Blessed be that symbol of honor; Pious Batool, our Prophet’s daughter
Blessed be the veils of graces; Which from sun & moon hid their faces
Blessed be our Prophet’s beloved daughter; Pious, pure & women's leader
Sayyidah Fatimah az-Zahra (radi Allahu anha) was the fourth daughter of the Holy Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) & Sayyidah Khadija (radi Allahu anha). "Zahra" (having gleaming & luminous face), "Batool" (aloof from the worldly pleasures) are "Tahira" (chaste & modest) are among her exalted titles.
She was an unusually sensitive child of her age. When she was five, she heard that her father had announced his Prophethood. Her mother Sayyidah Khadija (radi Allahu anha) explained to her what the responsibilities of a Prophet are. Sayyidah Fatimah (radi Allahu anha) became more closely attached to her father & felt a deep & abiding love for him. She used to accompany him through the narrow streets of Makkah-tul-Mukarrama, visiting the Ka'bah or attending the secret meetings of the early Muslims who had embraced Islam & pledged allegiance to her father.
Once, she accompanied her father to the Masjid al-Haraam. Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) began to pray in front of the Ka'bah. A group of Quraysh chiefs gathered around the Holy Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam). Uqbah bin Abi Mu'ayt brought the entrails of a slaughtered animal & threw it on the shoulders of the Beloved Habeeb (sallallahu alaihi wasallam). Sayyidah Fatimah (radi Allahu anha), a ten year old girl, went up to her father & removed the filth. Then, in a firm & angry voice she lashed out against Abu Jahl & his colleagues. They could not utter a single word.
After the demise of her mother, Sayyidah Khadija (radi Allahu anha), she felt that she had to give even greater support to her father. She devoted herself to looking after his needs. She was so engrossed in her father’s service that people started calling her "Umm Abiha", the mother of her father. The Holy Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) had a special love for Sayyidah Fatimah (radi Allahu anha).
Sayyiduna Miswar bin Makhramah (radi Allahu anhu) reported that the Holy Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said:
فاطمة بضعة منى، فمن أغضبها أغضبنى
"My daughter is part of me. He who disturbs her in fact disturbs me & he who offends her offends me." (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 3767)
The Holy Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) also said:
حسبك من نساء العالمين أربع مريم بنت عمران و آسية امرأة فرعون و خديجة بنت خويلد و فاطمة بنت محمد
"The best women in the entire world are four: The Virgin Mariyam (radi Allahu anha) daughter of Imran & Aasiya (radi Allahu anha) the wife of Pharaoh & Khadija (radi Allahu anha) Mother of the Believers & Fatimah (radi Allahu anha), daughter of Muhammad (sallallahu alaihi wasallam)." (Mustadrak al-Hakim, Vol. 4, Page 262, Hadith 4745)
Sayyidah Fatimah (radi Allahu anha) thus acquired a place of love & esteem in the Beloved Nabi's (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) heart that was only occupied by his wife Sayyidah Khadija (radi Allahu anha). She was given the title of "Zahra" which means "The Resplendent One". That was because of her beaming face, which seemed to radiate light. She was also called "Batool" because of her purity & asceticism. She spent most of her time in the recitation of the Holy Quraan, performing Salaah & doing other acts of Ibadah.
Sayyidah Ayesha (radi Allahu anha) said:
أقبلت فاطمة تمشي كأن مشيتها مشي النبي (صلى الله عليه وسلم) فقال: "مرحباً بابنتي". ثم أجلسها عن يمينه، أو عن شماله
“I have not seen any one of Allah's (Subhanuhu wa Ta'ala) creation resemble the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) more in speech, conversation & manner of sitting than Fatimah (radi Allahu anha). When the Holy Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) saw her approaching, he would welcome her, stand up & kiss her, take her by the hand & sit her down in the place where he was sitting." (al-Adab al-Mufrad, Page 406, Hadith 421)
Sayyidah Fatimah (radi Allahu anha) learnt from her father the manners & gentle speech. She was kind to the poor. She often gave her food to the needy preferring herself to remain hungry. She had no inclination towards the materialistic world. She had no craving for the ornaments of this world or the luxuries & comforts of life.
Sayyidah Fatimah (radi Allahu anha) was married to Sayyiduna Ali (radi Allahu anhu) at the beginning of the second year after the Hijra. She was nineteen-year-old & Sayyiduna Ali (radi Allahu anhu) was about twenty-one. The Holy Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) himself performed the Nikah. On her marriage, Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) is said to have presented Sayyidah Fatimah (radi Allahu anha) & Sayyiduna Ali (radi Allahu anhu) with a wooden bed intertwined with palm leaves, a velvet coverlet, a leather cushion filled with the leaves of a plant, a sheepskin, a pot, a water-skin & a quern (A primitive hand-operated mill for grinding grain) for grinding grain.
One day Sayyiduna Ali (radi Allahu anhu) asked her to go to her father & ask for a servant. Sayyidah Fatimah (radi Allahu anha) came to the Holy Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam). The Holy Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said:
ألا أخبرك ما هو خير لك منه، تسبحين الله عند منامك ثلاثا وثلاثين، وتحمدين الله ثلاثا وثلاثين، وتكبرين الله أربعا وثلاثين
"Shall I not tell you of something better than that which you asked of me? I am telling you the words, which Jibra'eel (alaihis salaam) has told me. You should say Subhan-Allah "Glory be to Allah (Subhanuhu wa Ta'ala)" 33 times, Al-Hamdulillah "Praise be to Allah (Subhanuhu wa Ta'ala)" 33 times & Allahu Akbar "Allah (Subhanuhu wa Ta'ala) is Great" 34 times.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 5362)
This is called "Tasbeeh-e-Fatimah" & brings blessings upon the person who regularly recites it.
