One of the astounding things [about this great lady] is the difference of opinion about her date of birth, and whether it was before the commencement of the Prophetic mission (mab’ath) or after it. While we find numerous narrations that state that she was born five years or three years after the mab’ath, there are some who opine that the date of her birth was five years before the mab’ath. The first opinion is supported by narrations from the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) and is also accepted by some of the Sunni scholars. The second opinion is limited to scholars and traditionists of the Ammah.

Some of the narrations about the date of her birth are as follows:

1. In al-Kulayni’s al-Kafi: She was born five years after the [initiation of] Prophethood (mab’ath) and three years after the [Prophet’s] night journey (Isra’). When the Prophet (S) passed away, Fatimah was eighteen years old1.

2. Al-Manaqib (of Ibn Shahrashub): Fatimah was born five years after the [commencement of] the Prophethood and three years after the night journey (Isra’), on the twentieth of Jumada al-Akhirah. She stayed with her father in Makkah for eight years and then migrated.

3. In al-Bihar from Imam al-Baqir (‘a): Fatimah Bint Muhammad was born five years after the mab’ath of the Messenger of Allah, and she died at the age of eighteen years and seventy-five days2.

4. Rawdhat al-Wa’izin: Fatimah was born five years after the mab’ath of the Prophet.

5. Iqbal al-A’mal: Shaykh al-Mufid has mentioned in his book Hada’iq al-Riyadh: the twentieth of Jumada al-Akhirah was the birthday of al-Sayyida Fatimah al-Zahra, in the second year after the mab’ath.

6. Misbah al-Kaf’ami: She was born on Friday the twentieth of Jumada al-Akhirah in the second year after the mab’ath, and it has [also] been said [that it was] five years after the mab’ath.

7. Al-Misbahayn3: According to some narrations, on Friday the twentieth of Jumada al-Akhirah, two years after the mab’ath, Fatimah (‘a) was born. Another narration states that it was five years after the mab’ath; and the Ammah say that she was born five years before the mab’ath.

8. Dala’il al-Imamah from Imam al-Sadiq (‘a): Fatimah was born on the twentieth of Jumada al-Akhirah, forty-five years after the Prophet was born4.

This is a sample of statements from the Imams of the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) and the earlier Shi’ah scholars (may Allah have mercy upon them) about the birth of al-Sayyida Fatimah al-Zahra (‘a) after the mab’ath.

Some of the scholars of the ‘Ammah say that she was born before the mab’ath:

1. Ma’rifat al-Sahabah by Abu Na’im: Fatimah was the youngest daughter of the Prophet. She was born while the Quraysh were renovating the Ka’bah.

2. Maqatil al-Talibin by Abu al-Faraj: Fatimah was born before the [commencement of] Prophethood at a time when the Quraysh were renovating the Ka’bah.

3. Ibn al-Athir in al-Mukhtar min Manaqib al-Akhyar

4. Al-Tabari in Dhakha’ir al-’Uqba

5. Al-Suyyuti in al-Thughur al-Basimah

These are just some of the sources, and the researcher may find this opinion about the birth of al-Zahra (‘a) in most of the books of the ‘Ammah.

We have already mentioned the traditions that are narrated in the books of the ‘Ammah about her conception from the sperm [that developed] from the food of Paradise.

After reading these narrations, albeit in summary, it becomes clear to us that the birth of al-Sayyida Fatimah al-Zahra (‘a) was after the commencement of the Prophethood, as there was no ascension nor was there any descent of Jibra’il or Mika’il to the Prophet with any revelation before the mab’ath. In this way we become aware of the falsity of the view that she was born five years before the mab’ath and realize that those who say this have an ulterior motive that is driving them to this differing opinion, namely that they want to dispense with the narrations about the descent of heavenly food and the conception of al-Sayyida Fatimah from the fruit of Paradise.

Another goal they have is to try and prove that Fatimah al-Zahra was undesirable, and nobody wanted to marry her, and this is why she reached the age of eighteen (in their estimation) while nobody had sought her hand in marriage. We shall discuss this matter further in a later chapter about her marriage.

In any case, al-Tabari has narrated in Dhakha’ir al-’Uqba, al-Safuri al-Shafi’i in Nuzhat al-Majalis and al-Qanduzi in Yanabi’ al-Mawaddah, from Khadijah (‘a) who said: “When the time of my delivery approached, I sent for the midwives of the Quraysh, but they refused to come and assist me because of Muhammad (S)5. As I was in this state [of labour], four women, whose beauty and luminance defied description, came to me. One of them said: ‘I am your mother Hawwa’.’ Another said: ‘I am Asiyah.’ The third one said: ‘I am Umm Kulthum the sister of Musa’ and the last said: ‘I am Maryam – we have come to assist in your affair.’”

