It is here that one acknowledges the reality mentioned by a Shi’ah theologian, who narrates that Ibn Abil Hadid said: “I said to a Shi’ah theologian named Ali bin Naqi: The village of fadak was not very extensive and such a small place which did not contain more than a few date-palm trees was not so important that the opponents of Fatimah should have coveted it”.
He said in reply: “You are mistaken here. The number of the date-palm trees of that place was not lesser than that of trees available in Kufa at present. Admittedly the family of the Prophet was deprived of this fertile land, lest Ali, the Commander of the Faithful should have utilized its income to campaign against the Caliph.
Hence they not only deprived Fatimah of Fadak but also deprived the entire family of Bani Hashim and the descendants of Abdul Muttalib of their legal rights (khums i.e. 1/5th of war booty), because people who have to lead their lives in difficult financial circumstances do not think of changing the prevailing conditions”.9
And then the same writer quotes the sentence mentioned below, from one of the distinguished teachers of Madressa-i Gharbi Baghdad, named Ali bin Faruqi. He says: “I said to him:
‘Was the daughter of the Prophet truthful in making the claim?’ He said: ‘Yes’. I said: ‘Did the Caliph know that she was a truthful woman?’ He said: ‘Yes’. I said: ‘Why did the Caliph not give her that to which she was admittedly entitled?’ At this moment the teacher smiled and said with great dignity: ‘If he had accepted her word on that day and had returned Fadak to her on account of her being a truthful woman and without asking for any witnesses she could very well avail of this position for the benefit of her husband on the following day and say:
‘My husband Ali is entitled to the caliphate’ and then the Caliph would have been obliged to surrender the caliphate to Ali on account of his having acknowledged her to be a truthful woman. However, in order to obviate any such claim or dispute he deprived her of her admitted right” ( Sharh-i Nahjul Balaghah by Ibn Abil Hadid, page 284.)