The Extent and Boundaries of Fadak

Fadak just as we have said was apparently a village near Khaibar that was flourishing and fertile, and its extents were not of that which would have been concealed from someone; but how strange when Harun al-Rashid says to Imam Musa ibn Ja’far (a.s.):

روي أنّ الرشيد كان يقول لموسى بن جعفر (عليه السلام): يا أبا الحسن خُذ فدك حتى أردّها إليك فيأبى، حتى ألحّ عليه!

فقال (عليه السلام): لا أخذها إلاّ بحدودها!

قال: وما حدودها؟

قال (عليه السلام): يا أمير المؤمنين إن حدّدتها لم تردّها.

قال: بحقّ جدّك إلاّ فعلت.

قال (عليه السلام): أمّا الحدّ الأوّل فعدن، فتغيّر وجه الرشيد، وقال: هيه! قال (عليه السلام): والحدّ الثاني سمرقند، فأربدَّ وجهه، قال: والحدّ الثالث أفريقية، فاسودَّ وجهه وقال: هيه! قال: والرابع سيف البحر ممّا يليالخزر وأرمينية.

قال الرشيد: فلم تبق لنا شيئاً! فتحول من مجلسي.

قال موسى (عليه السلام): قد أعلمتك أنّي إن حددتها لم تردّها!!

“Clarify Fadak’s boundaries so that I may return it to you”

Imam (a.s.) refrained from giving a reply and Harun continually insisted on an answer;

Imam (a.s.) said:

“I will not say so unless by its true extent” Harun said;

“What are its true boundaries?”

The Imam (a.s.) replied;

“If I tell its boundaries, surely you will not agree.” Harun said;

“By the right of your grand-father (the Prophet (S)) I swear, so speak of its boundaries (I will give it!)

Imam (a.s.) said:

“But the first boundary of that land is Aden!”

When Harun heard this his countenance changed and said; “You don’t say, you don’t say!…”

The Imam (a.s.) said:

“And its second boundary is Samarqand!”

The traces of uneasiness became more apparent in Harun’s face.

Imam (a.s.) then said:

“And the third boundary is Africa!”

Here! Harun’s face grew black with rage while he said;

“You don’t say…!”

Then the Imam (a.s.) said:

“And the fourth boundary is the shores of the Caspian sea and Armenia!!”

Harun said:

“Then nothing remains for us, get up and come sit in my place and rule over the people, (what you have said is the entire extent of the Islamic world.)”

Imam (a.s.) said:

“I told you that if I determined its boundaries you would never give it.”

It was at this time that Harun decided to murder Moosa ibn Ja’far (a.s.).[1]

This meaningful tradition is clear proof of the intermingling of the matter of Fadak with that of the caliphate. It shows of the Prophet’s (S) Caliph. If Harun wished to turn over Fadak he would have been forced to give up the Caliphate. This very matter made him realize it possible that wheneverImam Musa ibn Ja’far (a.s.) attained power he could pull him down from the throne of the Caliphate. Therefore he decided to murder that Hazrat.

Notes:

[1]Bihar Al Anwar, بحار الانوار vol. 8 pg. 106

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