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“SAYYEDAT NESAA AL-AALAMEEN”
Chief of the Women of the World
Written by: Mostafa Husayni
INTRODUCTION
Muslims believe that Allah created the worlds and the creations to test the creatures to whom He would grant the power of intellect and the ability of choice. Those who succeed will enter Heaven where they shall reside forever in complete and continuous pleasure; and those who fail will fall into Hell where they shall remain in utter and constant pain.
In this gigantic examination hall, man knows the good and the evil both of which are equally visible to him, as Allah says in the Holy Quran:
And in this corridor to the Hereafter, Allah created various magnets that pull human beings towards Heaven, and in parallel to this he also created different inducements that push them in the direction of Hell. And these armies of good and evil are very well matched and equal in force.
The evil-commanding self is countered with the self-reproaching self; the bad friend is matched with the good friend; animal desires can be controlled by the intellect… And in this hard battle between the good and the evil pulling powers, the examinee remains in total choice; he can choose Heaven over Hell or the other way round.
Muslims also believe that in the previous worlds Allah tested these rational beings, and chose a number of them to become His messengers to His creatures in the next worlds, to guide them to the right path and to help them elevate through the levels of perfection and completion.
After passing their tests, these messengers were given special qualities and powers that were necessary for Allah’s representatives and by which they were distinguished. And this was not subject to race or age, thus Esa [Jesus] was born a prophet whose conception and birth were miraculous as Allah reveals in the Holy Quran. And Mohammad’s birth was surrounded with many miracles that were witness around the world, and his light was seen in the faces of his grandfathers so much that the Idolaters made countless attempts to kill them, and even his twentieth grandfather, Adnan, was attacked by around eighty worriers who wanted to kill him to prevent the birth of Mohammad.
These people who are called prophets and successors have different ranks and positions; each one is senior to some and junior to others. Every prophet is senior to his successor or successors; and Nooh, Ibrahim, Musa, Esa and Mohammad are the most senior prophets, the latter being senior to the former.
Mohammad is the most complete of Allah’s creations, and he is senior to all of the prophets before him; and his Twelve Successors are the most complete of Allah’s creations after him, and as such they are more senior to all of the prophets and the successors before Mohammad.
However, Fatima the daughter of Mohammad is senior to eleven of her father’s successors, thus she is the third most complete of Allah’s creations after Mohammad and his first successor, Ali; and she is senior to all the prophets and their successors before Mohammad.
Allah and Prophet said that her satisfaction and anger is that of Allah; her content and discontent is that of Allah; her love and hate is that of Allah. Loving her is a redemption of sins; hating her would render all one’s good deeds void. She is the Chief of the Women of the World; she is the Chief of the Women of the Heaven.
Among other things, Allah granted her the highest levels of Sinlesslessness, Infallibility [isma], Knowledge of Unseen [ilm al-ghayb], Authority [al-walaya al-takwiniya]…
She was one of the reasons for the creation of the worlds as Allah reveals:
“O Mohammad! if it were not for you, I would not have created the universe; and if not for Ali, I would not have created you; and if not for Fatima , I would not have created either of you.”
“Verily, I have not created any erected sky nor any flattened land nor any illuminating moon nor any shining sun nor any circling planet nor any flowing sea nor any sailing ship but for the love of these five [Mohammad, Ali, Fatima, Hasan and Husayn].”
But because this world is a gigantic examination hall in which the examinees have to choose a path on their own without being forced into any direction, Allah subjected both the good and the bad, and the right and the wrong to the law of “sabab and mosabbab”, cause and effect; as Imam Saadiq says:
And He subjected His Message and His Messengers to this rule; so at times they were loved and they were revered and they were followed, and at other times they were hated and they were hurt and they were killed; and similarly, the propagation of their messages depended on the amount of support they had from the people. Allah says:
“All do We aid—these as well as those—out of the bounty of your Lord; and the bounty of your Lord is not confined.”
And Fatima was not an exception to this rule, she was hated and she was hurt and she was killed when she supported the Rightful Kalifa against its usurpers; and the propagation of her message—Islam depended and will forever depend on the amount of support from her followers.
And these messengers repeatedly pointed to this fact and called their followers to make known their Way to the people, so that those worthy of Heaven may be guided to it, as the scholars narrate from many of the Sinless who said:
And because of this repeated call, I decided to compile this wok and carry out some of my duty to help the younger generation of Muslims living in the West to know something about the life and mission of their Prophet’s only daughter; and in the second place to give the Western people a brief account of the life and mission of this eighteen year old lady who literally shook the world; and in the third place to provide the fair-minded Sunnis with some of the information recorded in their references about HOLY LADY. And I hope that Allah will honor me and grant me the strength to finish this journey, and what greater honor?!
In many subjects of this book I have relied on highly respected and widely used Sunni references, not because I have any special regard or appreciation for them as a whole or for their authors, but for the fact that one’s confession about himself is more effective and more penetrating than someone else’s testimony.
After the assassination of Prophet when the Bakeri party forcefully usurped his Kalifa, it fabricated numerous commendations for its leader Abu Bakr, and worked very hard to hide the countless praises of the late prophet about his God-appointed successor, Imam Ali. These tireless efforts to create and strengthen this false legitimacy and to hide and enshroud that holy appointment continued for centuries.
Since the first day Abu Bakr sat in that usurped position until today, the Bakeris have always oppressed the Muslims for refusing to give in to their regime and for rejecting their many alterations and distortions of the Islamic history.
They call the Muslims many names, including: al-Rafida [the Rejecters], or, even Communists, Infidels, Polytheists, Idolaters. They persistently tell their children wild fairy-tales, making them grow up hating the Muslims; they have even made a scary image for the Muslims not entirely human—a creepy being with a tail! This sounds unbelievable in the fifteenth Hejri century, the era of the space travel and cloning, but it is exactly what the Sunni Grand Mofti of Syria, Shaykh Kaftaaroo, firmly asserted in 1983 in a public gathering in Damascus-Syria, and despite the outrage he never retracted his statement!!
All of this is expected from the Barkis, after all in some parts of the world such as Iran
“…And the Shaykh (Abu al-Khayr) said: I will not stay in Qazween after this. And he left the city, and the people left with him, and the king also went with him.
He then said: I will not return until you engrave the names of Abu Bakr and Umar on an iron and brand the foreheads of Shia leaders.
However what is not expected and what is most hurtful is that some people who call themselves Muslims stab other Muslims in the back and oppress them for the excuse or in the name of Muslim Unity.
Their hidden agenda to destroy Islam, or at least their ignorance and lack of knowledge about Islam and its beliefs and teachings, brings them to change and distort its principles and practices.
Instead of achieving a political and economical and social unity between all those who recite the Shahaadatayn and stand facing the Kabah, they want to completely destroy the structure of Muslim belief so that it becomes indistinguishable from the Bakeri system of belief.
However, some groups within this powerful minority have proceeded so far away from Islam, abandoned numerous principles, introduced various beliefs, rejected innumerable historic facts and invented many falsifications, that they can hardly call themselves Muslims.
But regardless of the different levels of deviation within this minority, one can attribute this movement, in the recent times, mainly to two schools of thought: One in Iran which, on top of everything else, promotes the idea of Wahdat al-Mawjood; and the other in Iraq which, on top of everything else, preaches that hurting Fatima is not forbidden by Islam, contrary even to what the Bakeris say!!
This powerful minority fiercely attacks everything and everyone that transmits information damaging to the Bakeri party, even if it has been recorded in Sunni references; and it condemns and denounces everything and everyone that speaks highly in favor of the Rightful Kalifa.
And in this regard, a number of individuals and some groups all of whom call themselves Muslims, and who are adherents of either school, showed a lot of aggression when I published my first book: ‘Prophet, the Messenger of Allah’.
They had two main objections to the book:
First: that I called the followers of Abu Bakr: ‘Bakeris’ (followers of Abu Bakr), instead of how they call themselves “Sunnis” (followers of the tradition of Prophet) or “Muslims” (believers in the Islamic religion). This is when everyone agrees and admits that the Bakeris follow Abu Bakr; and this is when neither the Holy Quran nor Prophet or any of his Rightful Kholafa ever called the followers of Abu Bakr “Sunnis” or “Muslims”. In fact the Holy Quran and Prophet and his Rightful Kholafa clearly state that the followers of Abu Bakr are non-Muslim.
Second: that after mentioning the names of the Bakeri party leaders, I wrote “May Allah distance them from His Mercy”, instead of writing: “May Allah Be Pleased with them”, as the Sunnis say and write. This is when the Holy Quran and Prophet and his Rightful Kholafa repeated on innumerable occasions about these people what I wrote about them.
This aggression became so intense that some of these so called “muslim” priests in the UK threatened me with injury and even death; and some of them publicly marked the book as: ‘A Book of Aberration’. And a so called “muslim” group in a Western country threatened the distributors of ‘Prophet, the Messenger of Allah’ to stop distributing copies, and the group put sand in the engine oil of one of the distributors’ cars and put sugar in the petrol tank of another one of their cars!!
This happened, when I only repeated some of what the Sinless one had said, the very people whom this minority reveres as its leaders. And this happened despite the fact that some researchers and scholars have compiled a number of multi-volume works recording what the Holy Quran and the Fourteen Sinless had said against Bakeri leaders.
But the tongues utter one thing and the hearts hold another. Is anyone listening and is anyone seeing?!
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HOLY LADY BEFORE MARRIAGE
Fatima ’s creation
Five years after Prophet started his mission in Makkah, Jibrail the angel revelation descended upon him in Abtah, a Makkah suburb, while he was among some of his followers, saying:
“O Mohammad! The Ali (one of Allah’s names), the Highest, sends you greetings, and orders you to isolate yourself from Khadija for forty days.”
Obeying Allah’s command, he did not return home to his wife Khadija that night, and spent the next forty days in his uncle Abu Talib’s home; fasting every day, and worshiping every night.
“O Mohammad! The Ali, the Highest sends you greetings, and orders you to prepare yourself for his gift.
Soon after, other angels descended carrying some Heavenly produce on a plate, and put it before him. Jibrail said: O Mohammad! Your Lord orders you to break your today’s fast with these fruits.”
“Whenever Prophet wanted to break his fast, he ordered me to open the door and let in anyone who wanted to break his fast. But on that night he ordered me to sit at the door, and not permit anyone to enter, saying:
After eating, when Prophet stood to pray as usual, Jibrail told him:
“Salaat is forbidden to you at this time, until you go to Khadija. The Almighty Allah has indeed taken upon Himself to create for you in this night an excellent progeny. Thus he went to Khadija’s home.”
According to many ahaadeeth, Prophet had one hundred and twenty macaarij/, and at least one of them was near the end of this forty-day period; when he ate some Heavenly produce, before approaching Khadija.
Heavenly child
A series of questions arises when a person reaches this part of Prophet’s life; why forty days of isolation from his wife Khadija, during which he had to fast the days and worship the nights?! And why eat Heavenly food, after which he was prohibited from worshiping and ordered to meet with Khadija?!…
Forty days of fasting and worshiping in isolation from Khadija was a further preparation for something very important. Numerous Sunni ahaadeeth clearly state that the semen that produced Fatima was extracted from Heavenly food, eaten by Prophet in Heaven and on earth, shortly before he approached his wife Khadija.
What strengthens these narrations further is the fact that her staunchest enemies such as her murderer, Umar, and Aisha narrated many of them.
“I frequently saw Prophet kiss Fatima ; so one day I said: O Prophet! I see you do something I had not seen you do before.
So he told me: O Homayraa’! Indeed, on the night during which I was taken to the sky, I entered Heaven and I stood by its most beautiful tree, with the whitest leaves, and the most delicious fruit. So I took from its fruit and ate…
And when I descended to the earth, I approached Khadija; and she became pregnant with Fatima from that produce.
So whenever I yearn for the scent of Heaven, I smell the scent of Fatima . O Homayraa’! Verily, Fatima is not like the human women.”
Aisha also narrates:
“Whenever Prophet returned from his journeys, he went to Fatima , kissed her throat and said: From her I smell the scent of Heaven.”
The pregnancy
As Fatima was a product of Heaven, according to Sunni narrations, her pregnancy was also extraordinary. It was accompanied by many karaamaat, one of which was that she talked to her mother whilst in her womb.
Besides the Muslim accounts of this great karaamah that repeatedly happened during the pregnancy, Sunni references also provide many convincing statements, such as:
“After Khadija became pregnant with Fatima , Prophet came and heard her talking. He asked her: Whom are you talking to?
Prophet: O Khadija! This is Jibrail telling me that it is a female, and that she is a pure and blessed child; and that the Almighty Allah will indeed create my lineage through her, and will choose from my lineage a number of a’emmah appointing them as His kholafaa’ on His earth after the completion of His revelation.”
Sunni scholars also narrate from Khadija who said:
Sunni scholars also narrate:
“When Idolaters asked Prophet to cut the moon in half for them, during Khadija’s pregnancy with Fatima , Khadija said:
What a failure for the person who accuses Mohammad of lying, when he is the greatest Messenger from my Lord.
Suddenly Fatima said from her womb: O Mother! do not worry and do not be afraid; Allah is indeed with my father.”
Her birth
The birth of Fatima also accompanied many supernatural events, just as the births of her father, husband and the a’emmah from her lineage accompanied similar wonders and miracles.
At that time, in the fifth year of Prophet’s mission, Idolaters had already taken a strong and often violent stance against Muslims. This harsh stance equally affected Khadija despite her being the richest Arab woman when she married Prophet.
In fact the Idolaters’ hatred of Khadija was more intense than of many other Muslims, as her social and economic position obliged her to marry one of the most prominent Idolater leaders, many of whom had asked for her hand in marriage, and join with them in their confrontational stance against the Muslims. But instead, she had turned them down and married Prophet; and on top of that, she had spent and continued to spend her wealth in the cause of propagating Islam and strengthening the Muslims. Therefore her former friends and peers had broken all ties with her, and ignored her kind attempts to show them the right path.
As the time of giving birth to Fatima approached, she sent for them once again to come to her, hoping that they will see a miracle at the time of birth that will convince them of the truth. But as before they returned her messengers with ugly words.
Moments before giving birth, four Godly women descended from Heaven along with many angels, to take part in delivering that Heavenly creature.
Muslim scholars are not alone in reporting this extraordinary event; many Sunni scholars report similar narrations, such as:
“Moments before giving birth to Fatima , four women entered Khadija’s room with such a beauty and light that words cannot describe.
One of them told her: I am your mother Hawwaa’; another said: I am Aisha bint Mozaahim; another said: I am Kolthoom, sister of Moses; and the forth said: I am Maryam bint Emraan, mother of Esa. We have come here to deliver Fatima .
After she was born she fell on the ground to perform sojood, raising and extending her forefinger to show one.”
Human Houri
Since Fatima was created from the produce of Heaven, even by her enemies’ testimony, she is therefore a Human Houri. Thus no other person can be compared to her as she is not just human, and others are not partly houries.
Sunni scholars in their hadeeth references narrate from Prophet who often said:
Naming the newly born
The newly born child who was created from Heavenly fruit, who repeatedly talked to her mother whilst in her womb, who was delivered by saints who descended from Heaven, had to be named by her Creator, Allah.
Sunni scholars narrate from Prophet who said:
Sunni scholars also narrate from Prophet who said:
“The Almighty Allah most assuredly forbade Fatima, her children, and those who love them to the fire of Hell. And for that reason she was called Fatima .”
Date of birth
According to Muslim scholars, Fatima was born on the 20th of Jomaadaa al-Thaaneyah, 5 years after the start of Prophet’s mission; therefore she was eighteen years old when she was killed by Umar 11 years after the Hejrah.
However some Sunni scholars insist that she was born five years before the start of Prophet’s mission, adding ten years to her age, which puts her death at the age of 28.
Obviously this is just another attempt to hide her greatness. Otherwise, for example, in what way can they explain how an eighteen year old woman, who had not been educated by human teachers, could give those public speeches at the very peak of eloquence that remains unmatched and unchallenged throughout the centuries, without admitting the fact that she was directly taught by Allah; enabling her to combine Islamic theology, law, Quranic sciences, politics, literature... in one stunning speech, in such a way sending shockwaves through the foundations of the Sunni rule, causing it to violently tremble forever.
And how can they elucidate her death at that age without mentioning that their leaders Abu Bakr and Umar were forced to resolve to violence when they ran out of reason in front of an eighteen-year-old woman; marching three hundred vicious ruffians to her home in an attempt to silence her, setting her house on fire, crushing her between the door and the wall, penetrating her chest with a hot nail, breaking her ribs, lashing her, causing the miscarriage of her son Mohassin… and ultimately killing her.
This Sunni attempt to increase her age causes a number of contradictions, one of which is when Abu Bakr and Umar consecutively asked Prophet for Fatima’s hand in marriage, he refused their requests by saying she is very young; and everyone agrees that these requests were made shortly before Imam Ali’s request for her hand in marriage which was eight years before her martyrdom.
So how could Prophet say that a twenty year old woman is very young for marriage, especially at a time when boys and girls in Arabia married at a much younger age due to their early and fast physical and mental growth?! And especially when he encouraged parents to help their sons and daughter to marry at a young age?!
Khadija dies
At the young age of five, Fatima was to wear the mourning dress when her mother, the loyal Qorashi woman, answered the call of her Lord and parted this world, on 10 Ramadaan in the tenth year of Prophet’s mission, after years of suffering much hardship at the hands of the despicable Idolater tyrants.
And the short period between her death and the death of Abu Talib, Prophet’s uncle, was the reason for calling that year “the year of grief.”
It has been narrated that before her death, Khadija made a number of requests from Prophet, amongst which was:
“And the third request O Prophet! I will make it to my daughter Fatima, and she will tell you.
When he left her room, she called Fatima , telling her: O my darling, and the delight of my eye! Tell your father that my mother says: I am afraid of the grave, and I want you to shroud me in the robe that you always wear when receiving revelation.
So Fatima went to Prophet conveying her mother’s message.
He then sent her his robe with Fatima , which made her extremely happy.
After she died, Prophet carried out the religious preparations before her burial himself, and when he wanted to shroud her with that special robe, Jibrail the angel of revelation descended telling him:
Allah sends you His greetings and says: O Mohammad! We will provide Khadija’s shroud, as she gave in our cause what she owned.”
Thus, Prophet first shrouded her with his robe, and on top of that he covered her with the Heavenly shroud.
Fatima and the Idolaters
Although she was a young child, but history records heartrending accounts of when Fatima took brave stances against the Idolaters in the defense of her father.
She would clean him when they threw rubbish on him; she would treat his wounds when they injured him; she would defend him when they accused him; she would answer them when they insulted him.
At around one years of age, she was sent with her father and his followers and their families to the desert outside Makkah, where they remained under Idolater siege for three years, in an attempt to force them to renounce their god and religion and worship useless idols.
Idolaters reported that during the three-year siege, they often heard children crying at night from the other side of the mountain, from sickness and hunger.
At around eight years of age, Fatima and the rest of Prophet’s family migrated to Madinah, guided by Imam Ali, three days after Prophet had left Makkah, to escape Idolater suppression.
In Madinah, despite her young age, she had a very active role in educating women who had been mistreated and ignored by the Arabs, teaching them literacy and Islam.
In the second year after the Hejrah, she was among the few women who left Madinah for the
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HOLY LADY’S MARRIAGE
Abu Bakr and Umar ask for her hand in marriage
After Prophet had settled in Madinah, a number of prominent Muslims from Mohaajireen and Ansaar came to him to request his daughter’s hand in marriage. In most cases he respectfully refused their requests either by saying:
“This matter lies with her Creator; if He wanted her to marry, the she will marry.”
Or by saying:
“I await in my decision Allah’s command.”
However, in a few cases history records that Prophet responded to the question of marriage from certain people, in a way completely different from his usual social etiquette, a behavior rarely witnessed from him, in which he disrespectfully refused a request by intentionally and dramatically turning his back to the person.
Sunni scholars name two of the highest ranking members of the Bakeri party, Umar and Abdorrahmaan ibn Awf along with Abu Bakr, himself, to be the bearers of that everlasting shame.
Sunni historians narrate:
“Abu Bakr came to the Prophet, sat in front of him and said: O Prophet! You surely know my faithfulness and precedence in Islam…
Prophet: So what do you want?
Abu Bakr: Fatima ’s hand in marriage.
Prophet then turned his back on him. And Abu Bakr returned to Umar saying: You perished and caused me to perish
Omar: And how is that?
Abu Bakr: I asked his daughter’s hand in marriage, but he turned his back on me.
Omar: Stay here while I go to him to ask him as you did.
Thus Umar came to the Prophet, sat in front of him and said: O Prophet! You surely know my faithfulness, and precedence in Islam…
Prophet: So what do you want?
Omar: Fatima ’s hand in marriage.
It has also been recorded that Abu Bakr and Umar made a second attempt to win Fatima ’s marriage, as Sunni historians narrate:
“Both Abu Bakr and Umar told their daughters to ask Prophet for Fatima’s hand in marriage, on their behalf; and each of them went to Prophet asking for his daughter’s marriage to her father. But Prophet refused.
Imam Ali asks for her hand in marriage
Besides the Muslim accounts of the miraculous marriage of Imam Ali and HOLY LADY, Sunni historians also record it along with its accompanying supernatural events.
Umm Salma narrates that when Imam Ali came to Prophet, who was in her home, to ask for Fatima ’s hand in marriage, the following happened:
“He knocked on the door.
I asked: Who is at the door?
And before he could answer, Prophet told me: Stand up O Umm Salma! and open the door, and ask him to enter. For he is surely a man who loves Allah and His Messenger and they love him.
So I said: My father and mother be your sacrifice, who is this person about whom you say such things without having seen him?!
Prophet: O Umm Salma! He is my brother and cousin and the most beloved person to me.
So I harried to the door, stumbled in my Mert on the way and almost fell to the ground, and when I opened the door I saw Ali. By Allah! He did not enter the house until he was sure I had returned to my Khedr.
Then he came to Prophet saying: Peace and Allah’s Mercy and Blessing be upon you O Prophet!
Prophet: And peace be upon you O Ali!
So Ali sat in front of him and looked down at the ground, as if he wanted to ask something but was shy to put it in words.
Knowing what was on his mind, Prophet told him: O Ali! I truly know that you have come here with a request, so ask of me your request and make clear what is in your mind.
But Ali stayed silent.
Prophet: Maybe you have come here to ask for Fatima ’s hand in marriage?
I saw Prophet’s face glowing with happiness and joy. He then told Ali: O Ali! Do you want me to give you a good news?
Ali: Yes, my father and mother be your sacrifice O Prophet…
Prophet: Rejoice O Ali! For surely Allah the Almighty has made you and Fatima man and wife in the sky before I make you man and wife on the earth.”
Marriage in the sky
Besides the Muslim accounts, Sunni scholars also narrate a large number of ahaadeeth that Prophet was ordered by Allah to make Ali and Fatima man and wife, before Ali asked for her hand in marriage.
Sunni scholars also narrate a large number of ahaadeeth that says the marriage was performed in the sky before it was performed on the earth, and explains, in some detail, the manner in which the marriage was performed in the sky in the presence of countless angels with numerous ceremonies.
Fatima takes Ali as her husband
A question may come to mind, that if Allah had ordered His Messenger to make Ali and Fatima man and wife, and that if the marriage was actually performed in the sky before being performed on the earth, then what was the point of Ali asking Prophet for Fatima ’s hand?
The answer is clear; asking someone for his daughter’s hand in marriage is ceremonial and part of a tradition accepted by Islam. And the messengers of Allah and their successors always followed and abided by such traditional rules, to make known to their followers, through their actions, which rules are accepted in their religion and which and rejected.
It has been narrated that after Imam Ali asked for Fatima ’s hand in marriage, Prophet said:
“O Ali! Others asked me for her hand in marriage before, and I mentioned them to her, but saw disagreement and discontent in her face. So wait here until I ask her about your proposal.
Thus Prophet left Ali waiting for the result, and went to his daughter Fatima, saying: O Fatima ! Ali ibn Abi Talib is a person whom you have known his relation, merit and the quality of his faith; and surely I have asked my Lord to make you the wife of His best creature and their most beloved to Him; and indeed Ali has mentioned the question of marriage with you, so what do you say?
She stayed silent and did not turn away her face, and he did not see in her face any sign of disapproval. So he said: Allah is the greatest; her silence is her agreement.”
The marriage gift
Another pre-Islamic tradition that was accepted by Islam and included in the marriage, as an mandatory part, was the marriage gift. An amount of money, or piece of jewelry, or any other valuable given as a gift to the bride by her would be husband at the time of their marriage.
But knowing that in an effort to score a higher social status most people would raise the value of the marriage gift beyond their capabilities, and thus often encounter unpleasant consequences, or if they happened to content themselves to an affordable level they would risk social contempt, Prophet set an affordable standard for the marriage gift and insistently requested the Muslims not to ask for nor provide a higher value, in another attempt to quash social distinctions and bring the poor closer to the rich.
And when the time for his daughter’s marriage came, he followed the same standard and did not ask for a marriage gift more compatible with Fatima’s God-given title: HOLY LADY, or with his own social standing and powerful position; making himself, yet again, an Idolater target.
It has been narrated that some members of Qoraysh looked down on Prophet and made clear their stance by saying:
Prophet, then, divided his daughter’s small marriage gift into three. One portion for buying the necessary tools of life such as pottery, one portion for buying perfume and scents, and he gave the third portion back to Imam Ali to help him with his wedding banquet.
When the humble dowry was purchased and brought to Prophet, he turned them up and down and said:
The wedding
When a house was prepared for the newly married couple, the wedding was set to take place. And like the marriage, many supernatural events occurred during the wedding, some of which were also reported and recorded by the couple’s enemies.
Sunni testimonies in their highly respected references include:
“Jibrail descended and told the Prophet: O Mohammad! Allah sends you greetings, and has ordered me to greet Fatima and give her a gift from Heavenly clothes for her wedding.”
Prominent Sunni scholars also record the following:
“During the wedding, when Fatima was ceremoniously escorted to Ali’s house, the Prophet was walking in front of her, Jibrail was walking on her right, Meekaa’eel was walking on her left and seventy thousand angels were walking behind them, praising and glorifying Allah until dawn break.”
The wedding banquet
The wedding banquet also accompanied supernatural events, one of which is that thousands of people from Madinah, and even the farmers in the city suburbs gathered for the banquet, after an open invitation, and ate until they were full, and took out more food with them; but the small amount of food that according to Sunni historians was prepared from one sheep and a few kilos of corn flour for making bread, did not finish, and it did not even reduce in quantity.
It has been narrated from Imam Ali who said:
“…Then Prophet told me: Invite whoever you like for the banquet.
So I went to the mosque and saw it crowded with the Sahaabah, and because I did not like to invite a particular group and ignore a particular group, I stepped on a high platform and raised my voice: Attend Fatima ’s wedding banquet.
Suddenly I saw groups and groups of people coming for the banquet and I felt modest because of the large numbers of attendants and the small quantity of food.
Prophet who sensed what I was thinking, told me: O Ali! I will surely pray to Allah for His Blessing.
Later all the people ate, drank, prayed for us and left, and their number was well over four thousand, but the food remained the same and did not reduce.”
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HOLY LADY’S CHILDREN
Muslim and Sunni historians agree that HOLY LADY and her husband Imam Ali had three sons and two daughters.
Muslim historians and many Sunni historians also agree that their first child was a boy named Hasan, their second child was also a boy named Husayn, their third child was a girl named Zaynab, their fourth child was also a girl named Omm Kolthoom and their fifth and last child was a boy named Mohassin.
Birth of Imam Hasan
Sunni scholars narrate:
“Then Prophet asked Ali: What have you named my son?
Ali: I would not precede you in naming him.
Prophet: And I would not precede my Lord.
Suddenly Jibrail descended, saying: O Mohammad! Your Lord sends you greetings and tells you: Ali’s position to you is similar to that of Haaroon to Musa, with the difference that there is no prophet after you. Therefore name your son by the name of Haaroon’s son.
Prophet: And what was the name of Haaroon’s son O Jibrail?
Jibrail: Shobbar.
Prophet: My tongue is Arabic.
Sunni scholars narrate from a high-ranking member of the Azd tribe, who said:
“I heard Prophet say about his grandson Hasan: Whoever loves me should love him; let those who are present tell those who are absent.
Birth of Imam Husayn
HOLY LADY gave birth to her second child on 3 Shacbaan in the fourth year of Hejrah.
Sunni historians narrate that Allah revealed to his messenger to name the newly born child by the name of Haaroon’s second son, which in Hebrew was Shobayr.
Muslim and Sunni historians narrate that the period of Fatima’s pregnancy with Imam Husayn was only six months; Prophets Yahyaa and Esa were also born in their sixth month.
It has been narrated that every day Prophet came to Husayn and put either his tongue or his index finger in Husayn’s mouth, and the baby boy suckled it until his flesh grew and his bones strengthened. And he did not suckle milk from his mother or from any other woman.
Sunni scholars narrate from Asma bint Omays who said:
“Then Prophet put Husayn on his lap and started to weep.
I said: My father and mother be your sacrifice; what makes you cry?
Sunni scholars narrate from Prophet who said:
Sunni scholars also narrate from Prophet who said:
Birth of Sayyedah Zaynab
HOLY LADY gave birth to her third child on 5 Jomaadaa al-OOlaa in the fifth year of Hejrah.
It has been narrated:
“When Fatima gave birth to her first daughter, she told her husband Ali: Name this newly born girl.
Imam Ali: I would not precede Prophet. But Prophet was on a trip.
When he returned, Imam Ali asked him to name his daughter, but he said: I would not precede my Lord.
Then Jibrail descended conveying Allah’s greeting, and said: The name of this newly born girl is Zaynab. Allah has indeed chosen this name for her.”
Mohassin, the Martyred Fetus
Although all Muslim and many Sunni historians agree that Mohassin was Ali and Fatima ’s fifth and last child, there are a number of Sunni historians who falsely claim that Mohassin was born after Husayn and before Zaynab, making him the third child.
This distortion of history was initiated by a few Sunni historians, who had sold their pens to the usurpers of the Kalifa, in an attempt to cover-up what had been ordered and executed by their leaders shortly after Prophet’s martyrdom, and to erase the most evil and villainous dark spot from their history books; one which for ever altered the course of Muslim and world history: when the First Usurper, Abu Bakr, gave the order to attack Fatima’s home, and his second-in-command, Umar, along with around three hundred ruffians executed the order; setting fire to the house, and crushing Fatima between the door and the wall while beating her, as a result of which she miscarried the fetus that was named Mohassin by the Prophet.
Fortunately many Sunni historians do not follow suit in this perversion, and choose to disagree with their peers in their falsification of Mohassin’s time of birth.
However some of these historians still refuse to tell the whole truth; so they content themselves only in reporting that Mohassin was the fifth and last child who died in a miscarriage, but still fail to mention what caused the miscarriage
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HOLY LADY’S MORALS
Good morals and bad morals are what separate good people from bad people, and admired characters and evil characters are what distinguish gracious human beings from wicked ones.
And as praised qualities are the revelations of God and dispraised qualities are the revelations of Shaytaan, we can thereby identify Godly icons and satanic idols. Thus whoever is decorated with many virtuous standards is a Godly person, and whoever is stained with many villainous standards is a satanic person.
Here we stand while history, written by enemies alongside friends, points to Fatima as the most complete Godly woman in the world. A female messenger of Islam who, despite her eighteen years of age, overtook all human beings, except two, to become the third sinless, and be awarded by Allah with the title: Sayeda tun Nisa al-Alamin, Chief of the Women of the world.
As the third delegate of God to His creations, she retained the highest levels of Godly morals and kept herself away from satanic morals, teaching others with her actions before her words.
The following are examples of her holy characters:
Altruism
The quality of considering the well-being and happiness of others before one’s own, is the foundation of the Islamic society. However this is only a lower level of the Islamic altruism.
Therefore we see that the messengers of Islam maintain its highest levels; not only giving the precedence to others, but also giving their very essential needs to others; something hardly called altruism.
And Fatima observed the highest degree of this praised character throughout her life; as the following Sunni narration testifies:
“One day Hasan and Husayn became ill, so their grandfather Mohammad along with Abu Bakr, Umar and a number of the Sahaabah went to visit them.
Ali said: If my sons recover from their illness, I will fast three days as thanksgiving to Allah. Then Fatima said the same thing and Feddah said: If my masters regain their health, I will fast for Allah three days.
So Allah clothed the two boys with good health, at a time when the descendants of Mohammad did not have any food or money.
Thus Ali went to Sham’oon, a Jew from Khaybar, and borrowed a few kilos of barley. When he returned, Fatima took one third of the barley, grinded it and baked five loafs of bread, one loaf for each person.
At night, when Ali returned home after praying with the Prophet, they sat to break their fast with barley bread. Suddenly there was a knock on the door, and someone said: Peace be upon you O Descendants of Mohammad. I am a very poor Muslim; feed me, may Allah feed you from Heavenly food. So they gave him all their bread and thus they went with just water that evening having fasted all day. On the second day they continued fasting.
Later in the day, Fatima took a second portion of the borrowed barley, grinded it and baked another five loafs of bread.
At night, when Ali returned home after praying with the Prophet, they sat down to break their second day’s fast. Suddenly there was a knock on the door, and someone said: Peace be upon you O Descendants of Mohammad! I am an orphan from Mohaajireen; my father was killed on the day of Aqabah. Feed me, may Allah feed you from Heavenly food. So they gave him all their bread and tasted nothing but water. And on the third day the continued fasting.
Later in the day, Fatima took the last portion of the borrowed barely, grinded it and baked another five loafs of bread.
On the third night, when Ali return after praying with the Prophet, they sat down to break their fast. Suddenly there was a knock on the door and someone said: Peace be upon you O Descendants of Mohammad! I am a captive (slave); feed me, may Allah feed you from Heavenly food. So they gave him all their bread and tasted nothing except water.
On the fourth day, when they had fulfilled their Nadhr and finished their three days of fasting, Ali came to Prophet taking Hasan’s hand in his right hand and Husayn’s hand in his left hand, while they were shivering from hunger like young birds.
When the Prophet saw them, he said: O Father of Hasan! how sorry I feel to see you in this condition. Let us go to my daughter. So they went home to see her in her mehraab, while her stomach was stuck to her back from hunger, and her eyes had caved in her head. When Prophet saw her he said: O Allah! The descendants of Mohammad are dying from hunger.
“There surely came over man a period of time when he was a thing not worth mentioning -- Surely We have created man from a small life-germ uniting (itself): We mean to try him, so We have made him hearing, seeing -- Surely We have shown him the way: whether he may be thankful or thankless -- Surely We have prepared for the unbelievers chains and shackles and a burning fire -- Surely the righteous shall drink of a cup, the admixture of which is camphor -- A fountain from which the servants of Allah shall drink; they make it to flow a (goodly) flowing forth -- They fulfill vows and fear a day the evil of which shall be spreading far and wide -- And they give food, out of love for Him, to the poor and the orphan and the captive: -- We only feed you for Allah’s sake; we desire from you neither reward nor thanks: -- Surely we fear from our Lord a stern, distressful day -- Therefore Allah will guard them from the evil of that day, and cause them to meet with ease and happiness; -- And reward them, because they were patient, with garden and silk, -- Reclining therein on raised couches, they shall find therein neither (the severe heat of) the sun nor intense cold. -- And close down upon them (shall be) its shadows, and its fruits shall be made near (to them), being easy to reach. -- And there shall be made to go round about them vessels of silver and goblets which are of glass, -- (Transparent as) glass, made of silver; they have measured them according to a measure. -- And they shall be made to drink therein a cup the admixture of which shall be ginger, -- (Of) a fountain therein which is named Salsabeel. -- And round about them shall go youths never altering in age; when you see them you will think them to be scattered pearls. -- And when you see there, you shall see blessings and a great kingdom Lord a way
Contentment
Contentment and altruism always go hand in hand. Without contentment there is no altruism, and with altruism there is always contentment.
Therefore Fatima, who had the highest level of altruism, was also distinguished by the highest level of contentment. She did not use her position or that of her father to gather wealth, welfare or any of the luxuries of life. Furthermore she did not keep anything that her position brought her.
The following are just three examples of her contentment:
It was the custom in those days to give valuable gifts to a newly wed couple; and the quantity and quality of these gifts increased in accordance to the social standing of the couple. And since Ali and Fatima were the closest people to Prophet, and were, themselves, highly important, the people of Madinah and city leaders showered them with precious gifts.
But altruism, excessive generosity, and contentment played their roles; and after receiving the costly gifts, the newly wed couple gave most of it to the poor, and used the remaining gifts to buy male and female slaves and free them. Meanwhile they remained content with a very poor life, as Sunni scholars narrate from Imam Ali who said:
“We had a blanket, if we used it in length it did not cover our sides, and if we used it in width it did not cover our heads and our feet.”
And in the seventh year after the Hejrah, a group of Arabia’s Jews, and according to some researchers a Jewish convert to Islam, gave the famous land of Fadak to the Prophet, who in turn and by the order of Allah passed it to Fatima .
The annual profit of Fadak is recorded to have been around seventy thousand gold Deenaars. But when it came under Fatima ’s ownership, she spent all of its large profits on poor people and in charity projects, and she and her husband did not use any of its profits to sleep with a full stomach at night or change their very poor and humble life style.
It has been narrated:
“One of his (Prophet) companions went to her (Fatima ) home when she was grinding barley and reciting: “And what is with Allah is better and more lasting”. So she put on an old worn-out cloak that had been patched in twelve places with palm leaves.
When she came out, Salman looked at her cloak and cried, saying: What a sadness; the Roman and Persian emperors are covered with sarcenet and silk, and Mohammad’s daughter is covered with an old worn-out woolen cloak patched in twelve places.
Later when Fatima met with the Prophet, she told him: O Prophet! Salman was surprised to see this dress. I swear by Him Who gave you the mission, in the past five years Ali and I have only had one animal skin on which our camel feeds during the day and we sleep during the night; and our pillow is of animal skin stuffed with leaves.”
Courage
Any kind of person who has any kind of mission in life has to have a certain degree of courage. This is because a mission is often accompanied by some sort of confrontation; and lack of courage usually means failure. And the more serious the nature of the mission is, the stronger and more impenetrable the courage should be.
And since the mission of those who deliver the word of God is the most heavy and more confronted, they should be equipped with unprecedented courage.
We read in history books how the prophets and their successors were persecuted and suppressed and how a large number of them were tortured and killed. So if they had lacked the much-needed courage, they would not have been able to spread the message whilst suffering the pain.
And the Prophet of Islam was no exception, and his successors were not treated differently. In fact they were, altogether, subjected to harsher treatment than any of the prophets and their successors.
