Your uncle sends you greetings and says...

Your uncle sends you greetings and says: I have been overwhelmed by sadness at the condition of Fatimah, the beloved daughter of the Prophet of Allah (S) and the coolness of his eyes and mine, which has broken my spirit. Indeed, I fear that she may be the first amongst us to meet the Prophet of Allah (S), who revered her, loved her and brought her closer to his Lord. Therefore, if there is no recourse in her affair, then – may I be ransomed for you – gather the Muhajirun and Ansar So, that they may pay their last respects and pray over her, thereby gaining reward, and in this is the beauty of our faith.”

Ali (‘a) responded by sending a message through ‘Ammar, saying: “Give my greetings to my uncle and tell him, ‘I do not doubt your sincerity and empathy, and I understand your advice, but while your opinion holds merit, Fatimah Bint Rasul Allah (S) is still oppressed and deprived of her rights and dispossessed of her inheritance. The wishes of the Prophet (S) regarding her were not carried out and her right, and the right of Allah, were overlooked – and indeed, Allah is sufficient as a Judge and an Avenger for the oppressed. I ask you, O uncle, to allow me to forego that which you have advised, for she has asked me to keep her affair a secret.’”

When the messenger read out the words of Ali to al-’Abbas, he said: “May Allah forgive my nephew, for Indeed, he is worthy of being forgiven. The opinion of my nephew cannot be impugned. Indeed, no child greater than Ali was born to ‘Abd al-Muttalib, except the Prophet (S). Ali was always ahead in every virtue and possesses every merit. He was the most valiant of them and the strongest against the enemies in defence of the true believers, and he was the first to believe in Allah and His Prophet.”

On the last day of her life, al-Sayyida Fatimah al-Zahra was lying on her plain bed, the sickness having taken its worst toll on her and leaving nothing of her but skin and bones. She fell asleep for some time on that day and saw her father, the Prophet of Allah (S), in a dream. That may have been the first and last time that al-Zahra saw her father in a dream. She saw him in a pearly white palace, and when he saw her, he (S) said, “Come to me my child!