Who is the author of Al Imamah Wal Siyasah?

Fabrication attributed to Imam Ibn Qutaybah!

It is often seen that many shia's quote Al Imamah Wal Siyasah, a book attributed to Ibn Qutaybah- a sunni historian known for his exactitude, to prove their beliefs. But it is known to little that this book is a fabrication. It is falsely attributed to Ibn Qutaybah. In this article, we will bring forth all the proofs, which will be enough to prove it a fabrication. The need for writing this article arose when they started to quote from this book that the second righteous caliph of Islam, Hazrat Umar (ra) attacked Bibi Fatima (as)!! So, did Umar actually do that?

Kya Hazrat Umar (ra) ne Bibi Fatima (as) ka ghar Jalaya?

The manipulative rafidhi website Al- Islam.org has stated the following:

 قال وإن أبا بكر رضي الله عنه تفقد قوما تخلفوا عن بيعته عند علي كرم الله وجهه فبعث إليهم عمر فجاء فناداهم وهم في دار علي فأبوا أن يخرجوا فدعا بالحطب وقال والذي نفس عمر بيده لتخرجن أو لأحرقنها على من فيها فقيل له يا أبا حفص إن فيها فاطمة فقال وإن فخرجوا فبايعوا إلا عليا فإنه زعم أنه قال حلفت أن لا أخرج ولا أضع ثوبي على عاتقي حتى أجمع القرآن فوقفت فاطمة رضي الله عنها على بابها فقالت لا عهد لي بقوم حضروا أسوأ محضر منكم تركتم رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم جنازة بين أيدينا وقطعتم أمركم بينكم لم تستأمرونا ولم تزدوا لنا حقا.

When Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) found a group of people [that had gathered] near ʿAli (may Allah bless his face) who had fallen back on pledging allegiance to him [i.e. Abu Bakr], he sent ʿUmar to them. He came and called them out while they were in the house of ʿAli but they refused to come out. ʿUmar then called for wood [to be brought] and said: “by the One who [holds] ʿUmar’s soul in His Hands, if you do not come out I will burn this house along with whoever is in it”. And it was said to him: “Oh Abu Hafs (ʿUmar), even if Fatimah is in the house?!” And he (ʿUmar) said: “Even if!”

So they came out and pledged allegiance except for ʿAli. ʿAli then declared by saying: “I vowed that I would not leave or put on my cloak over my shoulder [in order to leave the house] until I [finished] compiling the Qur’an”

Then Fatimah (may Allah be pleased with her) [went and] stood by the door of the house and said: “there is no one among people whose presence to me is worse than your [ʿUmar] presence. You left the funeral of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) while you [took] the matter [of the khilafah] and cut it [into pieces] among yourselves while you did not seek to consult us nor did you return us our right.”

~ See: al-Dinawari, Abu Muhammad ʿAbd Allah b. Muslim b. Qutaybah (d. 276/889). al-Imamah wa al-Siyasah, ed. Khalil al-Mansur (Beirut: Dar al-Kutub al-ʿIlmiyah, 1418/1997), I: 16; Shiri edition, I: 30; Zayni edition, I: 19.

— Refutation to this fabricated fairy-tale:

Firstly the book, Al Imamah Wal Siyasah is a fabrication! It was not authored by Ibn Qutaybah (d.276H). It was fabricated by some rafidhis to support their doctrines, and attributed the book to Ibn Qutaybah. The famous biographers have not mentioned Al Imamah Wal Siyasah as a book of Ibn Qutaybah. Some of the examples are: 

[For convenience, only very famous biographies were used as a reference] 