Prophet himself said:
He also said:
This aggression was not directed, exclusively, from those who openly fought Islam, but mostly from those who carried its flag in order to destroy it. The attempts on Prophet’s life were mainly carried out by those who shammed Islam, and the persecution of his kholafaa’ were solely undertaken by them.
And Fatima , as the third leader of Islam, had her share of persecution from both enemies. And when we read about her life we clearly see that there was no comparison between what she suffered from the overt front with what she suffered from the covert front. Thus her courageous stances against the covert enemies surpassed and outshined the ones against the overt enemies.
She showed great courage when she went all-out to unveil the true identities and beliefs of Abu Bakr and his party members, ignoring the imminent most serious repercussions that this exposure would yield.
It takes more than courage to openly and publicly tell a person like Abu Bakr what she told him, and speak about Abu Bakr and his party the way she did; as you will read later in this book.
Equality
One of the most obvious moral qualities that Godly people are characterized by is equality. This is because Godly people always try to teach out to others with their actions before their words. And since equality comes in the forefront of God’s teachings, it reflects in their actions early on in their lives.
Therefore equality has become a criterion with which to test Muslim leaders and distinguish between the true and the fake people of God.
And as in the other fields, Fatima was decorated with the highest degrees of equality. After several years of marriage during which she cared for her children, and carried out all the work at home such as: grinding barley, baking bread, carrying water, cleaning the house, etc. she brought a housemaid to help her. Although Feddah, as a housemaid, lived in Fatima’s home and was expected to do all the housework, but to the amazement of others Fatima told her that the work should be evenly divided between them. One day Feddah should do the work and Fatima have a rest, and the next day Fatima should do the work and Feddah have a rest!!
After her martyrdom, Imam Ali spoke to one of his followers telling him something about Fatima ’s housework:
“She carried water with a Qerbah so often that it put a mark on her chest; and she grinded with the mill until her hands indurated and became callous; and she swept the home until her clothes became dusty; and she made fire under the pot until…“.
Excessive generosity
Any person can be generous, especially if he is in touch with his humanity, and more so if he believes in the Hereafter. Therefore if this humane character is historically attributed to a person living in past centuries, it does not necessarily mean that its bearer is someone special who should be taken as a role model.
However, if this generosity oversteps its expected boundaries and finds no limits and thus becomes excessive, then its bearer is certainly special. And as much as this excessive generosity is accompanied with more splendid characters and fewer ugly characters, its holder stands out more clearly.
When we read about Fatima , we see that she had the highest grades of excessive generosity, something hard to grasp; and only possible to rationalize as teaching her followers with her actions before her words.
There are more instances than I can possibly count, but the two following narrations will give you some idea of her limitless excessive generosity:
“The Prophet had prepared a new dress for Fatima for her wedding night, as she only had a patched dress.
And before the wedding, suddenly a beggar came to the door saying: I ask from the House of Prophethood a worn-out dress. So she wanted to give him her old patched dress, but she remembered the holy aayah: “By no means shall you attain to righteousness until you spend (benevolently) out of what you love” ; thus she gave out her wedding dress instead, and decided to wear her old patched dress in her wedding.”
It has also been narrated:
“One day after Prophet performed the noon salaat with us, he sat and Muslims surrounded him. Suddenly an ageing Arab wearing an old torn dress, hardly able to control himself from old age and weakness, came to him.
Prophet asked him about his condition and his needs.
The old Arab: O Prophet of Allah! I am hungry, so feed me; and I am naked, so cover me with clothes; and I am poor, so donate some money to me.
Prophet: I do not have anything at the moment, but he who points to goodness is such as him who accomplishes it. Go to the home of the person who loves Allah and His Messenger, and is loved by them; who gives precedence to Allah’s wishes over himself; go to Fatima ’s room.
When the Arab arrived at Fatima ’s door, he called out with all his voice: Peace be upon you O Ahl Bayt al-Nobowwah! and the point of come-and-go for the angels, and the place of descent for Jibrail carrying the Quran from the Creator of the creatures.
The old Arab: I am an ageing Arab. I came to your father… and I am O daughter of Mohammad! naked and hungry, so help me, may Allah bless you.
This happened when it was three days since Prophet, Ali and Fatima had last eaten food.
So Fatima picked up the animal skin on which Hasan and Husayn slept and gave it to the Arab, saying: Take this; may Allah give you what is better for you.
The old Arab: O daughter of Mohammad! I complained to you from hunger and you gave me an animal skin?! What do I do with it for my hunger?!
When Fatima heard him, she took the only piece of jewelry she had, a necklace given to her by her cousin daughter of Hamzah, and gave it to the Arab, saying: Take this and sell it; may Allah exchange it for you with what is better.
So the Arab took the necklace and went back to the mosque where Prophet and his Sahaabah were sitting, telling him: O Prophet! Fatima gave me this necklace and told me: Sell it; may Allah fulfill your needs.
Hearing him, Prophet cried and said: And how is it possible that Allah does not fulfill your needs when Fatima, the daughter of Mohammad, the Foremost of the Daughters of Aadam has given you her necklace?!
Suddenly cAmmaar ibn Yaasir stood up and said: O Prophet! Do you permit me to buy this necklace?
Prophet: Buy it cAmmaar…
cAmmaar: How much will you sell it O Arab?
The old Arab: I will sell it for a full stomach with bread and meat, a Yemeni garment to cover my body in which I can pray for my God, and one gold Deenaar to take me to my family.
cAmmaar: You will have twenty gold Deenaars, and two hundred silver Derhams, and my camel to take you to your family.
The old Arab: How generous you are!
Then cAmmaar gave him what he had promised, and the Arab returned to Prophet where he asked him: Did you eat and dress?
The old Arab: Yes and I became rich, my parents be your sacrifice.
Prophet: So reward Fatima for what she did for you.
The old Arab: O Allah! You are a God we did not create, and we do not have a God to worship except you. You are our provider in every circumstance. O Allah! Give Fatima what no eye has seen and no ear has heard…
Later, cAmmaar took the necklace, smeared it with musk, wrapped it with a Yemeni garment and gave it to his slave called Sahm, telling him: Take this and give it to Prophet, and from now on you will belong to him.
The slave took the necklace and went to the Prophet, telling him what cAmmaar had said.
Prophet: Go to Fatima ’s home and give her this; and you will belong to her.
So the slave went to Fatima and told her what Prophet had said. Fatima took the necklace and freed the slave.
Sahm laughed, and so Fatima asked her: What makes you laugh?
Sahm: The importance of this necklace made me laugh. It fed a hungry, clothed a naked, made a poor rich, freed a slave and returned to its owner.”
Honor for knowledge
Honor for knowledge is what keeps a person knowledgeable. Understanding the importance of what a person has learnt and is learning is most necessary for maintaining it. And knowing what a person carries inside his head will continue to drive him to acquire more of it. Without this, the scholar stops learning and often becomes as good as an illiterate.
However this honor dramatically increases when the gained information relates to God and Godly things, in contrast with what relates to world and worldly things; because the latter kind does not have much value beyond the limits of this life and this world, whereas the former yields even more outside the boundaries of this world.
Therefore we see Fatima had an unprecedented honor for knowledge so much that she says in the following narration: “To me it (some of her father’s teachings) equals Hasan and Husayn”.
“After Prophet’s death a man came to Fatima , saying: O Daughter of Prophet! Did Prophet leave anything with you that I can see?
So she looked for it but could not find it.
When she found the cloth, it was written on it: Prophet Mohammad said: He is not a believer whose neighbor is not safe from his calamity; and whoever believes in Allah and the Hereafter should not annoy his neighbor; and whoever believes in Allah and the Hereafter should say good things or remain silent.
Indeed Allah loves him who is charitable, forbearing and abstinent; and hates him who swears, uses obscene language and is a persistent demander.
Indeed shyness is of faith and faith is in Heaven; and indeed indecency is of obscenity and obscenity is in Hell.”
Love for teaching
Without having love for teaching no one can teach, because teaching is surrounded with difficulties. And the lesser knowledge a student has, the harder it is to teach him; and the more ignorant the society is, the more unbarring its education becomes.
So it is easy to imagine how hard it must have been for Prophet and the other Sinless to teach the ignorant illiterate Arabs of their time, fourteen centuries ago, and transform them, in a relatively short period, to a new knowledgeable people.
And as the first woman teacher in Islam, whose students did not only consist of women, Fatima had enormous love for teaching. So much that, to her, the impossible job of educating those people was a very pleasant and a satisfying undertaking.
The following narration sheds some light on Fatima ’s love for teaching:
“One day a woman came to Fatima and said: I have an old weak mother who has made a mistake in her salaat, and has sent me to you to ask about it.
So Fatima answered the mother’s question.
And the woman asked a second question and a third question and a fourth question, until she asked her tenth question. Then wanting to ask yet more questions, she said to Fatima : I do not want to annoy you more O Daughter of Prophet!
The woman: No.
I heard my father say: When the scholars of our followers are resurrected, robes of honor are put on them to the extent of their knowledge, and their seriousness in guiding their people, such that any one of them would be given one million robes of light.
Then an angel announces: O you crowd of guardians of the orphans of Mohammad’s descendants! The revivers of the orphans after they were separated from their fathers who were their A’emmah. These are your students and the orphans whom you guarded and revived and clothed with the robes of knowledge in the previous world.
The scholars are then given robes of light to the extent of what they had taught their orphans. They are given as many as one hundred thousand robes for a particular student.
And then the students themselves are given robes to the extent of what they had taught their own students.
Later Allah says: Repeat the process and give them more… So every teacher is given robes to the extent of what he had taught his students, and his students are then given robes to the extent of what they had taught their students, and so on.
Then Fatima said: O Servant of Allah! A thread of those robes is a million times more valuable than what the sun shines upon.”
Patience
A person who has a constructive mission in life, faces two kinds of hardship which vary in accordance with the nature and the circumstances of the mission:
One source of hardship is a friendly source, from people who want to participate, cooperate, be receptive, be useful, etc. but do not quite know what to do and how best to do it.
And fourteen centuries ago the teachers of Islam constantly and continuously faced such difficulties. This was because the Arabs and non-Arabs in those times were in a period of transformation, and were not yet familiar with all the etiquettes of learning and the formalities of education.
And the other source of hardship, which was the most serious and the harshest, was naturally the enemy.
And during her life, Fatima suffered unlimited aggression especially from the disguised enemies of Islam, those who shammed tawheed to propagate Idolatry.
However, armed defense against this enemy, who immediately ceased power after the martyrdom of Prophet and swiftly usurped his Kalifa, was not possible as it would have ended in the deaths of the real carriers of Islam, who were followed by only a very small minority, and would have resulted in the complete destruction of all that the Prophet had constructed.
So the only feasible option for the Ahl al-Bayt, to insure the survival of Islam, was teaching in relative secret and occasional public speeches that differed in temperature.
And in parallel to this, they had to exercise great patience and endure what was thrown at them as a result of their public and secret stances against the usurpers.
One of the instances when Prophet ordered Fatima to exercise patience after his death, was while he was on his deathbed; he told her:
“…Leave everything to Allah and be patient, just as your fathers, who were prophets, were patient…“.
Sunni scholars also narrate in their respected references that a few days before her death, Fatima addressed Abu Bakr’s party in the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah, and said in her famous public speech:
“…And we remain patient with you of things similar to the cutting of the saw, and the stabbing of the stomach with a spear.”
And as part of their patience, the Fourteen Sinless did not complain of their suffering to their families or followers. So much that the husband did not speak of his pain to the wife, neither did the wife show her injuries to her husband…
And sometimes, when their wounds and hurt were obvious, they tried their utmost to keep their family away so that they do not see the heartrending scenes.
Therefore, when Umar viciously slapped Fatima in the street, she covered her face at home, so that her husband and her young children do not see its marks, and she did not tell them about it.
And after the final assault on her home, when Umar and around three hundred Bakeri ruffians attacked her house, set fire to it, crushed her between the door and the wall, broke her ribs, lashed her body, hit her with sword, caused the miscarriage of her son Mohassin… she hid her wounds as much as she possibly could from her husband and children, and did not mention her pains to them.
Therefore, hours before she died, she cleaned her wounds, and washed her bloodstained clothes, so that after she dies her husband does not see much of her suffering. But after her death, when they were washing her body, Imam Ali, Asma bint Omays, and Feddah saw and felt the injuries and bruises she had so long tried to hide from them; and they wept in silence, suppressing the sound of their crying to avoid alerting the people who did her injustice.
Simplicity
Although other people who were in similar social, political and financial positions as Fatima enjoyed the finest of life’s luxuries, and untiringly submerged themselves in formalities and never ending ceremonies, Fatima did the exact opposite.
She avoided all these unnecessary burdens and did not introduce any of them to her life. Because unlike the others, she wanted to be readily accessible to all kinds of people, rich and poor, influential and ordinary…
By living as the poorest Muslim woman in the poorest Muslim family, leading a most simple life, she prevented people from thinking that a large gap separated her and her family from them; and taught others in similar social standing to erase any distinction between them and the ordinary man in the street.
So when a poor person visited her, he or she would feel better off financially; and when a person of a low class came to her, he or she would feel as if visiting a person of the same or even a lower class.
Zohd
The Fourteen Sinless have given a number of meanings and descriptions for zohd from different angles. In one of his descriptions for zohd, Imam Ali says:
And when someone asks him: What is zohd in this world? He answers:
And in an attempt to correct a misconception of zohd that some people may have, he says:
“Zohd in this world does not mean avoiding money, and it does not mean prohibiting what God has allowed.”
“Zohd means: That this world does not own you, but you own this world.”
And we see that in the short eighteen years of her life, Fatima was an embodiment of zohd, who owned the world and was not enslaved by it.
She lived the life of the poorest of the poor, although the vast yielding Fadak was among her positions; she lived the simplest possible life, although she was the daughter of the ruler of nine countries in today’s geography; and she requested her husband to burry her in secret and hide her grave, although she could have had the best burial ceremony, and attract countless pilgrims to her grave, like her father, husband and sons.
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HOLY LADY’S MISSION
We could never fully understand the whole mission of any of the Fourteen Sinless, and can only believe in what has been passed down to us from Allah, and from them, about themselves and their missions.
This is because on the one hand our brain and intellectual capability is limited, and on the other hand their mission is even bigger than our imagination.
Their mission overlap human beings and covers all the creatures of Allah, irrespective of time and place and regardless of whether or not they have a soul; and their authority extends over everything and overspreads whole planets.
And it does not stop at the highest levels of al-Walaayah al-Takweeneyyah, but goes further to encompass creation itself; after God empowered them and deputized them to create His creatures, just as He ordered some of his angels to give and take lives.
And about this fact, the second Bakeri leader Umar, said to Prophet Mohammad’s third Kalifa Imam Husayn:
And he repeated this recognition on another occasion when he said to Imam Husayn:
But their mission does not end there either, as God has tied our being to their being. Thus if a hojjah of Allah is no longer amongst us, we will seizes to exist.
“If the earth became vacant of a hojjah for a blink of an eye, it would certainly swallow its inhabitants.”
And after this world, the Fourteen Sinless remain in charge in the Hereafter, as Sunni scholars agree and narrate:
“Abu Bakr and Ali ibn Abi Talib met one day, and Abu Bakr smiled in his face. Ali asked him: Why did you smile?
And because Allah granted the Fourteen Sinless the highest levels of Authority [al-Walaya al-Takwiniya], and made them his instruments for creation, and chose them to be the sustainers of the world, etc. He instructed all of His prophets to believe in them and submit to their will, before they could become prophets.
It has been narrated from Prophet who said:
The prophethood of no prophet became complete in Azellah, until my authority and the authority of my descendants were presented to them, and my descendants were shown to them, and they recognized their obedience and submitted to their authority.”
And after the world of Azellah the Fourteen Sinless remained ever so important to the prophets, so much that in times of danger and oppression, they prayed to Allah and put the Fourteen Sinless as the intermediary between them and Allah for relief and victory.
Prophet Nooh, for example, asked God in their name for safety and relief, and wrote the names of Prophet, Imam Ali, HOLY LADY, Imam Hasan and Imam Husayn on a board which he put on his ship for blessing.
And Fatima was one of these Fourteen Sinless, whose authority over God’s creations encompassed everything and everyone including the prophets and their successors, except her father and her husband.
And throughout their lives, prophet Mohammad’s kholafaa’ repeatedly recognized her authority over them in front of their followers, so that they may know her better and understand her position to God as much as they can.
This is Fatima, who is a Hojjah over eleven of her father’s successors, who are, themselves, Hojaj over all the creation.
We may not know exactly what she is and who she is with our limited intellectual capability, which so far has not comprehended all there is to comprehend about the human body which is only a part of its larger being, but we know something about her mission, to an extent that relates to us.
Here are some highlights of a part of Fatima ’s mission that relates to the propagation of Islam:
HER DOA [Prayer]
Islam as the last divine religion is the most complete religion, and it is universal and for all times.
Islam, as its predecessors, works to elevate its followers’ souls as much as they allow it to elevate, through listening to Allah and speaking to Him. Listening to Allah, when reciting the Holy Quran; and speaking to Him, when reciting the Holy Prayer.
Fortunately a large number of prayers have been passed down to us from the Fourteen Sinless, for every day of the week; for every month of the year; for every aspect of life; for every kind of need; for every type of fear; for all forms of thanking Allah for His gifts; for all sorts of estekhaarah, etc.
These prayers teach us Islamic law, theology, sociology, politics, economics, morals, etiquettes, etc. They include prophecies and scientific facts centuries before they happen and are discovered.
These prayers are the peaks of eloquence of the Arabic language, and the main sources of knowledge. Something that separates the true representatives of Allah from the pretenders. Something that the Sinless have plentiful, and their foes lack totally.
In her prayers, Fatima turns herself into the smallest of things in front of the largest of things. She looks at Allah as if He is looking at her, and she talks to Allah as if He is talking to her. She speaks of herself as the worst sinner on the face of earth, who has no chance of forgiveness; and yet she shows so much confidence in forgiveness, as if she is sinless.
In her prayers, she portrays Allah as the most powerful king from Whose justice nothing escapes, and Who holds His subjects accountable for every tiny mistake; and at the same time, she portrays Him as the most affectionate mother towards her only child who always turns a blind eye to her child’s mischief.
In her prayers, she places the person between Allah’s wrath and His Mercy in such proximity that he feels he will be engulfed in God’s wrath in one minute, and becomes certain of God’s Mercy in the next minute.
In her prayers, she makes a person see, hear and feel the comforts of Heaven; and simultaneously see, hear and feel the tortures of Hell.
Many scholars have collected the narrated prayers from the Sinless in various specialized books; and other scholars have put great efforts into write explanations and interpretations to these prayers in their multi-volume encyclopedias.
A- Secret Prayers:
The prayers that were between her and her God which she recited in secrecy, and did not allow others to learn for various reasons.
B- Private Prayers:
The prayers that she recited for specific purposes, without the intention to teach them to others; although saying them out loud in front of others so that they may use them as a source of knowledge. They include:
1- “O My Lord! and my Master! this is Mohammad, Your Prophet; and this is Ali, Your Prophet’s cousin; and these are Hasan and Husayn, Your Prophet’s grandsons.
O My Lord! Descend upon us food from the sky, just as You descended it to the children of Israel
2- “O Ever-Living! O Self-Subsisting! By Thy Mercy I ask for relief, so relieve me. O Allah! Move me away from Hell and enter me into Heaven; and join me with my father Mohammad, may Allah’s Blessing be upon him and his descendents.
O my Lord! I have indeed become tired of life, and have been annoyed by the people, so take me to my father.
To You my Lord, not to Hell. O Allah! With Your Messenger. O Allah! In Your Heaven and in Your vicinity and in Your house, the house of peace.”
3- “O Allah! I ask You in Mohammad the Mostafa’s name, and his yearning for me; and in my husband Ali the Mortadaa’s name, and his grief for me; and in Hasan the Mojtabaa’s name, and his crying for me; and in Husayn the Martyr’s name, and his sorrow for me; and in my daughters’ names, and their heartbreak for me; that You have Mercy upon the sinners of the followers of Mohammad, and forgive them, and take them to Heaven. You are indeed the Most Noble, and the Most Merciful.”
C- Public Prayers:
The prayers that she taught others so that they may recite them. These prayers fall into several categories including:
- asking Allah for forgiveness and pardon;
- freedom from prison;
- fulfillment of needs;
- glorifying Allah;
- physical healing, such as: recovery from a fever;
- praising Allah;
- protection from an unjust ruler, etc;
- settlement of a debt;
- specific prayers for morning and night;
- specific prayers for every day of the week;
- specific prayers to be recited after the mandatory and the recommended salawaat (plural of salaat).
- warding off anxiety and worry.
Some of these prayers are:
1- “O Allah! Protect us with Your eye which does not go to sleep; and Your support which will never be weaken; and with Your great names. And descend Your Blessing upon Mohammad and his descendents. And protect for us that which would be lost if someone other than You protects it; and conceal for us that which would be known if someone other than you conceals it; and make all of this conformable for us. You are indeed a Listener to the Docaa’, and a Fast Responder.”
2- “Praise be to Allah, He Whose Praise cannot be culminated by those who commend. And praise be to Allah, He Whose gifts cannot be counted by those whose expertise is to count. And praise be to Allah, He who cannot be recompensed by the continuous worship of the devout worshipers.
And there is no God except Allah, the First and the Last. And there is no God except Allah, the Evident and the Hidden. And there is no God except Allah, the Giver of Life and the Taker of Life.
And Allah is Greater, the Almighty. And Allah is Greater, the Eternal.
And praise be to Allah, He whose knowledge cannot be comprehend by the knowledgeable; and whose forbearance cannot be weakened by the ignorant; and whose praise cannot be culminated by those whose expertise is to praise; and whose attributes cannot be described by those whose expertise is to describe; and whose qualities cannot be adequately explained by His creatures.
And praise be to Allah, He who has the reign and the kingdom; and the grandeur and the mightiness; and the pride and the exaltedness; and the magnificence and the gravity; and the beauty and the prestige; and the power and the strength; and the force and the grace; and the victory and the merit; and the might and the justice; and the truth and the noble character; and the eminence and the highness; and the glory and the virtue; and the wisdom and the sufficiency; and the profusion and the expansion and the contraction; and the forbearance and the knowledge; and the conclusive proof; and the encompassing benefaction; and the graceful and beautiful commendation; and the noble spiritual gifts. The king of this world and the Hereafter and the Heaven and the Hell and all of what they include. Blessed be Him, Allah, and be He raised far above.
Praise be to Allah, He Who knows the secrets of the invisibles; and is aware of the sins that the hearts commit; so there is no way of escape and getaway from Him.
And praise be to Allah, He Who is the Proud in His rule; and is the Venerated in His Place; and is the Haughty in his Reign; and the Powerful in his Assault; and is the High over his Arsh; and is the Informed of His people; and attains whatever He wishes.
And praise be to Allah, He by Whose command the massive skies were upheld; and the flat lands became firm; and the unshakable deep-rooted mountains stood erect; and the pollinating air flew; and the clouds moved in the sky; and the seas stood at their limits; and the hearts became apprehensive of His fear; and the lords were subdued by His Lordship.
Blessed You are, O Who counts the rain drops; and the leaves of the trees; and the Giver of life to the corps of the dead for the resurrection.
Glory be to You, O You Who possesses the Exaltedness and Honor; what would You do to the stranger, the destitute if he came to You appealing for aid and asking for help?
What would You do to the one who remains at Your Court; and exposes himself to Your Approval; and comes to You, until he kneels between Your Hands, complaining to You of the things that are not hidden from You?
So do not let O my Lord! the outcome of my invocation to be deprivation, and nor my share of what I wish from you to be disappointment.
O He Who has not and will not vanish; and has been and will continue to be watching every soul as to what it attains.
O He Who has made the days of this world to pass, and its months to change, and its years to go round. And You are the Everlasting. The times do not afflict You, and nor do the worlds.
O He to Whom every day is new; and by Him every means of living for the weak and the strong and the tough are prepared. You have divided the means of living for the creatures, and have equaled between the small ant and the bird.
I ask of You O Allah! By these praises to forgive me, and pardon me, and cloth my body with health, and grant me soundness in my religion.
Thus I ask of You and I am confident of Your Response; and I call upon You and I know that You can hear my call; so listen to my call, and do not sever my hope, and do not refuse my laudatory, and do not block my call. I am in need of Your Satisfaction and of Your Forgiveness. I ask of You and I am not disheartened of Your Mercy, and call upon You while I am not being cautious of Your Discontentment.
O Lord! Fulfill my requests, and have favor on me with Your Forgiveness; and take my life as a Muslim and join me with the good. O Lord! Do not forbid me Your Kindness, O Beneficent! And do not make me depend on myself in abandonment, O Compassionate!
O Lord! Be Merciful to me when I leave my beloveds and die, and when I stay alone in my grave, and when I am a stranger in the desert on the Day of Resurrection, and when I stand in poverty between Your Hands in Your Court of justice.
O Lord! I seek refuge to You from the Fire, so give me refuge. O Lord! I seek Your Protection from the Fire, so protect me. I run to You from the Fire, so take me away.
O Lord! Being anguished, I seek Your Mercy, so have Mercy on me; O Lord! I seek Your Forgiveness for when I was ignorant, so forgive me.
Indeed docaa’ for my need has taken me to You, so do not disappoint me, O Bountiful! He Who has the Gifts, and the Benevolence and the Overlooking.
O My Master! O Beneficent! O Merciful! Grant my request amongst those who pray humbly to You; and have Mercy on my tears amongst those who cry to You; and on the day I leave this world, make my meeting with You as my Comfort; and conceal amongst the dead O He in Whom there are great wishes, my shameful acts; and have Compassion for me when I am being moved to my grave alone. You are my hope, and You are the one Whom I ask my needs from, and the one Who knows what I am going to ask Him; so fulfill my needs, O Fulfiller of needs!
So, to You is the complaint, and You are the Helper and the Giver of hope. I run to You fleeing from the sins, so accept me; and I seek refuge from Your Justice to Your Forgiveness, so aid me; and I seek shelter to Your Forgiveness from Your Assault so keep me away from it; and I seek Your Mercy from Your Punishment, so rescue me; and I seek to get close to You by Islam, so get me close.
And from the greater fear, so keep me safe; and in the shadow of Your Arsh, so shade me; and two shares of Your Mercy, so present to me; and safely from this world, so deliver me; and from the darkness to the light, so send me; and on the Day of Resurrection, so brighten my face; and with a light questioning, so question me; and with what I have concealed, so do not expose me; and for Your Affliction, so give me patience.
And just as You diverted the evil and the adultery from Yoosof, so divert it from me; and what I do not have the capacity for, so do not load on my shoulder; and to the House of Peace, so guide me; and by the Quran, so benefit me; and by the firm belief, so make me firm; and from the accursed Shaytaan, so keep me safe; and by Your Strength and Power and Might, so shield me; and by Your Forbearance and Knowledge and broad Mercy, so rescue me from Hell; and in Your Heaven of Ferdaws, so house me; and looking at Your Face, so bestow upon me; and with Your Prophet Mohammad, so join me; and from the Shayaateen and their followers and from all those who possess evil, so keep me away…“.
3- “Glory be to Him for Whose Greatness everything became humble. Glory be to Him for Whose High Standing everything became low. Glory be to Him to Whose Control and Rule everything yielded. Glory be to Him Who is obeyed by everything.
Praise be to Allah Who does not forget whoever remembers Him. Praise be to Allah Who does not disappoint whoever prays to Him. Praise be to Allah Who is Sufficient for those who rely on Him.
Praise be to Allah Who is the Thickener of the sky; and the Builder of the earth; and Who limits the seas; and Who piles up the mountains; and Who creates the animals; and Who creates the trees; and who opens the earth’s springs; and Who arranges things; and Who moves the clouds; and Who causes the wind and the water and the fire to flow from the earth up to sky; and Who descends the heat and the cold.
The one with Whose Gift the good deeds are completed; and by thanking Him they are increased; and by His Order the skies started to exist; and by His Greatness the unshakable mountains stood; and the wild animals glorified Him in the deserts and the birds in the nests.
O Allah! I ask You by Your stored name, the pleasant, the pure, the one by which the skies and the earth started to exist; and the darkness was lit for it; and the angels glorified for it; and the hearts feared it; and the necks became humble for it; and the one by which You brought the dead back to life; to forgive every sin that I committed in the darkness of the night and in the light of the day, intentionally or inadvertently, in secrecy or in public; and to give me a conviction, and a guidance, and a light, and a knowledge, and an understanding so that I may implement your book, and allow what it allows, and prohibit what it prohibits; and to perform what You have made mandatory for me, and to practice Your prophet’s tradition.
O Allah! Join me with the virtuous of those who have passed away, and make me one of the virtuous of those who remain alive; and finish my deeds at its best; for You are the Most Forgiving and the Most Merciful.
O Allah! If my life were to finish, and my days were to sever, and I were to meet you, so I ask You, O Kind! to put me in a place in Heaven where others will envy me.
O Allah! I entrust my religion and my soul and all the gifts You have given me to You; and so put me in Your shade, and in Your protection, and in Your might, and in Your prevention.
Your neighbor is mighty, and Your tribute is grand, and Your names are sanctified, and there is no God but You. You are Sufficient for me in joy and in sorrow, and in hard times and in prosperity; and You are the best [one who can be] in charge.”
HER POLITICS
Islam as the last universal religion, attaches great importance to politics and engages in all political affairs. This means that Islam is political as much as it is economical, educational, social, ritual, moral, legal, etc.
However, there are some people who claim Islam is non-political, and therefore call for a separation between Islam and politics.
To reject their assertion, one has to look at the history of Islam and see how Prophet Mohammad and his Rightful Kholafaa’ played major political roles as the messengers of Islam.
Prophet Mohammad was the founder of the Islamic rule in Madinah, which in a period of ten years spread to nine countries in today’s geography. After his martyrdom, his successorship was usurped by Abu Bakr’s party and remained usurped for centuries.
However during this time, Imam Ali the first Kalifa, was able to attain his usurped position, and headed the Islamic rule for about five years until he was assassinated.
He was succeeded by Imam Hasan, the second Kalifa, who headed the Islamic rule for several months until his position was usurped by Muawiya, the fourth Bakeri usurper, the first Amawi ruler and son of the Idolater leader Abu Sofyaan. Later Muawiya poisoned Imam Hasan to death.
Thus Prophet, Imam Ali and Imam Hasan personally headed the Islamic rule for a total of around sixteen years.
And the other Imams up to the eleventh Imam, were consecutively suppressed and were assassinated, because they had major political functions and continuously opposed the usurpers of their times.
So politics is an integral part and a major component of Islam. Without politics, Islam will not be complete.
And Fatima as a representative of Allah had huge political roles, the results of which are everlasting. Her political mission was more noticeable after her father’s martyrdom when she became the focus of attention in the struggle between the Rightful Kalifa and the usurpers.
In a period, the shortest of which is said to be thirty days and the longest of which is said to be nine months, she unveiled the Bakeri party, showing its true identity.
Despite her very young age, she managed to draw a line between the true Islam taught by the rightful successors of Prophet Mohammad, and the false Islam used by the usurpers of the Kalifa to rule their growing empire and destroy the true Islam.
Her politics proved to be so intolerable and dangerous for the Bakeri party that it decided to crush her immediately, directly and without much cover.
cOmar, the Second Usurper, personally headed several attacks on her home in full view of the public that had enormous love and great respect for her as the daughter of the late Prophet.
Below are highlights of her politics:
Complete endorsement for Imam Ali
Importance of a pledge of allegiance
From the start, the pre-Islamic Arabs had much respect for a pledge of allegiance. A pledge of allegiance was made in public to a leader of some sort. If an Arab gave his pledge of allegiance to a fellow Arab, he would remain loyal to him.
When Prophet migrated to Madinah and established the Islamic rule, influential leaders and other people gave him their pledge of allegiance. And his governors also received such pledges from their people, especially from those who had leading roles in their society, such as tribe leaders.
And before his death, Prophet himself sought pledge of allegiance for Imam Ali as his Kalifa, from the Muslims on numerous occasions. The most dramatic being on 18 Dhol-Hejjah in the tenth year of Hejrah, seventy days before his martyrdom, known as the day of “Ghadeer Khom”, when he gathered one hundred and twenty thousand Muslims in the desert while returning from the Farewell Pilgrimage. There, after a lengthy public speech, Prophet asked them to give their pledge of allegiance to Imam Ali and call him by his God-given title: “Imam Ali”. It took three days for all the people to give their individual pledges.
When the Bakeri party assassinated the Prophet and made its swift move to usurp the Kalifa, it struggled to gain the much needed pledges of allegiance. But how could it render void the pledges already given to Imam Ali that were insistently sought by Prophet?
With its titanic influence, secret deals and promises of friendship and enmity, which meant wealth or death, it brought many influential Arab leaders to its corner. By securing the allegiance of a few men, the Bakeri party won the loyalty and the swords of countless people. The tribal ruling system of that day meant the automatic endorsement of tribe members of whomsoever their leader supported.
As more tribes came under its wings, the Bakeri party multiplied its pressure on the defaulters.
The opposition was led by Imam Ali who maintained his claim for the Kalifa, and proved to be the biggest barrier between the Bakeri party and legitimacy. But violence and assassination continued to reduce the resistance in numbers.
Here, HOLY LADY became the focus of attention. Would the Prophet’s daughter give her pledge of allegiance to Abu Bakr or to Imam Ali?
Importance of Fatima ’s endorsement
In the events that followed Prophet’s martyrdom, people kept their eyes set on Fatima , and their ears open to any words she said, in an effort to learn who she supported as the Kalifa.
Sunni scholars narrate:
“Some people came to Prophet and asked him: O Prophet! Who is the most beloved person to you?
“One day Ali asked the Prophet: O Prophet! Which of your family is most beloved to you?
Aisha also admitted to this fact when she said:
“They asked me: Who was more beloved to Prophet?
And I answered: Fatima .
I was asked again: And of men?
cAbdollaah son of the Second Usurper Umar narrates:
Aisha daughter of the First Usurper Abu Bakr narrates:
“Whenever Fatima went to Prophet, he welcomed her, kissed her hands and offered her to sit in his place.”
The importance of this action can only be understood when we learn that kissing the hand was a very rare thing in the Arab culture, and showed the greatest respect for a person.
But the reason for the importance of Fatima ’s endorsement was not merely the fact that she was close to Prophet, it was rather because of her close position to Allah, and the nature of her Godly-being. And it was because Prophet had said that her approval and disapproval is his approval and disapproval and Allah’s approval and disapproval.
Sunni scholars narrate:
“Prophet said: O Fatima ! Indeed the Almighty Allah becomes angry for your anger; and approves for your approval.”
Fatima ’s pledge of allegiance
After the martyrdom of her father, Fatima immediately showed support for Imam Ali, as the Bakeri leaders were coming out of hiding to gather in Bani Saidah’s gethering place to appoint Abu Bakr as the Kalifa.
Sunni scholars narrate that she said:
“Have you forgotten Prophet’s speech on the day of Ghadeer Khom: For whomsoever I am master, Ali is his master?! And that he said to Ali: You are to me what Haaroon was to Musa?!.”
It has also been narrated that she said:
“It is as though you have not learned what Prophet said on the day of Ghadeer Khom. By Allah, indeed he appointed him on that day to sever your hopes for it. But you severed the routs between you and your Prophet!!
It has also been narrated:
“When people were giving their oath of allegiance to Abu Bakr, Fatima the daughter of Mohammad came out of her home and stood at the door, saying: I have never seen a day like this! People attended the worst meeting and left their Prophet unburied, and usurped our right.”
Mahmood ibn Lobayd (Abu Umar) narrates:
“I said to Fatima : O my Lady, I want to ask you a question that stammers in my chest.
Abu Umar: Did Prophet appoint Ali as the Kalifa before his death?
Abu Umar: No my Lady; but I want to know what Prophet told you.
If you follow them, you will find them learned leaders; and if you disobey them, there will be great conflict among you until the Day of Judgment.
Abu Umar: O my Lady! so why did he (Ali) not get back his right?
But they gave precedence to whom Allah had held back; and held back whom Allah had given precedence to…
They appointed [a Kalifa] with their desire and acted according to their decisions. Woe unto them; have not they heard the Almighty Allah say: “And your Lord creates and chooses whom He pleases; to choose is not theirs”. They did hear, but as Allah says: “For surely it is not the eyes that are blind, but blind are the hearts which are in the chests”.
How far! They spread their wishes in this world, and weaved their fates. “For them is destruction, and He has made their deeds ineffective”.
It has been narrated that she said:
“The two fathers of this nation are Mohammad and Ali.
They straighten its bends, and deliver it from the continuous punishment (Hell) if it obeyed them; and they bring it the continuous bliss (Heaven) if it followed them.”
Complete Rejection Of Abu Bakr’s Party
As the Bakeri party lacked truth and originality, and as it was usurping the Kalifa and trying to push back Imam Ali who possessed all the truth and originality, it could not tolerate much opposition.
Confrontation even from an unknown Bedouin was serious, as it undermined the legitimacy of the False Kalifa.
At this time, HOLY LADY posed a grave threat to Abu Bakr’s throne as she went all out to expose this assumed pious and sincere Muslim.
Her rejection of Abu Bakr and his party varied from simple criticisms—which coming from Fatima meant quite more—to calling for an uprising to strip him from his undeserved position.
Below are highlights of her rejecting stance against the Bakeri party:
Open confrontation with the Bakeri party
As a Sinless and a carrier of God’s message, Fatima was frank and outright in her mission. She did not show fear from her powerful enemies and did not allow her personal interests compromise her duties.
And when it came to the question of the Kalifa, she did not give the Bakeri party any corners; and like Imam Ali, she did not offer nor did she accept any compromises.
Open confrontation was a method by which she showed people where she stood and where they should stand.
Prominent Sunni and Muslim scholars narrate:
“When Fatima ’s condition worsened, a group of women from Mohaajireen and Ansaar came to visit her; they asked: How are you feeling, O Daughter of Prophet?
She praised Allah and saluted her father; then she said: By Allah, I am disgusted with your world; and I am angry with your men, I spat them after I bit them, and loathed them after I tasted them. How shameful is a notch in a sharp sword; and playfulness after seriousness; and hitting a hard stone; and a crack in a spear; and foolish thoughts; and devious wishes!! “Certainly evil is that which their souls have sent before for them, that Allah became displeased with them and in chastisement shall they abide”.
Undoubtedly, by Allah, I have put its noose around their necks, and loaded them its heavy burden, and sent them its shame. So, cut be their noses, and severed be their legs, and far be the group of wrongdoers.
Woe unto them, where to did they move it (Kalifa) from pillars of the messengerhood and foundations of the prophethood and guidance, and Jibrail’s place of descent, and the intelligent knowledgeable in the fields of the world and religion?! “Now surely, that is the clear loss”.
