Lady Fatimah (S.A) birth and childhood
by Iffat Zahra: Lady of light, Fatimah al-Zahra (S.A) was born on the 20th of Jamadi Al-Thani in the fifth year after the migration to Mecca. Lady Fatimah (S.A) lived a very challenging life and left the world only at the age of 18.[1] Lady Fatimah (S.A) is the only daughter of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and Lady Khadija (S.A). She is the wife of Imam Ali (S.A) and the mother of Imam Hasan (A.S), Imam Hussain (A.S), and lady Zainab (S.A).
The Prophet of Islam (PBUH) said:
فاطمة بضعة مني وهي نور عيني وثمرة فؤادي وروحي التي بين جنبيّ وهي الحوراء الانسية
Fatimah is a part of me, and the light of my eyes, the fruit of my heart, and my soul… and she is Huri with Human qualities[2]
Lady Fatima (S.A) brought the light into the life of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) as he was going through the darkest time of his life. It is narrated in both Shia and Sunni school of thoughts that when the Prophet (PBUH) was passing through the heave, Angel Gabriel gave the holy Prophet (PBUH) some fruit from ‘Tooba’ tree (A tree in heaven named Tooba) and when the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) returned to earth lady Fatimah Zahra (S.A) was conceived.[3]
Lady Khadija (S.A) went through a very difficult time when no one wanted to support her pregnancy. She was alone in her home and no woman wanted to aid her. Suddenly, within a flash of the horizon when she opened her eyes she saw four women standing near her and she began to get worried. One of the four women called: “Be not afraid, nor sad. Your kind God has sent us to your aid, we are your sisters. I am Sarah! And this is Asiah the wife of the pharaoh, who will be one of your friends in heaven. The other is Maryam, daughter of Omran; and this fourth that you see is the sister of Musa ibn Omran; Kolthoom! We have come so that at this hour we may be of aid to you. And they remained with her until Fatimah the Lady of Islam Opened her eyes to the world.[4]
قال الحق سبحانه: ان الذين قالوا ربنا اللّه ثم استقاموا تتنزل عليه الملائكة ألاّ تخافوا ولا تحزنوا
“(As for) Those who say, Our Lord is Allah, then continue in the right way, the angels descend upon them, saying: Fear not, nor be grieved.”[5]
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) had so much love for lady Fatimah Zahra (S.A) that it is even reported; Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) used to kiss lady Fatimah (S.A) often and one day, Aisha the wife of Prophet criticized him and asked: ‘Why do you kiss Fatimah (S.A) so much?’
The prophet (PBUH) replied and said,
‘Whenever I kiss Fatimah (S.A) I smell the scent of the highest heaven in her’.[6]
This is how the lady of the light was born. In the next article, we will discuss the marriage of Lady Fatima (S.A) with Imam Ali (A.S) in which we can learn many lessons from it and implement it in our daily lives.
[1] Tazkier Alkhulos, pp. 306
[2] Riyahein-Al-shari’a; vol. 1, pg. 21
[3] Fatima az-Zahra, The World’s Most Outstanding Lady, Naser Makarem Shirazi
[4] The contents of this Hadith has been narrated by a group of Sunni scholars, such as “Tabari” in “Thakhaer-ul- Uqba”
[5] Quran, Surat Fussilat 41:30
[6] This Tradition has been related to minor differences in the commentaries of Tabari, Abu Ibrahim, and Sayyuti.
Fatima Zahra (A.S): The Supreme Example of a Perfect Human Being
