Book by Kyai Imaduddin: Discontinuity of the Habib Ba Alawi 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)
The Indonesian version: Terputusnya Nasab Habib Kepada Nabi Muhammad SAW
Author: KH. Imaduddin Utsman Al-Bantani, leader (Pengasuh) of the Nahdlatul Ulum Islamic Boarding School (Pondok Pesantren), Banten, Indonesia
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 
Publisher of English version: Al-Khoirot Research & Publication

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)
3. References 
5. Chapter III: Method for Confirming Alawi ibn Ubaidillah 
1. Evidence That Prophet Muhammad Pbuh Had A Child Named Fatimah R.A. 
2. Evidence That Sayyidah Fatimah R.A. Had A Child Named Husain R.A.
3. Evidence Stating That Husain R.A. Had A Child Named Ali Zainal Abidin And So Forth Down To Ali Al-Uraidhi
4. Evidence That Ali Al-Uraidhi (219 Ah) Had A Child Named Muhammad An-Naqib (250 Ah)
5. Evidence That Muhammad Al-Naqib (250 Ah) Had A Son Named Isa (300 Ah)
6. Evidence That Isa Bin Muhammad (300 Ah) Had A Son Named Ahmad (345 Ah)
7. Evidence That Ahmad Al-Abah (345 Ah) Al-Naffat Bin Isa Had A Son Named Ubaidillah (383 Ah)
8. Fifth-Century Hijri Books
9. Sixth-Century Hijri Books
10. Seventh-Century Hijri Books
11. Eighth-Century Hijri Books
6. The Appearance of the Name Abdullah in Historical Books
1. Ninth-Century Hijri Books
2. The Appearance of the Name Abdullah at the End of the 9th Century AH
7. Habib Ali Al-Sakran: The First Person To Mention The Name Ubaidillah As The Son of Ahmad
1. The Argument of Habib Ali al-Sakran (d. 895 AH) That Ubaid Is Another Name for Abdullah 
8. Abdullah Is Not Ubaidillah In The Book Al-Suluk
1. The Tenth Century: The Names Ubaidillah and His Descendants Begin to Mature, Although Not Yet Referred to as Ubaidillah 
2. Abdullah Officially Becomes Ubaidillah In The 14th Century AH
9. The Ba Alawi Lineage Lacks Syuhroh (fame) and istifadoh (widespread transmission)
10. Conclusion
1. Referenses 
11. Chapter IV: Responses to Refutations 
1. Responses to The Rabitah Alawiyah Letter
2. Response To The Refutation By Habib Rizieq Syihab 
3. Response To The Book By Hanif Alatas
4. Response To Hanif Alatas (Part 2): Rangginang From Banten For Hanif Alatas
5. Ubaidillah And Abdullah Are Not The Same Person Based On The Book Al-Suluk
6. Responding To Habib Ali Zainal Abidin, Chairman Of Naqobatul Asyrof Rabitah Alawiyah, And Sheikh Mahdi Arroja'i
7. Answering Sheikh Mahdi Arroja'i
8. Answering The Claim That The Habib Lineage Has Been Mentioned By Great Scholars
9. Habib Ali Al-Sakran
10. Sheikh Yusuf An-Nabhani
11. Ibnu Hajar Al-Haitami
12. Murtadha Az-Zabidi
13. Sheikh Mahdi Arroja'i
14. Responding To Muhammad Ludfi Rochman (1): Regarding The Discontinuity Of The Habib Lineage
15. Muhammad Ludfi Rahman (2): Defends The Habib Lineage With A Forged Book
16. Review Of The Scholarly Dialogue With Habib Hamid Alkadri Concerning The Habib Lineage
17. Responding To The Statement: "Not Being Mentioned Does Not Mean Non-Existence"
18. Response To The Statement: Denying Ubaidillah As Ahmad's Son Constitutes An Accusation Of Adultery (Qadzaf)
19. Response To The Claim: Researching The Habib Lineage Is Equivalent To Hating The Descendants Of Prophet Muhammad Saw.
20. Response To The Claim: Sheikh Nawawi Al-Bantani, Sheikh Hasyim Asy'ari, Etc., Have Validated (Itsbat) The Ba Alawi Lineage
21. Response To The Book By Dr. Ja'far Assegaf, Ma. Titled Connectivity Of Rijal Al-Hadith With History In Tracing Lineage
12. Bab V: Ulasan Cendikiawan Tentang Penelitian Penulis
13. Dr Syafik Hasyim
14. KH Kholili Kholil
15. KH Khotimi Bahri
16. Prof Qurais Syihab
17. Ickur
18. Tb Nurfadhil Satya Tirtayas
19. Previous book by Kyai Imaduddin: Assessing the Authenticity of the Habib Lineage in Indonesia

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.