Hello readers, welcome to our blog where we examine challenging aspects of Islam. Today, we’re focusing on some troubling stories from hadiths about Muhammad’s actions with his daughter Fatimah and his grandchildren Hassan and Hussain. These accounts describe behaviors that many today would see as inappropriate or even abusive, especially involving family members. Islam presents Muhammad as the ideal role model, but these narrations raise serious questions about morality. We’ll quote directly from sources with Arabic text, English translations, and links for you to verify. Muslims, if these are part of your sacred texts, how do you reconcile them with modern ideas of right and wrong? Does this make you question if Muhammad’s example is truly perfect for all time?
Muhammad’s Actions with His Daughter Fatimah
Some historical texts describe Muhammad kissing and sucking the tongue of his daughter Fatimah in a very personal way. These stories link it to a miraculous event during his night journey, but they still seem too intimate for a father-daughter relationship. Why would a prophet need to express love this way? Logically, if Islam forbids close physical contact between unrelated men and women, why allow this within family?
Book: Zakhair Ul Uqba Fi Manaqib Zawil Qurba, Author: Imam Mohib uddin Tibri, Page: n79 Arabic: وذكر ما جاء أنه يكل كان يقبّلها في فيها ويمصّها لسانه عن عائشة رضي الله عنها قالت: قلت: يا رسول الله! ما لك إذا قبَّلتَ فاطمة جعلت لسانك في فيها كأنك تريد أن تُلْقِها عسل؟! فقال يك: إنّه لما أسري بي أدخلني جبريل الجنة فناولني تفاحة فأكلتها فصارت نطفة في ظهري فلما نُزِلَت من السماء واقعَت خديجة ففاطمةٌ من تلك النطفة فكلَّما اشتقتُ إلى تلك التفاحة قبّلتهَا. English Translation: And it is mentioned that he used to kiss her in her mouth and suck her tongue, from Aisha who said: I said: O Messenger of Allah! What is with you that when you kiss Fatimah, you put your tongue in her mouth as if you want to give her honey?! He said: When I was ascended, Jibril took me into Paradise and gave me an apple, so I ate it, and it became a drop in my spine. When it descended from heaven, it met Khadijah, so Fatimah is from that drop. Whenever I miss that apple, I kiss her. Grade: Not specified (some related narrations noted as fabricated in other sources) Link to reference
Another narration adds more detail:
Book: Zakhair Ul Uqba Fi Manaqib Zawil Qurba, Author: Imam Mohib uddin Tibri, Page: n79 Arabic: وعن ابن عباس رضي الله عنهما قال: كان النبي يكل يُكشر القبّلَ لفاطمة. فقالت له عائشة: إنك تكثر تقبيل فاطمة! فقال يك: إن ريل – ليلة أسري بي أدخلني الجنة فأطعمني من جميع ثمارها فصار ماءٌ في صلبي حملت خديجة بفاطمة. فإذا اشتقت إلى تلك الثمار قبّلت فاطمة فأصبت من رائحتها جميع تلك الثمار التي أكلتها. English Translation: From Ibn Abbas: The Prophet used to kiss Fatimah. Aisha said to him: You kiss Fatimah a lot! He said: One night during the Isra, I was taken into Paradise and fed from all its fruits, so it became water in my loins, and Khadijah bore Fatimah from it. So when I miss those fruits, I kiss Fatimah and get from her scent all those fruits I ate. Grade: Not specified Link to reference
Muslims, if these stories are meant to show love, why involve sucking tongues? Doesn’t this cross boundaries that even Islam sets for modesty?
Muhammad’s Actions with His Grandchildren Hassan and Hussain
Hadiths also describe Muhammad’s interactions with his young grandsons in ways that involve their mouths and private areas. These include sucking their tongues, letting them suck his, and even kissing their genitals. Such acts with children, especially family, feel like they blur lines into something harmful. If Muhammad is the best example, why do these seem like they could encourage wrong behavior today?
First, a hadith about sucking Hassan’s tongue:
Book: Musnad Ahmad, Hadith Number: 16848
Arabic: حَدَّثَنَا هَاشِمُ بْنُ الْقَاسِمِ ، حَدَّثَنَا حَرِيزٌ ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عَوْفٍ الْجُرَشِيِّ ، عَنْ مُعَاوِيَةَ ، قَالَ: رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَمُصُّ لِسَانَهُ أَوْ قَالَ شَفَتَهُ، يَعْنِي الْحَسَنَ بْنَ عَلِيٍّ صَلَوَاتُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ وَإِنَّهُ لَنْ يُعَذَّبَ لِسَانٌ، أَوْ شَفَتَانِ مَصَّهُمَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ
English Translation: I saw the Messenger of Allah sucking the tongue or lip of Al-Hasan ibn Ali, and that tongue or lip will not be punished, as the Messenger of Allah sucked it.
