The Science of Genealogy

The Merit of the science of Genealogy,

its benefit
and the utter need for it






:
It is known that acquiring the knowledge of the science of
genealogy is among the required matters and
recommended forms of knowledge, due to what is
incumbent upon it of religious judgments and rites; the
purified Islamic laws have applied it in several situations,
among which are:

*


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To Know the lineage of the Prophet, sallallahu ^alayhi wa
sallam, and that he is the Prophet from the tribe of

Quraysh who was born in Makkah and revealed in it as a

Prophet and then migrated to Madinah and died and was
buried therein.

*

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{ ] [

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To establish cognizance among the people so no one may
attribute himself to other than his fathers and no one may
attach his lineage to other than his fore fathers; This is
signified in the saying of Allah the exalted in surah alHujurat :

}

{
The ayah means: O people We have created you as male
and female and made you into nations and tribes so you

may be acquainted.
The rules of the heirs apply based on that, whereby some
of them are blocked by the others; and the rules of the
guardians of marriage where some of them take
precedence over others; and the rules of Waqf (dedicating
a particular property, for good, for a particular usage)
whereby the Waqif (the one who makes the dedication)
specifies the usage to some relatives or ranks but not the
others; and the rules of al-^aqilah regarding the indemnity
of killing so that the indemnity would attach to some of the
^Usbah (immediate kindred) but not the others and what is
similar to that.
If it had not been for the knowledge of the Lineages then
the aforementioned issues would have been missed and
not achieved.

*


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To know ones kin due to the religious reports that urge one
to connect with ones kin; the knowledge of ones kin can
only be known through knowing the lineage.

*

:
"


"
:



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To know about the lineage of the family members of the
Prophet, due to what is incumbent upon it of the rules
among which is that they are not subjects of Zakat so it is
not given to them as reported in the Hadith narrated by
Muslim and Ahmad:

"


"
The Hadith means: Indeed these Zakat-charities are
similar to the filth people set out and they are not lawful for
Muhammad and the family members of Muhammad.
The family members of Muhammad, with regard to the
Zakat and the like, are: the family members of ^Aliyy,
Ja^far, ^Aqil and al-^Abbas; this is over and above
preserving their lineage and protecting it from anyone
attaching his lineage to them who is not amongst them;
this is a reason that reflects the importance of the role of
the syndicate of the honorable family members of the
Prophet in the countries of ash-Sham

*



.
To Know the lineage of Bani al-Muttalib since they attach
to Bani Hashim in that they also are not given from the
Zakat; Hashim and al-Muttalib are brethren and they are
the two sons of ^Abd Manaf.

*

" :
"
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To consider the lineage for the purpose of Imam-ship
which is the greater leadership; it is confirmed about the
Prophet, sallallahu ^alayhi wa sallam, that he said: "
", which means, "the Imams (leaders) are from the
tribe of Quraysh", narrated by an-Nasa'iyy, Ahmad, alBayhaqiyy and others.

:













.
The Shafi^iyys said: if there were no one from Quraysh
then one from Kinanah, that is, among the sons of Kinanah
the son of Khuzaymah, would be considered, and if not
possible then one of the descendants of Isma^il, peace be
upon him, would be considered, and if not possible one of
the tribe of Jurhum would be considered, due to their
esteemed honor of marital relationship with Isma^il; these
considerations do not apply so long a suitable person
among Quraysh exists and if a suitable one does not exist

then it is permissible for other than him to be the Imam. If it

had not been for the knowledge of the lineage then
knowing the tribes would have been missed.

*
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To consider the lineage in determining the compatibility of
the husband to the wife in marriage.

*

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" :

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Also it is applied regarding the women to be chosen for
marriage since it is reported in the sahih Hadith that the
Prophet, sallallahu ^alayhi wa sallam, said: "

:




", which means:" the woman is sought for marriage due to
four matters: her money, prestigious lineage, beauty and
religiosity, so choose the one attributed with religiosity and
you shall be delighted"; the Prophet, sallallahu ^alayhi wa
sallam, considered in the woman the prestigious lineage
which is the honor of the lineage of the fore fathers.

.
To know the one who attaches his lineage to other than his
father. If it had not been for the science of genealogy then
this also would have been missed and whoever willed
would have claimed a certain lineage whether attached to
the Prophet or to others.

.

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It is enough merit attributed to this science that Abu Bakr
as-siddiq, the rightly guided Caliph, may Allah accept his
deeds, had a tall standing in it and this is the first indication
and the greatest witness of the honor of this knowledge
and its high status; likewise his daughter, 'Umm alMu'mimin (the mother of the believers) ^A'ishah may Allah
accept her deeds, and Ibn ^Abbas, and Jubayr Ibn Mut^im
and many others among the meritorious ones, may Allah
accept the deeds of all of them, and this presents the clear
honor and merit of this science. Sizeable groups among
the general and elite scholars have authored works in the
science of genealogy and this is a proof of its honor and

high status.

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( ) 2003 / 1424
The reference: Jami^ ad-Durar al-Bahiyyah li-'ansab alQurashiyyin fi al-Bilad ash-Shamiyyah authored by Dr.
Kamal al-Hout al-Husayniyy, published in Beirut
1424H/2003G (First edition)