Rafed English

Al-Kauthar

Al-Kauthar
Adopted from the Book "Fatima, The Gracious", by Abu-Muhammad Ordoni

It is written in the Holy Quran about Ahlulbait (p.b.u.h.): "O people of the (prophet’s) house! ALLAH intends but to remove all sorts of uncleanness and blemish from you and to purify you with a thorough purification". (The Holy Quran sura 33 Ahzaab- 33)

All commentators (exegesis) of the Holy Quran agree what this verse is about: The Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h.) Ali Ibn Abi Talib (p.b.u.h.), Lady Fatimah Az-Zahra (p.b.u.h.) and their sons Hassan (p.b.u.h.) and Hossain (p.b.u.h.). This is an Announcement to the entire world, about the purity and the infallibility of them. Lady Fatimah Az-Zahra (p.b.u.h.) has such a high position that if we take the time to look at only some of them there will be no doubt to anyone that Lady Fatimah Al-Zahra (p.b.u.h.) is truly the mistress of all women of the world and Paradise, and is of the most special and beloved creations of ALLAH (swt).

"Say: I do not ask of you any reward for it but love for my near of kin; and whoever earns good, We give him more of good therein; surely ALLAH is Forgiving, Grateful. (The Holy Quran 42 As-Shura: 23)

It is unanimous amongst all Exegesis of the Quran this Ayat is about the love all believers must have for the Ahlulbait (p.b.u.h.) of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h.). Many Hadith about this Ayat can also be found in many correct books of hadith, including the following non-Shia sources: Ibn Hijr in: Al-Muhriqah, Sayuti in Al-Dur Al-Manthour, Abu Nu’aym in Hilyat Al-Awlia, Hamwini Shafe’I in Al-Fara’ed.

The Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h.) said:

"Fatimah is a part of me; whoever pleases her pleases me and whoever displeases her, displeases me. She is dearer to me than all beings". (Al-Amaali, Shaykh Al-Mufid (r-a): 13th Assembly, hadith # 2).

The Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h.) said:

"O Salman! Whoever loves Fatimah, my daughter, will be in Heaven with me; and whoever dislikes her, then that one will be in (Hell) Fire". (Fara’id-us-Samtayn, vol2, p.67)

The Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h.) said:

"The best women of paradise are: Khadija Bint Khowailid, Fatimah Bint Muhammad, Asia Bint Muzahim (Pharaoh’s wife) and Maryam Bint Imran". (Musnad Ahmad vol 2 p.293)

The Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h.) said:

"The best women of the world are four: Maryam Bint Imran, Asia Bint Muzahim, Khadija Bint Khowailid and Fatimah Bint Muhammad". (Musnad Ahmad vol 2 p. 293)

Aisha Bint Talha quoted Aisha as saying: "I have not seen anyone more similar to the Messenger of ALLAH in speech and dialogue than Fatimah. Whenever she entered the house, he would greet her, kiss her hands and ask her to sit near him. Likewise, when the Prophet entered the house, she would greet him, kiss his hands and ask him to sit near her".

The Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h.) said:

"As for my daughter Fatimah, she is the mistress of all women; from the beginning of history until the end. She is part of me; she is the light of my eye and the fruit of my heart. Fatimah is my spirit which I hold in me; she is a human huri. Whenever she keeps up prayers in her Mehrab before her LORD, her light illuminates the angels in the Heaven just as a star shines to mankind on Earth.

So ALLAH, Exalted is HIS name, says to the angels:

'My angels, look at my servant, Fatimah, who is the mistress of all my female servants, keeping up prayers before ME. Her limbs shake from fear of ME and she worships ME wholeheartedly. Bear witness that I have safeguarded her Shiites (followers) from Hellfire…’" (Bihar Al-Anwar vol.10)

Imam Hasan (p.b.u.h.) said:

"Once, on a Friday night, I watched my mother, Fatimah, pray all night long. She kept making ruku’ and prostrating until dawn. I heard her supplicate for the believers by name; but she did not supplicate for herself, so I asked: 'Mother, why don’t you supplicate for yourself as you supplicate for others?’

She answered: 'Son! Prefer your neighbour over yourself.’" (Bihar Al-Anwar vol 10)

We can now understand the very special place Lady Fatimah Az-Zahra (p.b.u.h.) has, not only for the women, but for all human beings. Lady Fatimah Az-Zahra (p.b.u.h.) is truly a most perfect example of ethics and human virtue.

