Seerah

Here are some of her narrations:

1. Al-Qundoozi narrated, in Yenabee' al-Mawaddah, that Fatimah (as) said: 'I heard my father the Messenger of Allah (sawa), in his death illness saying, and the room full with his companions' [i.e. he did not say it in whisper or secretly, but aloud in front of his companions]: O people! I am about to die and I am submitting this speech to you to fulfil my duty towards you - I am leaving for you the book of my Lord the Great the Almighty and my progeny. Then he took the hand of Ali (as) and said: This is Ali with the Qur'an and the Qur'an with Ali shall never separate until they arrive to me at the basin, (and) I shall ask you how you have succeeded me in dealing with them?' 13

2. In Kanz al-Fawa'id, Fatimah (as) narrated that the Prophet (sawa) said: 'Gabriel informed me that the two angels (appointed to count the deeds) of Ali did not register any sin for Ali since they accompanied him.' 14 This was what distinguished Ali (as) from the rest of the companions of the Messenger (sawa) and this was what made Fatimah (as) defend Ali's right, not because he was her cousin and husband, but because he was the infallible in whom the two angels could not find any sin or bad deed.

3. In another narration, Fatimah (as) said that she went to the Prophet (sawa) and he stretched out a cloth and said 'sit', then al-Hasan (as) came and he said to him 'sit with her', then al-Husain (as) came and he said 'sit with them', then Ali (as) came and he said 'sit with them'; then he gathered up the cloth and closed it upon them and said: 'O Lord! They are from me and I am from them; O Lord! Be satisfied with them as I am satisfied with them.' 15

His statement 'I am from them' means that the mission of the prophethood, of which he (sawa) was the bearer, would be passed on to Ahlul Bayt (as) after him, and so the Prophet (sawa) would continue to exist through them, and his Message would continue through them. This is the secret behind his satisfaction with them, for he is satisfied with only those whom Allah is satisfied.

4. In another narration, Fatimah (as) brought al-Hasan and al-Husain (as) to the Messenger of Allah (sawa) in his final illness, and said: 'O Messenger of Allah! You have not bequeathed these two anything!' He replied: 'As for al-Hasan, he has my presence and my mastership; as for al-Husain, he has my courage and generosity.' 16

5. Fatimah (as) said: 'My father the Messenger of Allah (sawa) entered when I had gone to bed to sleep, and said: O Fatimah! Do not go to sleep before doing four things: reciting the whole of the Qur'an, making the Prophets your mediators (with Allah), making the believers satisfied with you and performing the pilgrimage and visit (hajj and 'umrah to Makkah). Then he started praying! So, I stayed in bed until he finished the prayer and said: O Messenger of Allah! You ordered me to do four things which I could not do in this hour! The Messenger of Allah smiled and said: If you recite the Tauheed chapter (al-Ikhlas surah) three times it is as if you have recited the whole of the Qur'an; and if you recite prayers to me and the prophets before me then we shall be your mediators in the Day of Judgment; and if you pray that Allah forgive the believers (say istighfar) they shall be satisfied with you; and if you say: Subhan Allah (praise be to Allah) and al-Hamdu Lillah (gratitude to Allah) and La Ilaha Illa Allah (there is no God but Allah) and Allahu Akbar (God is greatest) as if you have performed the pilgrimage and visit.' 17

6. She said: 'The Messenger of Allah (sawa) said: Your best of men are those who are the most lenient with people and most generous to their women.' 18

This means that the best people are those who are most kind to people and most generous to their women, whether daughters, wives or mothers.

____________
[13] Yenabee' al-Mawaddah, vol. 1, p. 124.

[14] Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 25, p. 193.

[15] Dela'il al-Imamah, p. 68.

[16] Same, p. 69; Kanz al-'Ummal, vol. 12, p. 113, al-Rishalah publishers, Beirut 1993.

[17] 'Awalim al-Zahra, p. 580; Musnad Fatimah al-Zahra, p. 218-9, Dar al-Safwah, Beirut.

[18] Dela'il al-Imamah, p. 76; 'Awalim al-Zahra, p. 621.

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