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Introduction: Fatima al-Zahra, daughter of the Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وآله) (may Allah bless him and his family), is the Mistress of the Women of the Worlds, a part of the Messenger, and the closest of people to him. She holds an exceptional standing in Islamic history and in the creed of the Twelver Imami Shiʿa. She is the daughter of the Seal of the Prophets, the wife of the Commander of the Faithful ʿAli ibn Abi Talib (عليه السلام) (peace be upon him), and the mother of the Pure Imams. What follows is a detailed study of her blessed life from her birth to her martyrdom. It focuses on the most prominent milestones of her life, analyses her doctrinal and spiritual standing in the view of the Imamiyya, and sets out her maẓlūmiyya (the wrongs she suffered) after her father's death according to the reliable Shiʿi narrations.
First: Historical Events in the Life of Lady al-Zahra (ʿa)
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Her Birth and Upbringing in the House of Prophethood
Fatima al-Zahra (عليها السلام) (peace be upon her) was born in Mecca, in the house of Lady Khadija bint Khuwaylid (رضي الله عنها) (may Allah be pleased with her), on 20 Jumada al-Akhira according to the best-known account. Most Shiʿi narrations affirm that she was born in the fifth year of the noble Prophetic mission (biʿtha), that is, five years after her father's prophethood was proclaimed. It is reported in al-Kulayni's al-Kafi, from Imam al-Baqir (ʿa), that she was born five years after the mission (and three years after the Night Journey). The same report states that the Prophet (ṣ) [CHECK: abbreviated honorifics (ص) and (ع) rendered as (ṣ) and (ʿa) throughout; confirm house style] passed on to the proximity of his Lord when Fatima was eighteen years old. This narration indicates that her noble age at her father's death did not exceed 18 years, which means that she was born around 615 CE (that is, 8 or 7 years before the Hijra). The Messenger (ṣ) named her “Fatima” and gave her the title “al-Zahra” (the Radiant) because of the light and purity that shone from her. He also called her “Umm Abiha” (the mother of her father) on account of her great love and care for her father, as though she were a mother to him.
Lady Fatima grew up in the embrace of her father, the Messenger of Allah (ṣ), and her mother Khadija (ʿa), and in her childhood she witnessed momentous events. Revelation, the mission and the struggles of the Islamic call began while she was young. She saw with her own eyes the harm her father suffered from the polytheists of Quraysh after the call was made public. Only a few years of her childhood had passed when she was besieged with her family in the Shiʿb (Valley) of Abu Talib during the boycott that Quraysh imposed on Banu Hashim and the Muslims. In that harsh period Fatima lost her mother Khadija (ʿa), who died while Fatima was still a child. Her father's uncle Abu Talib, the foremost defender of the Messenger (ṣ), also died. Hence that year (around the tenth year of the mission) became known as the “Year of Sorrow”, because the Prophet had lost a supporter and a consoler. Thereafter the plots of Quraysh to assassinate the Prophet (ṣ) intensified, and the Hijra (emigration) to Yathrib became a pivotal event in her life. The Messenger of Allah emigrated in secret, leaving Imam ʿAli (ʿa) in his bed to deceive the enemy. The Imam then followed, bringing the Fawatim (the women named Fatima, among them Fatima al-Zahra) to Medina to keep them safe, under his care and protection, on an arduous journey. Thus Fatima settled in Medina while still in early youth. There she began a new chapter of her life under the care of her father, the Messenger of Allah, and of the young state of Islam.
Her Marriage to the Commander of the Faithful ʿAli (ʿa) and the Founding of Her Family
After the Muslims had settled in Medina and Islamic society began to take shape there, the standing of Fatima bint Muhammad rose among the Muslims owing to her position and unique qualities. She (ʿa) enjoyed special care from her father the Prophet and became well known among people for her knowledge, piety and lofty character. It was therefore natural that the senior Companions should compete to ask for her hand. Historical sources mention that a number of prominent Muslims proposed to her after the Hijra, among them Abu Bakr, ʿUmar ibn al-Khattab and ʿAbd al-Rahman ibn ʿAwf, but none of them was accepted. The Messenger (ṣ) would gently decline, saying to the suitors: «انتظروا بها القضاء» “Wait for the decree concerning her”, that is, wait for Allah's command concerning her. It is reported that some of them were told that the Prophet was awaiting Allah's command regarding her. This was a clear indication that her marriage was a divine matter, preordained.
Indeed, revelation came commanding the Messenger of Allah (ṣ) to marry Fatima to ʿAli ibn Abi Talib (ʿa). The noble hadiths relate that the Prophet said on this occasion: «ما أنا زوّجتك ولكن الله زوّجك» “It was not I who married you; rather, Allah married you”. In one narration he (ṣ) swore, in substance: «والله لو كان في أهلي خيرٌ من علي لزوّجته فاطمة» “By Allah, had there been anyone in my family better than ʿAli, I would have married Fatima to him”. Thus the marriage contract of the Mistress of the Women of the Worlds to her cousin ʿAli (ʿa) was concluded by the command of Allah, Mighty and Majestic, and with the blessing of His Messenger. Her dowry (mahr) was modest. The Prophet (ṣ) suggested to Imam ʿAli that he sell his coat of mail to meet the marriage expenses, and he sold it for four hundred and eighty dirhams, which became al-Zahra's dowry and paid for furnishing her home. The marriage was contracted in the mosque in the presence of the Muslims, as a declaration that this bond was in accordance with the Sunna of Allah and His Messenger. As for the date of the marriage, the narrations state that it took place in the second year of the Hijra, after the Battle of Badr (some say in Shawwal or Dhu al-Hijja of that year). Another view holds that it was after the Battle of Uhud in the third year, but the well-known view is the second year.