What did they resent from the father of Hasan?! They resented, by Allah, the sharpness of his sword, and his little concern for his death, and the strength of his movement, and the force of his strike, and his turning into a tiger in the way of Allah, the Powerful and Exalted.
By Allah, if they had not touched the rein that Prophet had dropped, he surely would have taken it and would have advanced them an easy advance. He would not cause the khashaashah to injure, and would not tire his ride, and would not irritate the riders. And would have led them to a wide clear spring that overflows its banks, and would have let them fill all their stomachs with water. And he would have been sincere with them in private and in public. They would have been lost in much wealth, while he did not decorate himself with any of it, and would not enjoy of this living except a little water that does not fully satisfy his thirst, and a little food that only stops the sting of his hunger.
And they would have distinguished the zaahid from the desirous, and the truthful from the liar. And much blessing would have come to them from the sky and the earth. “And if the people of the towns had believed and guarded (against evil) We would certainly have opened up for them blessings from the Heaven and the earth, but they rejected, so We overtook them for what they had earned”.
Oh come and listen; and as you live, time will show you surprises. And if you ever become surprised, this will surprise you the most.
I wish I knew! On what reasoning did they rely?! And to what handle did they cling?! And what progeny did they overtake and suppress?!
Verily, what a bad master, and what a bad companion; and bad is what they exchanged for themselves. They replaced, by Allah, the heads with the tails, and the crucial with the unimportant. So dirt be on the noses of those who “think they are well versed in skill of the work of hands”; “Now surely they themselves are the mischief makers, but they do not perceive”.
Woe unto them; “Is He then Who guides to the truth more worthy to be followed, or he who himself does not go aright unless he is guided? What then is the matter with you; how do you judge?”.
Indeed, by the religion of your Lord, it has become pregnant; so wait and see what it shall bear. Then milk until the cup overflows with fresh blood, and killer poison. There, shall the wrongdoers lose; and those who come shall learn the results of what those who passed had founded.
Then see if you can clear your conscience; and let your hearts rest assured that conflict shall come, and be certain of a sharp sword, and the suppression of a tyrant aggressor, and an all-inclusive agitation, and despotism from unjust rulers…
What a pity, and how far from the solution you shall be when you have been made blind. “Shall we constrain you to accept it while you are averse from it?!”.
Then the women returned to their husbands, and told them what she had said. So a group of Mohaajireen and Ansaar leaders came to her to apologize.
They said: O Chief of the Women! If Abu al-Hasan (Imam Ali) had told us about this before we concluded the pledge [to Abu Bakr] and tied the knot, we would not have deviated from him to anyone else.
Total condemnation
At the same time when HOLY LADY supported the True Kalifa, she denounced the False Kalifa; and as she continued to advocate the Rightful Kalifa, she condemned its usurpers.
Below are some excerpts from her famous public speech in the mosque, after the usurpation of the Kalifa, during which publicly and strongly condemned the usurpers:
“…And when Allah chose for His Prophet the house of the prophets, and the adobe of His most sincere friends, the spite of hypocrisy appeared on you, and the garment of faith became worn out, and the silent aberrant spoke out, and the indolent of the inferiors emerged, and the wrongdoers’ most favored camel roared, so he wiggled his tail in your courtyards.
And Shaytaan raised his head from his hiding place calling upon you, and he found you answering to his call and looking into his deceit. Then he aroused you and found you quick to respond; and caused you to become angry, so he found you angry for his anger.
Thus you marked a camel which you did not own, and came to a drinking place other than your own.
This! and the memory is near?! And the wound is wide open?! And the injury has not healed?! And the Messenger has not been buried?!
…And the Book of Allah is among you. Its affairs are clear, and its rules are shining, and its signs are dazzling, and its prohibitions have been made clear, and its commands are plain; and you have surely left it behind you. Is it because you do not want it? Or is it because you judge according to something else? “Evil is (this) change for the unjust”, “And whoever desires a religion other than Islam, it shall not be accepted from him, and in the Hereafter he shall be one of the losers”. “.
She also said:
“O You crowd of Muslims who rush towards the uttering of falsehood, and agree to disgraceful and deviating actions, “Do you not then reflect on the Quran?! Nay! On the hearts there are locks”. “Nay! Rather what you have done has become like rust upon your hearts”. So it has seized your hearing and your sight; and truly how vile is what you have pointed to; and how wicked is what you have taken for an exchange.
You shall, by Allah, find bearing it a heavy burden, and its consequence a harsh punishment, when the cover is removed for you and appears to you what is behind it of wrath, and comes into your sight from your Creator what you had never expected, “And those who treated (it) as a lie were lost”.”
She also said:
“…Verily I have said all that I have said with full knowledge of the betrayal that has mixed with you, and the treachery that has covered your hearts; but it is the effusion of distress, and cooling the rage, and the explosion of the chest, and the presentation of proof.
So here it is, load it on the injured back of a she-camel with thin hooves, with permanent disability, marked by the wrath of the Omnipotent, with eternal shame, which is lead to “The Fire kindled by Allah -- Which penetrates the hearts”.
Surely it is in the presence of Allah what you do, “And they who act unjustly shall know to what final place
Severe protests
As part of the larger package of rejecting Abu Bakr and his party, HOLY LADY often criticized them publicly.
And in accordance with the seriousness their deviations and their unIslamic policies and actions, the severity of her protests increased.
The following are some instances of her protests in her famous public speech in the mosque:
“…Then you did not wait for its stampede to calm and until it obeys its reins, so you added fuel to its fire, and instigated its burning coal; and you complied with the call of the deceitful Shaytaan, extinguishing the lights of the clear religion, and suppressing the traditions of the Prophet.
You show sincerity while concealing your own agenda, and you proceed towards his family and children in a secretive manner.
And we remain patient with you of things similar to cutting with a saw, and stabbing the stomach with a spear.”
She also said:
“O Muslims! Will my inheritance be usurped?! O Son of Abi Qohaafah! (Abu Bakr), is it in the Book of Allah that you inherit your father but I do not inherit my father?! You have surely come up with an unprecedented lie.”
She also said:
“So here is the she-camel, take it, with its nose rope and its saddle in place; it will see you on the day of your resurrection. Then, what an excellent Judge is Allah, and what an excellent prosecutor is Mohammad. And the appointment is the resurrection day; and on the Hour shall the wrongdoers lose; and it shall not benefit you when you regret. “For every prophecy is a term, and you will come to know [it]”. “Who it is to whom there shall come a punishment which will disgrace him and to whom will be due a lasting punishment.”
Labeling the Bakeri party as Non-Muslim
If we believe that HOLY LADY was a produce of Heaven, as Sunni scholars narrate; and if we believe that she was one of the people about whom the aayah “Allah only desires to keep away the uncleanness from you, O People of the House! and to purify you a [thorough] purifying” was revealed, as Sunni scholars narrate; and if we believe that she was one of the people about whom the aayah “Say: I do not ask of you any reward for it but love for my near relatives” was revealed, as Sunni scholars narrate; and if we believe that whomsoever was in peace with her was as such as he was in peace with the Prophet, and whomsoever was at war with her was as such as he was in war with the Prophet, as Sunni scholars narrate; and if we believe that Allah’s satisfaction and anger are tied to her satisfaction and anger, as Sunni scholars narrate... we can only come to the conclusion that the Bakeri party deviated from Islam when it entered into a war with HOLY LADY and subsequently killed her.
This is not a conclusion that only the Muslims reach after fourteen centuries of the events, but it is a fact that Fatima herself repeatedly announced and publicized.
Below are instances of her labeling the Bakeri party as Non-Muslim:
In her famous public speech in the mosque she said:
“Is it then the judgment of (the times of) ignorance that you desire?! And who is better than Allah to judge for a people who are sure?“.
She also said:
“Do you intentionally abandon the Book of Allah and cast it behind your back?!”.
She also said:
“…So to what direction did you go after announcement? And why did you conceal after declaring? And turn on your heels after daring? And become polytheists after believing?
Misery be upon “A people who broke their oaths after their promise, and aimed at the expulsion of the Apostle, and they attacked you first, do you fear them? But Allah is most deserving that you should fear Him, if you are believers”.
Indeed I can surely see that you are inclined to easy living; and that you have kept away who is more worthy of the Aliphate; and have secluded yourselves with comfort; and have taken refuge from wideness to narrowness. So you spitted out what you had kept, and vomited what had smoothed down your throats. “If you disbelieve, you and those on earth all together, most surely Allah is Self-Sufficient, Praised”.”
She also said:
“Do you then unite in treachery, justifying it with fabrication?! And this after his death is similar to what was directed at him during his life.”
Calling for uprising
After Abu Bakr and his party succeeded in usurping the Kalifa from Imam Ali, through bringing the tribe chiefs to their court by making promises of wealth and power and also threats of death and persecution, HOLY LADY embarked on the hard and dangerous mission of reminding the sold hearts of the many promises and numerous oaths they had made in favor of the Rightful Kalifa.
And as part of that package she accompanied her husband and her two sons on visits to the homes of the heads of Mohaajireen and Ansaar, for a number of days and nights, asking for their support.
Fatima ignores her injuries
From what history tells us we know that the attacks on Imam Ali and HOLY LADY were carried out in the first half of her life after the Prophet’s death, and that the numerous meetings with the heads of Mohaajireen and Ansaar took place in the second half.
Therefore during that time she was suffering from the many injuries she had sustained at the hands of the Bakeri party, nevertheless she performed her duty and accomplished her task. Making the sin of those who did not answer her call even greater.
This is supported by the fact that Ali took her to those homes on a female donkey. As the normal transport for short trips in those days was the horse, and people rarely used a donkey for traveling in or outside the city. And it was news if a famous person chose to ride a donkey. For example Prophet was known for riding a donkey in the city as part of his humility, and used to say:
“There are five things I will not give up until death: Eating with slaves on the ground, riding a donkey without a saddle, milking a she-goat with my hand, wearing wool and greeting children.”
It is also supported by the fact that the female donkey is shorter than the male, and therefore it is easier to mount and dismount. And by the fact that she was riding when Imam Ali was walking, a serious disrespect, unless she was unable to walk!!
Completion of proof
Just as Prophet had persevered in his mission and endured much pain in his insistence to convince the Idolaters, Jews, Christians, etc to believe in the one indivisible God, and stop associating people and things with Him, Imam Ali and HOLY LADY also suffered a great deal in their pertinacious attempts to keep the nation on the right track on which Prophet had first placed it.
Therefore after his martyrdom, when the nation took another rout and began to go astray, HOLY LADY rose up to guide it back to the right path.
Although she had been badly injured in several attacks by the Bakeri party, she ignored all the pain and joined the Kalifa and their sons Imam Hasan and Imam Husayn to meet with the leaders of Mohaajireen and Ansaar, who were able to stand up and stop the Bakeri party.
The high position of Imam Ali put aside, Fatima and her two sons had the highest ranks and respect after the martyrdom of Prophet Mohammad. People –including Sunnis- remember to this day what Allah and the Prophet had said about them, and know that they were with the truth and that the truth was with them.
Therefore, Imam Ali, Fatima and their two sons took advantage of their position and set out on another mission to complete the proof for the people of that day, leaving no space for any excuse produced by the Sunnis today, justifying the actions and affiliations of the Companions of the Prophet for choosing Abu Bakr over Imam Ali. And to clearly show that the so-called Companions of the Prophet deliberately left the truth to followed the falsehood, and even admitted it.
Why did she not ask for uprising publicly
The question may occur to the mind that considering their high standing, if Imam Ali, Fatima and their two sons had publicly asked for support, the Bakeri party would have lost all of its following, and Imam Ali would have become the Kalifa. So why did they instead go to the homes of the influential leaders?
Perhaps the reasons were the following:
1- Tribal rule. In those days people were members of tribes, and as tribe members they had to follow their chiefs and do whatever they ordered, whether or not they agreed to it. As tribe members they did not own anything, including their lives; the chief owned everything and everyone.
Therefore people would not have supported Imam Ali if their chiefs did not support him.
We read in history books that people cried when they witnessed the attacks on Fatima ’s home, but they did not interfere. We also read that the people who attended Fatima ’s famous public speech in the mosque cried so much that she had to wait for them to calm down before she could continue, but again they did not interfere.
2- Risk of internal clashes. Although the tension and fighting amongst the Arab tribes had come to an end when they accepted Islam, and the hostility between them had extinguished, but everyone still remembered their dead, and everyone still had traces from the days of ignorance.
So if Fatima had publicly called for uprising and had openly encouraged the people to topple the regime, tribal instincts may have been aroused and as tribes took sides, door to door fighting may have been resurrected. And if that were to happen, Islam would have been crushed by the two neighboring powers of Persia and Rome
3- A public call for uprising would have given the Bakeri party the best excuse to totally suppress the opposition and execute its leaders.
4- Imam Ali and HOLY LADY knew perfectly well that without promises of wealth and power and threats of persecution and death, they could not outdo the Bakeri party in gathering important allies; and as they denounced such methods as unIslamic, they were certain of their inability to topple the regime.
However, they wanted to register their resounding objections to the usurpers and their strong claim to the Kalifa, so that no one may be left in the comfortable position to justify his support for Abu Bakr. And the best way for registering this in the history books was through repeated visits to the leaders of Mohaajireen and Ansaar, overwhelming them in argument and giving them a second chance to undo the damage they had caused.
Therefore instead of openly asking the public for support, she approached their leaders and influential people, who were able to turn the tide without much noise and risk.
Who did she ask?
There is a slight difference in the historic accounts narrating this crucial chapter of history. According to some narrations HOLY LADY asked the leaders of both the Mohaajireen and the Ansaar to rise up against the Bakeri party ; where as other narrations only mention the Ansaar leaders.
A part from the different authenticity levels of these ahaadeeth, some scholars favor the latter group, arguing that the Mohaajireen, with the exception of a very small minority, were either leaders or strong supporters of the Bakeri party and seriously despised Imam Ali; so there was no point in asking them to rise up against their allies and take their sworn enemy as their beloved leader instead; whereas the Ansaar did not have such a bond with the Bakeri party.
However other scholars argue that the point of asking for uprising was not the uprising itself, as Imam Ali and HOLY LADY knew well that it was not going to happen, but it was rather another attempt to complete the proof and to eliminate any grounds for any excuse; thus contacting the Mohaajireen leaders would also have been necessary.
Fatima calls for uprising
The famous Sunni scholar Ibn Qotaybah narrates in his well-known book “al-Imamah wa al-Seyaasah” the following:
“Ali carried Fatima the Daughter of Prophet on a riding animal, at night, to the gathering places of the Ansaar, asking them for support.
They would say: O Daughter of Prophet! we have pledged our allegiance to this man (Abu Bakr), and if your husband had come to us before Abu Bakr we would not have chosen anyone over him.
And Ali would say: Was I to leave Prophet in his house without burying him, and go out to seek his rule from the people?!
And Fatima would say: The father of Hasan did what he should have done; and they [Bakeris] surely did what Allah shall take them to account and question them.”
And it has been narrated:
“Ali took Fatima on the back of a female donkey to the houses of Mohaajireen and Ansaar for forty days, along with Hasan and Husayn.
She would say: O Mohaajireen and Ansaar! support Allah and the daughter of your Prophet. You had indeed pledged to Prophet, on the day you gave him your allegiance, to protect him and his family from what you protect yourselves and your families. So fulfill your pledge to Prophet.
Feeble excuses
As supporting Fatima and Ali, at that crucial time, meant washing one’s hands off a comfortable life and seriously risking death, the leaders of Mohaajireen and Ansaar responded to her request with feeble excuses and unacceptable justifications for taking Abu Bakr as their Kalifa.
One such excuse is as follows:
“She went to Macaadh ibn Jabal and said: O Macaadh ibn Jabal! I come to you asking for your support. And you have indeed given your pledge to Prophet to support him and his family, and protect him from what you protect yourself and your family. And Abu Bakr has usurped my Fadak and ordered my trustee out of it.
Macaadh: Will there be others with me?
Macaadh: So where can I reach in your support?!
So Fatima left his house saying: By Allah, I will never talk to you until I see Prophet.
Then Macaadh’s son entered and asked his father: What brought Mohammad’s daughter to you?
Macaadh: She came to ask my support over Abu Bakr. He has indeed taken Fadak from her.
Macaadh’s son: And what did you tell her?
Macaadh: I told her: What can be gained with my support alone?!
Macaadh’s son: So you refused to support her?!
Macaadh: Yes.
Macaadh’s son: And what did she tell you?
Macaadh: She told me: By Allah, I will never talk to you until I see Prophet.
Muawiya admits
As in many other areas, Sunni scholars are pushed into a corner here. On the one hand they say that Imam Ali was the forth Kalifa, who outwitted the others in knowledge, morals, etc. And many of them go further to say that he was the leading Muslim after Prophet who was not peered even by Abu Bakr and Umar.
And on the other hand, they respect the Bakeri party and its leaders so much that they take their criticism as the biggest sin that cannot be cleansed accept by the fire of Hell. Moreover, they favor the Bakeri party leaders to Prophet himself. So if Prophet said one thing and a party leader said the exact opposite, they would obey the latter and avoid the former as an unforgivable sin.
So how can the Sunnis explain the words and actions of Imam Ali and HOLY LADY inciting the people against the Bakeri party, if both sides are on the right path?! Thus some of their historians choose not to mention anything about it, trying to avoid another question mark that they will remain unable to answer as long as they choose to follow Abu Bakr.
However Muawiya, the second Amawi ruler, who fought with Imam Ali and brought about his assassination, writes to him in one of his insulting letters:
“And I still remember you carrying your wife on a donkey at night, and your hands in your sons’ hands Hasan and Husayn, when Abu Bakr was given allegiance; so you did not forget any of the people of the Badr and those who accepted Islam early on and called them to yourself, and went to them along with your wife and your sons.”
Continuous Mourning
Another highlight in Fatima ’s mission was her continuous mourning after the martyrdom of her father. A very unique kind of mourning: heartrending; shocking; intensifying; gaining momentum; public; provocative; and most importantly full of meaning.
Mourning on Prophet
Waraqah ibn Abdollaah narrates that he asked Feddah, one of Fatima’s students, about what she had seen from Fatima after her father’s martyrdom, who said:
“When Prophet died, every child and adult mourned him, and there was a lot of crying; and this catastrophe was so heavy for his relatives, and his companions, and the faithful, and the friends, and the strangers; and you did not see anyone not crying.
But there was no one more saddened and grieving and lamenting than my mistress Fatima. And her sadness regenerated and increased, and her crying intensified as time passed.
She sat in her home for seven days, crying and lamenting. Everyday that came her crying was more than the day before. When the eighth night came, she showed what she had kept of sadness, so she went out and lamented, as if she was speaking from Prophet’s mouth.
So the women and children gathered around her and there was a big roar of crying, and people came from everywhere. Then the lights were put out so that the features of the women could not be seen. The women thought that Prophet had risen from his grave. The people were surprised and they were confused and tired…
She then went stumbling in her clothes, unable to see anything from her tears until she came close to her father’s grave. When she looked at his room and her eye caught the Ma’dhanah, her steps became shorter, and her lamenting and crying continued until she lost consciousness. The women splashed water on her face, chest and forehead until she regained, then she stood saying:
“My strength has been taken, my endurance has betrayed me; and my enemy has rejoiced at my misfortune; and sadness is killing me. O Father! I am left distracted and alone, confused and lonely; my voice has faded; and my back has broken; and my life has become embittered; and my world has become turbid…
O Father! The ways changed after you, and the doors closed to me. So I abhor the world after you, and I will continue to cry over you as long as I shall breath; and my longing for you will not run out, and my sadness over you will not decrease…“.
Why so much mourning?
There are numerous narrations about Fatima ’s mourning on her father, so many that some historians have devoted entire sections of their books to the subject. Her mourning was so much full of content that one cannot limit it to a particular theme. As well as the emotional grief that a daughter shows for her father’s death, and a follower shows for his/her leader’s death, Fatima ’s mourning contained theology, law, poetry, politics…
A very emotional person may mourn the loss of the closest person to them for sometime, they may feel deeply depressed and they may intensely cry; but if they know, for a fact, that their loved one has left a world full of hardship and difficulty and entered into a world full of pleasure and comfort, they would not remain so unhappy.
And since Fatima knew, better than anyone, the closeness of her father to Allah, and had seen the kind of hardship he was suffering either from his overt or covert enemies or by his own choosing as the Islamic ruler, perhaps she should not have grieved the way she did.
But when a person studies this chapter of her life, he comes to the conclusion that her constant mourning was not merely because of her father’s death, but rather to show that something significant was seriously wrong. Was it because she wanted to put a bold question mark on his death?! and a tall exclamation mark on the movement that seized power after his death?!
It is evident from her lamentations and brief statements that all was not well at all, and that a well planned, devastating conspiracy had been unfolding.
“What” and “Who”?
But what was wrong, and who were the wrongdoers?
In her lamentations she gave short damaging statements about those who seized power after Prophet’s death, as well as brief descriptions of their betrayal.
Muslim and Sunni scholars narrate many of her statements and poems in her father’s mourning, some of which are:
“And Islam cried for you as it became a stranger between people, like other strangers.
“Say! to the one hidden under levels of the earth: If you can hear my scream and my call,
calamities have poured on me that if were to pour on the days, they will have become nights.
Indeed I had protection in the shade of Mohammad; I was not afraid of injustice, and he was my protector.
But today I am humble for the lowly, and cautious of injustice; and I ward off my oppressor with my robe.
So if a turtledove weeps in her night from sadness on a branch, I weep in my day.
“Indeed, there were news and many difficulties after you; if you had witnessed them, there would not be much talk.
We surely missed you, as the earth misses her downpour; and your people became disordered, so witness them and do not be absent…
Some people showed us the animosities they had hidden in their chests when you left and the earth shielded you.
Now I leave it to the reader to decide “What” and “Who”.
The Bakeri party bans Fatima from mourning
It comes as a big shock to those who do not know the reality of the Bakeri party to read that after Prophet’s martyrdom, the party banned his daughter Fatima to mourn him and prohibited her to cry.
This forbiddance comes, exactly, in line with the Sunni motives behind the assassination of Prophet Mohammad, and usurping his Kalifa, and suppressing his family. If the Bakeri party had not denied Fatima her right to cry, she would have grievously harmed its agenda. And as the party was struggling to gain legitimacy and support, it could not tolerate the slightest disturbance and disregard the smallest danger.
Therefore it decided to stop her, and sent a number of people to her husband Imam Ali.
Scholars narrate:
“City leaders gathered and went to Imam Ali Ali, and said: O Father of Hasan! Fatima cries night and day, so none of us enjoys sleep at night, and none of us can work during the day; so we are here to tell you to ask her: either to cry during the night or the day…
Thus Imam Ali went to Fatima while she was crying profusely, and when she saw him she calmed down for some moments.
So he told her: O Daughter of Prophet! The city leaders have asked me to ask you “either to cry during the night or the day”.
Ali: Do O Daughter of Prophet! what you want.”
What seems to be interesting is that the Bakeri party did not contact Imam Ali directly in this matter, in an attempt to keep well away from the controversy of denying the daughter of the late prophet, her most basic right to mourn his death, but rather chose a group of its supporters to accomplish the task.
Were all of these people neighbors of Fatima who heard her crying?! Were they so close to her home that her crying affected their sleep?! If they were her neighbors, did they all work from home, as they complained that her crying also affected their business?!
But Fatima ’s persistence and perseverance and the Bakeri party ’s suppressive policy, betrayed its stance in this matter.
Reasons behind the ban
Why should the Bakeri party ban Fatima from crying?! She was a young woman who had lost her beloved father, and as any other affectionate daughter she was expected to mourn her father’s death; especially when all the people of Madinah cried for him.
And even if her mourning was out of the ordinary and more than what was usual, why should a ruler, who at that time ruled nine countries in today’s world map, go as far as prohibiting it and insist upon enforcing its prohibition at all costs?!
Perhaps some of the reasons are:
A- Her personality and high position as the Daughter of Prophet and the wife of Imam Ali and the mother of Imam Hasan and Imam Husayn; and as HOLY LADY, Chief of the Women of the World, a title given to her by Allah. She was a produce of Heaven. Allah had revealed over two hundred and fifty aayaat in the Holy Quran about her. Prophet had given countless ahaadeeth about her…
B- Fatima , like her father, was distinguished for practicing the highest levels of patience and forbearance; so if she insisted on something, people knew that it was for an important reason.
C- Her crying was such that it raised questions and stirred the conscience and aroused sentiments and gathered supporters.
D- Fatima was seen as the second person in the strongest opposition against the Bakeri party. She had strongly defended Imam Ali in his claim for the Kalifa, and had equally attacked the Bakeri party for usurping it. So whatever she did, supported one camp as it rejected the other. Whatever she gained, Imam Ali gained, and whatever she lost, Imam Ali lost. Whatever she lost Abu Bakr gained, and whatever she gained Abu Bakr lost.
E- The time of her crying was also very important, as it was after her father’s assassination, and the usurpation of the Kalifa, and the attack on her home, and the assault on her, and the miscarriage of her son, and the seizure of her positions…
F- The place of her crying—her home—was also very important, as it was in the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah, which had become the center of the Bakeri rule.
G- Bakeri party ’s hidden enmity and hostility against her.
H- Bakeri party ’s devious views about mourning the dead.
Omar’s view about mourning the dead
Here is Umar, the “Second Kalifa” to the Sunnis; whom they title as “al-Faarooq”, he who always distinguishes between the truth and the falsehood; whom they claim to be the most just Muslim after the Prophet.
And here is his perverted view about mourning the dead, and his torturous methods of suppressing it, as Sunni scholars narrate:
“When Zaynab the daughter of Prophet died, Prophet said: Bury her near our charitable deceased Uthman ibn Madcoon.
The women cried, and Umar started to lash them with his whip. Prophet took his hand and said: Slowly, O Umar! Let them cry.”
Sunni scholars also narrate:
Sunni scholars also narrate:
“A member of Prophet’s family died, so the women gathered crying over him; and Umar stood up prohibiting them and dispersing them.
Prophet said: Leave them, O Umar! The eye is surely tearful, and the heart is stricken by grief, and the time is near.”
Sunni scholars also narrate:
“When Abu Bakr died, Aisha held a mourning ceremony for him. And when the news reached Umar, he came and prohibited them from mourning Abu Bakr. But they refused to stop.
So he ordered Hoshaam ibn al-Waleed: Bring the daughter of Abu Qohaafah (Abu Bakr’s sister) before me. Then he began to lash her with his whip until the women dispersed.”
Sunni scholars also narrate:
“Umar heard the sound of crying from a house, so he entered while holding the whip in his hand, and began lashing them severely until he reached the Naa’ehah.
He lashed her until her covering fell. Then he said to his servant: Lash the Naa’ehah. Woe unto you! Lash her. She is a Naa’ehah; she does not deserve any respect.”
Sunni scholars also narrate:
“When Khaalid ibn al-Waleed died, a group of women gathered in his aunt’s home mourning his death.
Then Umar came and started to lash them with his whip until the covering of one of the women fell. Some of his men said: O Commander of the Faithful! Her covering!
Sunni scholars also narrate:
“…And Umar lashed with his whip all the Bani Makhzoom women who had attended the ceremony, mourning the death of Khaalid ibn Waleed.
Umar raided the home of Omm Maymoonah, Khaalid’s aunt, and personally lashed the Naa’ehah, and dispersed the women.”
The above are just a few examples of Umar’s favored method to suppress what he thought was wrong. Recorded and preached by his supporters and followers.
Now, one has to ask whether lashing a grief stricken woman is the most appropriate way to stop her from crying over her loved one?!
And whether crying over a deceased is indeed an unIslamic act?!
And whether preceding Prophet in approval or disapproval is Islamic?!
And whether insisting upon what Prophet has repeatedly forbidden by his words and his actions is Islamic?!
And whether Umar was more impressed by Islamic or Jewish teachings, such as the belief that crying over the dead is forbidden?!
And whether a person with a sound mind would lash members of his prophet’s family, in his presence, on several occasions, and insist upon it?!…
Fatima ’s persistence
After the Bakeri party banned Fatima from crying in her home in the Prophet’s Mosque, she and a number of women regularly went to the Baqee cemetery in every morning, and cried under a tree.
Although the place where they had chosen in the cemetery was far from Abu Bakr’s court, but he and his associates remained unhappy about it and wary of its consequences.
People who were not aware of this ban, started to ask why the daughter of their late Prophet goes to the cemetery every day, to cry under a tree?!
Fatima ’s perseverance
Thus the Bakeri party decided to continue its suppression of Fatima, and take away her shade from the burning sun of Arabia by cutting down the tree; hoping that she will be forced to stop going to the cemetery.
But Fatima was the Daughter of Prophet and the wife of Imam Ali, and her patience and perseverance in spreading God’s message and in standing up to His enemies were similar to those of her father and husband. Therefore she continued with her daily routine, and ignored the scorching heat.
Every morning she would go to the same place, and sit where there once was a shade, and cry and cry besides the fallen tree.
The House of Grief
Later Imam Ali built a room for her in that place, so that she could continue her mourning away from the sun.
On the one hand, the room concealed her from the people who could no longer see her sitting without a shade in that hot weather, but on the other, it raised new questions as to why should she leave her home and come to room in the cemetery to cry?!
Things became worse for the Bakeri party, as people named that room the House of Grief.
The Bakeri party demolishes the House of Grief
And as expected, the usurpers demolished the House of Grief.
But since Allah does not let His light be extinguished, Muslims soon built a mosque where once stood the symbol of resistance.
And even the Sunnis wrote about it in their books, and recommended their followers to visit the “Mosque of Fatima” in the Baqee cemetery, also known as the House of Grief. Thus it became a shrine, not only for her followers, but also for the followers of her enemies.
Her Political Legacy
During her short life, as mentioned above, Fatima was an intolerable obstacle in the way of the usurpation of the Kalifa, and a serious opposing force facing the Bakeri party. However, after her death, she proved to be more of a barrier and posed greater opposition!!
Bakeri rulers have always had their scholars sweep Fatima ’s opposition under the rug, and convinced them not to mention it in their lectures and their compilations. And the little of it that managed to leak into their works has been professionally stained in order to defuse them.
Some Sunni scholars have developed methods with which they attempt to control the damage, and decrease the effects of what has been mentioned in their books about the opposition of Fatima to the Bakeri party, and the suppression of the former by the latter. These methods include:
Impugning Sunni narrators who have narrated such narrations, and slandering them as fabricators; labelling Sunni scholars as reporters of lies and rumors; disowning Sunni scholars and denouncing them as non-Sunnis; marking a whole source book, often of several volumes, as unauthentic and denying that it was written by its Sunni author; etc.
However, disowning and marking as unauthentic are not always possible when the targeted reports are mentioned in Sunni master references; that is where falsifying and fabricating comes to use. They create false narrations to counter the unwanted genuine reports; and invent lies to combat the truth.
But there still remain a number of facts in their respected references that no amount of denial can delete and no quantity of fiction can weaken. These backbreaker historic accounts include reports about Fatima ’s opposition to the Bakeri party, particularly those referring to the events after her death.
Secret burial ceremonies
After the assassination of Prophet, leaders of the Bakeri party did not attend his burial ceremonies, and worse still, they used force to delay his burial to give them enough time for usurping his Kalifa.
And when they killed his daughter Fatima, they felt a strong need to fully participate in her burial ceremonies, to stop criticisms, and also make people forget what had caused her death.
However, HOLY LADY knew that the usurpers would want to use this opportunity in their favor, to show the world how much they cared about the Prophet and his family. Therefore she decided to keep them from participating in her burial ceremonies, and preferred to be buried, secretly, in the middle of the night, and have her grave concealed.
A sign that to her last breath she opposed the Bakeri party and despised its leaders, so much that she preferred to be buried secretly in order to keep her enemies away, when she could have had the best burial ceremony where Muslims and non-Muslims thronged to pay their respects.
And a reminder for the next generations of Muslims, that she, with her high religious, social and political standing, sacrificed everything, even a known grave, to support her Imam and to guarantee the continuation of her religion; so that the Muslims may not refrain from doing what they can in order to protect and spread their faith.
And a reminder for the Sunnis, that no matter how highly and saintly they think of Abu Bakr and Umar, but Fatima, the only daughter of Prophet, opposed them and hated them so much that she stipulated in her will to be buried secretly at night, and have her grave concealed, in order to stop them from participating and attending.
Endless opposition to the Bakeri party
The importance of Fatima ’s preference to have a secret burial and concealed gravesite, and the reason behind her choice, is better understood when we compare her secret burial and concealed graveside to that of her husband Imam Ali thirty nine years later.
Imam Ali was assassinated in the Koofah Mosque, in Koofah-Iraq, capital of the Islamic rule at that time, while leading the morning salaat on 19 Ramadaan, 40 AH.
His main enemy, the Bakeri party, led by the Second Amawi ruler Muawiya, was gaining ground by bringing influential leaders to his court through promises and threats. And the enmity of the Amawis towards Imam Ali and the descendants of Prophet had no limits.
Their hatred was such that they would have exhumed his body from the grave to burn it, just as they had placed the body of Mohammad ibn Abi Bakr, his loyal supporter and student, inside a donkey skin and set it on fire. This kind of cruelty and viciousness was no surprise from Muawiya; after all, it was his parents Abu Sofyaan and Hend who before shamming Islam, mutilated the body of Hamzah, Prophet Mohammad’s uncle and his long-time protector, and it was his mother Hend who cut out Hamzah’s liver to eat it, and made a necklace of Hamzah’s body parts…
Therefore Imam Ali stated in his will to his son Imam Hasan what his wife had asked him thirty nine years earlier, to have secret burial ceremonies, and a concealed gravesite.
Thus after his martyrdom, he was washed, shrouded in his kafan, and the few people who were allowed to attend performed the Prayer of the Deceased; then he was secretly curried to an unknown location outside the city where he was buried.
As expected, Muawiya continued the hatred after the Imam’s death, and gave strict orders to every priest to publicly curse Imam Ali in their public prayers and speeches, as he had done during the Imam’s life.
This Amawi show of hatred continued for the duration of their one thousand month rule, until they were overthrown by the Abbaasiyyeen, who became the new leaders of the Bakeri party.
The Abbaasi animosity towards the descendants of Prophet was quite different. Although they assassinated Prophet’s Rightful Kholafaa’ one after the other, and viciously killed their families, but they did it in a more subtle way; and at times they even showed great affection, publicly, towards the descendants of Prophet Mohammad.
Therefore, decades after the martyrdom of Imam Ali, finally the Imam of the time revealed the location of his concealed grave, and allowed Muslims to embark on its pilgrimage.
Hiding his gravesite was because of the threat of exhuming his body and burning it; and revealing its location was because that danger no longer existed. So today countless Muslims flock to visit his shrine, twenty-four hours a day, and seven days a week.
But the heartrending question remains, where is Fatima ’s gravesite?
The location of her husband’s gravesite was handed down to later generations and was revealed when the reason for its secrecy no longer existed; and the location of her gravesite has been handed down through generations, but why has not it been revealed?!
Is it because of the threat of exhuming her body by her enemies?! Or is it because of another reason?!
It is true that after her martyrdom, her murderers who were angry for not being allowed to participate in her burial ceremonies announced their intention to exhume her body to perform the Prayer of the Deceased, but after those first few days the danger lifted.
So what is the reason?!
She wanted her gravesite to be kept hidden because she did not want the line that she had drawn between the real Islam, represented by Imam Ali, and the fake Islam, represented by Abu Bakr, to fade away; and she wanted it to remain as divisive, inclusive and exclusive as possible at all times.
She was killed because she drew the line, and she kept her gravesite hidden to preserve the line and keep it distinctive.
HER TEACHINGS
When Prophet migrated to Madinah in the thirteenth year of his mission, and established the Islamic rule, he embarked on the objective to educate the people.
Education in Madinah comprised religious teachings, and literacy lessons, and they were both provided to all males and females. In fact all Muslims regardless of sex, origin, race, prior faith, background, social standing, etc. were instructed by the Prophet to seek both kinds of knowledge. Thus a number of classes in a variety of levels were opened in Madinah as a first step in this undertaking.
Regarding education and seeking knowledge Prophet said:
“Seeking knowledge is an obligation for every male and female Muslim.”
He also said:
“Seek knowledge from the cradle to the grave.”
He also said:
“Seek knowledge, even in China
And Fatima at the young age of eight started to educate women in Madinah.
After a few years when Muslims formed the majority of the literate people in the Arabian peninsula , education became more focused on religion.
Once again, Fatima was the leading woman teacher not only for women, but also for men.
Her teachings were of two sorts: She would repeat and narrate what her father had either told her privately, or what he had said publicly. Or she would teach from her own.
And as in those days Islam was very young and people generally knew little about its message, both sorts of Fatima ’s teachings included various Islamic themes. She taught health and cleanliness as she taught theology and philosophy; she taught Islamic law and jurisprudence as she taught comparative religion and Islamic beliefs; she taught morals and social etiquettes as she taught politics and economics; etc.
As an Islamic teacher she was well known; she taught Arabs alongside non-Arabs; slaves alongside masters; rich alongside poor.
And although Prophet and Imam Ali were both present and easily accessible, people also came to her with their questions.
1- Narrating from Prophet
Regarding health and cleanliness she narrated:
“Should not blame but himself [when he becomes ill], he who sleeps while having fat [from the meat he had eaten] on his hand.”
Regarding good and bad morals she narrated:
“Beware of closefistedness, for surely it is a handicap not found in a noble. Beware of closefistedness, for surely it is a tree in Hell, with branches in this world; so anyone who clings to one of its branches, it shall take him to Hell.
And practice generosity, for surely it is a tree in Heaven, with branches in this world; so anyone who clings to one of its branches, it shall guide him to Heaven.”
Regarding freeing slaves she narrated:
“Whoever frees a faithful slave, there would be for him for every part of the slave’s body a ransom from the fire.”
There is also a very interesting hadeeth called the Hadeeth of the Blanket, one of her most famous narrations. It is about an event that happened in Madinah, concerning the first five Sinless: Prophet, Imam Ali, HOLY LADY, Imam Hasan and Imam Husayn. Following that event, Fatima, her father, husband and two sons became known as the “People of the Blanket”.
That event shows the importance of the “People of the Blanket” in the creation of the world, and their closeness to Allah.
This hadeeth is unique, in the sense that it has a docaa’ like effect; it has psychological and physical healing power, and it functions in the fulfillment of needs etc.
What also makes this hadeeth stand out even more is the fact that despite its important contents, it is laid out in a theatrical shape.
Despite its strong and heavy content, many Sunni scholars also narrate it in their references alongside Muslims.
“One day my father Prophet came to my home and said: Peace be upon you, O Fatima!
So I said: Upon you be peace.
He said: I feel weakness in my body.
So I said: May Allah protect you from weakness.
