Who caused the miscarriage of Fatimah (may Allah be pleased with her), what is the legal ruling on the one who did that, and how should one respond to the accusations of the Shia concerning this matter?

Summary of the Answer: The Rafidah have lied about Abu Bakr harming Ali and Fatimah, demolishing and burning Fatimah's house, and causing her miscarriage. All of this is a lie and a fabrication that only those who are equally misguided would believe.

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah affirmed that Abu Bakr did not harm Ali nor Al-Zubayr, and that what has been narrated comes from ignorant liars and foolish people. He mentioned that among the falsehoods is their claim that Umar forcibly married Ali’s daughter, or that they disemboweled Fatimah until she miscarried. These are all fabricated claims that only deceive those who are like cattle.

The falsehood of this story can be shown from several angles: 1. The assault of a single man on a woman is reprehensible, so how about a group of companions against the Prophet's daughter (ﷺ)? If this had happened, it would have been a disgrace to the Arabs, and people would not have remained silent about it. 2. This narration contradicts Ali’s courage and strength. How could he not protect Fatimah or defend his honor? This would make Ali unworthy of the caliphate, whereas the Sunnis affirm Ali’s courage and Fatimah’s purity, and they reject this narration. 3. The good relationship between Ali and Umar, and Umar’s marriage to Ali and Fatimah’s daughter, Umm Kulthum, refutes this story. The Rafidah’s claim that the marriage was forced is part of their misguidance and their disparagement of the Companions. 4. If Ali was so weak and oppressed, where were the rest of the Ahl al-Bayt? And why did they not defend their Prophet’s daughter? 5. Some leading figures among the Rafidah themselves have disbelieved this story, not to exonerate the Companions, but to exonerate Ali from such a situation. For instance, Muhammad Husayn Aal Kashif al-Ghita’ believed that Arab virtues would prevent such an act. Likewise, Ibn Abi al-Hadid, the Shi’ite Mu’tazili, affirmed that these matters have no basis among his companions and none of them confirms them. 6. This fictional story is not found in the most important authenticated Shi’ite books, such as "Al-Kafi." It is only known from the book "Al-Saqifah" by Sulaym ibn Qays al-Hilali, which is a weak and fabricated book according to many leading figures among the Rafidah themselves, to the extent that Al-Sistani stated there is an “issue” with its chain of transmission. 7. The variation in the narrations of the story indicates its falsehood. Some of them present it as merely a threat from Umar, which indicates their incompetence in fabricating lies.

As for the attempt by some Rafidah to mislead the public into believing that some Sunnis confirm this story, it is deception and falsehood: 1. Their claim that Al-Shahrastani confirms it in "Al-Milal wa al-Nihal" is a lie, for Al-Shahrastani mentioned it as part of the fabrications of the Mu’tazili Ibrahim ibn Sayyar al-Nazzam. 2. Their reliance on "Mizan al-I'tidal" and "Siyar A’lam al-Nubala’" by Al-Dhahabi, and "Lisan al-Mizan" by Ibn Hajar, to narrate the story of Umar causing Fatimah’s miscarriage, is due to their foolishness. These books mention that the narrator (Abu Bakr ibn Abi Darim) was a lying Rafidi, untrustworthy, and that vilifications were recited to him. 3. Their narration of "I wish I had not burned Fatimah’s house" attributed to Abu Bakr is baseless and weak. 4. Their reliance on Al-Mas’udi in "Muruj al-Dhahab" and Ibn Qutaybah in "Al-Imamah wa al-Siyasah" is rejected. Al-Mas’udi was a Rafidi, and the book "Al-Imamah wa al-Siyasah" cannot be correctly attributed to Ibn Qutaybah; rather, it belongs to a malicious Rafidi.

It is clear from the foregoing that the fabricated story about the Companions is false, that Fatimah did not miscarry, and that Allah honored the Prophet’s (ﷺ) household through Abu Bakr al-Siddiq, who respected and revered them. Those who maligned those pure individuals are the heretics and the misguided.