The Passion of Fatima: Critiquing Kitab Sulaym Ibn Qays

Kitab al-Saqifa of Sulaym ibn Qays al-Hilali, which is purportedly the oldest surviving Shi¿ite (and Islamic) ¿adith collection, is a Twelver Shi¿ite text that is drenched in controversy today. Its controversy, for the most part, stems from its embodiment of an alternative Rafi¿ite rendition of the historical events following the Prophet's death, most notably, the purported assault on his daughter, Fa¿ima.



The controversy surrounding Kitab Sulaym ibn Qays and its origins is not confined to the realms of Sunni-Shi¿ite polemical disputes. Rather, the book was initially criticized by some medieval Twelver authorities, who casted doubts on its integrity and/or authenticity. Despite the past criticism it had received, the book today is championed in many Twelver Shi¿ite institutions and circles as an authoritative document that can be verifiably traced to the first century of Islam, hence granting it great significance and importance in many circles.

This book provides an exposition of this Twelver Shi¿ite document with a detailed analysis of its transmission and historicity in an attempt to discern its origins. Though Kitab Sulaym is not the be-all and end-all of Shi¿ite historiography surrounding the purported tragedy of Fa¿ima, it is, more or less, an important pillar of the narrative, and discerning the book's origins will prove to be a milestone in untangling this historical narrative.