Outstanding Lady

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“The world’s most outstanding Lady: Fatima az-Zahra”

By: Ayatullah Nasir Makarem Shirazi


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Dedication:

"Surely We have given you kawthar.
Therefore pray to your lord and make a sacrifice.
Surely your enemy is the one who shall be without
posterity." [Quran]

[Note: Kawthar is Heavenly Fountain of unabounded grace and benefits.]


A gift to the holy presence of the Master of the Age
(Waliyul Asr) (Imam Mahdi, may God hasten his appearance):

O’ God, at this time and for all the time, for the
master of Your command, Imam Zaman Hujjah ibn
al-Hassan (may Your blessings be upon him and his
progeny) be Supervisor, Guard, Leader, Helper and
Guide, and Guardian until you bring the world under
his leadership, and his profiting it for many ages.

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#

The Painful Fate of Women throughout History

The Holy Prophet said: “Maryam was the Lady of the
women of her time, but my daughter Fatima is the lady
of the whole worlds’ women, from the first to the
last.”

Throughout history women have had a very painful
story. Their physical weakness in contrast to the
opposite sex- man being the reason why the bullies and
despots throughout history endeavoured to trample
their human identity. What crimes they committed to
this end! Especially in Arabia during “The Age of
Ignorance”, (even though at that time the whole
world had sunk into ignorance), the identity of woman
was more than anywhere else trodden upon; to such an
extent that a woman was exchanged like a piece of
merchandise. A share in the inheritance of men was not
granted to them.

They saw the birth of a girl as a disgrace. And, as we
know, buried newborn baby-girls alive. They even
ignored the laws of nature saying that the children of
our daughters are not our children. our children are
only those of our sons. This Poem has remained from
that age for us as a reminder of this very belief of
theirs:

”The offspring of our sons are our progeny -and on the
other hand the offspring of our daughters are the off
springs of alien men.”

But when Islam came into the ring to revive human and
godly values, it began fighting this ignorant belief,
and it rose to restore the lost identity of woman.
It did this by preaching cultural counsel and
education; by creating laws for women’s benefit and
allowing them participation in various activities and,
finally, with severe action against those who were not
willing to surrender to these realities.

In another tradition, we read that:
Assma bint Omays, the wife of Jafar bin Abi Talib
returned with her husband from Habasha and came to
see the Prophet’s wives. One of the first Questions
she asked was: “Have any of the verses of the Quran
been revealed in regard to women?” They (the wives of
the Holy Prophet) claimed to have no Knowledge of
this!

Assma came to see the Holy Prophet and said: “O
Prophet of God! Is the female sex caught with loss and
detriment? (maybe she had the right to say this
because for many years she had stayed away from the
country of the revelation, and thought that the
remains of the principles that ruled the society in
the Age of Ignorance, still remained.)
The Prophet asked: “why?”
She said: “Because in Islam and the Quran no virtue
has been announced in relation to them as there has
been for men.”

Even though it was the fifth year of the hijra and
eighteen years after the rise of Islam, while in
relation to the restoration of the identity of woman
much points had been revealed in the Holy Quran and
habit, for more emphasis on this matter, verse of
the chapter Azhab (the Allies) was also revealed. It
is a verse that is in reality the one that states all
values, all of the values that are alike in women and
men, and of which (women) posseses the most superior
footing.
These values are summed up in ten parts;
It commands:

“Surely the men who submit and the women who submit”
“And the believing men and the believing women”
“And the obeying men and the obeying women”
“And the truthful men and the truthful women”
“And the patient men and the patient women”
“And the humble men and the humble women”
“And the almsgiving men and the almsgiving women”
“And the fasting men and the fasting women”
“And the men who guard their private parts and the
women who guard”
“And the men who remember God much and the women who
remember”
“God has prepared for them Forgiveness and a great
reward.”

And thus Islam spoke its words on this subject,
showing that men and women walk side by side in the
course of life towards God and human values; in the
event that enjoy the same conditions along this
course.

