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The Prophet SAW was
reported to have said that, “The best women in the entire world are four: the
Virgin Mary, Asiya the wife of Pharaoh, Khadijah Mother of the Believers, and
Fatimah daughter of Muhammad.”
Fatimah RA was also
bestowed with two titles; “az- Zahra,” which means “The Resplendent One,” in
reference to her radiant face. She also had the title “al- Batul,” referring to
her pure character. If we examine her short life, we can see that she was an
inspiration, one who embodied the qualities of courage, loyalty, humility and
selflessness.
FATIMAH bint RASOOL-ALLAH the youngest daughter of the Prophet (peace and
blessings be upon him) and his favorite. She married his cousin 'Ali bin Abi
Talib and was the mother of the great martyrs of Islam, Hasan and Hussein. She
was born in Makkah a few years before her father was granted Prophethood.
Though both Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) and Khadijah already had
three daughters before her they expressed great happiness at her birth. Going
against the accepted custom, her mother did not send her beloved youngest
daughter away to be breast fed in any of the surrounding villages, but kept her
with her and nursed her herself. She loved her too much to entrust her to
anyone else's care. Some years later her father was declared by Allah to be His
Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and last Messenger.
She and her mother and sisters Zaynab, Ruqayya, and Umm
Kulthum accepted Islam. She spent her early years under the loving and tender
care of her parents. Zeal for the defense of what is sacred and love of the
righteous was ingrained in her.
Before Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him)
proclaimed himself the Last Prophet of Allah Almighty, he was the most popular,
loved and respected man among the Quraysh. But once he announced himself to be
the Allah's Prophet and Messenger, his whole life seemed to turn around. The
streets he previously frequented were strewn with thorns and filth and garbage
was thrown on him from balconies and rooftops. Elaborate plans were made to
murder him. Naturally, all these trials and tribulations could not but leave a
mark on his home life. Fatimah was passing the impressionable years of her
childhood in the shadow of these events. Yet, her maturity was such that she
faced all this with remarkable patience and determination.
She fought like a courageous little tigress to defend
her father and protect him. She would stand in front of him to shield him from
the attacks of devilish men like Abu Jahl, 'Utbah and Shaybah.
On one occasion, the Prophet (peace and blessings be
upon him) went into the sanctuary of Makkah with some of his Companions and
started to pray, the disbelievers had just then sacrificed a camel. The filth
and bowels of the camel were lying there, when a horrible idea came to Abu
Jahl. He asked who among his friends would like to lift all that filth and pile
it on the back of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) 'Uqbah bin Abi
Mu'it, the lowest of the low among his friends, got up shrugged his shoulders
with satanic glee, and said he would perform the task. And he lifted up the
bloody filthy mess and piled it on the Prophet's back while he was in the act
of prostrating before Allah. All of them then broke into peals of
uncontrollable devilish laughter. When news of this dastardly act reached
Fatimah, she rushed to the sanctuary. Removing with her little hands the
impurity, furious at the brutal treatment given to her beloved father, she
scolded the disbelievers. When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)
finished his prayers, he lifted his hands in supplication and appealed to Allah
to hold these men, Abu Jahl bin Hisham, Shaybah bin Rabi'ah, 'Uqbah bin Abi
Mu'it and Umayyah bin Khalaf, in His relentless grip. These devils became very
nervous because they knew that any supplication made at the sanctuary in Makkah
is never rejected by Allah Almighty. And the Prophet's prayers were answered.
Once Abu Jahl was sitting with the disbelievers in
front of the Ka'bah, they were planning how to eliminate this man for the
'crime' of rejecting the idols. They hated him for propagating the Oneness of
Allah and for proclaiming himself as His Last Prophet and Messenger. Fatimah
happened to pass by and heard him. She was so terrified of what these
barbarians could do to her father that she went running to tell him of their
dastardly plot. As she wept she told him they had sworn in the names of their
most famous idols to kill him. All of them would attack him the moment he
stepped out of his house. Innocently she asked him what would happen now. The
Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) told her to have faith in Allah, as
He was her father's Protector.
Once Fatimah passed by Abu Jahl bin Hisham on the
street and he, for no reason, gave her a slap across the face. She went to Abu
Sufyan, the leader of the Quraysh, and complained to him about Abu Jahl's uncivilized
behavior. Abu Sufyan took her with him to the place where the barbarian was
still sitting, and told her to slap him in exactly the same way as he had done.
