IS Level – 7/8

Fatimah bint Muhammed(s) (ra), the Leader of Women in Jannah

Fatima (ra) was the youngest daughter of Prophet (s) and Khadijah (ra). She was born in Mecca few
years before her father was granted Prophethood. She (ra) was nicknamed Az-Zahra’ (the shining one)
because of her radiant face. A’ishah (ra) said: “Her (ra) way of speaking, sitting, standing and walking –
in other words all her manners and gestures were exactly like his (s).”
Fatimah (ra), her mother Khadijah (ra) and sisters (Zainab, Ruqaiyah and Umm Kulthum), believed in
Allaah (swt) from the very beginning. She (ra) spent her childhood under the loving care of her parents.
She (ra) was very patient, devoted, generous, contented and grateful to Allaah swt. She (ra) was called
‘Al-Batoul’ (the pure one) because of her spending much time in acts of worship.
Fatima’s (ra) Role as a Daughter:
When the Prophet (s) began teaching Islam, historic changes occurred in the society, and Fatima (ra)
witnessed the oppressions of the Quraiysh. She (ra) overheard people plotting against her father (s),
and dealt with it with much courage and patience. On one occasion, when Prophet (s) was in sajdah
during salaah, Abu Jahl along with his friends threw camel entails on his (s) back, and then they laughed
over it. When this news reached Fatima (ra), she rushed there, removed the filth off his back, and
started to clean him up, while scolding the disbelievers for their evil action.
Fatima (ra) was still very young when the disbelievers of Mecca did the complete boycott of Muslims,
letting women and children suffer from hunger. During this time, she showed exceptional courage, but
it affected her health for life. After her mother passed away, she (ra) took on the task of taking care of
her father (s) and comforting him (s) in times of grief. She (ra) cooked food and did all the household
chores and stood by her father(s) through his difficult times with much compassion and care. She (ra)
tried to fill the role of her mother, and was thus referred to as Umm Abihaa (The mother of her father).
Fatima (ra) went wherever the Prophet (s) went trying to protect him (s) from harm. In the battle of
‘Uhud when she saw the blood flowing from the Prophet’s face, she hastened to him, hugged him, and
kept wiping the blood away from his (s) face. She (ra) also went with him (s) to the Battle of Khandaq,
Khaibar, and the Conquest of Meccah.
Migration to Madina and Married Life with Ali (ra):
As the persecution of Quraiysh became intense, the Prophet (s) commanded the Muslims to emigrate to
Madinah. In the 2nd year of Hijrah, after the Battle of Badr Prophet (s) got Fatima (ra) married to Ali (ra).
After marriage she (ra) moved to Ali’s (ra) house on the outskirts of Madinah, since he couldn’t afford a
home in the city. Her house was very small with only a bed, a pillow filled with date leaves, a plate, a
glass, a leather water bag, and a grinding stone for making flour. Despite very little money to manage
everything, she (ra) never complained about it to her husband, and they lived a happy and content life.
Ali (ra) would work hard labor all day and she (ra) too would grind flour, fetch water from the well and
work other chores with her own hands, making its skin crack and sore. Ali (ra) could not see his wife in
pain, so he told her (ra) to ask her father (s) to give her a slave from the prisoners of war. The Prophet
(s) told her that he would give them something much better than that. He (s) told them to recite:
SubhanAllaah (Glory be to Allah) X 33, Alhamdulillaah (All praise be to Allah) X 33, and Allaahu Akbar
(Allah is greatest) X 34 before going to bed, and that would give them the energy and strength they
needed for the upcoming day.
Fatima (ra) never allowed anyone into the house of her husband except with his permission. Ash-Sha’bi
said: “When Fatimah took ill, Abu Bakr (ra) came to visit her, and sought permission. So she asked ‘Ali
(ra): ‘Do you wish that I should allow him?’ ‘Yes,’ Ali (ra) said.
Fatima (ra) as a Mother:

Fatima (ra) and ‘Ali (ra) had 4 children: 2 sons: Hasan and Hussain, 2 daughters: Zainab bint ‘Ali and
Umm Kulthum. She (ra) inherited her own mother’s loving and caring nature. She (ra) did not live long,
and passed away when her children were still young. However, she (ra) taught her children the deen of
Islam, and the lessons that would help them in later life. Her children inherited her wisdom, deep faith,
and sincerity to Islam and they remained close to each other. Her sons grew up to be strong warriors,
and died as martyrs. They would be the leader of youth in paradise.

Unique Qualities of Fatima (ra):

A’ishah (ra) said that she never saw anyone more devoted to the truth than Fatima (ra). She (ra) was
very humble and did not favor herself over others for being the Prophet’s (s) daughter. She (ra) would
stand shoulder to shoulder with all the other women during the battles and attend to the wounded. She
(ra) became a patient believer while witnessing the entire prophet hood period. She (ra) stood strong in
her faith, by her father’s side thru the persecution of the Muslims. She (ra) spent her entire life as a
woman of Taqwa and a pious servant of Allah. She (ra) was always grateful to Allah swt, and never
complained about anything, however difficult her situation became.

Prophet (s) Love and Respect for Fatima (ra):

The Prophet (s) loved Fatimah (ra) dearly. Once he (s) wrapped Hasan, Hussain, ‘Ali and Fatimah under a
cover and said: “O Allah, these are my household and my choice. Remove from them Ar-Rijz (evil deeds
and sins) and purify them with a thorough purification.”

A’ishah (ra) said: “….Whenever Fatima (ra) entered, he (s) would stand up for her, kiss her, and welcome
her. And this is exactly what she (ra) used to do to him (s) also.”

Whenever the Prophet (s) left Madinah, he (s) would visit Fatima (ra) before leaving, and upon his
return, he (s) would pray two rakaat in the Mosque, and then visit her (ra) before doing anything else.

At Her Father’s (s) Death:

One day the Prophet (s) sat Fatima (ra) by his side and whispered something to her (ra) whereupon she
(ra) wept. Then he (s) whispered the second time and she (ra) laughed. When A’isha (ra) enquired
about it she (ra) did not disclose it. She (ra) continued to be around her father (s) until the day he died.

After the Prophet’s (s) death, A’ishah (ra) again asked Fatimah (ra) about that secret, and she (ra) told
her that at first the Prophet (s) had said that his time of death is approaching, so fear Allaah and be
patient, so she cried. When he (s) saw her sorrow, he (s) said, “Are you not pleased to be the leader of
all the women of the world?” then she laughed.

Death of Fatima (ra):

After the death of her father, Fatima (ra) was overwhelmed with grief. It is reported by Ibn Katheer that
no one saw Fatima (ra) smile after the death of the Prophet (s). The grief remained visible on her face
till she herself passed away, six months later. Fatima (ra) died at a very young age of 24-29 years, and
was buried at Jannatul Baqi.

May Allaah be pleased with her, the Prophet (s) had said: “One day an angel came and told me the glad
tiding that Fatimah (ra) will be the leader of the women of Paradise.”