Question
Is the following incident authentic?
When Sayyiduna ‘Ali (radiyallahu ‘anhu) saw Sayyidah Fatimah (radiyallahu ‘anha) using a miswak, he recited the following couplets:
حظيت يا عود الأراك بثغرها
أما خفت يا عود الأراك أراكا
لو كنت من أهل القتال قتلتك
ما فاز مني يا سواك سواكا
Answer
Imam Ibrahim ibn Muhammad Al Bajuri (rahimahullah) [demise: 1277 A.H] has cited this without citing a source or chain of transmission. I have not come across this in any primary source and thus cannot verify the authenticity.
He writes:
It has been reported that Sayyiduna ‘Ali (radiyallahu ‘anhu) once saw Sayyidah Fatimah (radiyallahu ‘anha) using the miswak. He said:
حظيت يا عود الأراك بثغرها
أما خفت يا عود الأراك أراكا
لو كنت من أهل القتال قتلتك
ما فاز مني يا سواك سواكا
Translation:
O twig of the arak tree, you have had the honour of touching her lips
Were you not afraid, O twig of arak, that I would see you?
Had you been one who could fight, I would surely have slain you.
No one has ever got the better of me, O miswak, except you.
(Hashiyatul Bajuri ‘ala Sharhibnil Qasim ‘ala Matni Abi Shuja’, vol. 1 pg. 225)
And Allah Ta’ala knows best.
Answered by: Mawlana Suhail Motala
Approved by: Mawlana Muhammad Abasoomar
Arabic References
التخريج من المصادر العربية:
حاشية البيجوري على شرح ابن القاسم على متن أبي شجاع-ط. دار المنهاج- (1/ 225)
وروي أن سيدنا عليا كرم الله وجهه رأى السيدة فاطمة استاك فقال:
حظيت يا عود الأراك بثغرها
ما خفت يا عود الأراك أراكا
لو كنت من أهل القتال قتلتك
ما فاز مني يا سواك سواكا