[1] ابن قتيبة: أبو محمد عبد الله بن مسلم بن قتيبة الكوفي مولده بها وانما سمي الدينوري لأنه كان قاضي الدينور1 وكان بن قتيبة يغلو في البصريين إلا انه خلط المذهبين وحكى في كتبه عن الكوفيين وكان صادقا فيما يرويه عالما باللغة والنحو وغريب القرآن ومعانيه والشعر والفقه كثير التصنيف والتأليف وكتبه بالجبل مرغوب فيها ومولده في مستهل رجب وتوفي سنة سبعين ومائتين وله من الكتب كتاب معاني الشعر الكبير ويحتوي على اثني عشر كتابا منها كتاب الفرس ستة وأربعون بابا كتاب الإبل ستة عشر بابا كتاب الجرب عشرة أبواب كتاب العرور عشرون بابا كتاب الديار عشرة أبواب كتاب الرياح أحدى وثلاثون بابا كتاب السباع والوحوش سبعة عشر بابا كتاب الهوام أربعة عشر بابا كتاب الإيمان والدواهي سبعة أبواب كتاب النساء والعزل باب واحد كتاب النسب واللبن ثمانية أبواب كتاب تصحيف العلماء باب واحد كتاب عيون الشعر ويحتوي على عشرة كتب منها كتاب المراتب كتاب القلائد كتاب المحاسن كتاب المشاهد كتاب الشواهد كتاب الجواهر كتاب المراكب كتاب عيون الاخبار ويحتوي على عشرة كتب كتاب السلطان كتاب الحرب كتاب السؤدد كتاب الطبائع كتاب العلم كتاب الزهدكتاب الاخوان كتاب الحوائج كتاب الطعام كتاب النساء كتاب التفقيه هذا كتاب رأيت منه ثلاثة أجزاء نحو ستمائة ورقة بخط برك وكانت تنقص على التقريب جزءين وسألت عن هذا الكتاب جماعة من أهل الخط فزعموا أنه موجود وهو أكبر من كتب البندنيجي وأحسن من كتبه كتاب الحكاية والمحكي كتاب أدب الكاتب كتاب الشعر والشعراء كتاب الخيل كتاب جامع النحو كتاب مختلف الحديث كتاب اعراب القرآن كتاب ديوان الكتاب كتاب فرائد الدر كتاب خلق الإنسان كتاب القراءات كتاب المراتب والمناقب من عيون الشعر كتاب التسوية بين العرب والعجم كتاب الأنواء كتاب المشكل كتاب دلائل النبوة كتاب اختلاف تأويل الحديث كتاب المعارف كتاب جامع الفقه كتاب إصلاح غلط أبي عبيد في غريب الحديث كتاب المسائل والجوابات كتاب العلم نحو خمسين ورقة كتاب الميسر والقداح كتاب حكم الأمثال كتاب الأشربة كتاب جامع النحو الصغير كتاب الرد على المشبهة كتاب آداب العشرة كتاب غريب الحديث

He was Abu Mohammed Abdullah Bin Muslim Ibn Qutaybah of Al kufa where he was born. He was called Al Dinawari because he was the judge of Al Dinawar. Although Ibn Qutaybah was an ardent member of the school of Al Basra, he was connected with the two schools, speaking in his writings about the Scholars of Al kufa. He was accurate in what he quoted being an authority on language, Grammar, Strange forms in the Quran, meaning of poetry, and the law. He was a profolic composer and author whose numerous works where in demand. His birth was at the time of the New Moon of Rajab [the seventh Muslim month] and he died during the year 270H. Among his books there were:

The Great Book of the Meaning of Poetry [Kitab Ma'ani Al Shi'r Al Kabir] comprising 12 books (chapters), The Horse (46 sections), The Camel (16 sections), The Scab (10 sections), The Mange (20 sections), Regions (Dwellings) (10 sections), Winds (31 section), Lions and Wild Beasts (17 section), Reptiles (14 sections), Oaths (faith) and Calamities (7 sections), Women and Amatory poetry (1 section), Youth and Old age (8 sections), Mistakes (Tashif) Of the Scholars (1 section).

The Sources of Poetry (Uyun Al Shi'r) which comprises 10 books (chapters): Ranks, Worthy deeds, Meaning, Chains of Poetry (Necklaces) Good Qualities, Praises, Means of Transportation, Secret Places, Witnesses, Jewels

The Sources of Information (Uyun Al Akhbar) comprising 10 books (chapters): The Sultan, War, Dominion, Dispositions, Learning, Asceticism, Brothers, Needs, Nourishment, Women.