When she went home and narrated this incident to the Prophet (peace and
blessings be upon him) he was very pleased at Abu Sufyan's sense of justice and
fair play. He then prayed that he should accept Islam as the true religion. His
supplications for Abu Sufyan were accepted and he finally swore allegiance to
Allah and His Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him)
Seven years had passed since Muhammad (peace and
blessings be upon him) declared himself to be Allah's chosen Prophet. The whole
might of the Quraysh had not been able to silence him and his Message; the
people who answered the call of Allah were persecuted and tortured in every way
possible. When Hamzah bin 'Abdul Muttalib and 'Umar bin Khattab accepted Islam
the whole of Makkah was shaken. The people started pushing the leaders to take
some action. They decided to boycott the Muslims, socially and economically,
even food and water was withheld. The Muslims went into a state of siege in
Shi'b Abi Talib which lasted for three years.
The richest woman of Makkah, Khadijah, and her
daughters the youngest stood like rocks by their father. They would give their
lives for him. And in a sense little Fatimah did, because this mental and
physical ordeal affected her health and physique for the rest of her life.
Soon after the siege of was lifted, the Prophet (peace
and blessings be upon him) and Fatimah and her sisters went through the trauma
of losing their beloved Khadijah, and his greatest supporter and defender, his
uncle Abi Talib. Fatimah was facing all these troubles and experiencing them
first hand side by side with her father. It was also at this time that the
Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) went to Ta'if with the Message of
Islam. they welcomed him with stones and he left injured and bleeding, he
prayed to Allah to guide them to the right path.
Umm Kulthum and Fatimah started weeping when they saw
his condition. He affectionately wiped away their tears and consoled them. He
said it was inevitable that Allah would help to spread His religion and make it
triumph against all odds. Easier times were bound to follow the hard and difficult
days.
And sure enough Mus'ab bin 'Umair who was the Prophet's
ambassador to Al-Madinah gave the good news that the people there were being
drawn into the fold of Islam. They invited Muhammad (peace and blessings be
upon him) to settle in their city, and promised to help him in any way they
could. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) accepted their invitation
and with the consent of Allah Almighty decided to migrate to Al-Madinah. He
left his two daughters at home in Makkah, with his new wife Sawdah bint Zam'ah.
He sent for them later, and thus these three ladies
also had the privilege of becoming migrants for the cause. But the disbelievers
could not bear to see them all moving out either. Some mischievous elements
caught hold of them on the outskirts of Makkah. One evil Qurayshi youth,
Huwayrith bin Naqith started jabbing at the camel on which the Prophet's
daughters were riding, and the camel reared up in the air, and the two girls
fell down. When he saw this he ran away.
When they reached their destination, the Prophet (peace
and blessings be upon him) received them. He was very happy to see them alive
and well. Those whom Allah Almighty protects, no one can harm them.
When Fatimah was eighteen years old and prominent
personalities started proposing for her, but the Prophet (peace and blessings
be upon him) said he was waiting for a sign from Allah. One day 'Ali came to
see the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) but he was very shy and
diffident and seemed to be holding something back. The Prophet (peace and
blessings be upon him) realized what was on his mind and asked him if he came
to propose marriage to Fatimah. 'Ali answered that he had. The Prophet (peace
and blessings be upon him) asked Fatimah what she thought of the proposal. She
started to weep silently. He then told her that 'Ali was a learned,
kind-hearted and brave young man. Fatimah accepted her father's decision. He
then asked 'Ali if he had some money for the dowry. 'Ali replied that the
Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) had seen his life from the cradle and
knew his financial position very well. Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be
upon him) asked him where his shield was, and said that would be the dowry for
Fatimah. 'Ali sent it to the market with his slave to be sold and got four
hundred Dirhams for it. This he gave to the Prophet (peace and blessings be
upon him) who asked him to keep the money and buy some things for the house and
perfume for the wedding. Then he asked his esteemed companions to attend the
ceremony.
