باغِ فدک کی حقیقت و حیثیت: تفسیر ذخیرۃ الجنان کی روشنی میں تحقیقی مطالعہ

The Reality and Legal Status of Fadak: An Analytical Study in the Light of Tafseer Dhakhīrat al-Janan fi Fahm al-Qur’an

Abstract

This research paper explores the historical, legal, and theological dimensions of the "Land of Fadak" (Bāgh-e-Fadak) through an analytical study of the renowned exegesis Tafseer Dhakhīrat al-Janan fi Fahm al-Qur’an by Maulana Sarfaraz Khan Safdar. The issue of Fadak has long been a subject of intense scholarly debate, intersecting with the principles of Islamic property law, the administration of the public treasury (Bayt al-Mal), and the unique legal status of Prophetic inheritance. By synthesizing classical Quranic commentaries (Tafāsīr), Prophetic traditions (Ahadith), and historical records, this study clarifies that Fadak was categorized as Al-Fay (property acquired without military conflict), thus serving as a state-administered endowment rather than personal patrimony. The research highlights the administrative continuity maintained during the Rightly Guided Caliphate (Khilafat-e-Rashida), arguing that the decisions made by the first Caliph, Abu Bakr (RA), were grounded in the Prophetic injunction: "We, the assembly of Prophets, do not leave inheritance; whatever we leave is charity." Furthermore, this paper addresses contemporary misconceptions and sectarian interpretations by presenting a balanced intellectual framework that prioritizes jurisprudential evidence over emotional narratives. Ultimately, the study underscores the contemporary relevance of this discourse in establishing principles of governance, financial transparency, and intellectual tolerance within the modern socio-political landscape.