Then he said: O Fatima ! bring me the Yemeni blanket and cover me with it. So I brought him the Yemeni blanket and covered him. And I began to look at him, his face was shining as a full moon at night.
A moment later my son Hasan came and said: Peace be upon you, O mother!
So I said: And upon you be peace, O delight of my eye and fruit of my heart!
Then he said: O mother! I smell a pleasant scent here; is it the scent of my grandfather Prophet?
So I said: Yes, your grandfather is under the blanket. So Hasan went towards the blanket and said: Peace be upon you, O grandfather! O Prophet! Do you permit me to come with you under the blanket?
So he said: And upon you be peace, O my son! and O owner of my pool! I permit you. So he went under the blanket with him.
A moment later my son Husayn came and said: Peace be upon you, O mother!
So I said: And upon you be peace, O my son! and O delight of my eye and fruit of my heart!
Then he said: O mother! I smell a pleasant scent here; is it the sent of my grandfather Prophet?
So I said: Yes, your grandfather and brother are under the blanket. So Husayn went near the blanket and said: Peace be upon you, O grandfather! Peace be upon you, O whom Allah has chosen! Do you permit me to be with you two under the blanket?
So he said: And upon you be peace, O my son! and O interceder of my nation! I permit you. So he went under the blanket with them.
Then came Abu al-Hasan Ali ibn Abi Talib and said: Peace be upon you, O Daughter of Prophet!
So I said: And upon you be peace, O Abaa al-Hasan! and O Imam Ali!
Then he said: O Fatima ! I smell a pleasant scent here; is it the scent of my brother and my cousin Prophet?
So I said: Yes, that is he with your sons under the blanket. So Ali went towards the blanket and said: Peace be upon you, O Prophet! Do you permit me to be with you under the blanket?
Prophet said: And upon you be peace, O my brother! and O my Successor! and O my Kalifa! and O holder of my flag! I permit you. So Ali went under the blanket.
Then I went near the blanket and said: Peace be upon you, O father! O Prophet! Do you permit me to be with you under the blanket?
He said: And upon you be peace, O my daughter! and O part of my body! I permit you. So I went under the blanket.
When we were all under the blanket, my father Prophet held the edges of the blanket and pointed with his right hand to the sky and said: O Allah! These are indeed my Ahl al-Bayt, and my confidants, and my defenders; their meat is my meat and their blood is my blood; hurts me what hurts them and saddens me what saddens them; I am at war with whomsoever is at war with them and I am at peace with whomsoever is at peace with them; and I am an enemy for whomsoever is their enemy and I love whomsoever loves them; they are from me and I am from them. So descend Your Blessing and Your Benevolence and Your Mercy and Your Forgiveness and Your Pleasure upon me and upon them; and keep away the uncleanness from them, and purify them a (thorough) purifying.
So Allah the Great and the Almighty said: O My angels! And O residents of my skies! Verily, I have not created any erected sky and nor any flattened land and nor any illuminating moon and nor any shining sun and nor any circling planet and nor any flowing sea and nor any sailing ship but for the love of these five who are under the blanket.
The trustworthy angel Jibrail said: O Lord! and who are under the blanket?
So the Great and Almighty said: They are Ahl Bayt al-Nobowwah and the source of messengerhood. They are Fatima and her father and her husband and her sons.
Then Jibrail said: O Lord! Do you permit me to descend to the earth to be the sixth of them?
So Allah said: Yes, I permit you.
Thus the trustworthy angel Jibrail descended and said: Peace be upon you, O Prophet! The Most High, the All-Highest sends you greetings and says to you: By My Greatness and by My Exaltedness; verily, I have not created any erected sky and nor any flattened land and nor any illuminating moon and nor any shining sun and nor any circling planet and nor any flowing sea and nor any sailing ship but for your sake and love. And He has permitted me to enter (under the blanket) with you; so do you permit me, O Prophet?
So Prophet said: And upon you be peace, O trusted bearer of the revelation of Allah! I permit you.
Thus Jibrail came under the blanket with us. Then my father said: Verily, Allah has revealed to you: “Allah only desires to keep away the uncleanness from you, O People of the House! And to purify you a (thorough) purifying”.
Then Ali said to my father: O Prophet! tell me what significance our gathering under the blanket has before Allah.
So the Prophet said: By Him Who appointed me a prophet, and chose me a messenger for the salvation; whenever this event is mentioned anywhere on earth in an assembly in which there are a group of our followers and friends, Allah shall descend upon them His Benevolence, and angels shall surround them asking Allah for the redemption of their sins until the assembly disperses.
Then Ali said: Thus by Allah we have won and our followers have won by the Lord of the Kabah.
Prophet said: O Ali! By Him Who appointed me a prophet, and chose me a messenger for the salvation, whenever this event is mentioned anywhere on earth in an assembly in which there are a group of our followers and friends, there shall remain no person with anxieties except that Allah shall relieve him, and there shall remain no grieving person except that Allah shall remove his grief, and there shall remain none in need except that Allah shall fulfill his need.
Then Ali said: Thus, by Allah we are winners and blessed, and our followers are winners and blessed, in this world and in the Hereafter, by the Lord of the Kabah.”
2- Teaching from her own
To this day, scholars of both Muslim and Sunni faiths have written countless books interpreting and explaining her sayings and speeches. And Muslim jurisprudents have treated her teachings as a source for Islamic law, as that of her father, and as such they have extracted and derived Islamic laws from them.
Min feqh al-Zahraa’ is an encyclopedia of several volumes, four of which has been published to date. In this work, the Martyr Aayatollaah al-cOzmaa Sayyed Mohammad Sheeraazi compiles a large number of Islamic laws which he has extracted from the sayings of HOLY LADY.
Her teachings cover many fields, below are a few examples:
Regarding social contacts she said:
Regarding the philosophy of Islamic laws… she said:
“…Allah made faith your purification from polytheism; and salaat, your purity from haughtiness; and Zakaat, the chastening for the self and the growth in the livelihood; and sawm, the strengthening of the sincerity; and hajj, the erection of the religion; and justice, the harmony for the hearts; and our obedience, the order for the nation; and our leadership, the safety from separation; and jehaad, the glory for Islam; and patience, the support for deserving the reward; and directing to good deeds, the benefit for the people; and being dutiful to the parents, the protection from wrath; and having close bonds with the family, the lengthening of the life and the growth in numbers; and Qesaas, the prevention from bloodshed; and fulfilling a vow, the exposure to forgiveness…“.
Regarding serving Allah she said:
“The pleasure of serving Allah distracted me from asking Him. I have no need other than looking at His gracious face.”
Regarding sawm she said:
“What can a Saa’em do with his sawm, if he does not guard his tongue and ear and eye and his external body parts [from sin]?!“.
Regarding the position of mothers and the need to respect them she said:
“And praise be to Him by Whose Greatness and Light those who are in the skies and the earth seek the means to reach Him. And we are His means among His creatures; and we are His dignitaries and the place of His sanctity; and we are His representatives in His absence; and we are the inheritors of His prophets.”
Regarding the effect of worship she said:
“By Allah! If they had left it with its people, and followed the cEtrah of His Prophet, no two people would have differed among themselves in religion; and it would have been handed down until our Qaa’em the ninth descendent of Husayn rises. But they brought forward whom Allah had moved back, and moved back whom Allah had brought forward.
When they buried the Messenger and put him in the grave, they chose with their desire, and acted upon their decisions. Woe onto them. Had not they heard Allah say: “And your Lord creates whatsoever He wills, and chooses; to choose is not theirs”. Yes they did hear, but as Allah says: ”For surely it is not the eyes that are blind, but blind are the hearts which are in the chests”.
How far; they broadened their hopes in this world, and forgot the moment of their deaths. Woe onto them…“.
Actions Before Words
As the effect of an action can be much more than that of a word in the field of persuasion and encouragement, Fatima ’s actions preceded her words.
Before she taught the importance of patience and forbearance in the Islamic faith, she became the embodiment of patience and forbearance. Before she spoke about the importance of docaa’ and salaat in nearing the creature to the Creator, she filled much of her time with the various prayers and the numerous salawaat. Before she explained the essential role of zohd and altruism in the correct formation of the self, she practiced the highest levels of zohd and excessive altruism.
The following are three examples of Fatima ’s teachings with her actions before her words:
“A hungry person stood in the Prophet’s Mosque and said: O you crowd of Muslims! I have indeed become strained with enduring hunger; so host me.
Prophet stood and said: Who will host this man tonight?
So Ali stood and said: I will, O Prophet!
Shortly after, he went home and asked Fatima : Do we have any food? I have brought a hungry guest.
Then Ali held the light, pretending to fix it, but put it out instead, and said to Fatima : Stall in lighting it until the guest finishes eating, then bring it.
And Imam Ali was moving his mouth [making noises as if he was chewing food], making the guest believe he was eating with him, until the guest finished eating and was satisfied. Fatima then brought the light and put it there.
The food was as much as before, as if no one had eaten. So Imam Ali said to his guest: Why did you not eat the food?
So he said: I ate the food, O father of Hasan! and became satisfied; but the Almighty Allah blessed it.
The next morning he prayed with the Prophet, and when the Prophet finished his salaat he looked at Imam Ali and cried heavily and said: O Imam Ali! The Lord was amazed with your actions last night, and he recited: “And they give preference over themselves even though they may be in need. And whosoever is saved from his own covetousness, these it is that are the successful ones”/.”
Sunni scholars also narrate from Salman who described seeing Fatima one day:
“Fatima was sitting with a hand mill in front of her, grinding barely, and there was blood on the handle [from the blisters on her hand caused by grinding]; while Husayn was, in a corner, writhing with hunger.
So I said: O Daughter of Prophet! see to your palms, and this is Feddah, [she will grind the barely for you].
It has also been narrated from Imam Hasan who said:
“I saw my mother Fatima standing in her mehraab the night of Friday, performing rokoo and sojood until the fajr; and I heard her praying for the faithful men and women, mentioning their names, and praying for them extensively. But she would not pray for her self and ask for anything.
So I said: O mother! Why do you not pray for yourself as you pray for others?!
The Book of Fatima
Besides the seen world, parts of which we understand, there is an unseen world, which we do not know anything about; and which is infinite compared to the former.
Comprehending the seen world is conditioned to studying the relevant sciences, etc. and the results of such comprehension are limited by the limitations of the seen world; but gaining insight into the unseen world is by training the self, and its results are limitless by the infinity of the unseen world.
It has been narrated from Prophet who said:
“Were it not for the Shayaateen who swarm around the hearts of the children of Aadam, they could indeed look at the treasures of the skies and the earth/.”
And in the Holy Quran, Allah mentions the story of one of Prophet Solaymaan’s aids who had acquired some knowledge-of-the-unseen and was able to carry out an extraordinary, supernatural task. Allah refers to him saying:
However, training the self, in this sense, is for people who want to elevate themselves and be closer to God but are not sinless; as the Sinless are already close to Allah and have knowledge-of-the-unseen.
And Fatima , as the third highest sinless, had knowledge-of-the-unseen. And one of her names was Mohaddathah the woman to whom angels speak.
After the martyrdom of Prophet, according to a large number of ahaadeeth, Allah revealed to Fatima what came to be known as the “Book of Fatima”.
In terms of size, the Book of Fatima is described to be three times the size of the Holy Quran; and in terms of content, it is described to include knowledge about what has happened in the world from the beginning of the creation, and what will happen until the last day before the Hereafter; it includes the names of all the prophets and their successors, and all those who believed and disbelieved in them; it includes the names of all those who ruled and those who will rule; it includes Jewish, Christian and Islamic laws as they were revealed; it includes a complete description of all the creatures; etc.
And like the Quran, the content of the Book of Fatima is not much in terms of volume, but it includes everything about everything; and like the Quran only the people to whom it was reveled can understand and use it.
After her martyrdom, her husband Imam Ali held the book, and he passed it to his son Imam Hasan before his martyrdom, and it was handed down by one Imam to the other until the awaited savior Imam Mahdi.
These Sinless used the Book of Fatima as a means of knowing the unseen world, and they often referred to it.
Her Students
Thus we see the names of Aisha, the enemy, alongside Umm Salma, the friend; Asma bint Omays, the woman, alongside Ibn Mas’ood, the man; Belaal al-Habashi, the black, alongside Abu Sa’eed al-Khodri, the white; Salma, the ordinary, alongside Ibn Abbaas, the influential; Zaynab bint Abi Raafic, the poor, alongside Abu Ayyoob al-Ansaari, the rich; Salman, the non-Arab, alongside Jaabir ibn Abdollaah al-Ansaari, the Arab.
Below are a few highlights about some of her students:
1- Asma bint Omays
Asma was one of the first people who accepted Islam. She and her husband Jafar ibn Abi Talib, who was put in charge of a group of around eighty Muslims, migrated to Ethiopia
After about a year, in the eighth year of Hejrah, Asmas husband Jafar was put in charge of an army, three thousand strong, to Mo’tah in today’s Jordan , after an ally of the Roman Empire killed Prophet’s courier Haarith ibn Omayr. But Jafar was not to return, after the Romans sent a reinforcement of more than one hundred thousand soldiers; and he met his fate among a number of his loyal men.
After Jafar’s martyrdom, Asma married Abu Bakr; and gave birth to Abu Bakr’s son Mohammad. A few years later, when Abu Bakr was assassinated by Umar, Asma married Imam Ali. Mohammad ibn Abi Bakr was three years old at that time.
During the time when Asma was with Prophet, after she accepted Islam in Makkah until her migration to Ethiopia
After his martyrdom, Asma followed and supported Imam Ali, even though she was married to Abu Bakr, the person who had forcefully usurped the Kalifa from him.
She continued studying under Fatima , showing support for the oppressed camp over the oppressors. And when her husband usurped Fadak from Fatima , she testified that Prophet had given it to her. And when her testimony was shamelessly rejected by Abu Bakr and Umar as biased, Fatima stepped forward and made them admit that Asma was not a liar.
Sunni scholars narrate alongside Muslims:
“…Then she (Fatima) said to Abu Bakr and Umar: Have you two not heard my father say: Asma bint Omays and Omm Ayman are among the residents of Heaven?!
She was so close to Fatima that Fatima asked her to participate in her secret burial ceremonies.
And after her death, Asma showed great courage and loyalty standing up to Aisha, who was one of the main players in the usurpation of the Kalifa.
As Abu Bakr’s wife, she once sent word to Imam Ali that her husband had ordered his assassination, and that he should take care and be ready for it.
2- Feddah
Feddah is reported to have been the daughter of an Indian king. The Prophet brought her to Fatima to be her student and housemaid.
After Prophet’s martyrdom she stood up to the Bakeri party, firmly supported Imam Ali and shared some of Fatima ’s pain and grief.
Feddah studied under both Ali and Fatima, and narrated from both of them. From what has been reported in history books we learn that she was very special. Her capability to receive knowledge was amazing, and that is why her teachers took her to where few of their students had been taken, and showed her what few people had been shown, and enabled her to do what few people had been enabled to do.
Below are some examples:
“Prophet brought his daughter Fatima a housemaid called Feddah al-Nawbeyyah, to help her with the housework; and he taught her a docaa’ to recite.
One day, Fatima asked her: Do you want to make the dough or do you want to bake?
Feddah: I will make the dough and gather wood. So she went out, gathered the wood and wrapped it, but could not carry it. Then she recited the docaa’ the Prophet had taught her, which was: “O One! Like Whom there is no one. You cause everyone to die, and exterminate everyone. And You are one on Your throne. Slumber does not overtake Him nor sleep”. Suddenly a Bedouin appeared and carried the bundle to Fatima ’s home/.”
It has also been narrated:
“When Feddah came to Fatima ’s home, she could not see anything but the sword, and the armor, and the hand mill.
She was the daughter of the Indian king and had a supply of elixir, so she took a piece of copper, softened it, shaped it as a piece of silver, put the elixir on it and turned it into gold.
When Imam Ali returned, Feddah put the gold before him. Seeing it, he said: Bravo, O Feddah! But if you had melted the body, the color would have become better and the price more expensive.
So Feddah said: O Master! Do you know this science?
Imam Ali: Yes, and this child knows it too, pointing to Imam Husayn [who was a child of around three years old]. Then Husayn came and told Feddah exactly what Imam Ali had said.
Then Imam Ali said: We know greater than this; he pointed with his hand, suddenly large pieces of gold and treasures of the earth appeared flowing. He said: Put your gold with its sisters; so she did and it flowed away.”
It has also been narrated:
“Fatima had taught Feddah some strange sciences… One day, using what she had learned, Feddah made some gold, sold it and bought everything Fatima and Ali needed in their home. When Fatima saw all those things, she asked Feddah how she had bought them. And Feddah told her what she had done.
So Fatima said: Give this all to the poor, and do not repeat it again. We have not acquired this science and other sciences to ascend through the levels of this world, but to practice contentment and zohd so that our ranks increase in the Hereafter.”
Through training, Feddah had become able to speak only with Quranic aayaat. As Abu al-Qaasim al-Qoshayri narrates:
“I was left behind the caravan in the desert where I found a woman. I asked her: Who are you?
She said: “And say salaam (peace), for they shall soon come to know”. So I greeted her. And asked: What are you doing here?
So I asked: Where are you coming from?
So I asked: Where are you going?
So I asked: When were you left behind?
She said: “And certainly We created the Heavens and the earth and what is between them in six days”.
So I asked: Would you like some food?
So I gave her food and told her: Walk faster.
So I asked: Do you want to ride with me?
She said: “If there had been in them any gods except Allah, they would both have certainly been in a state of disorder
So I dismounted and helped her mount.
When we reached the caravan, I asked her: Do you have someone here?
She said: “O DAAwOOd! Surely We have made you a ruler in the land”; “And Mohammad is no more than an apostle”; “O YahyAA! Take hold of the Book”; “O Musa! Surely I am Allah your Lord”.
So I called these names, and four youths came towards her.
I asked her: Who are these people to you?
When they reached her, she said: “O my father! Employ him, surely the best of those that you can employ is the strong man, the faithful one”. So they rewarded me. Then she said: “And Allah multiplies for whom He pleases”. And they increased my reward.
So I asked them who she was, and they said: This is our mother Feddah, who used to be Fatima ’s housemaid. She has not spoken for twenty years, except with Quran.”
After Fatima ’s martyrdom, Feddah remained a strong supporter of Imam Ali against the Bakeri party, courageously exposing its leaders. In one instance, after a debate with Umar, she made the Second Usurper admit the truth and say:
3- Jaabir ibn Abdollaah al-Ansaari
Jaabir was one of Prophet’s Sahaabah who, according to some historic reports, was among the Muslim soldiers at the Battle of Badr.
After Prophet’s martyrdom, Jaabir continued to support Imam Ali courageously. His opposition to the Bakeri party was well known. In the streets and public gatherings of Madinah, he often recited Prophet’s famous hadeeth:
He was also among the Muslim army at the Battle of Seffeen against Muawiya, the Second Amawi ruler and leader of the Bakeri party.
He was the first person to visit the gravesite of Imam Husayn after his tragic martyrdom in 61 AH, at the hands of the Bakeri party leader, the Third Amawi ruler Yazeed.
Jaabir had gone through many levels of learning, and because of his surrender to the truth, his teachers revealed more and more of the unseen world to him. One of his most famous narrations from Fatima is the following:
“Imam Saadiq narrates: My father [Imam Baaqir] said to Jaabir ibn Abdollaah al-Ansaari: I need to ask you something in private, what time is suitable for you?
Jaabir answered him: Any time you like. So my father asked him: O Jaabir! Tell me about the tablet you saw in the hands of my mother Fatima, Daughter of Prophet, and what she told you, and what was written on that tablet.
Jaabir said: I take Allah as my witness, I went to your mother Fatima during the life of Prophet to congratulate her on the birth of Husayn, and saw in her hand a green tablet which I thought was of emerald; and I saw on it a writing in white similar to sunlight. So I told her: My parents be your sacrifice O Daughter of Prophet! What is this tablet?
She said: Allah, the Great and Almighty, gave this to His Messenger. In it, there is my father’s name, and my husband’s name, and my two sons’ names, and the names of the successors in my lineage. So my father gave it to me.
Then your mother Fatima gave it to me, so I read and copied it.
Then my father said to him: O Jaabir! Can you show it to me?
Jaabir said: Yes. So they both walked to Jaabir’s home, where he gave my father a scroll. But my father said: O Jaabir! Look in your scroll while I read it to you [from myself].
So Jaabir looked in his scroll and my father read; and he did not make any mistakes.
Jaabir said: I take Allah as my witness, I surely saw on the tablet exactly as you said.
It was written:
In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful. This is a written message from Allah, the Great, the Wise, to Mohammad, His Light, and His Ambassador, and His Mediator, and His Guide. It is conveyed by Rooh al-Ameen, from the Lord of the nations.
Glorify O Mohammad! My names; and be thankful for My material gifts, and do not deny My immaterial gifts.
Indeed I am Allah, there is no God but Me.
Indeed I am Allah, there is no God but Me. So whomsoever wishes other than My Favor, or fears from other than My Punishment, I shall subject him to a punishment to which I do not subject any person. So it is Me you should worship, and on Me you should depend.
I have surely not sent a prophet whose days completed and whose time finished except that I chose a successor for him. And I have surely favored you over the prophets, and favored your Successor over the successors. And I have given you your two sons Hasan and Husayn as a present (to become Imam) after him.
Thus I made Hasan the source of my knowledge after his father’s time expired.
And made Husayn the keeper of my revelation, and gifted him with martyrdom, and finished it for him with glory. So he is the best of those who were martyred, and the highest martyr to Me. I put My Word and Conclusive Proof with him. By his lineage I reward and punish.
The first of them (Husayn’s lineage) is Ali, master of the worshipers, and the jewel of my servants.
And his son looks very much like his grandfather Mahmood. Mohammad, the splitter of My knowledge, and the source of My wisdom.
The doubtful will soon go astray in Jafar. Whomsoever refuses Jafar, refuses me. I will most definitely make precious Jafar’s stature, and I will most definitely make him happy in his followers and supporters and friends.
And after him, I chose Musa, in a difficult test, and blind severe darkness. Because the line of My instruction shall not be cut, and My proof shall not be hidden, and My friends shall not ever go astray. Beware! Whomsoever denies any one of them, he has surely denied My bliss; and whoever changes an aayah from My Book, he has surely fabricated against Me.
And woe unto the fabricating deniers when the time of My servant and friend and My chosen one Musa finishes. Beware! Whomsoever accuses the Eighth of lying is indeed accusing all of my friends of lying. Ali is My friend and My supporter, and is he on whom I shall put the burdens of the prophethood, and test him with carrying it. He will be killed by a deceitful haughty; he will be buried in the city that was built by the righteous servant Thol-Qarnayn alongside my worst creature.
It is a foregone promise; I shall make him extremely happy with Mohammad, his son and his Kalifa after him. For he is the inheritor of My knowledge, and the source of My wisdom, and the keeper of My secret, and My proof over My creatures; I make Heaven his home, and make him the intercessor for seventy thousand of his lineage, all of whom should indeed go to Hell.
And I shall finish him with glory with his son Ali, My defender and supporter, and the witness among My creatures, and My trustee over My revelation.
I shall create from him the one who calls to My way, and the holder of my knowledge Hasan.
Then I shall complete it with his son, mercy for the creatures of this world. He shall have the perfection of Musa, and the magnificence of Esa, and the patience of Ayyoob. My defenders will be humiliated in his era; and their heads will be exchanged as gifts just as the heads of the Turks and the Daylam are exchanged as gifts. They will be killed and burnt; and they will be frightened, terrorized, apprehensive; the earth will be painted with their blood, and grief and resonance will spread in their families. They are truly My friends; by them I push away every blind dark test; and by them I lift the earthquake; and remove from them their burdens and the shekels, “Those are they on whom are Blessings and Mercy from their Lord, and these are the followers of the right course”/.”
At an old age, Jaabir died in Madinah. He was the last to die of those who had witnessed the oath of allegiance to Prophet at Aqabah, before the Prophet migrated to Madinah. His lineage has survived to this day, and is well known.
4- Omm Ayman
Barakah bint Thalabah, known as Omm Ayman, was of an Ethiopian origin. She was the housemaid of Aaminah, the mother of Prophet. After Aaminah’s death, she stayed with him.
She married Obayd ibn Zayd who was killed in the Battle of Khaybar by the Jews in the 7th year after the Hejrah. Later she married Zayd ibn Haarithah who was also killed in the Battle of Motah by the Persians in the 8th year after the Hejrah.
It has been reported that she also participated in some of the battles. In the Battle of Ohod, in 2 AH, she gave water to the soldiers and looked after the injured. She was also present in the Battles of Khaybar and Honayn, in 7 and 8 AH.
Omm Ayman is one of the many women narrators. She has narrated a considerable number of ahaadeeth from Prophet.
As her knowledge increased and her taqwaa strengthened, the Prophet promised her paradise. He repeated his testimony, in public, several times; Prophet Mohammad has given few individuals such an assurance.
After the assassination of Prophet, Omm Ayman continued to support Imam Ali against the Bakeri party. When Abu Bakr usurped Fadak from Fatima , Omm Ayman was one of the witnesses who stepped forward and testified that Fadak was her property. And although Abu Bakr and Umar both admitted that she and Abu Bakr’s wife, Asma bint Omays, were promised Heaven by Prophet, they refused their testimony and shamelessly said:
Omm Ayman was very close to Fatima , and before she died from her injuries she called Omm Ayman to come and see her and witness her will. She was also present among the few who were allowed to attend her secret burial ceremonies.
After her martyrdom, Omm Ayman decided to make her opposition to the Usurpers of the Kalifa, who were determined to destroy Islam from within, more obvious. Therefore in a public move, she announced her decision to depart from Madinah to be far from the usurpers.
Her departure from Madinah accompanied a karaamah, which shows her importance and close position to Allah. It has been narrated:
“When Fatima died, Omm Ayman swore not to stay in Madinah, as she could not bear to look at the places where Fatima had used to be; so she left for Makkah.
On the way she became badly thirsty, so she extended her arms towards the sky and said: O Lord! I am Fatima ’s housemaid, do you kill me by thirst?!
Suddenly a bucket came down to her from the sky, and she drank from it. After that she did not need food or water for seven years.
5- Umm Salma
Hend bint Abi Omayyah, known as Umm Salma, was married to Abdollaah ibn Abdol-asad. They were among those who accepted Islam in Makkah, and therefore suffered greatly from the Idolaters.
The Makhzoom Arab tribe, to which they both belonged, separated between Umm Salma and her husband and took away their son Salamah to force them to renounce their new religion and reaffirm their belief in their old faith. For a period of around a year she was imprisoned by her tribe and denied the right to see her son or husband. But finally one of her cousins intervened and mediated with the chiefs, securing the return of her son to her and her release. When freed, Umm Salma took her child and headed towards Madinah, where her husband Abdollaah was living at the time.
Abdollaah participated in the Battle of Ohod, in 3 AH, and was wounded in his upper arm. He died several months later of his wound. And in 4 AH Prophet married Umm Salma.
She was not just a wife, but also a student who ceased every chance to acquire more knowledge. Seeing her thirst for learning, the Prophet taught her to her upmost capacity, including many things of the world-of-the-unseen. The following narration is just an instance:
“One day Prophet was in Umm Salma’s home, and he told her: Do not let anyone come to see me at this time.
Later Husayn came, he was a child, and Umm Salma could not stop him from going to the Prophet. So she followed Husayn and saw him on his chest, while the Prophet was crying and examining something in his hand.
Then the Prophet said: O Umm Salma! This is Jibrail telling me that Husayn will be killed and this is the soil on which he will be killed; so keep it with you, and when it turns into blood, then surely my beloved has been killed.
Umm Salma said: O Prophet! Ask Allah to ward off this thing from him.
Prophet: I have done so; and Allah the Great, the Almighty revealed to me that he shall have a level that no one of His creatures will have; and that he shall have followers who will intercede and their intercession shall be accepted; and that Mahdi (the Savior) is of his lineage.
So blessed is him who is a friend of Husayn. And his followers are, by Allah, the winners in the Hereafter.”
After Prophet’s martyrdom, Umm Salma continued to support Imam Ali and stood up against the Bakeri party and its leaders.
When Aisha led the Bakeri party and marched an army against Imam Ali, Umm Salma took courageous stances against her, showing her and her supporters that Aisha was embarking on a mission contrary to Islam.
Umm Salma has narrated many ahaadeeth from Prophet, Imam Ali and HOLY LADY.
6- Salma
Salma was a female slave who belonged to Safiyyah, Prophet’s aunt. Safiyyah gave Salma to Prophet, and he freed her. She later married Abu Raafic, who was himself a freed slave who used to belong to Abbaas, Prophet’s uncle.
It is reported that Salma nursed Khadija after she had given birth to Fatima; she was Maria’s midwife when she gave birth to Prophet’s son Ibrahim; and she also did midwifery for Fatima when she gave birth.
Salma and her husband were both present in the Muslim army at the Battle of Khaybar.
After the Bakeri party usurped the Kalifa, Salma and her family stayed with Imam Ali. She was very close to Fatima , and after the attacks on her home by the Bakeri party, she helped in nursing her.
And as you will read later in this book, she helped Fatima get ready for her death, and stayed with her as she died. After her martyrdom, she helped Imam Ali prepare her for burial.
During Imam Ali’s rule, Abu Raafi was in charge of the treasury, and his two sons, Obaydollaah and Ali worked as Imam’s secretaries.
7- Salman
According to the ahaadeeth, Salman was one of the three best Sahaabah. He was an Iranian who migrated to Arabia after he heard about the Prophet and his mission. On arrival, some Arabs captured him and sold him as a slave. It is reported that as a slave he served ten different masters; and as soon as Prophet heard about him and his thirst for Islam, he bought him from his Jewish master and freed him.
The following narration shows the importance of Salman and his closeness to Allah, and also the kind of prejudice he was subjected to by those who shammed Islam:
“Asbagh ibn Nabaatah narrates from Imam Ali who said: One day I went to Prophet, and Salman was sitting in front of him. Then a Bedouin came, pushed Salman aside, and sat in his place.
Seeing that, Prophet became angry, blood filled the vein between his eyes, and his eyes turned red, and he said: O Bedouin! Do you push aside a man whom Allah likes in the sky and His Messenger likes on the earth?! O Bedouin! Do you push aside a man whom Jibrail instructs me from My Lord, every time he descends, to convey His greetings to him?! O Bedouin! Indeed Salman is of me; whomsoever is harsh on him, he has surely been harsh on me; and whomsoever annoys him, he has surely annoyed me; and whomsoever isolates him, he has surely made me isolated; and whomsoever shows favor to him, he has surely shown favor to me. O Bedouin! Do not ever be crude with Salman, for surely Allah has instructed me to teach him the sciences of Manaayaa and Balaayaa, Ansaab and Fasl al-khetaab.
Then the Bedouin said: O Prophet! I did not think that Salman would be as you said. Was not he a Magi before converting to Islam?!
So the Prophet said: O Bedouin! I am telling you from my Lord, and you argue with me?! Indeed Salman was not a Magi, but he pretended polytheism, keeping his faith secret.
O Bedouin! Have not you heard Allah, the Great and the Almighty say: “But no! by your Lord! They do not believe until they make you a judge of that which has become a matter of disagreement among them, and then do not find any straitness in their hearts as to what you have decided and submit with entire submission”?! Have not you heard Allah, the Great and the Almighty say: “And whatever the Apostle gives you, accept it, and from whatever he forbids you, keep back”?! O Bedouin! Accept what I tell you and be of the grateful ones; and do not refuse, so you will be of those who are punished.”
Salman’s amazing drive for learning and his total submission put him at the top of his teachers’ lists. They taught him more than the others, and showed him greater things. As Aisha narrates:
“Every night Salman had a meeting with Prophet, when he would talk to him alone for most of the night.”
After Prophet’s martyrdom, Salman continued to support Imam Ali against the usurpers, ignoring his disadvantage of being a non-Arab in the Sunni system. He repeatedly objected to the party in public, and suffered greatly.
In one instance, when the Sunnis dragged Imam Ali to the mosque to force him give his pledge of allegiance to Abu Bakr, Salman was the second person who courageously stood up in protest. He also risked execution, and was severely beaten when he followed his True Kalifa in refusing to pledge his allegiance to the False Kalifa.
Both during the Prophet’s life and after his martyrdom, Salman learned a great deal from HOLY LADY. Fatima took him to where she had not taken her other students.
The following narration is an example:
“Salman narrates: Ten days after Prophet’s death, I went out of my home and on the way I saw Ali ibn Abi Talib, Prophet’s Cousin. He said to me: O Salman! You abandoned us after Prophet!
So I said: O my beloved Abu al-Hasan, your kind is not abandoned. But my grief over Prophet grew longer, and that is what kept me from visiting.
He said: Go to Fatima ’s home. She likes to give you a gift she was sent from Heaven.
So I said: Fatima was presented with something from Heaven after Prophet’s death?!
He said: Yes; yesterday.
So I ran to Fatima ’s home, and found her sitting wearing an cAbaa’ah. It was so small that if she covered her head with it, her legs would show; and if she covered her legs with it, her head would show [if she were standing]. When she saw me entering, she covered her head with something. Then said: O Salman! You abandoned me after my father’s death!
I said: My beloved, I have not abandoned you.
She said: So sit and pay attention to what I tell you. Yesterday I was sitting here, and the door was locked [from the inside]. I was thinking about the termination of the revelation, and the departure of the angels from our home. Suddenly the door opened without someone unlocking it, and three ladies entered. No one has seen the likes of their beauty and elegance, and the blooming of their faces, and the purity of their scents. When I saw them, I stood up and asked: Are you from Makkah or Madinah?
They said: O daughter of Mohammad! We are neither from Makkah nor Madinah; we are not from the earth; we are from Heaven. The Lord of Glory has sent us. We have been yearning to see you.
So I asked the one I thought was the oldest of the three: What is your name? She said: My name is Maqdoodah. I asked: And why were you named Maqdoodah? She said: I was created for Meqdaad ibn al-Aswad al-Kendi, companion of Prophet.
And I asked the second woman: What is your name? She said: Dharrah. I asked: And why were you named Dharrah? She said: I was created for Abu Dharr al-Ghefaari, companion of Prophet.
And I asked the third: What is your name? She said: Salma. I asked: And why were you named Salma? She said: I was created for Salman al-Faarsi, companion of your father Prophet.
Then Fatima said: The women gave me a gift from Heaven, and I have kept some of it for you. So she brought a tray of dates, whiter than snow, and with a scent better than musk, and gave me five, saying: Break your fast tonight with these, and bring me their stones tomorrow.
So I took the dates and left, and on my way every one asked me: O Salman! Do you have musk with you? And I said: Yes.
At night, I broke my fast with the dates, but did not find any stones in them. The next day I went to Prophet’s daughter and said: I broke my fast with your gift, but did not find any stones in them.
She said: O Salman! They would not have any stones. They are from a palm that Allah has planted in Heaven because of a docaa’ that my father Mohammad had taught me, which I recite every morning and night.
I said: Teach it to me O my Lady!
So she said: If you wish fever does not afflict you as long as you live in this world, keep reciting this docaa’: “In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful. In the name of Allah, the Light. In the name of Allah, the Light of the Light. In the name of Allah, the Light over Light. In the name of Allah, He Who manages everything. In the name of Allah He Who created the Light from the Light. Praise be to Allah He Who created the light from the Light; and descended the light unto the mountain, in a written message, on a spread skin, in a limited quantity, to a delighted prophet. Praise be to Allah He Who is mentioned in glory, and famous in pride, and thanked in happiness and sadness. And Allah’s peace be upon our master Mohammad and his sinless descendants”.
So I learned the docaa’ and, by Allah, I taught it to over one thousand people from Makkah and Madinah who were afflicted with different kinds of the fever disease, and every one of them recovered from his illness by Allah’s permission.”
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HOLY LADY IN THE HOLY QURAN
Important people, good and evil, and important events are usually mentioned in the Holy Quran. So Prophet has been mentioned just as Abu Bakr has, and Aisha has been referred to just as HOLY LADY has.
But when we come to this lady, the sheer number of aayaat revealed about her, and the subjects, are dazzling. These references certainly show her position to Allah as His third most important and most complete creature.
In his book Fatima al Zahra fi al-Quran, Aayatollaah al-cOzmaa Sayyed Saadiq Sheeraazi has gathered two hundred and seventy aayaat in sixty-eight sowar, all of which were revealed about her according to Sunni references!!
1- The Aayah of Tat-heer (purification)
In the second half of the thirty-third aayah of the thirty-third soorah of the Holy Quran, Allah says:
“Allah only desires to keep away the uncleanness from you, O Ahl al-Bayt (People of the House)! And to purify you a (thorough) purifying.”
A number of very important facts can be drawn from this aayah, including: That Fatima was a Sinless Lady. And that she was the only female member of Ahl al-Bayt, and thus senior to all Muslim women, including the Prophet’s wives.
And although Sunni scholars have in large numbers accepted these two facts, but they have obstinately insisted on playing down their importance to minimize serious contradictions within their system of beliefs.
In the first instance, they say Fatima was a Sinless Lady who did not commit any sin. However, after her father’s martyrdom she testified, on many occasions, in favor of Imam Ali as the Kalifa, and against Abu Bakr as the Usurper of the Kalifa; and publicly and loudly protested against and condemned the unIslamic actions of the Bakeri party. Her objections were so intense, that Abu Bakr found no alternative other than killing her.
So if she was a Sinless Lady, according to Allah, who did not lie, then why were her testimonies so shamelessly rejected?!
And in the second instance, the overwhelming majority of Sunni scholars agree that Fatima was the only female member of Ahl al-Bayt who have a special place in Islam, and admit that even Aisha was not a member.
So, does not this mean Fatima was senior to Aisha?! If being a member of Ahl al-Bayt does not bring seniority, then what does?! And if it does bring seniority, then why was Aisha’s testimony favored over Fatima ’s?!
However, a small number of Sunni scholars stubbornly insist that the wives of the Prophet are also included in Ahl al-Bayt. But this false claim is easily refuted by the following facts:
1- The overwhelming majority of Sunni ahaadeeth only name Prophet, Imam Ali, HOLY LADY, Imam Hasan and Imam Husayn as members of Ahl al-Bayt, and do not mention the Prophet’s wives. For instance, Sunni scholars narrate from Aisha, who said:
“While Prophet was covered with a blanket, Hasan came, and he took him under the blanket; then Husayn came, and went under the blanket; then Fatima came, and he took her under the blanket; then Ali came, and he took him under the blanket; then he recited: “Allah only desires to keep away the uncleanness from you, O Ahl al-Bayt (People of the House)! And to purify you a (thorough) purifying”.”
