Thalibiyyin

This book is named Al-Ashili fi Ansab al-Thalibiyyin, authored by Safiyuddin Muhammad Ibn al-Taqtaqi al-Hasani (d. 709 AH). The first printed edition of this book was edited (tahqiq) by Mahdi al-Raja'i and published by the publisher "Maktabah Ayatullah al-Udzma al-Mar'ashi al-Najafi" in the year 1417. In this book, a single sample line of descent for Ahmad bin Isa is mentioned, namely through his son named Muhammad bin Isa.

(10) The Book: Al-Thabat al-Mushan

This book is named Al-Tsabat al-Mushan al-Mushrif Bi Dzikr Sulalat Walad Adnan, authored by Ibnul A'raj al-Husaini (d. 787 AH). The printed version of this book was edited (tahqiq) by Khalil bin Ibrahim bin Khalaf al-Dailami al-Zabidi and published by "Maktabah Ulum al-Nasab", Baghdad-London, in the year 1988 CE.

It is stated in this book that among the descendants of Ahmad al-Abah is Abu Muhammad Al-Hasan al-Dallal in Baghdad, who was seen by Al-Umari, the author of Al-Majdi. He is the son of Muhammad bin Ali bin Muhammad bin Ahmad bin Isa (p. 83). Thus, this book mentions only one child out of the three children of Ahmad bin Isa listed by Al-Syajarah al-Mubarakah. It appears that this book uses Al-Majdi as its reference.

(11) The Book: Umdat al-Thalib al-Shugra

This book is named Umdat al-Thalib al-Shugra Fi Nasab Al Abi Thalib, written by Jamaluddin Ahmad bin Ali al-Hasani al-Dawudi, popularly known as Ibnu Inabah (d. 828 AH). The printed version of this book was edited (tahqiq) by Mahdi al-Raja'i and published by "Maktabah Ayatullah al-Udzma al-Mar'ashi", Najaf, in the year 1430 AH. In this book, it is stated that Ahmad Al-Abah bin Isa has descendants, but the specific names of his descendants are not listed (pp. 135-136).

(12) Umdat al-Thalib Fi Ansab Al-Abi Thalib

This book is named Umdat al-Thalib Fi Ansab Al-Abi Thalib, written by Jamaluddin Ahmad bin Ali al-Hasani al-Dawudi, popularly known as Ibnu Inabah (d. 828 AH). Most likely, the previous book, Umdat al-Thalib Shugra, is a mukhtashar (abridgment) of this book. This book is also frequently referred to as Umdat al-Thalib Wushtha or Kubra.

The printed version of this book was edited (tahqiq) by Muhammad Hasan Alu al-Thalifani and published by "Maktabah Al-Haidarah", Najaf; second edition in the year 1961 CE. In this book, the descendants of Ahmad bin Isa are mentioned, namely Ahmad al-Ataj bin Abi Muhammad al-Hasan al-Dallal bin Muhammad bin Ali bin Muhammad bin Ahmad bin Isa (p. 245).

Subsequently, the 1961 CE printed version was reprinted by the "Computer Research Center of Islamic Sciences" (Markaz Tahqiqat al-Kombuter Ulum al-Islami) without a specified year, containing the exact same text but with a different page layout, appearing as follows:

(13) The Book: Al-Nafhah al-Anbariyyah

This book is named Al-Nafhah al-Anbariyah Fi Ansab Khair al-Bariyyah, authored by Muhammad Kadhim bin Abil Futuh bin Sulaiman al-Yamani al-Musawi (d. 880). The printed version of this book was edited (tahqiq) by Mahdi al-Raja'i and published by "Maktabah Ayatullah al-Udzma al-Mar'ashi" in the city of Najaf in the year 1411 AH.

This specific book is the very first lineage book to mention that Ahmad bin Isa bin Muhammad al-Naqib had a child named Abdullah, and that he migrated to Hadramaut (pp. 52-53). From the death of Ahmad bin Isa in the year 345 Hijriyah, 535 years had elapsed until this book was written, marking the first time news appeared from a lineage book claiming that Ahmad bin Isa had a son named Abdullah who migrated from Basra to Hadramaut. This book states that Sayyid Abil Jadid (d. 620 AH) is a descendant of the aforementioned Abdullah.