Grade: Sahih Link to reference
Another about putting his mouth into Hassan’s:
Book: Al-Adab Al-Mufrad, Hadith Number: 1183
Arabic: حَدَّثَنَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ الْمُنْذِرِ قَالَ: حَدَّثَنِي ابْنُ أَبِي فُدَيْكٍ قَالَ: حَدَّثَنِي هِشَامُ بْنُ سَعْدٍ، عَنْ نُعَيْمِ بْنِ الْمُجْمَرِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ: مَا رَأَيْتُ حَسَنًا قَطُّ إِلاَّ فَاضَتْ عَيْنَايَ دُمُوعًا، وَذَلِكَ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم خَرَجَ يَوْمًا، فَوَجَدَنِي فِي الْمَسْجِدِ، فَأَخَذَ بِيَدِي، فَانْطَلَقْتُ مَعَهُ، فَمَا كَلَّمَنِي حَتَّى جِئْنَا سُوقَ بَنِي قَيْنُقَاعٍ، فَطَافَ فِيهِ وَنَظَرَ، ثُمَّ انْصَرَفَ وَأَنَا مَعَهُ، حَتَّى جِئْنَا الْمَسْجِدَ، فَجَلَسَ فَاحْتَبَى ثُمَّ قَالَ: أَيْنَ لَكَاعٌ؟ ادْعُ لِي لَكَاعًا، فَجَاءَ حَسَنٌ يَشْتَدُّ فَوَقَعَ فِي حِجْرِهِ، ثُمَّ أَدْخَلَ يَدَهُ فِي لِحْيَتِهِ، ثُمَّ جَعَلَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَفْتَحُ فَاهُ فَيُدْخِلُ فَاهُ فِي فِيهِ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أُحِبُّهُ، فَأَحْبِبْهُ، وَأَحِبَّ مَنْ يُحِبُّهُ.
English Translation: Abu Hurayra said: I never saw al-Hasan without my eyes overflowing with tears. That is because the Prophet went out one day and found me in the mosque. He took my hand and I went along with him. He did not speak to me until we reached the market of Banu Qaynuqa’. He walked around it and looked. Then he left and I left with him until we reached the mosque. He sat down and wrapped himself in his garment. Then he said, ‘Where is the little one? Call the little one to me.’ Hasan came running and jumped into his lap. Then he put his hand in his beard. Then the Prophet opened his mouth and put his mouth in his mouth. Then he said, O Allah, I love him, so love him and the one who loves him! Link to reference
Now, about kissing the private parts:
Book: Al-Mu’jam al-Kabir by Al-Tabarani, Hadith Number: 12615
Arabic: حَدَّثَنَا الْحَسَنُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ الْفَسَوِيُّ ثنا خَالِدُ بْنُ يَزِيدَ الْبَصْرِيُّ ثنا جَرِيرٌ عَنْ قَابُوسَ بْنِ أَبِي ظَبْيَانَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ «رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ فَرَّجَ فَخِذَيِ الْحُسَيْنِ وَقَبَّلَ زَبِيبَتَهُ»
English Translation: I saw the Messenger of Allah parting the thighs of Al-Husayn and kissing his little penis.
Grade: Hassan Link to reference
A similar one for Hassan:
Book: Tarikh al-Islam by Al-Dhahabi, Page: 32 Arabic: وقال جرير بن عبد الحميد، عن قابوس، عن أبيه، عن ابن عباس: إن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فرج بين فخذي الحسن وقبل زبيبته. قابوس: حسن الحديث. English Translation: And Jarir bin Abdul-Hamid, from Qabus, from his father, from Ibn Abbas: The Messenger of Allah parted between the thighs of Al-Hasan and kissed his little penis.
Grade: Hassan Link to reference / Alternative
From Shia sources, there’s this about letting Hussain suck his tongue:
Book: Fatimah Al-Zahra (‘A) From The Cradle To The Grave, Chapter: 10 Arabic: (Not provided in source, but described) English Translation: The Prophet took al-Husayn and placed his noble tongue in his mouth, whereupon al-Husayn began sucking it. The Messenger of Allah would come to visit him every day and would give al-Husayn his noble tongue to suck on, until his flesh developed, and his bones became firm through the blessed saliva of the Messenger of Allah. Link to reference
And for Hasan:
Book: Fatimah Al-Zahra (‘A) From The Cradle To The Grave, Chapter: 10 Arabic: (Not provided in source, but described) English Translation: The Prophet kissed al-Hasan and placed his tongue in the child’s mouth. The baby sucked the Prophet’s noble tongue. Link to reference
Muslims, why kiss a child’s genitals or suck tongues? In today’s world, this could be seen as pedophilic or incestuous. If these hadiths are authentic, does that mean such acts are okay if done by a prophet? Logically, shouldn’t a divine example avoid anything that might harm children?
Wrapping Up
These hadiths paint a picture of Muhammad’s family interactions that clash with current ethics. From sucking Fatimah’s tongue to kissing his grandsons’ private parts, they challenge the idea of him as a flawless guide. Muslims, have you read these? Do they make you doubt? We’re open to your thoughts—let’s discuss rationally. More posts coming soon!