Fatima moved to the house of her husband ʿAli (ʿa) to begin an exemplary married life despite its simplicity. She lived in a small, humble house where they had only the ground for a bed and the sky for a cover. The household work was exhausting for her, especially given the hardship of their living. Yet she shared the burdens of life with her husband with patience and contentment. It is even narrated that three days passed in which she found nothing but water, and that al-Hasan and al-Husayn, then small children, were worn out by hunger. Out of compassion for her, the Prophet (ṣ) sent her a servant named Fidda to help her with household affairs. Even so, al-Zahra worked with her own hands, grinding barley and turning the hand-mill until it left marks on her hands. When she asked her father for an additional servant, he taught her the glorification of Allah (which became known as the Tasbih of al-Zahra) to be a spiritual aid for her. In her married life Fatima set the finest example of respect and affection. Out of reverence, she never called ʿAli except by his kunya (“O Abu al-Hasan”). ʿAli (ʿa) would call her by the dearest of titles and return her love and esteem. It is narrated that he once asked her: «كيف تجدينني زوجًا؟» “How do you find me as a husband?” She said: «خيرَ بَعْل» “The best of husbands”. The Prophet (ṣ) asked her about ʿAli, and she said: «نِعْم العَونُ على طاعة الله» “An excellent helper in obedience to Allah”. Thus the couple lived in complete harmony and high spirituality, keeping vigil together through the night in worship and supplication.
Fatima al-Zahra bore five children to the Commander of the Faithful ʿAli (ʿa): al-Hasan (3 AH), al-Husayn (4 AH), Zaynab (5 AH) and Umm Kulthum (6 AH). Historians agree on the existence of these four. As for the fifth, al-Muhsin, she miscarried him and he did not live. The Shiʿi narrations alone mention him, and they state explicitly that he died as a miscarried foetus because of the harm inflicted on his mother after the Prophet's death (as will be detailed below). The two Hasans, al-Hasan and al-Husayn (عليهما السلام) (peace be upon them both), enjoyed the intense love of their grandfather the Prophet (ṣ), who used to say of them: «هذان ريحانتاي من الدنيا» “These two are my sweet basil in this world”. He called Fatima “Umm Abiha” because, after the death of her mother Khadija, she was a tender mother to her children just as she was to her father, the Messenger of Allah.
Her Social Role During the Prophet's (ṣ) Lifetime
Despite her ḥijāb (veiling) and her keeping to her home, al-Zahra (ʿa) had an important role in the nascent Islamic society. She witnessed some events alongside her father, the Messenger of Allah, especially in times of hardship and trial. When the Prophet (ṣ) was wounded at the Battle of Uhud (3 AH) and his noble front tooth was broken, Fatima hurried to treat him and clean his wounds, washing the blood from him until the bleeding stopped. During the Battle of the Trench (al-Ahzab, 5 AH) she stood with the Muslims as they dug the trench. She brought a piece of bread to her father to ease his hunger, saying: «خبزت قرصًا، فلم تطب نفسي حتى آتيك بهذه الكسرة» “I baked a round loaf, and I could not be at ease until I brought you this piece”. She also witnessed her father's victorious entry on the day of the Conquest of Mecca (8 AH) and was close to the events of that great victory. It is not reported that she took part directly in any battle, but her moral presence and her support for the Messenger of Allah and his household carried great weight.
Besides this, Fatima was known for consoling the poor and preferring the needy over herself, which earned her the respect of society. Her history is full of acts of generosity and giving. It is reported that she once gave her necklace to a woman who begged of her in the Prophet's Mosque. Allah then granted her a karāma (miracle granted to a righteous person): after Allah had satisfied the beggar's dependants through her generosity, the necklace was returned to her, honoured. Verses of Surat al-Insan (Hal Ata) were also revealed concerning her and her family. They praise them for feeding the poor, the orphan and the captive for three consecutive days while they were fasting. They had nothing but a few pieces of barley bread, which they gave away in preference to themselves. She was renowned for her constant prayer for others. Her son al-Hasan (ʿa) narrated that he saw her standing «في محرابها ليلة جمعة فلم تزل راكعة ساجدة حتى طلع الفجر، وسمعها تدعو للمؤمنين والمؤمنات وتسميهم واحدًا واحدًا ولا تدعو لنفسها بشيء!» “in her prayer niche on the eve of Friday, and she continued bowing and prostrating until dawn broke; and he heard her praying for the believing men and women, naming them one by one, and praying for nothing for herself!” He asked her about this, and she said: يا بني، الجار ثم الدار “My son, the neighbour first, then the household”. In this she was a model of beneficence and self-devotion for the sake of others.
Her Stance After the Prophet's (ṣ) Death
The death of the Messenger of Allah (ṣ) on 28 Safar 11 AH was the greatest calamity of Fatima's (ʿa) life. She had lost her father, the delight of her eye and her teacher. She grieved for him so intensely that it was said she was never seen smiling after her father's death. She wept every day out of longing for him, until the people of Medina were troubled by the intensity of her weeping. Imam ʿAli (ʿa) therefore built her a small house outside al-Baqiʿ, known as Bayt al-Ahzan (the House of Sorrows), where she could go and lament. In the midst of her grief, al-Zahra was confronted by the grave political events that immediately followed the Prophet's death. Foremost among them was the gathering of some Companions at the Saqifa (portico) of Banu Saʿida and their pledging allegiance to Abu Bakr as caliph, without the presence of the Ahl al-Bayt (the Household of the Prophet) (ʿa). Fatima saw in that gathering the exclusion of the Prophet's waṣī (legatee) and the legitimate guardian of the Umma (that is, her husband ʿAli ibn Abi Talib). She opposed this development from its very first moments. Imam ʿAli (ʿa) and a number of sincere senior Companions gathered in Fatima's house, refusing to give their bayʿa (pledge of allegiance) to Abu Bakr. Among them were Salman al-Farisi, Abu Dharr al-Ghifari, al-Miqdad ibn al-Aswad and al-Zubayr ibn al-ʿAwwam. Al-Zahra held out with them and supported their stance. She knew with certainty that her father, the Messenger of Allah, had appointed ʿAli to the succession at Ghadir Khumm and on other occasions. She saw in diverting the matter from him an injustice to the Messenger's testament and a deviation from the divine course.