Legal Instruction (Al-Tafqih), three sections of which book I have seen, filling nearly 600 sheets in Bark handwriting. As it lacked some two sections, I enquired about the book from a group of the people of Al Jabal, who thought that it was extant [in complete form] longer than the books of Al- Bandaniji and better than his works.

Also among his books there were:

The Training of the Scribe (Secretary), Poetry and the Poets, Horses, Compendium of Grammar, Differences in the Hadith, Inflection (Declension) in the Quran, [Quranic] Readings, Al- Anwa, Comparison of the Arabs and Persians, The Difficulty to Solve, Things Unknown, Correction of the Error of Abu Ubayd [Al Qasim bin Sallam] in the Strange in the Hadith, Compendium of Law, Questions and Answers, Learning (Al Ilm) nearly 50 sheets, Gambling and Betting with Arrows, Small Compendium of Grammer, Refutation of the Mushabbihah, Tradition and What is Reported, Register of the Secretaries (Diwan Al Kuttub), [literary] Gems of Pearl, The Disposition of Man, Grades and Virtues from "The Sources of Poetry", Guides of Prophecy, Disagreements in the interpretting hadith, The Wisdom of Proverbs, Drinks, The Manners of Society, The Strange in the Hadith.

Fihrist Ibn Nadim, Eng Trans, Pg 170.

Fihrist Ibn Nadim, Eng Trans, Pg 171.

Fihrist Ibn Nadim, Arabic Scan

Fihrist Ibn Nadim, Arabic

~ Al Fihrist of Ibn Nadim, English Translation, Bayard Dodge, Columbia University press, New York and London, Pg 170-171. (or)

~ Ibn Nadim (d.384H), Al Fihrist, Pg 105-106, Dar Al Maarif Publications, Beirut, Lebanon.

[2] Al Fihrist, Ibn Qayr Al Shibli (d.572H), Single Vol Ed, Dar Al Kutub Al Ilmiyyah publications, Beirut, Lebanon. The list of books authored by Ibn Qutaybah are:

(1) Kitab Ghareeb Al Quran, Pg 58, Book No 105.

(2) Kitab Mushkil Al Qur'an, Pg 60, Book No 109.

(3) Kitab Alam Al Nabuwa, Pg 128, Book No 210.

(4) Kitab Sharah Ghareeb Al Hadith, Pg 158, Book No 290.

(5) Kitab Islah Al Ghalat Al Waqiyi fi Ghareeb Al Hadith, Pg 159, Book No 291.

(6) Kitab Taqreeb Al Ghareebayn Li-Abi Ubayd, Pg 164, Book No 296.

(7) Kitab Al Masa'il, Pg 164, Book No 297.

(8) Kitab Mukhtalif Al Hadith Al Mud'ia Alayh Al Tanaquz talif, Pg 168, Book 310.

(9) Kitab Al Ashrab, Pg 228, Book No 525.

(10) Kitab Ibarat Al Royah, Pg 233, Book No 543.

(11) Kitab Adab Al Khateeb, Pg 299, Book No 831.

(12) Kitab Al Nahw, Pg 336, Book No 976.

(13) Kitab Al Maarif, Pg 336, Book No 977.

(14) Kitab Tabaqat Al Shuara, Pg 337, Book No 978.

(15) Kitab Al Masa'il, Pg 337, Book No 979.

(16) Kitab Al Qatah, Pg 337, Book No 980.

(17) Kitab Uyun Al Akhbar, Pg 337, Book No 981.

(18) Kitab Ma'ani Al Shi'r, Pg 337, Book No 982.

(19) Kitab Al Maisir, Pg 337, Book No 983.

