Al-Sayyida Fatimah al-Zahra opened her eyes to this world and saw the face of her father, the Messenger of Allah (S). She suckled from her mother, al-Sayyida Khadijah, milk that was mixed with virtues and perfection. She grew up in the household of prophethood and was nurtured at the locus of the descent of divine revelation with a worthy nurturing. Her father, the Prophet (S), fed her with fruits of divine knowledge and bestowed upon her godly teachings.

He taught her the best lessons of monotheism, the loftiest teachings of faith and the most beautiful realities of Islam. He raised her with most excellent upbringing, as the Prophet saw in his daughter the ability and perfect readiness for the reception and comprehension of [his] knowledge, and he found in her pure and noble soul all the spirituality, illumination, and preparedness [required] to ascend the levels of perfection.

In this respect, the Divine wisdom [of the Almighty] willed that the life of al-Sayyida Fatimah al-Zahra should be filled with adversities, hardships, and tragedies, from a very young age. Thus, she opened her eyes to this world at a time when her father was afraid, being attacked by his close and distant relatives alike, and shunned by the disbelievers and polytheists.

At times Fatimah would come to Masjid al-Haram and witness the disbelievers harassing him in different ways and tormenting him while he was sitting next to the Hijr Isma’il, reciting the Qur’an. One day, she saw one of the polytheists throwing a filthy placenta of a she-camel on the back of her father as he prostrated. Al-Zahra witnessed that painful event and proceeded to wipe off the dirt from her father’s back and clothes, as she uttered words of rebuke and admonishment while they laughed at her, as the depraved riffraff are wont to do.

Ibn ‘Abbas narrates that the Quraysh gathered at the Hajr (al-Aswad) and made a covenant in the name of al-Lat, al-’Uzza and Manat: “If we see Muhammad we will surely act as one and kill him.” Fatimah (‘a) came to the Prophet (S) crying and told him about what they had said.

The problems intensified and the tribulations increased until the Prophet (S) was forced to move to Shi’b Abi Talib, and his family accompanied him along with the family of Abu Talib, to this place. They lived under the shadow of fear and terror. Every night they expected the polytheists would carry out an attack on them, especially after the disbelievers wrote the ‘Treatise of Severance’ (al-Sahifah al-Qati’ah) through which they besieged the Bani Hashim with an economic blockade, not allowing them to sell or buy anything, not even food.

In fact, they even prevented food from reaching them through other means. As a result, they were faced with starvation, and this affected the children the most. It was no surprise, therefore, that the sounds of children weeping [out of hunger] reached the ears of the inhabitants of Makkah, causing some of them [who were their bitter enemies] to rejoice and others to feel sorrow.

The duration of their siege was three years and a few months, and al-Sayyida Fatimah was among those who had to suffer this hardship. All these difficulties gave rise to the spirit of struggle, determination, and perseverance in al-Sayyida Fatimah. It was as if this was a period of training and exercise for what was to come in the near future.

One thing that made matters a little easier and gave solace and comfort to al-Sayyida Fatimah al-Zahra was her witnessing the chivalry of that great hero, Abu Talib, as he stood firm in his support for her father, the Prophet. At times, he would take his sword and, accompanied by his brother Hamzah, walk behind the Prophet towards the Holy Mosque in order to announce his support and backing for the Prophet. It was as if they were two armed soldiers in a state of alert. At times some of the slaves of Abu Talib would join them and walk behind the Prophet and it would look like a platoon of soldiers or a small army contingent.

On some occasions he would announce his compliance and alliance with the Prophet (S), thereby declaring his acceptance of Islam by manifestly following the truth. He recited odes, which were most effective in those days, in support of the Prophet (S).

It is narrated by al-Tabari that when the chiefs of Quraysh saw Abu Talib supporting the Prophet (S) they came to him and said, “We have come to you with the most handsome and chivalrous youth of Quraysh, ‘Amarah Ibn al-Walid, that we may give him to you and in exchange you can hand over to us your nephew who has brought disunity amongst us and has dashed our dreams, So, that we may kill him!”

