Seerah

The Prophet (a.s) has mentioned the remarkable position of Fatima al-Zahra’, peace be on her, with Allah. He (a.s) addressed her, saying: “Surely Allah is pleased when you are pleased and He is angry when you are angry.”[1] He took her by the hand and said to the Muslims: “Whoever recognizes this (daughter of mine) knows her, and whoever does not recognize her, (let me tell him who she is). She is Fatima, daughter of Muhammad. She is a part of me. She is my heart and my soul between my two sides. Whoever hurts her hurts me, and whoever hurts me hurts Allah.”

The Prophet has compared her rest to his rest, and her happiness to his happiness. The religious scholars have agreed on the traditions narrated from the Prophet (a.s) in this respect. He has said: “Fatima is a part from me. What pleases her pleases me, and what displeases her displeases me.”[2]

A’isha has narrated a tradition in respect of his care for Fatima al-Zahra’, peace be on her, and his honoring her. She has said: “When she (Fatima) visited him, he got up for her. He kissed, and welcomed her, took her by the hand, and seated her in his sitting-place.”[3]

A’isha was asked about:

“Which of people was the most lovable to Allah’s Apostle (a.s)?”
“Fatima,” she replied.
Then she was asked: “Of men?”
“Her husband,” she answered, “as I know he fasted and prayed two much.”[4]
In his Musnad, Ahmed bin Hanbal has narrated a tradition from the Prophet (a.s) who said: “May her father die for her!. He said that three times.”[5]

The Prophet went too far in loving and respecting her, to the extent that when he wanted to travel, she should be the last one whom he visited before travel, and the first when he came back from travel. [6]

Anas bin Malik has narrated that Allah’s Apostle (a.s) passed by the door of Fatima’s house for six month. When he went out to perform the Morning Prayer, he said: “The prayer, O members of the house!” Then he recited this verse: (Allah only desires to keep away the uncleanness from you, O people of the House and to purify a (thorough) purifying). The love and care of the Prophet (a.s) toward his daughter Fatima al-Zehra’, peace be on her, were more than those of other fathers toward their children.[7] Without doubt, it is well known that the Prophet (a.s) granted his daughter this affection and poured upon her this honor not because she was his daughter and he had no child other than her. Prophethood was far away from favoritism and rushing through the sentiment of desire and love. Rather he did that to build virtue and to raise the level of the high values. For he (a.s) found no girl or woman among Muslims equal to his daughter in perfection, chastity, and purity. It was due to the fact that it had been gathered in her all good ideals such as knowledge, worship, piety, and the like of the qualities that were rarely found in Eve’s daughters.

Notes:

[1] The tradition has been mentioned in the books Usd al-Ghaba, al-Isaba, Dhakha’ir al-‘Uqqba, p. 39.

[2] Al-Hakim, Mustadrak, vol. 3, p.154.

[3] Ibid., p. 157. Is‘af al-Raghibeen, p. 169.

[4] Al-Hakim, Mustadrak, vol. 3, p. 157. Dhakha’ir al-‘Uqqba, p. 35. An addition to the narration has been mentioned in it, “It is worthy of saying the truth….” In the book al-Isti‘ab, it has been narrated on the authority of Burayda, who has said: “The most lovable (one) of the women to Allah’s Apostle (a.s.) was Fatim, of the men was Ali.”

[5] Al-Sawa‘iq al-Muhriqa, p. 109.

[6] Al-Hakim, Mustadrak, vol. 3, p. 154.

[7] In his book Fatima and Muhammed’s Daughters, Lamans, an orientalist, has written fallacies and wrong facts. Talking about Fatima (a.s.), he has said: “Her position in her father’s house was not apparently important. Rather, it was less than that of Aa’isha, Zaynab and Hafsa.” He has added: “She was normally treated in her father’s house.” Surely, Lamans is famous for his being a hireling of colonialism and his harboring malice against Islam. From which book has he concluded such results? It is worth mentioning that the Islamic books are full of the authentic traditions reported from the Prophet (a.s.) concerning her high position and great importance with him. The traditions we have already mentioned and on which the Muslims have agreed clearly indicate that the Prophet (a.s.) honored his daughter Fatimaa. However, Lamans has intended to distort Islam and to disparage its remarkable personalities.

Adapted from: "The Life of Imam al-Hasan al-Mujtaba (a.s.)" by: "Ayatullah Kashif al-Ghita"