The Truthful and Pure One (al-Ṣiddīqa al-Ṭāhira) set out to defend ʿAli's (ʿa) right with all the eloquence and force of argument she had been given. It is narrated that some days after the Saqifa, ʿAli (ʿa) would carry her at night on a mount and take her round the gatherings of the Ansar. She sought their support and aid to recover the usurped right to the caliphate. She would enter their gatherings and remind them of what the Prophet (ṣ) had said about ʿAli on the day of Ghadir Khumm, citing her cousin's merits and virtues. Some of the Ansar addressed her apologetically, saying that they had already pledged allegiance to Abu Bakr: “Had you come to us before his pledge, O ʿAli, we would have preferred no one to you!” Fatima replied angrily that ʿAli had done what was incumbent on him. He would not leave the body of the Messenger of Allah lying unburied and go out to contend for power. Then she rebuked the people for their failing, saying: «ما صنع أبو الحسن إلا ما كان ينبغي له… ولقد صنعوا ما الله حسيبهم وطالبهم» “Abu al-Hasan did nothing but what he ought to have done… and they have done what Allah will reckon with them for and call them to account”. Thus she held them responsible for what had happened and showed them their error in neglecting the Prophet's (ṣ) testament. Her words affected some of them and they felt regret, but most people justified what they had done and went away.
Fatima realised that the general current had surrendered to the fait accompli. She therefore focused her efforts on establishing the wrong done to her and to the Ahl al-Bayt, in the hope that her voice might awaken consciences. The most important thing she did in this regard was her famous sermon known as the Fadakiyya Sermon.
Her Fadak Sermon and Her Claim to Her Inheritance
Fadak was an extensive agricultural land in the Hijaz (near Khaybar). Allah granted it to His Messenger (ṣ) as fayʾ (property gained without fighting), by treaty, in the seventh year of the Hijra. Since the Muslim army had not taken part in its conquest, the Prophet regarded it as his private property by virtue of the ruling of the verse: ﴿وَمَا أَفَاءَ اللَّهُ عَلَى رَسُولِهِ…﴾ “And what Allah restored to His Messenger…”. The Messenger of Allah (ṣ) therefore gave the land of Fadak to his daughter Fatima (ʿa) during his lifetime, to be hers exclusively. She actually possessed it. She had workers who farmed it and brought her its revenue, which she spent in the way of Allah. However, no sooner had Abu Bakr assumed power than he confiscated Fadak and refused to recognise al-Zahra's ownership of it. He cited a narration that he attributed to the Prophet: «نحن معاشر الأنبياء لا نورّث، ما تركناه صدقة» “We, the community of prophets, do not leave inheritance; what we leave is charity”. Fatima (ʿa) firmly rejected this argument and deemed it invalid, since it contradicts the text of the Qur'an on the inheritance of the prophets and infringes her lawful right. She confronted this painful event by delivering an eloquent sermon in the Prophet's Mosque. In it she voiced her grievance on her own behalf and on her husband's, and claimed her usurped inheritance and her niḥla (gift).
In that sermon, which is counted among the masterpieces of eloquence and wisdom, she began with praise and glorification of Allah and with blessings upon her father the Prophet. She then reminded the people of her father's message and of how Islam had brought them from misguidance to guidance. She went on to explain why she had come, addressing the caliph and his supporters: «أيها المسلمون! أأغلب على إرثي؟ يا ابن أبي قحافة! أفي كتاب الله أن ترث أباك ولا أرث أبي؟ لقد جئتَ شيئًا فريّا…» “O Muslims! Am I to be overpowered and deprived of my inheritance? O son of Abu Quhafa! Is it in the Book of Allah that you inherit from your father and I do not inherit from mine? You have indeed brought forth something monstrous…”. She cited the Qur'anic verses that establish inheritance by the offspring of prophets. One is His words, Exalted is He, concerning Zakariyya: ﴿فَهَبْ لِي مِنْ لَدُنْكَ وَلِيًّا * يَرِثُنِي وَيَرِثُ مِنْ آلِ يَعْقُوبَ﴾ “So grant me from Yourself an heir who will inherit from me and inherit from the family of Jacob”. Another is His words concerning Sulayman and Dawud: ﴿وَوَرِثَ سُلَيْمَانُ دَاوُودَ﴾ “And Solomon inherited from David”. She then explained that the Messenger of Allah had given her Fadak during his lifetime. It was therefore a gift and grant, not merely an inheritance, and she demanded its return to her. Those present listened, captivated by her eloquence and the force of her logic. It was even said that Abu Bakr wept and was moved, yet he persisted in his position and did not actually return Fadak. Some historians mention that Abu Bakr was softened by her argument and wrote her a document returning Fadak to her, and that she left with it, pleased. While she was on her way, ʿUmar ibn al-Khattab intercepted her and read the contents of the document. He then kicked her with his foot, knocked her to the ground, snatched the document from her hand and tore it up. This harsh act added to her psychological and physical suffering. Fatima returned heartbroken from this incident, and she did not recover her right to Fadak until the last day of her life. Fadak has remained a symbol of the wrong done to her throughout history, for none of the caliphs returned it to al-Zahra or her descendants. (Decades later, ʿUmar ibn ʿAbd al-ʿAziz returned it to the children of Fatima, but it was then taken from them again.)
Her Illness and Martyrdom (peace be upon her)
Only a few months after the Prophet's (ṣ) death, Fatima al-Zahra fell gravely ill. Her illness resulted from accumulated grief and from the physical injuries inflicted on her in the assault on her house. According to Shiʿi narrations, ʿUmar ibn al-Khattab came with a group to Fatima's house. They intended to bring out those who had taken refuge there with ʿAli and force them to pledge allegiance. They brought firewood and fire with them and threatened to burn the house with those inside it. Fatima came out and confronted them at the door in protest. She refused to let them in or to hand ʿAli over by force, and declared that she would invoke Allah against them if they did not leave. But the men forced their way through the door. The tragic narrations state that the door was pushed onto Fatima, crushing her between the wall and the door and striking her side. It is reported that one of them (Qunfudh, ʿUmar's servant, or al-Mughira) struck her with a whip or jabbed her with the tip of a sword's scabbard. At that time she was in the final months of her pregnancy with Muhsin, and the severity of the blow and the shock caused her to miscarry. She also suffered internal bleeding and her ribs were broken, according to one narration, and she could not rise from her sickbed after that. For this reason the Shiʿa regard Fatima as a martyr, since she died from the effects of the injuries and wounds she suffered after her father's death.
