It was the same with the Messenger of Allah (sawa)...

It was the same with the Messenger of Allah (sawa): he was a human being with the peculiarities of all men 'And say thou: I am only a man like you, it is revealed unto me...' (Qur'an 18:110) If he and also the prophets (as), Imams and Fatimah (as) had not been human beings, they would not have had any distinction over the rest of the people, and there would have been no meaning in following them: 'And had We made him an Angel, We would have certainly made him a man, and We would have made confused to them what they ( now ) make confused.' (Qur'an 6:9) The greatness and value of these (individuals) is that they are human beings and not angels; but through their will and holiness they are, for Allah, higher than the angels.

A Spirit Overflowing After her missionary concern, came her concern for the people around her, or rather her concern for the people was part of her missionary concerns. Here lies the value of Fatimah (as), for her high and distinguished position does not lie in her family descent - however honourable - or in her tribe, or in any other connection that people boast about, but in the Islamic values which have been manifested in her, and for which she was called.

It is for these values that man lives for others before living for himself - to bear the burdens and concerns of others and loves for them what he loves for himself, and hates for them what he hates for himself. This was what Fatimah (as) manifested in her being; in fact she excelled to the highest level, and she did not only give the others some of what had Allah given her, but she also favoured them, even though she herself was in urgent need.

Imam al-Hasan (as) said: 'I saw my mother Fatimah (as) standing up in her mihrab [prayer niche] every Friday night. She bowed and prostrated herself until dawn, and I heard her praying for the believers, naming them, and she prayed much for them and never for herself. So I said to her: O mother! Why don't you pray for yourself as you pray for others? She said: O my son!

The neighbour [first], then the house!' [^6] And for whom was she praying at night, when she was waiting to sit before Allah to confide in Him, and to submit and surrender to Him? Was she praying for herself, and requesting something for herself, like many of us would do when we pray during the day or night? No!