Hazrat Ali (K.V.) read out a speech for the occasion: 'All Praise is
for Allah. We are grateful to Him for His Bounties and His Blessings. I bear
witness that None has the right to be worshipped but Allah, vouching for Him so
it will reach Him and gain His Favor. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon
him) has married his daughter, Fatimah to me and the Mahr has been fixed at
four hundred Dirhams. Now all those present please listen to what the Prophet
(peace and blessings be upon him) has to say and bear witness.'
After that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon
him) praised Allah Almighty and recited the marriage ceremony, after asking
Fatimah for her consent. He announced the Mahr and told all those present that
Allah had commanded him to have Fatimah married to 'Ali. After that he prayed
for a happy and blessed future for the bride and groom.
Some basic things were purchased for the house to which
'Ali and Fatimah moved. A bed, a pillow filled with the leaves of dried date
palm, a plate, a glass, a water bag and a grinding stone, these were the few
things with which the daughter of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)
set up her new home. The house that was available was quite a distance from the
Prophet's Mosque. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) wished his
daughter could live closer to him, so that he could see her daily. When one of
the Companion Harithah bin Nu'man Ansari, came to know of this he approached
the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) very respectfully, saying he had
a number of houses close to the Prophet's Mosque and he was welcome to choose
any one of them. This would make that particular house dearer to him. The
Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was very moved by this offer and
chose one for Fatimah So, 'Ali and Fatimah moved in and started the routine of
daily life. It was usual for her to grind the wheat, fetch water from the well
and cook their meals.
Since she was not very healthy, the siege having left
its mark on her, Fatimah used to get very tired with all this hard work. On one
occasion after a battle, a lot of money, precious jewelry and prisoners of war,
both men and women, were taken by the Muslim army. 'Ali suggested that she
should go to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and ask him for a
maid to help.
Fatimah went to see her father and request him for some
help. He was not at home and she left a message with 'A'ishah. At night, before
going to sleep, her father came to visit her. He told her that he would give
her something much better than a slave girl. And he taught her some phrases in
praise of Almighty Allah. These, he said, were better than any maid. And he
taught her to recite thirty-three times Subhanallah (Glory be to Allah),
thirty-three times Alhumdulillah (All praise is for Allah), thirty-four times
Allah-u-Akbar (Allah is the greatest).
Fatimah spent her entire life as a pious servant of
Allah, always patient and grateful to her Maker, there was not a word of
complaint from her, however difficult the circumstances. The world and its
attractions held no charm for her. Her motto in life was always service for
Islam. In the battles she was at the front nursing the wound the sick. When her
father was injured in the battle of Uhud, it was she who burnt a part of a
straw mat and used its ashes to stem the flow of blood. There is a narration in
Sahih Al-Bukhari that when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was
asked on one occasion whom he loved best in the world he named his youngest
daughter, Fatimah.
'A'ishah, talking of her, says she bore a remarkable
resemblance to her father. She not only looked like him, but her way of
speaking, sitting, standing and walking - in other words all her mannerisms and
gestures were exactly like his. Whenever her father visited her she would
receive him and kiss his forehead with respect. They were exceptionally close
to each other and whenever she visited her father, he would stand up and
receive her. If he saw her troubled or sad he would also be grieved, and if he
saw her happy he would also be pleased.
One day the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)
heard that there was some misunderstanding between 'Ali and Fatimah, On the way
to their house he looked very troubled and sad, and when he left their house he
seemed very much at peace. Some of his Companions mentioned this; He replied
that he just settled some differences between his two dear children and his
happiness made his face glow.
On one occasion 'Ali made up his mind to marry Abu
Jahl's daughter. Fatimah came to hear about it and told her father that 'Ali
was planning to marry into Abu Jahl's family; the Prophet (peace and blessings
be upon him) was disturbed when he heard this. He went to the mosque and gave a
sermon, saying that Fatimah was a part of his heart and anything that made her
unhappy displeased him. He said that the daughter of Allah's Messenger and the
daughter of His enemy could not be married to the same man. 'Ali changed his
mind and apologized to Fatimah for any pain he might have caused her.
One day 'Ali asked the Prophet (peace and blessings be
upon him) who was dearer to him, himself or Fatimah? The Prophet (peace and
blessings be upon him) answered that he loved Fatimah more, but 'Ali was dearer
to him It was a masterly piece of diplomacy but it was the truth, because he
really did love both of them deeply.
Their first son was born in the 3rd year after Hijrah.
