How many daughters did the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) have?

[Muhaba]

Shias say that Prophet Muhammad (SAW) had only one daughter (Fatima R) while Sunnis believe that he had four daughters, Fatima, Ruqayya, Zainab, and Umm Kulthum (R). Which view is correct?

According to the Quraan, Prophet Muhammad (SAW) had more than two daughters. Allah says in the Quraan:

O Prophet, tell your wives and your daughters (banaatika) and the women of the believers that they should cast their outer garments over their persons (when abroad): That is most convenient, that they should be known (as such) and not molested. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. Chapter 33 (Al-Ahzab) Verse 59

In this verse, the word for daughters is banaat which means more than two daughters. (bint is singular, bintaan/bintain means two daughters and banaat means more than two.) Since Allah used the word banaat, it means that the Prophet had more than two daughters, so Sunnis are correct in this case.

This also means that Prophet Muhammad (SAW) had sons-in-law in addition to Ali (R), so any reverence that Shias give to Ali (R) on the basis that he is Prophet Muhammad (SAW)'s son-in-law has to be given to the other sons-in-law as well, such as Uthman (R). If they revere Ali (R) over the other Ashaab because he was the Prophet's son-in-law, then they have to revere Uthmaan (R) as well because he also was the Prophet's son-in-law.

['Abd-al Latif]

Number of sons and daughters of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)


Q.how many daughters did al rasool (salaa alaho alayhee wasalam) has? and from which of his wives (radeyaa alaahoo 3anhonaa jame3an) ?

A.Praise be to Allaah.

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) had both sons and daughters, the first of whom was al-Qaasim, from whom he took his kunya Abu’l-Qaasim. He died in childhood, and it was said that he lived until he was old enough to ride. Then came Zaynab, and it was said that she was older than al-Qaasim; then Ruqayyah, Umm Kulthoom and Faatimah. It was said concerning each of them that she was older than her two sisters. It was narrated from Ibn ‘Abbaas that Ruqayyah was the oldest of the three and that Umm Kulthoom was the youngest. Then ‘Abd-Allaah was born to him. There is some dispute as to whether he was born after his Prophethood began or before. Some scholars said that he was born after his Prophethood began. There is also some dispute as to whether he was al-Tayyib or al-Taahir, or whether they were other children; the correct view is that these were nicknames given to him; and Allaah knows best. These children were all born from Khadeejah and he had no children from any other wife. Then Ibraaheem was born to him from his concubine Maariyah al-Qibtiyyah in 8 AH. (Zaad al-Ma’aad, 1/103).

So the sons and daughters of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) were all born to him from his wife Umm al-Mu’mineen Khadeejah (may Allaah be pleased with her), apart from Ibraaheem, who was born from the Prophet’s concubine Maariyah (may Allaah be pleased with her), who was given to him as a gift by al-Muqawqis, the king of Alexandria and the leader of the Copts. According to the most correct opinion, he had seven children, three boys and four girls. The boys were:

1. al-Qaasim
2. ‘Abd-Allaah
3. Ibraaheem

And the girls were:

1. Zaynab
2. Ruqayyah
3. Umm Kulthoom
4. Faatimah

All of his children died during his lifetime, apart from Faatimah who died after him (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).

Islam Q&A

http://www.islamqa.com/en/ref/23294