Did Abu Bakr regret entering into Fatima’s house?

- According to a narration, Abu Bakr (ra) said, I wish I had not opened Fatima’s house, even if they had tied it with the intention of war. Source: Abu Jafar at-Tabari Muhammed b Jarir b Yazid b Kathir b Ghalib al Amuli, Tarikhut-Tabari, Vol. 3, p. 430, tahqiq by Mohammed Abul Fadl Ibrahim, Published by Darul Maarif, Egypt Cairo, 1387/1967 2nd edition.
- Is that narration sound?

Dear Brother / Sister,

Let us summarize the narration in question first:

Zubayr (ra) and Talha (ra) and some people who did not pay allegiance to Abu Bakr (ra) and met at Ali’s (ra) house were in Fatima’s (ra) house. The Caliph Abu Bakr (ra) told Umar (ra) and Khalid b. Walid (ra) to fetch them by using force if necessary. They took those people to Abu Bakr (ra).

Referring to that event, Abu Bakr (ra) said:

فَوَدِدْتُ أَنِّي لَمْ أَكْشِفْ بَيْتَ فَاطِمَةَ عَنْ شَيْءٍ وَإِنْ كَانُوا قَدْ غَلَقُوهُ عَلَى الْحَرْبِ

“Whatever the reason, I wish I had not opened Fatima’s house (to inspect who was inside) even if they had closed / locked it (the door of the) with the intention of fighting (against us).” (Tarikhu Tabari, 3/430)

- Besides, the origin of this narration exists in Tabarani - with the last sentence being slightly different. (al-Mujamul-Kabir, 1/62)

There is no need to give other sources because the narration in question is weak. One of the narrators, Ulwan b. Dawud, is very weak and “matrukul-hadith” (one whose hadith is abandoned) apart from other weaknesses. (see Aqili, ad-Duafa, 3/421; ad-Daraqutni, al-Ilal, 1/181)

Bukhari, Dhahabi, Ibn Hajar and Hafiz Haythami state that this narrator is “munkarul-hadith” (one whose hadith is denounced). (see Dhahabi, al-Mizan, 3/108; Ibn Hajar, Lisanul-Mizan, 4/188; Haythami, Majmauz-Zawaid, 5/203)

To sum up, in more than twenty Sunni sources we have researched, it is reported that this narration is weak, abandoned and denounced.

Sunni researchers have very serious and scientific refutations about this narration, which is included a lot in Shia sources.

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