Some are surprised at how Islam has given the right to
women to demand a salary for suckling her own
children:

“Then if they suckle for you give them their
recompense”

Which woman would demand a reward or salary for
suckling her child, especially when she lives jointly
with a man?!
But it shouldn’t be forgotten that this command is so
that Islam can say, not only is woman a human being
and possessing all human rights, not only does she
have the right to decide about her own property, and
man has no right to repress this right of hers without
her consent, but also if she wishes, she may demand
her recompense for suckling (her child). What a deep
impression did this order make in that environment?!

In short, women of the world have a great obligation
to Islam, because it saved them from the grip of the
tyranny of history’s oppressors on condition that
Islamic instructions are carried out properly and in
detail.

#

The Splendorous Birth of Fatima

”Fatima is a part of me, and the light of my eyes, the
fruit of my heart, and my soul… and she is Huri
with Human qualities”.

In that year, which was the fifth year of his mission,
the Prophet of Islam was in the worst
situation and isolated under the most difficult
conditions.
Islam was isolated and the first few muslims were
severely under pressure.
The environment of Mecca was dark and dim as a result
of idol worship, polytheism, ignorance superstitions,
Arab tribal wars, the sovereignty of power, and the
poverty of the masses.
The Prophet was looking forward to the future, a
bright future behind these black oppressing clouds, a
future that, with regard to the ordinary, external
means (at hand), was too far and probably impossible
to reach.
In this same year, an important event occurred in the
prophet’s life. By the command of God, he was taken on
his Ascension to observe the Kingdom of the Heavens.
And accordingly he was shown the magnificent signs of
God in the area of the exalted heavens; so his great
soul became greater and well - prepared for acceptance
of a greater mission with greater hope.
From a narrative emphasized by both sunni and shia,
we read; the Prophet on the night of his ascension
was passing through heaven, Gabriel gave his lordship
some of the fruit of the “Tooba” tree, and when the
Holy Prophet returned to earth, the seed of
Fatima Zahra was coagulated from that heavenly fruit
(she was conceived).
It is reported that the Prophet kissed Fatima
frequently; one day his wife, Aisha criticized
this and said: “Why do you kiss your daughter so
much!?”
The Prophet said in reply:
“Whenever I kiss Fatima, I smell the scent of the
Highest Heaven in her.”
It was thus that this great child, from the pure
extract of Heavenly fruit and a father such as the
Holy Prophet mother such as “Khadijah”; on the
twentieth day of Jamadi al-Thani, came into the world,
and the taunts and reproaches of the prophet’s
opposers, that he was as they thought without a
“succeeding generation”, were all made in vain. And by
the contents of the Quranic chapter Kawthar, Fatima
Zahra was made the gushing spring for the
continuation of the prophet’s lineage and the guiding
Imams, and great blessings through the centuries and
ages until Doom’s Day.

This heavenly lady had nine names each being more
meaningful than the other; Fatima, Siddiqa,
Tahira, Mubaraka, Zakiya, Radhiya,
Mardhiya, Muhadditha, and Zahra, of which each is a
statement of the qualities and blessings of her
blessed being.

It is enough to say that her famous name “Fatima”
contains the greatest of good tidings for the
followers of her school, this being because it is from
the root word - “Fatm”, meaning, being separated or
taken off from Milk. According to one hadith narrated
from the Holy Prophet he asked the commander of
the faithful Ali :
“Do you know why my daughter was named Fatima?” Ali
replied:
“Please say so.”
He said:
“Because she and the Shia, the followers of her
school, are separated from the fires of Hell.”

