Discontinuity of the Habib Lineage to the Prophet Muhammad

Book Title: The Discontinuity of the Habib Lineage to the Prophet Muhammad PBUH   (A Refinement of the Book: Assessing the Authenticity of the Habib Lineage in Indonesia)
Author: KH. Imaduddin Utsman Al-Bantani, leader of the Nahdlatul Ulum Islamic Boarding School (Pondok Pesantren), Banten, Indonesia
Publisher: Maktabah Nahdlatul Ulum (October, 2022)
Previous Work: Assessing the Authenticity of the Habib Lineage in Indonesia
Field of Study: Ba Alawi History, Genealogy (Ilmu Nasab), Islamic History
Publisher: Maktabah Nahdlatul Ulum Banten, 1st Edition / 2023

Daftar Isi :

1. Foreword
2. Chapter I: Habib Ba Alawi in Indonesia 
3. Chapter II: Methods Of Determining Lineage
4. The Method Of Confirming Genealogical Books
1. The "Looking Up" Method (Mushajjar)
2. The "Looking Down" Method (Mubashath)
5. References 
6. Chapter III: Method For Confirming Alawi Bin Ubaidillah 
7. The Appearance of the Name Abdullah in Historical Books
8. Habib Ali Al-Sakran Orang Yang Pertama Menyebut Nama Ubaidillah Sebagai Anak Ahmad
9. Abdullah Bukan Ubaidillah Dalam Kitab Al-Suluk
10. Nasab Ba Alawi Tidak Syuhro Dan Tidak Istifadloh
11. Kesimpulan Penelitian Ilmiah
12. Referensi
13. Bab IV: Tanggapan Atas Sanggahan-Sanggahan
14. Tanggapan Terhadap Surat Rabitah Alawiyah
15. Tanggapan Atas Bantahan Habib Riziq Syihab
16. Tanggapan Terhadap Buku Hanif Alatas
17. Menanggapi Habib Ali Zainal Abidin Ketua Naqobatul Asyrof Rabitah Alawiyah Dan Syekh Mahdi Arroja’i
18. Menjawab Syekh Mahdi Arroja’i
19. Menjawab Tentang Bahwa Nasab Habib Sudah Disebut Para Ulama Besar
20. Menjawab Muhammad Ludfi Rochman Tentang Terputusnya Nasab Habib
21. Ulasan Dialog Ilmiyah Habib Hamid Alkadri Tentang Nasab Habib
22. Menanggapi Pernyataan: Tidak Disebut Bukan Berarti Tidak Ada
23. Tanggapan Terhadap Ungkapan: Menafikan Ubaidillah Sebagai Anak Ahmad Masuk Sebagai Menuduh Zina (Qadzaf)
24. Tanggapan Bahwa Meneliti Nasab Habib Sama Dengan Membenci Dzuriyat Nabi Muhammad Saw
25. Tanggapan Tentang Bahwa Syekh Nawawi Al-Bantani, Syekh Hasyim Asy’ari Dll Telah Mengitsbat Nasab Ba Alawi
26. Tanggapan Terhadap Buku Dr Ja’ar Assegaf, Ma Berjudul Konekttifitas Rijal Al Hadits Dengan Sejarah Dalam Menelusuri Nasab
27. Bab V: Ulasan Cendikiawan Tentang Penelitian Penulis
28. Dr Syafik Hasyim
29. KH Kholili Kholil
30. KH Khotimi Bahri
31. Prof Qurais Syihab
32. Ickur
33. Tb Nurfadhil Satya Tirtayas

FOREWORD

After the book "Assessing the Habib Lineage in Indonesia, A Scientific Research" (hereinafter referred to as "the assessment book"), which I wrote, received attention from various circles—both pro and contra—I felt it necessary to create a follow-up book. This work presents more robust arguments based on the discourse that has taken place regarding the lineage following the circulation of the first book.

This book, among other things, re-incorporates what I wrote in the assessment book, supplemented with new scientific explanations that, in my opinion, are worthy of inclusion. I stated in the assessment book that the work was the result of my verificative research regarding the authenticity of the lineage of the habibs in Indonesia. This research was prompted by the phenomenon of claims made by habibs on various occasions in mass and social media that they are the grandchildren of the Prophet Muhammad SAW. In fact, on one occasion, a habib stated, "In our bodies flows the holy blood of our grandfather, the Messenger of Allah."

The problem I am investigating is: is it true that these habibs are the grandchildren of the Prophet Muhammad SAW, such that the blood of the Messenger flows in their bodies? The method I utilized is the library research method, by collecting scientific data in the form of genealogical books and other texts from period to period, then processing that data so that it is systematic, rational, and valid.

