Guidance from the Knowledge of Sayyida Fatimah Zahra (A.S)
The Holy Prophet (saww) has said, “Fatimah is part of me, whoever harms her, harms me”.
He (saww) has also said, “Fatimah is part of me, whoever disappoints her, disappoints me”.
In these traditions, the statement that ‘Fatimah is part me’, has an in-depth meaning. It shows that Fatimah (as) is not only the daughter of the Holy Prophet (saww); No wonder that where the Holy Prophet (saww) declared Fatimah (as) as part of himself, he (saww) also announced,
“Verily my daughter Fatimah is the leader of the women of the worlds”.
Lesson from Her Noble Life
Sayyida Fatimah (as), by virtue of being Bidh’atur Rasool (Part of the Holy Prophet) and Sayyidatu Nisaa-il ‘Aalameen (Leader of the women of the worlds) is an excellent role model particularly for the Muslim women.
With regard to knowledge, Islam teaches us three things: Learn; Apply and teach others. In the life of Sayyida Fatimah (as), we find that she gave importance to all these three stages of Knowledge.
Learning and Applying Knowledge
One day the Holy Prophet (saww) came to the house of his beloved daughter. She (as) asked him a number of questions on religious rights. Among them was a question regarding a wife’s duty towards her husband.
One of the many things that the Holy Prophet (saww) told her was,
“O Fatimah! A woman who demands things, which are outside the means of her husband is removed from the pale of divine grace”. (Ahwaal al-Nisaa)
After her marriage to Ali (as), we will find that Sayyida Fatimah (as) never asked or demanded anything from her husband – lest he (as) cannot afford and is embarrassed to say so!
{One day Imam Ali (as) insisted that his wife ask him for something. After much insistence, she (as) agreed and asked for a pomegranate.
As Imam Ali (as) bought one from the market and was walking towards home, his eyes fell upon a poor man who was ill. He (as) asked the man what he wanted and the man expressed his desire to eat pomegranate. Without hesitation, Imam (as) gave away the pomegranate he had bought for his wife.
Now, as he (as) walked towards his home, Imam (as) felt guilty and thought that ‘this was the first time ever Fatimah (as) had asked for a pomegranate and I have been unable to fulfil her wish.
Although he (as) was certain that Fatimah (as) would be happy to know that the pomegranate was given away in good cause, nevertheless, he (as) still felt guilty.
Meanwhile, Jibrael came to the Holy Prophet (saww) with a tray of pomegranates from the Paradise and informed him as to what had happened. The Holy Prophet (saww) gave the tray to Salman (ra) and asked him to deliver it to Fatimah (as) before Ali (as) reached home.
Fatimah (as) asked, “O Salman! Where has this tray come from?”
Salman (ra) said, “O Daughter of the Prophet! You expressed your desire for a pomegranate from Ali (as). He (as) bought it and gave it to a poor beggar. For his sincere action, Allah (SWT) has sent this tray from the Paradise so that your wish is fulfilled and Ali (as) is also saved from any embarrassment”.
Imam Ali (as) arrived home with his head down due to guilt. As soon as He (as) entered, he (as),
“O Fatimah! What is this smell of pomegranates I feel?”
She (as) said,
“O Ali! These pomegranates are what you sent. You gave away one to a beggar and in return Allah (SWT) has sent them from Paradise”.} (Mahafil-o-Majalis)
This is what I call learning and applying knowledge.
Point to Remember
One may say this is irrelevant today! Men and women both work and earn, and as such there is no need for a workingwoman to ask for anything from her husband. Infact, she may end up financially supporting her husband – then what?
Perhaps the Holy Prophet (saww) was also aware of this. In the advices, which he (saww) gave to Fatimah (as), one was also this:
“A woman who says to her husband: ‘You eat and clothe yourself from my wealth, will not have even the glimpse of Paradise”. (Ahwaal al-Nisaa)
Teaching Others:
With regard to teaching others, Allama Muhammad Baqir al-Majlisi (a.r.) has narrated in Bihar al-Anwaar that:
One day, a lady came to Sayyida Fatimah (as) and said,
“I have an old weak mother who has some problems related to her Salaat (prayers). She has sent me to ask you some questions about them”.
Sayyida Fatima (as) asked her to put the questions to her. The number of questions, one after another, reached ten and Sayyida (as) answered all of them patiently.
Eventually, the lady said,
“O Daughter of the Prophet! I do not wish to trouble you and put you to further inconvenience”.
Thereupon, Sayyida Fatimah (as) said,
“Come to me and ask me what you know not. Does a person who has been hired on wages of 1000 dinars to carry a heavy thing from ground to roof-top ever feel tired?”
The woman said, “No!”
In other words, however tiring a work may be, if the reward is very good, one may not feel tedious and continue to work harder.
Sayyida Fatimah (as) said,
“Well! Allah (SWT) has hired me and my wage for answering each question is equal to pearls filled between the earth and the sky – therefore, it does not befit me to exhibit any exhaustion”. (Ahwaal al-Nisaa)
From this incident, we learn three things:
1. One is that Allah (SWT) has charged Fatimah (as) by virtue of being ‘Bidh’atur Rasool’ (part of the Holy Prophet saww) with the responsibility of guiding Muslim women and solving their problems.
2. Two is that Muslim women have been encouraged to ask and learn what they know not of the Islamic Laws.
3. And three is that those women who have been blessed with knowledge must put efforts in imparting the same to other women.