From among her names the name “Zahra” also has a
special luminosity and brightness; It was asked of
Imam Sadiq : Why do they call Fatima “Zahra”?
He replied; Because “Zahra” means shining, and Fatima
was such that when she stood in the “Mihrab” of prayer
her light was a radiance for the inhabitants of the
skies (heavens), just as the light of the stars is for
the inhabitants of earth (is radiant). Therefore she
was given the name “Zahra”.
When “Khadijah”, who was a lady of status famous for
her greatness, married the Prophet of Islam,
the women of Mecca broke off their relations with her,
saying; she married a poor, orphaned young man and has
lowered her personal status!
This situation continued until Khadijah. became
pregnant and the foetus was none other than Fatima
Zahra.
When it came time for the birth she sent for-the women
of Quraish and asked them to come to her aid in this
sensitive hour full of pain and suffering, and not
leave her alone. But she was confronted with this
cold, painful answer:
“You did not listen to our advice, you married the
orphan of Abu Talib who has no wealth, we will not
come to your aid!”
The faithful Khadijah was greatly saddened by this
ugly, meaningless message but deep in her heart the
light of hope shone, that her God would not leave her
alone at a time like this.
The difficult, critical moments of giving birth began;
she was alone in her home, and not a woman who could
aid her was there. Her heart grew heavier, and the
roaring waves of the people’s unkindness tormented her
pure soul.
Suddenly there shone a flash in the horizon of her
soul, she opened her eyes and saw four women near her,
and she became greatly worried.
One of the four women called:
“Be not afraid, nor sad. Your kind God has sent us to
your aid, we are your sisters.”
I am Sarah! And this is Asiah the wife of the pharaoh,
who will be one of your friends in heaven. The other
is Maryam, daughter of Omran; and this fourth that you
see is the sister of Musa ibn Omran; Kolthoom!
We have come so that at this hour we may be of aid to
you.
And they remained with her until Fatima the Lady of
Islam Opened her eyes to the world.
Yes, as evidence to this:
“(As for) Those who say, Our Lord is God, Then
continue in the right way, the angels descend upon
them, saying: Fear not, nor be grieved.”

Here in addition to Angels, women of high worldly
status rushed to the aid of the faithful persevering
Khadijah.
The birth of this auspicious child so pleased the
Prophet that he began speaking in the praise and
eulogy of God, and the tongues of the ill-wishes who
called him “Abtar” were forever silenced.
God gave tidings of this blessed child to the Prophet
in the Quranic kawthar, saying:

”Surely We have given you the Kawthar…”

Therefore pray to your Lord and make a sacrifice;
surely your enemy is the one who shall be without
posterity.

#

The Extraordinary Love of the Prophet for Zahra


“Whenever I long for paradise, I kiss the throat of
Fatima.”

All of the historians and masters of the hadith have
written that the Prophet had an astonishing
attachment to his daughter, Fatima.
It is certain that the Prophet’s affection was not
only because of their relationship as father and
child, even though this sentiment swelled the
prophet’s being. The phrases and words the Prophet
spoke when he expressed his affection for his daughter
Fatima showed that there are other standards
being propounded.
This affection is one of a kind. Love of the beloved
of God is love of God.
From the many narratives that have come to us on this
subject it is enough to just mention the following
ones from the famous books of shia and sunni;

“There is no man more loved by the Prophet than
“the commander of the Faithful” Ali and no
women more loved than Fatima.”

It is interesting that a large group of these hadiths
were reported by Aisha.
When this honourable verse was revealed.

“Make not the calling of the messenger among you as
your calling of one another.”

The Muslims did not address the prophet as “O’
Muhammad” anymore, instead they said: “O’ Messenger of
God.”

Fatima says:
After this verse was revealed I didn’t dare call my
father as (father dear!), and when I went to him I
would say, “O’ Messenger of God”.
One or two times I repeated this address.
I saw that the prophet became upset and turned
face away from me. The third time he turned to me and
said:
“O’ Fatima this verse was not revealed for you, and
not for your family, and descendents. You are of me
and I am of you. This was revealed in relation to the
oppressors and bad-disposition, ill-mannered of
Quraish.”
Then he added this surprising spirit-nurturing
sentence:
“Say (father dear), for this word is more life giving
for the heart and more pleasing for God”

Yes, the soothing music of Fatima’s “father dear” did
the same thing to the prophet’s soul as a spring
breeze would to the tree’s delicate blossoms.
In another hadith it has come to us that the Holy
Prophet was so eager for Fatima that
whenever he went on a trip the last person to bid him
farewell was Fatima. And when he returned from a trip
the first person to rush to see him was Fatima.
This hadith was also narrated by many of the narrators
of hadiths, both shia and sunni; that the Prophet
said:

“Whoever harms her has harmed me and whoever angers
her has made me angry;
Whoever makes her glad has made me glad, and whoever
saddens her has made me sad.”