The illness grew severe on Fatima al-Zahra (ʿa) until she was bedridden, and for some time she suffered pain and grief together. Imam ʿAli (ʿa) cared for her in her illness and watched over her condition with a wounded heart. The Ahl al-Bayt (ʿa) narrated that she prepared to meet her Lord. In her last days she would bathe her children, embrace them and bid them farewell, and she then made important bequests to ʿAli. Among the most prominent of her bequests was her request to be buried secretly at night, that her grave not be made known, and that none of those who had wronged her be allowed to attend her funeral. She said to ʿAli (ʿa): «إذا أنا متّ، فغسّلني بيدك، وحنّطني وكفّنّي، وأدفني ليلاً ، ولا يشهدني أحد» “When I die, wash me with your own hand, embalm me and shroud me, and bury me at night, and let no one attend me”. She also enjoined him to carry out her burial himself and not to let Abu Bakr or ʿUmar pray over her. In this way she wished her death and burial to be a final message of protest against those who had usurped her right and had not respected the sanctity of the Messenger of Allah in her person.
On the night of the third of Jumada al-Akhira, 11 AH (most probably), the soul of the truthful martyr departed to her Creator while she was still in the bloom of youth. Narrations differ about her noble age. The well-known view is that she was 18, as mentioned above. Other views hold that she reached 28, since some historians placed her birth five years before the mission. Views also vary on how long she lived after her father (ṣ). Some said she lived only 75 days after the Prophet's passing; this corresponds to 13 Jumada al-Ula, the date of the first of the two Fatimiyyas (the Shiʿa's annual commemorations of her martyrdom). Others mentioned 95 days, that is, around 3 Jumada al-Akhira; this is the best-known view, and the second Fatimiyya is held on it. It was also said that she lived only 40 days, and there are other, less well-known views. What is agreed upon, however, is that she died within six months of the Messenger's death. This shows how short the period was and how severely the calamity struck her.
Imam ʿAli (ʿa) washed and shrouded her with the help of a very small number of the Ahl al-Bayt's close circle. Among them were her servant Fidda and Asmaʾ bint ʿUmays, the wife of Abu Bakr, who was among those loyal to Fatima and had come to help her. ʿAli ibn Abi Talib, al-Hasan and al-Husayn (ʿa) prayed over her. With them were some sincere Companions, such as Salman, Abu Dharr, al-Miqdad, al-Zubayr and ʿAmmar ibn Yasir, and others who had not accepted what happened after the Prophet's death. They carried her bier on their shoulders under cover of night and buried her secretly, as she had instructed. Neither the caliph Abu Bakr nor ʿUmar was permitted to pray over her or attend her burial. Narrations differ about the location of her grave, since it remained hidden in accordance with her will, and no certain marker of it is known. One view is that she was buried in her house, which adjoined the Prophet's Mosque. It is also said that she was buried secretly at night in the cemetery of al-Baqiʿ, without markers. A third view holds that she was buried between the Messenger's grave and his pulpit, where the Noble Rawda lies. This concealment of her grave has itself become a historical witness to the wrong done to her. It also testifies to the Ahl al-Bayt's displeasure with the conduct of those who took charge of affairs after him.
Second: Her Doctrinal and Spiritual Standing Among the Imami Shiʿa
Infallibility and Essential Purity
The Imami Shiʿa believe that Lady Fatima al-Zahra (ʿa) is maʿṣūma (infallible), protected from error and sin, as are her father the Prophet (ṣ), her husband ʿAli and the Imams among her descendants (ʿa). She is one of the five Companions of the Cloak (Ashab al-Kisaʾ) concerning whom the Verse of Purification was revealed: ﴿إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ اللهُ لِيُذهِبَ عَنكُمُ الرِّجسَ أهلَ البيت وَيُطَهِّرَكُم تَطهِيرًا﴾ “Allah only desires to remove impurity from you, O People of the Household, and to purify you with a thorough purification”. Shiʿi exegetes and many Sunni exegetes have agreed that the Ahl al-Bayt intended in this verse are specifically Muhammad, ʿAli, Fatima, al-Hasan and al-Husayn (عليهم السلام) (peace be upon them). For the Imamiyya, Allah's will to purify them means their ʿiṣma (infallibility), their protection from every defilement and sin. They also cite the famous event of the Hadith of the Cloak, when the Prophet (ṣ) covered them with a cloak and said: «اللهم إن هؤلاء أهل بيتي فأذهب عنهم الرجس وطهرهم تطهيرًا» “O Allah, these are the people of my household, so remove impurity from them and purify them with a thorough purification”. In addition to the Qur'anic text, many hadiths affirm al-Zahra's infallibility. Among them is the Prophet's (ṣ) saying: «فاطمة بضعةٌ مني يسرّني ما يسرّها ويسوؤني ما يسوؤها» “Fatima is a part of me; what pleases her pleases me, and what grieves her grieves me”. This indicates her infallibility and the purity of her soul, since her pleasure is the pleasure of the Messenger of Allah, which is the pleasure of Allah.
Among the important historical evidences that the Shiʿa cite to establish Fatima's (ʿa) infallibility is the stance of Imam ʿAli (ʿa) in the matter of Fadak. After Fadak was confiscated and Fatima came to claim her right, ʿAli ibn Abi Talib argued before Abu Bakr on the basis of the Verse of Purification. He sought to establish that Fatima was truthful and infallible and could not claim what was not hers. According to the narration, he said to him: «أتشهد بأن فاطمة بنت محمد من أهل بيت النبي الذين أذهب الله عنهم الرجس وطهرهم تطهيرًا؟» “Do you bear witness that Fatima, daughter of Muhammad, is of the household of the Prophet from whom Allah has removed impurity and whom He has purified with a thorough purification?” He said: Yes. ʿAli (ʿa) said: «فإن كنت تشهد أنها طاهرة معصومة فكيف تظن أنها تقول على رسول الله ما لم يقل، وتدّعي ما ليس لها؟!» “If you bear witness that she is pure and infallible, how can you suppose that she would attribute to the Messenger of Allah what he did not say, and claim what is not hers?!”. In this way he established the argument that al-Zahra's station made it impossible for her to lie or err in her claim. This argument reveals ʿAli's (ʿa) belief, and the consensus of the Ahl al-Bayt, that Fatima was infallible and her soul pure of any impurity.
