Exposing the Scholarly Scandal of the Ba’alwi Lineage and Genealogy
Book Title: Exposing the Scholarly Scandal of Ba’alwi History and Genealogy: The Finalization of the Ba‘alwi Genealogical Severance from the Prophet Muhammad PBUH
Original title in Indonesian: Membongkar Skandal Ilmiyah Sejarah dan Genealogi Ba’alwi: Finalisasi Keterputusan Genealogi Ba’alwi Kepada Nabi Muhammad Saw.
Author: KH. Imaduddin Utsman Al-Bantani, head of Pondok Pesantren Nahdlatul Ulum (Islamic Boarding School), Banten
First Edition: 1445 AH / 2024 AD
Publisher: Maktabah Nahdlatul Ulum Banten
Translated into English and Published by: Al-Khoirot Research and Publication
Previous Book: Measuring the Authenticity of the Habib Lineage in Indonesia (Menakar Kesahihan Nasab Habib di Indonesia)
Field of Study: Ba'alwi History, Genealogy (Ilmu Nasab), Islamic History
Table of Contents
- Preface
- Introduction
- Ahmad bin ‘Isa Never Migrated to Hadramaut
- The Tomb of Ahmad bin Isa
- Ahmad bin Isa Did Not Hold the Title al-Muhajir
- Ahmad Bin Isa Had No Son Named Abdullah or Ubaidillah
- The Lineage of Syarif Abil Jadid from the Clan of Alu Abi Alwi
- The Family of Abdurrahman Al-Saqqaf Claiming to be Alu Abi Alwi
- Alwi Becoming the Brother of Syarif Abul Jadid
- Jadid Has No Connection to the Ba‘alwi Family
- The Book Tabaqat al-Khawash Witnesses the Synchronization Efforts of the Ba‘alwi Lineage
- The Account of Muhammad bin Sulaiman's Migration Becomes Out of Sync
- Ubaidillah and Fictional Names Within the Ba’alwi Family
- The Glorification of Ba’alwi Ancestors
- Interpolation and the Scholarly Morality of the Ba’alwi
- Conclusion
- Bibliography
PREFACE
After the book "Menakar Nasab Habib di Indonesia, Sebuah Penelitian Ilmiyah"
(hereafter referred to as the Menakar book), which the author wrote, garnered
attention from various circles—both pro and contra—the author felt it
necessary to produce a follow-up book. This volume presents more robust
arguments based on the discourse that has taken place regarding said lineage
following the circulation of the first book.
This book, among other
things, re-incorporates what the author wrote in the Menakar book,
supplemented with new scholarly explanations that the author deems worthy of
inclusion. The author mentioned in the Menakar book that it was the result of
the author’s verificated research into the authenticity of the lineage of the
habibs in Indonesia. This research was prompted by the phenomenon of the
habibs claiming on multiple occasions across mass and social media that they
are the grandchildren of the Prophet Muhammad SAW. In fact, on one occasion, a
habib stated, "Within our bodies flows the holy blood of our grandfather, the
Messenger of Allah."
The problem the author investigated is whether
it is true that these habibs are the grandchildren of the Prophet Muhammad
SAW, such that the blood of the Messenger of Allah flows in their bodies. The
method the author employed is library research, gathering scholarly data in
the form of genealogical texts and other books from era to era, which were
then processed to be systematic, rational, and valid.
The purpose
of that research was to measure (menakar) the authenticity of whether it is
true that the habibs are descendants of the Prophet Muhammad SAW. This
research, in the author's view, is crucial because claiming to be a grandchild
of the Prophet Muhammad SAW carries significant consequences in
socio-religious life.
Measuring the authenticity of the lineage of
an individual or a suspicious group that attributes itself to the Prophet
Muhammad SAW is a collective obligation (fardhu kifayah). It falls under the
category of amr ma'ruf nahiy munkar (enjoining good and forbidding evil). It
is forbidden (haram) for scholars to remain silent when an individual or a
group of humans falsely attributes themselves as descendants of the Prophet
Muhammad SAW, because doing so constitutes istihqor bi haqqi al-mustofa
(disparaging the right of the Prophet Muhammad SAW).
Imam Ibnu
Hajar al-Haitami stated:
ينبغي لكل احد ان يكون له غيرة في هذا النسب
الشريف وضبطه حتي لا ينتسب اليه صلى الله عليه وسلم احد الا بحق
"It behooves everyone to possess a protective jealousy (ghirah) toward this noble lineage of the Prophet Muhammad SAW and to verify (dhabt) it, so that no one attributes themselves to the lineage of the Prophet Muhammad SAW except rightfully."Exposing suspicious lineages that claim descendancy from the Prophet Muhammad SAW was practiced by scholars of the past. Examples include the efforts of Ibnu Hazm al-Andalusi and Imam Tajuddin As-Subki in exposing the falsity of the Bani Ubaid lineage, who claimed to be descendants of the Prophet Muhammad SAW. Similarly, Al-Hakim An-Naisaburi exposed the falsity of the lineage of Abu Bakar ar-Razi, who claimed to be a descendant of Muhammad bin Ayyub al-Bajali. This was also done by Adz-Dzahabi, who exposed the falsity of the lineage of Ibnu Dihyah al-Andalusi, as well as Ibnu Hajar al-Asqolani, who exposed the falsity of the lineage of Syekh Abu Bakar al-Qumni.
It is mandatory for scholars who know that the lineage of someone claiming connection to the Prophet Muhammad SAW is invalid to disseminate this information to others.
Syekh Ibrahim bin Mansur al-Hasyimi stated:
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 conceal his knowledge regarding this chapter (genealogy); for trustworthiness in knowledge and exposing the mixing of lineages is part of amr ma'ruf and nahiy munkar."Imam Malik bin Anas stated:
من انتسب إلى بيت النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم – يعني
بالباطل – يضرب ضرباً وجيعاً ويُشَهَّر ويحبس
"Whoever attributes themselves to the family of the Prophet—meaning falsely (bil-batil)—must be beaten with a painful beating, publicly exposed, and imprisoned."May this second book be of benefit to us all. Amen!
May 2023
Imaduddin Utsman al-Bantanie