Without doubt the exalted personal identity of Fatima
, her bright future, and the position of the
Gnosticism, faith and worship, necessitated all of
this respect. This being because all of the lmams were
of her offspring and she was the wife of the great man
of Islam “The Leader of the Believers”, Ali .
But the Prophet with this action wished to make
the people understand another fact, and to make clear
the perspective of Islam on another basis, creating a
revolution in thought and culture, saying:
“A girl is not a creature that should be buried alive.
See, I kiss my daughter’s hand, I seat her in my place
and grant her so much respect and greatness.”
A girl is a human being, just as all other human
beings, she is a blessing of God’s blessings. She is a
godly affection.
A girl may, just as a boy, traverse the degrees of
perfection and find her way to the limits of God’s
esteem.
And in this way the collapsed worth of women in that
dark environment was restored.

#

Fatima At Her Father’s Side

“The first person to come to me in Heaven is Fatima
the daughter of Muhammad.”

At the time when the Muslims were spending their
readiness period in Mecca, their living environment
was severely stormy, and the conditions were extremely
critical.
It was the beginning of Islam and the Muslims were in
strict minority, while all of the power, might,
wealth, and sovereignty was in the hands of the
ruthless; irrational enemies of Islam, and they did
whatever they wished to do.
There was no form of torment that was not brought upon
the Muslims, while there was no boldness or insult
that they didn’t allow in respect to the exalted
position of the prophet.
At this time there were two people who devoted them
selves and showed great generosity;

From among the women was “Khadijah” who dressed the
wounds of the prophet’s with her self - sacrificing,
her affection and pleasantness, her sympathy and
compassion.
The other was “Abu Talib” the great father of “the
Leader of the Believers” Ali who had much
respect and influence among the people of Mecca and
was possessed of extraordinary intelligence, prudence,
and wit; he made himself a powerful shield before the
Prophet and was the kind friend, helper and
protector of the Prophet.

But it is extremely regretful that these two self-
sacrificing friends, and two great personalities and
generous human beings, in the tenth year of the
prophet’s mission, within a short period of time
closed their eyes to the world, making the Prophet
mournful in their deaths.

And in this respect, the Messenger of God remained
alone. The extremity of the prophet’s sorrow in the
mourning of these two personalities, both of whom
played a considerable part in the progress of Islam,
becomes clear for us in that the year of their death
was named “Am-ul-Hozn” meaning “the year of sorrow and
grief”.

But since God replaces the blessings that he gives his
preferred servants with other blessings. Each of these
two great persons left a child as a memorial, who
exactly filled their places.

Ali just as his father was the friend and
helper, protector (supporter) and defender of the
Prophet, he was also previously such helper; but,
after Abu Talib, he filled his empty place.
And “Khadijah” left her daughter “Fatima” as a
memorial, a girl who was kind, generous, brave and
self - sacrificing and who was always at the side of
her “father”, cleaning away the dust and dirt of
suffering and hardship from the pure heart of her
father.

“The Leader of the Believers” Ali according
to well known hadith had not aged more than five years
in her blessed life. It is interesting here to note
that both lived in the house of the prophet. And were
his companions in his hours of loneliness.
There were still three years left before the Hejira,
three years full of unpleasant incidents and severe
storms of life, full of suffering and weariness,
persecutions and contempt and the continued efforts of
the enemy for the elimination of Islam and the
Muslims.

Sometimes a hard-hearted enemy would throw dirt or
ashes on the head of the Prophet. when he returned
home Fatima would clean away the dirt or ashes from
his head and face while tears filled her eyes. The
Holy Prophet would then say:

“My daughter, don’t be sad and don’t shed tears, God
is the Protector and Guardian of your father!”

Sometimes enemies would gather at the Stone of Isma’il
and swear to the idols that wherever they find
“Muhammad” they will kill him.
Fatima would hear of this and inform her
father so that he would be more careful.
And this shows us that not only inside the home but
also outside, Fatima thought of her father’s
defence and salutation.
In one of these very years, Abu Jahl encouraged a
group of Makkan ruffians to throw the paunch of a
sheep on the Prophets head while he was bowing in
prayer at the “Masjid al-Haram”. When this was done
Abu Jahl and his companions began laughing, ridiculing
and mocking the Prophet.

