Excerpts from the life of Fatimah Bint Muhammad (SAWS)

[Blessed]

Excerpts from the life of Fatimah Bint Muhammad (SAWS)

 

Introduction

 

Fatimah (RA) was the fifth child of Prophet Muhammad (SAWS) and Khadijah (RA). She was born before the first revelation, during the time when the Prophet (SAWS) used to spend long periods meditating and reflecting on the great mysteries of creation in the mountains around Makkah. At the age of five, she heard that her father had become the Messenger of Allah, and instantly became more closely attached to him and felt a deep and abiding love for him.

 

Child-life Experience

 

One day, when she was around the age of 9, she went with her father to the Masjid al-Haram. He stood in the place known as al-Hijr facing the Ka'bah and began to pray, with Fatimah standing at his side. A group of Quraysh, led by Abu Jahil, the Prophet's uncle, gathered menacingly around him. Abu Jahl asked the group, "Which of you can bring the entrails (insides) of a slaughtered animal and throw it on Muhammad?" Uqbah ibn Abi Mu'ayt volunteered and brought some obnoxious filth and threw it on the shoulders of the Prophet (SAWS) while he was prostrating. Abdullah ibn Masud, a companion of the Prophet (SAWS) was present but was powerless to do or say anything. Imagine the feelings of Fatimah when she saw this treatment given to her father. What could she, a girl not 10 years old, do? She went up to her father, and removed the offensive matter and then stood firmly and angrily before the group of Quraysh and lashed out against them. Not a single word did they say to her.

 

The Prophet (SAWS) completed his prayer and then said: "O Lord, may You punish the Quraysh!" and repeated this three times. Then he continued: "May You punish Utbah, Uqbah, Abu Jahl, and Shaybah." All of whom he named perished many years later at the Battle of Badr.

 

More Unbearable Experiences

 

Such were the incidents that Fatimah (RA) witnessed as a young girl. She did not just stand aside but joined in the struggle of defense of her father and his noble mission. She was one of the youngest members of the clans who faced the boycott of Quraysh, and underwent three years of hardship living in a narrow valley outside Makkah, with no food supplies. Often times, these trials were too much for her. Once, when she was around 16, an insolent mob threw dust and dirt upon the Prophet's gracious head. As he entered his home, Fatimah wept profusely as she wiped dust from her father's head. The Prophet (SAWS) said: "Do not cry, my daughter, for God shall protect your father." He also said: "The best women in all the world are four: the Virgin Mary (Maryam (ASWS)), Asiya the wife of Pharaoh (Fir'aun), Khadijah Mother of the believers, and Fatimah, daughter of Muhammad (SAWS)."

 

Titles of az-Zahra and al-Batul

 

Fatimah (RA) was given the title of "az-Zahra", which means "the Resplendent One". This was because of her beaming face which seemed to radiate light. It is said that when she stood for prayer, the mihrab would reflect the light of her countenance. She was also called "al-Batul" because of her purity and asceticism. Instead of spending time in the company of women, she spent much of her time in Salat, in reading the Quran, and in other acts of ibadah.

 

Life with husband, Ali (RA)

 

In the second year of Hijrah to Madinah, Fatimah (RA) got married to Ali (RA), the son of Abu Talib. Her life with Ali was as simple and frugal as it was with her father. Actually, as far as material comforts were concerned, it was a life of hardship and deprivation. To relieve their extreme poverty, Ali worked as a drawer and carrier of water, and Fatimah worked as a grinder of corn. One day she said to Ali: "I have ground until my hands are blistered." Ali said: "I have drawn water until I have pains in my chest." Ali then asked Fatimah to go to her father and request for one of the captives of war as a servant to help them out. Reluctantly, she went to the Prophet (SAWS). When asked what brought her to him, she replied, "I came to give you greetings of peace." In awe of him, she could not bring herself to ask what she had intended.