Her Spiritual Rank and Virtues in the Sight of Allah and His Messenger
In Imami belief, Fatima al-Zahra (ʿa) attained the loftiest rank after the Messenger of Allah (ṣ) and the Commander of the Faithful (ʿa). She is the Mistress of the Women of the Worlds, of the first and the last, by the explicit statement of her father's (ṣ) hadith. It is also reported from him that he said: «فاطمة سيدة نساء أهل الجنة» “Fatima is the mistress of the women of the people of Paradise”. She was the dearest of people to the Messenger of Allah (ṣ). Whenever she came in to him he would stand for her in reverence, kiss her and seat her in his place. He repeatedly said of her: «فاطمة بضعة مني، من سرّها فقد سرّني ومن ساءها فقد ساءني» “Fatima is a part of me; whoever pleases her has pleased me, and whoever grieves her has grieved me”. Even more than that, he (ṣ) said: «إن الله يغضب لغضب فاطمة ويرضى لرضاها» “Allah is angered by Fatima's anger and pleased by her pleasure”. This sublime hadith shows her great standing with Allah, Exalted is He, such that her anger became a criterion for the anger of the Lord, Majestic is His affair. These words were not spoken idly; the Prophet knew his daughter's standing with Allah and her unique qualities. It is narrated that he said: «إن فاطمة أعزّ البرية عليّ» “Fatima is the dearest of all creation to me”. He affirmed that she was «نور عيني» “the light of my eye” and the sweet basil of his heart. Thus the Prophet (ṣ) likened her to a part of his very being, so that any offence against her counts as an offence against his noble person.
Among the manifestations of her great merit are certain hadith qudsi (sacred narrations in which the Prophet relates the words of Allah) transmitted by the Shiʿa. One of them is the Hadith of the Tablet, or the famous Hadith of Lawlak [CHECK: the Hadith of the Tablet (al-Lawh) and the Hadith of Lawlak are usually distinct narrations; the source presents them as one], which states: «يا أحمد! لولاك لما خلقتُ الأفلاك، ولولا علي لما خلقتك، ولولا فاطمة لما خلقتكما» “O Ahmad! Were it not for you, I would not have created the heavens; were it not for ʿAli, I would not have created you; and were it not for Fatima, I would not have created the two of you”. Some scholars dispute this hadith's chain of transmission. Nevertheless, it expresses the belief that Fatima (ʿa) is a central pivot in creation after the Prophet and ʿAli, and that she holds a cosmic significance in the divine will. The Shiʿa likewise believe that love of Fatima (ʿa) and loyalty to her and her descendants is a religious obligation. They base this on the Verse of Affection: ﴿قُل لا أسألكم عليه أجرًا إلا المودة في القربى﴾ “Say: I ask of you no reward for it except affection for kinsfolk”. The exegetes have agreed that the near kin in the verse are ʿAli, Fatima and their two sons, so love of them is joined to love of the Messenger of Allah and faith in him.
The lofty spiritual rank of al-Zahra (ʿa) was also manifest in her worship and asceticism. It is narrated that al-Hasan al-Basri (one of the Successors) said: “There was no one in this Umma more devoted to worship than Fatima; she would stand in prayer through the night until her feet swelled”. It is reported from Salman al-Farisi and others that one night they saw Fatima turning the hand-mill with her hand while glorifying Allah and reciting the Qur'an, and the mill was turning by itself! When they told the Prophet (ṣ) of this, he said: «إن الله علم ضعف أمَته فأوحى إلى الرحى أن تدور وحدها» “Allah knew the weakness of His handmaid, so He inspired the mill to turn by itself”. In another narration he (ṣ) said: «إن لله ملائكة سيّاحين في الأرض يعينون آل محمد» “Allah has angels roaming the earth who help the family of Muhammad”. It is also mentioned that when she was occupied with prayer and her infant child cried, the cradle would rock by itself until she ended her prayer with the closing salutation. They knew that an angel assigned to the child was soothing him out of mercy for his worshipping mother. These miracles show how near she was to Allah and how the angels were made to serve her in honour of her sincere worship.
Fatima was also given the title “al-Muhaddatha”, that is, the one to whom the angels speak. Reliable narrations indicate that the angels would descend upon her house, greet her and speak with her on matters of religion and the world. Something of this kind happened during her father's (ṣ) lifetime. One hadith tells of an angel descending to teach her the answer to a question from ʿAli (ʿa) about the best of deeds, when the angel called out: «ليس شيء أفضل من الصلاة» “Nothing is better than prayer”. More importantly, it is established among the Shiʿa that the angels continued to speak with her after her father's death. They consoled her and informed her of what would befall her descendants. Al-Zahra would convey those inspirations to ʿAli (ʿa), and he (ʿa) recorded them in a book known as “Mushaf Fatima”. This Mushaf is not a new Qur'an, as those with ill intent claim. Rather, it is a book containing reports of the unseen, Allah's consolation to Fatima for her father's death, and some bequests concerning the future. The Imams passed this Mushaf down as a special trust. The Imamiyya believe that it passed from Imam ʿAli to al-Hasan, then to al-Husayn, and so on to the rest of the Imams. They hold that it is now preserved with Imam al-Mahdi (عج) (may Allah hasten his relief) among the legacies of prophethood and imamate.
Finally, among her special virtues is that the Prophet's (ṣ) progeny comes through her alone. All the descendants of the Messenger of Allah until the Day of Resurrection are from the children of Fatima and ʿAli (ʿa). Thereby the Qur'anic glad tidings of Surat al-Kawthar were fulfilled: ﴿إِنَّا أَعْطَيْنَاكَ الْكَوْثَرَ﴾ “Indeed, We have given you al-Kawthar”. Here al-Kawthar has been interpreted as the abundant good embodied in the survival of the Messenger's progeny. Fatima is the vessel of the blessed Prophetic lineage from which the infallible Imams branched forth, the bearers of the station of divine imamate. When Lady Khadija gave birth to Fatima, the angels informed her that her progeny would be blessed and enduring. They told her that Allah would make from her descendants Imams who guide by His command. Thus al-Zahra was the link between prophethood and imamate. Allah chose her to be the mother of al-Hasan and al-Husayn and of the nine infallibles from the line of al-Husayn (ʿa), so that they would be the Messenger's rightful successors. Hence she is called “Umm al-Aʾimma” (Mother of the Imams). She holds a sublime spiritual station that rises above that of her sons the Imams (ʿa), in that she is their root, their inspirer and their helper.