When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) heard the good news he was
very happy and immediately went to see the child. He named him Hasan and
recited the Adhan for him. Then on the seventh day his head was shaved, and an
amount of silver equivalent to the weight of the hair was distributed among the
poor.
In the 4th year after Hijrah, a second son was born.
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) named him Hussein, and in his
ears too he recited the Adhan. It is said a third son Muhsin was born but died
in his infancy. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) loved these two
grandchildren dearly. He used to say that they were like blossoms and would be
the leaders of the youths of Paradise. Usamah bin Zayd says that one day he saw
the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) carrying something wrapped in a
sheet. He asked him what he was carrying. He opened the sheet and what did he
see, but these two little boys all wrapped up in their grandfather's arms.
In the 5th year after Hijrah a daughter was born to
'Ali and Fatimah; the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) named her
Zaynab; in the 7th year after Hijrah another daughter was born and he named her
Umm Kulthum. When Zaynab bint 'Ali grew up she married 'Abdullah bin Ja'far bin
Abi Talib. And Umm Kulthum married 'Umar bin Khattab. They had two children
Zayd and Ruqayya.
Imam Ahmad was once asked what he thought of 'Ali and
his family members. He said their position in history is unparalleled.
According to what the Noble Quran tells us Allah Almighty had cleaned them of
every kind of sin, impurity of faith, disobedience to the Divine Will and
social evils.
Ibn 'Abdullah writes that whenever the Prophet (peace
and blessings be upon him) came back from any journey or after taking part in a
battle, he would first go to the his Mosque in Al-Madinah and pray two Rak'as
(units), then he would visit Fatimah and then visit his wives.
There is a miraculous incident related in Al-Bidayah
way An-Nihayah, once a lady sent Fatimah some bread and roasted meat. She put
this in a plate and covered it with cloth. Then she sent a message to her
father to come and eat. When he arrived she removed the cloth and to her
astonishment she found the plate full of bread and plenty of meat. She
understood that this abundance and plenty had come from Allah. She praised
Almighty Allah and asked Allah to mention and bless His and started to serve
the meal to him, beginning with Allah Almighty's Name. When he saw such a huge
amount he smiled and asked who had sent it all. She promptly said Allah gave it
to her and He provides sustenance to whom He pleased without limits Then the
Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) smiled and ate the meal with his
daughter and her family Yet there was so much food still left over that it was
sent to the Mothers of the Believers. They also ate their fill and then it was
distributed among the neighbors
She was the youngest daughter of the Prophet (peace and
blessings be upon him) and his favorite. She married his cousin 'Ali bin Abi
Talib and was the mother of the great martyrs of Islam, Hasan and Hussein. She
was born in Makkah a few years before her father was granted Prophethood.
Though both Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) and Khadijah already had
three daughters before her they expressed great happiness at her birth. Going
against the accepted custom, her mother did not send her beloved youngest
daughter away to be breast fed in any of the surrounding villages, but kept her
with her and nursed her herself. She loved her too much to entrust her to
anyone else's care. Some years later her father was declared by Allah to be His
Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and last Messenger.
She and her mother and sisters Zaynab, Ruqayya, and Umm
Kulthum accepted Islam. She spent her early years under the loving and tender
care of her parents. Zeal for the defense of what is sacred and love of the
righteous was ingrained in her.
Before Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him)
proclaimed himself the Last Prophet of Allah Almighty, he was the most popular,
loved and respected man among the Quraysh. But once he announced himself to be
the Allah's Prophet and Messenger, his whole life seemed to turn around. The
streets he previously frequented were strewn with thorns and filth and garbage
was thrown on him from balconies and rooftops. Elaborate plans were made to
murder him. Naturally, all these trials and tribulations could not but leave a
mark on his home life. Fatimah was passing the impressionable years of her
childhood in the shadow of these events. Yet, her maturity was such that she
faced all this with remarkable patience and determination.
She fought like a courageous little tigress to defend
her father and protect him. She would stand in front of him to shield him from
the attacks of devilish men like Abu Jahl, 'Utbah and Shaybah.