2- A large number of Sunni ahaadeeth clearly limits members of Ahl al-Bayt to those five, excluding others. For instance, Sunni references record:
“When the aayah “Allah only desires to keep away the uncleanness from you, O Ahl al-Bayt (People of the House)! And to purify you a (thorough) purifying” was revealed, Prophet called Ali, Fatima, Hasan and Husayn; then he covered them with a Khaybari blanket, and said: O Allah! These are my Ahl al-Bayt. O Allah! Keep away the uncleanness from them, and purify them a (thorough) purifying.”
3- Neither Aisha nor the other wives of Prophet did ever claim membership to Ahl al-Bayt, even though some of them were struggling to gain medals and seniority over Fatima and other members of Ahl al-Bayt. On the contrary, they acknowledged Fatima ’s membership and admitted their exclusion. For instance, Sunni scholars narrate from Aisha, Fatima ’s enemy, who said in a long hadeeth:
“…Indeed, I saw Prophet one day call Ali, Fatima, Hasan and Husayn; then he covered them with a cloth and said: O Allah! These are my Ahl al-Bayt, so keep away the uncleanness from them and purify them a (thorough) purifying.
So I went near them and said: O Prophet! Am I a member of your Ahl al-Bayt?
Sunni references also narrate from Umm Salma, Fatima ’s friend, who said:
“One day Prophet came to my home, and said: Do not let anyone come in. Later Fatima came, and I could not keep her away from her father; then Hasan came, and I could not keep him away from his grandfather and mother; then Husayn came, and I could not keep him away from his grandfather and mother; then Ali came, and I could not keep him away.
So they gathered, and Prophet covered them with the blanket that was on him and said: These are my Ahl al-Bayt, so keep away the uncleanness from them, and purify them a (thorough) purifying. Then, when they were all under the blanket, this aayah descended.
So I said: O Prophet! And me? But, by Allah! he did not agree, and said: You are to a good ending [you will die a good person].”
4- There is not a single hadeeth in which the Prophet or the other members of Ahl al-Bayt mention the inclusion of the Prophet’s wives in Ahl al-Bayt. On the contrary, they only name themselves, as the only members. For instance, Sunni references narrate from Prophet, who said:
“This aayah was revealed about five people: About me, Ali, Hasan, Husayn and Fatima. “Allah only desires to keep away the uncleanness from you, O ahl al-Bayt (People of the House)! And to purify you a (thorough) purifying”.”
5- The revelation of this aayah was followed by many theatrical acts by Prophet over a long period of time, practically showing who were members of Ahl al-Bayt and who were not.
He would gather them under a cloth, recite the Aayah of Tat-heer and call them Ahl al-Bayt. He would regularly go to the house of Ali and Fatima, recite the Aayah and call them Ahl al-Bayt. He did these things intentionally and frequently and regularly to show its importance.
And in the hundreds of times when he performed these shows, he never missed one person of the five, and never included one person other than the five; even though he could have included at least Aisha—whom the Sunnis regard as the most noble woman in Islam and the closest to the Prophet—or Umm Salma, both of whom asked to be included.
And these theatrical acts were witnessed by countless people who narrated them in large numbers, surviving the tight Sunni censorship. Therefore, today, Sunni references contain a significant number of these narrations; for instance they narrate from Ibn Abbaas, Umar’s first secretary, who said:
“During nine months, I witnessed Prophet go everyday at the time of every salaat—five times a day—to the door of Ali ibn Abi Talib, saying: Assalaamo cAlaykom wa Rahmatollaah wa Barakaatoh (peace and Allah’s Mercy and Blessing be upon you) O Ahl al-Bayt! “Allah only desires to keep away the uncleanness from you, O Ahl al-Bayt (People of the House)! And to purify you a (thorough) purifying”. salaat! May Allah be Merciful to you.”
Aside from Sunni scholars and their references, when we look at this part of the aayah and look at the context in which it was used, we find a most extraordinary thing. Opposite pronouns.
In the related aayaat before and after this aayah, the pronouns are all feminine plural; and even the first part of this aayah has as many as six feminine plural pronouns. But the second part of this aayah has two, out of place, masculine plural pronouns. Irregular, inconsistent, improper and immethodical use of pronouns, a mistake!! But does Allah the Almighty make mistakes?! Of course not; anyone who believes Allah makes mistakes does not believe in Islam. So why this unexampled choice of pronoun?
A small minority of scholars who believe in the distortion of the Holy Quran say this aayah is a clear example of distortion. The construction of this sentence is completely different to that of its environment; the second part of the aayah, with its masculine references, is obviously stranger to this entire passage. They say this part of the aayah was taken from the seventy-sixth soorah—where at least half the soorah refers to Prophet, Imam Ali, HOLY LADY, Imam Hasan and Imam Husayn—and placed here, within a number of aayaat that refer to the Prophet’s wives, to cause confusion.
But this opinion is rejected by the overwhelming majority of scholars who do not agree with the idea of the distortion of the Holy Quran.
Others say that there is no irregularity what so ever. The masculine pronouns were used to include the Prophet himself, who was addressed by Allah in the beginning of the section. And in the Arabic grammar, masculine pronoun is used when referring to a male together with several females.
But this opinion is also rejected, as according to all Sunni and Muslim scholars, the masculine pronouns in question also include Imam Ali, HOLY LADY, Imam Hasan and Imam Husayn, none of whom are referred to either before or after this verse.
This brings us to the third and widely believed opinion: that the second part of the aayah is indeed out of place, but it is not due to distortion. This sentence was especially placed here to make it more eye-catching and draw more attention to its meaning.
2- The Aayah of Mobaahalah
One of the many aayaat that refer to Fatima is the sixty-first aayah of the third soorah in the Holy Quran, known as the “Aayah of Mobaahalah”.
In a series of aayaat, Allah speaks of His prophets and their successors, highlighting a number of very important events in their lives. Concentrating on the family of Esa, Allah narrates the story of the birth of the Virgin Maryam, showing her closeness to Him and recounting some of what Prophet Zakariyyaa had witnessed from Maryam. Then the revelation focuses on Esa himself, his miraculous conception and birth, his God-given powers, his struggle to guild the Jews, their blind bigotry, and his rise to the sky; rejecting the belief that he is the Son of God.
At the end of this passage Allah says to His Prophet Mohammad:
“But whoever disputes with you in this matter after what has come to you of knowledge, then say: Come let us call our sons and your sons and our women and your women and our selves and your selves, then let us be earnest in prayer, and pray for the curse of Allah on the liars.”
In the tenth year of Hejrah when Muslim rule expanded to a number of countries beyond the Arabian peninsula, the Christian leaders of Arabia who had not entered a war with Muslims decided to have a decisive debate with Prophet. Hoping to overcome him and destroy his rule with the power of logic, rather than that of the sword, as other groups had futilely attempted.
Thus Abu Haarithah, cAqib and Sayyed, the highest Arab Christian leaders came to Madinah to meet with the Prophet.
During the debate, Abu Haarithah who spoke for the Christians, lost on every point he raised, but nevertheless insisted on his beliefs and refused to concede defeat.
Finally, after Prophet had exhausted all other intellectual methods, Allah revealed this aayah, and His Messenger called his challengers to mobaahalah, when they would go out to the desert and each party would pray to their God to descend a calamity on the liar; leaving it to God to show who is truthful and who is not. And Prophet announced that he will be the victorious party and that his God will bring disaster to the Christians after the Mobaahalah; and the Christians promised to be the only party standing after the Mobaahalah, when the Muslims would wither.
Time and place were agreed upon, and the unusual show of strength was set to bring conclusive proof for one side and ultimate defeat for the other.
As the moment of truth approached, Christians decided to go ahead with the Mobaahalah only if Mohammad came with a large number of people, which to them was a sign of showmanship; but would refuse to take part in the Mobaahalah if he had come with few people, which to them was a sign prophethood.
The next day, Mohammad approached the Christians who had gathered in the desert, taking the hands of his grandsons, Hasan and Husayn, and having his nephew and son-in-law, Ali, walking in front of him, and his daughter Fatima behind him. When they reached the agreed spot, Mohammad sat and told his family to say aameen to his prayers as soon as the Mobaahalah started.
Suddenly, the Christians refused to start the Mobaahalah, when their leader Abu Haarithah told them:
“I see faces that if it were to ask God to remove a mountain from its place, He would do it for them. Do not enter into a Mobaahalah with them, or you will be destroyed and no Christian will remain on the face of the earth.”
So instead of Mobaahalah, they reached an agreement with the Prophet to come under his rule. Later, both cAAqib and Sayyed announced their conversion to Islam.
In this aayah, Allah instructs His Prophet to challenge his enemies to Mobaahalah, using it as his last weapon of logic; and orders him to be accompanied by his “sons”, “women” and “selves” (the closest people to him).
And since Allah tells His creatures about Mohammad, saying:
“I swear by the star when it goes down -- Your companion (Mohammad) does not err, nor does he go astray -- Nor does he speak out of desire -- It is naught but revelation that is revealed -- The Lord of Mighty Power has taught him -- The Lord of Strength; so he attained completion.”
We learn that his choices reflect God’s will, and not human desire. Thus when he chooses to take Imam Ali with him to the Mobaahalah, as his “self”, we know that Ali is the closest man to Allah after Mohammad; and when he chooses to take Imam Hasan and Imam Husayn as his “sons”, we know that Hasan and Husayn are the closest men to Allah after Mohammad and Ali; and when he chooses to take HOLY LADY as his “women”, we know that Fatima is the closest woman to Allah.
Also, not having anyone else go with him to the Mobaahalah as his “sons”, “women” or “selves” has a lot of meaning. He could have chosen Abu Bakr and/or Umar as his “selves”, for example; as he could have chosen Aisha and/or Hafsah as his “women”. But he did not.
To escape from this difficult and embarrassing position, a number of Sunnis have tried to cause confusion and in some way suggest that the Prophet did not take these four people with him to the Mobaahalah, or that he also took others. They say that these three pronouns are all plural: “sons”, “women” and “selves”, which in the Arabic language mean three and more. So how can the Prophet take only Hasan and Husayn as his “sons”, Fatima as his “women” and Ali as his “selves”?! Therefore he must have also taken others with him.
But they are ignoring the fact that the use of plural pronouns for two and even one is not new in the Arabic language. In fact the Quran, itself, is filled with such examples. For instance, Allah says in the Holy Quran:
Whom besides Allah has revealed the Holy Quran?! And whom besides Him is its guardian?!
Allah also says:
Some Sunnis say that “sons” means ones own sons or those of his sons or grandsons. But Hasan and Husayn were the sons of Prophet’s daughter; and the children of ones daughter are not counted as ones children!! So the Prophet could not have taken them to the Mobaahalah as his “sons”.
They are also ignoring the fact that this idea was of the pre-Islam Arabs, who did not count their daughters as members of their families, and did not look at women as members of the society; thus they would not call the sons of their daughters, their “sons”. But Islam fought this belief, as many other Arab beliefs.
And even in the Holy Quran Allah counted Esa among the children of Ibrahim, even though he reached Ibrahim through his mother Maryam. Allah says:
“And of his descendants, DAAwOOd and SolaymAAn and AyyOOb and YOOsof and Musa and HAArOOn; and thus do We reward those who do good (to others) -- And ZakariyyAA and YahyAA and ESA and ElyAAs; everyone was of the good.”
Some Sunnis who are even more desperate say that all of the ahaadeeth that say Prophet took Hasan, Husayn, Fatima and Ali with him to the Mobaahalah have been narrated by the Shia, and therefore they are not acceptable.
But a mere glance at the chains of narrators of these ahaadeeth clearly shows that a large number of them do not have a single Shia narrator or a single Shia reference. In fact, such ahaadeeth have also been narrated in certain Sunni references whose authors do not mention any hadeeth narrated by the Shia.
The overwhelming majority of Sunni scholars confess that Prophet only chose Ali, Fatima, Hasan and Husayn for the Mobaahalah; and that he did not take anyone else with him.
Prophet’s choice shows the positions of these four people, and their closeness to Allah is such that if they were to ask Him to descend calamity on the Christians, He would have obliged.
3- The Aayah of Qorbaa
When Prophet started his mission and called on the Idolaters, Star-worshippers, Moon-worshippers, Jews, Christians, etc. to turn their backs to their fathers’ beliefs and follow him in worshipping the one indivisible God instead, not only did he put his high social standing in jeopardy, but his life.
He was subjected to unbearable pressure from every corner, isolated, tortured both physically and psychologically, imprisoned, and survived from several assassination attempts.
The Truthful, the Trustworthy, as the Arabs used to call him, suddenly became: the Sorcerer, the Liar. His wife, Khadija, the richest and most influential woman in the Arabian Peninsula , was shown less respect than her servants. And those who answered his call had their own share of troubles. Some of them perished under brutal torture.
But the Arabs wanted to have their once-adored Mohammad back; so alongside suppression, they offered him a way to return. To renounce his God and show devotion to their idols, and thus become the chief of all the tribe leaders, controlling all of their wealth and having all the power.
However as the Prophet insisted more and more on his mission, his enemies insisted more and more on destroying him. Finally, he had to leave Makkah migrating to Madinah, where he had a significant number of followers.
After he reached Madinah and established the Islamic rule, Muslims came and offered him great wealth as a reward for prophethood, pledging to give all their remaining assets should the newly born rule come under financial difficulty.
That is when Allah ordered His Messenger in the twenty-third aayah of the forty-second soorah of the Holy Quran to convey to his people:
As Prophet’s Prophethood was the best thing that has ever happened to humanity, and at the same time the hardest mission for any prophet, no amount of financial reward could recompense him. Therefore Allah took it upon Himself to pay His Messenger for transmitting His message. But as the people had insisted so long to do something for their prophet in return for his tireless efforts in guiding them to the right path, Allah chose the love for his sinless descendents instead, which is the only reward Muslims can give their prophet that is consistent with what their prophet had given them.
And to love Prophet’s sinless descendents is to follow them after his death, who would continue his mission and keep his followers on the right path. And the continuation of Prophet’s mission after his death is for the benefit of Muslims, as his mission was. And this is what we read in the other aayaat of the Holy Quran:
“Say: Whatever reward I have asked of you, that is only for yourselves; my reward is only with Allah.”
In which Allah asks His Messenger to tell his people that he does not ask for a reward for his prophethood, except from those who want to get closer to their God. And that the reward he asks those people is for their own benefit, and not for his benefit; as his reward lies with Allah.
And finally, in this aayah, Allah asks His messenger to tell Muslims that the only reward he wants from those who like to get closer to Allah is to follow his sinless descendents.
Thus our obedience to our Prophet’s sinless descendents is the only suitable reward we can offer him; and as this means the continuation of his mission, it is therefore in our own benefit.
This aayah is one of the most important aayaat that have been revealed about the sinless descendants of Prophet, in which Allah orders Muslims to follow them. It is equally damaging for their enemies, whom suppressed them and usurped the Kalifa. As it is, beside other things, impossible to love someone (Ahl al-Bayt), and at the same time follow their enemy (the Bakeri party ); and it is impossible to follow someone (the Bakeri party ) without loving them; and it is impossible to love someone (Ahl al-Bayt) without hating their enemy (the Bakeri party ).
Therefore some Sunni scholars have put together ridiculous explanations to escape from this serious contradiction. For instance they say: Prophet is telling his people that my reward is that you should honor my relation to you, and for the sake of this relation to many of you, you must not annoy me!! Of course this interpretation could not be further from truth, as it is clear that a Muslim who has chosen to turn his back on his fathers’ beliefs and follow the Prophet instead, automatically respects him as the “Messenger of Allah”, and this respect is much more than what relation brings; in fact he would sacrifice himself to protect his prophet. So there is no need for Prophet to ask his followers to love him for the fact that he happens to be related to many of them.
And if the Sunnis say that the addressee in this aayah are the Idolaters, then their lie becomes more apparent: Is it logical for the Prophet to ask his enemies to reward him for his prophethood which is the very reason for their animosity?! And how can he expect his enemies who want to kill him, to love him instead, because he happens to be related to many of them?!
Besides, Prophet himself explained the aayah, and named the people whose love is mandatory for the Muslims; as the Sunnis themselves narrate in their many hadeeth references:
“When this aayah descended, someone asked Prophet: O Prophet! Who are these people whose love has become mandatory for us?
Sunni scholars also narrate from Prophet who said:
“Indeed, Allah has made mandatory for you, as my reward, the love for my Ahl al-Bayt; and I will, surely, ask you tomorrow (in the Hereafter) about them.”
4- The Aayah of Ahl al-Dhekr
In the forty-third aayah of the sixteenth soorah and in the seventh aayah of the twenty-first soorah of the Holy Quran, Allah says:
“So ask “Ahl al-Dhekr” if you do not know.”
On two separate occasions Allah reveals this aayah, ordering people to ask “Ahl al-Dhekr” the things they do not know.
Several a’emmah have explained Ahl al-Dhekr as the “People of the Quran”, or the people to whom the Holy Quran was revealed; or as “Ahl al-Bayt”, who are the very people to whom the Holy Quran was revealed; including themselves and excluding others. For instance Sunni scholars narrate:
They also narrate from Prophet’s sixth Kalifa, Imam Saadiq, who said:
“Al-Dhekr has two meanings: The Holy Quran, and Mohammad; and we are Ahl al-Dhekr by both definitions.”
And the fact that Ahl al-Dhekr has been limited to these people means that they are the only authentic sources of knowledge whom have been appointed by Allah to teach and lead His creatures. Thus it is logically understood that if anyone contradicts any of these people in any field, the former would be in the wrong.
Now, Prophet being the only authentic source of knowledge does not cause too much worry for the Sunnis, but when Imam Ali, HOLY LADY, Imam Hasan and Imam Husayn are also mentioned, temperatures hit the roof and the Sunni world is literally upset.
How can HOLY LADY be the leader and Aisha be the follower?! How can Imam Ali be the leader and Abu Bakr be the follower?! How can Imam Hasan be the leader and Muawiya be the follower?! How can Imam Husayn be the leader and Yazeed be the follower?! And the fact that after Prophet’s martyrdom, the second of the pairs suppressed the first instead of obeying them, only makes things more troublesome, as it means that the latter intentionally changed the course of Islam by disobeying a direct order by Allah the Almighty in the Holy Quran to obey the former.
Therefore some Sunni scholars have chosen to take the easy way out, resorting to their preferred method of distortion and falsification. To avoid naming the true members of Ahl al-Dhekr, they say that Ahl al-Dhekr are the Jewish and Christian scholars!!! And that Allah has ordered Muslims to ask them what they do not know!!!
It has been narrated that when the Sunni ruler, Ma’moon, forcefully brought Prophet’s eighth Kalifa, Imam Reda, to Marw his second capital in today’s Turkmenistan, he gathered a number of top Sunni scholars from Iraq and Khoraasaan in a public gethering, to challenge the Imam in a debate and prove that the Sunnis are superior in knowledge. In that long discussion the Imam said:
“…We are Ahl al-Dhekr about whom Allah the Great, the Almighty, says: “So ask “Ahl al-Dhekr” if you do not know”; so ask us if you do not know.
The [Sunni] scholars said: On the contrary, Allah meant the Jews and Christians!!
So Abu al-Hasan [Imam Reda] said: Allah is far above; and is that possible?! Then they would call us to their religion, and say that it is better than the religion of Islam.
So Abu al-Hasan said: Yes, al-Dhekr is Prophet and we are his Ahl; and this is quite clear in the Book of Allah, the Great, the Almighty where he says in the soorah of Divorce: “Therefore be careful of (your duty to) Allah, O men of intellect who believe! Allah has indeed revealed to you a (Dhekr) reminder -- An Apostle who recites to you the clear communications of Allah”. Therefore al-Dhekr is Prophet and we are his Ahl.”
The insistence of Ahl al-Bayt that they are Ahl al-Dhekr and that no one else is included, comes in parallel with the fact that none of their foes has ever claimed to be among Ahl al-Dhekr. Neither Abu Bakr and Umar and people of such Aliber, nor Jewish and Christian scholars.
A large number of Sunni scholars confess that Ahl al-Dhekr are the “People of the Holy Quran”; and some Sunni scholars say that they are the close relatives of Prophet. In either case no prejudiced Sunni scholar can exclude Imam Ali, HOLY LADY, Imam Hasan and Imam Husayn from Ahl al-Dhekr. And according to the second opinion it would be impossible to include their foes such as Abu Bakr and Umar. And based on the first conviction, it would still be preposterous to regard the Bakeri party leaders as members of Ahl al-Dhekr.
How can Allah order us to ask Abu Bakr what we do not know, when he often screams after being proved wrong:
How can Allah order us to ask Uthman what we do not know, when he is ignorant of the simplest Islamic laws, intent on opposing various Islamic rules, and enjoys torturing, to the point of death, the top Sahaabah who criticize him?!
5- Soorah of al-Kawthar
As part of a larger package to suppress Prophet Mohammad, the Idolaters of Makkah began to call him “Abtar”: a man without lineage. Saying that when he dies, he will not have left any children; and without blood-relatives, his memory will fade away.
That is when Allah revealed the one hundred and eighth soorah of the Holy Quran:
“In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful -- Surely We have given you al-Kawthar -- Therefore pray to your Lord and sacrifice camel -- Surely your enemy is the one who shall be without posterity.”
Scholars of the Holy Quran have given several meanings for the word al-Kawthar, all of which are classified as a great blessing. But perhaps the more suitable meaning for this word is “HOLY LADY”.
The Idolaters taunted the Prophet with being without a child; that is when Allah said that He has given him al-Kawthar, Fatima , the great blessing, from whom there will be a great quantity and quality of descendents. Many Sunni scholars have also given this meaning for al-Kawthar.
And we see that with the assassination of Prophet, his enemies started to destroy his lineage by killing his grandson, Mohassin, and his daughter Fatima, only days after his death. Suppression of Prophet’s descendants continued for centuries, during which they were imprisoned, tortured and murdered. Many of them had to flee, often in disguise, to the far flanks of the vast Sunni Empire to escape persecution. Those who were identified and caught had to suffer slow and painful deaths. Some of them were buried alive under the foundations of the city of Baghdad-Iraq
However, murdering the Prophet’s progeny was not enough for the Sunni rulers; so they publicized the pre-Islamic Arab view that the children of one’s daughter are not counted as one’s children, whereas the children of one’s son are counted as one’s children; and therefore executed anyone who said that Prophet had any descendants. This is despite the fact that Islam had refused this pre-Islamic belief, and Prophet had often called Imam Hasan and Imam Husayn, who were the sons of his daughter, as his children.
“I was in Waasit on the Eid of Adhaa, so I attended the Salaat of Eid with Hajjaaj, and he gave an eloquent speech. When he left, his messenger came to me, so I went [to Hajjaaj] and found him sitting as if he wants to leap.
He said: O Sha’bi! This is the day of Adhaa, and I surely want to sacrifice a man from Iraq
So I said: O Ameer! Would it not be better to follow the tradition of Prophet and sacrifice what he has ordered to sacrifice and do exactly as he did, and leave what you want to do on this great day to another day?
So he said: O Sha’bi! If you hear what he says, you will support my decision about him, for his relating lies to Allah and His Messenger, and for introducing doubts in Islam.
I said: Does the Ameer see to excuse me from that?
He said: It is unavoidable. Then he ordered a leather rug to be spread and the executioner to be summoned, and said: Bring the old man, and they brought him.
He was Yahyaa ibn Yacmor; so I felt extremely sad and said to myself: What is Yahyaa saying to deserve to die?
So Hajjaaj said to him: You claim to be the leader of the Iraqi people?
Yahyaa said: I am a jurisprudent among the jurisprudents of Iraq
Hajjaaj: And from what part of your jurisprudence do you allege that Hasan and Husayn are the children of Prophet?!
Yahyaa: I do not allege that, I rather say it truthfully.
Hajjaaj: And for what reason do you say that?
Yahyaa: For the reason from the Book of Allah, the Great, the Almighty.
So Hajjaaj looked at me and said: Hear what he says; this is surely what I had not heard from him before. Do you know from the Book of Allah, the Great, the Almighty, that Hasan and Husayn are the children of Prophet?
So I started to think about it, and did not find anything from the Quran to support that. And Hajjaaj thought for a long time and then said to Yahyaa: Maybe you mean what Allah, the Great, the Almighty says: “But whoever disputes with you in this matter after what has come to you of knowledge, then say: Come let us call our sons and your sons and our women and your women and our selves and your selves, then let us be earnest in prayer, and pray for the curse of Allah on the liars”. And that Prophet went to Mobaahalah along with Ali, Fatima, Hasan and Husayn?
So as though he gave my heart a great pleasure, and I said to myself: Yahyaa escaped death.
But Yahyaa told him: By Allah! this is a great reason, but it is not the reason I have for what I say. Suddenly the face of Hajjaaj changed color and he bowed his head for a long time; then he raised his head towards Yahyaa and said to him: If you bring a reason from the Book of Allah other than what I recited, I will give you ten thousand daraahim; and if you do not, then can I shed your blood?!
Yahyaa: Yes.
So I was saddened by what Yahyaa said, and said to myself: Could not Yahyaa accept that what Hajjaaj had said was in fact his reason, and pretend that Hajjaaj knew it and found it without any help, and thus satisfy him instead of silencing him?! Now whatever reason Yahyaa brings, Hajjaaj will refuse, so that Yahyaa does not say that he knew what Hajjaaj did not.
So Yahyaa said to Hajjaaj: Allah, the Great, the Almighty, says: “And of his descendants, DAAwOOd and SolaymAAn”, whom does He mean?
Hajjaaj: Ibrahim.
Yahyaa: So Daawood and Solaymaan are his children?
Hajjaaj: Yes.
Yahyaa: And who else after Daawood and Solaymaan does Allah say are Ibrahim’s children?
So Hajjaaj recited: “And AyyOOb and YOOsof and Musa and HAArOOn; and thus do We reward those who do good (to others)”.
Yahyaa: Who else?
Yahyaa: And how is Esa among the children of Ibrahim when he does not have a father?!
Hajjaaj: Through his mother Maryam.
Yahyaa: So who is nearer? Maryam from Ibrahim, or Fatima from Mohammad?! And Esa from Ibrahim, or Hasan and Husayn from Prophet?!
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HOLY LADY IN THE HOLY HADEETH
It has been narrated from Imam Saadiq, who said:
And this is because she was not like any other person, her creation was not the same, her qualities and characters were not similar, her powers were not comparable… And it is clear that a weaker mind cannot understand a stronger mind, and a small drop of water cannot carry within it a large ocean.
Therefore to know her as much as we can, we need to look at the Holy Quran and the Holy Hadeeth and try to understand what they say about her, and how they present her to our limited minds.
And Fatima ’s struggle against the Bakeri party and her stance against its leaders could not block all of the ahaadeeth about her from finding their way into Sunni references. Yes, it is true that Sunni scholars did not record the important ahaadeeth, the ones that shed more light on her and her qualities and powers, and that they deliberately cut out important parts of such ahaadeeth and distorted and changed other vital sections; but what eventually found its way on Sunni paper is still of great significance and immense value.
So we can say that this unique jewel was so priceless that the malicious hands of vandals could not render her worthless, and that the tireless efforts of knockout artists could not produce exact copies.
And how could the Sunnis do all that, when it was not just Prophet who praised her, but her most spiteful enemies such as Aisha?!
1- Fatima ’s Satisfaction and Anger
Fatima’s advancement in the path of the infinite completeness and perfection, and her ascension in the levels of closeness to God, was such that it brought her amongst other things, the Isma - the state of immunity from committing sins, making mistakes, or any act of forgetfulness, etc, whilst the choice to commit sin remains open to the individual - and it brought her amongst other things Ilm al-Ghayb – Knowledge of the Unseen. An all-encompassing knowledge granted by Allah to a person without the usual methods of learning; a knowledge that covers everything and everyone, and is not limited by time or space, neither is it crippled by what plagues the knowledge gained through education, such as inaccuracy, forgetfulness, etc. Ilm al-Ghayb includes the Unseen World just as it includes the Seen-World.
And Prophet as God’s Messenger, had to inform people of Fatima ’s great abilities, so that they may use them to the best of their capabilities in their journeys through the various levels of completeness and perfection. Therefore, one of the things he emphasized was Fatima ’s ability to know, beyond any doubt, what makes God satisfied and what makes Him angry.
And because Allah had granted her Knowledge of the Unseen and the Sinlessness, her satisfaction and anger reflected that of Allah. Therefore, the Prophet tied Allah’s satisfaction and anger to that of Fatima , so people may know Allah’s satisfaction and anger.
He used every opportunity and used different words and various methods to transmit this to the people in such a way that even her Sunni enemies narrated them, despite the fact that they were terribly damaging to their leaders, especially Abu Bakr and Umar.
For instance, Sunni scholars narrate from Prophet, who said:
“Verily, Allah, the Great, the Almighty surely becomes angry for Fatima’s anger, and becomes satisfied for Fatima ’s satisfaction/.”
Sunni scholars also narrate from Prophet, who said:
“So whomsoever my daughter Fatima is satisfied from, I am satisfied from; and whomsoever I am satisfied from, Allah is satisfied from. And whomsoever she is angry with, I am angry with; and whomsoever I am angry with, Allah is angry with.”
They also narrate from Prophet, who said:
They also narrate that Prophet told his daughter Fatima:
2- Fatima and Prophet
As God’s Messenger and the link between Him and His creatures, Prophet’s words and deeds reflected God’s satisfaction and anger. He did not say anything unless Allah wanted that thing to be said, and he did not do anything unless Allah wanted that thing to be done.
And because Prophet had Knowlehge of Unseen, he knew a person’s thoughts, intentions, motives, relationship with God, ending, etc. And as he was a Sinless, he acted and spoke according to his knowledge, regardless of other people’s desires.
And when we look at the history books, we see that HOLY LADY was the closest person to Prophet among women, just as Imam Ali was the closest person to him among men, as Aisha, their hateful enemy, testifies:
“Jomay’ ibn Omayr al-Taymi narrates: I went to Aisha, along with my paternal aunt, and she asked her: Which person was more beloved to Prophet?
Aisha said: Fatima .
Someone else asked her: And among men?
Aisha said: Her husband. He was surely, in as much as I knew him, a person who fasted very often, and worshipped very often.”
Sunni scholars also narrate from Aisha, who said:
“I have never seen anyone more similar to Prophet in speaking than Fatima . Whenever she went to him, he welcomed her and kissed both her hands and sat her in his place; and whenever he went to her, she welcomed him and kissed both his hands.”
The following are some more examples of what Sunni scholars narrate from Prophet about HOLY LADY, spoken on different occasions and in different places:
“Fatima is a part of me, makes me suspicious what makes her suspicious, and annoys me what annoys her.”
“…And she is a part of me, and she is my heart, and my soul that is between my sides. So whoever annoys her, he has surely annoyed me, and whoever annoys me, he has surely annoyed Allah.”
“Fatima is the soul that is between my sides; whoever annoys her, he has surely annoyed me, and whoever annoys me, he has surely annoyed Allah.”
”# Verily, Fatima is a part of me, annoys me what annoys her, and makes me angry what makes her angry.”
And such closeness to Prophet would not have been possible unless she was just as close to Allah.
3- At war with your enemies and in peace with your friends
The above statements from Prophet about Fatima, which were all narrated and recorded by the Sunnis show how close to him she was and how much he loved and respected her. And because the reason for this much love and respect was Allah and her closeness to Him, Prophet went further to give yet stronger declarations.
Sunni scholars narrate that Prophet said to Ali, Fatima, Hasan and Husayn:
They also narrate:
They also narrate that Prophet said about Ali, Fatima, Hasan and Husayn:
4- HOLY LADY
As the third most complete person ever to be created after Prophet and Imam Ali, Fatima was the most important woman of her time, before her time and after her time.
And this is not what her friends say; it is what Allah says, and her enemies narrate.
Sunni scholars narrate from Hothayfah, one of the most respected companions of Prophet, who said:
“When Prophet finished his salaat, he left and I followed him. While he was walking, someone came and spoke with him and then left. I continued following the Prophet, and as he heard me, he asked: Who is this?
I said: Hothayfah.
He said: What do you want?
So I told him what had happened between my mother and me.
And he said: May Allah forgive you and your mother. Did you not see the person who just came to see me?
I said: Yes.
He said: He was an angel who had not descended to the earth before this night; he asked for permission from his God to come greet me and inform me that Hasan and Husayn are the “Masters of the Youths of Heaven” and that Fatima is the “Chief of the Women of the World”.”
Sunni scholars also narrate from Prophet, who said:
“Verily, an angel from the sky who had never visited me before, asked for Allah’s permission to visit me; and he told me that Fatima is the Chief of the Women of my nation.”
Sunni scholars also narrate that Prophet gave Fatima the following titles:
Sunni scholars also narrate from Prophet, who said:
They also narrate:
Sunni scholars also narrate from Aisha, who said:
5- Human Houri
Besides Muslims, Sunnis also believe that Fatima was a human houri who was created from the produce of Heaven; and they narrate various ahaadeeth in this regard from Prophet, one of which is what Aisha narrates:
“I frequently saw Prophet kiss Fatima ; so one day I said: O Prophet! I see you do something I had not seen you do before.
So he told me: O Homayraa’! Indeed, on the night during which I was taken to the sky, I entered Heaven and I stood by its most beautiful tree, with the whitest leaves, and the most delicious fruit. So I took from its fruit and ate…
And when I descended to the earth, I approached Khadija; and she became pregnant with Fatima from that produce.
So whenever I yearn for the scent of Heaven, I smell the scent of Fatima . O Homayraa’! Verily, Fatima is not like the human women.”
Sunni scholars also narrate from Aisha, who said:
“Whenever the Prophet returned from a journey, he kissed Fatima ’s throat and said: From her I smell the scent of Heaven.”
Sunni scholars also narrate the following from Prophet:
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HOLY LADY’S WONDERS AND MIRACLES
Supernatural actions that are performed by or for Godly persons are either done in a challenge, etc. by which the Godly person tries to show his or her challenger the right path, in this case the supernatural action is called a mojezah [miracle]. Or they are done for other reasons, in which case the supernatural action is called a karamah [wonder].
And like the other Fourteen Sinless, HOLY LADY performed some of the greatest wonders and miracles ever recorded in history books.
A few examples of her wonders and miracles are as follows:
1- The light of Fatima ’s face
Sunni scholars narrate from Aisha, who said:
“We used to sew and spin and put the thread through the needle-hole, at night, in the light of Fatima ’s face.”
2- Fire does not burn Fatima
Muslims narrate:
“One day Aisha went to Fatima ’s home while she was cooking a kind of pap for Hasan and Husayn, with flour, milk and fat in a pot.
However, while the pot was boiling on the fire, Fatima was stirring its contents with her finger.
So Aisha left horrified and went to her father and told him: O Father! Indeed, I have seen of Fatima Zahraa’ a very surprising act. I saw her cooking and stirring the contents of a pot that was boiling on the fire with her hand.
So he told her: O Daughter! Keep this a secret, as this is very significant.
Later, Prophet ascended the menbar, praised Allah and extolled Him, then he said: The people hold as significant, and regard as too much, what they have seen of the pot and the fire. By Him Who sent me with the Mission
Verily, of the descendants of Fatima is whom the fire, and the sun, and the moon, and the stars, and the mountains obey; and the Jinn fight for; and the prophets called their peoples to believe in him; and the earth shall surrender to him its treasures; and the sky shall bring down on him its blessings.
Woe unto him who doubts the superiority of Fatima . May Allah keep away from His Blessing he who hates her. May Allah keep away from His Blessing he who hates her husband, and does not accept the Imamah of her children.
Indeed, Fatima will be asked [on the Day of Judgment by sinners to intervene], and she will accept, and she will intervene, and her intervention will be accepted by Allah, despite those who do not like it.”
3- The light of Fatima ’s wrapper
It has been narrated:
“One day Ali asked a Jew to loan him some barely, and the Jew demanded to hold something as security. So he gave him Fatima ’s wrapper, which was made of wool, and the Jew took it to his house and put it in a room.
At night, when his wife entered that room, she saw a dazzling light illuminating the room; she went to her husband and told him what she had seen. The Jew was surprised.
He quickly jumped up and went to the room, and saw the light emitting rays as if it were coming from a shining full moon glowing at a close distance, so he was greatly amazed. When he looked closely at the source of the light, he saw it coming from Fatima ’s wrapper.
Thus he ran to his relatives, and his wife ran to her relatives; and before long more than eighty Jews had gathered, and after seeing the light of Fatima ’s wrapper they all converted to Islam.”
4- When Fatima threatens to curse
Sunni and Muslim scholars narrate from Salman, who said:
“When Imam Ali was forcefully extracted from his home, Fatima came out until she reached the grave [of Prophet], and said: Release my cousin. By Him Who sent Mohammad with the Truth! If you do not release him, I will let loose my hair, and I will put Prophet’s shirt on my head, and I will cry to Allah; for surely Saalih’s she-camel is not more precious to Allah than me, and its young is not more precious to Allah than my two sons.
[Salman says:] I was close to her and, by Allah! I suddenly saw the foundations of the mosque’s walls come out from their places, so high that a man could pass from underneath them. So I went to her and said: O my Mistress! O my Lady! Allah the Blessed, and the Most High, sent your father as a mercy [to the people], so do not bring them wrath.
Thus she returned, and the walls returned to their places and a lot of dust raised and went into our nostrils.”
It has also been narrated:
“When she was kept away from her rights, she took the jamb of Prophet’s room, and said: Saalih’s she-camel is not dearer to Allah than me. Then she pulled up the side of her veil to the sky and was about to pray, suddenly, the walls of the mosque raised from the ground, and calamity became imminent.
So Imam Ali came and took her arm, and said: O Remainder of the Prophethood, and the Sun of the Messengerhood, and the Source of the Sinlessness and Wisdom! Your father was a mercy for the people of the world, so do not be a wrath over them. I swear to you by the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful.
5- Angels serve Fatima
It has been narrated from Omm Ayman, who said:
“One day I went to the home of my Lady Fatima Zahraa’ to visit her. It was a hot summer day. When I reached her home, I found the door locked; so I looked inside through the cracks of the door and saw Fatima lying asleep next to the hand mill, and saw the hand mill grinding wheat, rotating without a hand turning it; and I also saw the cradle in which Husayn was asleep next to her, rocking without someone moving it; and I saw a hand praising Allah next to Fatima’s hand.
So I was surprised to see that, and went to my Master Prophet, greeted him and said: O Prophet! Indeed, I saw an amazing thing, the likes of which I had never seen before.
So he asked me: O Omm Ayman! What have you seen?
So I told him: I went to my Lady’s home and found the door locked, and saw the hand mill grinding wheat, rotating without a hand turning it; and I saw Husayn’s cradle rocking without a hand moving it; and I saw a hand praising Allah, the Most High, next to Fatima’s hand, and it was not attached to a person; so I was surprised to see that O my Master!
