When Hamzah bin ‘Abdul Muttalib and ‘Umar bin Khattab(ra) accepted Islam the whole of Makkah was shaken by an earthquake, as it were. The people started pushing the leaders to take some action as otherwise they would lose their hold and all their power and their pomp would fall into the dust and become a story of the past. In the light of these new developments, Abu Jahl called a meeting of the richest and most influential people among the disbelievers. He asked them to suggest the best course of action to be taken against this new movement which was gathering strength against the religion of their forefathers. How could they stem this tide?
One of the devil’s right hand men, a libertine and worthless fellow, Nadhar bin Harith, was present at this meeting. He was an extremely cunning and devious man. His idea was to completely boycott these Muslims – socially and economically. No business, no trade no intermarriages – nothing should be allowed, he said. The tribes of Banu Hashim and Banu ‘Abdul Muttalib and the families who supported them and helped them should be ostracized as well. No food or water should reach them. A very alert and vigilant force should keep an eye on them to see that absolutely nothing reached them; in this way these people would perish and with them their newborn religion. This unusual plan appealed to all those present and was adopted unanimously. There were cries of acclaim from all sides and the Muslims went into a state of siege in Shi’ab Abi Talib.
This siege lasted for three years. Nothing could melt the hearts of the disbelievers. The screaming of hungry children, the sobbing of mothers and sisters, the helpless condition of the aged and the evil infirm – all this could not move their stony hearts. But every student of history was amazed to note that in spite of the worst siege in history being forced on the staunch followers of this new religion, not one – man, woman or child recanted and moved out. The truth and righteousness of their cause, the charismatic and magnetic personality of the Prophet(pbuh) was their strength. This crucible of suffering burned out all the impure elements and their faith grew firmer and purer. The richest woman of Makkah, Khadijah(ra), her young daughters – the youngest Fatimah barely ten years of age – stood like rocks by her father. They could give their lives for him. And in a sense little Fatimah(ra) did, this mental and physical ordeal affected her health and physique for the rest of her life. What is Divine Destiny? Who can fathom Allah Almighty’s will? Why did His loved ones who propagated His Faith have to suffer as if they had no one to help or assist them? Man’s vision is very limited and he cannot account for the workings of the Divine plan. Those who live for material benefits cannot understand the workings of the minds of those who do not care for the pleasures of this world. Their trials and tribulations give them a spiritual strength that gives immeasurable and incalculable satisfaction. Their tears seem to purify their souls, wash away the impurities and enlighten their hearts and minds. When the suffering soul of the God-fearing and righteous weeps while prostrating, he is closest to Allah; perhaps this is why those beloved of Allah Almighty are made to suffer to achieve nearness to Him. For this is sure; lovers of truth are more deserving reward in the Hereafter than the lovers of evil.
Soon after the siege of Shi’b Bani Hashim was lifted, the Prophet(pbuh) and Fatimah(ra) and her sisters went through the trauma of losing their beloved Khadijah. She had fallen ill during the siege. Ten years passed since Muhammad(pbuh) declared himself to be the Messenger of Allah. It was at the same time that the Prophet(pbuh) lost his greatest supporter and defender, his uncle Abi Talib. The disbelievers became bolder as they thought he was helpless. Fatimah(ra), from a tender age, was facing all these troubles and experiencing them firsthand side by side with her father. It was also at this time that the Prophet(pbuh) went to Ta’if with the Message of Islam. The people there were like the Makkans; they welcomed him with stones and he left Ta’if injured and bleeding. But he did not curse these inhospitable and cruel people; on the other hand he prayed to Allah(swt)- to guide them to the right path. Umm Kulthoom and Fatimah(ra) were very upset and started weeping when they saw his condition. He affectionately wiped away their tears and consoled them. He said it was inevitable that Allah(swt) would help to spread His religion and make it triumph against all odds. Easier times were bound to follow the hard and difficult days. And sure enough Mus’ab bin ‘Omair who was the Prophet’s ambassador to Al-Madinah gave the good news that the people there were being drawn into the fold of Islam. They invited Muhammad to settle in their city, and promised to help him in any way they could. The Prophet(pbuh) accepted their invitation and with the consent of Allah Almighty decided to migrate to Al-Madinah. He commanded his followers to start the process of migration, and he followed later in the company of his most trusted Companion, Abu Bakr Siddique(ra). He left his two daughters at home in Makkah, with Saudah bin Zam’ah(ra), whom he had married after the death of Khadijah(ra).He sent for them later, and thus these three ladies also had the privilege of becoming migrants for the cause. But the disbelievers could not bear to see them all moving out either. Some mischievous elements caught hold of them on the outskirts of Makkah. One of them was the evil Quraishi youth, Hawairath bin Naqeeth. He started jabbing at the camel on which the Prophet’s daughters were riding and the camel reared up in the air, and the two girls fell down. When he saw this he ran away. This little caravan continued on the journey borne by their spiritual faith and strength.
