Measuring the Authenticity of Habib Lineage in Indonesia

5/10/2026

Book Title: Measuring the Authenticity of Habib Lineage in Indonesia
Author: KH Imaduddin Utsman Al Bantani, leader of Nahdlatul Ulum Islamic Boarding School, Banten
First Edition: October 2022
Publisher: Maktabah Nahdatul Ulum
Translator: alkhoirot.org | Al-Khoirot Research and Publication
Field of Study: Islamic History, genealogy

Summary: The Ba 'Alawi (Sada) are a group of Hadhrami Sayyid families originating in Hadhramaut, Yemen. They assert that they maintain an unbroken patrilineal descent from Prophet Muhammad through his grandson, Husayn ibn Ali, and Fatima al-Zahra. The claimed is challenged by an Indonesian scholar called Kyai Imaduddin Usman Al-Bantandi as invalid and false as it cannot proven scientifically by historical data nor by YDNA.

Contents

Foreword

This small book before the reader is the result of the author's verificative research regarding the authenticity of the lineage (nasab) of the habibs in Indonesia. This research was prompted by the phenomenon of claims made by the habibs on various occasions in mass media and social media, asserting that they are the grandsons (descendants) of the Prophet Muhammad s.a.w.

The problem investigated by the author is whether it is true that these habibs are descendants of the Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. The method used by the author is a library research method, collecting scientific data in the form of lineage books (kitab nasab) from various periods. This data was then processed to ensure it is systematic, rational, and valid.

The objective of this research is to measure the authenticity of whether these habibs are truly the descendants of the Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. The urgency of this study is significant because the claim of being a descendant of the Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. carries consequences in social and religious life.

May this research be beneficial for us all. Amen!

October, 2022

KH Imaduddin Usman al-Bantani

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.

Footnotes

[1] Historiografi Etnis Arab di Indonesia, Miftahul Tawbah, Journal Multicultural of Islamic Education, Volume 6, p. 132.

[2] https://artikel.rumah123.com/inilah-silsilah-habib-rizieq-shihab-keturunan-ke-38-nabi-muhammad-124800