This tradition has also been narrated in the following way: When Khadijah wanted to deliver [her child], she sent for the women of Quraysh asking them to come and assist her in what women who give birth undergo, but they turned her down saying, “We will not come to you – you have become the wife of Muhammad (S).” As she was in this condition, four women came to her. Their beauty and luminescence were beyond description.

One of them said to her: “I am your mother Hawwa’.” The other said: “I am Asiyah Bint Muzahim.” Another said: “I am Umm Kulthum the sister of Musa,” and the fourth one said: “I am Maryam Bint ‘Imran (the mother of ‘Isa); we have come to assist you in the matter that women undergo [during childbirth].” She (Khadijah) said: “Thus was Fatimah born. And when she entered into this world, she fell on the earth in prostration and raised her finger.”6

Mufadhdhal Ibn ‘Umar narrated: I asked Abu Abdillah al-Sadiq (‘a), “How was the birth of Fatimah?” He replied: “Yes… When she (Khadijah) was pregnant with Fatimah, Fatimah would talk to her from within her womb and console her. She kept this a secret and did not inform the Prophet of Allah (S) about it. One day, the Prophet came home and heard Khadijah talking to Fatimah, So, he asked her, ‘O Khadijah, whom are you talking to?’ ‘To the child in my womb – it talks to me and comforts me,’ she replied.

He said, ‘O Khadijah, Jibra’il has just informed me that it is a girl, and she is a pure and blessed child. Allah, the Most High, will continue my lineage through her. He will place the Imams in her progeny and will make them His vicegerents on earth after the completion of revelation7.’”

Then the Imam (‘a) mentioned that four women descended [from heaven] in order to assist Khadijah with her delivery… He (‘a) said: “Fatimah was born pure, and when she fell to the earth, a light emanated from her the brightness of which was So, great that it illuminated all the houses of Makkah… then ten houris entered, each one of them carrying a tray from Paradise with an ewer that was filled with water from [the pool of] al-Kawthar.

They each gave the vessel to the lady who was in front of her, and she washed her with the water of al-Kawthar. Then two white cloths were brought that were whiter than milk and more fragrant than musk and amber. She was swaddled in one and covered with the other. Then she was questioned, So, Fatimah pronounced the testimonies of faith (shahadatayn), saying: ‘I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and that my father is the Messenger of Allah and the Master of all Prophets, and my husband is the Master of all Legatees (awsiya’) and my two sons are the Masters of the Youth [of Paradise].’8

Then she (Fatimah) greeted them and called each one by her name. Each one came forward and smiled at her. The houris were overjoyed and all the inhabitants of the heavens congratulated each other on the birth of Fatimah. A glowing light was seen at that moment in the sky, the likes of which the angels had never witnessed. The women said, ‘Take her, O Khadijah, a pure, purified, honourable and auspicious child who is blessed and whose progeny is blessed.’ So, she took her, with joy and happiness, and placed her next to her breast and nursed her.”9

Ibn Asakir has also narrated in al-Tarikh al-Kabir that when Khadijah gave birth to a boy, she would hand him over to the wet-nurse So, that he may be nursed, but when she gave birth to Fatimah, nobody other than Khadijah nursed her.

This has also been narrated by Ibn Kathir in al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah.

• 1. al-Kafi vol. 1 p. 428; Bihar al-Anwar vol. 43 p. 7.
• 2. Bihar al-Anwar vol. 43 p. 8.
• 3. Meaning the two books named al-Misbah i.e. the al-Misbah of al-Kaf’ami and the al-Misbah of al-Tusi (Tr.).
• 4. Bihar al-Anwar vol. 43 p. 9.
• 5. Bihar al-Anwar p. 2; ‘Abdullah Afandi al-Bahrani (d. 12th Century A.H.), ‘Awalim al-’Ulum wa al-Ma’arif, vol. 11, p. 55.
• 6. Dhakha’ir al-’Uqba, p. 45.
• 7. al-Rawdh al-Fa’iq, p. 214; Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 43, p. 2.
• 8. Dhakha’ir al-’Uqba, p. 44.
• 9. Dhakha’ir al-’Uqba, vol. 43, p. 2.