Download this book from here: https://archive.org/details/FP138690

[3] ابن قتيبة

أبو محمد عبد الله بن مسلم بن قتيبة الدينوري، وقيل المروزي، النحوي اللغوي صاحب كتاب " المعارف " و " أدب الكاتب..... وتصانيفه كلها مفيدة، منها ما تقدم ذكره، ومنها " غريب القرآن الكريم " و " غريب الحديث " و " عيون الأخبار " و " مشكل القرآن " و " مشكل الحديث " و " طبقات الشعراء " و " الأشربة " و " إصلاح الغلط " و " كتاب التقفية " و " كتاب الخيل " و " كتاب إعراب القراءات " و " كتاب الأنواء " و " كتاب المسائل والجوابات " و " كتاب الميسر والقداح

Abu Mohammed Abdullah Bin Muslim Ibn Qutaybah Ad-Dinawari (native of Dinawar), some say Al Marwazi (native of Marw)- the author of Kitab Al Maarif and the Adab Al Katib, was a grammarian and philologer of eminent talent and noted for the correctness of his information. Besides the works just mentioned he composed a number of others equally instructive such as his explanation of the rare expressions occurring in the Quran, Explanation of the rare expressions occurring in the Traditions, the (1) Uyun Al Akhbar, (2) The Mushkil Al Quran (Obscurities of the Qur'an), (3) The Mushkil Al Hadith (Obscurities of the Traditions), (4) The Tabakat As-Shuara (notices on the poets), (5) The Kitab Al Ashriba (treatise on the different sorts of drinks), (6) The Islah Al Ghalat (faults corrected), (7) The Kitab At-Takfih (the instructor), (8) The Kitab Al Khail (treatise on horses), (9) The Seven Readings of the Qur'an analyser Grammatically, a work on the Anwa, (10) The Kitab Al Masail, etc (Book of Questions and Answers), (11) The Kitab Al Maisir wa'l-Kidah (on games of chance).

~ Ibn Khallikan (d.681H), Biographical Dictionary, English Translation by Mac Guckin De Slane, Vol 2, Pg 22-23 (or)

~ Ibn Khallikan (d.681H) Wafayat Al Ayan, Vol 3, Pg 42-43, Dar Al Sadr Publications, Beirut, Lebanon.

Wafayat Al Ayan, Eng, Vol 2, Pg 22

Wafayat Al Ayan, Pg 23

Wafayat Al Ayan, Arabic scan

Wafayat Al Ayan, Arabic Scan

[4] ابن قتيبة أبو محمد عبد الله بن مسلم الدينوري *

العلامة، الكبير، ذو الفنون، أبو محمد، عبد الله بن مسلم بن قتيبة

وقيل: المروزي، الكاتب، صاحب التصانيف.

ذكر تصانيفه: (غريب القرآن) ، (غريب الحديث) ، كتاب (المعارف) ، كتاب (مشكل القرآن) ، كتاب (مشكل الحديث) ، كتاب (أدب الكاتب) ، كتاب (عيون الأخبار) ، كتاب (طبقات الشعراء) ، كتاب (إصلاح الغلط) ، كتاب (الفرس) ، كتاب (الهجو) ، كتاب (المسائل) ، كتاب (أعلام النبوة) ، كتاب (الميسر) ، كتاب (الإبل) ، كتاب (الوحش) ، كتاب (الرؤيا) ، كتاب (الفقه) ، كتاب (معاني الشعر) ، كتاب (جامع النحو) ، كتاب (الصيام) ، كتاب (أدب القاضي) ، كتاب (الرد على من يقول بخلق القرآن) ، كتاب (إعراب القرآن) ، كتاب (القراءات) ، كتاب (الأنواء) ، كتاب (التسوية بين العرب والعجم) ، كتاب (الأشربة

Ibn Qutaybah Abu Muhammad Abdullah Ibn Muslim Al Daynuri

Allamah Al Kabir, Al Khateeb, Sahib Al Tasanif, Resident of Baghdad.

His books: (1) Ghareeb Al Quran, (2) Ghareeb Al Hadith, (3) Kitab Al Maarif, (4) Kitab Mushkil Al Qur'an, (5) Kitab Mushkil Al Hadith, (6) Kitab Adab Al Kateeb, (7) Kitab Uyun Al Akhbar, (8) Kitab Tabaqat Al Shuara, (9) Kitab Islah Al Ghalat, (10) Kitab Al Firs, (11) Kitab Al Huju, (12) Kitab Al Masa'il, (13) Kitab Alam Al Nabuwa, (14) Kitab Al Maisir, (15) Kitab Al Ibl, (16) Kitab Al Wahsh, (17) Kitab Al Roya, (18) Kitab Al Fiqh, (19) Kitab Ma'ani Al Sher, (20) Kitab Jaa'ma Al Nahw, (21) Kitab Al Siyam, (22) Kitab Adab Al Qadi, (23) Kitab Al Radd Ala min Ya Qawl Ba-Khalq Al Qur'an, (24) Kitab Al Airab Al Qur'an, (25) Kitab Al Qirat, (26) Kitab Al Anwa, (27) Kitab Al Taswiyat Bayn Al Arab wal Ajam, (28) Kitab Al Ashrab.