Her Role in the Imamate and Her Connection to Wilaya
Fatima al-Zahra (ʿa) occupies a pivotal position in the Shiʿi doctrine of imāma (imamate). The Messenger of Allah (ṣ) sealed prophethood with her [CHECK: literal rendering of «ختم النبوة بها»; meaning unclear], and the line of divine leadership extended after her through the imamate of her husband ʿAli and her infallible sons. From this standpoint, al-Zahra is the first supporter and upholder of the system of wilāya (divinely appointed guardianship) after the Prophet. As mentioned above, she was the first to defend Imam ʿAli's (ʿa) right to the caliphate on the day of the Saqifa. She did not pledge allegiance to the new caliph, nor did she compromise. Instead, she took a firm stance of opposition to establish the wilaya of ʿAli that Allah and His Messenger had commanded. It may be said that her stance constituted the first landmark of the Umma's trial after the Prophet. The Muslims divided into those who followed the Messenger's testament and the wilaya of his household, and those who turned away from it. Fatima stood at the head of the group obedient to the Prophet's legatee. In the eyes of the Shiʿa, this made her a balance distinguishing truth from falsehood at that pivotal stage. They cite the words of the Prophet (ṣ): «فاطمة قلبُ محمدٍ وروحه التي بين جنبيه» “Fatima is the heart of Muhammad and his soul between his two sides”. She was, as it were, the voice of prophethood exposing the deviation that occurred after his departure.
The Shiʿi narrations of iḥtijāj (argumentation) clearly show al-Zahra's (ʿa) role in consolidating the concepts of imamate and wilaya. Her Fadak sermon was not merely a claim to a farm. It was a statement of the doctrine of imamate and of the right of the Ahl al-Bayt to lead the Umma in knowledge and spirit. In her sermon she explained ʿAli's (ʿa) station, his kinship with the Messenger of Allah, his knowledge, his asceticism and his superior right to the caliphate. She also rebuked the people for diverting this matter from its proper source. She did likewise in her private sessions with the women of the Muhajirun and the Ansar. There she explained to them ʿAli's right, voiced her grievance and wept for “her father's usurped successor”. Among her best-known stances in support of ʿAli's wilaya, as we mentioned earlier, is that on nights after the Saqifa she went round with him to the houses of the Ansar seeking support. Her argument to them was: Do justice to the legatee of the Messenger of Allah and the husband of his daughter, for he is most entitled to lead in worldly and religious affairs. Some of them excused themselves on the grounds that they had already pledged allegiance and the matter was settled. She replied forcefully and referred the matter to Allah's judgement and His severe reckoning.
As for her spiritual connection to the concept of wilaya, it is manifest in the fact that love of her is a criterion of faith and true loyalty. The Imamiyya hold that whoever loves Fatima and is loyal to her allies is the sincere believer. Whoever harms her or denies her right is undoubtedly a hypocrite or weak in faith, however much worship he displays. They cite his (ṣ) saying: «من أغضبها فقد أغضبني، ومن أغضبني فقد أغضب الله» “Whoever angers her has angered me, and whoever angers me has angered Allah”. It is established in reliable sources that Abu Bakr and ʿUmar displeased her and that she was not reconciled with them until she died. Hence it is believed that Fatima's anger with them is a divine displeasure with that era and those who led it. Narrations of both parties mention that Fatima died angry with the caliph and did not permit him to enter her house. Indeed, she directed that she be buried secretly so that he would not attend her funeral. In Sahih al-Bukhari it is reported from ʿAʾisha: «فَهَجَرَتْهُ فَاطِمَةُ فَلَمْ تُكَلِّمْهُ حَتَّى مَاتَتْ» “So Fatima shunned him and did not speak to him until she died”. Ibn Qutayba al-Dinawari (one of the Sunni scholars) narrated the story of Abu Bakr and ʿUmar's visit to her seeking her goodwill. She turned to the wall and did not answer them. She reminded them of the Prophet's saying: «فاطمة بضعة مني… من أغضبها فقد أغضبني» “Fatima is a part of me… whoever angers her has angered me”. She then called Allah and the angels to witness that the two of them had angered her and had not pleased her. She said to Abu Bakr: «والله لأدعونّ الله عليك في كل صلاة أصلّيها» “By Allah, I shall invoke Allah against you in every prayer I pray”. The two left her presence crestfallen. The Shiʿa conclude from this that the authority of those who caused harm to al-Zahra is invalid in religious law. They hold that Allah is not pleased with the rule of one who harmed the part of His Prophet and whom she barred from attending her funeral. Thus the wrong done to Fatima and her protest became a cornerstone in the Shiʿi conscience. They establish the rightfulness of the path of the Ahl al-Bayt (ʿa) and the rejection of those who contested their station.
Doctrinally as well, the Shiʿa believe in al-Zahra's (ʿa) shafāʿa (intercession) and in her role in the hereafter in the salvation of those who love the Ahl al-Bayt. She is “the intercessor on the Day of Gathering”. Imam al-Sadiq (ʿa) narrates that she will be raised on the Day of Resurrection and will forgive [CHECK: literally “forgive”; possibly intends “obtain forgiveness for”] those who love her and are loyal to her descendants. Some reports state: «إذا كان يوم القيامة نادى منادٍ: يا معشر الخلائق غضوا أبصاركم حتى تجوز فاطمة بنت محمد» “When the Day of Resurrection comes, a caller will call out: O assembly of creatures, lower your gazes until Fatima, daughter of Muhammad, passes”. This is a divine honouring of her and of her station. Consequently, the wilaya of ʿAli and his sons (ʿa) is organically bound to love of Fatima and loyalty to her; they are two rivers of loyalty flowing into a single sea. Nothing proves this better than the Prophet's (ṣ) saying: «إنما فاطمة شجنة مني، يسرّني ما يسرّها، ويبسطني ما يبسطها» “Fatima is but a branch of me; what pleases her pleases me, and what gladdens her gladdens me”. So loyalty to her is part of loyalty to her father, and her pleasure is part of the pleasure of her Lord. Allegiance to ʿAli is allegiance to Fatima and a fulfilment of the right of the Messenger of Allah. From this standpoint, al-Zahra represents for the Shiʿa the mother of the Imams and the axis around which wilaya turns. Her story is a truthful witness across the ages to the necessity of holding fast to the leadership of the family of Muhammad. It also testifies to the duty of rejecting injustice and deviation from the testaments of the Most Noble Prophet.