This book does not connect the family of Abdurrahman Assegaf as part of the Abul Jadid family at all. Furthermore, the claim made by this book that Ahmad bin Isa had a son named Abdullah lacks any reference from any previous lineage book. That claim is entirely rejected by the older lineage book, Al-Syajarah al-Mubarakah (597 AH), which states that the descendants of Ahmad bin Isa come exclusively from his three sons: Muhammad, Ali, and Husayn. The quotation from the book Al-Nafhah is as follows:

It appears that this book, Al-Nafhah, took its reference from an 8th-century history book, namely Al-Suluk Fi Thabaqat al-Ulama Wa al-Muluk by Al-Janadi (732 AH), where the biography of an individual named Syarif Abul Jadid is recorded, tracing a lineage through Abdullah bin Ahmad bin Isa (Vol. 2, p. 135).

According to lineage experts, if a history book contradicts a lineage book, the lineage book must be taken as the standard. Dr. Abdurrahman bin Majid al-Qaraja states in his book Al-Kafi al-Muntakhab:

    ولا يقدم بحال على ما يثبته النسابة خصوصا ان كانوا اقرب زمانا او مكانا

    "A historian's account under no circumstances takes precedence over what is established by a genealogist, especially if the genealogist is closer in time or location." (Al-Kafi al-Muntakhab, p. 71).

In the book Al-'Ibar by Ibn Khaldun, it is stated:

    وكثيرا ما وقع للمؤرّخين والمفسرين وأئمة النقل من المغالط في الحكايات والوقائع لاعتمادهم فيها على مجرّد النقل غنّا أو سمينا ولم يعرضوها على أصولها ولا قاسوها بأشباهها ولا سبروها بمعيار الحكمة والوقوف على طبائع الكائنات وتحكيم النظر والبصيرة في الأخبار فضلوا عن الحق وتاهوا في بيداء الوهم والغلط

"And frequently, historians, commentators, and leading scholars of transmission have fallen into errors regarding stories and events, because they relied purely on mere transmission, whether flawed or sound. They did not verify them against their primary sources, nor did they compare them with similar accounts, nor did they examine them with the criteria of wisdom and an understanding of the nature of creation, nor did they apply critical observation and insight to the reports. Consequently, they strayed from the truth and became lost in the wilderness of delusion and error." (Al-Ibar, Al-Maktabah al-Syamilah, Vol. 1, p. 13).

Therefore, Abul Jadid's lineage link to Ahmad bin Isa is rejected because it connects through Abdullah, whose name was never recorded as a son of Ahmad bin Isa in Al-Syajarah Al-Mubarakah or any other early lineage books—given that Al-Syajarah al-Mubarakah explicitly declares that the progeny of Ahmad bin Isa only comes from three children: Muhammad, Ali, and Husayn.

(14) The Book: Shihah al-Akhbar

This book is named Shihah al-Akhbar Fi Nasab al-Sadat al-Fathimiyah al-Akhyar, written by Abdullah Muhammad Sirajuddin bin Abdullah al-Rifa'i al-Makhzumi al-Washithi (d. 885 AH). The printed version of this book was edited (tahqiq) by Arif Ahmad Abdul Ghani and published by "Dar al-Arab" and "Dar Noor Hauran" in the city of Damascus in the year 2014 CE.

In this book, it is mentioned that Ahmad bin Isa had children named Abul Qasim al-Abah al-Naffath and Muhammad Abil Hasan. According to this book, Abul Qasim al-Abah al-Naffath has descendants in Baghdad. In addition to Baghdad, according to weak information ('ala ma yuqalu: based on what people say), he also has descendants in Yemen (p. 122).