The purpose of this research is to assess the validity of whether it is true that these habibs are descendants of the Prophet Muhammad SAW. This research, in my view, is important because the claim that someone is a grandchild of the Prophet Muhammad SAW carries consequences in socio-religious life.

Assessing the authenticity of the lineage of an individual or a suspicious group that attributes themselves to the Prophet Muhammad SAW is fardhu kifayah (a collective obligation). It falls under the category of amar ma'ruf nahi munkar (enjoining good and forbidding evil). It is forbidden for scholars to remain silent about the occurrence of lineage claims by an individual or a group of humans who attribute themselves as descendants of the Prophet Muhammad SAW through lies, because such a thing includes istihqar bi haqqi al-mustafa (disparaging the rights of the Prophet Muhammad SAW).

Imam Ibnu Hajar al-Haytami said:

ينبغي لكل احد ان يكون له غيرة في هذا النسب الشريف وضبطه حتي لا ينتسب اليه صلى الله عليه وسلم احد الا بحق

"Every individual should have a sense of protective jealousy (ghirah) regarding this noble lineage and its regulation, so that no one attributes themselves to him (the Prophet), peace and blessings be upon him, except by right."

Exposing suspicious lineages that claim to be descendants of the Prophet Muhammad SAW has been practiced by scholars of the past. For instance, Ibnu Hazm al-Andalusi and Imam Tajuddin As-Subki exposed the falsehood of the Bani Ubaid lineage, who claimed to be descendants of the Prophet Muhammad SAW. Similarly, Al-Hakim An-Naisaburi exposed the falsehood of the lineage of Abu Bakar ar-Razi, who claimed descent from Muhammad bin Ayyub al-Bajali; Adz-Dzahabi exposed the falsehood of the lineage of Ibnu Dihyah al-Andalusi; and likewise, Ibnu Hajar al-Asqalani exposed the falsehood of the lineage of Sheikh Abu Bakar al-Qumni.

It is mandatory for scholars who know of the invalidity of the lineage of someone attributing themselves to the lineage of the Prophet Muhammad SAW to disseminate this to others.

Sheikh Ibrahim bin Mansur al-Hashimi said:

ولا يجوز للعالم كتمان علمه في هذا الباب ب فامانة العلم م والكشف عن اختلاط الأنساب من الأمر بالمعروف

"And it is not permissible for a scholar to hide his knowledge in this chapter (genealogy); for the trust of knowledge and the uncovering of mixed lineages is part of enjoining good and forbidding evil."

Imam Malik bin Anas said:

من انتسب إلى بيت النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم – يعني بالباطل – يضرب ضرباً وجيعاً ويُشَهَّر ويحبس

"Whoever attributes himself to the household of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him—meaning falsely—he must be struck with a painful beating, publicly exposed, and imprisoned."

May this second book be beneficial for us all. Amen!

May 2023
Imaduddin Utsman al-Bantanie  

HABIBS IN INDONESIA

The habibs in Indonesia arrived approximately between 1880 AD from Yemen until 1943, prior to the arrival of the Japanese. In Indonesia, most of them did not undergo assimilation with the local population; therefore, they can be easily identified by the clan names (surnames) placed after their names, such as Assegaf, Al-Attas, Al-Idrus, bin Shihab, bin Smith, and others.

They claim to be descendants of the Great Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. According to them, they belong to the lineage of the Bani Alawi (Ba Alawi) family. Ba Alawi itself is a family group in Yemen that originated from their ancestor named Alawi bin Ubaidillah.

They maintain that Alawi bin Ubaidillah is from the lineage of Imam Ali al-Uraidhi, who was the son of Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq. According to them, the lineage of Alawi to the Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. is as follows: Alawi (d. 400 AH) bin Ubaidillah (d. 383 AH) bin Ahmad (d. 345 AH) bin Isa an-Naqib (d. 300 AH) bin Muhammad An-Naqib (d. 250 AH) bin Ali al-Uraidhi (d. 210 AH) bin Ja’far al-Sadiq (d. 148 AH) bin Muhammad al-Baqir (d. 114 AH) bin Ali Zainal Abidin (d. 97 AH) bin Sayyidina Husain (d. 64 AH) bin Siti Fatimah az-Zahra (d. 11 AH) binti Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. (d. 11 AH). The years of death mentioned were taken by the author from an article titled "Inilah Silsilah Habib Rizieq Shihab. Keturunan Ke-38 Nabi Muhammad?".

Unfortunately, the aforementioned lineage is not confirmed in primary and authoritative (mu’tabar) lineage books. This conclusion is drawn because lineage books written close to the lifetime of Alawi bin Ubaidillah do not record his name.

Before discussing the Ba Alawi lineage comprehensively, the author will first prioritize several matters, and subsequently discuss the name Ubaidillah, who is the father of Alawi, the ancestor of the habaib in Indonesia.