Interpolation and the Scientific Morals of the Ba’alwi

Interpolation and the Scientific Morals of the Ba’alawi The study of Ba’alwi (Ba'alawi) genealogical literature that the author conducted points to

Interpolation and the Scientific Morals of the Ba’alwi

Book Title: Exposing the Scholarly Scandal of Ba’alawi 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

  1. Interpolation and the Scientific Morals of the Ba’alwi 
  2. Conclusion 
  3. Bibliography 
  4. Back to: Book   Exposing the Scholarly Scandal of Ba’alwi History and Genealogy: The Finalization of the Ba‘alwi Genealogical Severance from the Prophet Muhammad PBUH    

Interpolation and the Scientific Morals of the Ba’alwi

The study of Ba’alwi (Ba'alawi) genealogical literature that the author conducted points to the conclusion that there is a pattern and an algorithm of a historical construction deliberately created, rather than being based on actual historical facts. The validity of a historiography based on a hypothesis from a specific community that intersects with particular interests deserves to be questioned. Yusuf Jamalullail edited (tahqiq) the book Abna’ al-Imam fi Mishra wa Syam al-Hasan wa al-Husain.

The book is the work of Ibnu Tabataba. Concerning the death date of this author, the editor or the publisher includes two different years of death. On page seven, it is said that he passed away in the year 199 AH; on another page, it says 478 AH. On the cover, it is written as 478 Hijriah. This book can be considered fake because while it is written with the title Abna’ al-Imam, its content is not solely that book, as it has been interpolated (added to) with the sentences of copiers and editors. The contents of this book have been interpolated by four individuals: Ibnu Shodaqoh al-Halabi (d. 1180 AH), Abul Aon As-Sifarini (d. 1188 AH), Muhammad bin Nashar al-Maqdisi (d. 1350 AH), and Yusuf Jamalullail (1938 AD). These additions were not given any distinguishing markers, making it appear as though the entire content of the book is the work of the original author, Ibnu Tabataba. In that book, the name Ubaidillah is mentioned as the son of Ahmad. However, that sentence is clearly not from the text of the book's author.

The book Tarikh Hadramaut, also known as the book Tarikh Sanbal because it is the work of Syaikh Syanbal Ba’alwi (d. 920 AH), explains, among other things, that Al-Faqih al-Muqaddam was an "Al-Alim al-Robbani" (a scholar who mastered all knowledge), "'umdat al-muhaqiqin" (the mainstay of verification experts), and one of the Qutb saints. This book was printed by Maktabah San’a al-Atsariyah in the year 1994 AD/1414 AH, edited by Abdullah Muhammad al-Habsyi. This book is suspected of plagiarizing the book Tarikh Ibnu Hisan; moreover, Syaikh Sanbal is a figure unknown to scholars, and it seems that the manuscript was only recently copied and the writer did not live in the tenth century Hijriah as stated by the editor, Abdullah Al-Habsyi. Then, the book Al-Baha fi Tarikh Hadramaut, a work by Abdurahman bin Ali bin Hisan (d. 818 AH), was edited by Abdullah Muhammad al-Habsyi and published by Darul Fatah in 2019.

This book is a historical chronicle of Hadramaut from the years 424 to 926 Hijriah. According to the admission of its editor, it was printed from an incomplete manuscript. There were several missing years, so the editor completed them using the book Tarikh Sanbal, which shows indications of being fake as mentioned above. Despite the admission that there are additions to the book he edited, Al-Habsyi did not provide any distinction as to which text is original from the Al-Baha manuscript and which text constitutes an addition from the editor.

In this book, it is mentioned that Fakih Muqaddam passed away in the year 652 AH, making it seem as though the figure of Faqih Muqaddam had indeed been recorded by historical writers. However, when looking into its footnotes, Abdullah Al-Habsyi states that the information regarding the death of Faqih Muqaddam is not mentioned in manuscript "hamzah" (أ) because the paper was damaged, as if he wants to say that what is in the printed version comes from manuscript "ba" (ب), even though there is only one manuscript of Ibnu Hisan's book and even that one is incomplete. If he were an honest editor, he should have left that spot blank without comment, rather than filling it in himself according to his own wishes and interests. Therefore, this book cannot serve as a reference, just like the book Abna’ al-Imam.

The book Al-Imam al-Muhajir was written by Muhammad Dhiya Syihab and Abdullah bin Nuh. This book consists of around 244 pages, published by the publisher Dar al-Syarq in the year 1400 AH/1980 AD. This book is a biography of Ahmad bin Isa, who was subsequently granted the title "Al-Muhajir" by the Ba’alwi circles. The book begins by outlining the condition of the city of Basra in the 4th century, which was glorious with knowledge and civilization. This historical background is extracted from credible historical references such as books written by Ibnu Khallikan, Ibnul Atsir, Al-Mas’udi, Ibnu Jarir, Al-Suyuti, and so forth. However, when explaining the biography of Ahmad bin Isa himself, the authors do not include references showing where they obtained that information. For instance, when it mentions that Ahmad bin Isa began learning from both of his parents—naturally, all children will learn from both of their parents; this can still be understood even without references.

It then continues by stating that Ahmad bin Isa was fond of seeking knowledge from scholars, both in Basra and in other cities in Iraq. This explanation should have already mentioned who the scholars were that Ahmad bin Isa visited and how the author of this book knew that information. However, this paragraph is without references; it seems to spring from the author's imagination regarding the large number of scholars in Iraq at that time, and the assumption that this is most likely what a teenager of Ahmad bin Isa's age would do when in the environment of scholars. References are subsequently mentioned in another paragraph, taken from the book Thawrah al-Zanji, namely when explaining that Basra at that time was a major center of thought.