Al-Kauthar in the Holy Quran means Hadrat Fatima Zahra (p.b.u.h.)

"In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
Verily We have given you (O Muhammad) Kauthar.
So pray to your Lord and offer sacrifice.
Verily it your enemy whose line (progeny) shall be cut off". (108: 1-3)

Purpose of Revelation

One day 'Aas Ibn Wael, who was one of the leaders of the Mushrikeen of Makkah saw the Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.) coming out of Masjidul-Haraam. Therefore, he stopped and conversed with him for some while. Meanwhile, some other elders of Mushrikeen who were inside the mosque were observing this. When the conversation was over and 'Aas came inside the mosque, the group asked, "O 'Aas! Whom were you chatting to?" He responded by saying, "With that person who is Abtar".
Abtar means "Tail-less" – a person whose progeny has been cut off. The Holy prophet (p.b.u.h.) had two sons from Khadija (p.b.u.h.) namely Qasim and Tahir. Since both of them had died, leaving the prophet without any sons, the pagan Arabs started calling the prophet (p.b.u.h.) Abtar.
As a consolation to the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) ,Surah al-Kauthar was revealed.

Meaning of Al-Kauthar

It is recorded in al-Bukhari, al-Muslim, Musnad of Ahmed Ibn Hanbal and other Sunni books that the Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.) said: "Kauthar is a stream of super excellence exclusively belonging to me. Only the righteous believers (among my followers) will be allowed to drink from it. Ali (p.b.u.h.) will distribute water from it to them. On the day of Judgment, I will see some of my companions driven like cattle away from Kauthar. It will be announced that they are those, who after my departure from the world, deviated from the true religion and introduced innovations to corrupt the faith".
From that day onwards, Ali (p.b.u.h.) became known as Saaqi-e-Kauthar meaning one who quenches the thirst of believers from the stream of Kauthar.
Kauthar also means Kheire-katheer "Bounties in abundance". Allah (SWT) bestowed the Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.) plenty of bounties such as prophethood, Holy Quran, companions, rulership, success in battles, acceptance and entrance of people into the fold of Islam in large numbers etc.
However, many Shia scholars say that because in the last verse of this Surah, Allah (SWT) says,

"Verily it is your enemy whose progeny shall be cut off"

this by itself proves that Kauthar is also in reference to the most beloved daughter of the Messenger of Allah, Seyyida Fatimah az-Zahra (p.b.u.h.) through whom Allah (SWT) gave His beloved prophet (p.b.u.h.) abundance of descendants.

Female Born are Blessings

Before Islam, giving birth to a female child was considered as source of disgrace and burden.
"And when anyone of them is given the news of a daughter his face turns black, he is filled with anger. And he hides himself from the people because of the evil of the news given to him (wondering) should he keep her with disgrace, or bury her (alive) in the dust. Behold! (how) evil is what they judge". (16:58-59)

Many Arabs opted to bury their female child to save themselves from disgrace:
"And when the girl (buried alive) is asked; For what sin was she put to death". (81:8-9) Whereas the Arabs used to hanker for male offspring, whom they believed ensured continuity of their progeny.
The Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.) said:

"Blessed is that woman who first gives birth to a daughter and then to a son". He (p.b.u.h.) also said: "Twelve graces descend over the person’s house where there are daughters. Heavenly blessings are showered on that house and angels visit that house for a glimpse".
A man was sitting with the Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.) when someone came and told him, "A daughter has been born to you". There was a visible sign of dislike on his face, so the Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.) said,

"The earth bears her, the heavens shade her and the Almighty gives her food. For you, she is like a flower, smell her fragrance".

Treatment of Fatimah (p.b.u.h.)

The Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.) accorded his daughter with highest respect and always showered her with love and kindness. Whenever, she came in his presence, the Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.) stood up in her respect.
He (p.b.u.h.) called her Umme Abeehaa meaning

The mother of her father

He (p.b.u.h.) also said:

"Fatimah is part of me, whoever offends her has offended me".
Even after Fatimah (p.b.u.h.) was married to Ali (p.b.u.h.), the Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.) continued showing love to her and her family. He (p.b.u.h.) would frequently visit her and it was his tendency that whenever he went on a journey, he would first bid farewell to his wives and then come to the house of his beloved daughter from where he would begin his travel. On return, he would first come to greet Fatimah (p.b.u.h.) and then go to others.
Haroon ar-Rasheed once asked Imam Musa al-Kadhim (p.b.u.h.), "Why do you call yourselves as descendants of the Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.) when you are actually the descendants of Ali (p.b.u.h.)? Men are traced to their fathers and the Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.) was your maternal grandfather". Imam (p.b.u.h.) replied:

"In Quran, Allah (SWT) says: and among his progeny (are) Dawood, Sulayman, Ayyub, Yusuf, Musa and Haroon. Thus, We reward those who do good. And Zakariyyah, Yahya, Issa and Ilyaas ...
Who is Issa’s father? He is considered among the prophet’s offspring through Maryam. Likewise, we are the offspring of the Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.) through our mother Fatimah".