Some of the Prophet’s supporters saw this scene but
the ruthless enemy was so prepared that they did not
have the power for defence. When this news reached the
ears of his little girl Fatima, she rushed to
the “Masjid al-Haram” and took the paunch and with
bravery particular to her, punished Abu Jahl and his
supporters with the sword of her tongue, and cursed
them.
Yes, in that place where some of the courageous men
did not have the nerve of defending the Prophet;
this brave young girl was present and went to the
defence of her father.

This period of time, whatever it was, passed. The Holy
Prophet set out on his hejira to Medina. Fatima
must be temporally separated from her father,
remaining at home alone until the time that permission
for hejira would be given to her. This all happened
when she was not more than eight years old. But just
as Ali in the critical, sensitive moments of
the hejira slept in the bed of the prophet, thus
passed his test in self - sacrifice and generosity,
putting his body in exposure to the swords of the
enemy, Fatima also with out complaint or
impatience announced her readiness to accept this new
mission.

But the period of her separation couldn’t be too
lengthy, and she must always stay at her father's
side, and in the environment of Medina just as in
Mecca, continue her defence, and wash away the dust
and dirt of sadness and difficult incidents from the
sparkling heart of her father. Therefore, after a few
days in company of Fatima bint Omais and another
Fatima of Bani Hashem, accompanied by Ali she
came to Medina.

Fatima not only on normal days (even though
the Prophet had very few of these days), but even
on stormy days of war in the range of tasks that she
was commissioned to perform, defended the holy Prophet.

When the war of Uhud came to an end and the enemy
troops had just left the scene, while the prophet
with an injured forehead and a broken tooth,
was still in the field, Fatima rushed quickly
to Uhud and, even though she was still a young girl of
a few years of age, she traversed the distance from
Medina to Uhud on foot and with great eagerness. She
washed her father’s face with water, cleaning his
countenance of blood, but the wound on his forehead
was still bleeding.

She burned a piece of mat and poured the ashes on the
wound and stopped the bleeding. What is even more
surprising is that, for the conflict that occurred the
following day, she prepared arms for her father.
In the war of Ahzab, which was one of the most painful
of the Islamic wars with the infidels, and during the
events of the conquest of Mecca on the day that the
victorious Islamic Army, with the necessary
precautions, took the last fortification of polytheism
from the Polytheists, cleansing the House of God of
the contamination of the existence of idols. We again
see that on both, occasions Fatima was at her
father’s side. During the war of Ahzab, she came to
the trench and prepared a simple meal that was nothing
more than a loaf of bread for the Prophet who had
remained hungry for several days. And at the time of
the conquest of Mecca, she put up his tent and
prepared the water for his ablutions, so that he could
wash the dust and dirt from body, put on clean
clothes, and proceed to the “Masjid al-Haram”.

#

Fatima The Loyal wife of Ali

“In the event that Ali would not have been created,
there would have been no one worthy to be Fatima’s spouse.”

A Marriage Made in Heaven

The extraordinary virtues of Fatima on one side, and
on the other side, her blood relations with the
Prophet and still on another side, the nobility of
her family, caused many of the high - ranking
supporters of the Prophet to propose to her; but
all heard negative answers.
The interesting point here being that the Prophet
would usually answer them, saying:
“Her matter is in the hands of her Lord.”

The strangest case was the proposal of “Abdul Rahman
Ibn Awf”, that rich man who, by the customs of Age of
Ignorance, looked at everything through the material
viewing window, visualizing a heavy dowry as the sign
of a woman’s personal status and the superior position
of the husband.
He came to see the Prophet, saying:
“If you will give Fatima to me in marriage, I will
make her a dower of one hundred camels with loads of
precious material from Egypt along with Dinars
in gold!”

The Prophet was so enraged by this meaningless
proposal that he took a handful of gravel and threw it
towards Abdul Rahman and said:
“You thought that I was a servant of money and wealth
that you are expressing pride in your money and
wealth.”

