The beloved daughter of the Last Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.),
Sayyida Fatima Zahra (s.a.) is the role model for men and women alike. Ummul
Momineen A’isha said, “I have not seen anyone more Truthful than Fatimah but
only her father.” Her worship was unrivalled. Hasan al-Basri said that
she worshiped so much that her feet became swollen. Her son al-Hasan
said, “I saw my mother Fatimah (s.a.) standing up in mihrab (prayer niche) every
Friday night. She bowed and prostrated herself until dawn, and I heard her
praying for the believers naming them. I asked mother you did not pray
for yourself. She replied, son first your neighbor then your house!” She
used to sit with Imam Ali (a.s.) before her father as the Glorious
Qur’an was being revealed. Imam Sadiq (a.s.) said, “The Messenger of
Allah gave her a dried branch of a tree used for writing and said: ‘Learn what
is in it? In it was whoever believes in Allah and the Day of Judgment must not
hurt his neighbor, be generous to his guest, shall say (something) good or be
silent.’” She used to teach women, who would assemble for acquiring
knowledge about Islam. She was the first writer in Islam showing concern for
the Knowledge writing down whatever she heard from Imam Ali and Imam Hasan (a.s.)
collecting the hadiths during his (s.a.w.a.s.) lifetime, without him
(s.a.w.a.s.) prohibiting it! She lived as a best wife, in love, faithfulness, obedience,
and care. Imam Ali (a.s.) said, “I did not make her angry throughout my life
with her and she did not make me angry and did not disobey my orders throughout
her life with me.” They were the supportive couple as the duties were assigned
by the Noble Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.). The agreement was that she would grind, knead,
and bake and Ali would sweep the floor and bring water and wood (for the fire).
Despite being the Doyenne of the women of the world, the daughter of the most
honorable Prophet and Messenger, wife of the Commander of the Faithful and
Master of Regents, and mother of al-Hasan and al-Husayn, the masters of the
Youths of Paradise, she lived a normal life, grinding, kneading, baking, cooking,
and taking care of the children and doing all the things that were her
responsibility as the female head of the household. Imam Sadiq (a.s.) narrated
that once the Noble Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.) saw her wearing a poor-quality cloak
doing the work said, “O my daughter! Accept eagerly, life’s bitterness, while
waiting for the sweetness of the hereafter. Once Ali sought a servant for her
from the Noble Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.). He said, “Would you like me to teach you
something? If you learn it, it would be better than a servant: If you go to
sleep, say Allahu Akbar 34 times, Alhamdu Lillah 33 times and Subhan Allah 33
times.” Both said, “We are satisfied with Allah.” Her short life was filled
with the holy struggle on all fronts, and that she lived for Allah and His way
and to implement truth. She used to accompany her father in some of the battles;
in Uhad she nursed her father by comforting him and put burned mat’s ashes on
his wound to stop bleeding. Her concern was to prove the right of Ali to the caliphate
as an Imam by Allah. She was an orator matching argument with arguments in her
sermons. Her sermon in the Mosque, which has no equivalent in Arabic history,
talking about the secrets in Islamic Jurisprudence in all its major categories
providing for every one of them its explanation and a clarification of the
wisdom behind it.
It is
narrated by Imam Musa al-Kazim (a.s.), “Fatima is surely Siddeeqah (truthful)
and Shaheedah (witness). This matches with Ayah 69 of Surah al-Nisa, “Whoever
obeys Allah and the Apostle-they are with those whom Allah has blessed,
including the prophets and the truthful, the martyrs and the righteous, and excellent
companions are they!” And Ayah 89 of Surah al-Nahl, “The day We raise in every
nation a witness against them from among themselves, We shall bring you as a
witness against these…”
Source: Fatimah al-Masumah (s.a.): A role Model for Men and
Women by Ayatullah Sayyid Muhammad Husayn Fadlallah
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