So he said: O Omm Ayman! Fatima is fasting, and she is tired and hungry, and the day is very hot. So Allah, the Most High, put her in drowsiness and she slept. So praise be to Him Who does not sleep. Then Allah sent an angel to grind the food for her family; and He sent another angel to rock Husayn’s cradle, so that her sleep may not be disturbed; and He sent another angel to praise Him on behalf of Fatima near her hand, with its reward going to Fatima, as she had not been languorous in the invocation of Allah. So whenever she sleeps, Allah sends the reward of that angel’s Praise of God to her.
So I said: O Prophet! Tell me who is the grinder, and who is the one who rocks Husayn’s cradle and talks tenderly to him, and who is the giver of Praise? So the prophet smiled and said: The grinder is Jibrail, and the one who rocks Husayn’s cradle is Meekaa‘eel, and the angel who praises is Esraafeel.”
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HOLY LADY AND PROPHET’S MARTYRDOM
After Aisha and Hafsah poisoned Prophet acting on the order of Abu Bakr and Umar, some very emotional and very important words were exchanged between the grief-stricken Fatima and her beloved father on his deathbed.
In his last hours, Prophet gave his last instructions to Fatima . In his last hours, Prophet gave his last prophecies about his descendants. In his last hours, Prophet showed, for one last time, his never ending worries about the future of a people who had the best ever chance to find eternal pleasure, yet they were about to sell all that for short term interests.
In these last hours, Prophet who was going to Heaven—to a place in which there is what no eye has ever seen, and no ear has ever heard, and no imagination has ever imagined—was saying goodbye to his only daughter, who was about to be subjected to the worst injustice and to face a most horrific death.
In these last hours, Fatima was saying farewell to an affectionate, compassionate and warmhearted father, the most beloved person to her in the world, a person whom she had defended against the Idolaters when she was five, a person whom she had nursed whenever his enemies injured him, a person for whom she would have sacrificed herself.
So let us go back to those hours, and read some of what history records. It has been narrated:
“The Prophet called Ali, Fatima, Hasan and Husayn, and said to those who where in the room: Leave me. And said to Umm Salma: Stay at the door, and do not let anyone near it.
Then he said to Ali: Come near me. So he went nearer to him. And he took Fatima ’s hand and put it on his chest and took Ali’s hand with his other hand. Then when Prophet wanted to speak, he was overcome with tears, so he could not talk.
So Fatima, Ali, Hasan and Husayn wept intensely, for Prophet’s crying. Then Fatima said: O Prophet! You have surely cut my heart, and set my liver on fire with your crying O Master of the Prophets! and O Trusty of his God! and O His friend and His Prophet! Who is left for my children after you?! And for the degradation that will descend upon me after you?! Who is left for Ali, your Brother and the Defender of the Religion?! Who is left for Allah’s revelation?! Then she wept and fell on his face and kissed it, and Ali and Hasan and Husayn fell on him.
He raised his head to them, and while Fatima ’s hand was still in his hand, he placed it in Ali’s hand telling him: O Abaa al-Hasan! Allah’s deposit, and His messenger’s deposit is with you, so keep it safe; and I know that you will indeed do your duty.
O Ali! She is, by Allah, the Chief of the Women of the Heaven. She is, by Allah, the Great Maryam. Verily, I have asked Allah for her and for you all, and He has granted me what I have asked of Him.
O Ali! Carry out what Fatima tells you to do, for I have indeed told her what Jebra’il has told me. And know O Ali! that I am satisfied from whom my daughter Fatima is satisfied from, and also are my God and His angels.
O Ali! Woe unto him who does her injustice; woe unto him who extorts her rights from her; woe unto him who dishonors her sacredness.”
Sunni scholars narrate from Ali al-Helaali, who said:
“I went to the Prophet while he was on his deathbed, and found Fatima sitting near his head. She wept heavily, so the Prophet looked at her and said: O my beloved Fatima! What makes you cry?
So she said: I fear the loss after you.
So he said: O my beloved! Do you not know that Allah, the Great and the Almighty, looked at the inhabitants of the earth and chose your father, and sent him with His message; then He looked once more and chose your husband, and revealed to me to give you to him in marriage?!
O Fatima ! We are a family to which, Allah, the Great and the Almighty, has surely given seven gifts, that He had not given anyone before us and will not give anyone after us: I am the last of the Prophets, and the most honorable to Allah. And my Successor is the best of the successors, and the most beloved to Allah, the Great and the Almighty; and he is your husband. And our Martyr is the best of the martyrs, and the most beloved to Allah; and he is Hamzah ibn Abdolmottalib, your father’s uncle. And from us is he who has two green wings, who flies with the angels to whatever direction he wants; and he is your father’s cousin, and your husband’s brother. And from us are the two Grandsons of this nation, who are your sons Hasan and Husayn, and they are the Masters of the Youths of Heaven; and their father, by Him Who sent me with the Truth, is better than them.
O Fatima ! By Him Who sent me with the Truth, from your sons is the Mahdi of this nation. When the world is reduced to commotion and turmoil, and when strife follows strife, and when the paths are broken, and when some people raid others, so that no old has mercy for a young, and no young has mercy for an old, then Allah the Great and the Almighty shall send from your sons he who will conquer the fortresses of deviation, and the covered hearts; and he will rule according to the religion at the end of the time, as I ruled by the religion at the beginning of the time; and he will fill the world with justice just as it had been filled with oppression.
O Fatima ! Do not be sorrowful, and do not cry, for indeed Allah, the Great and the Almighty, is more merciful and compassionate to you than I am, and that is because of your place and position in my heart. Indeed, Allah gave you in marriage to your husband, and he is of the noblest pedigree, and with the most honorable position; and he is the most kind to the subjects, and the most just in equality, and the most knowledgeable in any field.
And I have surely asked my God, the Great and the Almighty, that you be the first of my family to join me.
A large number of Sunni scholars narrate from Aisha who said:
“During his illness in which he died, Prophet summoned Fatima, his daughter, and whispered in her ear, so she wept. Then he called her again and whispered in her ear, so she laughed.
So I asked her: What was it that Prophet whispered in your ear so you wept, and then whispered in your ear again so you laughed?
She said: The Prophet told me that he will die in his illness, so I wept. Then he told me that I will be the first to join him from his family, so I laughed.”
Some Sunni scholars have also narrated this hadeeth in more detail:
“Aisha used to say: During his illness in which he died, Prophet said to Fatima : O daughter! come closer to me; then he whispered in her ear for a while, and she came back crying.
Moments later he told her again: O daughter! come closer to me; then he whispered in her ear for a while, and she came back laughing.
So Aisha asked her: O daughter! Tell me what your father whispered in your ear.
And Fatima said: You saw him whispering in my ear, and you thought I would tell you his secret while he is alive?!
It was very hard for Aisha to be kept out of their secret. And when Prophet died, she once again asked Fatima, and Fatima said: Now I can tell you. He first whispered in my ear and told me that Jebra’il used to present to him the whole of the Quran once every year, but he presented it to him twice this year…; and he said that he will shortly die, so I cried. And he told me: O daughter! Indeed, no Muslim woman is afflicted with more calamity than you, so do not be one with the least patience.
Then, for the second time, he whispered in my ear and told me that I will be the first of his family members to join him, so I laughed.”
Ibn Abbaas narrates:
“Just before he died, Prophet cried so much that his tears soaked his beard.
Someone asked him: O Prophet! What makes you weep?
So he said: I weep for my descendants and what the evil of my nation will do to them after me. As if I can see my daughter Fatima, having been subjected to injustice, cries out: O my father! But no member of my nation supports her.
So Fatima heard that and cried. And Prophet told her: Do not cry O my daughter. So she said: I am not crying for what will be done to me after you, but I cry for leaving you O Prophet.
So he told her: Rejoice! O daughter of Mohammad! with the quickness of joining me, for surely you are the first of my family to join me.”
Both Muslim and Sunni scholars narrate from Ibn Abbaas who said that on his deathbed, Prophet said the following about Fatima :
“…And when I saw her, I remembered what will be done to her after me. As if I can see the degradation enter her house, and her sacredness violated, and her rights usurped, and her inheritance kept away from her, and her ribs broken, and her fetus killed; while she cries: O my Mohammad! But she will not be answered. And asks for help, but she will not be helped.
Thus, she will remain after me sorrowful, grief-stricken and crying. Remembering the end of revelation from her home, at one time, and remembering my absence, at another time. She will feel desolated when the night falls, as she can no longer listen to me reciting the Quran. Then she finds herself humiliated after having been respected at the time of her father; thus Allah shall cheer her up and call on her with what He called on Maryam the daughter of Emraan/, so He would say: O Fatima! Surely Allah has chosen you and purified you and chosen you above the women of the world. O Fatima ! Keep to obedience to your Lord and perform sojood and perform rokoo with those who perform rokoo.
Then the pain will start, and she will fall ill; so Allah, the Great, the Almighty, shall send Maryam the daughter of Emraan to her to nurse her and keep her company. She then shall say: O Lord! I have surely become bored with the life, and have been annoyed by the people; so join me with my father. And Allah, the Great, the Almighty will join her with me; and she will be the first to join me from my family. Thus she will come to me sorrowful, anguished, grief-stricken, usurped, killed.
Prophet then added: O Allah! Keep away from Your Mercy him who does her injustice, and punish him who usurps her, and humiliate him who humiliates her, and keep forever in Your Fire him who hits her side causing the miscarriage of her fetus.
It has also been narrated:
“Then Hasan and Husayn came [to Prophet], kissing his feet and weeping loudly. So Ali wanted to move them, but the Prophet said: Let them smell me and I smell them, and see me for one last time and I see them for one last time, for they will encounter after me an earthquake, and a very difficult thing. So may Allah distance from His Mercy those who wrong them. O Allah! I surely entrust them to You and the righteous faithful.”
Sunni scholars narrate that, during his last hours, Prophet told his daughter Fatima:
“O daughter! Indeed, no Muslim woman is afflicted with more calamity than you, so do not be one with the least patience. You are surely the Chief of the Women of the Heaven.”
He also told her:
“Then he (Prophet) said: O daughter! You are the oppressed after me. And you are the week after me. So whomsoever annoys you, he has surely annoyed me; and whomsoever turns away from you, he has surely turned away from me; and whomsoever keeps ties with you, he has surely kept ties with me; and whomsoever breaks ties with you, he has surely broken ties with me; and whomsoever treats you fairly, he has surely treated me fairly. For surely you are from me and I am from you; and you are a part of me, and my soul that is between my sides. Then he said: To Allah I complain of your oppressors.”
And she addressed her father with these heartrending words just before his death:
“My soul be the sacrifice for your soul; my face be the shield for your face. O my father! Won’t you speak to me a single word?! for surely I look at you and see you leaving this world, and I see the armies of death approaching you.
HOLY LADY was badly affected by Prophet’s death. She had lost a dear father, and a great prophet whose death had been caused by poison at the hands of those who called themselves good Muslims, and were now claiming leadership.
She was grieving all the time, and crying most of her waking moments. Her great-grandson, Imam Baaqir, speaks of her sadness after Prophet’s demise:
She was not even able to hear or see the things that reminded her of her father without losing consciousness, as the following two narrations show:
“When Prophet died, Belaal refused to perform the adhaan. One day Fatima said: I wish to hear the sound of my father’s Mo’ath-then performing the adhaan.
So Belaal started to recite the adhaan. When he said: “Allaho Akbar” (Allah is greater), she remembered her father and his days, so she could not hold back her tears. And when he reached: “Ash-hado anna Mohammadan Prophet” (I testify that Mohammad is the Messenger of Allah), Fatima whooped and fell unconscious on her face.
So people told Belaal: Stop O Belaal! for surely Prophet’s daughter departed from this world, and they thought that she had died.
So he stopped his adhaan, and left it unfinished. And when Fatima regained consciousness, she asked him to finish the adhaan, but he refused and said: O Chief of the Women! I fear for you from what you will bring on yourself when you hear my voice reciting the adhaan.”
“I washed Prophet (after his death) in his shirt. So Fatima used to tell me: Show me the shirt. And whenever she smelled it, she lost consciousness. So seeing that, I hid the shirt.”
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HOLY LADY AND THE BAKERI PARTY
On the 28th of Safar, 11 years after the Hejrah, Prophet answered the call of Allah after Aisha and Hafsah, who were implementing the order of Abu Bakr and Umar, forcefully poisoned him.
Prophet had already told Aisha that he would die soon, and he had already performed the Farewell Pilgrimage, telling Muslims that his death was near; so the Sunni leaders knew that his death would come within a few months. But why did they have to poison him when he was going to die anyway?!
The decision to assassinate him, at this particular time, was made for two reasons:
Firstly: because Prophet had started a new method in appointing Imam Ali as his Kalifa. He would often give speeches to large crowds during which he would appoint Imam Ali as his successor, as he did so after the Farewell Pilgrimage to an audience of more than one hundred and twenty thousand; and then he would tell them to give their pledge of allegiance to Imam Ali as his Kalifa, and call him by his God-given title: “Imam Ali”, Commander of the Faithful. Therefore the Sunnis desperately needed to stop these events, by quickly assassinating him, so that Abu Bakr could still show some legitimacy after usurping the Kalifa.
And secondly: because he was evacuating all the Sunni leaders from Madinah, ordering them to join Osaamah’s army which was going to face a much larger and stronger Roman army in today’s Jordan; a mission that would take several months and have many casualties. And they knew that the Prophet would die while they were away and Imam Ali would become his successor, and that would be the end of the Sunni ambition of coming to power.
And that is why the Sunni leaders obstinately insisted on staying in Madinah and brought desperate excuses for not marching with Osaamah. But the Prophet repeated his direct order, and prayed against those who disobeyed this order. And as this shameless insubordination continued, Prophet summoned Qays ibn cAbaadah and Habbaab ibn al-Mondher to round them up and escort them to Jorf, outside Madinah, where Osaamah was camping. However, when the escort returned to Madinah to report the completion of its mission, Prophet said that those people were not about to obey his order and stay with Osaamah.
Just as the Prophet had foretold, Abu Bakr along with his men slipped back into the city under the cover of darkness and hid, waiting for the right moment to appear and act as Prophet’s representative before his death, which would automatically make him the Kalifa after his death. However, the Prophet immediately announced their return, describing it as: “A great evil that has come upon the city of Madinah
And as Prophet’s denouncements and strong stances against them became clearer and more intense and as he went further to give public speeches against them for disobeying his order to march with Osaamah, all of which were making it harder for Abu Bakr to usurp the Kalifa, the Sunnis decided to poison him to death, and bring his death nearer and prevent further damage.
After giving the order, Abu Bakr retreated to Sonh, a Madinah suburb, and most of his men hid in the city, waiting for the poison to take effect.
Therefore when Prophet died, the Bakeri party, with the exception of Aisha and Hafsah, was not present in public. And even Aisha, herself, was not with Prophet at the time of his death, as many Sunni scholars narrate from her; although Sunni references testify that she was present only moments before, when the Angel of Death came, and she even heard him!!!
So why would she leave just as the Prophet was about to die?! Is that not a time when people like to be close to their loved ones?!
The fact is that as soon as Aisha heard cEzraa’eel at the door, and heard Prophet telling Fatima that cEzraa’eel was here to take his soul, she quickly left to send a courier to her father in Sonh and report Prophet’s death to the other Sunnis, so that they could quickly gather and make their move for the Kalifa.
Therefore, within minutes of Prophet’s death, Umar, who was in hiding along with some other Sunnis, came to stop the announcement of his death, allowing enough time for Abu Bakr to return. And to do this successfully, Umar denied that Prophet had died, saying that he was alive and threatened to kill anyone who said otherwise.
And as soon as Abu Bakr appeared in Madinah, the Sunni leaders headed for the Bani Saacedah’s gethering place; and while Imam Ali and the other Muslims were busy with Prophet’s burial ceremonies, the Sunnis won over their Ansaar rivals and appointed Abu Bakr as Prophet’s Kalifa. Therefore no Bakeri party member was present in any of the burial ceremonies!!!
Now, with the support of a number of influential Mohaajireen and Ansaar, through promises of wealth and power and also threats, Abu Bakr had the backing of numerous tribes which provided him with a very large number of fighters. With all this force, the Sunnis went to the mosque and asked the Muslims for their pledge of allegiance to Abu Bakr.
Meanwhile, a number of Muslims who had not followed the tribal rule of blind obedience to their chiefs, and were not tempted by the promises of wealth and power and did not give in to the threats, stayed with Imam Ali and refused to give their pledge of allegiance to Abu Bakr the False Kalifa.
At this crucial time, a refusal of this magnitude was very dangerous for Abu Bakr, and he could not afford to have Imam Ali and a number of influential Muslims oppose his Kalifa. Therefore he ordered Umar to crush this resistance at all costs.
Ali and Fatima’s options
After Abu Bakr usurped the Kalifa through promises of wealth and power and intimidation and threats, Imam Ali and HOLY LADY had several options:
1- To publicly and actively support Abu Bakr, and give up all claim for the Kalifa, thus protect their personal interests and share the wealth and power. And it is very clear why the likes of Imam Ali and HOLY LADY could never have chosen with this option.
2- To give their pledge of allegiance to Abu Bakr like everyone else, without any sort of opposition, thus protect themselves from the Sunni wrath. If they had done so, then the whole world would have believed that Abu Bakr and his successors represented Islam, and see their goals, hopes, values, teachings, etc. as that of Islam, and so there would be nothing called real Islam. And it is quite clear why they could not have taken this option.
3- To take up arms against the Bakeri party and try to topple their regime, and replace Abu Bakr, the False Kalifa, with Imam Ali, the True Kalifa. If they had chosen the armed opposition, then countless people would have been killed, and the right path would have been severed completely and forever. And it is obvious why they could not have selected this option.
4- To stay in the middle, thus non-violent resistance. As non-violent actions attract a limited violent reaction, therefore a non-violent opposition is usually suppressed to a certain extent, which allows it to be known to others and live on however thinly. And this was the only feasible option for Imam Ali and HOLY LADY and the rest of the Rightful Kholafaa’, which allowed their opposition to the Bakeri party be known to the peoples of their times and live on to our time without being severed completely.
However, as it was an opposition, and as it posed a great danger to the Sunni regime, it was suppressed violently throughout the ages. It started by the violent attacks on Imam Ali and HOLY LADY, causing her death and the miscarriage of her fetus that was named Mohassin by Prophet, and it continued by the assassination, vicious killing, long imprisonment and torture of every single Kalifa, not to mention their families and supporters, by the successive Sunni regimes.
Therefore after burying Prophet, when Imam Ali saw that Abu Bakr had usurped the Kalifa and had gathered a number of tribes in his corner, he went to his home and stayed there.
And as the Bakeri party desperately needed his pledge of allegiance to complete its mission, it started a campaign of pressure that rapidly increased its force and violence.
Fatima’s role in the defense of Ali
During this crucial time, HOLY LADY played a very important role:
1- She strongly supported Imam Ali in his claim for the Kalifa.
2- She strongly opposed Abu Bakr in his claim for the Kalifa.
3- By standing with Imam Ali, she prevented the Bakeri party from forcefully extracting his pledge of allegiance.
4- By supporting Imam Ali, she helped his opposition to the Bakeri party continue during those first crucial days, and become widely known.
5- By defending Imam Ali, she prevented the Bakeri party from eliminating this perilous obstacle from its path. Thus she became a shield for Ali from the most serious wrath of the Sunni regime; and she effectively attracted the sharpness of the Sunni hatred during those early days to herself, averting it from Ali, sacrificing herself to prevent the Sunni regime from killing him.
The more the Sunni regime struggled to force Imam Ali into submission, the more she supported him and opposed them; and the harder the Sunni regime tried to draw him into a conflict which would result in his death, the harder she worked to attract the sharp edge of the sword to herself and to keep it as far away as possible from Imam Ali. So that he neither be coerced into swearing allegiance to Abu Bakr and nor be killed.
Therefore when Umar and three hundred Sunni ruffians converged on her home, in their worst attack, to forcefully take Imam Ali to Abu Bakr and end his opposition either by his allegiance to Abu Bakr or by a summary execution, we see how she stands in their way, and tries to prevent them from entering her home; and we see how insistent she remains despite the various injuries that they inflict upon her. We see how she stands her ground behind that burning door, despite the fire and that hot jagged nail piercing her chest, and how she struggles to keep them out under those vicious whips, and against those punches and kicks.
Umar and the other Bakeri ruffians could only enter the house when Fatima was unconscious. But as soon as she regained consciousness she ignored all the unbearable pains and life-threatening injuries and hurried after Abu Bakr’s ruffians who were pulling Imam Ali by his neck to Abu Bakr.
The following narration shows just how insistent she was in preventing the Sunnis from extracting a pledge of allegiance from Ali, and from executing him if he continued his refusal:
“When they dragged Imam Ali [towards the mosque] with a saddlecloth, Fatima held on to one side of it despite all the pain that she was suffering, pulling it, and the others were pulling to the other direction. Then Umar took a sword from Khaalid ibn al-Waleed and began to hit Fatima on her shoulder with its sheath until she was wounded.”
Finally, she threatened to pray to Allah to send a calamity to destroy them, and the Sunnis released Ali when they saw the foundations of the mosque rise from its place.
Several attacks on Fatima ’s home
To coerce Imam Ali who was staying in his home to give his pledge of allegiance, Abu Bakr ordered the Sunnis to fetch him to the mosque. But he refused to go with them, and HOLY LADY prevented them from forcing their way into her home.
So these house calls repeated, each time with more terror and viciousness. And a large number of Sunni references have recorded them, but as usual, they have failed to mention some of the more damaging details. Nevertheless, what they have narrated, however incomplete, short, and heavily censured, remains highly troublesome for the Sunni faith.
Below are a few examples of such Sunni narrations about a number of these attacks:
“Abu Bakr sought after a group of people who had not given [him] their pledge of allegiance, and had gathered in Ali’s home; so he sent Umar to them, and he came and called them out, but they refused to come out. Then Umar asked for some wood and said: By Him in Whose hand is Umar’s life! Either you come out now, or I will most certainly put the house on fire with whoever is inside.
Umar said: Even so.
So the people came out and gave Abu Bakr their pledge of allegiance, except Ali, who said: I have sworn not to leave, and not to put my robe on my shoulder, until I compile the Holy Quran.
Then Fatima came and stood at the door and said: I have never seen a people gathered on a worst thing than you. You left the body of Prophet with us and determined the leadership between yourselves; you did not give us the leadership and did not allow us our right.
So Umar went to Abu Bakr and told him: Will you not force this rejecter to pledge his allegiance to you?!
So Abu Bakr said to Qunfuz: Go and summon Ali to me. So he went to Ali.
Ali asked him: What do you want?
Qunfuz said: Prophet’s Kalifa calls for you.
So Ali astonishingly said: Indeed, how soon you fabricated lies against Prophet’s wishes!!
Qunfuz returned and conveyed the message, and Abu Bakr wept for a long time.
So, for a second time, Umar said: Do not allow this rejecter any time for giving his pledge of allegiance.
So Abu Bakr said to Qunfuz: Return to him and tell him: Imam Ali calls you to give your pledge of allegiance.
So Qunfuz went to Ali and gave him the message.
And Ali raised his voice saying: Allah is far above! Abu Bakr has surely claimed what is not his.
Qunfuz returned and conveyed the message, so Abu Bakr cried again for a long time.
Then Umar stood up and walked with his group to Fatima ’s door, and they knocked on the door. When Fatima heard their voices, she called out, with all her voice: O my father! O Prophet! What have we suffered after you from the son of al-Khattaab and the son of Abi Qohaafah?!
So when the group heard her voice and her crying, they left weeping, and their hearts nearly stopped and their livers nearly cracked. But Umar stayed there along with a few men, and they extracted Ali from his home and took him to Abu Bakr.
So they said to him: Give your pledge of allegiance.
Ali: What if I do not?Umar
Umar and his men: Then, by Allah besides Whom there is no God, we will behead you.
And during all of this, Abu Bakr was not talking and was keeping silent. So Umar said to him: Will you not give your order about him?
Abu Bakr: I will not force him to do anything as long as Fatima is on his side.
So [after being released] Ali went to Prophet’s grave, screaming and weeping, saying: “Son of my mother! Surely the people reckoned me weak and had well-nigh slain me”.”
Sunni scholars also narrate:
“Abu Bakr and Umar heard that a group of Mohaajireen and Ansaar had refused to give their pledge of allegiance, and were gathering in Ali’s home. So they came with a large group of people to raid the home…
And they entered the house, so Fatima came out and said: By Allah! Either you leave right now, or I will most certainly cry to Allah. So those who had entered the house came out, and those who had gathered outside left.”
Sunni scholars also narrate:
“Abu Bakr sent Umar ibn al-Khattaab to Ali, when he refused to give his pledge of allegiance, and told him: Bring him to me with the utmost violence.”
Sunni scholars also narrate:
“Umar ibn al-Khattaab came to Ali’s home, when Talhah and Zobayr and a number of Mohaajireen were inside, and said: By Allah! I will most certainly burn down the house on you unless you come out for allegiance right now.”
Sunni scholars also narrate:
“When Abu Bakr was given pledge of allegiance after Prophet’s death, Ali and Zobayr often went to Fatima, the Daughter of Prophet, to consult with her.
When the news reached Umar, he went to Fatima and said: O Daughter of Prophet! There is no one more beloved to me than your father, and there is no one more beloved to us, after your father, than you. But I swear by Allah that this will not stop me from ordering to set fire to your house if these people come to you again.”
Sunni scholars also narrate:
“And there was a large group of people with Khaalid outside the house, all of whom Abu Bakr had sent for support. Then Umar entered and said to Ali: Stand up and pledge your allegiance.
But he (Ali) did not.
So Umar took his hand and said to him: Stand up and pledge your allegiance.
But he refused to stand up.
So Umar pulled him up and pushed him, just as he had pushed Zobayr, and Khaalid took them both.
Then Umar and his company dragged them violently, and a lot of people gathered to watch, and the streets of Madinah became crowded with men.
And when Fatima saw what Umar had done, she screamed and wailed and a large number of women gathered with her; so she stood at the door of her room [inside the mosque] and called out: O Abaa Bakr! How soon you attacked the members of the Household of Prophet!! By Allah, I will not speak with Umar until I meet Allah.”
Sunni scholars also narrate:
“Then Abu Bakr sent Umar ibn al-Khattaab to Ali and those who were with him, to extract them from Fatima ’s home, and told him: If they disobey you, so fight them.
Then Umar took some fire and went to Fatima ’s home to set it, along with those inside, on fire. Fatima saw him and said: To where O Ibn al-Khattaab?! Have you come to set fire to our home?!
Sunni scholars also narrate:
“And Umar used the same harshness with Ahl al-Bayt, so he surrounded them with the wood and set it on fire. And when the group entered Fatima’s home, Qunfuz pushed the door against Fatima , breaking her rib, so she miscarried her fetus; and she remained bedridden until she died. And it is said that the person who hit her was Umar.”
Sunni scholars also narrate from Zayd ibn Aslam, who said:
“I was among those who carried the wood with Umar to Fatima ’s door, when Ali and his supporters refused to give Abu Bakr their pledge of allegiance.
So Umar said to Fatima : Bring out those who are in the house, or I will most certainly burn it down on them. And there were Ali, Fatima, Hasan, Husayn and a number of Prophet’s Companions in the house.
Then Fatima astonishingly asked: You will set me and my two sons on fire?!
Aside from these Sunni references, the Muslim scholar Solaym ibn al-Qays narrates in his book from Salman, who said:
“…Then Umar said to Abu Bakr: What is stopping you from summoning him (Ali) for giving his allegiance?! for surely all the people have sworn their allegiance to you except him and those four (Salman, Abu Dharr, Meqdaad and Zobayr).
Abu Bakr was the softer of the two (Abu Bakr and Umar), the gentler, the more cunning and the more farsighted. And the other (Omar) was the cruder of the two, the harsher and the rougher.
Abu Bakr asked: Who should we send?
Umar replied: We should send Qunfuz. He is a rough, harsh and crude man from the Tolaqaa’, from the Bani Oday tribe.
Thus Abu Bakr sent him with a number of helpers, and they came and asked Ali permission for entering. But he refused.
So Qunfuz’s men went back to Abu Bakr and Umar, who were sitting in the mosque among the people, and said: He did not permit us to enter.
Umar ordered them: Go back, and if he gave you permission, so be it; and if not, then enter without his permission.
They went back and asked for permission to enter. Fatima answered them: I strongly prohibit you from entering without permission.
Thus they returned and the accursed Qunfuz remained, and they reported what Fatima had said.
Umar suddenly became angry and said: What have we to do with women?! Then he ordered some of those who were around him to carry the firewood, so they carried the firewood and Umar carried with them, and they placed it around the home of Ali, Fatima and their two sons. Then Umar called out so that Ali and Fatima could hear: By Allah, indeed you must come out O Ali! And you must give your allegiance to Prophet’s Kalifa, or I will burn down the house on you.
She said: O Umar! Do you not fear Allah in entering my house?! But Umar refused to leave.
Then Umar called for the fire and set the door alight, and he pushed it open and entered. So Fatima came forward to stop him and cried out: O my father! O Prophet!
Omar, then, raised the sword in its sheath and struck her side, so she cried out: O my father! And he raised the whip and lashed her forearm, so she called out: O Prophet! How bad have Abu Bakr and Umar acted after you!
Suddenly Ali leaped and grabbed Umar by his collar, pulled him hard and threw him to the ground, hitting him on the nose and the neck, and wanted to kill him, but he remembered what Prophet had told him; so he said: By Him Who honored Mohammad with the Prophethood, O son of Sahhaak! Were it not for a command from Allah and an order from Prophet, you will have surely known that you could not enter my house.
There, Umar sent for help, and the people converged on the house. By this time, Qunfuz had returned to Abu Bakr and told him of his fears should Ali come out with his sword, knowing his bravery and power.
So Abu Bakr told him: Return, and if he came out, so be it; and if not storm into his house; and if he resisted, then burn down their house on them.
So the accursed Qunfuz set out and stormed the house with his men, and some used their swords, and they took Ali and put a rope around his neck.
At the door, Fatima came between them and between Ali, so the accursed Qunfuz lashed her with the whip…
I asked Salman: Did they really enter Fatima ’s home without permission?!
He answered: Yes by Allah, and she was not wearing a veil. So she cried out: O my father! O Prophet! How bad have Abu Bakr and Umar acted after you!! She called out with all her voice.
And indeed I saw Abu Bakr and those around him crying, and there was not anyone who was not shedding tears except Umar and Khaalid ibn al-Waleed and Moghayrah ibn al-Shocbah. And Umar was continuously saying: We have nothing to do with women and their views.”
Muslim scholars also narrate:
“After the events, Fatima grabbed Umar’s collar, pulled him and said: By Allah, O son of Khattaab! If I did not hate to see the calamity come to the innocent, you will have surely seen me pray to Allah and then find Him quick to respond.”
MOHASSIN, THE MARTYRED FETUS
Both Muslim and Sunni scholars who have recorded the names of the children of Imam Ali and HOLY LADY, also mention the name of Mohassin as their third son.
And a large number of these scholars also mention that it was Prophet who named this third son, when he was a fetus in Fatima ’s womb, as Mohassin.
And all Muslim scholars unanimously agree on the martyrdom of Mohassin, the fetus that was killed in its sixth month in the most serious of the Sunni attacks on Imam Ali’s home. And as such, Mohassin becomes Islam’s first martyr after the assassination of Prophet.
But, understandably, Sunni scholars do not have this unanimous agreement on the martyrdom of Mohassin, or at least they do not show it. And how could they?! How can a Godly person (Omar) kill two other Godly persons (Mohassin and Fatima)?!
However, many Sunni scholars have recorded this vicious crime just as they recorded many other Sunni crimes. Below are a few examples:
“Indeed, Umar hit Fatima ’s stomach on the Day of Allegiance, so she miscarried the fetus. And he was shouting: Put her house of fire with all those inside; and there was no one inside other than Ali, Fatima, Hasan and Husayn .”
“Indeed, he (Omar) hit Fatima, the Daughter of Prophet, and he took away the inheritance of Prophet’s descendants.”
A revealing comparison
The famous Sunni scholar Ibn Abi al-Hadeed records a conversation on this subject between him and one of his teachers, in his highly respected encyclopedia, which hits at the core of the Sunni faith:
“…Then the Chief, Abu Jafar, said: If Prophet had ordered the execution of Habbaar ibn al-Aswad for frightening Zaynab and causing the miscarriage of her fetus, then it is quite clear that if he was alive, he would have ordered the execution of those who frightened Fatima causing the miscarriage of her fetus!!“.
Who took part in the attacks?
Since the opposition of Ali and Fatima and their supporters to the Kalifa of Abu Bakr was very strong and very serious, it needed a lot of force to crush it. But since Ali had not taken up arms against Abu Bakr, the Bakeri party could not march an army to his home to eliminate him. They had to somehow coerce him into pledging his allegiance, or to behead him for refusing.
And since Ali was not an ordinary person, they had to use their best people for this job.
Historians record that in one of these attacks, Abu Bakr had dispatched more than three hundred Sunni ruffians to force Imam Ali to accept his Kalifa.
They also record that besides Umar, some very big names took part in these raids. People such as:
1- Uthman (the Third Usurper of the Kalifa, and the first Amawi ruler). He is the murderer of two of Prophet’s stepdaughters; he was also among those who took part in an attempt on Prophet’s life, on his way back to Madinah from the Farewell Pilgrimage, after appointing Imam Ali as his Kalifa.
2- Muawiya (the Governor of Damascus, the Forth Usurper of the Kalifa, and the second Amawi ruler). He is the son of the Idolater leader Abu Sofyaan, who marched several armies against the Muslims, and Hend, who mutilated the bodies of Muslims in the battle of Ohod particularly the body of Prophet’s uncle Hamzah and put his liver in her mouth to eat it. Muawiya was also among those who took part in the attempt on Prophet’s life, after appointing Imam Ali as his Kalifa.
3- Amr ibn al-Ass (the Governor of Palestine, Muawiya’s right hand, and the Governor of Egypt). He was also among those who took part in the attempt on Prophet’s life, after appointing Imam Ali as his Kalifa.
4- Abdorrahmaan ibn al-Awf (an influential Sunni leader, and one of Umar’s six nominees to succeed him). He was also among those who took part in the attempt on Prophet’s life, after appointing Imam Ali as his Kalifa.
5- Moghayrah ibn al- Shobah (the Governor of Bahrain
6- Abu Obaydah ibn al-Jarraah (the Governor of Hems-Syria). He was also among those who took part in the attempt on Prophet’s life, after appointing Imam Ali as his Kalifa.
7- Khaalid ibn al-Waleed. A General in the Idolater armies that fought with Muslims. After Abu Bakr usurped the Kalifa, he appointed Khaalid as the highest commander in charge of Shaam’s entire army, in today’s Syria , Lebanon , Palestine and Jordan
8- Qunfuz (the Governor of Makkah). Sunni scholars record that one year Umar asked for half of all the wealth from all of his governors accept Qunfuz.
And in this regard it has been narrated:
“When Abbaas asked Imam Ali: What stopped Umar from fining Qunfuz, just as he fined all of his governors?
Ali looked at those who were with him as tears filled his eyes, then he said: Umar thanked him for lashing Fatima with the whip; so when she died, the effect of the whip was like an armlet on her upper arm.”
Abu Bakr orders the attacks
Some people like to acquit Abu Bakr of these hideous crimes, and keep him well clear and clean of such barbaric acts of aggression against the Household of the Prophethood. Therefore they create a nice image for Abu Bakr, and say how kind and gentle he was and how diplomatically and wisely he acted. And claim that such a personality could never have played any role in such horrible crimes.
On the other hand, they say how rough and harsh Umar was in his nature, and how impatient and restless he could become when it came to God’s work!! And claim that he was the one who ordered and oversaw the suppression and elimination of Ali and Fatima’s opposition to the Sunni rule.
And as such, they would exonerate the Kalifa from any blame and place the responsibility on Umar’s shoulder, who was not a Kalifa at the time; then they would use a thousand and one excuses and lies to remove this stain from Umar’s record; absurdities such as: He made a judgment and Allah will reward him two rewards if he was right and one reward if he was wrong?! It was his nature to be severe, not his intention?!…
However, even the Sunni historic records contradict the above.
Firstly, Sunni narrations clearly name Abu Bakr as the person who ordered these attacks. Some examples are as follows:
“Abu Bakr sought after a group of people who had not given [him] their pledge of allegiance… So he sent Umar to them.”
“Abu Bakr sent Umar ibn al-Khattaab to Ali when he refused to give his pledge of allegiance, and told him: Bring him to me with the utmost violence.”
“Then Abu Bakr sent Umar ibn al-Khattaab to Ali and those who were with him, to extract them from Fatima ’s home, and told him: If they disobey you, so fight them.”
Secondly, Sunni records go further to show that Abu Bakr witnessed these events and, actually, gave orders on the spot. One instance is as follows:
“Then Zobayr came out with his sword unsheathed, so a man from the Ansaar and Zeyaad ibn Lobayd held on to him and the sword fell from his hand. So Abu Bakr, while sitting on the menbar, shouted: Strike it at the rock. And it was broken.”
Thirdly, Sunni records go even further to show that Abu Bakr, personally, took part in some of these raids. One example is as follows:
“Abu Bakr and Umar heard that a group of Mohaajireen and Ansaar had refused to give their pledge of allegiance, and were gathering in Ali’s home. So they came with a large group of people to raid the home.”
Fourthly, how was it possible for Abu Bakr not to have witnessed those acts of aggression and not to have heard those heartrending screams, when he was sitting in the mosque, and Ali and Fatima’s home was next to the mosque and had a door inside the mosque?!
Historic records also show that in some of those attacks, the people of Madinah had gathered in that area to witness what was happening, so how is it possible for the Kalifa, who was sitting in the mosque next to that home, not to have seen or heard anything?!
Some Sunni narrations even show that at the time of some of the attacks, Fatima called out to Abu Bakr. For instance:
“So she stood at the door of her room [inside the mosque] and called out: O Abaa Bakr! How soon you attacked the members of the Household of Prophet!! By Allah, I will not speak with Umar until I meet Allah.”
Fifthly, Abu Bakr admitted, on his deathbed, that he had ordered the raids.
Prophet prophesizes Fatima ’s sufferings
Years before they happened, Prophet prophesized Fatima ’s sufferings in detail. These prophecies were made so often and on so many occasions, that despite their threat to the Sunni faith, they found their way into well-known Sunni references.
Sunni scholars narrate from Prophet, who said the following:
“Heaven has been made forbidden to him who does injustice to my Ahl al-Bayt, and annoys me in my lineage.”