Yes, in Fatima’s marriage proposal, Islamic examples
must be defined, the customs of ignorance suppressed,
and the standards of Islamic values made clear.
The people were speaking of these very things when
suddenly everywhere it was heard that the prophet
wished to give his only daughter to Ali ibn
Abi Talib in marriage. Ali ibn Talib who
was in accessed to worldly wealth and possessions, and
possessed none of the standards of the Age of
Ignorance, but was instead from head to toe full of
faith and real Islamic values.
When they investigated this, it became clear that the
indicator I guide of the Prophet in this blessed
historical marriage was a heavenly revelation, because
he said himself:

“An Angel of God came to me and said; God sends you
greetings and says that in heaven I have made Fatima
the wife of Ali ibn Abi Talib. You also marry her to
Ali on earth.”

When Ali came for his marriage proposal of
Fatima, his face was red with shyness. When
the Prophet saw him, he became cheerful and
smiling saying, for what have you come to me?
But Ali because of the imposing presence of
the Prophet, could not put forth his wish, and as
such remained silent.
The Prophet, who was informed of Ali's inner self,
said:
“Maybe you have come for marriage proposal of
Fatima?”
He replied:
“Yes, I have come for that very purpose.”
The Prophet said:
“Ali before you, other Men had come for proposal of
Fatima. Whenever I informed Fatima of this matter,
she would not show her approval. Right now, let me
inform her of this conversation.”

It is true that the marriage was heavenly and must
take place. But especially, the personal status of
Fatima and, generally, the respect and freedom
of women in choosing their husbands, made it necessary
that the Prophet of Islam should not go ahead in this
matter without the consent of Fatima.
When the Prophet described the virtues of Ali
for his daughter saying:
“I wish to make you the wife of the best of God’s
creation. What is your opinion?”
Fatima, who was submerged in shyness and modesty,
lowered her head saying nothing and making no denial.
The Prophet raised his head and spoke this
historical sentence, which is a document for Islamic
Jurisprudents in relation to the Marriage of
previously unmarried girls:
“God is the Greatest. Her silence is the proof of her
agreement.”

And, following these events, the marriage contract was
concluded by the Holy Prophet.

Fatima’s Dowry

Now let us see what Fatima's dowry consisted
of.
It is without doubt that the marriage of the best of
the men in the world with the princess of the world's
women, must in every way be an example, an example for
all centuries and ages. Therefore the Prophet
turned to Ali saying:
“Do you have something to stipulate as your wife’s
dowry?”
He replied:
“May my parents be your sacrifice, as you well know,
my belongings consist of nothing more than my sword,
armour, and a camel.”
The Prophet said:
“That is right. Your sword is needed during battles
with the enemies of Islam.
And you must water your palm orchards with your camel,
and also use it on Journeys. Therefore, you may only
stipulate your armour as your wife’s dowry, and I give
in may daughter Fatima to you against this
very armour.”

This is one side of the story, but, on the other side,
we read in hadiths that Fatima asked her
father to make her dowry an intercession for the
wrongdoers of the nation on the Resurrection Day. This
request was granted and Gabriel revealed this command
to the Prophet from Heaven.
This is how incorrect values must be broken and
replaced with pure values. And this is the custom of
faithful men and women. And this is the way of life
for the true leaders of God’s servants.

Fatima’s Trousseau

In all times, dowry, trousseau and the wedding
ceremony were the three difficulties placed before
families in the matters of life, with the traces of
its rain of adversity remaining with the couple until
the end of their lives.
Sometimes verbal deputes and quarrels, and sometimes
bloody fights were created as a result of these
matters. And what wealth has been wasted because of
our imitation of one another and tasteless, childish
rivalry.

Still, even now, the sediments of these ignorant
thoughts are not few in those who speak of Islam.
But, the trousseau of the Lady of Islam must, just as
her dowry, be a model for all.
This might surprise you but, the Prophet ordered
that Ali’s armour be sold and the money brought to
him, which amounted to about Dirhams.

