Aslam

Praise be to Allah.

Faatimah, the

daughter of the leader of mankind, Messenger of Allaah (peace and

blessings of Allaah be upon him), al-Qurashiyyah al-Haashimiyyah, Umm

al-Hasanayn [the mother of al-Hasan and al-Husayn]. She was born shortly

before the beginning of the Mission of the Prophet (peace and blessings

of Allaah be upon him), and she married ‘Ali ibn Abi Taalib (may Allaah be

pleased with him) after the battle of Badr.

The Prophet

(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) loved her and honoured her.

She was patient, devoted to Islam, generous, chaste, devout and thankful to

Allaah.

When the

Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) died,

she grieved and wept for him, and said, “O my father, to Jibreel we tell the

news of his death, O my father, he answered the call of his Lord, O my

father, in Paradise is his eternal abode.”

Faatimah’s

speech most closely resembled that of the Messenger of Allaah (peace

and blessings of Allaah be upon him). It was narrated that ‘Aa’ishah (may

Allaah be pleased with him) said: “I never saw anyone whose speech more

closely resembled that of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings

of Allaah be upon him) than Faatimah. When she entered upon him, he would

stand up to greet her, kiss her and welcome her, and she would do the same

for him.”

Faatimah lived

for six months after the death of the Prophet (peace and blessings of

Allaah be upon him). She was buried at night. Al-Waaqidi said: this is the

most correct view. He said, al-‘Abbaas prayed (the funeral prayer) for her,

and he, ‘Ali and al-Fadl lowered her into her grave. Her sons were al-Hasan

and al-Husayn (may Allaah be pleased with them) and her daughters were Umm

Kulthoom, who was wed by ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab (may Allaah be pleased with

him), and Zaynab who was wed by ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Ja’far ibn Abi Taalib.

It was

narrated from Masrooq that ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said:

“Faatimah came walking in the manner of the Prophet (peace and

blessings of Allaah be upon him). The Prophet (peace and blessings of

Allaah be upon him) said, ‘Welcome, O my daughter.’ Then he seated her to

his right or to his left, then he said something privately to her and she

wept. I said to her, ‘Why are you weeping?’ Then he said something privately

to her and she smiled. I said, ‘I have never seen anything like that which I

have seen today, of joy so close to grief.’ I asked her what he had said,

and she said, ‘I would not disclose the secret of the Messenger of Allaah

(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).’ When the Prophet

(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) passed away, I asked her and she

said, ‘He told me, “Jibreel used to review the Qur’aan with me once every

year, but this year he has reviewed it with me twice, so I know that my

appointed time (of death) is approaching. And you will be the first of my

family to join me.” So I wept. Then he said, “Would it not please you to be

the leader of the women of Paradise or the women of the believers?” So I

smiled.’”

(Narrated by

al-Bukhaari, al-Manaaqib, 3353)

Among the

things that prove her virtue is that which was reported in al-Saheehayn

from ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Mas’ood, that the Prophet (peace and blessings of

Allaah be upon him) used to pray at the Ka’bah, and Abu Jahl and his

companions were sitting there. They said to one another, ‘Who will bring the

intestines of the camel of So and so and put it on Muhammad’s back when he

prostrates?’ So the most wretched of people went and brought it and waited

until the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)

prostrated, then he put it on his back, between his shoulders. I was

watching but I could not help him because I did not have any power. They

started laughing and leaning against one another (because of their

laughter), and the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah

be upon him) was prostrating and did not raise his head until Faatimah came

and removed it from his back. Then the Messenger of Allaah (peace and

blessings of Allaah be upon him) raised his head, and said, ‘O Allaah, deal

with Quraysh,’ three times. They became worried when he prayed against them,

because they used to believe that du’aa’s made in that land would be

answered…”

(Narrated by

al-Bukhaari, 233; Muslim, 3349)

Among her

virtues was also that which was narrated in al-Saheehayn, that the

Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:

“Faatimah is a part of me, and whoever angers her, angers me.”

(Narrated by

al-Bukhaari, 3437; Muslim, 4483)

And Allaah

knows best.

See Nuzhat al-Fudalaa’ Tahdheeb Siyar A’laam al-Nubalaa’, 1/116.