The Baalawi Lineage Dispute: A Foucaultian Perspective on Ḥadīth about Ahl al-Bayt in Social Media Debates

This article analyzes the claims made by the Instagram account @hadits_lemah concerning the controversy surrounding the validity of the Baalawi lineage through Michel Foucault’s theory of the relationship between power and knowledge. The analysis of ḥadīths related to lineage and Ahl al-Bayt reveals that the content posted by @hadits_lemah, which questions the authenticity of Fāṭimah’s lineage, has sparked significant controversy. The account refers to Shaykh al-Albānī to label the ḥadīth as weak (ḍa‘īf), leading many to conclude that Fāṭimah’s lineage was cut off, although further analysis confirms the ḥadīth’s weakness. The provocative content has triggered harsh responses, including insults and slander directed at Habibs and the Baalawi in Indonesia. What began as a scholarly discourse has devolved into personal attacks and hate speech, driven by dissatisfaction with certain Baalawi figures who are perceived not to be descendants of the Prophet due to their lack of prophetic ethics. In contemporary Indonesian Islam, respect for the Ahl al-Bayt of the Prophet is deeply rooted in the teachings of the Qur’ān and ḥadīth, though its practice varies among scholars. While some emphasize respect regardless of character, others argue that respect should be based on piety and righteous deeds, underscoring that actions, not lineage, determine nobility in Islam.
Keywords: Ḥadīth, Baalawi, Lineage of the Prophet’s Descendants, Ahl al-Bayt.