This book introduces a brand new name for a child of Ahmad bin Isa, namely Abul Qasim al-Abah. It seems the author of this book received incorrect information regarding the name Abul Qasim Al-Abah al-Naffath, where that name actually represents three titles belonging to Ahmad bin Isa himself, rather than the name of his son, according to the book Al-Majdi (p. 337). It is highly probable that he read a manuscript of Al-Majdi that had been distorted due to the age of the paper or a copyist's error. Notice the close similarity between this book and the phrasing of Al-Majdi below:

    وأحمد ابو القاسم الابح المعروف بالنفاط لانه كان يتجر النفط له بقية ببغداد من الحسن ابي محمد الدلال على الدور ببغداد رأيته مات بأخره ببغداد بن مُحَمَّد بن علي بن محمد بن أحمد بن عيسى بن محمد بن العريضي.

We will also see that the fabricated book Al-Raudl al-Jaliy has phrasing very similar to this book, Shihah. It is highly probable that the fabricated book Al-Raudl al-Jaliy cloned the phrasing and then inserted the names Abdullah and Ubaidillah.

(15) Bahr al-Ansab or Al-Musyajjar al-Kasyaf

This book is named Bahr al-Ansab, also called Musyajjar al-Kasyaf, authored by Muhammad bin Ahmad bin Amididin al-Najafi (d. < 900 AH). One of the printed versions of this book was edited (tahqiq) by Anas al-Kutbi al-Hasani and published by "Al-Khazanah al-Kutbiyyah al-Hasaniyyah al-Khashah" in the year 1419 AH in the city of Medina.

In this book, five children are listed for Ahmad bin Isa, namely: Muhammad, Ali, Al-Hasan/Al-Husayn (unclear), Urayd, Ahmad, and Al-Ridlo.

This book confirms the earlier books, such as Al-Syajarah al-Mubarakah, which state that the names of the children who left descendants are three: Muhammad, Ali, and Husayn. Meanwhile, the other two names, Ahmad and Al-Ridlo, were not recorded by Al-Syajarah al-Mubarakah because they did not leave any progeny. Muhammad and Ali have their lineages documented in Muntaqilat al-Thalibiyah, but Husayn's was not recorded due to "ikhtilath" (the mixing up of his historical reports with the family of Husayn bin Ahmad al-Sha'rani) [Al-Syajarah al-Mubarakah, p. 127]. Even in this book, Bahr al-Ansab, although five sons are written down, only two are recorded as having left descendants: Muhammad and Ali.

Interestingly, within this book, there is an additional note stating that in a specific copy of Bahr al-Ansab transcribed by Murtadla al-Zabidi, an extra child was appended for Ahmad bin Isa, namely Ubaidillah. The manuscript copied by Murtadla al-Zabidi is preserved in "Dar al-Kutub al-Mishriyyah." Therefore, even though the name Ubaidillah appears in this version of Bahr al-Ansab, it is merely an interpolation inserted by Murtadla al-Zabidi into a copy written at the beginning of the 13th century AH.

Observe the musyajjar (family tree diagram) of the book Bahr al-Ansab here:

To further confirm that the name Ubaidillah found in Bahr al-Ansab is an early 13th-century interpolation, here is a manuscript from the year 1214 AH that differentiates between the ink color of the original author and the ink color of the interpolations. The original text of the author of Bahr al-Ansab is written in black ink, while the interpolated text is written in red ink. The name Ubaidillah found in this manuscript is recorded in red ink, serving as a sign that the name Ubaidillah is merely an insertion and that the copyist did not verify its authenticity [see Tuhfat al-Azhar, p. 34], with a note provided underneath reading: "Min khatti Muhammad Murtadla" (From the handwriting of Muhammad Murtadla [al-Zabidi]). Observe the manuscript below:

(16) The Book: Tuhfat al-Thalib

This book is named Tuhfat al-Thalib Bima'rifati Man Yantasibu Ila Abdillah Wa Abi Thalib, written by Muhammad bin Husain bin Abdullah al-Husaini al-Samarqandi al-Madani (d. 996 AH). The printed version of this book was edited (tahqiq) by Anis al-Kutbi al-Hasani and published by "Al-Khazanah al-Kutubiyyah al-Hasaniyyah al-Khashah" in the year 1418 AH in the city of Medina.

