The Symbolic and Material Value of Fadak

One of many things that led us to know the symbolic value fadak had in the islamic account was a peom said by famous poet Da'bil al-khuza'iy, which he composed when al-ma'moon (the Abbasid caliph )gave Fadak back to fatimites. Here is its opening verse:

The face of the time smiled, when Ma'moon gave back Fadak to the Hashimites.1

In the end, point worth noting; Fadak was not little piece of land or a small field as some poeple thought. What I am certain of is that fadak yielded a great sum generating importanat wealth to the possessors. I do not have to quantify its outcome although it was mentioned in historians' books that it was very great sums.

Here is some of what confirmed the high material value of fadak:

First : Omar (as you will see letter) prevented 2 of Abu Bakr from leaving Fadak to fatama (s) because of the failure in the finance of the state, which was in need of support because of the wars against the apostates and the revolts of the mutinous polythesits.

It is clear that such a land,which was considered so important to asist the finance of the state in the difficult circumstances like wars and revolts, must be of a great production.

Second : the saying of Abu Bakr to Fatima in a dialogue between them: "This property was not the prophet's but it was for the Muslims, with which the prophet equipped the soldiers and spent for the sake of Allah."3 Equipping the soldiers would not be possible except with great sums of money required to be expended on the army.

Third : once Mu'awiya divided Fadak into three thirds' 4 and gave to each of Yazeed,Marwan and Amr bin Othman.It showed clearly the great production of this land.It must be great wealth to be divided among three amirs, who were very rich and wealthy people.

Fourth : considering it as village5 and estimating some of its date-palms as much as the date-palms of kufa in the sixth century of hijra.6
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1- the descendent of hashim,prophet mohammad grand father. For the poem refer to sharh Nahjul Balagha vol.1.6p.217

2- As-Seera as-Halabiya vol.3 p.391 and Sharh Nahjul Balagha vol. 16 p.234.

3- Sharh Nahjul Balagha vol.16 p.214.

4- Sharh Nahjul Balagha, p.216.

5- Mu'jamul Buldan by al-Hamawi vol.4p.238 and Futoohul Buldan p.45 that Surayi binYunus said: Isma'eel bin Ibrahim told from Ayyoub from az-Zuhri about the saying of Allah: (..you did not press forword against it any horse or a riding camel ) he said: there were some Arabic villages for the prophet (s); Fadak and so on.

6- Sharh Nahjul Balagha vol.16 p.263