~ Al Dhahabi (d.748H), Siyar Al Alam Al Nubala, Vol 13, Pg 296-299, Al Muassasah Al Risalah publications, Beirut, Lebanon.

Siyar Al Alam, Vol 13, Pg 296

Siyar Al Alam, vol 13, Pg 297

Pg 298

★ Four famous biographers, who wrote a detailed biography of Ibn Qutaybah mentioned many books authored by him (Al Dhahabi mentioning 28) but no one has mentioned Al Imamah Wal Siyasah as a book authored by Ibn Qutaybah. This, unanimously and undoubtedly, proves that the book is a fabrication falsely attributed to him. Besides, there is no chain of Narration mentioned for this story!

[5] We will now discuss about the mistakes in the book which clearly points out that it was not authored by Ibn Qutaybah!

1) استخلاف رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم أبا بكر رضي الله عنه 

.....عن ابن ابي مريم، قال: حدثنا العرياني، عن ابي عون بن عمرو بن تيم الانصاري رضي الله عنه، وحدثنا سعيد بن كثير، عن عفير بن عبدالرحمن قال: 

The author of Al Imamah Wal Siyasah writes in the chapter "Istiqlaf Rasool Allah صلى الله عليه و سلم Aba Bakr رضي الله عنه:

I heard from Ibn Abi Maryam ⋗ Al Arya'ni ⋗ Abi Awn bin Umro bin Tiym Al Ansari  رضي الله عنه and I heard from Saeed bin Kathir...

~ Al Imamah Wal Siyasah, alleged author "Ibn Qutaybah (d.276H)", Vol 1, Pg 19, Dar Al Adwa lit-tabiyaat wal Nasr wal Tawzi Publications, Beirut, Lebanon, Downloaded from Shia website: http://www.narjes-library.com/2014/11/blog-post_118.html

Al Imamah Wal Siyasah, Pg 19

Now lets have a look on this narrator "Saeed bin Kathir." 

(A) سعيد بن كثير بن عفير, أَبو عُثمان، المِصريّ، الأَنصاريّ 

Saeed bin Kathir bin Ufair, Abu Uthman, Al Misri.

Imam Bukhari (d.256H), Tarikh Al Kabir, Vol 3, Pg 509, Narrator no 1693, Dar Al Maarif Al Uthmaniyya Publications, Hyderabad, India.

Same can be read in Abi Hatim's Al Jarah o Tadeel, Vol 4, Pg 56, Narrator no 248, Dar Al Ihya Al Tarsh Al Arabiyya Publications, Beirut, Lebanon.

Imam Yunus Al Misri (d.347H) added the words " مولاهم المصرى" meaning- "A master from Misr". [See Tarikh Yunus Al Misri, Vol 1, Pg 210, Narrator no 564, Dar Al Kutub Al Ilmiyyah Publications, Beirut, Lebanon.

Imam Ibn Hibban (d.364H) adds " أهل مصر" meaning- "He was a resident of Misr". [See Thiqat Ibn Hibban, Vol 8, Pg 266, Narrator no 13364, Dar Al Maarif Al Uthmaniyya Publications, Hyderabad, India.

Hence it is proven that Saeed bin Kathir was a resident of Misr and lived there throughout his life. But it is also noteworthy that Ibn Qutaybah never visited Misr in his whole life. There is also, no mention of him narrating from Saeed in his other books. Remember, Ibn Qutaybah is known for his accuracy. Then how can he make such a blunder! How can he lie? This certainly, without any doubt proves that this book is a fabrication. 