The manuscript of this book was written in 1895 CE / 1316 AH (or 129 years ago) by Muhammad Sa'id bin Muhammad bin Sulaiman, without mentioning from which source he copied this book attributed to a 10th-century AH scholar. It is highly probable that he copied it from writings originating from Tarim, Yemen. The manuscript of Tuhfat al-Thalib was discovered in Tarim, precisely at "Maktabah Al-Husaini," consisting of 77 pages. According to the editor (muhaqqiq) of this book, the author drew references from two works: Umdat al-Thalib and Bahrul Ansab by Ibnu Amididdin al-Najafi. Interestingly, the editor states that besides these two books, the author relied upon "Ta'liqat Lathifah Ghaer Muhaqqaqah" (small, unverified margin notes) [p. 8].

The author of this book inserted the family of Abdurrahman Assegaf (Ba'alwi) as descendants of Ahmad bin Isa based on a ta'liq (marginal note) that he found. This is the very first lineage book to insert the names of the Abdurrahman Assegaf family as descendants of Ahmad bin Isa. He openly admits to including the Ba'alwi family as descendants of Ahmad bin Isa solely based on a note he chanced upon.

This demonstrates how weakly the Ba'alwi lineage was when it entered a lineage book for the first time—relying merely on a small, isolated note rather than an established preceding lineage book. Subsequently, later lineage books simply quoted from this book, Tuhfah, without indicating that weakness. From that point onward, the Ba'alwi clan's claim to be descendants of Ahmad bin Isa became widespread and well-known (Syuhrah wa al-Istifadlah), despite originating from a highly tenuous connection. This weakness can be analyzed from two perspectives: first, the weakness of its attribution to Al-Samarqandi (d. 996 AH)—for although it is attributed to a non-Ba'alwi scholar, the physical manuscript source came from Tarim; second, the weakness that it was written without any reference to prior lineage books.

Imam Nawawi states in the book Rawdlat al-Thalibin:

    الِاسْتِفَاضَةَ وَالشُّهْرَةَ بَيْنَ الْعَامَّةِ لَا وُثُوقَ بِمَا، فَقَدْ يَكُونُ أَصْلُهَا التَّلْبِيسَ، وَأَمَّا التَّوَاتُرُ فَلَا يُفِيدُ الْعِلْمَ إِذَا لَمْ يَسْتَنِدْ إِلَى مَعْلُومٍ محسوس

"Widespread rumors (Al-Istifadlah) and popularity (Al-Syuhrah) among the common folk cannot be trusted, for their origin is sometimes 'talbis' (deception and distortion of truth). As for mass-transmission (Tawatur), it does not yield certain knowledge unless it is anchored to a trusted, perceptible source."

Observe the text from the book Tuhfat al-Thalib below:..."

The book Tuhfat al-Thalib is the first lineage book to mention the names of the Ba'alwi family as descendants of Ahmad bin Isa, appearing 651 years after the passing of Ahmad bin Isa. This inclusion was made without a single reference; it was extracted by Al-Samarqandi from a ta'liq (a small note) and then inserted into this book. It also cannot be argued that this book drew from the reference of Al-Nafhah al-Anbariyah, because what was mentioned by Al-Nafhah was the lineage of the Jadid family, who had similarly attached themselves to the family of Ahmad bin Isa. The only lineage book to include Jadid as a descendant of Ahmad bin Isa is Al-Nafhah, written without any reference to a lineage text.

What is most fascinating is that both of these lineages attached themselves externally through grafting, yet they did so without mutual coordination. When the book Al-Nafhah grafted Jadid, it only recounted Jadid bin Abdullah bin Ahmad bin Isa; meanwhile, the book Tuhfat al-Thalib only recounted the family of Alwi bin Abdullah bin Ahmad bin Isa. Yet, both families grafted themselves onto Ahmad bin Isa through a "son" named Abdullah. Logically, the two accounts should have corroborated each other by stating that Jadid had an older brother named Alwi, or vice versa. However, that was not done. This is a significant sign that both genealogies simply grafted themselves independently onto the lineage of Ahmad bin Isa. Historical coordination between them would only take place later on within the history and lineage books produced by Ba'alwi scholars and their circle in subsequent eras.