On one occasion, the Prophet (peace and blessings be
upon him) went into the sanctuary of Makkah with some of his Companions and
started to pray, the disbelievers had just then sacrificed a camel. The filth
and bowels of the camel were lying there, when a horrible idea came to Abu
Jahl. He asked who among his friends would like to lift all that filth and pile
it on the back of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) 'Uqbah bin Abi
Mu'it, the lowest of the low among his friends, got up shrugged his shoulders
with satanic glee, and said he would perform the task. And he lifted up the
bloody filthy mess and piled it on the Prophet's back while he was in the act
of prostrating before Allah. All of them then broke into peals of
uncontrollable devilish laughter. When news of this dastardly act reached
Fatimah, she rushed to the sanctuary. Removing with her little hands the
impurity, furious at the brutal treatment given to her beloved father, she
scolded the disbelievers. When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)
finished his prayers, he lifted his hands in supplication and appealed to Allah
to hold these men, Abu Jahl bin Hisham, Shaybah bin Rabi'ah, 'Uqbah bin Abi
Mu'it and Umayyah bin Khalaf, in His relentless grip. These devils became very
nervous because they knew that any supplication made at the sanctuary in Makkah
is never rejected by Allah Almighty. And the Prophet's prayers were answered.
Once Abu Jahl was sitting with the disbelievers in
front of the Ka'bah, they were planning how to eliminate this man for the
'crime' of rejecting the idols. They hated him for propagating the Oneness of
Allah and for proclaiming himself as His Last Prophet and Messenger. Fatimah
happened to pass by and heard him. She was so terrified of what these
barbarians could do to her father that she went running to tell him of their
dastardly plot. As she wept she told him they had sworn in the names of their
most famous idols to kill him. All of them would attack him the moment he
stepped out of his house. Innocently she asked him what would happen now. The
Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) told her to have faith in Allah, as
He was her father's Protector.
Once Fatimah passed by Abu Jahl bin Hisham on the
street and he, for no reason, gave her a slap across the face. She went to Abu
Sufyan, the leader of the Quraysh, and complained to him about Abu Jahl's uncivilized
behavior. Abu Sufyan took her with him to the place where the barbarian was
still sitting, and told her to slap him in exactly the same way as he had done.
When she went home and narrated this incident to the Prophet (peace and
blessings be upon him) he was very pleased at Abu Sufyan's sense of justice and
fair play. He then prayed that he should accept Islam as the true religion. His
supplications for Abu Sufyan were accepted and he finally swore allegiance to
Allah and His Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him)
Seven years had passed since Muhammad (peace and
blessings be upon him) declared himself to be Allah's chosen Prophet. The whole
might of the Quraysh had not been able to silence him and his Message; the
people who answered the call of Allah were persecuted and tortured in every way
possible. When Hamzah bin 'Abdul Muttalib and 'Umar bin Khattab accepted Islam
the whole of Makkah was shaken. The people started pushing the leaders to take
some action. They decided to boycott the Muslims, socially and economically,
even food and water was withheld. The Muslims went into a state of siege in
Shi'b Abi Talib which lasted for three years.
The richest woman of Makkah, Khadijah, and her
daughters the youngest stood like rocks by their father. They would give their
lives for him. And in a sense little Fatimah did, because this mental and
physical ordeal affected her health and physique for the rest of her life.
Soon after the siege of was lifted, the Prophet (peace
and blessings be upon him) and Fatimah and her sisters went through the trauma
of losing their beloved Khadijah, and his greatest supporter and defender, his
uncle Abi Talib. Fatimah was facing all these troubles and experiencing them
first hand side by side with her father. It was also at this time that the
Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) went to Ta'if with the Message of
Islam. they welcomed him with stones and he left injured and bleeding, he
prayed to Allah to guide them to the right path.
Umm Kulthum and Fatimah started weeping when they saw
his condition. He affectionately wiped away their tears and consoled them. He
said it was inevitable that Allah would help to spread His religion and make it
triumph against all odds. Easier times were bound to follow the hard and difficult
days.
And sure enough Mus'ab bin 'Umair who was the Prophet's
ambassador to Al-Madinah gave the good news that the people there were being
drawn into the fold of Islam. They invited Muhammad (peace and blessings be
upon him) to settle in their city, and promised to help him in any way they
could. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) accepted their invitation
and with the consent of Allah Almighty decided to migrate to Al-Madinah. He
left his two daughters at home in Makkah, with his new wife Sawdah bint Zam'ah.