2)  The author of Al Imamah Wal Siyasah made his second major blunder when he wrote a chapter titled, " خروج السفاح على ابي العباس و خلعه", meaning- "The disagreement between Al Saffah and Abu Abbas and its dispostion." [See Al Imamah Wal Siyasah, Vol 2, Pg 170-171, Dar Al Adwa lit-tabiyaat wal Nasr wal Tawzi Publications, Beirut, Lebanon, 

Downloaded from Shia website: http://www.narjes-library.com/2014/11/blog-post_118.html

You would be stunned to know that, "ABU ABBAS AND AS-SAFFAH IS THE NAME OF A SAME PERSON." How can we actually believe that a person with immense knowledge, Ibn Qutaybah, could commit such a blunder? Now, the offended would try to clarify this by saying; "maybe Ibn Qutaybah didn't knew that?"

Our answer to them: Ibn Qutaybah wrote a complete chapter on, "أبو العباس السفاح" (Abul Abbas As Saffah) in his other book! [See Al Maarif, which is actually authored by Ibn Qutaybah (d.276H) and mentioned by all the biographers, vol 1, Pg 372, Al Hayyat Al Misriyat Publications, Cairo, Egypt].

Ibn Qutaybah knew that Abu Abbas and As Saffah was the name of the same person!

Al Imamah , vol 2, Pg 170

Al Maarif, pg 372

3) The third major mistake committed by the fabricator of Al Imamah was Siyasah was, he wrote a chapter named, "موت ابي حعفر المنصور واستخلاف المهدي" meaning- "Death of Abi Jafar Al Mansoor and the appointment of his successor Al Mahdi". Then he continued to write the next chapter titled, "ذكر استخلاف هارون الرشيد", meaning- "Discussion of his succession by Harun Al Rashid", in which he writes

قال: وذكروا انه لما كانت سنة ثلاث وسبعين ومائة توفي المهدي 

“They said, it was the year 173H (when he was elected) when Mahdi had died."

See Al Imamah Wal Siyasah, Vol 2, Pg 204-205, Dar Al Adwa lit-tabiyaat wal Nasr wal Tawzi Publications, Beirut, Lebanon, 

Downloaded from Shia website: http://www.narjes-library.com/2014/11/blog-post_118.html

The readers would be shocked again to know that Al Mahdi was succeeded by his own son Musa Al Hadi and not by Harun Al Rashid!!

Ibn Qutaybah writes in his book, Al Maarif,  Vol 1, Pg 380-381, Al Hayyat Al Misriyat Publications, Cairo, Egypt].

موسى الهادي وأما «موسى بن المهدي» فولى الخلافة بعد أبيه

Musa Al Hadi, also known as Musa bin Mahdi became the caliph by taking the bayah.

He writes on the next page that Harun Al Rashid became the next caliph, after his father Musa Al Hadi.

I will not comment on this blunder. You can understand.

Al Imamah, Pg 204

Al Imamah, Pg 205

Al Maarif, Pg 380

Al Maarif, Pg 381

Also, a scholar by name Sheikh Abdullah bin Abdul Rahim Al Aslan has authored a Risalah titled, "Al Imamah Wal Siyasah Fi Mizan Al Tahqeeq Al Alami", in which he presented all the proofs in detail, quite enough to prove this book, a fabrication. He discussed how Ibn Qutaybah writes detailed Muqaddimah for his every book , sometimes even around 100 pages. But Al Imamah, has a Muqaddimah for mere 3 pages. He discusses the grammar and methodology of Ibn Qutaybah from his other books; which were not followed in Al Imamah! He also mentioned, how the author of Al Imamah covered the caliphate of Abu Bakr, Umar and Uthman (رضوان الله عليهم يجمعن ) in only 25 pages but goes on to discuss the issues raised by the Rawafid on the three caliphs in nearly 100 pages. Download the Risalah Here: https://archive.org/details/waq34590

➽ Conclusion: Al Imamah Wal Siyasah is a fabrication attributed falsely to Ibn Qutaybah! The famous biographers don't even mention this book in his works. Beside, there is much difference in the narratives of Al Imamah and other books actually authored by Ibn Qutaybah!