“And if someone worshiped Allah between the Rokn and the Maqaam until he became like an old skin, but he met Allah whilst hating the family of Mohammad, then Allah shall throw him from his nose into the fire of Hell.”
“Whomsoever curses my Ahl al-Bayt, he has surely apostatized from Allah and Islam; and whomsoever annoys me in my descendants, may Allah distance him from His Blessings and Mercy; and whomsoever annoys me in my descendants, he has surely annoyed Allah.
Allah has indeed made Heaven forbidden to him who does injustice to my Ahl al-Bayt, or kills them, or supports their enemy, or curses them.”
“…And when I saw her, I remembered what will be done to her after me. As if I can see the degradation enter her house, and her sacredness violated, and her rights usurped, and her inheritance kept away from her, and her ribs broken, and her fetus killed, while she cries: O my Mohammad! But she will not be answered. And asks for help, but she will not be helped…
Thus she will come to me sorrowful, anguished, grief-stricken, usurped, killed.
Prophet then added: O Allah! Keep away from Your Mercy him who does her injustice, and punish him who usurps her, and humiliate him who humiliates her, and keep forever in Your Fire him who hits her side causing the miscarriage of her fetus.
“O daughter! Indeed, no Muslim woman is afflicted with more calamity than you, so do not be one with the least patience. You are surely the Chief of the Women of the Heaven.”
Aside from the above Sunni narrations, Muslim scholars also narrate from Prophet who said the following:
“O my daughter! You are the oppressed after me. And you are the week after me… To Allah I complain of your oppressors.”
“…Then he (Prophet) looked at Fatima and said: You are surely the first to join me from my Ahl al-Bayt. And you are the “Chief of the Women of the Heaven”. And you will suffer, after my death, a great injustice and rage, until you are beaten up, and your rib breaks. May Allah keep away from His Mercy your killer, and keep away from His Mercy the one who orders your killing, and those who agree and support, and those who are against you, and do injustice to your husband and your two sons.”
“He is kept away from Allah’s Mercy, he is kept away from Allah’s Mercy who does injustice to Fatima after my death, and usurps her right and kills her.”
“One day the Prophet went to Fatima ’s home and she prepared a meal from bread, date and fat. Then Ali, Fatima, Hasan and Husayn came to eat with Prophet. When Prophet finished eating, he made a very long sojood, then he laughed, then he cried, then he sat.
Ali said: O Prophet! We saw from you what we had not seen before?1
So Prophet said: When I ate with you, I became happy for your good health and for your gathering here, so I performed a sojood thanking Allah the Almighty.
But Jibrail descended and said: Do you perform sojood because of your happiness for your family?
I answered: Yes.
He said: Do you want me to tell you what will happen to them after your death?
I answered: Yes, O my brother! O Jibrail!
So he told me: Your daughter will be the first to join you from your family after suffering injustice, and after her right is usurped, and her inheritance is kept away from her, and her rib is broken. And your cousin; he will suffer injustice, and his right will be usurped, and he will be killed. And Hasan; he will suffer injustice, and his right will be usurped, and he will be murdered by poison. And Husayn; he will suffer injustice, and his right will be usurped, and his family will be killed, and horses will trample his body, and his caravan will be plundered, and his women and children will be enslaved, and his body will be buried while soaked in blood and covered by sand…“.
Muslims also narrate from Imam Ali, who said:
“Whilst Fatima, Hasan, Husayn and I were sitting with Prophet, he looked at us and cried. So I asked: O Prophet! What makes you cry?
He said: I cry for what will be done to you.
So I said: And what is that O Prophet?
He said: I weep for the strike on your upper head; and the slap on Fatima ’s face; and the stabbing of Hasan’s thigh, and the poison which he will drink; and the killing of Husayn.
So all of us the Ahl al-Bayt cried, and I said: O Prophet! Our Lord has not created us except for calamity?!
He said: Rejoice O Ali! For surely Allah, the Great, the Almighty, has revealed to me that no one will like you except a Mo’men and that no one will hate you except a Monaafiq/.”
“When the Prophet was taken to the skies, it was said to him: …And your daughter will suffer injustice, and her right will be usurped, and she will be beaten up whilst pregnant, and her home will be raided, and she will be humiliated and degraded; but she will not find any supporters. She will miscarry what is in her womb because of the beating, and she will die because of that beating.”
Ahl al-Bayt Speak About Fatima ’s Suffering
Fatima speaks about her suffering
It has been narrated that HOLY LADY briefly explained some of what she suffered at the hands of the Sunni ruffians as the following:
“…Then Qunfuz, Umar ibn al-Khattaab and Khaalid ibn al-Waleed were sent to our home to take out my cousin Ali to Bani Saacedah’s gethering place, for the hopeless allegiance; but he refused to go with them, as he was busy carrying out what Prophet had asked of him in his will…
So they gathered plenty of wood and put it at our door, and brought fire to light it, to burn us all. Thus I stood behind the door and beseeched them in Allah’s name and my father’s name to leave us and support us.
But Umar took the whip from Qunfuz’s hand and lashed my upper arm so hard that it left a welt like an armlet, and kicked the door and pushed it against me although I was pregnant; so I fell down forward, and the fire was burning my face. Then he slapped me so hard that my earring tore apart from ear. Then I went into labor and miscarried Mohassin, murdered without guilt.
So is this the nation that solutes me?! Indeed, Allah and His Messenger have renounced it, and so have I.”
“And Islam cried for you as it became a stranger between people, like other strangers.
“Say! to the one hidden under levels of the earth: If you can hear my scream and my call,
calamities have poured on me that if were to pour on the days, they will have become nights.
Indeed I had protection in the shade of Mohammad; I did not fear injustice, and he was my protector.
But today I am humble for the lowly, and cautious of injustice; and I ward off my oppressor with my robe.
So if a turtledove weeps in her night from sadness on a branch, I weep in my day.
“Indeed, there were news and many difficulties after you; if you had witnessed them, there would not be much talk.
We surely missed you, as the earth misses her downpour; and your people became disordered, so witness them and do not be absent…
Some people showed us the animosities they had hidden in their chests when you left, and the earth shielded you.
“The person who embarks on inflicting injustice upon us shall know on the Day of Judgment to what turning he shall turn.
Indeed we suffered [after you O Prophet!] what no Arab or non-Arab has ever suffered.
Ali speaks about Fatima ’s sufferings
After one of the raids when the Sunni ruffians extracted Ali from his home, he stood between the people and raised his voice with a most damaging statement against the Sunnis, parts of which are as follows:
“…Your evil-commanding selves abstained from the everlasting Hereafter, and our selves craved after what you abstained from.
And the appointment is near, and the Lord is the best judge; so prepare your answers for the questioning, and prepare your accounts for your injustice towards us Ahl al-Bayt.
Is Zahraa’ beaten up in suppression?! And our rights are forcefully usurped?! And there is no supporter and no defender, and no helper and no rescuer?!
I wish the son of Abu Talib (Ali) had died before today, so he would not see the evil-doer infidels rallied for doing injustice to the Pure, the Pious (Fatima ).
So Destruction! Destruction! And Ruination! Ruination! This is something that returns to Allah, and is taken to Prophet.
It has surely been excruciating for the son of Abu Talib [to see] the blackening of Fatima ’s back by the lashing.
His [brave] position has been known and his [victorious] days have been seen, but he does not erupt to protect his wife and does not firmly stand in front of his spouse; as patience is more suitable and appropriate, and accepting what Allah wants is better, so that the truth does not lose its gravity, and the falsehood does not emerge from its den; until I meet with my Lord, when I shall complain to Him what you have committed…“.
It has been narrated from Ibn Abbaas, who said that Imam Ali used to recite the docaa’ of Sanamay Qoraysh, the Two Idols of Qoraysh, in the qonoot of his salaat. Some parts of this docaa’ are as follows:
“O Allah! Keep away from Your Mercy the Two Idols of Qoraysh…
for surely they have demolished the House of the Prophethood, and blocked up its door…
and exterminated its residents, and annihilated its supporters, and killed its children…
and [for] the blood that they spilled…
and the inheritance that they usurped…
Imam Hasan speaks about Fatima ’s suffering
It has been narrated that Imam Hasan, Ali and Fatima’s first son, spoke these words in a heated encounter in the presence of the Second Amawi ruler, Muawiya, who had called his aids and a number of high-ranking Sunni leaders for the one purpose of crushing Imam Hasan in that famous debate:
“…And you O Moghayrah! You are indeed an enemy of Allah, and a discarder of His Book, and an accuser of His Prophet; and you are the Adulterer…
And you are the one who beat Fatima, the Daughter of Prophet, until she bled, and she miscarried her fetus.
You did this as a mark of degradation towards Prophet, and as a sign for disobeying his order, and violating his sacredness; when Prophet had told her: O Fatima! You are the Chief of the Women of the Heaven.”
Imam Sajjaad refers to Fatima ’s suffering
Imam Baaqir points to Fatima ’s suffering
“I be your sacrifice. If you permit me, I will narrate to you a hadeeth from Abi Baseer about your grandfather [Imam Baaqir].
Whenever he (Imam Baaqir) fell ill, he used cold water to bring down his fever; so he would use two clothes, one in the cold water and one on his body, and he would alternate between them. Then he would scream loudly so that the people outside his house could hear him: “O Fatima daughter of Mohammad!”“.
The Muslim scholar Shaykh Abbaas Qommi writes in his book “Bayt al-Ahzaan”, that it is very likely that these fevers were caused by the Imam’s continuous hiding of his grief and sadness for what had happened to his oppressed mother Fatima; so just as he tries to reduce his fever with called water, he also tries to ease the pain of that tormenting grief by calling out her name.
Imam Saadiq speaks about Fatima ’s suffering
In a lengthy conversation between Mofaddal ibn Umar and Imam Saadiq, during which Mofaddal asked a number of questions evolving around Imam Mahdi, Imam Saadiq pointed to some of Fatima’s sufferings. Some related excerpts are as follows:
“…And setting fire to the door of Imam Ali, Fatima, Hasan and Husayn to burn them, and lashing the hand of the Great Seddeeqah Fatima with the whip, and kicking her stomach causing the miscarriage of Mohassin…
Then Fatima complains [to Prophet] about what came to her from Abu Bakr and Umar, and about the usurpation of Fadak…
And he (Abu Bakr) says that the prophets do not leave inheritance… And Umar says: Bring out your document which you mentioned your father had written for you, and then he takes it from her, spits on it and tears it in the presence of witnesses from the Qoraysh and the Mohaajireen and the Ansaar…
And she tells him (Prophet) about Abu Bakr and his ordering Khaalid ibn al-Waleed, Qunfuz and Umar ibn al-Khattaab along with a large number of people to forcefully extract Imam Ali from his home to giving his allegiance in the gathering place of Bani Saacedah tribe…
And what Umar says: Come out O Ali! and accept what the groups of Muslims have accepted, or we will kill you…
And their gathering firewood to burn the house of Imam Ali, Fatima , Hasan, Husayn, Zaynab, Omm Kolthoom and Feddah, and putting fire to the door. And Fatima coming behind the door to speak with them, saying: Woe unto you O Umar! What is this boldness towards Allah and His Messenger?! Do you intend to severe his lineage from this world, and vanish him and extinguish the Light of Allah?!…
And Umar saying: That is enough O Fatima! Mohammad is no longer present, and the angels are no longer bringing commands and prohibitions from Allah, and Ali is none other than just another Muslim; so either he pledges allegiance to Abu Bakr or you will all burn.
So she says crying: O Allah! To You we complain about the loss of Your Prophet and Your Messenger and Your Sincere Friend, and about the turning of his nation against us, and their usurping of our right which You had given us in Your Book that was revealed to Your Prophet.
Then Umar says to her: Keep away O Fatima! from the stupidity of women, for surely Allah was not to choose for you the prophecy and the Kalifa. And so the fire was burns the door…
And Umar lashes her upper arm with the whip until it leaves a black mark like an armlet, and kicks the door until it hits her stomach when she is six month pregnant with Mohassin, and his miscarriage.
And Umar’s attack along with Qunfuz and Khaalid, and slapping her face so hard that her earring is torn from her ear, while she weeps loudly and says: O my father! O Prophet! Your daughter Fatima is being accused of lying, and is being beaten and the fetus in her womb is being killed.
And Imam Ali comes out, bareheaded with red eyes, spreads his wrap over her, holds her to his chest, and says to her: O Daughter of Prophet! You have surely known that your father was sent by Allah to be a mercy for the creatures; so I swear to you in the name of Allah, I swear to you in the name of Allah not to move back your veil and raise your forehead [to pray to Allah to send a calamity on the people], so by Allah O Fatima! If you do this, Allah won’t keep on the earth anyone who bares witness that Mohammad is the Messenger of Allah and nor Musa, Esa, Ibrahim, Nooh and Aadam, and no animal will walk the earth and no bird will fly in the sky.
Then he (Ali) says: O son of al-Khattaab! Woe unto you, leave here before I unsheathe my sword and kill. So Umar, Khaalid, Qunfuz and Abdorrahmaan ibn Abi Bakr leave and stay outside the house.
So Ali calls out to Feddah: O Feddah! Your mistress, come to her, as she has gone into labor because of the kick and the pushing of the door. Thus she miscarries Mohassin, and Imam Ali says: He is joining his grandfather Prophet, and will complain to him.”
Imam Kaazim speaks about Fatima ’s suffering
Muslim historians record that one day Imam Kaazim was narrating a hadeeth from his fathers that just before he died, Prophet summoned the Ansaar and spoke to them for one last time, explaining the importance of the Holy Quran and the Ahl al-Bayt, and that the two will never separate from one another and will ever remain together until the Day of Judgment; and the Imam continued narrating that hadeeth until he reached this part of Prophet’s speech:
“Beware! that Fatima ’s door is my door, and her home is my home; so whomsoever attacks it, he has surely attacked Allah’s representative.”
Then the Imam cried for a long time, cutting the rest of his speech, and then he repeated three times:
“By Allah, Allah’s representative was attacked; by Allah, Allah’s representative was attacked; by Allah, Allah’s representative was attacked. O mother! Allah’s Blessing be upon you.”
Imam Reda mentions some of Fatima ’s suffering
It has been narrated from Mohammad ibn Esmaaceel ibn Bazee’ and Solaymaan ibn Jafar who said:
“We went to Imam Reda while he performing the Sojood of Shokr, and he extended his sojood. So when he raised his head we asked him: You extended your sojood?
So he said: Whoever recites this docaa’ in the Sojood of Shokr will be rewarded as much as a Muslim who shot arrows with Prophet in the battle of Badr.
So we asked: Can we write it?
He said: Write: When you are in the Sojood of Shokr, recite: O Allah! Keep away from Your Mercy the two who altered Your religion…
Imam Jawaad refers to Fatima ’s suffering
Zakariyyaa ibn Aadam narrates:
“I was with Imam Reda when Abu Jafar [Imam Jawaad], who had less than four years of age, was brought in. He put his hand on the ground and raised his head towards the sky and became lost in thought. So Imam Reda asked him: I be your sacrifice, what made you become lost in thought?
Imam cAskari refers to Fatima ’s suffering
It has been narrated from Abdollaah ibn Mohammad who said:
“I asked my master Abaa Mohammad Hasan ibn Ali [Imam cAskari] in Saamirraa’, in the year 255 AH, to dictate to me a salawaat to be recited for the Prophet and his Successors. And I had taken with me a large sheet of paper. So he dictated to me:
…The salaat for Lady Fatima:
…O Allah! You be her claimant from those who did her injustice, and usurped her right. O Allah! You be her avenger for the blood of her children…“.
Sunni Leaders Confess To Their Crimes Against Fatima
Abu Bakr’s confession
Sunni scholars narrate from Abu Bakr who, after the attacks on Ali and Fatima’s home, said to his men:
“Every man sleeps at night hugging his wife, happy with his family; but you left me alone with this problem. I do not need your allegiance, discharge me.”
A large number of Sunni scholars also narrate that when Abu Bakr was on his deathbed, a number of people went to visit him, including Abdorrahmaan ibn cAwf, an influential high-ranking Sunni leader. And in the conversation that followed, Abu Bakr told Abdorrahmaan:
“Indeed, I do not feel sorry about anything I did in this world, except three things which I did, and wish that I had not done: …I wish I had not attacked Fatima ’s home.”
cOmar’s confession
Muslim scholars narrate:
“When Husayn ibn Ali [Imam Husayn] was killed, and the news that his head had been cut and carried to Yazeed ibn Muawiya reached Madinah… mourning ceremonies were held in the home of Prophet’s wife, Umm Salma, and the homes of the Mohaajireen and the Ansaar.
Suddenly, Abdollaah ibn Umar ibn al-Khattaab came out of his home, with his collar torn, slapping his face, and screaming: O crowd of Bani Haashim, and Qoraysh, and Mohaajireen and Ansaar! Is it assumed permissible to do this to the family and the lineage of Prophet while you are alive?! Yazeed must be dethroned.
That night he left Madinah traveling towards Damascus
And the people listened to him and cursed Yazeed, saying: This is Abdollaah son of Umar, Prophet’s Kalifa, and he is denouncing what Yazeed has done to Ahl al-Bayt, and is calling the people against him; so whoever does not answer his call is not a Muslim. Thus a great unrest hit Damascus
Finally, he entered the capital and came to Yazeed’s castle with a large crowd…
He was given permission to enter the castle alone, so he entered screaming at Yazeed: You have done what the Turks and the Romans would not have done; move aside so that the Muslims choose someone more suitable for this position.
However, Yazeed received him politely, hugged him, and respected him greatly. Then he said: O Abaa Mohammad! [cAbdollaah] calm down…
Did your father appoint my father as the Governor of Shaam, or did my father appoint your father as Prophet’s Kalifa?
cAbdollaah: My father appointed your father.
Yazeed: O Abaa Mohammad! Do you accept your father and his advice to my father?
cAbdollaah: Yes I accept.
Then Yazeed held Abdollaah’s hand, saying: Stand up O Abaa Mohammad! and read it (Omar’s advice to Muawiya). So they walked into one of the safes where Yazeed asked for a specific box, opened it and took out a smaller box which was sealed and locked, he then took out a thin scroll wrapped in a black silk cloth and gave it to Abdollaah, saying: O Abaa Mohammad! is this not your father’s hand writing?
cAbdollaah: Yes, by Allah; and he kissed it.
Yazeed: Read.
And Abdollaah read it. [Only some excerpts of Umar’s letter to Muawiya are mentioned here):
…So I swear by the Hobal and the Idols and the Laat and the Ozza that Umar never renounced them since he first worshiped them, and that he never worshiped the God of the Kabah, and that he never believed Mohammad. And that he never saluted him accept for becoming powerful enough to work against him and suppress him, for he (Prophet) had indeed come to us with a great sorcery, and added to that of the Israelites with Musa, Haaroon, Daawood, Solaymaan and Esa; he brought us all of their sorcery and added to it so much that if they had seen him, they would have testified that he is the Master of the Sorcerers.
So hold on O son of Abi Sofyaan! to the tradition of your people, and follow their religion, and continue the mission of your fathers in denouncing this structure (Kabah) which they say has a God whom ordered them to come to it and circumambulate around it…
And thank the Laat and the Ozza for the rule of the Wise Master Ateeq ibn Abdol Ozza [Abu Bakr] on the nation of Mohammad, and his authority in their finances, bloods, faiths, souls, permissibles, prohibitions, taxes… so he would rule leniently in public and harshly in secret…
And indeed, I made a magnificent leap on the shining star of Bani Haashim, and its luminous summit… the one named Haydarah, Mohammad’s son-in-law, husband of the woman they appointed as HOLY LADY, calling her Fatima. I came to the home of Ali, Fatima and their two sons Hasan and Husayn, and their two daughters Zaynab and Omm Kolthoom, and their housemaid Feddah, along with Khaalid ibn al-Waleed, Qunfuz and a number of our most loyal men. So I knocked on the door very hard and the housemaid answered me. I told her: Tell Ali: Forget this nonsense and do not think about the Kalifa, for surely it is not yours; it is for whom has been chosen by the Muslims…
Again I went to Ali’s home and told Feddah: Tell Ali to come out and pledge allegiance to Abu Bakr. But she said: Indeed, Imam Ali is busy. So I said: Tell him to come out, or we will come in and extract him by force.
Then Fatima came and stood behind the door, saying: O you straying liars! What are you saying? And what do you want?
So I said: O Fatima !
I said: Why did your cousin send you to answer me and he chose to sit behind the cover?!
I said: Forget the women’s nonsense and myths and tell Ali to come out.
I said: If he does not come out, I will bring a lot of firewood and will burn down this house on whoever is inside; and I took the whip from Qunfuz and lashed her, and told Khaalid: You and the men gather the wood, for surely I am burning it down.
She then put her hands on the door, trying to stop me from entering; so I lashed her hands with the whip which hurt her, and I heard her sighs and cries; and I nearly went soft and was about to return, but I remembered my despise of Ali and his passion for the blood of the stouthearted Arabs, and the cunning of Mohammad and his sorcery, so I kicked the door against her while she was behind it, and I heard her scream: O my father! This is what is done to your beloved daughter! Ah O Feddah! Hold me, for indeed, by Allah, my fetus has been killed.
I heard her go into labor, leaning on the wall, so I pushed the door and entered the house. She came towards me and I slapped her face so hard that her earring tore from her ear, and she fell down.
Then Ali came, and when I sensed him I quickly went out and said to Khaalid and Qunfuz: I escaped from a great danger; indeed, I have committed a serious crime and I fear for my life. This is Ali coming out, and none of us can handle him.
So Ali reached her just as she was about to pray to Allah against us and complain of what had happened to her, so he spread a wrap on her, telling her: O Daughter of Prophet! indeed Allah sent your father as a mercy to the creatures. I swear by Allah, that if you uncovered your forehead and prayed to your Lord, He will most definitely destroy these people; as you and your father are dearer to Allah than Nooh, for whom He drowned the people who were not on his ship… So be O Chief of the Women! a mercy to these inverted people, and do not be a punishment.
Her pain then increased, and she entered her room and miscarried a dead fetus that was called Mohassin…
So when Abdollaah read the letter, he stood up and kissed Yazeed’s head, saying: Praise be to God O Imam Ali! for your killing the enemy, son of the enemy!! I swear that my father did not tell me what he had told your father…“.
Fatima Rejects Abu Bakr And Umar
A large number of Sunni scholars narrate the following three ahaadeeth from Fatima ’s archenemy, Aisha:
“So Fatima rejected Abu Bakr, and did not speak with him until she died. And Ali buried her at night, and did not inform Abu Bakr.”
“So Fatima became angry at Abu Bakr and rejected him, and did not speak with him until she died… And when she died, her husband Ali buried her at night, and did not inform Abu Bakr.”
Sunni scholars also narrate:
“Umar told Abu Bakr: Let us go to Fatima , as we have made her angry. So they went together and asked for permission to see Fatima , but she refused to permit them.
Thus they asked Ali for permission, so he took them to her.
When they entered her room and sat in front of her, she turned her face towards the wall. They greeted her, but she did not return their greeting.
Abu Bakr then started to speak, saying: O the beloved of Prophet! We exasperated you…
She said: Do you think that if I narrate to you a hadeeth from Prophet that you have already heard, you would admit that you had heard it?
They said: Yes.
So she said: I ask you in Allah’s name, did not you hear Prophet say: Fatima’s satisfaction is my satisfaction, and Fatima’s exasperation is my exasperation; so whomsoever loves my daughter Fatima, he has surely loved me; and whomsoever satisfies Fatima, he has surely satisfied me; and whomsoever exasperates Fatima, he has surely exasperated me?
They said: Yes, we have heard that from Prophet.
So Abu Bakr said: I ask Allah for refuge from his (Prophet) exasperation and your exasperation O Fatima! Then Abu Bakr cried lamenting, until he nearly lost consciousness, while Fatima repeated: By Allah! I will most definitely pray to Allah against you in every salaat I perform.
Then Abu Bakr left weeping, and the people gathered around him; So he told them: Every man sleeps at night hugging his wife, happy with his family; but you left me alone with this problem. I do not need your allegiance, discharge me.”
Some scholars record this narration with more details:
“When Fatima fell ill, Abu Bakr and Umar went to visit her, but she refused to accept them… Thus Umar went to Ali and said: We have gone to Fatima several times asking for permission to see her, but she has repeatedly refused to receive us and to hear our apology; so could you prepare a meeting for us?
He said: Yes. And he went to Fatima and said: O Daughter of Prophet! You have seen what you have seen from these two men; and they have come to see you several times but you have refused to receive them; now they have asked me to ask you for permission.
Ali: I have said yes to them.
When they saw Fatima [who was lying], they greeted her, but she did not answer their greeting and turned her face towards the wall. So they came and sat in front of her. So she said to Ali: Cover me with a thick cloth; and told the women who were there: Turn my face. So she repeatedly turned her face to the opposite direction as they repeatedly changed their places to sit in front of her.
Then Abu Bakr said: O Daughter of Prophet! indeed we have come to you to seek your satisfaction, and avoid your exasperation; we ask you to forgive us and pardon us for what we have done to you.
She then looked at Ali and said: Indeed, I will not speak with them until I ask them about something they had heard from my father, so if they admitted hearing it, then I will see.
They said: Let her ask, and we shall not say other than the truth, and will not testify except truthfully.
So she said: I ask you in Allah’s name, do you remember that Prophet once summoned you at night about something regarding Ali?
They said: Yes.
Fatima: I ask you in Allah’s name, did you hear the Prophet say: Fatima is a part of me, and I am a part of her. Whomsoever annoys her, he has surely annoyed me; and whomsoever annoys me, he has surely annoyed Allah. And whomsoever annoys her after my death, is as if he had annoyed her during my life; and whomsoever annoys her during my life is as if he has annoyed her after my death?
They said: Yes.
Thus Abu Bakr said: Woe unto me, I wish my mother had not given birth to me.
So Umar said: What a surprise! How did the people chose you to rule them, when you are a old man who has gone senile?! You become anxious by a woman’s anger, and happy by her satisfaction?! And what guilt does a man carry for exasperating a woman?!
Were Abu Bakr and Umar truthful in their apology?
It is not ambiguous for a fair-minded person who reads the above narrations, that Abu Bakr and Umar were not truthful in their apology to Fatima . Had they at all been sincere, they would have put things right, instead of continuing their suppression. But we see that nothing changed, and the Sunni leaders continued on their path.
Abu Bakr screamed to his men: “discharge me”, as if it were up to them to dethrone him. And even if they could, then what is the meaning of his apology when he wants one of his men to replace him, instead of the Rightful Kalifa?!
The fact is that Abu Bakr wanted to rule and had no intention of stepping aside, whether for Imam Ali or for anyone else. But at the same time, he wanted erase the black mark that attacking Fatima had brought him.
And Ali and Fatima were cleverer than to be tricked by Abu Bakr and Umar, and could not be fooled by crocodile tears into forgiving and forgetting and announcing to the people that all was well between them.
Therefore Fatima turned their public show against them by insistently refusing to meet with them, and by her unwavering unwillingness to accept their apology, and by her severe tone… Telling the whole world that HOLY LADY, whose anger and satisfaction are that of Allah and Prophet, was angry with Abu Bakr and Umar.
Whoever dies without knowing his Imam…
A very large number of Sunni scholars narrate from Prophet who said:
They also narrate that HOLY LADY never accepted Abu Bakr as her Imam until she died.
Saheeh al-Bokhaari and Saheeh Muslim, the two most respectable and authentic references to the Sunnis after the Holy Quran, record that she died rejecting Abu Bakr.
So did she die while having no allegiance to her Imam?! Are the Sunnis bold enough to say that Fatima died as a non-Muslim?!
This is another contradiction which crushes what is left of the Sunni conscience. On the one hand they cannot abandon their beloved Saheeh al-Bokhaari and Saheeh Muslim and deny the authenticity of this hadeeth which almost all of their references have recorded, and on the other hand they do not dare claim that Fatima died the death of the ignorance.
However, the answer is simple and clear. HOLY LADY died in the allegiance of Imam Ali, who was chosen by Allah and appointed by His Messenger as the first Kalifa.
But the Sunnis cannot say this either, as it would mean that Abu Bakr and Umar and the rest of their leaders had usurped the Kalifa; and what greater crime?!
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THE BAKERI PARTY USURPS HOLY LADY’S POSITIONS
After the attacks on the home of Ali and Fatima, Abu Bakr ordered the usurpation of Fatima ’s positions.
What Were These Positions?
Fadak
Fadak was a vast expanse of fertile land in the Arabian Peninsula that produced crops, especially dates. It is also said that it included several villages, and it is said that it included a town. Its owners gave it to Prophet as part of a deal, and it is said that it was given to him as a gift.
It has been narrated that the annual profits of Fadak, during those years, was as much as seventy thousand Deenaars.
Many Sunni scholars narrate that Prophet gave Fadak to Fatima during his life, thus it was her property when he died.
One such Sunni narration is as follows:
“When “And give to the Near of Kin his due” was revealed, the Prophet asked for Fatima , and gave her Fadak.”
Muslims also narrate from Prophet who said:
“…And your father gives it (Fadak) to you as a gift, for you and your children after you. Then he (Prophet) asked for a skin and told Ali ibn Abi Talib: Write, that Fadak belongs to Fatima , a gift from Prophet.”
The Seven Farms
When Mokhayreeq, a wealthy influential Jewish scholar from the Bani al-Nadeer tribe, converted to Islam, he gave these farms around Madinah to Prophet as a gift.
And Prophet gave them to Fatima as waqf, and used some of their income for his needs. So at the time of his death, they were Fatima ’s property.
The Khoms of Khaybar
Khaybar was a series of forts, a most important Jewish center in the Arabian Peninsula .
After the Arab Jews turned against the newly established Muslim rule, broke their numerous agreements with the Muslims, made a pact with the Idolaters, participated with the Idolaters in some of their battles against the Muslims, and independently waged a number of wars against the Muslims, Prophet finally marched an army to their most important stronghold in the Arabia—Khaybar.
There, a large number of Jews converted to Islam when they saw the miracles performed by Prophet and Imam Ali; and the remaining Jews made a new agreement with Prophet.
After the liberation of Khaybar, four-fifth of its assets were divided between the Muslims, and one fifth of it which was the Khoms went to Allah, Prophet, Dhawi al-Qorbaa, and the orphans, and the poor and the travelers in need of financial help among the larger family of Prophet.
And after Prophet’s martyrdom, the remainder of the Khoms of Khaybar should have come to Ali and Fatima as the representatives of Prophet and his Dhawi al-Qorbaa.
Prophet’s inheritance
After his martyrdom, Prophet left a huge inheritance, all of which were usurped by Abu Bakr.
Khoms
Khoms is an Islamic tax of 20% levied, among other things, on the annual superfluous income. Khoms is given to the Prophet or one of his kholafaa’ or one of the representatives of the final Kalifa—Maraajic, who then give it to its legal recipients accordingly.
However, when Abu Bakr usurped the Kalifa, he withheld the Khoms from Ali and Fatima; and the other Usurpers of the Kalifa followed suit.
The portion of Dhawi al-Qorbaa
Khoms has six portions: that of Allah, Prophet, Dhawi al-Qorbaa, and the orphans, and the poor and the travelers in need of financial help among the larger family of Prophet.
All Sunni and Muslim scholars agree that the during the life of Prophet, the portion of Allah was to be given to Prophet to be spent in His way; and they all agree that after the martyrdom of Prophet, the portions of Allah and Prophet were to be given to his Kalifa, who according to the Muslims was Imam Ali. But after the usurpation of the Kalifa, these two portions, like the rest of the Khoms, were withheld from Imam Ali as the Bakeri party refused to recognize his Kalifa.
However, according to the Holy Quran, the portion of Dhawi al-Qorba should have been given to Imam Ali and HOLY LADY irrespective of who was considered to be the legitimate Kalifa, where Allah says:
“And know that whatever thing you gain, a fifth of it is for Allah and for the Apostle and for the near of kin (Dhawi al-Qorbaa) and the orphans and the needy and the wayfarer, if you believe in Allah and in that which We revealed to Our servant.”
But regardless, Abu Bakr and the other usurpers refused to even allow the portion of Dhawi al-Qorbaa, one-sixth of the Khoms, to go to Ali and Fatima.
Usurpation of Fatima ’s positions and her demand for them in Sunni and Muslim references
1- The property that she owned during the life of Prophet.
2- Her inheritance from her father.
3- The Khoms.
When Abu Bakr usurped the first and withheld the other two, she sat out to demand them publicly.
First she demanded Fadak as her property, but when Abu Bakr asked for witnesses who testified that Prophet had given it to her during his life, and then rejected all of her witnesses, she demanded it as her inheritance from Prophet; but Abu Bakr was well prepared for this!!
And as this subject is highly sensitive and very revealing, Sunni scholars have been extremely cautious in narrating it. Therefore, one thing that these narrations have in common is their lack of detail and the usual censorship. Some instances are:
“Fatima came to Abu Bakr along with Ali, and said: I want my inheritance from my father Prophet… Fadak and Khaybar and his assets in Madinah. I inherit them just as your daughters will inherit you when you die.
Sunni scholars narrate from Aisha who said:
“Indeed, Fatima asked Abu Bakr for her inheritance from Prophet (in Madinah and Fadak, and the remaining Khoms of Khaybar).
But Abu Bakr said: Indeed, Prophet has said: We [the prophets] do not leave inheritance.
Sunni scholars also narrate from Aisha who said:
“Indeed, Fatima and Abbaas came to Abu Bakr, asking for their inheritance from Prophet, demanding Fadak and his share of Khaybar.
However a number of Sunni scholars have, to some extent, resisted the temptation to censor, and have narrated a little bit more detail. A few instances are as follows:
“…Thus Fatima rejected him and did not speak with him until she died; so Ali buried her at night, and did not inform Abu Bakr.”
“Fatima said to Abu Bakr: Who inherits you when you die?
Abu Bakr: My children and my family.
“Fatima came to Abu Bakr and demanded Fadak. But Abu Bakr said: Prophet has said: We [the prophets] do not leave inheritance.
“After Prophet’s death, Fatima came to Abu Bakr and said: Indeed, Fadak was a gift from my father that he gave me during his life.
But Abu Bakr denied this and told her: I want witnesses for your claim.
Thus Ali stood as her witness. Abu Bakr then asked for another witness, and Omm Ayman stood as the second witness.
“Fatima said to Abu Bakr: Give me Fadak, for surely it was given to me by Prophet.
He asked her for witnesses, and she brought Omm Ayman and Rebaah, the Prophet’s servant; and they testified.
“Fatima said to Abu Bakr: Indeed, Omm Ayman testifies that Prophet gave Fadak to me.
Abu Bakr: This property did not belong to Prophet!!?
“Fatima and Abbaas came to Abu Bakr asking for their inheritance, and Ali came along with them.
Abu Bakr said: Prophet has said: We [the prophets] do not leave inheritance.
So Ali said: “And SolaymAAn inherited DAAwOOd”; and Zakariyyaa said: “Who should inherit me and inherit from the children of Yaqoob”…
“cAbdorrahmaan ibn Abi Laylaa narrates: I met Ali and asked him: My parents be your sacrifice, what did Abu Bakr and Umar do with the right of Ahl al-Bayt to Khoms?
Ali: …Indeed, Umar said: You have the right to the Khoms, but I do not think that you can have it all if it is a large amount; so if you like, I will give you some of it.
“Fatima came to Abu Bakr to demand the portion of Dhawi al-Qorbaa. But Abu Bakr told her: I heard Prophet say: The portion of Dhawi al-Qorbaa is given to them during my life and not after my death!!“.
“Ibn Abbaas said: Umar wanted to give us some of the Khoms, but we rejected it and said: The portion of Dhawi al-Qorbaa is one-fifth of the Khoms.”
“When Abu Bakr started his rule, Umar told him: Indeed, people are the slaves of money, they do not see any other thing; so withhold the Khoms and Fadak from Ali and his family, for surely his followers will leave him as soon as they find out, and will come to you wanting some of that money.
And Abu Bakr acted as Umar had suggested…
(When Fatima went to claim her legal positions, Umar said to her in that heated argument): Then all of the Khoms, etc. belong to you and your followers?!
Then Umar asked her for proof, and she said: You believed Jaabir and Jorayr without asking them for proof, and my proof is in the Quran.
Muslims also narrate:
“Then Omm Ayman said: Fatima who is the Chief of the Women of the Heaven claims to own what does not belong to her?! And I as an inhabitant of Heaven do not testify to what I have not heard.
Omar: O Omm Ayman! Forget these stories!! What is your testimony?
Omm Ayman: I was sitting in Fatima ’s home when Prophet gave her Fadak. And then he said: O Omm Ayman! Witness this, and O Ali! Witness this.
“Fatima came to Abu Bakr and said: Why have you withheld my inheritance from my father Prophet, and forced out my trustee from Fadak, despite the fact that Prophet had given it to me by Allah the Almighty’s command?!
Abu Bakr: Bring me witnesses.
So she brought Omm Ayman. And Omm Ayman said: I will not testify O Abu Bakr! until I ask you about what Prophet had said. I ask you in Allah’s name, do you not know that Prophet said: Omm Ayman is a woman from the inhabitants of Heaven?!
Abu Bakr: Yes.
Omm Ayman: Now I stand witness that Allah, the Great, the Almighty, revealed to Prophet: “And give to the Near of Kin his due”, and he gave Fadak to Fatima by the order of the Almighty Allah.
Then Ali came and testified to that.
Thus Abu Bakr wrote a deed giving Fadak to Fatima .
Suddenly Umar entered and said: What is this document?
Abu Bakr: Indeed, Fatima claimed Fadak and Omm Ayman and Ali testified to her ownership, so I wrote this deed for her.
Umar then took the deed, spited on it and tore it.
So Fatima went out crying.
Later Ali went to Abu Bakr in the mosque, when the Mohaajireen and the Ansaar were sitting around him, and said: O Abaa Bakr! Why do you withhold Fatima ’s inheritance from Prophet [Fadak], even though she owned it during his life?!
Abu Bakr: It belongs to the Muslims. And if she does not bring witnesses that Prophet had given it to her, then she does not have any claim to it.
Ali: O Abaa Bakr! You judge against Allah’s rule?!
Abu Bakr: No.
Ali: So if the Muslims had something in their hands, and I claimed that it belonged to me, who will you ask to bring witnesses?
Abu Bakr: I will ask you.
Ali: So why did you ask Fatima to bring witnesses for what she had in her hands, even though she owned it during Prophet’s life and after his death?!
Abu Bakr stayed silent for a while, then he said: O Ali, let us forget what you just said, as we cannot refute your argument. If you cannot bring acceptable witnesses, then Fadak belongs to the Muslims, and neither you nor Fatima have any right to it.
Ali: O Abaa Bakr! do you read Allah’s Book?
Abu Bakr: Yes.