(17) The Book: Tuhfat al-Azhar

This book is named Tuhfat al-Azhar wa Zilal al-Anhar Fi Nasab Abna'i al-A'immati al-Athhar, authored by Dlamin bin Shadqam Al-Husaini al-Madani (d. 1090 AH). The printed version of this book was edited (tahqiq) by Kamil Salman al-Jamburi and published by "Markaz Nashr Turats al-Makhtut", Tehran, Iran, in the year 1420 AH. This work consists of volume one and volume two; volume two is further divided into volume two part one and volume two part two.

In volume two part two, the name Alwi bin Abdullah is mentioned as a descendant of Ahmad bin Isa. This is the second lineage book to contain the name Alwi as a descendant of Ahmad bin Isa, following Tuhfat al-Thalib (996 AH). Thus, after 94 years, another author emerged to insert the name Alwi as a descendant of Ahmad bin Isa. It appears he used the book Tuhfat al-Thalib as his reference. 

 

He did not realize that when Tuhfat al-Thalib originally inserted the name Alwi, it did so without any prior reference. Furthermore, this book exposes a third intruder into the family of Ahmad bin Isa. This intruder is the Ismail family, who grafted themselves as a child of Abdullah. Observe the book Tuhfat al-Azhar below:

In this book, Tuhfat al-Azhar, it is stated that Abdullah had three children: Abdullah, Muhammad, and Ali. Strangely, it then states that Abdullah had children named Alwi and Ismail.

In the official Ba'alwi records, Abdullah had three children: Alwi, Bashri, and Jadid; there is no mention of an Ismail. And it cannot be argued that Ismail is simply another name for Bashri, as modern Ba'alwi books claim, because the names of Bashri's descendants recorded in early Ba'alwi literature like Al-Burqat and Al-Ghurar mention only Salim bin Bashri, whereas in this book, Tuhfat al-Azhar, many descendants of Ismail are recorded, and none are named Salim.

In Tuhfat al-Azhar, it is stated that Ismail had three children: Tahir, Ahmad al-Murahhaj, and Hasan al-Barak. Tahir had a child named Barkat, Barkat had a child named Husain, Husain had a child named Musa, and Musa had a child named Husain. No name of Salim is mentioned.

This demonstrates that the Ismail mentioned in Tuhfat al-Azhar is not Bashri. He is another separate entity who grafted himself onto the family of Ahmad bin Isa through Abdullah. Observe the book Ghurar al-Baha al-Dlaui by Khirid Ba'alwi (d. 960 AH) below, which states that the only known descendant of Bashri was named Salim:

It is perfectly clear that the name Ismail is not mentioned in the book Al-Ghurar as an alias for Bashri. It specifies that the only recognized descendant of Bashri is Salim, yet this name Salim is completely absent from Tuhfat al-Azhar. Similarly, another Ba'alwi text, Al-Burqat al-Musyiqah (890 AH), provides no alias of Ismail for Bashri (p. 135).

Furthermore, the name Jadid is completely unmentioned in Tuhfat al-Azhar as a child of Abdullah. This indicates that the author of this book did not read Al-Nafhah al-Anbariyah (880 AH) or Al-Suluk (732 AH), wherein the family of Abdurrahman Assegaf originally attached themselves to Ahmad bin Isa after noticing Jadid's genealogy in Al-Suluk, which was recorded via Jadid bin Abdullah "bin" Ahmad bin Isa. Similarly, Al-Nafhah al-Anbariyah recorded the name Jadid as a son of Abdullah "bin" Ahmad bin Isa most likely because its author encountered that same account in Al-Suluk.

The conclusion drawn from all this is that the book Tuhfat al-Azhar further exposes how inconsistent a grafted genealogy is, such as the deliberately fabricated Ba'alwi lineage. Contrast this with the names Muhammad and Ali, sons of Ahmad bin Isa, who are consistently and continuously mentioned from the 5th century all the way down to this book, Tuhfat al-Azhar.

(18) The Book: Al-Raudl al-Jaliy

This book is a fabricated work titled Al-Raudl al-Jaliy Fi Nasab Bani 'Alwi, falsely attributed to Imam Muhammad Murtadla al-Zabidi (d. 1205 AH). This book has two printed versions: the first edited (tahqiq) by Arif Ahmad Abdul Ghani, and the second by Dr. Muhammad Abubakar Abdullah Badzib. The printed version edited by Arif Ahmad Abdul Ghani is titled Al-Raudl al-Jaliy Fi Ansab Ali Ba 'alwi, published by "Dar Sa'd al-Din" and "Dar Kinan" in the year 2010. Meanwhile, the version edited by Badzib is titled Al-Raudl al-Jaliy Fi Nasab Bani Alwi, published by "Dar al-Fath" in the year 2022.