When they reached their destination, the Prophet(pbuh) received them. He was very happy to see them alive and well. Those whom Allah Almighty protects, no one can harm them.
In the year 2nd after Hijrah, the battle of Badr was fought and ‘Ali(ra) showed exemplary courage, valor skill at fighting. The Islamic forces triumphed and archenemies like Abu Jahl and some other prominent leaders of the Quraish were killed in battle. Many of the disbelievers were captured as prisoners of war and brought to Al-Madinah. This victory lifted up the spirits of the Muslims as never before.
Fatimah(ra) was now eighteen years old and prominent personalities started proposing for her, but the Prophet(pbuh) said he was waiting for a sign from Allah.
One day ‘Ali(ra) came to see the Prophet(ra). But he was very shy and diffident and seemed to be holding something back. The Prophet(pbuh) realized what was on his mind and asked him if he came to propose marriage to Fatimah . ‘Ali answered that he had. The Prophet(pbuh) asked Fatimah(ra) what she thought of the proposal. She started to weep silently. He then told her that ‘Ali(ra) was a learned, kind-hearted and brave young man. Fatimah accepted her father’s decision. He then asked ‘Ali if he had some money for the dowry. ‘Ali replied that the Prophet(pbuh) had seen his life from the cradle and knew his financial position very well. Then the Prophet(pbuh) asked him where his shield was, and said that would be the dowry for Fatimah . ‘Ali sent it to the market with his slave to be sold and got four hundred Dirhams for it. This he gave to the Prophet(pbuh) who asked him to keep the money and buy some things for the house and perfume for the wedding. Then he asked Anas bin Malik to bring his Companions – Abu Bakr, ‘Uthman, ‘Umar, Talhah, Zubair (ra) and other Ansar and Mohajir friends to attend the ceremony. When all these esteemed people assembled, he asked ‘Ali(ra) to read his own marriage speech. Then ‘Ali stood up and recited the words of the ceremony.
‘All Praise is for Allah. We are grateful to Him for His Bounties and His Blessings. I bear witness that None has the right to be worshipped but Allah, vouching for Him so it will reach Him and gain His Favour. The Prophet(pbuh) has married his daughter, Fatimah(ra), to me and the Mahr has been fixed at four hundred Dirhams. Now all those present please listen to what the Prophet(pbuh) has to say and bear witness.’
