He is the most knowledgeable, the most prudent and the first Muslim.

He is the most knowledgeable, the most prudent and the first Muslim.’[^5] On another occasion, he said to her, ‘O Fatimah, do you not know that Allah observed the people of the earth, and then He chose your father from among them and sent him a messenger, and once another He observed and then He chose your husband and revealed to me so that I married him (to my daughter) and took him my guardian?’[^6] On a third occasion he said to her, ‘He (Imam Ali) is the first of my companions in being Muslim, the most of them in knowledge, and the greatest of them in prudence.’[^7] All high qualities, ideals and values were available in Imam Ali (a.s.) and therefore, Allah had chosen him a husband for the daughter of the Prophet (S).

In traditions it is mentioned that: “If Ali was not created, there would be no equal for Fatimah.’[^8] The Dowry of Fatimah The dowry of Fatimah (s.a.) was very simple. The Prophet (S) had assigned it so to be an example for all the women of his nation so that no man and no woman might remain unmarried because of high dowries.

The Prophet (S) said to Imam Ali (a.s.), ‘O Ali, do you have something (to pay as dowry)?’ Imam Ali (a.s.) said, ‘I have a sword, an armor, and a horse.’ The Prophet (S) said to him, ‘As for your horse, you need it, and as for your sword, you cannot do without it, but as for your armor, you can sell it.’[^9] Imam Ali (a.s.) went to the market and sold his armor for four hundred and eighty dirhams and came back with the amount knotted in the end of his shirt,[^10] and put it before the Prophet (S).

It was a very simple dowry and it was less than what the poor might pay for their wives. Her Furniture The Prophet (S) took a handful of dirhams and gave them to Bilal to buy with them some perfumes for Fatimah (s.a.), and other handfuls to Salman and Umm Salamah to buy some furniture. It was no long until all requirements of the wedding were prepared.

The furniture of Fatimah (s.a.) and Ali (a.s.) was the following: A sheepskin to sleep on A pillow of leather stuffed with palm-tree fibers A bed made of palm-tree branches A quern A water skin Two jars Some pottery vessels This furniture was very simple and cheap in people’s consideration, but it was too valuable in Islam’s view. It was more precious than jewels and expensive things that kings and wealthy people give to their wives. The furniture was put before the Prophet (S).