Methods of Determining Lineage
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
Contents
- Chapter II: Methods Of Determining Lineage
- The Method Of Confirming Genealogical Books
- References
- Back to: Discontinuity of the Habib Lineage to the Prophet Muhammad
CHAPTER II: METHODS OF DETERMINING LINEAGE
Jurisprudents (fuqaha) have established methods for determining lineage
(nasab). Sheikh Wahbah al-Zuhayli, in his book Fiqh al-Islam wa Adillatuhu,
mentions three primary methods: marriage, confession (iqrar), and clear
evidence (bayyinah)—which includes testimony through widespread public
knowledge (tasamu’, shuhrah, or istifadhah). The majority of scholars (jumhur)
also utilize the method of qiyafah (determining lineage based on physical
resemblance), particularly among the Shafi’i, Maliki, and Hanbali schools.
Additionally, some scholars employ the methods of drawing lots (qur’ah) and
judicial decrees (hukm al-qadhi) to establish lineage.
While
genealogists generally share similarities with jurisprudents, they possess
distinct methods for determining lineage, especially when verifying the
attribution of a historical figure to their father or child. This is achieved
through the method of confirming contemporary or near-contemporary texts.
For
an individual claiming to be a 40th-generation descendant of the Prophet
Muhammad SAW through the line of Alwi bin Ubaidillah "bin" Ahmad bin Isa, and
who presents a list of 40 names connecting them to the Prophet, there are two
ways to confirm its authenticity: the "looking up" (musyajjar) method and the
"looking down" (mubashath) method.
The "Looking Up" Method (Mushajjar)
The "looking up" method involves confirming the names starting from the person being researched up toward the Prophet Muhammad SAW.
- For the first, second, and third names, verification can be done through the immediate family, such as an uncle, to confirm if the person is truly the child of their father and if the father is truly the child of the grandfather.
- For the fourth name and beyond, verification is conducted through the genealogical records of the great-grandfather’s family, cross-referenced with the records of the extended family through other siblings of the grandfather.
- These records are then confirmed against the documentation of scholars in their various books.
The "Looking Down" Method (Mubashath)
The "looking down" method involves researching from the top—starting from the Prophet Muhammad SAW—downward through subsequent generations. This involves finding chains of narration (sanad) and evidence to verify each link:
- Confirming that the Prophet Muhammad SAW had a daughter named Fatimah RA.
- Finding evidence that Fatimah had a son named Husain.
- Finding evidence that Husain had a son named Ali Zainal Abidin.
- Finding evidence that Ali Zainal Abidin had a son named Muhammad al-Baqir.
- Finding evidence that Muhammad al-Baqir had a son named Ja'far al-Sadiq.
- Finding evidence that Ja'far al-Sadiq had a son named Ali al-Uraidhi.
- Finding evidence that Ali al-Uraidhi had a son named Muhammad an-Naqib.
- Finding evidence that Muhammad an-Naqib had a son named Isa al-Rumi.
- Finding evidence that Isa al-Rumi had a son named Ahmad al-Muhajir.
- Finding evidence that Ahmad al-Muhajir had a son named Ubaidillah.
- Finding evidence that Ubaidillah had a son named Alwi, and so forth.
To find this evidence, the lineage from the Prophet Muhammad SAW down to Ali al-Uraidhi is very well-known (mashhur) through Hadith. However, for the generation of Ali al-Uraidhi's son, Muhammad an-Naqib, the reliance shifts to genealogical books or other texts that explain his existence and his son named Isa. For the generations from Isa onward, the process continues based on the testimony of contemporary (primary) books or books written closest to the era of the figure being researched.
THE METHOD OF CONFIRMING GENEALOGICAL BOOKS
A genealogical book can only serve as valid evidence for names that were
contemporary to the time the book was written. For example, the book Nubzat
Lathifah fi Silsilati Nasabil Alawi written by Zainal Abidin bin Alwi Jamalul
Lail, Ittisalu Nasabil Alawiyyin wal Asyraf by Umar bin Salim al-Attas (also
from the 13th century AH), and Syams al-Zahirah by Abdurrahman Muhammad bin
Husein al-Masyhur (written in the mid-13th century AH) can serve as evidence
or references for individuals living in that century, but they cannot serve as
evidence for those living in previous centuries.
For instance, to
confirm the details regarding Ahmad bin Isa, we must verify them through a
book written during his lifetime; if no contemporary text is found, the book
written closest to his era is utilized. Similarly, names occurring before or
after him must be confirmed by books written during their respective eras.
Sayyid
Ibrahim bin Mansur, in his book al-Ifadah, states:
اما الادلة على ان دعوي المتأخرين من الطبريين للنسب الحسيني العلوي حادثة لا اصل لها أن كتب التواريخ المتقدمة لم ترفع نسب الطبريين الي النسب الحسيني العلوي
"As for the evidence that the claims of later individuals from the Tabariyyah
to the al-Husaini al-Alawi lineage are a recent invention without foundation,
it is because the ancient historical books do not connect the lineage of the
Tabariyyah to the al-Husaini al-Alawi lineage".