After that the Prophet(pbuh) praised Allah Almighty and recited the marriage ceremony, after asking Fatimah(ra) for her consent. He announced the Mahr and told all those present that Allah had commanded him to have Fatimah(ra) married to ‘Ali(ra). After that he prayed for a happy and blessed future for the bride and groom. Then dates were offered to the guests. All those present expressed their happiness and prayed that Allah should bless the newly married couple. The next day Hamzah bin ‘Abdul Muttalib(ra) slaughtered a camel to host a banquet to celebrate the wedding of his brother’s son, ‘Ali
Some basic things were purchased for the house to which ‘Ali and Fatimah(ra) moved. A bed, a pillow filled with the leaves of dried date palm, a plate, a glass, a leather water bag and a grinding stone for grinding flour – these were the few things with which the daughter of the Prophet(pbuh) set up her new home. The house that was available was quite a distance from the Prophet’s Mosque. The Prophet(pbuh) wished his daughter could live closer to him, so that he could see her daily. When one of the Companion Harithah bin Nu’man Ansari came to know of this he approached the Prophet(pbuh) very respectfully, saying he had a number of houses close to the Prophet’s Mosque and he was welcome to choose any one of them. This would make that particular house dearer to him. The Prophet(pbuh) was very moved by this offer and chose one for Fatimah(ra), and prayed for increase and prosperity for his devoted follower. So, ‘Ali and Fatimah(ra) moved in and started the routine of daily life. It was usual for her to grind the wheat, fetch water from the well and cook their meals.Since she was not very robust and healthy, the siege having left its mark on her, Fatimah used to get very tired with all this hard work. On one occasion after a battle, a lot of money, precious jewelery and prisoners of war, both men and women, were taken by the Muslim army. ‘Ali(ra) suggested that she should go to the Prophet(pbuh) and ask him for a maid to help, since she used to get very tired with all the housework. Fatimah(ra) went to see her father and request him for some help. He was not at home and she left a message with ‘Aishah(ra). At night, before going to sleep, her father came to visit her. He told her that he would give her something much better than a slave girl. And he taught her some phrases in praise of Almighty Allah. These, he said, were better than any maid. And he taught her to recite thirty-three times Subhaanallah (Glory be to Allah), thirty-three times Alhamdulillah (All praise is for Allah), thirty-three times Allah-u-Akbar (Allah is the greatest).
Fatimah(ra) spent her entire life as a God-fearing and pious servant of Allah(swt). Always patient and grateful to her Maker, there was not a word of complaint from her, however difficult the circumstances. The world and its attractions held no charm for her. Her motto in life was always service for Islam and its Mujahideen. In the battles she was at the front nursing the wound and the sick. When her father was injured in the battle of Uhud, it was she who burnt a part of a straw mat and used its ashes to stem the flow of blood. There is a narration in Sahih Al- Bukhari that when the Prophet(pbuh) was asked on one occasion whom he loved best in the world he named his youngest daughter, Fatimah(ra).
‘Aishah(ra), talking of her, says she bore a remarkable resemblance to her father. She not only looked like him, but her way of speaking, sitting, standing and walking – in other words all her mannerisms and gestures were exactly like his. Whenever her father visited her she would receive him and kiss his forehead with reverence and respect. They were exceptionally close to each other and whenever she visited her father, he would stand up and receive her. It was as if she left the sweet aura of her personality wherever she went. If he saw her troubled or sad he would also be grieved, and if he saw her happy he would also be pleased.
One day the Prophet(pbuh) heard that there was some misunderstanding between ‘Ali and Fatimah(ra) so he went to meet them. On the way to their house he looked very troubled and sad, and when he left their house he seemed very much at peace. Some of his Companions noted that he was a different man while going to his daughter’s house and a different man on the way back. He replied that he just settled some differences between his two children who were very dear to him. And his happiness made his face glow.
On one occasion ‘Ali made up his mind to marry Abu Jahl’s daughter. Somehow Fatimah(ra) came to hear about it and told her father that ‘Ali was planning to marry into Abu Jahl’s family; the Prophet(ra) was very disturbed when he heard this. He went to the mosque and gave a sermon, saying that Fatimah(ra) was a part of his heart and anything that made her unhappy displeased him. He said that the daughter of Allah’s Messenger and the daughter of His enemy could not be married to the same man. ‘Ali(ra) changed his mind and apologized to Fatimah(ra) for any pain he might have caused her. And things went back to normal.
One day ‘Ali(ra) asked the Prophet(pbuh) who was dearer to him, himself or Fatimah The Prophet(pbuh) answered that he loved Fatimah(ra) more, but ‘Ali was dearer to him than her. It was a masterly piece of diplomacy and yet it also was the truth, because he really did love both of them deeply.
Their first son was born to ‘Ali and Fatimah in Ramadhan of the year 3rd after Hijrah. When the Prophet(pbuh) heard the good news he was very happy and immediately went to see the child. He named him Hasan and recited the Athan for him. Then on the seventh day his head was shaved clean, and an amount of silver equivalent to the weight of the hair was distributed among the poor.
