Seerah

When Fatimah (as) finished her sermon, Abu Bakr said:

- ''... O you the best of women, and daughter of the best of prophets, truthful in your speech... not turned away from your right...''

- ''By Allah, I have not done other than the opinion of the Messenger of Allah and not done but with his permission... I heard the Messenger of Allah saying: "We the folk of prophets do not bequeath gold or silver, or houses or estates, but we bequeath the book and wisdom and knowledge and prophethood, and what has been for us as income is for the ruler who succeeds us to do with it according to his ruling"...''

- ''O you the Doyenne of your father''s nation, and the good tree of your sons... your ruling is implemented on what I own, but as for Fadak it is not mine, so do you want me to disobey your father (sawa)?''

Then Fatimah (as) replied:

- ''May Allah be praised! My father the Messenger of Allah (sawa) would not abandon the Book of Allah, and not be disobedient to its rulings; rather he used to follow it and abide by its chapters (surahs). So, do you add to betrayal [of us] lying on him?''

- ''This is the book of Allah - a just judge and decisive speaker - saying: "Who shall inherit me and inherit from the family of Jacob;" and "And Solomon inherited David"; so Allah the Great and Almighty clarified what He divided of instalments, and legislated of rights and inheritance, and allowed of the shares of the males and females what had removed the argument of the false (people) and the thinking and doubts of the perished [people]. O no! ".... Have beguiled you your [guilty] selves into something. But [my course is] comely patience; and God is He Whose help is to be sought against what ye describe." (Qur''an 12:14)

Abu Bakr then said:

- ''Allah and His Messenger have told the truth, and his daughter has told the truth!... I do not deny what you have said; here are the Muslims between you and me... it has been on agreement with them what I have taken... and they are witnesses.''

Fatimah (as) said finally:

- ''O you Muslim folks who are quick to the speech of falsehood, the silent [not objecting] to the losing, ugly deed; do not you [read and] ponder the Qur''an, or have your hearts been locked?... Verily, I swear by Allah, that you shall see its bearing heavy, and consequences terrible, when the cover is removed... and come unto you from your Lord what you have not been preparing for, and the false people shall thence be losing.''

Then, she turned to the Prophet''s grave and said a poem, one line of which was:

We have felt your absence likewise the Earth its rain

And your folk have deviated; so be a witness and do not be absent.

Adapted from the book: "Fatimah (as); a role model for men and women" by: "Sayyid Muhammad Husayn Fadlullah"