Note that Sayyid
Ibrahim bin Mansur concludes the Tabariyah lineage in Mecca is not connected
to the al-Husaini lineage based on ancient books which indicate the lineage is
broken. Although the Tabariyah were recognized in the 14th century as
descendants of the Prophet with a level of fame that reached istifadlah—and
some scholars, such as Qadhi Ja'far of the Bani Makkiy, even declared their
status as definitive (qath'i)—research shows that 14th-century fame does not
guarantee the continuity of a lineage when compared against the testimony of
ancient books. It was concluded that the Tabariyyin only began claiming
descent from the Prophet in the ninth century, while the lineage remained
unknown (majhul) during the 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th centuries.
From
this, it is concluded that one of the methodologies used by genealogists to
determine if a tribe is connected to the Prophet Muhammad SAW is to confirm
details with books contemporary to the figure being researched. They
investigate whether the figure truly existed and, if so, whether they actually
had the children attributed to them in later periods.
In another
part of his book, Sayyid Ibrahim al-Mansur states:
وقبول دعوى الناس في انساهبم على الشهرة والاستفاضة والشهادة وسلاسل الانساب واقوال النسابىن المعتبرين وكتبهم والمشجرات الموثوقة
"The acceptance of people's claims regarding their lineage is based on:
widespread fame (shuhrah) and ubiquity (istifadlah), testimony, genealogical
chains, the opinions of authoritative genealogists, their books, and trusted
genealogical trees".
Likewise, when Sheikh Abdurrahman al-Masyhur
was asked to write a genealogical book for the Ba Alawi, he relied on
established genealogical texts. He stated:
فأجبته الي ذالك حسبما عرفته ووصل الي علمه من الكتب واالشجار المدونة في ذالك
"I complied with that (creating the Ba Alawi genealogy) according to what I know and the knowledge that reached me from the books and (genealogical) trees documented on the subject".
REFERENCES
1 Chanel youtube Refly Harun, DIPENJARA HINGGA ANCAMAN PEN8UNUHAN, HBS:
TAK AKAN BUNGKAM! DARAH RASUL ADA DALAM DIRI KAMI!
2 Ash-Showa'iq
al Muhriqoh: 2/537
3 Ushulu wa Qowaid Fi Kasyfi Mudda'I al-Syaraf:
11
4 Ushulu wa Qowaid Fi Kasfi Mudda'I al-Syaraf: 13
5
Ushulu wa Qowaid Fi Kasfi Mudda'I al-Syaraf: 9
6
Historiografi Etnis Arab di Indonesia, Miftahul Tawbah, Journal
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7
https://artikel.rumah123.com/inilah-silsilah-habib-rizieq-shihab-keturunan-ke-38-nabi
muhammad-124800
8
Lihat Fiqhul Islam wa Adillatuhu, maktabah syamilah, juz 10 hal. 265
9
Lihat al-Mughni, juz 5 hal.767, Raudaotuttolibin, juz 12 hal.101
10
Al-Ifadhah, 56
11 Al-Ifadhah, 22-23
12 Syams
al-Zhahirah, 13
13 Hadits selengkapnya (admin
alkhoirot.org):
وقد ثبت عن مالك بن أنس رحمه الله أنه قال : من
انتسب إلى بيت النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم – يعني بالباطل – يضرب ضرباً وجيعاً
ويُشَهَّر ، ويحبس طويلاً حتى تظهر توبته ؛ لأنه استخفاف بحق الرسول صلى الله
عليه وسلم . أورده السمهودي في جواهر العقدين ( ص 470 – 471 ) .
- Refly Harun YouTube Channel, IMPRISONMENT TO DEATH THREATS, HBS: WILL NOT BE SILENCED! THE BLOOD OF THE MESSENGER IS WITHIN US!
- Al-Sawa'iq al-Muhriqah: 2/537
- Ushul wa Qawa'id fi Kashf Mudda'i al-Sharaf: 11
- Ushul wa Qawa'id fi Kashf Mudda'i al-Sharaf: 13
- Ushul wa Qawa'id fi Kashf Mudda'i al-Sharaf: 9
- Arab Ethnic Historiography in Indonesia, Miftahul Tawbah, Journal Multicultural of Islamic Education, volume 6, p. 132.
- https://artikel.rumah123.com/inilah-silsilah-habib-rizieq-shihab-keturunan-ke-38-nabi-muhammad-124800
- See Fiqh al-Islam wa Adillatuhu, Maktabah Shamila, Vol. 10, p. 265
- See al-Mughni, Vol. 5, p. 767; Rawdat al-Talibin, Vol. 12, p. 101
- Al-Ifadhah, 56
- Al-Ifadhah, 22-23
- Syams al-Zahirah, 13
- Complete Hadith/report (admin alkhoirot.org):
- "It has been established from Malik bin Anas, may Allah have mercy on him, that he said: 'Whoever attributes themselves to the household of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him—meaning falsely—must be struck with a painful beating, publicly exposed, and imprisoned for a long duration until his repentance is evident; because it is a disparagement of the right of the Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him.' Reported by al-Samhudi in Jawahir al-Iqdayn (pp. 470–471)."