Third: The Wrongs Inflicted on Lady Fatima (ʿa) After the Prophet's (ṣ) Death
According to the trustworthy Shiʿi narrations in books of hadith and history, the truthful Fatima al-Zahra (ʿa) was subjected to a series of grave wrongs after her father's departure. These wrongs left a deep mark on the conscience of the followers of the Ahl al-Bayt. They became the cause of their grief and of their commemoration of her martyrdom every year. The most prominent of these wrongs are as follows:
Usurpation of her father's succession and exclusion of her husband from leadership of the Umma: The Imamiyya consider that the first injustice to befall Fatima (ʿa) was the usurpation of Imam ʿAli's (ʿa) right to succeed the Prophet. The Messenger of Allah (ṣ) had designated ʿAli on the day of Ghadir Khumm and on other occasions. Yet some Companions gathered at the Saqifa and chose someone else without consulting the Ahl al-Bayt. Fatima saw in this a betrayal of her father's testament and a diminution of ʿAli's station. She therefore stood with her husband, refusing to pledge allegiance to the new caliph. She continued to protest and to show her disapproval, and was thereby considered the first voice of opposition to the authorities immediately after the Prophet's death. Her refusal of allegiance and her going out with ʿAli to seek support from the Ansar are the best evidence of her rejection of the outcome of the Saqifa. As the Shiʿa see it, this turning back on their heels pained al-Zahra's heart and grieved her. They regard it as a political injustice against her: she was the Prophet's daughter, yet she was marginalised and her husband's lawful right to rule was squandered.
Confiscation of the land of Fadak and deprivation of her lawful inheritance: Among the clearest wrongs done to Fatima is what happened in the matter of Fadak. Immediately after the Prophet's death, the caliph Abu Bakr seized the orchards of Fadak that the Prophet had given to al-Zahra during his lifetime, and prevented her from managing them. She was also deprived of the rest of her father's inheritance on the pretext of the hadith «لا نورث» “We do not leave inheritance”, which al-Zahra refuted from the Qur'an. Fatima felt that this measure was an encroachment on her financial rights and deliberate pressure on her and her descendants. She (ʿa) stood up to claim her right and furnished proof that the Prophet (ṣ) had granted her Fadak as a gift during his lifetime. Indeed, according to some sources, Abu Bakr was compelled to write her a document acknowledging her right to Fadak. But as Fatima was returning with the document, ʿUmar ibn al-Khattab intercepted her on the way. He confronted her harshly and demanded that she hand over the document. When she refused, he kicked her, knocked her to the ground, snatched the Fadak document from her and tore it up before her eyes. This act was the height of humiliation and of psychological and physical harm to her.
Storming of her house and physical assault on her: The Imami scholars agree that a tragic attack took place on Fatima's (ʿa) house during Abu Bakr's caliphate. It came about because ʿAli (ʿa) and some Companions had refused to pledge allegiance. ʿUmar ibn al-Khattab came with a band of men to the house of ʿAli and Fatima. They set fire to the door in preparation for storming it, and threatened to burn the house down on those inside if they did not come out to pledge allegiance. Fatima protested loudly from behind the door and reminded them that she was the daughter of the Messenger of Allah. Despite this, the men forced their way into the house. Then the greatest physical injustice against her occurred: she was violently crushed between the door and the wall. It is reported that she cried out in pain: «يا فضة إليكِ فخذيني فقد والله قُتل ما في أحشائي» “O Fidda, come to me and hold me, for by Allah, what was in my womb has been killed”. Indeed, the force of the blow she suffered made her miscarry her foetus al-Muhsin. They inflicted grave injuries on her rib and left her gasping for breath. According to some narrations, they even led Imam ʿAli himself, bound with ropes, from her house to the mosque, and pressed upon al-Zahra as she stood up to them. Trustworthy Shiʿi authorities narrated this painful incident in books such as Kitab Sulaym ibn Qays and al-Ihtijaj by al-Tabrisi, among others. Historians outside the Shiʿa, such as Ibn Qutayba and al-Baladhuri, also alluded to it in various forms. The Shiʿa regard it as the culmination of injustice against the Ahl al-Bayt after the Prophet. The attackers respected neither the sanctity of the Messenger's daughter nor his testament concerning his household.
Psychological harm to her and insult to her moral standing: Alongside the physical harm, Fatima (ʿa) tasted the bitterness of severe moral harm. Her claim regarding Fadak was implicitly disbelieved when witnesses were demanded of her, though she was the Mistress of Truthfulness whose truthfulness no one doubted. Likewise, she was denied a hearing for her right: the people did not respond to her demands or her grievance, even though she had set out her entitlement. She felt isolated and ignored, though her standing as the beloved of the Messenger of Allah ought to have been safeguarded. It is narrated that when she fell ill, the women of the Muhajirun and the Ansar visited her, apologising for what had happened. She delivered to them a moving sermon explaining the wrong done to her and to ʿAli, and they wept with her. Among what pained her most was some people's disregard of the Prophet's testament concerning her. She knew that he (ṣ) had repeatedly enjoined the Umma, saying: «أذكّركم الله في أهل بيتي…» “I remind you of Allah concerning the people of my household…”, yet his injunctions were met with neglect. When Abu Bakr and ʿUmar tried to placate her after those events, she shut the door on them and refused to meet them. When they insisted on entering, she spoke to them in wounding words. She reminded them of her father's hadith: «رضا فاطمة من رضاي وسخط فاطمة من سخطي» “Fatima's pleasure is from my pleasure, and Fatima's displeasure is from my displeasure”. She then called Allah and His angels to witness that the two of them had displeased her and had not pleased her, and said: «والله لأدعونَّ الله عليكما في كل صلاة أصليها، وإن لقيت أبي لأشكونكما إليه، وإنكما أغضبتماني وما أرضيتماني...» “By Allah, I shall invoke Allah against you both in every prayer I pray, and when I meet my father I shall complain of you both to him; you have angered me and have not pleased me...”. The caliph and his companion left her presence, aware of her intense displeasure. Thus her last days passed while she was aggrieved with them, and she never spoke to them again. In keeping with this stance, she directed that she be buried secretly and that they not attend her funeral. A night-time funeral was arranged for her in which her oppressors took no part. This was a powerful message that al-Zahra died angry and unreconciled with those who had harmed her. In the Shiʿi view, her anger was the greatest wrong committed by the Umma: they angered the daughter of their Prophet to the point that she died of grief. Fatima lost much after her father: her husband's right to the caliphate, her right to Fadak, her foetus who fell a martyr, and the peace of her soul, for she spent her remaining days in sorrow. These are grave losses, all of which are counted as historical wrongs that cannot be erased from memory.
