Question
Is this narration authentic?
عن ضمرة بن حبيب قال: قضى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم على ابنته فاطمة بخدمة البيت، وقضى على علي بما كان خارجا من البيت من الخدمة
Answer
Imam Abu Bakr ibn Abi Shaybah (rahimahullah) has recorded this narration.
(Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah, Hadith: 29677, 35649)
Shaykh Muhammad ‘Awwamah (hafizahullah) has graded the narration weak (مرسل ضعيف).
(Footnotes on Musannaf, Hadith: 29677. Also see: Al Matalibul ‘Aliyah, Hadith: 1649)
Translation
Damrah ibn Habib (rahimahullah) says: “Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) ordained upon his daughter, Fatimah (radiyallahu ‘anha) that she should serve the home [see to the needs of the home] and ordained upon ‘Ali (radiyallahu ‘anhu) that he should see to the needs outside of the home [i.e. earning an income etc.].”
Despite its weakness, the general meaning of the Hadith will not be rejected in this case. The following narrations further corroborate this:
1) The famous Hadith regarding Tasbih Fatimi recorded in Sahih Bukhari explicitly states that Sayyidah Fatimah (radiyallahu ‘anha) complained regarding the difficulty she endured while engaged in household tasks.
(Sahih Bukhari, Hadith: 3113 and 6318. Also see here)
2) Sayyidah Asma bintu Abi Bakr (radiyallahu ‘anhuma) would also take care of household duties like taking care of the horse, fetching water, kneading the dough etc.
(Refer: Sahih Bukhari, Hadith: 3151, 5224, Sahih Muslim, Hadith: 2182)
And Allah Ta’ala Knows best.
Answered by: Moulana Suhail Motala
Approved by: Moulana Muhammad Abasoomar