ভূমিকা

Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Islam: Faith, Practice & History Lesson 37: The Best Of All Women (Fātimatu ’z-Zahrā’) Name: Fātimah. Agnomen: Umm Abiha. Title: az-Zahrā’; as-Siddiqah; al-Batūl; Sayyidatu ’n-Nisā’. Father: Muhammad, the Messenger. Mother: Khadijah, the Mother of the Believers. Birth: 20th Jumāda ’th-Thāni, 5th year after the Bi‘that. Death: 3rd Jumāda ’th-Thāni, 11 AH.

Birth to Hijra Fātimatu ’z-Zahrā’ was born in the fifth year of the bi’that and she was the only child who survived from among the children of Khadija. Fātima’s birth and the fact that only she gave the Prophet grandchildren is itself a revolutionary statement: in the pre-Islamic society, the birth of a baby girl was considered a disgrace for the family; and lineage was only recognized through male children.

When the male children of the Prophet and Khadija died in infancy, some of the unbelievers of Mecca taunted the Prophet saying that he is an “ abtar — a person who is cut off, that is, he has no progeny.” In response to this taunting, Allāh revealed chapter 108 of the Qur’ān: “We have verily given to you (O Muhammad) plentiful [i.e., in the form of Fātima and her progeny]; therefore, pray to your Lord and offer sacrifice.

Surely the one who taunts you is an abtar .” Fātima’s life is intertwined with the emergence and growth of the Islamic movement. She was just three years old when her parents —the Prophet and Khadija— had to go with other family members to Abu Talib’s castle outside Mecca when the Quraysh imposed an economic and social boycott against them. Soon after the boycott ended, at the age of five, Fātima lost her mother. She was thereafter brought up by the Prophet himself.

A famous incident from the Meccan period shows that Fātima, even in childhood, was part of her father’s struggle. Once the Prophet was praying near the Ka’bah while a group of Qurayshi unbelievers were sitting and watching him.

Abu Jahl, their leader, said, “Who amongst you can go and bring the intestine of a slaughtered camel and put it on Muhammad when he is in prostration?” ‘Uqba bin Abi Mu’īt complied with the suggestion of Abu Jahl and placed the filthy intestine of a camel on the Prophet’s shoulder when he was in the state of sajdah. The Prophet remained in that position while the unbelievers laughed so much so that they fell on each other. A passerby went to the Prophet’s home and informed Fātima.