Fatima (p.b.u.h.) in the verse of Mubahala

Allah, the Exalted said: "If anyone disputes in this matter with thee, now after (full,) knowledge hath come to thee, say: 'Come! Let us gather together, our sons and your sons, our women and your women, ourselves and yourselves. Then let us invoke the curse of God on those who lie!" III: 61

This event is famous and is known to all Muslims. Islamic scholars are united on the fact that it was revealed in regard to the Christian delegation who came from Najran to dispute the issue of Isa Ibn Maryam (p.b.u.h.) with the Prophet (p.b.u.h.). In V.6 of Bihar, Imam Ali (p.b.u.h.) mentioned the event in the following manner:

A delegation of Najrani Christians led by three prominent men, Al-Aqib, Muhsen, and the Archbishop; these men along with two prominent Jews came to the Prophet (p.b.u.h.).

They intended w argue with him; the archbishop started:

"Abu Al-Qasim, who was Musa's father?

The Prophet answered:

"Imran."

The archbishop then said: "Who was Yusuf's father?

The Prophet:

"Yaqoub."

The archbishop continued: "May I he your sacrifice; who is your father?"

The Prophet answered:

"Abdullah Ibn Abd Al-Muttalib."

Then the archbishop asked: "Who is Isa's (Jesus) father?"

The Prophet waited a moment while Gabriel revealed the following to him:

'(Say) he was the Spirit of Allah and His Word.'

The archbishop then asked. "Can he be a spirit without having a body?"

Again, a revelation was sent to the Prophet (p.b.u.h. &h.f.) the revelation is as follows:

"The similitude of Isa before Allah is as that of Adam; He created him from dust, then said to him: 'Be.' And he was."

When the archbishop heard this, he jumped in objection to the Prophet saying that Isa (p.b.u.h.) was created from dust, and said.

"Muhammad, We don't find this to be in the Torah, the Bible, or in the Zabour. You are the first one to say this."

This was the moment that the verse of Mubahala was revealed.

After the delegation had heard the verse, they said.

"Assign for us a solemn meeting (in which every side supplicates to Allah to curse the other side if they are followers of falsehood)."

The Prophet's answer to this was:

"Tomorrow morning, if Allah wills."

The next morning, the Prophet finished his morning prayers and ordered Ali to follow him and Fatima, in turn, holding Al-Hassan and AI-Hussain to follow Ali.

The Prophet (p.b.u.h) then told them:

"When I supplicate you should say: Amen."

When the delegation saw the holy family and that the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) had spread a mat for himself and family, they said to each other: "By Allah, he is a true Prophet; and if he curses us, surely Allah will answer his prayer and destroy us. The only thing that can save us, is to ask him to relieve us from this meeting."

Razi, in his interpretation of the Holy Quran states:

Christians, I surely see faces of men, who if they were to ask Allah to move a mountain, He would surely do it. Do not hold this The Arachbishop said:

"O meeting or you shall be destroyed and no Christian will remain on Earth until the Day of Resurrection."

The delegation proceeded toward the Messenger and said:

"Abu Al-Qasim, relieve us (from this) solemn meeting."

The Prophet said:

"Indeed I will; but the One who sent me with righteousness is my witness that had I cursed you, Allah would not have left a Christian on the face of the earth."

This has been a summary of the story. What matters to us here, is Allah's saying in the verse:

"Our women and your women." All Muslims have agreed that the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) took Ali with him to represent "ourselves," Al-Hassan and Al-Hossain to represent "Our Sons," and Fatima Zahra to represent "Our Women," It is also a given fact that he (p.b.u.h.) did not accompany any other woman including his wives, his aunts, or any other Muslim women.

This proves that there was not a woman as excellent, great, holy, and chaste as Fatima was. The Prophet called Fatima alone to join him, because she was the only woman capable of fulfilling the qualifications of the verse.

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