He sent for them later, and thus these three ladies
also had the privilege of becoming migrants for the cause. But the disbelievers
could not bear to see them all moving out either. Some mischievous elements
caught hold of them on the outskirts of Makkah. One evil Qurayshi youth,
Huwayrith bin Naqith started jabbing at the camel on which the Prophet's
daughters were riding, and the camel reared up in the air, and the two girls
fell down. When he saw this he ran away.
When they reached their destination, the Prophet (peace
and blessings be upon him) received them. He was very happy to see them alive
and well.
Those whom Allah Almighty protects, no one can harm them.
When Fatimah was eighteen years old and prominent
personalities started proposing for her, but the Prophet (peace and blessings
be upon him) said he was waiting for a sign from Allah. One day 'Ali came to
see the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) but he was very shy and
diffident and seemed to be holding something back. The Prophet (peace and
blessings be upon him) realized what was on his mind and asked him if he came
to propose marriage to Fatimah. 'Ali answered that he had. The Prophet (peace
and blessings be upon him) asked Fatimah what she thought of the proposal. She
started to weep silently. He then told her that 'Ali was a learned,
kind-hearted and brave young man. Fatimah accepted her father's decision. He
then asked 'Ali if he had some money for the dowry. 'Ali replied that the
Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) had seen his life from the cradle and
knew his financial position very well. Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be
upon him) asked him where his shield was, and said that would be the dowry for
Fatimah. 'Ali sent it to the market with his slave to be sold and got four
hundred Dirhams for it. This he gave to the Prophet (peace and blessings be
upon him) who asked him to keep the money and buy some things for the house and
perfume for the wedding. Then he asked his esteemed companions to attend the
ceremony.
Ali read out a speech for the occasion: 'All Praise is
for Allah. We are grateful to Him for His Bounties and His Blessings. I bear
witness that None has the right to be worshipped but Allah, vouching for Him so
it will reach Him and gain His Favor. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon
him) has married his daughter, Fatimah to me and the Mahr has been fixed at
four hundred Dirhams. Now all those present please listen to what the Prophet
(peace and blessings be upon him) has to say and bear witness.'
After that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon
him) praised Allah Almighty and recited the marriage ceremony, after asking
Fatimah for her consent. He announced the Mahr and told all those present that
Allah had commanded him to have Fatimah married to 'Ali. After that he prayed
for a happy and blessed future for the bride and groom.
Some basic things were purchased for the house to which
'Ali and Fatimah moved. A bed, a pillow filled with the leaves of dried date
palm, a plate, a glass, a water bag and a grinding stone, these were the few
things with which the daughter of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)
set up her new home. The house that was available was quite a distance from the
Prophet's Mosque. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) wished his
daughter could live closer to him, so that he could see her daily. When one of
the Companion Harithah bin Nu'man Ansari, came to know of this he approached
the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) very respectfully, saying he had
a number of houses close to the Prophet's Mosque and he was welcome to choose
any one of them. This would make that particular house dearer to him. The
Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was very moved by this offer and
chose one for Fatimah So, 'Ali and Fatimah moved in and started the routine of
daily life. It was usual for her to grind the wheat, fetch water from the well
and cook their meals.
Since she was not very healthy, the siege having left
its mark on her, Fatimah used to get very tired with all this hard work. On one
occasion after a battle, a lot of money, precious jewelry and prisoners of war,
both men and women, were taken by the Muslim army. 'Ali suggested that she
should go to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and ask him for a
maid to help.
Fatimah went to see her father and request him for some
help. He was not at home and she left a message with 'A'ishah. At night, before
going to sleep, her father came to visit her. He told her that he would give
her something much better than a slave girl. And he taught her some phrases in
praise of Almighty Allah. These, he said, were better than any maid. And he
taught her to recite thirty-three times Subhanallah (Glory be to Allah),
thirty-three times Alhumdulillah (All praise is for Allah), thirty-four times
Allah-u-Akbar (Allah is the greatest).
Fatimah spent her entire life as a pious servant of
Allah, always patient and grateful to her Maker, there was not a word of
complaint from her, however difficult the circumstances. The world and its
attractions held no charm for her. Her motto in life was always service for
Islam. In the battles she was at the front nursing the wound the sick. When her
father was injured in the battle of Uhud, it was she who burnt a part of a
straw mat and used its ashes to stem the flow of blood. There is a narration in
Sahih Al-Bukhari that when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was
asked on one occasion whom he loved best in the world he named his youngest
daughter, Fatimah.