Abu Talib said, “You have not been fair to me! You want to give me your son So, that I may raise and nourish him, while I should give you my son So, that you may kill him? Rather, each of you should bring me his son So, that I may kill him [instead].”1 Then he recited:

منعنا الرسول رسول المليك

ببيض تلألأ كلمع البروق

We preserve the Messenger, messenger of the King,

with a radiance that shines like the brilliance of lightening

أذود وأحمي رسول المليك

حماية حامٍ عليه شفيق

I defend and support the messenger of the King,

with the protection that a close friend is deserving

His words and poems that show his belief in Islam are too many to enumerate. Among them are:

ألم تعلموا أنّا وجدنا محمّداً

نبيّاً كموسى خطَّ في أوّل الكتبِ؟

Do you not know that we found Muhammad [to be]

a Prophet like Musa, mentioned in the early scriptures?

أليس أبونا هاشم شدَّ أزره

وأوصى بنيه بالطعان وبالحربِ؟

Did not our father Hashim tighten his belt [in determination]

and advise his children to take up the sword and lance [in defence of the truth]?2

And in one of his odes:

وقالوا لأحمد: أنت امرؤ

خلوف اللسان ضعيف السبب

They said to Ahmad: You are but a man

with an untruthful tongue and of weak means

ألا إنّ أحمد قد جاءهم

بحقٍّ، ولم يأتهم بالكذب

Indeed, Ahmad has come to them with [nothing but]

truth, and has not brought them any falsehood

And his statement about the Sahifah, which is one of the miracles of the Prophet (S):

وقد كان أمر الصحيفة عبرة

متى ما يخبِّر غائب القوم يعجبِ

There is Indeed, in the matter concerning the Sahifah a lesson,

when those who were absent are told of it they would be amazed

محا الله منها كفرهم وعقوقهم

وما نقموا من ناطق الحقّ معربِ

Allah effaced from it their disbelief and faithlessness,

and what they harboured of malice against the speaker of truth

وأمسى ابن عبد الله فينا مصدِّقاً

على ساخطٍ من قومنا غير معتبِ

The son of ‘Abdullah was proven to be true among us,

despite the anger of our community, he remained steadfast

A poem in which he exhorts his brother Hamzah to follow the Prophet and to be patient and steadfast in obedience to him:

صبراً أبا يعلى على دين أحمدٍ

وكن مظهراً للدين وُفّقت صابرا

Patience O Abu Ya’la upon the religion of Ahmad,

be a supporter of the faith, you will be granted patience

فقد سرني إذ قلت إنّك مؤمن

فكن لرسول الله في الله ناصرا

It pleased me Indeed, when you said you were a believer,

so be, for the sake of Allah, a supporter of the Messenger of Allah

And his address to al-Najashi (the king of Habashah) urging him to help the Prophet:

تعلَّم مليك الحبش أنّ محمداً

نبيٌّ كموسى والمسيح ابن مريمِ

Know O king of the Habash that Muhammad

is a Prophet like Musa and the Masih, son of Maryam

أتى بهدىً مثل الذي أتيا به

وكلٌّ بأمر الله يهدي ويعصمِ

He has come with guidance just as they both came with guidance,

and every [Prophet] guides and safeguards by the command of Allah

وإنّكمُ تتلونه في كتابكم

بصدق حديث، لا حديث المرجّمِ

Indeed, you read about him in your books [as being one]

with truthful speech, not the speech of the delinquent

فلا تجعلوا لله نداً، وأسلموا

وإنّ طريق الحق ليس بمظلمِ

So put no equals for Allah, and submit [to Him],

for Indeed, the pathway of Truth is not dark

He also said:

لقد أكرم الله النبيَّ محمّداً

فأكرم خلق الله في الناس أحمد

Verily Allah has honoured the Prophet Muhammad,

and the most honourable of Allah’s creation among the people is Ahmad

وشقّ له من اسمه ليجلّه

فذو العرش محمود، وهذا محمد

He named him from His own name in order to venerate him,

So, the Lord of the Throne is Mahmud, and this is Muhammad 3

He also said:

كذبتم وبيتِ الله نبزي محمّداً

ولما نطاعن دونه ونناضلِ

You have lied, by the House of Allah, [when you say] we have defeated Muhammad,

and [all this] when we are there to protect him with our swords and spears

ونُسلمه حتى نُصرَّع حوله

ونذهل عن أبنائنا والحلائلِ

While we protect him until we fall by his side,

forgetting even our own children and wives

وأبيض يستسقى الغمام بوجهه

ثمال اليتامى عصمة للأراملِ

The clouds are quenched by the whiteness of his face,

the nourisher of orphans and the protector of widows

يلوذ به الهلاّك من آل هاشم

فهم عنده في رحمةٍ وفواضلِ

Those of the Bani Hashim who are in danger turn to him [for assistance],

for they are, with him, in mercy and excellence

ألم تعلموا أنّ ابننا لا مكذَّبٌ

لدينا، ولا نعبأ بقول الأباطلِ

Do you not know that our son is not deemed a liar by us,

and we do not care for the words of the falsifiers?

فأيَّده ربُّ العباد بنصره

وأظهر ديناً حقّه غير باطلِ

He is helped by the Lord of the Creation with divine succour,

and he brought a religion of truth, without any falsehood

أُقيمُ على نصر النبيّ محمّدٍ

أُقاتل عنه بالقنا والقنابلِ

I undertake to support the Prophet Muhammad,

and will fight to protect him with all [my] might and resources4

These are just some of his many statements that show his acceptance and manifest support for the Noble Prophet (S). If it was not for his belief in Allah and his faith in Islam, he would not have taken such a position and would not have put himself and his children in harm’s way while helping the Prophet and strengthening his religion. This support and boldness were not because he was a close family member, for the Prophet had eight uncles (other than Abu Talib), So, why did history not record all of them taking the same noble stance? In fact, history tells us that some of his uncles took a shameful position, as in the case of his uncle Abu Lahab.

The Death Of Al-Sayyida Khadijah Al-Kubra

As years passed and time continued on its course, the life of al-Zahra was filled with hardships and calamities. She reached the age of seven or close to eight when a tragedy, which brought deep sorrow and profound grief to her heart, befell her. It was the death of her mother al-Sayyida Khadijah, the kind and loving mother who would always take tender care of her young daughter Fatimah, whom she would often look at with eyes full of sorrow and sadness, because she knew that al-Zahra would suffer the hardship of her loss.

When al-Sayyida Khadijah was bedridden and the spectre of death was reigning over her, the Messenger of Allah (S) came to her as she faced the pangs of death, and said to her, “Despite the difficulty we will have to endure due to your loss, O Khadijah, when you meet your peers, convey to them our greetings.” She asked, “Who are they O Messenger of Allah?” He (S) replied, “Maryam, daughter of ‘Imran, Kulthum sister of Musa and Asiyah wife of Fir’awn.” She said, “May you [always] be happy O Messenger of Allah.”5

The Messenger of Allah (S) used to say: I was commanded to give Khadijah glad tidings about a palatial house made of pearl (qasab) [for her] in Paradise, where there is neither clamour (sakhab) nor hardship or exertion.6 Ibn al-Athir says in his al-Nihayah: [The word] al-qasab in this tradition means a large hollowed out pearl [that is laid out] just like a lofty palace. And al-sakhab refers to the noise and clamour of quarrels and arguments.

Al-Sayyida Khadijah would weep and cry, So, Asma’ Bint ‘Umays asked her, “Do you cry while you are the Mistress of all Women of the World? And you are the wife of the Prophet and have been given glad tidings of Paradise by him!” She replied, “I am not crying for this reason. Rather, a woman must have a lady with her on her wedding night whom she can divulge her secret to and whom she can turn to for assistance. Fatimah is becoming a young lady and I am afraid that there will be nobody by her side during her time of need.” Asma’ said, “O my mistress, by Allah, I promise that if I remain alive until that time, I will take your place and fulfil this duty…”

Khadijah left this world at the age of sixty-three (according to one account). Her death was a painful blow to the heart of the Prophet, especially since the Prophet also lost his uncle Abu Talib a few days or months later, and this compounded his grief. So, much So, that he named that year ‘the year of sorrow’ (‘am al-huzn) because he faced two great tragedies in it: the loss of his wife Khadijah, not only because she was his wife, but because she was the first person to believe in his prophethood [among the womenfolk]. Furthermore, as a wife, she was a helper, an assistant, and a supporter to her husband as she gave away thousands and thousands from her own wealth in the way of Islam. She had a character that was unique in Makkah, rather, among all Arabian women.

She was buried in Hajun, and the Prophet (S) descended into her grave [to bury her]. Al-Sayyida Fatimah (‘a) sought solace in the presence of the Prophet (S) and would circle around him asking, “O Messenger of Allah, where is my mother?” The Prophet could not answer her. She would go around asking this, until Jibra’il descended and said, “Indeed, your Lord has commanded you to convey greetings to Fatimah and tell her: ‘Your mother is in a house made of pearls, its rooms are made of gold and its pillars are of made of red rubies. It is right between the houses of Asiyah the wife of Fir’awn and Maryam, daughter of ‘Imran.’” Upon hearing this, Fatimah said: “Indeed, Allah is al-Salam, and from Him is al-Salam and to him returns al-Salam.”

The other tragedy that he faced was the loss of his uncle Abu Talib, who had raised the Prophet from the day his grandfather ‘Abdul Muttalib passed away. He was only eight years old at the time. His patronage continued until the Prophet became fifty-three years old, and that was the year when Abu Talib passed away. Abu Talib had served and supported the Prophet throughout these long years and this was considered one of his greatest virtues and merits, because had it not been for him, the religion of Islam would have died in its cradle:

ولولا أبو طالبٍ وابنه

لَما مَثُل الدين شخصاً فقاما

If it were not for Abu Talib and his son,

none would have followed the religion, So, they stood

فهذا بمكّة آوى وحام

وهذا بيثرب جسَّ الحِماما

One in Makkah, calling out and supporting [the Prophet],

and the other in Yathrib, facing death [as he fought the enemies of Islam]

ولله ذا فاتحاً للهدى

ولله ذا للمعالي ختاما

For the sake of Allah one supported the path of guidance in the beginning,

and for the sake of Allah the other reached the peak of exaltedness.

These two tragedies had a great impact on the life of the Prophet and changed its course, because had it not been for the death of Abu Talib, he would never have migrated to Makkah. It was because he lacked a supporter and helper, and the fact that there was no one else among his uncles who could take the place of Abu Talib, not even his uncle Hamzah. His son, Ali Ibn Abi Talib (‘a) eulogized him with the following verses:

أبا طالبٍ عصمة المستجير

وغيث المحول ونور الظُّلَم

Aba Talib was the protector of the downtrodden,

the sought after rain and the light that eliminates darkness

لقد هدَّ فقدك أهل الحفاظ

فصلَّى عليك ولي النعم

Your loss has weakened the defenders [of the faith],

and the custodian of divine bounties prayed over you

ولقَّاك ربّك رضوانه

فقد كنت للطهر من خير عم

Your Lord has granted you His pleasure,

for you were the best of uncles for the Pure One7

Fatimah Al-Zahra (‘A) And The Migration

When the Messenger of Allah (S) was stricken by the deaths of al-Sayyida Khadijah and his uncle Abu Talib, he made the decision to migrate from Makkah. He instructed Ali to lie on his bed that night - the night that came to be known as laylat al-mabit. This was the night when about forty (or fourteen) men from the polytheists had gathered and surrounded the house of the Prophet with the intention of ambushing and killing him. The Prophet left and proceeded towards the cave [on his way to Madinah] while al-Sayyida Fatimah remained in the house, expecting the enemies to pounce on her house at any moment as she heard their open declarations of disbelief and apostasy against the Prophet.

Only Allah knows how frightened and terrified she was throughout the night, knowing the violent nature of the polytheists and the hardness of their hearts. The worst possible scenario was considered by her to be the most likely. In the morning, the attackers pounced on the house, wielding their unsheathed swords, as thought they were predacious wolves or hunting dogs in search of their prey. They approached the bed of the Prophet but did not find him there. Rather, they found Ali (‘a) sleeping on the Prophet’s bed, wrapped up in the gown of the Prophet (S). So, their plots came to naught, and they left the house having failed in their mission. They were about to burst out of fury and rage.

These moments were the most disconcerting and terrifying moments for the [tender] heart of al-Sayyida Fatimah al-Zahra (‘a).

How good it would have been if the matter ended there, but the hatred of disbelief remained hidden in the hearts just as an ember is concealed under the ashes. When Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a) left Makkah with the Fawatim i.e., Fatimah al-Zahra, Fatimah Bint Asad (the mother of Imam Ali) and Fatimah Bint al-Zubayr Ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib, the enemy confronted them on the way, trying to obstruct their path and prevent them from migrating. The situation was tense, and fear gripped the hearts of the Fawatim. They were on the verge of a grave calamity, and it would have befallen them had it not been for the protection and special grace of Allah. The famed heroism and courage of Imam Ali (‘a) also played a role, and in the end, by the will and power of Allah, Ali and the Fawatim were saved from the evil of the enemy.

When the Fawatim reached [the gates of] Madinah, the Prophet (S), who had arrived there earlier, was waiting for them. When they arrived, the Prophet entered Madinah [with them] and came to the house of Abu Ayyub al-Ansari, where his daughter Fatimah al-Zahra joined him and stayed with Umm Abi Ayyub al-Ansari. Al-Sayyida Fatimah lived under the shade of her father in Madinah, having undergone painful hardships and tribulations including the death of her mother Khadijah, her father’s migration from his hometown and birthplace, the enemy’s attack on their house, her own migration from Makkah and being pursued by the enemy. But was this the end of her adversities and suffering?

No. Rather, this was just the beginning of many more calamities and successive tribulations to follow. For not a year had passed after the migration, that the polytheists began gathering in Makkah and set their sights on Madinah in order to wage war against the Prophet and the Muslims. Jibra’il descended and warned the Prophet about the plot, So, he (S) came out of Madinah with the Muslims, both the Ansar and the Muhajirun, in order to confront the enemy before they could reach the city of Madinah. They arrived at a place between Madinah and Makkah called Badr. It was here that they came face to face with the polytheists while the latter’s numbers were three times that of the Muslims. The victory and triumph were for the Muslims and the polytheists faced a crushing defeat after which the Prophet returned to Madinah, triumphant and victorious.

Fatimah Al-Zahra (‘A) On The Day Of Uhud

One year and a month later, the Battle of Uhud took place. In this battle, seventy companions of the Prophet (S) were martyred. These were the select elite among his followers and the foremost of them was his uncle, the Master of Martyrs, Hamzah Ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib. The Prophet (S) himself was also injured on his noble forehead and a stone struck his pure mouth, breaking his two front teeth. Blood was flowing over his beard as if it was henna or dye. It was in these moments that Satan let out a loud cry that was heard by the Muslims in Uhud and even the people of Madinah heard it. He cried out, “Muhammad has been killed!”

Upon hearing this, the hearts of the Muslims in the battlefield became restless, and the fleers fled while the true believers remained steadfast. The restlessness in the households of Madinah was no less than that of the Muslims in the battlefield. Safiyyah Bint ‘Abd al-Muttalib (the aunt of the Prophet) and Fatimah al-Zahra came out to Uhud. Fatimah cried out and putting her hands on her head, she began wailing. All the Hashimi and Qarashi women came out to express their grief.

By the time Fatimah al-Zahra and Safiyyah arrived at Uhud, the battle had already ended, the martyrs had been slain and the wounded had been maimed. The Prophet was surveying the fallen and looking for those companions who were missing. Then he came to the body of Hamzah and found it in that indescribable state, having been mutilated in the worst and ugliest manner. They had severed his fingers and toes, cut off his nose and ears, split open his belly, removed his liver, and left him in that state.

The mangled sight was painful, upsetting and scarring for the heart of the Prophet, as it showed how the uncle of the Messenger of Allah (S), his helper, and his defender, had been tortured. Sorrow and anger had overwhelmed the Prophet and while he was in this state, he saw his aunt Safiyyah and his daughter Fatimah coming towards him, So, the Prophet (S) covered the body of Hamzah with his cloak, concealing it from head to toe such that none of the mutilations could be seen. Safiyyah and Fatimah came forward crying out and sat next to the body of Hamzah.

They began mourning and weeping, and the Prophet joined them and wept with them. Then Fatimah noticed the wounded forehead of the Prophet (S) and the blood that had dried up on his pure face and noble beard, So, she let out a cry and began to wipe away the blood saying: “May the wrath of Allah intensify upon the one who has bloodied the face of the Messenger of Allah!” She then washed away the blood from her father’s face while Ali poured the water from his shield.

When Fatimah noticed that the water was increasing the bleeding, she took a straw mat, burnt it and placed the ashes as a salve on her father’s forehead, using it to stop the bleeding. Can you imagine how these moments must have affected the heart of Fatimah? She was overwhelmed by great sorrow and intense fear, as a righteous daughter who understood the status of her father.

When Ali (‘a) returned from Uhud, he gave Fatimah his sword and said: “Take this sword, for Indeed, it has been true to me this day.” Then he recited the following verses [of poetry]:

أفاطم هاكِ السيف غير ذميمِ

فلستُ برعديدٍ، ولا بلئيمِ

Here Fatimah, the sword which is not dispraised,

for I am neither cowardly nor ignoble

لعمري لقد أعذرتُ في نصر أحمدٍ

وطاعة ربٍّ بالعباد عليمِ

By my life, I have done my best to help Ahmad,

and to obey my Lord, who knows everything about His servants

أُريد ثواب الله لا شيء غيره

ورضوانه في جنّة ونعيمِ

I want the reward of Allah, nothing else,

and His pleasure in the Paradise of Everlasting Bounty

وكنتُ امرأً يسمو إذ الحرب شمُّرت

وقامت على ساقٍ بغير مليمِ

I am a man who arose whenever war [against Islam] erupted and flared up,

without [giving any excuse or] deserving any blame

أممت بن عبد الدار حتى جرحته

بذي رونقٍ يفري العظام صميمِ

I was the one who duelled the son of ‘Abd al-Dar until I wounded him with the shiny sword, which cuts right through the bones

فغادرته بالقاع فارفضَّ جمعه

عباديد ممّا قانط وكليمِ

I thus left him on the ground causing his contingent to disperse,

all feeling despondent and helpless [by his] having being wounded

وسيفي بكفّي كالشهاب أهزُّه

أحزُّ به من عاتقٍ وصميمِ

My sword in my hand as I swing it like a piercing flame,

I strike with it, splitting the bones and skulls [of the enemy]

فما زلت حتى فضَّ ربي جموعهم

وأشفيت منهم صدر كل حليمِ

I continued this until my Lord scattered their ranks

and I had avenged the blood of every forbearing one

أَميطي دماء القوم عنه فإنّه

سقى آل عبد الدار كأْس حميمِ

Wipe the blood of the enemy from it for Indeed,

it has made the family of ‘Abd al-Dar drink from the goblet of Hell

The Prophet (S) said: “Take it O Fatimah, for Indeed, your husband has fulfilled his duty. Allah has caused the warriors of Quraysh to be slain by his hand.”

Respected reader, you have seen that al-Sayyida Fatimah al-Zahra (‘a) was present at Uhud after the battle had ended, and when she saw her father’s injury, she washed away his blood with water and placed the ashes of a burnt straw mat on his forehead. This is what the historians have reported.

However, in our day and age, a group of people arose who considered this event a stage where they could enact their rare performances, So, they wrote with complete resolve, persistence, and repetition, that Fatimah used to come to all the battles to nurse the wounded, attend to them and give them aid! I do not understand what these people hope to achieve with these lies.

Al-Sayyida undertook the task or nursing her father’s wounds only on one occasion in her life, and that too was after the battle had come to an end. Can it then be said of her that she used to attend all the battles, nurse the wounded, and care for them? I do not understand what the goal of these people is in spreading such falsehoods and lies. Do they want to undermine the sanctity and virtue of al-Sayyida Fatimah al-Zahra? Or do they seek a way to open the door to mixed gatherings?

Let us assume that Nasibah Bint Ka’b came out in the battle of Uhud to attend to the wounded. Does this mean that al-Sayyida Fatimah al-Zahra – the Mistress of all Women of the World in chastity, modesty, respect, purity, and virtue – should be likened to the nurses in hospitals, clinics, and medical institutions? I do not know, but they might know and understand what could warrant such a lie!

The Hardships Faced By Al-Sayyida Fatimah In Her Father’s House

One of the hardships that al-Sayyida Fatimah al-Zahra (‘a) faced in her life was the suffering that she had to endure at the hands of some of the wives of her father, the Prophet (S). They were the ones who were afflicted by some form of [superiority] complex and were thus jealous of al-Sayyida Fatimah al-Zahra for her talents and virtues, especially since the Prophet (S) used to show great fondness for her and shower her with his affection. He loved her with a remarkable love that inflamed a sense of concealed envy in the hearts of some of his wives.

Shaykh al-Majlisi narrates from the book al-Khisal, from Abu Abdillah (Imam al-Sadiq (‘a)), who said: “The Messenger of Allah (S) entered his house and found ‘A’ishah confronting Fatimah and shouting at her: ‘By Allah, O daughter of Khadijah, you think that your mother was better than us in virtue - in what way was she better than us? She was nothing more than one of us!’

The Prophet heard what she said to Fatimah, and when Fatimah saw the Messenger of Allah (S), she began to cry. He said to her: ‘Why are you crying O daughter?’ She said: ‘‘A’ishah mentioned my mother and disparaged her So, I cried.’ The Prophet (S) became angry and said: ‘Enough, O Hamra’!8 Indeed, Allah, the Exalted, has blessed the affectionate and fruitful wife, and Khadijah (may Allah bless her) bore me a pure son (who was named ‘Abdullah) and he was purified, and she bore me al-Qasim and Ruqayyah and Umm Kulthum and Zaynab; whereas you are among the wives whose wombs have been made barren by the will of Allah and you have not given birth to anything.’9

A’ishah had on many occasions behaved inappropriately towards al-Sayyida Fatimah al-Zahra (‘a) and this shows the deep-seated hatred she bore against her. In fact, no other wife went to such extremes with the Mistress of all Women of the Worlds. Among these instances is what you will read when we discuss the subject of Fadak, where ‘A’ishah bore witness in front of her father Abu Bakr that Prophets do not leave any inheritance, So, that al-Sayyida Fatimah (‘a) would be deprived of her inheritance from her father (S).

In another instance, we find that when the news of al-Zahra’s death reached ‘A’ishah, she smiled! You will read how, while on her deathbed, al-Sayyida Fatimah asked Asma’ Bint ‘Umays to ensure that ‘A’ishah was not allowed to attend her funeral. This clearly proves her anger and displeasure towards ‘A’ishah; and the Prophet (S) has said: “Verily Allah is angry at whomsoever Fatimah is angry [with] and pleased with whomsoever Fatimah is pleased with.”10

Additionally, in the previous hadith, it is clearly stated that the daughters of Khadijah al-Kubra are all from the Prophet of Allah (S), not from any other spouse. This narration is not the only evidence for this fact; rather, there are many indubitable proofs that they were all the real daughters of the Prophet (S). Unfortunately, it is beyond the scope of this book to explain more about this. We may, God-willing, present this discussion in another work, and highlight the importance and significance of this matter.

• 1. Muhammad Ibn Jarir al-Tabari (d. 310 A.H.), Tarikh al-Umam wa al-Muluk, vol. 1, p. 545.
• 2. Abu Hafan al-Mahrazmi (d. 257 A.H.), Diwan Abu Talib, p. 160; ‘Abd al-Malik Ibn Hisham al-Himyari (d. 218 A.H.), al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah, vol. 1, p. 352.
• 3. Hassan Ibn Thabit recited this couplet in his poetry in praise of the Prophet (S).
• 4. Diwan Abu Talib, pp. 258.
• 5. Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 19, p. 24.
• 6. Musnad Ahmad, vol. 6, p. 279.
• 7. ‘Abbas al-Qummi (d. 1359 A.H.), Kitab al-Kuna wa al-Alqab, vol. 1, pp. 109-110.
• 8. This was one of the titles of ‘A’ishah and literally means ‘the red one’.
• 9. Muhammad Ibn Ali Ibn al-Babawayh (d. 381 A.H.), Al-Khisal, vol. 2, p. 405.
• 10. Nuzhat al-Majalis, vol. 2, p. 228.