This book is deemed a fabrication because Badzib, the editor of Al-Raudl al-Jaliy who hails from Hadramaut, explicitly states that the emergence of this book is highly suspicious. The manuscript of the book appeared based on a chronological chain of transmission that terminates at an individual proven to have forged a book. The individual in question is someone named Hasan Muhammad Qasim (d. 1394 AH) from Egypt, who passed away just 50 years ago. According to Badzib, Hasan Muhammad Qasim was the very first person to bring the book Al-Raudl al-Jaliy to light. Prior to this, there was absolutely no record or report that Sheikh Murtada al-Zabidi ever authored a book named Al-Raudl al-Jaliy [see the Introduction of the Book Al-Raudl al-Jaliy, Dar al-Fath edition, p. 47].

The chronology of this manuscript's appearance, according to Badzib in his introduction, relies on the testimony of Alwi bin Tahir al-Haddad (d. 1962 CE), who held that text: Hasan Muhammad Qasim was friends with members of the Ba'alwi family living in Egypt. One of these Ba'alwi individuals was named Ali bin Muhammad bin Yahya. This Ali bin Yahya was a student of Alwi bin Tahir. According to Alwi bin Tahir, Ali bin Yahya subsequently sent him a copy of Al-Raudl al-Jaliy written by Hasan Muhammad Qasim, dated 25 Sha'ban 1352 AH. He claimed that this text was copied from a 1196 AH manuscript transcribed by Abdul Mu'ti al-Wafa'i. He further claimed that this Abdul Mu'ti had copied directly from the original autograph of Sheikh Murtada al-Zabidi, and that Abdul Mu'ti's manuscript was preserved in the "Sadat Al-Wafaiyyah Library" in Egypt [see Al-Raudl al-Jali, p. 7].

The critical question is: Is it true that the original copy written by Abdul Mu'ti actually exists in the "Sadat Al-Wafaiyyah Library"? No, it does not. Anyone is welcome to check the "Al-Wafaiyyah" library; there is no manuscript of Al-Raudl al-Jaliy copied by Abdul Mu'ti. The book is clearly a forgery. The manuscript itself is a fabrication. Al-Raudl al-Jaliy was not written by Sheikh Murtada al-Zabidi. The manuscripts circulating today originate from just two copyists: first, the copy by Hasan Muhammad Qasim in 1352 AH; second, the copy by Tahir bin Alwi bin Tahir, who transcribed it from the aforementioned Hasan Muhammad Qasim.

Who, then, was Hasan Muhammad Qasim? He is the exact individual who was proven to have written the book Akhbar al-Zainabat and then passed it off as the work of Al-Ubaidili al-'Aqiqi (d. 277 AH) [see Al-Raudl al-Jaliy, p. 48]. In other words, he wrote a fabricated manuscript in modern times and then associated it with a 3rd-century AH scholar. Badzib suspects that the emergence of the book Al-Raudl al-Jaliy occurred in the exact same manner as the forged book Akhbar al-Zainabat [see Al-Raudl al-Jaliy, Dar al-Fath edition, p. 48].

Hasan lived in Egypt and befriended the Ba'alwi individuals residing there, such as Abdullah bin Ahmad bin Yahya (d. 1414 AH) and Ali bin Muhammad bin Yahya (w. 1409 AH) [see the book Al-Raudl al-Jali, p. 8]. Thus, it is clear that Hasan had a distinct connection when writing Al-Raudl al-Jaliy, namely his personal interactions with the Ba'alwi community in Egypt. In the author's view, it is highly reasonable to suspect that the book was written by Hasan Muhammad Qasim as a commissioned work.