In Sha’ban of the year 4th after Hijrah, a second son was born. The Prophet(pbuh) named him Husain, and in his ears too he recited the Athan himself. It is said a third son Mohsin was born but died in his infancy. The Prophet(pbuh) loved these two grandchildren dearly. He used to say that they were like blossoms and would be the leaders of the youths of Paradise. Osamah bin Zaid says that one day he saw the Prophet(pbuh) carrying something wrapped in a sheet. He asked him what he was carrying. He opened the sheet and what should Osamah see, but these two little boys all wrapped up in their grandfather’s arms. He said that these were his daughter’s sons and he would love all those who loved them.
In the year 5th after Hijrah a daughter was born to ‘Ali and Fatimah. The Prophet named her Zainab; in the year 7th after Hijrah another daughter was born and he named her Umm Kulthoom. When Zainab bint ‘Ali grew up she married ‘Abdullah bin Ja’far bin Abi Talib And Umm Kulthorn married ‘Umar bin Khattab(ra). They had two children Zaid and Ruqayyah. After his wedding ‘Umar binKhattab asked the Muhajirs (immigrants) and the Ansar to congratulate him. They asked him for the reason. He said since he had married Umm Kulthoom, the daughter of ‘Ali bin Abi Talib. I have established links with the family of the Prophet(pbuh), and this was a very great honor for me. And everyone wished him happiness and blessed him on this great occasion.
Imam Ahmad was once asked what he thought of ‘Ali and his family members. He said their position in history is unparalleled. According to what the Noble Qur’an tells us Allah Almighty had cleaned them of every kind of sin, impurity of faith, disobedience to the Divine Will and social evils.
Ibn ‘Abdullah writes that whenever the Prophet(pbuh) came back from any journey or after taking part in a battle, he would first go to the his Mosque in Al-Madinah and pray two Rak’at (units), then he would visit Fatimah(ra) and then visit the wives in his household.
There is a miraculous incident related in Al-Bidayah wa An-Nihayah, once a lady sent Fatimah(ra) couple of pieces of bread and some roasted meat. She put this in a large plate and covered it with cloth. Then she sent a message to her father to come and have his meal at her house. When he arrived she removed the cloth and to her astonishment she found the plate full of bread and plenty of meat. She understood that this abundance and plenty had come from Allah. She praised Almighty Allah and asked Allah to mention and bless His Prophet(pbuh) and started to serve the meal to him, beginning with Allah Almighty’s Name. When he saw such a huge amount he smiled and asked who had sent it all. She promptly said Allah gave it to her and He provides sustenance to whom He pleased without limits. He smiled and thanked Allah Almighty that he had daughter who spoke like Maryam. Then the Prophet(pbuh) ate of the meal with his daughter, son-in-law and the two grandchildren. Yet, there was so much food still left over that it was sent to the Mothers of the Believers. They also ate their fill and then it was distributed among the neighbours .
‘Abdullah bin ‘Abbas(ra) says that when Surat An-Nasr was revealed the Prophet(pbuh) sent for Fatimah(ra) and told her that Allah had intimated to him that his life on earth was now drawing to a close. Islam was spreading and hoards of people were now turning to it. When Fatimah(ra) heard this she started to weep at the thought of separation from her beloved father. Then he told her that from among his family members she would be the first to meet up with him. At this she started smiling. When he fell ill and his condition started to deteriorate, she could not bear to see his suffering. He then told her that after that day he would never have to suffer again, as he felt he was about to leave for a better Hereafter.
In his book Asad Al-Ghabah, Ibn Atheer writes that after the Prophet passed away no one ever saw Fatimah smile. And her grief remained visible on her face till she passed away, six months later.
“To Allah we belong and to Him we return.” (2:56)
‘Ali(ra) and her four children – Hasan, Hussian, Zainab, and Umm Kulthoom were left to mourn her death at a very young age. She was given her final bath and shrouded by ‘Ali, Asma’ bint ‘Omais and Salamah Umm Raf’ and buried at night in Jannatul Baqi’.
‘Ali, ‘Abbas, and Fadhal bin ‘Abbas placed her into her final resting place. Thus the leader of the virtuous women of Paradise set out on her journey to Paradise.
“O the one in (complete) rest and satisfaction! Come back to your Lord – well pleased and well pleasing. Enter you then among My (honored) servants, and enter you My Paradise.
LIFE 