Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Assalamu-alaikum Dear Brother,

I once heard that our holy prophet (saws) of Allah has no descendent alive. But here in one answer you mentioned that Aga Khan was his proven descendent. You also mentioned that current Jordanian king and his father are also prophet`s (saws) descendent. I would like to know is there really any descendent of our holy prophet (saws) alive today? If yes, then how is the lineage proven? What was the proof that Aga Khan was our holy prophet`s (saws) descendent?

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Descendant of pm

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Your Question: I once heard that our holy prophet (saws) of Allah has no descendent alive.

The Messenger of Allah (saws) had four daughters and three sons, all of whom died in his own lifetime except his youngest daughter, Hadrat Fatimah (r.a.) binte Mohamed (saws). It is not at all true that the Prophet Mohamed (saws) has no descendants, for the Prophet (saws) progeny was continued through the children of Hadrat Fatimah (r.a.)….and amongst the prophecies related in the authentic and established narrations of the Messenger of Allah (saws), it is reported that the promised ‘Mahdi’ who will appear before the end of time will be from amongst the descendants of the Prophet Mohamed (saws).

Sunan of Abu-Dawood Hadith 4271 Narrated by Umm Salamah, Ummul Mu'minin

The Prophet (saws) said: ‘The Mahdi will be of my family, of the descendants of Fatimah.’

Sunan of Abu-Dawood Hadith 4272 Narrated by AbuSa'id al-Khudri

The Prophet (saws) said: ‘The Mahdi will be of my stock, and will have a broad forehead a prominent nose. He will fill the earth will with equality and justice as it was filled with oppression and tyranny, and he will rule for seven years.’

Your Question: If yes, then how is the lineage proven? What was the proof that Aga Khan was our holy prophet`s (saws) descendent?

The truth is brother, tens of thousands if not millions of people claim to be amongst the direct descendants of the Prophet (saws), and Allah Alone is Aware whether their claim is genuine or not!

The only reason we did mention the Aga Khan and the current rulers of the Hashimite Kingdom of Jordan is because they are amongst the most high profile claimants claiming to be direct descendants of the Prophet (saws); and Allah Alone Knows Best regarding the authenticity of their claim.

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 6.294 Narrated by Abu Huraira

Allah's Messenger (saws) got up when the Verse of the Quran: "And warn your tribe of near kindred..." (26.214) was revealed and said, "O Quraish! Buy yourselves! I cannot save you from Allah (if you disobey Him). O Banu Abu Manaf! I cannot save you from Allah (if you disobey Him). O Abbas (the Prophet’s paternal uncle)! The son of 'Abdul Muttalib! I cannot save you from Allah (if you disobey Him). O Safiya, (the aunt of Prophet (saws))! I cannot save you from Allah (if you disobey Him). O Fatimah, (the daughter of the Prophet (saws)) ! Ask what you wish from my property (in this life), but I cannot save you from Allah (if you disobey Him)."

Dear and beloved brother, to whose lineage one is born into has absolutely no specific or special significance or honor in the Sight of Allah Subhanah. According to the prescribed system of The All-Just Lord, one will not be shown mercy or condemned to punishment because of one’s lineage, but it is one’s state of belief and one’s own deeds which will determine whether one attains salvation in the Hereafter, or one is condemned to the everlasting tortures of Hell Fire.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 66 Surah Tahreem verse 10:

10 Allah sets forth for an example to the unbelievers the wife of Noah and the wife of Lut: they were (respectively) under two of Our righteous servants but they were transgressors, and they profited nothing before Allah on their account, but were told: "Enter ye the Fire along with (others) that enter!"

There are several examples related in the Glorious Quran regarding the utter failure and condemnation to the Hell Fire of some of the closest family members of the Prophets of Allah, the likes of the wives of Prophet Nuh (a.s.) and Prophet Lut (a.s.), or the son of Prophet Nuh (a.s.), or the father of Prophet Ibraheem (a.s.), and even Abu Lahab, the paternal uncle of the Prophet Mohamed (saws) himself! It is related in the authentic and established Sunnah, that the Prophet Mohamed (saws) declared that even his own mother and his own father will be in Hell Fire!

Sahih Muslim Hadith 398 Narrated by Anas ibn Malik

A person whose father had died in the Days of Ignorance before Islam, asked: ‘O Messenger of Allah (saws), where is my father?’ He (saws) said: ‘(He) is in the Fire.’ When he turned away, he (the Prophet (saws)) called him and said: ‘Verily my father and your father are both in the Fire!’

Sahih Muslim Hadith 2129 Narrated by Abu Hurayrah

Allah's Messenger (saws) said: ‘I sought permission from Allah to beg forgiveness for my mother, but He did not grant it to me. I sought permission from Him to visit her grave, and He granted it (permission) to me.’

Thus my beloved brother, it is evident that it is not one’s lineage, but rather one’s belief and one’s own good deeds which will determine one’s failure or success in the Hereafter. It is not one’s lineage which holds any honor in the Sight of the All-Just Lord, but it is the level of one’s ‘taqwa’ and belief, and piety and righteousness which will determine honor in the Sight of the Majestic and Supreme Lord.

Allah says in the Holy Quran: Chapter 49 Surah Hujurat verse 13:

O mankind, We created you from one man and one woman, and then divided you into nations and tribes so that you may recognize one another. Indeed, the most honorable among you in the Sight of Allah is he who is the most pious of you. Surely Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan