Marriage of Lady Fatimah: Prophet Accepts Imam Ali's Proposal - Our Prophet 6 - Foundations Of Islamic State

In any case, a number of Companions: 'Umar, Abu Bakr, Sa'd Ibni Ma'ad, even Umm Ayman, they finally come to Imam 'Ali, 'alayhi as-salam, they tell him, 'Ali Ibn Abi Talib, it is time for you now to go and propose. Imam 'Ali, 'alayhi as-salam, due to his amazing Akhlaq [ettiquette], he was embarrassed to go and propose. He was simply embarrassed, so, they pressured him. They told him, no, we will support you, you should go and propose.

So, finally, in the month of Dhul Qa'dah, this is you know, days before the actual wedding and the marriage contract. Imam 'Ali 'alayhi as-salam goes on the Prophet, salla Allahu 'alayhi wa alihi, and he tells him, 'O Messenger of God, you have brought me up as your own child. You raised me. You have overwhelmed me with your blessings, your generosity, your kindness. I owe everything in my life to you. Now I seek one more kindness from you.' So, the Hadith says, the Prophet, salla Allahu 'alayhi wa alihi, quickly realized what Imam 'Ali 'alayhi as-salam was suggesting.

The Hadith [narration] states, the face of the Prophet was lit up with a broad smile. He was very happy that finally, Imam 'Ali, 'alayhi as-salam has now come forward. And then he realized Imam 'Ali was proposing, so he told him this is about Fatimah, 'alayha as-salam? Imam 'Ali, 'alayhi as-salam said yes. This is about Fatimah.

The Prophet became very happy, he was like, Wait. He went inside and he told Lady Fatimah, 'Ali Ibni Abi Talib has come to propose to you. What do you say? The Hadith says she stayed silent, she did not say anything. The Prophet asked her again, she just stayed calm and silent. The Prophet said, al-hamdu li-Llah, her silence is her sign of approval. So, she has given her approval, then he went and told Imam 'Ali, it is a done deal.

Why is the silence of a girl a sign of her approval? Let us ask the sisters. I know, but I know that is tradition. Right, but why is it a tradition? See, culturally, if a girl is asked, do you want to marry this person and a girl says! That is inappropriate. In a lot of cultures, that is inappropriate. It could, I do not know, indicate desperation. It could indicate that she wants to leave her family. Yeah, she wants to leave her father, right?

So, we see the Prophet, salla Allahu 'alayhi wa alihi, asking Lady Fatimah, because she was so well mannered, she wanted to get married to Imam 'Ali, but she did not say anything. She just kept silent. Her silence was her polite way of saying yes. And historically, that has been the common custom and tradition.

So, after that, the Companions basically are told about what happened. Allah Subhana wa Ta'ala, he gives His verdict after Imam 'Ali, 'alayhi as-salam, has proposed. Allah Subhana wa Ta'ala is the one who authorizes this wedding, this marriage, even before the Prophet publicly announces this.

For example, we have a hadith in the Book of the Bihar al-Anwar, in our sources, we have a number of hadiths, attributed to the Prophet, salla Allahu 'alayhi wa alihi, in which the Prophet says, when I was praying on a Friday, Salat al-Subh, the Fajr [morning] prayer, I heard the movement of angels. There was something going on. 'wa idha bi Habibi Jibra'il -'and then I see my beloved Jibra'il', with him 70 lines of angels, they are wearing a crown and symbolically speaking, it is like they are dressed up for an occasion, the angels. So, I asked Jibra'il, what is going on in the Heavens? What is all this commotion in the Heavens? Jibra'il said, 'Ya Muhammad, Allah Subhana wa Ta'ala, looked at the people of the Earth and he saw that there is no match for your daughter Fatimah other than 'Ali Ibn Abi Talib 'alayhi as-salam, and Allah right now has performed the marriage ceremony on top of the 'Arsh [Throne].

These are the ahadith in our sources, many, many of them, numerous Hadiths, that the one who handled the marriage of Lady Fatimah and Imam 'Ali 'alayhi as-salam, is Allah himself. So, there was a grand celebration in the heavens.

Allah conducted the marriage contract. Some Ahadith indicates the Heavens, paradise was specifically decorated for this event. All the angels of God, they witnessed the ceremony that happened in the Heavens and the 'Khutbah of the 'Aqd'- 'the marriage contract' was performed by Allah himself. Allah spoke the marriage contract on behalf of Lady Fatimah and Imam 'Ali Ibn Abi Talib 'alayhi as-salam.

So, we see that this was so important that Allah Subhana wa Ta'ala gives this special treatment to the marriage of Imam 'Ali and Lady Fatimah 'alayha as-salam.

Now the Prophet wants to make it public. So, the Prophet salla Allahu 'alayhi wa alihi, according to Ahadith narrated by Umm Salamah, Salman, Jabir, they stated that the Prophet salla Allahu 'alayhi wa alihi told Imam 'Ali, he told him, 'ukhruj ya Aba la-Hasan ila al-Masjid, fa inni kharijun fi atharik'- 'Go to the mosque, I am coming and I want to declare this marriage in front of everyone.'

So, Imam 'Ali 'alayhi as-salam says I arrived at the mosque and then shortly after the Prophet salla Allahu 'alayhi wa alihi was there. Then the Prophet salla Allahu 'alayhi wa alihi he stood and he made an announcement. He says, 'Ayna Bilal?' 'Get me Bilal here.' 'Where is Miqdad? Where is Salman? Where is Abu Dharr?' So, when all these Companions gathered and others, the Prophet salla Allahu 'alayhi wa alihi told them go and bring everyone in the city of Madinah. I want a large gathering today.

So, the people of Madinah, they gather. Then the Prophet salla Allahu 'alayhi wa alihi sits on his pulpit and he delivers a beautiful sermon. I want to read to you some parts of the sermon of the Prophet. In the beginning, he praises Allah Subhana wa Ta'ala. He highlights the glory and the power of Allah Subhana wa Ta'ala. Then he says Allah, whose name has been blessed and whose greatness has been exalted, has made affinity through marriage as subsequent kinship, an imposed manner that he interlaces relatives and binds people by it. He is speaking about the philosophy of marriage.

Then he quotes this verse from the Holy Qur'an, 25:54: 'and He, it is what Has created man from water. Then He has made for him blood relationship and marriage relationship and your Lord is powerful.' So, he quotes a verse from the Qur'an, how Allah brings two people together through marriage. Just like you have blood relatives, sometimes you could have a person who is so close to you through marriage.

Then, the Prophet salla Allahu 'alayhi wa alihi mentions another verse from the Holy Qur'an that what I am about to announce has been decreed by Allah Subhana wa Ta'ala. Then he says, 'Allah the Almighty has ordered me to marry Fatimah to 'Ali. I make you witness that I marry Fatimah to 'Ali for 400 weights of silver, 400 dirhams as the dowry if he agrees due to the authentic Sunnah and the obligatory duty, meaning the dowry in Islam is part of my Sunnah and also an obligation.'

Then the Prophet makes a Du'a for Imam 'Ali and Lady Fatimah. He says,' May Allah gather them together, bless them, make their offspring good and make their progeny the keys to mercy.' Look at the beautiful Du'a of the Prophet. And when the Prophet supplicates, Allah does not say no to the Prophet. 'Make their progeny the keys to mercy, the source of wisdom and safety to the nation. I say this and ask Allah to forgive me and you.' So, the Prophet ends his sermon.

Then he asked Imam 'Ali 'alayhi as-salam to say a few words. Imam 'Ali Ibn Abi Talib 'alayhi as-salam, also starts his sermon by praising Allah Subhana wa Ta'ala. Then the Imam 'alayhi as-salam he talks about marriage. He says, 'Marriage is from that which Allah has ordered and from that which pleases Allah. 'This is the Messenger of Allah, He has married his daughter Fatimah to me, for a dowry and he mentions the dowry and I have agreed. Ask him and witness on that'.

Then the Prophet, salla Allahu 'alayhi wa alihi, he basically, once he gets the approval from Imam 'Ali he issues the marriage contract and he announces that Imam 'Ali Ibn Abi Talib 'alayhi as-salam is the lawful husband of Lady Fatimah.

When hearing this, Imam 'Ali Ibni Abi Talib, he falls into Sujud [prostration] in the Mosque before Allah Subhana wa Ta'ala, thanking Allah Subhana wa Ta'ala for this great honour that He has given him. So, the conclusion of the marriage was held in the mosque of the Prophet, salla Allahu 'alayhi wa alihi. Then the Prophet ordered for some dates to be given to those who were present over there.

Now, before the wedding and before they move in, the Prophet wanted to prepare the room, the house of Lady Fatimah 'alayha as-salam. That is something we will examine InshaAllah in our next course.

Wa salla Allahu 'ala Muhammadin wa 'alihi at-tahirin [Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa Aali Muhammad].