Before proceeding on to his Farewell Pilgrimage in Ramadaan, 10 A.H, the Holy Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said to Sayyidah Fatimah (radi Allahu anha):
إن جبريل كان يعارضني القرآن كل سنة مرة وإنه عارضني العام مرتين ولا أراه إلا حضر أجلي
"The Archangel Jibra'eel (alaihis salaam) recited the Qur'an to me & 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". (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 3426)
On his return from the Farewell Pilgrimage, the Holy Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) became seriously ill. He was confined to the apartment of his beloved wife Sayyidah Ayesha (radi Allahu anha). When Sayyidah Fatimah (radi Allahu anha) visited her ailing father, Sayyidah Ayesha (radi Allahu anha) would leave father & the daughter together.
Sayyidah Ayesha (radi Allahu anha) reported:
كن أزواج النبى (صلى الله عليه وسلم) عنده لم يغادر منهن واحدة فأقبلت فاطمة تمشى ما تخطئ مشيتها من مشية رسول الله (صلى الله عليه وسلم) شيئا فلما رآها رحب بها فقال (مرحبا بابنتى). ثم أجلسها عن يمينه أو عن شماله ثم سارها فبكت بكاء شديدا فلما رأى جزعها سارها الثانية فضحكت. فقلت لها خصك رسول الله (صلى الله عليه وسلم) من بين نسائه بالسرار ثم أنت تبكين فلما قام رسول الله (صلى الله عليه وسلم) سألتها ما قال لك رسول الله (صلى الله عليه وسلم) قالت ما كنت أفشى على رسول الله (صلى الله عليه وسلم) سره. قالت فلما توفى رسول الله (صلى الله عليه وسلم) قلت عزمت عليك بما لى عليك من الحق لما حدثتنى ما قال لك رسول الله (صلى الله عليه وسلم) فقالت أما الآن فنعم أما حين سارنى فى المرة الأولى فأخبرنى (أن جبريل كان يعارضه القرآن فى كل سنة مرة أو مرتين وإنه عارضه الآن مرتين وإنى لا أرى الأجل إلا قد اقترب فاتقى الله واصبرى فإنه نعم السلف أنا لك). قالت فبكيت بكائى الذى رأيت فلما رأى جزعى سارنى الثانية فقال (يا فاطمة أما ترضى أن تكونى سيدة نساء المؤمنين أو سيدة نساء هذه الأمة) قالت فضحكت ضحكى الذى رأيت۔
“We, the wives of Allah’s Apostle were with him (during his last illness) & none was absent therefrom that Fatimah (radi Allahu anha), who walked after the style of Allah's Messenger (sallallahu alaihi wasallam), came there & when he saw her he welcomed her saying: "You are welcome, my daughter". He then made her sit on his right side or on his left side. Then he said something secretly to her & she swept bitterly & when he found her (plunged) in grief, he said to her something secretly for the second time & she laughed. I "Ayesha (radi Allahu anha)" said to her: "Allah's Messenger (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) has singled you amongst the women of the family for talking to you something secretly & you wept’. When Allah’s Messenger (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) recovered from illness, I said to her: ‘What did he say to you?" Thereupon, she said: ‘I am not going to disclose the secret of Allah’s Messenger (sallallahu alaihi wasallam). When the Holy Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) passed away, I said to her: ‘I adjure you by the right that I have upon you that you should narrate to me what Allah’s Messenger (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said to you.’ She said: ‘Yes, now I can do that. When he "Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam)" talked to me secretly for the first time he informed me that Jibra’il Alaihis Salam was in the habit of reciting the Qur'an along with him once every year, but this year it had been twice & so he perceived his death quite near, so fear Allah (Subhanuhu wa Ta'ala) & be patient (& he told me) that he would be a befitting forerunner for me & so I wept as you saw me. & when he saw me in grief he talked to me secretly for the second time & said: "Fatimah (radi Allahu anha), are you not pleased that you should be at the head of the believing women or the head of this Ummah?" I laughed & it was that laughter which you saw." (Sahih Muslim, Hadith 646)
In another narration, Sayyidah Ayesha (radi Allahu anha) reported that when she asked Sayyidah Fatimah (radi Allahu anha) the reasons of her crying & laughing when her father talked to her secretly, she said:
سارني النبي (صلى الله عليه و سلم) فأخبرني أنه يقبض في وجعه التي توفي فيه فبكيت ثم سارني فأخبرني أني أول أهل بيته أتبعه فضحكت
"He informed me secretly of his death & so I cried. He then informed me secretly that I would be the first amongst the members of his family to follow him, so I laughed." (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 3427, Sahih Muslim, Hadith 2450)
This Hadith shows the implicit faith that Sayyidah Fatimah (radi Allahu anha) had in the words of her father. She believed that her father was given the Knowledge of Unseen. She was quite sure that the events would take the same turn as her father had informed her. This Hadith also shows that Sayyidah Fatimah Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anha loved her father more dearly than her husband, children & her meeting with him in the Hereafter was a source of great comfort & consolation for her.
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