The Prophet divided this money into three parts. one
part he gave to Bilal to buy a nice scented perfume.
And the other two parts were put aside for buying
clothes and household goods.
It is clear how simple and cheap these goods must have
been, to have been bought with such an insignificant
amount of money.
In historical records, it has been recorded that the
trousseau bought with this money consisted of
pieces, of which the most important are listed below;

large scarf for Dirhams.
piece of dress material for Dirham.
bed made of wood and palm leaves.
Pillows of sheep skin filled with a sweet smelling
grass called “Azkhar”
woollen curtain.
mat
hand mill
Leather water-skin
Copper wash-tub
Large container for milking
Large Green-colored earthen pot (pitcher) and so on.

This was the trousseau of the Lady of the world’s
women.

The Wedding Ceremony

The honourable Prophet of Islam in this
ceremony, which was for the establishment of a family,
and by which an important part of Islam's history was
changed, and of which the pure successors of the
Prophet would all come into existence; executed
such a program that his enemies became angered and his
friends made proud! Also causing those who were
distant to Ponder upon it.

“Umm Salma” and “Umm Aiman”, who were two virtuous
women of Islam, and had great affection for the great
Lady Fatima Zahra, came to the Prophet of
Islam Saying:
“O’ honourable Prophet of God! Indeed, if Khadijah
were alive she would really be happy with the
convening of Fatima’s wedding ceremony, Isn’t that
so?"

Tears came into the eyes of the Messenger of God
upon hearing the name of that devoted Lady,
and he began remembering all of the Kindness and
generosity of Khadijah, saying:
“Where can a woman be found like Khadijah?
Those days when all of the people denied me, she
confirmed me, placing all of her wealth and life in my
hands for spreading of God’s religion. She was the
very Lady whom God ordered me to inform that an
emerald castle will be granted to her in the exalted
Heavens.
Umm Salma, when she heard this, saw the inner
revolution and burning of the Prophet and said:
“O’ Messenger of God! My parents be your sacrifice!
Whatever you say about Khadijah is the truth; but at
any rate, she welcomed God’s invitation and has rushed
to the vicinity of His Mercy. Hopefully, God will
house her in the best place in Heaven.
But, the matter for which we have come to your blessed
presence is something else, and that being this: your
brother and cousin, Ali, wishes you to permit him to
take his wife Fatima to his home, and in this way
bring order to his life.”
The Prophet said:
“Why didn’t Ali bring this proposal to me
him-self?”
Umm Salma replied: “Shyness and modesty prevented
him.”
Here, the Prophet told Umm Aiman:
“Go and tell him to come here.”
Ali came and sat before the Prophet but his
head was lowered out of shyness.
The Prophet said:
“Do you wish to take your wife home?”
Ali, while his head was still lowered, said:
“Yes, may my parents be your sacrifice.”
What is interesting is that, contrary to what is usual
among those people who worship opulence and who
begging planning months ahead of this ceremony, the
Prophet happily said:
“I will arrange for it either tonight or tomorrow
night.”
And right then he gave the orders to arrange for the
preparation of a very simple celebration that was full
of spirituality and holiness.
As for the formalities of this Heavenly celebration,
and its ceremonies, it was conducted so simply and
without trouble, that hearing it, is quite astonishing
for us these days.
Ali said:
A bit of the money from the armour I had sold
previously had been given to “Umm Salma” for
safekeeping and during the nuptial ceremony he took
Dirhams from her and gave it to me saying: “Buy some
Oil, dates, and Kashk with this money. I did this.
Then the Prophet himself rolled up his sleeves and
mixed these things together with his own hands
preparing a meal, serving the people with this very
food.

Then he (the Prophet) said “Oh Ali invite whomever you
wish”. I left for the mosque where many companions of
the Prophet were gathering. I said answer to the
prophet’s call. They arose and headed together towards
the Prophet. I told the prophet they were a large
crowd; he covered the food with a sheet and said:
“show them in, ten at a time”, and so I did. The
people kept going in, eating and leaving, all the
while the food seemed unabated. In all seven hundred
men and women ate from that (date and yogurt) dish
with the Prophet’s blessing.