Conclusion: The life of Lady Fatima al-Zahra (ʿa) is a page of Islamic history at once radiant and painful. She is the highest ideal for the Muslim woman in her worship, knowledge, chastity, striving and patience. She is also the wronged one of history, who endured after her father what words fall short of describing. Shiʿi narrations agree in exalting her status and infallibility and in presenting her as an example and model in every aspect of her life. They see in the wrong done to her a trial of the Umma, in which it failed to honour the right of its Prophet and his household. This brief account has shown how Fatima lived in the shelter of revelation and grew up in the house of prophethood. She then married the Imam of the pious, was the best of helpers to him, and left a pure progeny who are the Imams of guidance. We have also seen her courageous role after the Messenger's death in defending the imamate and the truth, despite the suffering this brought upon her until her martyrdom. Her memory has not faded through the ages; rather, she has remained a symbol of usurped right and of patience in affliction. For this reason Muslims in general, and the Shiʿa in particular, hold her in exceptional love and deep reverence. They keep her cause alive by weeping over her calamity and drawing lessons from her fragrant life. How could it be otherwise, when her father al-Mustafa (ṣ) said of her: «فاطمة روحي التي بين جنبيّ» “Fatima is my soul between my two sides”. If the Messenger is the body of the message, Fatima is its soul, which remains alive in the hearts of the believers across generations. رحم الله فاطمة الزهراء وأنزلها أعلى عليين مع أبيها وبعلها وبنيها، وألحقنا بمحبتها في الصالحين. May Allah have mercy on Fatima al-Zahra and settle her in the highest ʿIlliyyin with her father, her husband and her sons, and through love of her join us to the righteous.
Sources:
al-Kulayni, al-Kafi, vol. 1, p. 458; and vol. 1, pp. 240–241.
al-Saduq (Ibn Babawayh), al-Amali, p. 113; and p. 165.
al-Shaykh al-Mufid, Masar al-Shiʿa, p. 54; al-Ikhtisas, p. 185.
al-Shaykh al-Tusi, al-Amali, vol. 1, p. 40; p. 24.
al-Tabari al-Imami (Muhammad ibn Jarir), Dalaʾil al-Imama, vol. 1, pp. 110–122; p. 134.
al-Tabrisi, al-Ihtijaj, vol. 1, pp. 109–112; and p. 215.
al-Sharif al-Radi, Nahj al-Balagha with the commentary of Ibn Abi al-Hadid, vol. 6, p. 13.
al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 29, p. 124; vol. 43, pp. 10–19; pp. 72–74.
Ibn Qutayba al-Dinawari, al-Imama wa al-Siyasa, vol. 1, pp. 30–32.
Ibn Shahrashub, Manaqib Al Abi Talib, vol. 3, p. 132; pp. 116–119.
al-Baladhuri, Ansab al-Ashraf, vol. 1, p. 586; Futuh al-Buldan, p. 39.
Sulaym ibn Qays al-Hilali, Kitab Sulaym ibn Qays, pp. 152–158.
Furat al-Kufi, Tafsir Furat, p. 581 (exegesis of the Verse of Mubahala).
al-Tabrisi, Majmaʿ al-Bayan, vol. 2, p. 310 (exegesis of the Verse of Affection).
al-Hakim al-Naysaburi, al-Mustadrak, vol. 3, p. 154; Ibn ʿAbd al-Barr, al-Istiʿab, vol. 2, p. 751.
al-Bukhari, Sahih al-Bukhari, vol. 5, p. 82 (Kitab al-Maghazi); Muslim al-Naysaburi, Sahih Muslim, vol. 4, p. 1904 (Chapter on the Virtues of Fatima).
al-Kulayni, al-Kafi, vol. 1, p. 458 – the narration that Fatima was born five years after the mission and died at the age of 18.
al-Shaykh al-Saduq, al-Amali, p. 113 – the Prophet's (ṣ) saying: «ما أنا زوّجتك ولكن الله زوّجك» “It was not I who married you; rather, Allah married you”; Dalaʾil al-Imama, p. 82.
Ibn Shahrashub, Manaqib Al Abi Talib, vol. 3, p. 132 – Imam ʿAli's sale of his coat of mail as Fatima's dowry, and the marriage contract in the second year of the Hijra.
Ibn Shahrashub, Manaqib Al Abi Talib, vol. 3, p. 116 – mention of al-Muhsin and his miscarriage because of what befell her after the Prophet.
al-Jawhari al-Baghdadi, al-Saqifa wa Fadak, vol. 1, p. 64 – the attack on Fatima's house, her injury and the miscarriage of her foetus.
Ibn Qutayba, al-Imama wa al-Siyasa, vol. 1, p. 31 – the visit of Abu Bakr and ʿUmar to Fatima and her words to them: «أشهد الله أنّكما أسخطتماني… والله لأدعونّ الله عليكما في كل صلاة» “I call Allah to witness that you have displeased me… By Allah, I shall invoke Allah against you both in every prayer”.
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