It was a city where various philosophical schools, beliefs, and thoughts intersected. Apparently, the authors of this book went to great lengths searching for the figure of Ahmad bin Isa in history books or other texts. Upon finding the name Ahmad bin Isa, without further investigation, it was immediately taken. A fatal error occurred when quoting the figure of Ahmad bin Isa found in the book Tarikh Bagdad, where it is stated in that book: Ibnu Jarir al-Tabari received a letter from Ahmad bin Isa al-Alawi from the City of Basra, to which Ibnu Jarir replied with the phrase "O my amir." The authors of this book then state: it is sufficient to know how grand the status of Ahmad bin Isa was from Ibnu Jarir addressing him as "O my amir."

The authors were not thorough, or pretended not to understand, that the Ahmad bin Isa al-Alawi intended in the book Tarikh Bagdad was not Ahmad bin Isa al-Naqib, but a different figure, namely Ahmad bin Isa bin Zaid. Furthermore, regarding the migration of Ahmad bin Isa to Hadramaut, the authors of this book mention no source at all, except from Al-Rabitah magazine written by Ali bin Ahmad al-Athas. An event from the year 317 Hijriah is narrated by someone living more than a thousand years after his death, without any source indicating where he obtained that news. We encounter this pattern of writing in that book on subsequent pages until the end of the book.

The book Gurar al-Baha al-Dhau’i wa Durar al-jamal al-Bahiy, better known by the name Al-Gurar, a work by Muhammad bin Ali Khirid Ba’alwi (d. 960 AH), was published by Maktabah al-Azhariyah in the year 2022, without an editor. In this book, it is mentioned that Ahmad bin Isa migrated from Iraq to Hadramaut in the year 317 AH. That mention is not sourced from any reference whatsoever. Stories about people in the past without the presence of sources are referred to as "myths." It is also mentioned that Ahmad bin Isa surpassed his peers in goodness; for this story and the cause of Ahmad bin Isa's migration, Al-Gurar quotes from the book Al-Jauhar al-Syafaf, the work by al-Khatib which the author has already mentioned as a book unfit to be used as a reference because its author is unclear. Judging from its content as well, that book is full of fabricated stories. It can be said that this book Al-Gurar, regarding the lineage and history of the Ba’alwi, is primarily sourced from one ninth-century book, namely: Al-Burqat al-Musyiqat by al-Sakran (895 AH), plus that problematic book Al-Jauhar al-Syafaf (855 AH).

The book Uqud al-Almas, a work by Alwi bin Tahir bin Abdullah al-Haddad, was published by Matba’ah al-Madani in the year 1388 AH/1968 AD. This book is a biography of Ahmad bin Hasan al-Athas. When explaining the Ba’alwi lineage, this book likewise hits a dead end at the book Al-Jauhar al-Syafaf. It cannot find anything older to make that continuity logical. In this book as well, it is mentioned that the Ba’alwi lineage was authenticated (itsbat) by the King of Yemen in the year 1351 AH, around 90 years ago. That authentication, according to this book, occurred after criticisms arose from the Kharijites regarding their lineage.

From this, it is known that at least several instances of doubt and lawsuits from Muslims against the Ba’alwi lineage can be read from the Ba’alwi books themselves. Along with that, the Ba’alwi have always been able to get through it by requesting a slip of paper of itsbat from individuals or institutions willing to help them. In ancient times, doubts about lineage would end with such an itsbat, because genetic science was not yet established. Today, every lineage dispute can be confirmed by conducting a DNA test, which can trace someone's blood connection up to thousands of years back. Thus, when today the Ba’alwi lineage has been proven through literature studies to be severed from Prophet Muhammad SAW, if they remain unmoved that their lineage is connected, there is no other way to prove it except a DNA test. If literature studies fail, and a DNA test is refused, then based on what must we recognize them as descendants of Prophet Muhammad SAW?

Conclusion

The Ba’alwi lineage is proven not to be connected to Prophet Muhammad SAW. Today, they claim to be descendants of the Prophet through the line of Ubaidillah "bin" Ahmad bin Isa bin Muhammad al-Naqib, while lineage books from the 5th century down to the 9th century state that Ahmad bin Isa did not have a child named Ubaidillah or Abdullah. The children of Ahmad bin Isa were only three, namely: Muhammad, Ali, and Husain. They also cannot prove that Ahmad bin Isa migrated from Basra to Yemen. There is no news from contemporary or near-contemporary sources stating that he migrated to Yemen, just as there is no proof that Ahmad bin Isa ever lived in Basra. Ahmad bin Isa was reported by a 5th-century book to be in Madinah along with Ali Abul Hasan al-Askari. Among the Y-DNA test results of 180 Ba’alwi samples, none are precise as a straight patrilineal descendant of Husain (J1-FGC30416) bin Ali (FGC10500). Far from finding those two haplotypes, the Ba’alwi haplogroup is actually not J1, but G2. This means that besides failing as straight patrilineal descendants of Prophet Muhammad SAW, they are furthermore detected as not being patrilineal descendants of Prophet Ibrahim AS. 

 Notes and References

{89} Ibnu Hisan, Al-Baha’ fi Tarikh Hadramaut (Dar al-Fatah, Oman, 1441 AH) p. 125

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