It is interesting here that, at the end of the
ceremony, when all of the people had returned to their
homes and the house became empty, the prophet of Islam
placed Fatima on his left side and Ali
on his right, and wished them good luck by spraying a
bit of sacred saliva from his mouth on both Fatima
and Ali, Praying for them, saying:

“God! They are of me and I am of them. O lord! Just as
you removed every kind of filth and impurity from me,
also remove it from them making them Pure.” And then
he said:
“Get up and go home. May God bless both of you.”

The lovers of the material world and the weak
believers who are under the influence of material
world’s sparkle, who see a family’s respect, honour,
and status, and the blessings and grandeur of the
wedding ceremony in those back -breaking, oppressive
formalities and luxurious articles, should see this
and learn a lesson. They should see and get
inspiration from this program that is a lesson in
humanity and is the substance of the happiness of all
boys and girls. And, see an example of Islamic
teachings in a living, working way in the events of
the “Proposal”, “Dower”, “Trousseau” and “Wedding” of
Fatima Zahra in the pages of history.

#

Fatima After the Prophet’s Death

“After the death of the Prophet, she continually
wore the scarf of mourning on her head, possessing
crying eyes and a burning heart.”

The sweet period of the Lady of Islam's life quickly
came to an end with the death of the Holy Prophet of
Islam (even though throughout her lifetime there was
no real sweet period, because there were the constant
pressures, wars, and plots of the enemies against
Islam and the Prophet of Islam taking away
her spiritual peace).
With the death of the prophet, new storms of
complicated critical events blew up.
The hatred and grudges of Badr, khaibar and Honain
that were during the prophet’s time hidden beneath the
ashes became visible.

The sects of the “Hypocrites” went to action to take
their revenge of Islam and also from the Prophet’s
family. Fatima Zahra was in the center of this
circle, of which the poisonous arrows of the enemy
flew at her from every direction

Her separation from her father; the sad, tormenting
innocence of her husband Ali ; the plots of the
enemy against Islam, and the worry of Fatima
for the future of the Muslims and the Quranic
heritage, all joined together, severely straining her
pure heart.

Fatima doesn’t wish to cause Ali greater grief by
relating to him her sadness, because he had already
received a severe blow by these unpleasant
circumstances and misdeeds created by the people.
For this very reason she would go to the grave of the
Prophet and tell him of her grief. And she speaks
heart - rendering words that burn our inner soul just
like burning embers:
“Father dear, after you, I feel lonely. I have
remained perplexed and deprived, my mouth is inclined
to silence, and my back is broken, and the wholesome
water of life has become bitter to my taste.”

And, sometimes she would say:
“The person who smells the pure soil of the grave of
Prophet, it is only fair that until the end of his
life he should smell no other perfume. After you, O’
father, so much suffering has fallen upon me that, if
they were to fall upon bright Jays, they would turn
into dark, gloomy nights.”

Why does Fatima shed tears in this way?
Why is she so restless?
Why is she as wild rue on fire, without stability?
Why?!
The answer to these whys must be heard from her own
words.
Umm Salma says:
“When I went to see the Lady of Islam Fatima
after the death of the prophet, and asked her how she
was, in reply these meaningful sentences were spoken
by her:
Why are you asking me how I am Umm Salma, when I am
caught in the middle of much sadness and suffering? On
the one hand I have lost my father, the Prophet
and on the other hand (I see with my own eyes that)
there has been injustice done to his successor, (Ali
ibn Abi Talib).
I swear to God that they have torn the curtain of his
inviolability (reverence).
But I know that these are the grudges of Badr and the
revenges of Uhud, that were hidden in the hearts of
the hypocrites (non-believers).”

All of her defences of the boundaries of the holiness
of everything noble and her support of Ali
right during this time of pain and suffering are not
hidden from anyone.
Even though her life after the Prophet of Islam was as
brief as she had begged God to be, being not more than
two or three months before she rushed to the Holy
Presence of God and met her father. However, in this
Period of time she didn’t omit any self-sacrificing,
generous effort in Ali’s right or for the defence of
Islam.

“Peace be upon you, O’ daughter of the Messenger of
God.”


-- THE END –

Presented by FMB in Moharram, 1430.

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