Why, then, did Badzib still proceed to print and publish the book, despite knowing that it was highly likely a forgery? Badzib reasoned that the manuscript of Al-Raudl al-Jaliy had already circulated widely among the public in the form of microfilm, and some had even printed it without any accompanying explanation of its errors and the matters that are entirely unbefitting to be attributed to Sheikh Murtada al-Zabidi [see Al-Raudl al-Jaliy, p. 49]. By reprinting Al-Raudl al-Jaliy alongside an explicit explanation of the manuscript's suspicious origins, Badzib hoped the public would realize that its attribution to Sheikh Murtada al-Zabidi is ghairu maqtu' (not definitively settled) and remains merely muhtamilah (hypothetical/possible) [Al-Raudl al-Jali, p. 49].

The author understands why Badzib engages in these pleasantries—suggesting that there is still a slim possibility of attributing the book to Sheikh Murtada al-Zabidi despite the abundance of qarinah (strong circumstantial evidence) concluding that it is not his work—given Badzib's close relationship with prominent Ba'alwi figures. For the author, the book is unequivocally a forgery and not the work of Murtada al-Zabidi; it is the sole writing of Hasan bin Muhammad Qasim himself, just as he previously composed the book Akhbar al-Zainabat and claimed it was the work of Al-Ubaidili al-'Aqiqi.The book Al-Raud al-Jali is exactly the same; he composed it himself and then claimed it was the work of Sheikh Murtada al-Zabidi.

To prove whether the author's conclusion is right or wrong is very simple: produce the manuscript that was allegedly written by Abdul Mu'ti in the year 1196 AH, which Hasan Muhammad Qasim claimed was located in the "Al-Wafaiyyah" Library and from which he made his copy. The author is absolutely certain, without a shadow of a doubt, that such a copy has never existed.

CONCLUSION

Out of the 18 genealogical books spanning from the 3rd century to the early 13th century Hijriyah, only the books Tuhfat al-Thalib (996 AH) and Tuhfat al-Azhar (1090 AH) mention the Ba'alwi family lineage as being connected to Ahmad bin Isa. Even then, this is not based on valid references, but merely on a "Ta'liq Majhul" (an obscure marginal note whose origin is unclear). Meanwhile, we disregard the books Abna al-Imam and Al-Raudl al-Jaliy because there are strong indications that both are forged books.

Thus, the Ba'alwi lineage was only recorded in a genealogical book 651 years after the passing of Ahmad bin Isa. Later on, we will discover that the first non-genealogical book to mention the name Alwi bin Ubaid/Ubaidillah/Abdullah as a descendant of Ahmad bin Isa, or a descendant of the Messenger of Allah, is a Sufi book composed by the Ba'alwi themselves—namely, the book Al-Burqat al-Musyiqat in the year 895 AH. Therefore, they are recognized as descendants of the Prophet today not because of the testimony of genealogy experts, but rather originating from their own claims, which were later included by a careless genealogy author—the writer of Tuhfat al-Thalib—into his book. Furthermore, when he included it, he provided an explanatory note stating that this Ba'alwi lineage was not extracted from any genealogical book, but merely from a ta'liq note.

From this, the statement of Imam Nawawi in the book Rawdlat al-Thalibin holds true: that Al-Syuhrah wa al-Istifadlah (widespread fame and popularity) occurring among the common folk cannot be trusted, because it often happens that the origin of such istifadlah is deception (talbis). Even mass-transmitted reports (tawatur) yield no benefit to actual knowledge if they do not rely on a perceptible source of knowledge.

    الِاسْتِفَاضَةَ وَالشُّهْرَةَ بَيْنَ الْعَامَّةِ لَا وُثُوقَ بِمَا، فَقَدْ يَكُونُ أَصْلُهَا التَّلْبِيسَ، وَأَمَّا التَّوَاتُرُ فَلَا يُفِيدُ الْعِلْمَ إِذَا لَمْ يَسْتَنِدْ إِلَى مَعْلُومٍ محسوس

"Widespread rumors (Al-Istifadah) and popularity (Al-Syuhrah) among the common folk cannot be trusted, for their origin is sometimes 'talbis' (deception and distortion of truth). As for mass-transmission (Tawatur), it does not yield certain knowledge unless it is anchored to a trusted, perceptible source."[]