This is ‘Ali’s description by an enemy let alone by his...

This is ‘Ali’s description by an enemy let alone by his devotee in whose veins the love for ‘Ali runs.[^3] Imam ‘Ali’s dignified mother was Fatimah bint Asad ibn Hashim ibn Abd-Manaf, a lady who undertook to rear the Messenger of Allah in his childhood, fondling him on her lap.

She was among the first women who believed in Allah and His messenger and immigrated to Medina with the Holy Prophet (S).[^4] The day this lady passed away, the Messenger of Allah personally undertook to perform her funeral rites, shrouding her in his own garment and when the digging of grave was knee-deep, removed the earth from the grave, lay down in the grave for moments and said: O Lord, who are living forever, you make the living die and the dead to become alive, through Your messenger, Muhammad and the messengers before me, forgive my mother, Fatimah bint Asad, instill the profession of faith into her ear and widen her grave, for you are the Most Merciful.

At this time, the Holy Prophet (S) instilled the right words in her ear, repeatedly saying: Your son, your son! Not Jafar or Aqil! Those attending the funeral service said: O Messenger of Allah! What you did for ‘Ali’s mother, Fatimah, you did not for others. You shrouded her in your own garment, lay down in her grave before burial, and instilled into her ear, you said: Your son, your son; Not Jafar or Aqil. What is the meaning of all this?