Ali: Tell me about: “Allah only desires to keep away the uncleanness from you, O people of the House! and to purify you a (thorough) purifying”. About whom was it revealed? About us or others?
Abu Bakr: About you.
Ali: So if some witnesses came forward and testified that Fatima the Daughter of Prophet had committed adultery, what will you do to her?
Abu Bakr: I would punish her just as I would punish any other Muslim woman.
Ali: Then you would be an infidel!!
Abu Bakr: And for what reason?
Ali: Because you reject the testimony of Allah to her cleanness and accept people’s testimony, just as you rejected the rule of Allah and His Messenger when they gave her Fadak, and claimed that it belonged to the Muslims, although Prophet had said: The burden of proof lies on the claimant, and the oath is for the respondent.
Muslims scholars also narrate a lengthy hadeeth from Imam Saadiq on this subject, a shortened version of which is as follows:
“When Abu Bakr’s rule became stable, he ordered his herald to announce: Whoever had loaned Prophet money or any other thing, come to me to repay him.
Thus Jaabir ibn Abdollaah and Jorayr ibn Abdollaah al-Bajli went to him and each of them made a claim; and Abu Bakr repaid them.
So Fatima also went to Abu Bakr and protested, reading some verses of the Holy Quran, and said: You believed Jaabir and Jorayr and did not ask them to bring proof, and my proof is in the Book of Allah.
Then they asked her to bring witnesses, so she sent for Ali, Hasan, Husayn, Omm Ayman and Asma bint Omays, Abu Bakr’s wife, all of whom testified for her.
Abu Bakr said: Ali is her husband, and Hasan and Husayn are her sons, and Omm Ayman is her housemaid, and Asma bint Omays was previously married to Jafar ibn Abi Talib, so she tends to be bios towards Bani Haashim; so all of these people are biased witnesses!!
Ali said: Fatima is a part of Prophet, whomsoever annoys her, he has surely annoyed Prophet; and whomsoever accuses her of lying, he has surely accused Prophet of lying. And Hasan and Husayn are the Two Sons of Prophet, and the Masters of the Youths of Heaven; whoever accuses them of lying, he has surely accused Prophet of lying, as the inhabitants of Heaven are all truthful. And Prophet has said about me: You are from me and I am from you, and you are my Brother in this world and the Hereafter, and your denier is my denier; whomsoever obeys you, he has surely obeyed me; and whomsoever disobeys you, he has surely disobeyed me. And Prophet promised Omm Ayman the Heaven. And he prayed for Asma bint Omays and for her lineage.
Omar: You are as you explained yourselves, but the testimony of the biased cannot be accepted.
Ali: If we are as you know and do not deny, yet our testimonies are not acceptable, and neither is the testimony of Prophet, thus “Surely we are Allah’s and to Him we shall surely return”.
When we claim something you ask us for proof, and there is no supporter to support!!… “And they who act unjustly shall know to what final place of turning they shall turn back”.
When Abu Bakr is cornered
As Abu Bakr claimed that the Muslims had chosen him as Prophet’s Kalifa, he could not always act as harsh as he wanted to. That is when his top ruffian, Umar, made himself useful.
One such instance was when Abu Bakr ran out of argument and had no civil way to escape from Fatima ’s reasoning. Thus he resorted to his preferred tactic, as Sunni scholars narrate:
“Fatima the Daughter of Prophet came to Abu Bakr whilst he was on the menbar, and she said: O Abaa Bakr! Is it in the Book of Allah that your daughters can inherit you, but I cannot inherit my father?!…
So Abu Bakr descended from the menbar weeping, and wrote a deed, returning Fadak to Fatima .
Suddenly, Umar came and said: What is this?
Abu Bakr: A document that I wrote, allowing Fatima her inheritance from her father…
The famous Sunni scholar Ibn Abi al-Hadeed writes in his acclaimed encyclopedia after recording the above event:
“And indeed, this meaning has been narrated through different chains of narrators in different forms.”
Muslim scholars narrate:
“…Thus he (Abu Bakr) called for a paper, and he wrote that Fadak be returned to her.
So when she left, Umar met her [in the street] and said: O daughter of Mohammad! what is that document you are holding?
Omar: Let me have it. But she refused to give it to him; so he hit her and took the document and tore it.”
Fatima ’s public speeches
When Abu Bakr repeatedly refused to return Fatima’s positions to her, she went to the mosque and gave a most damaging public speech against the Sunni rule, which went beyond the usurpation of her positions; and later in her home, she gave another public speech to the women of Mohaajireen and Ansaar who had come to visit her, against the Sunni regime.
When people heard her speech in the mosque, they started to murmur; so attempting to contain the damage, Abu Bakr spoke and brought excuses for his actions; but Fatima immediately refuted him. And his second attempt encountered another strong reaction from Fatima , creating uproar in the crowds.
After the gathering ended in disorder and confusion, and the people dispersed, voices were raised and the city went into shock.
It has been narrated that Abu Bakr and Umar had the following discussion:
“Abu Bakr said to Umar: Dirt be on your hands! Why could not leave me?! Maybe things would have turned out our way without violence. Would not that have been best?!
Omar: It would have weaken your authority…
Abu Bakr: Woe unto you, and what about the daughter of Mohammad?! People have indeed learned what she is calling for, and know what treachery we are committing.
Omar: Was it but a trouble that ended, and a difficult hour that passed?! It is now as though nothing had happened…
Perform the salaat; pay the Zakaat to its recipients; command to the good deeds; prohibit the bad deeds… for indeed Allah says: “Surely good deeds take away evil deeds”. A single crime in a number of good deeds. Follow me on this.
Then Abu Bakr tapped Umar on the shoulder and said: How many agonies you have removed O Umar!
When the people gathered in the mosque, Abu Bakr ascended the menbar and gave a short public speech against Imam Ali, in which he also threatened his opposition, especially the Ansaar.
Ibn Abi al-Hadeed, the famous Sunni scholar, narrates:
“When Abu Bakr heard her (Fatima ) speech, and saw the dissension and the angry murmurs among the people, he feared an uprising; so he ascended the menbar and said:
O you people! Why do you listen to everything that is said?!…
Indeed, he (Ali) is but a fox whose witness is his tail!! He accompanies every disturbance…
They (Ali and Fatima) ask for help from the weak, and ask for support from the women!! Just like Omm Tahaal to whom the prostitute is her favorite family member!!…
Then he looked at the Ansaar and said: O crowd of the Ansaar! I have surely heard the words of your fools!… Beware of the fact that I will indeed not extend my hand and tongue to anyone who does not deserve it!!…
Ibn Abi al-Hadeed continues to say: I read this speech to the chief Abu Yahyaa al-Basri [one of my teachers], and asked him: To whom is Abu Bakr pointing?
Abu Yahyaa: His statement is rather undisguised.
I said: If it were, I would not have asked you.
So he laughed and said: Ali ibn Abi Talib.
So I said: He is saying all of this about Ali?!
Umm Salma objects to Abu Bakr
It has been narrated that after Abu Bakr’s response to Fatima ’s speech in the mosque, Umm Salma (Prophet’s wife) stood up and said:
“To the likes of Fatima , the Daughter of Prophet, is this said?!
She is, by Allah, the Human Houri, and Prophet’s soul; she has been brought up on the laps of God-fearing men, and has grown on the laps of pious women, and has been touched by the hands of the angels…
Do you think that Prophet prohibited her from his inheritance and did not inform her, when the Almighty Allah says: “And warn your nearest relations”?!
Or did he warn her but she ignored his warning?!
She is the best of the women and the mother of the Masters of the Youths of Heaven. With her father, Allah completed His missions. By Allah, he always protected her from the heat and the cold, and cushioned her with his right hand and covered her with his left hand.
Slowly! Prophet is watching you, and to Allah you will return, and then you will learn.
Do the prophets leave inheritance?!
After Prophet’s death, Abu Bakr usurped Fatima ’s positions and rejected her witnesses who testified that she owned them during Prophet’s life.
Now, did Fatima own those assets during the life of her father; or was Abu Bakr right in usurping them? And did Prophet really say that he does not leave inheritance; or was it just another Sunni falsification?
The following notes should give some irrefutable answers:
1- Abu Bakr rejected Fatima’s six witnesses: Ali, Hasan, Husayn, Omm Ayman, Rebaah (Prophet’s servant) and Asma bint Omays (Abu Bakr’s wife), who testified to Fatima ’s ownership of those positions during Prophet’s life, when he had only one witness, Aisha (his daughter), who claimed that she had also heard Prophet say: “We the prophets do not leave inheritance”!!
2- It was much to Abu Bakr’s benefit if Prophet were not to leave any inheritance, as he would have received a good portion of all that wealth when it was divided between the Muslims. More importantly, none of that huge financial support would go to his strongest and most dangerous opposition, but instead it will all come to him to be spent under his supervision. And Aisha, as Abu Bakr’s daughter, would equally benefit.
3- The kinds of Ali, Fatima, Hasan, Husayn, Omm Ayman and Asma bint Omays have a property in them which makes them unreliable in anything they claim, no matter how many they are; whereas the kinds of Aisha have a property in them which makes them reliable in anything they say, no matter how few they are!! Contrasts can be made, as an instance, in the question of the Kalifa, when the testimony of a large number of witnesses who testified to the fact that Imam Ali was Prophet’s God-Appointed successor was shamelessly rejected, whereas the claim of Aisha, on her own, that Prophet had said: “Tell Abu Bakr to lead the Muslims in the salaat” was eagerly accepted!!
4- When Abu Bakr claimed that he had heard Prophet make that statement, only his daughter testified that she had also heard him; but no other person came forward to support his claim. This means that no one else had heard Prophet. But how is that possible?! Why would the Prophet only tell these two that the prophets do not leave inheritance, and not tell others, especially when he was always with people and among them, and could easily have told them?!
5- Why would Prophet tell a stranger such as Abu Bakr that what he leaves behind can not be inherited, and not tell his closest family—his heir?! If Prophet was not to leave any inheritance, should not he, by the Islamic law, have informed his family—his heir, so that they would not take his positions as inheritance?! This is when Islam so much encourages writing a will, and renewing it regularly; and very strongly discourages leaving anything, no matter how little, out of the will; and warns against not having a will, even for very small and inconsiderable things.
6- Could it be that Prophet in fact told his family—his heir, that they can not inherit him; but after his death, they lied and demanded his inheritance?! Not even a blind-hearted, prejudiced, bigot Sunni has ever claimed that.
7- The Holy Quran tells many stories about the people of the past and their Messengers, and Prophet spoke much about the prophets, their lives, missions, characteristics, personalities, etc. So why would not he or the Holy Quran tell the Muslims about this very distinctive and special law that only the prophets were subject to?!
8- According to Sunni references, when Fatima demanded the portion of Dhawi al-Qorbaa from Abu Bakr, he told her that he had heard Prophet say: “The portion of Dhawi al-Qorbaa is given to them during my life and not after my death”. But as with the statement regarding the inheritance of the prophets, no one else did ever claim to have heard Prophet make this statement. So Abu Bakr is the only person to have heard Prophet make these two very important announcements both of which happened to be most crucial for him after the Prophet’s demise!?
9- If Prophet’s positions were to automatically become sadaqah after his death, as Abu Bakr claimed to have heard it from him, then the late prophet should have appointed a trustee to manage and supervise it, as is the case with all large sadaqaat. But after his martyrdom, no one claimed to have been appointed as his trustee, and no one came forward with any knowledge of any appointed trustee; and even Abu Bakr did not claim to be his trustee. So could it be that this great prophet who saw to every large and small thing had forgotten or ignored his own teachings and not chosen a trustee for his large sadaqaat?! Or like everyone else, his positions should have been inherited by his heirs, but were usurped by the Bakeri party?!
10- But supposing, for the sake of argument, that the first possibility was the case, then, according to Islamic law, these sadaqaat should have been surrendered to the guardianship of his closest relative, his daughter Fatima. And under no circumstances could they legally be usurped by Abu Bakr, as according to the Sunnis, Abu Bakr was chosen by the people to be their leader; and as a leader who had been appointed by the people, his authority was not extensive enough to allow him to interfere in people’s financial affairs. So on what basis did he takeover the positions of Fatima ?!
11- Abu Bakr’s actions contradict his claim that the prophets do not leave inheritance. As the Sunnis narrate that he gave Prophet’s turban, sword and mule to Imam Ali as his inheritance from Prophet!! He also gave Prophet’s room to Aisha as her inheritance from Prophet. He also gave Zobayr ibn al-cAwaam and Mohammad ibn Muslimah some of Prophet’s patrimony.
12- The claims of Jaabir and Jorayr that Prophet owed them were accepted without asking them for proof or witnesses, whereas Fatima ’s claim to which she had both proof and witnesses was rejected.
13- Aisha’s testimony is not acceptable, as her claiming her inheritance from Prophet, from Uthman, rejects “We the prophets do not leave inheritance”!!
14- Uthman, the first Amawi ruler and the Third Usurper of the Kalifa, gave Fadak during his rule to Marwaan ibn al-Hakam, the only Idolater sent into exile by Prophet!! And after Uthman, almost every usurper of the Kalifa gave it to one or a number of people during his rule. So why could not Abu Bakr give Fadak to Prophet’s only daughter, Fatima?! Was he wrong, or were they wrong?!
15- Why must Fatima bring several witnesses (a minimum of two men or one man and two women) who should meet strange conditions such as not being related to her tribe, not even once married to a member of her tribe, when Abu Bakr brings only his daughter as his witness in the very important claim that the prophets do not leave inheritance?!
16- Abu Bakr had never been known as a knowledgeable person, and had not narrated many ahaadeeth; so what are the chances of authenticity in a hadeeth that only such a person narrates?!
17- Among all the Muslims, Allah chose only Ali, Fatima, Hasan and Husayn to go to the Mobaahalah with Prophet; and He revealed the Aayah of Tat-heer about them, testifying to their Sinlessness; and He chose Ali as the Commander of the Faithful; and He chose Fatima as the Chief of the Women of the Heaven, and He chose Hasan and Husayn as the Masters of the Youths of Heaven; and the Sunni leaders themselves have narrated countless praises from Prophet for these people, for instance Aisha narrated from Prophet who said: “Ali is with the Truth, and the Truth is with Ali; and they will never separate until they come to me in the Hereafter”. These commendations and statements from Allah and Prophet mean that Ali, Fatima, Hasan and Husayn do not lie, but nevertheless the Bakeri party refused their testimony!!!
18- Abu Bakr’s claim that the prophets do not leave inheritance contradicts the Holy Quran where it says: “And women shall have a portion of what the parents and the near relatives leave”; “Allah enjoins you concerning your children: The male shall have the equal of the portion of two females”; “Therefore grant me from Thyself an heir -- Who should inherit me and inherit from the children of Yaqoob”; “And SolaymAAn was DAAwOOd’s heir”.
19- How can the Sunnis particularize and restrict the generality and the generalization of the above aayaat, and make wild and far-fetched interpretations of its clear literal and the connotative meanings; all for the sake of one suspiciously isolated atypical narration?! And is the word of a single man, supported only by his daughter, adequate enough for all of this?! Especially when both of them are fallible, and subject to the enticement of Shaytaan, and susceptible to their evil-commanding selves, and impressible by bad friends, thus liable to lie and relate lies!! Abu Bakr himself admitted to this by saying: “I have a Shaytaan who comes upon me…”
20- Beside all of the above, a large part of these positions were in the hands of Fatima during the life of Prophet; and even the Sunnis admit that she had a trustee in Fadak who managed it on her behalf before the martyrdom of Prophet. And according to Islamic law, Abu Bakr should have proven that these positions did not belong to her, and could not legally ask her for proof of ownership for something that was already in her hands. Moreover, under the Islamic law, the burden of proof always lies with the claimant, and the defendant only has to swear to Allah against the claim. But was Abu Bakr a Muslim to rule according to the Islamic law?!
An interesting Sunni explanation!
When reading about the usurpation of Fatima’s positions and her demand for them, a series of questions come to the Sunni mind; primarily: was Fatima truthful in her claims? And if she was, why did Abu Bakr and Umar so stubbornly refuse to return her positions?!
A great Sunni scholar gives the answer:
“I [Ibn Abi al-Hadeed] asked Ali ibn al-Faariqi: Was Fatima truthful [in her claims]?
He said: Yes.
I asked: So why did Abu Bakr not give her Fadak when he knew she was telling the truth?
He smiled and gave me a very interesting answer: If today Abu Bakr gave her Fadak relying only on her word, she would come back tomorrow and claim the Kalifa for her husband, and would overthrow Abu Bakr from his position; and he will not be able to argue against her for the fact that he had already admitted to her truthfulness in any claim she makes without the need to look for proof or listen to witnesses.”
Fadak Between Usurping And Returning
Fadak, one of Fatima ’s legal positions, remains to this day a richly fertile land; and throughout these centuries it has always been under usurpation. The land that they said belonged to the Muslims, was taken into position by countless usurpers and their staunch supporters.
The fact is that Fadak’s owners could not have it, as it was said that it did not belong to any one person; and the Muslims could not claim it, as they were not close enough to the ruler. But some lucky ones earned it for their unquestionable loyalty to the usurpers, and some gained it through their deep animosity towards its legal owners.
However, and because of special circumstances, some rulers returned Fadak to some of the descendants of Fatima , only to be usurped again within a short period of time.
And this give and take tells another revealing story from the book of the never ending Sunni contradictions.
Some of these exchanges are as follows:
-- During his rule, Umar returned Fadak to Ali and Abbaas.
-- During his rule, Uthman gave Fadak to Marwaan ibn al-Hakam.
-- During his rule, Muawiya gave one-third of Fadak to Marwaan ibn al-Hakam, and one-third to Amr ibn al- Uthman, and one-third to his son Yazeed.
-- During his rule, Marwaan ibn al-Hakam gave Fadak to his son Abdolcazeez. And he gave it to his son Umar ibn Abdolcazeez.
-- During his rule, Umar ibn Abdolcazeez gave Fadak to some of Fatima ’s children.
-- During his rule, Yazeed ibn Abdolmalik usurped Fadak, and it went from hand to hand between the rulers of Bani Marwaan until the end of their rule.
-- During his rule, Saffaah gave Fadak to Abdollaah ibn al-Hasan.
-- During his rule, Mansoor usurped Fadak.
-- During his rule, Mahdi ibn al-Mansoor gave Fadak to some of Fatima ’s children.
-- During his rule, Musa ibn al-Mahdi usurped Fadak, and it went from hand to hand between the rulers of Bani al-Abbas until Ma’moon’s rule.
-- During his rule, Ma’moon gave Fadak to some of Fatima ’s children.
-- During his rule, Motawakkil usurped Fadak, and it went from hand to hand between the rulers of Bani al-Abbas .
----
HOLY LADY’S MARTYRDOM
Fatima ’s wish to be buried secretly at night
“O cousin! I see myself nearing death, and know that I will shortly join my father; and I want to tell you about things in my heart.
Ali: Tell me what you like O Daughter of Prophet! And he sat near her head, and told everyone else to leave the room.
Then she said: O cousin! You have never known me to be a liar nor treacherous, and I have not disagreed with you since you have been with me.
Ali: God forbid. You are more learned, by Allah, and better, and more pious and nobler, and more God-fearing to commit reproachable acts. And your separation from me and your loss, is indeed hard for me; but it is something unavoidable. By Allah, you surely renewed the calamity of Prophet’s death for me, and your death and your loss is definitely received very painfully. So “Surely we are Allah’s and to Him we shall surely return”. A calamity, how painful, and how hurtful, and how bitter and how sorrowful. This is a loss that has no consolation, and it is a disaster that has no end.
Then they cried for a while, and the Imam held her head to his chest and said: Entrust me with your will, for surely you will find me loyal; I will carry out all your orders, and choose your wish over mine.
O cousin! I ask you not to allow those who did me injustice come to my funeral, for surely they are my enemies and the enemies of Prophet; and that you do not allow any one of them or their followers to perform the Deceased Prayer on me; and that you burry me at night, when the eyes rest and go to sleep.”
Many Sunni scholars also record in their references various ahaadeeth, narrated through different chains of narrators, that Fatima stipulated in her will to Ali not to let Abu Bakr and Umar take part in her funeral. These ahaadeeth also state that Fatima was buried at night without their knowledge; or that Ali buried her at night and did not inform Abu Bakr and Umar; or that she was secretly buried at night.
One instance of such Sunni narrations is the following:
“Fatima stipulated in her will to be buried at night, and her wish was carried out. And therefore the exact place of her grave is secret and not known.
Some people think that she was buried in her home, and some people think that she was buried in the Baqee, and others think that she was buried in the mosque…“.
Fatima prepares for death
Sunni scholars narrate:
“Fatima said to Asma bint Omays (her student, and Abu Bakr’s wife): I hate what is done with the body of a dead woman—they spread a cloth over her, and it shows her body.
Asma: O Daughter of Prophet! Do you want me to show you what I had seen in Ethiopia
And when she died, Aisha wanted to enter, but Asma told her: Do not come in.
So she went to Abu Bakr, complaining: This Khathami woman stands between us and Prophet’s daughter, and she has made for her something like a bride’s howdah.
Abu Bakr came and stood at the door, and said: O Asma! what made you stop the Prophet’s wives from entering Fatima ’s home?! And why have you made a bride’s howdah for her?!
Asma: She ordered me not to let anyone inside. And when she was alive, I showed her this, and she ordered me to make one for her.”
Sunni scholars also narrate a most important and remarkable hadeeth from Salma, one of Fatima ’s students, without actually realizing its significance:
“In her illness, one morning Fatima woke up in the best state we had ever seen her during her infirmity; and when Ali ibn Abi Talib went out, she said: O woman! Pour some water for me to perform a ghosl. Thus she performed the best ghosl I had ever seen her perform.
She then said: Give me my new clothes, so I gave them to her.
She then came to the room, and said: Spread my mattress in the middle of the room; and she lied down, putting her right hand under her right cheek, facing the Qeblah (direction of the Kabah).
She then said: O woman! I will shortly die. No one should uncover me, and no one should perform the Ghosl of the Deceased on me.
So she died where she was lying, and I told Ali what she had ordered me, and he said: By Allah! No one will uncover her. He then carried her and buried her without performing the ghosl on her.”
This is a very extraordinary hadeeth that the Sunnis have narrated in some of their most respected references without appreciating its implications. It clearly shows that Fatima died a martyr’s death.
Only a martyr—who has been killed in the way of Allah—is exempt from the mandatory Ghosl of the Deceased. And only a martyr is exempt from the mandatory enshrouding in the Kafan.
And there is no contradiction between this hadeeth and the hadeeth that says she asked Ali to wash her, and it is quite possible to put them together.
Here, she tells Salma that no one should wash her or uncover her, to tell her and the world through her Sunni enemies, that she died a martyr’s death. And Ali does not object to her wish for the very same reason.
But for the same reason for which her father asked Ali to wash him, even though he died a martyr’s death, she also asked to be washed.
This theatrical method of broadcasting was commonly used, and its instances in the holy hadeeth are countless. And this is just another example of its effectiveness, which has efficiently fooled these censor-happy Sunnis into transmitting it through their most respected works such as Mosnad / Ahmad.
Ali and Fatima just before her death
It has been narrated from Feddah who said:
“Imam Ali performed his noon salaat [in the mosque] and was about to return home, when some women came to him crying.
So he asked them: What has happened?! Why do I see you with such changed faces?!
They said: O Imam Ali! catch up with your cousin Zahraa’ (Fatima ), and we do not think that you will reach her in time!
Imam Ali hurried home, and saw her lying, in great agony. He threw down his robe from his shoulders, and his turban from his head, and took her head and put it in his lap, calling her: O Zahraa’! But she did not speak.
He called her again: O daughter of him who carried the Zakaat in his robe and gave it to the poor! But she did not speak.
He called her again: O daughter of him who led the angels in salaat in the sky! But she did speak.
He called her again: O Fatima! Speak to me, for surely it is I your cousin Ali ibn Abi Talib.
So she opened her eyes to his face, looked at him and cried; and he also cried.
He asked her: What are you feeling? It is I your cousin Ali ibn Abi Talib.
O cousin! If you marry after me, allow a day and night for your wife, and allow a day and night for my two sons. O Abaa al-Hasan! they will shortly become two broken orphans. Yesterday they lost their grandfather, and today they will lose their mother; so woe unto the nation that kills them and hates them. She then composed a poem:
“Cry for me O Best Guide! and shed tears, for surely this is the day of separation.
O husband of Batool! (Fatima ) I entrust you with the sons, for surely they have became allies of yearning.
Cry for me, and cry for the orphans; and do not forget the slain of the enemies in the Taff (Karbala ) of Iraq
I saw my beloved Prophet in a dream, and he said: Come to me O daughter! for surely I yearn for you.
And I said to him: By Allah, indeed I yearn to meet you even more.
So he said: You are with me tonight. And he is truthful in what he promises.
By the time you recite the Yaaseen (the 36th soorah), I will have died. So wash me without uncovering my body; and perform the Deceased Prayer on me along with the closest family members, secretly not openly; and hide my grave; and do not allow those who did me injustice attend my funeral.”
It has also been narrated:
“Before her death, Fatima cried. So Imam Ali asked her: O my Lady! What makes you cry?
Fatima in her last minutes
Asma bint Omays talks about the last minutes of Fatima just before her death, she narrates:
“Then she (Fatima) told me: …Leave [the room] and wait [outside] for a while, because I want to talk to my Lord, the Great, the Almighty.
So I left and heard her talking to her Lord, so I entered the room [quietly] without her knowing, and saw her with her hands raised to the sky, saying: O Allah! I ask You in Mohammad the Mostafa’s name, and his yearning for me; and in my husband Ali the Mortadaa’s name, and his grief for me; and in Hasan the Mojtaba’s name, and his crying for me; and in Husayn the Martyr’s name, and his sorrow for me; and in my daughters’ names, and their heartbreak for me; that You have Mercy upon the sinners of the followers of Mohammad, and take them to Heaven. You are indeed the Most Noble, and the Most Merciful.”
Asma bint Omays narrates:
“Fatima told me: Wait for a while and then call me. If I answer you so be it, and if not, then it means that I have joined my father.
So Asma waited for a while, and she called her, but Fatima did not respond. Then Asma said: O daughter of Mohammad the Mostafa! O daughter of the best person ever born! O daughter of the best person ever to walk the earth! O daughter of him who “was at a distance of two bows’ length or (even) closer”. But she did not respond to her calls. So Asma removed the cloth from Fatima ’s face to find that she had left this world. So she fell on her kissing her, saying: O Fatima! when you see your father Prophet convey to him my greetings…
As she left the room, Hasan and Husayn entered the house and asked her: Where is our mother?
She remained silent; so they entered that room and saw her lying. Husayn moved her and found her dead. So he said: O brother! May Allah reward you for [losing] the mother.
Then Hasan fell on her kissing her, saying: O mother! Talk to me before my soul leaves my body. And Husayn fell on her feat kissing them, saying: O mother! I am your son Husayn; talk to me before my heart stops and I die.
Asma then told them: Go to your father Ali and inform him of your mother’s death. Thus they left their home, screaming: O Mohammad! O Ahmad! Today we relive your death, as our mother has died. Then they gave Ali the news in the mosque, and he lost consciousness and fell on his face. Water was poured on him until he regained consciousness; then he repeated over and over: Who is the consolation after you O daughter of Mohammad?! You used to be my consolation, so who shall be the consolation after you?!“.
Abu Bakr and Umar want to attend Fatima ’s burial ceremonies
Muslims narrate from cAmmaar ibn Yaasir, who said:
“…And he (cAbbaas, Ali’s uncle) sent his messenger to Ali and told him: Tell Ali, O nephew! Your uncle sends you greetings, and says: I was unexpectedly overtaken by sorrow for the illness of the beloved of Prophet and the delight of his eye and my eyes, Fatima . And I think she is the first of us to join Prophet…
So if she died, gather the Mohaajireen and the Ansaar so that they gain the reward of attending her burial ceremonies.
While I was there, Ali said to his messenger: Convey my greetings to my uncle, and tell him: May your compassion never cease; I have heard your advice, and your opinion has its respect.
Indeed, Fatima the Daughter of Prophet remains oppressed; and her right remains usurped; and her inheritance remains withheld; and Prophet’s wishes about her were not carried out… And Allah is All-Sufficient as a judge and Avenger from the oppressors.
And I ask you O uncle! to permit me to disregard your advice, as she has indeed stipulated in her will to me to conduct her burial ceremonies in secret.”
It has also been narrated:
“When Fatima died, Abu Bakr and Umar came to Ali to console him!! and to say: O Abaa al-Hasan! Do not precede us in the Prayer [of the Deceased] on the Daughter of Prophet!!“.
Fatima ’s burial ceremonies
Both Sunni and Muslim scholars narrate that all of Fatima ’s burial ceremonies were conducted secretly at night, with the presence of only a few men and women who were close relatives or loyal followers.
And finally, the only daughter of Prophet, the last Messenger and the ruler of nine countries in today’s geography, was laid to rest in a way not suitable for even the least important and unknown person of that day: at night, in secrecy, in an unmarked grave!!…
All of this, to prevent Abu Bakr and Umar from participating in and leading the ceremonies in an attempt to cover up the cause of her death and what they had done to her. Therefore Fatima preferred to have an unmarked grave, so that as long as her grave remains unknown, her enemies remain exposed; and so that the unprejudiced hearts know that Prophet’s only daughter was beaten to death, and her life was brought to an end at the young age of eighteen by Abu Bakr and Umar.
Muslims narrate from Imam Ali who responded when asked about the reason for which Fatima was buried at night:
“Indeed she was angry with a group of people, and did not like their presence during her burial ceremonies.
And it is forbidden for those who follow them to participate in the burial ceremonies of any of her children.”
Muslims also narrate:
“When Fatima died, all the people of Madinah screamed, and the Bani Haashim women gathered in her home, screaming: O my Lady! O Daughter of Prophet! And the men came to Ali who was sitting with Hasan and Husayn and were all crying.
So people gathered, shedding tears and waiting for the funeral ceremonies to start.
Abu Dharr came out and said: Leave; there has been a delay in the ceremonies, and it will not be tonight. Thus the people left.
Later when the eyes calmed, and a part of the night passed, Ali, Hasan, Husayn, cAmmaar, Meqdaad, cAqeel, Zobayr, Abu Dharr, Salman, Boraydah and some of the Bani Haashim brought her out, performed the Prayer of the Deceased and buried her under the darkness of the night.
Then, Ali made some fake graves, so that her grave cannot be distinguished; and he leveled her grave with the ground and flattened the dirt on and around it in a way that it could not be recognized.”
Ali on Fatima ’s grave
Sunni and Muslim scholars narrate:
“When Fatima died, Ali composed the following poem:
My soul is the captive of my sighs, I wish it left [my body] along with the sighs.
There is nothing good in life after you [r death], and indeed I weep fearing that my life becomes long.
And when he shook the dust off his hand after burring Fatima , a new wave of grief erupted inside him, and while tears streamed down his cheeks he turned his face towards Prophet’s grave and said:
Peace be upon you O Prophet! from me, and from your daughter who just descended to your proximity, and who joined you so soon.
O Prophet! my patience in the absence of your true friend has reduced, and my endurance has thinned; except that your great separation and grave calamity (Prophet’s death) is my only consolation, for surely I was the one who laid you in your grave, and between my throat and my chest your soul left your body; “Surely we are Allah’s and to Him we shall surely return”.
As for my sorrow, it is eternal; and as for my night, it is sleepless; until Allah chooses for me your home in which you reside.
And your daughter shall inform you of your nation assisting each other in her oppression; so ply her with questions, and ask her about it (for surely numerous burnings are agitating in her chest about which she could not find a way to speak).
And peace be upon you O Prophet from one who says farewell, who is neither bored nor hateful. So if I leave, it is not because of weariness; and if I stay, it is not because I doubt what Allah has promised the patient.
(And patience is more favorable and more graceful. And if it were not for the dominance of the usurpers over us, I would have certainly stayed next to your grave; and I would have surely wailed the wailing of a woman bereaved of her son, because of the graveness of the disaster.
So in the eyes of Allah, your daughter is secretly buried?!! And her right is forcefully usurped?!! And her inheritance is openly withheld?!!) “.
Abu Bakr and Umar attempt to exhume Fatima ’s body!!
Understanding the meaning and the consequences of Ali’s actions, Abu Bakr and Umar wanted to exhume Fatima ’s body to perform the Prayer of the Deceased on her.
Only days before, when they assassinated her father Prophet, they also did not participate in his burial ceremonies. But this time, their absence would cost them much more.
Therefore they had to some how compensate. But how?! It has been narrated:
“In the morning, Abu Bakr and Umar and the people came [to Ali’s home], wanting to perform the Prayer of the Deceased on Fatima . Meqdaad came forward and said: Indeed, we buried Fatima last night.
Umar looked at Abu Bakr and said: Did I not tell you that they would do it.
Abbas said: Indeed, she had stipulated in her will that you do not pray on her.
Omar: You Bani Haashim never forget your old jealousy of us!! Indeed all of this grudge in your hearts will never fade away!! By Allah, I have decided to exhume her body and pray on her.
Ali said: By Allah, if you crave after that O son of Sahhaak! I will return to you your right arm. If I unsheathe my sword, I will not return it to its sheath before killing you.
It has also been narrated:
“When Meqdaad told Umar that they had buried Fatima in the previous night, Umar started to beat him.
Then Meqdaad said: Indeed, the Daughter of Prophet went from this world, while blood was coming out of her back and her side as a result of your beating her with the sword and the whip.”
It has also been narrated:
“When the Muslims heard about her burial, they came to Baqee and found forty new graves. So they could not distinguish her grave from the others.
Thus they came to a boil, some of them blaming the others saying: Your Prophet did not leave among you but one daughter, and she dies and gets shrouded in the Kafan, and you do not attend her burial ceremonies, and do not know the place of her grave!!
The leaders said: Bring some Muslim women to dig up these graves, and find her body, so that we can pray on her and visit her grave.
When Imam Ali heard the news, he came out of his home angry, his eyes had turned red, and his jugular veins had become swollen, wearing his yellow Qabaa’ which he only wore in very hard battles, leaning on his sword Dhol-Faqaar. He entered the Baqee, and the people said: This is Ali in the way you see him; he swears to Allah that if a single stone on any of these graves are moved, he will put the sword to the last of us.
Then Umar, accompanied by his men, came to Ali and said: What is with you O Abaa al-Hasan! By Allah, I will most certainly exhume her body and will surely pray on her!!
So Ali grabbed him by his clothes, shook him and hit him to the ground, saying: O son of Sahhaak! As for my right, I am not pursuing it fearing that people turn back from their religion; but as for Fatima ’s grave, so by Him in Whose hand is Ali’s life, if you and your men seek to dig it up, I will most definitely irrigate the earth from your blood.
Abu Bakr took Ali and said: O Abaa al-Hasan! I plead with you in Prophet’s name and in Allah’s name to let go off Umar, for surely we will not do anything you hate.
Aisha and Fatima’s death
Ibn Abi al-Hadeed, the famous Sunni scholar, narrates from his teacher Abu Yaqoob:
“…And since Prophet’s death, until Fatima ’s death, Ali and Fatima repeatedly received hurtful news from Aisha; but despite the great pain and anger they remained patient.
And Ali and Fatima were let down and vanquished; and Fadak was usurped; and although Fatima argued several times for its return, but it was not returned. And regarding that, she heard many hurtful things from Aisha.
And when she died, all of Prophet’s wives came to console Bani Haashim, except Aisha who did not come and pretended illness; and Ali heard something from her indicating her happiness [for Fatima’s death]!“.
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MUSLIM REFERENCES
1- The Holy Quran
2- Amaali / al-Mofeed
3- Amaali / al-Sadooq
4- Amaali / al-Toosi
5- Awaalim al-Oloom / al-Bahraani
6- Bahjat Qalb al-Mostafa / al-Rahmaani
7- Behaar al-Anwaar / al-Majlesi
8- Beshaarat al-Mostafa / al-Tabari
9- Dalaael al-Imamah / al-Tabari
10- Dar Maktab Fatima
11- al-Doaa wa al-Zeyaarah / Sayyed Mohammad Sheeraazi
12- Ehqaaq al-Haqq / al-Tostari
13- Ehraaq Bayt al-Zahraa / al-Sajjaad
14- al-Ehtejaaj / al-Tabarsi
15- al-Ekhtesaas / al-Mofeed
16- Elal al-Sharaae / al-Sadooq
17- Elamoo Anni Fatima / al-Mohaajir
18- Ershaad al-Qoloob / al-Daylami
19- al-Fadaael / Ibn Shaadhaan
20- Fatima al Zahra fi al-Quran / Sayyed Saadiq Sheeraazi
21- Fatima al Zahra min al-Mahd elaa al-Lahd / al-Qazweeni
22- Fatima al Zahra min Qabl al-Milad ela Bad al-Esteshad / al-Hashimi
23- al-Ghadeer / al-Ameeni
24- Ghaayat al-Maraam / al-Sayyed al-Bahraani
25- al-Husayn wa Batalat Karbala / al-Moghneyah
26- Jalaa al-Oyoon / al-Majlesi
27- Jaami al-Sadaat / al-Naraaqi
28- al-Kaafi / al-Kolayni
29- Kalimatollaah / Sayyed Hasan Sheeraazi
30- Kanz al-Fawaaed / al-Karaajaki
31- Kashf al-Ghommah / al-Erbelli
32- al-Kawthar / al-Moosawi
33- Ketaab Solaym ibn al-Qays
34- al-Konaa wa al-Alqaab / al-Qommi
35- Manaaqib Aal Abi Talib / Ibn Shahraashoob
36- Man Laa Yahdoroh al-Faqeeh / al-Sadooq
37- Min Feqh al-Zahraa / Sayyed Mohammad Sheeraazi
38- Montahaa al-AAmaal / al-Qommi (Arabic translation)
39- Mostadrak al-Wasaael / al-Noori
40- Mostadrakaat Awaalim al-Oloom / al-Abtahi
41- Nafahaat al-Laahoot fi Lan al-Jebt wa al-Taaghoot / al-Karaki
42- Nahj al-Hayaat / al-Dashti
43- Naasikh al-Tawaareekh / Sepehr
44- Nazariyyaat al-Khaleefatayn / al-Taai
45- Oyoon Akhbaar al-Redaa / al-Sadooq
46- Paaidaari taa Paaye Daar / Mondhir
47- al-Rejaal / al-Toosi
48- al-Saheefah al-Faatimeyyah / al-Abtahi
49- Tafseer / Foraat al-Koofi
50- Tohfat al-Ahbaab fi Nawaadir Aathaar al-Ashaab / al-Qommi
51- al-Waafi / al-fayd
52- Wasaael al-Shia / al-Horr al-Aamili
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