'A'ishah, talking of her, says she bore a remarkable
resemblance to her father. She not only looked like him, but her way of
speaking, sitting, standing and walking - in other words all her mannerisms and
gestures were exactly like his. Whenever her father visited her she would
receive him and kiss his forehead with respect. They were exceptionally close
to each other and whenever she visited her father, he would stand up and
receive her. If he saw her troubled or sad he would also be grieved, and if he
saw her happy he would also be pleased.
One day the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)
heard that there was some misunderstanding between 'Ali and Fatimah, On the way
to their house he looked very troubled and sad, and when he left their house he
seemed very much at peace. Some of his Companions mentioned this; He replied
that he just settled some differences between his two dear children and his
happiness made his face glow.
On one occasion 'Ali made up his mind to marry Abu
Jahl's daughter. Fatimah came to hear about it and told her father that 'Ali
was planning to marry into Abu Jahl's family; the Prophet (peace and blessings
be upon him) was disturbed when he heard this. He went to the mosque and gave a
sermon, saying that Fatimah was a part of his heart and anything that made her
unhappy displeased him. He said that the daughter of Allah's Messenger and the
daughter of His enemy could not be married to the same man. 'Ali changed his
mind and apologized to Fatimah for any pain he might have caused her.
One day 'Ali asked the Prophet (peace and blessings be
upon him) who was dearer to him, himself or Fatimah? The Prophet (peace and
blessings be upon him) answered that he loved Fatimah more, but 'Ali was dearer
to him It was a masterly piece of diplomacy but it was the truth, because he
really did love both of them deeply.
Their first son was born in the 3rd year after Hijrah.
When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) heard the good news he was
very happy and immediately went to see the child. He named him Hasan and
recited the Adhan for him. Then on the seventh day his head was shaved, and an
amount of silver equivalent to the weight of the hair was distributed among the
poor.
In the 4th year after Hijrah, a second son was born.
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) named him Hussein, and in his
ears too he recited the Adhan. It is said a third son Muhsin was born but died
in his infancy. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) loved these two
grandchildren dearly. He used to say that they were like blossoms and would be
the leaders of the youths of Paradise. Usamah bin Zayd says that one day he saw
the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) carrying something wrapped in a
sheet. He asked him what he was carrying. He opened the sheet and what did he
see, but these two little boys all wrapped up in their grandfather's arms.
In the 5th year after Hijrah a daughter was born to
'Ali and Fatimah; the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) named her
Zaynab; in the 7th year after Hijrah another daughter was born and he named her
Umm Kulthum. When Zaynab bint 'Ali grew up she married 'Abdullah bin Ja'far bin
Abi Talib. And Umm Kulthum married 'Umar bin Khattab. They had two children
Zayd and Ruqayya.
Imam Ahmad was once asked what he thought of 'Ali and
his family members. He said their position in history is unparalleled.
According to what the Noble Quran tells us Allah Almighty had cleaned them of
every kind of sin, impurity of faith, disobedience to the Divine Will and
social evils.
Ibn 'Abdullah writes that whenever the Prophet (peace
and blessings be upon him) came back from any journey or after taking part in a
battle, he would first go to the his Mosque in Al-Madinah and pray two Rak'as
(units), then he would visit Fatimah and then visit his wives.
There is a miraculous incident related in Al-Bidayah
way An-Nihayah, once a lady sent Fatimah some bread and roasted meat. She put
this in a plate and covered it with cloth. Then she sent a message to her
father to come and eat. When he arrived she removed the cloth and to her
astonishment she found the plate full of bread and plenty of meat. She
understood that this abundance and plenty had come from Allah. She praised
Almighty Allah and asked Allah to mention and bless His and started to serve
the meal to him, beginning with Allah Almighty's Name. When he saw such a huge
amount he smiled and asked who had sent it all. She promptly said Allah gave it
to her and He provides sustenance to whom He pleased without limits Then the
Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) smiled and ate the meal with his
daughter and her family Yet there was so much food still left over that it was
sent to the Mothers of the Believers. They also ate their fill and then it was
distributed among the neighbors.
greatest WOMEN amongst mankind and from ISLAM
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