 

Later on she told Ali she was too ashamed to ask her father (SAWS) for a servant. So the two of them then went together, but on their request, the Prophet (SAWS) replied: "I will not give to you, and let the Ahl as-Suffah (poor Muslims who stayed in the mosque) be tormented with hunger. I have not enough for their keep …." Ali and Fatimah returned home dejected. But that night, the Prophet (SAWS) visited them and sat down beside them on the bed and asked, "Shall I not tell you of something better than that which you asked of me?" When they said yes, he said, "Words which Jibril taught me, that you should say "SubhanAllah" (Glory be to Allah) ten times after every prayer, and ten times "Alhamdullilah" (Praise be to Allah), and ten times "Allahu Akbar" (Allah is Great). And that when you go to bed you should say them thirty three times each."

 

Ali used to say in later years, "I have never once failed to say them since the Messenger of God taught them to us."

 

Her love for Prophet (SAWS) and Universality of the Message of Islam

Once the Prophet (SAWS) returned from a journey outside Madinah. He went to the mosque first of all and prayed two rak'ats as per his custom. Then he went to Fatimah's house before going to his wives. Fatimah welcomed him, kissed his face, his mouth and his eyes, and cried. When the Prophet (SAWS) asked her why she was crying, she replied, "I see you, O Rasul Allah, your color is pale and shallow and your clothes have become worn and shabby."

 

The Prophet (SAWS) said tenderly: "O Fatimah, don't cry for Allah has sent your father with a mission which He would cause to affect every house on the face of the earth whether it be towns, villages, or tents (in the desert) bringing either glory or humiliation until this mission is fulfilled just as night (inevitably) comes." With such comments, Fatimah was often taken from the harsh realities of daily life to get a glimpse of the vast and far-reaching vistas opened up by the mission entrusted to her noble father (SAWS).

 

Children of Fatimah (RA)

 

In Ramadhan of the the third year of the Hijrah, Fatimah gave birth to a boy, whom the Prophet (SAWS) named al-Hasan (the beautiful one). One year later, she gave birth to another son who was called al-Husayn, which means the little Hasan (the little beautiful one). Four years later, Fatimah gave birth to a third child, a girl, whom she named after her eldest sister Zaynab who had died shortly before her birth. Fatimah's fourth child was born two years later and the Prophet (SAWS) chose for her the name Umm Kulthum after Fatimah's sister who had died the year before after an illness.

 

The Prophet (SAWS) was exceedingly fond of his grandchildren, and would often bring al-Hasan and al-Husayn to the Mosque where they would climb onto his back while he prostrated.

 

Death of Prophet (SAWS)

 

In Ramadhan of the 10th year of Hijrah, just before the Prophet (SAWS) went on his Farewell Pilgrimage, he confided to Fatimah, as a secret not to be told to others: "Jibril recited the Quran to me and I to him once every year, but this year he has recited it with me twice. I cannot but think that my time has come."

 

On his return from the Farewell Pilgrimage, the Prophet (SAWS) became seriously ill. One day he summoned Fatimah. When she came, he kissed her and whispered some words in her ear and she wept. The again he whispered in her ear and she smiled. Aisha (RA), his wife, saw and asked her about this. Fatimah replied, "He first told me that he would meet His Lord after a short while and so I cried. Then he said to me: 'Don't cry for you will be the first of my household to join me.' So I laughed." He also said to her: "Aren't you pleased that you are the First Lady (Sayyidatun Nisaa) of this Ummah?"

 

Soon the Prophet (SAWS) passed away. Fatimah was so upset, she would often be seen weeping profusely. One of the companions noted that he did not see Fatimah (RA) laugh after the death of her father

 

 

Death of Fatimah (RA)

 

Less than five months after her father had passed away, Fatimah woke up one day looking unusually happy and full of joy. In the afternoon of that day, she called Salma bint Umays who was looking after her. She asked for some water, had a bath, put on new clothes, and perfumed herself. She then asked Salma to put her in bed in the courtyard of the house. With her face looking to the heavens, she asked for her husband Ali. He was surprised when he saw her lying in the middle of the courtyard and asked her what was wrong. She smiled and said, "I have an appointment today with the Messenger of God."

 

Ali cried and she tried to console him. She told him to look after their sons al-Hasan and al-Husayn and advised that she should be buried without ceremony. She then turned and faced the Qiblah, closed her eyes, and slept. It was a sleep from which she did not awake.

 

Fatimah az-Zahra (the Resplendent One) was just 29 years old.

 

(Compiled by Adeel from the book, "Companions of the Prophet" by AbdulWahid Hamid)