Fizza, the loyal maid of the Hazrat Fatema Zahra (S.A.)
An eminent black-skinned lady of Africa, who was devoted follower of Prophet Mohammad (SAWA) and his blessed household, Ahl al-Bayt. She is none other than Fizza the Nubian from what is now the region overlapping the borders of Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia. She was the loyal maid of the Prophet’s Immaculate Daughter, Hazrat Fatema Zahra (SA) and will enter paradise on the Day of Resurrection as a fair-skinned lady.
A young princess from Africa was kidnapped at the age of 11 and brought to Arabia, where Prophet Mohammad (SAWA) bought her, freed her, and adopted her. It was common practice in the early days of Islam for Muslims to purchase captives and bonded persons to set them free. The holy Qur’an in Surah al-Balad has mentioned among other things the freeing of people from bondage as a pleasing act in the sight of God. It was the habit of Prophet to adopt, educate, and raise children, as is evident by the case of Zaid Ibn Hareth. To be raised in the House of the Messenger of Allah was to be raised in a house that was blessed and purified by Almighty Allah. To be raised in the House of the Prophet was to be raised in the house frequented by the Archangel Gabriel. To be raised in the Prophet’s House was to be raised in the atmosphere where the holy Qur’an was being revealed and explained. To be raised in the House of Prophet Mohammad (SAWA) was to become a Beacon of Light, and this what the young black princess from Africa gained.
She was given the Arabic name Fizza, which means Silver, and she grew into an Islamic scholar who knew the inner meanings of the Holy Qur’an. She was predestined to reflect the Light of Ahl ul-Bayt. In other words the attribute of Fizza means that Silver is the best known reflector of visible light. Metaphysically it means that Fizza is the best known reflector of spiritual light, raised by Fatemah Zahra (SA), who is known as the Lady of Light. Silver is a metal that remains stable in pure air and water. Fizza, raised in the House of the Ahl al-Bayt, blossomed into the most knowledgable and most honorable Black Lady of Islam.
For this reason she is known as Malikat-al-Habesha, which means Abyssinian, Ethiopian, or more literally “Black Queen”. She mastered the holy Qur’an to such a degree, that she could give any answer to any question, by reciting any ayah from the heavenly scripture. She could easily hold a conversation by reciting only ayahs of the holy Qur’an to convey her message. Some reports say that she spoke nothing but Quran for a full twenty years. This is nothing to be surprised about, in view of the fact that the besides the Prophet and his Immaculate Daughter, the other noble members of the blessed household were the Commander of the Faithful Imam Ali and his sons, Imam Hasan and Imam Husain (peace upon them), the Leaders of the Youths of Paradise. She grew up in the company of such Impeccable Girls, as the Prophet’s granddaughters, Hazrat Zainab and Hazrat Omm-e Kolsoum (peace upon them).
Hazrat Fatema Zahra (SA) was so kind to Fizza that she did not burden her with all the household work, but would allow her a day’s complete rest, after a day’s work. In other words, the Prophet’s noble daughter used to look after the housework one day and the next day it was the turn of Fizza. This is indeed the finest example of Islamic justice. Unfortunately, most Muslim scholars have neglected to properly focus on the fruitful life of Hazrat Fizza (SA), who as the holy Qur’an testifies in the opening ayahs of Surah Insaan of the holy Qur’an with tidings of the eternal bounties of paradise as reward, kept three days of consecutive fasts along with the Ahl al-Bayt, and on each of the three nights, at the time of breaking the fast, gave her share of the meal, like the rest of the household, to a needy, orphan and freed captive, that happen to knock the door of the house at that very hour. Fizza and the Ahl al-Bayt went to be hungry on all the three nights, and it was in their honour that God says in the holy Qur’an: “They give food, for the love of Him, to the needy, the orphan and the prisoner”
“[Saying,] ‘We feed you only for the sake of Allah. We do not want any reward from you nor any thanks.”
No wonder, on her deathbed, during her last, Hazrat Fatema Zahra (SA) told Imam Ali (AS): “I loved her (Fizza) like my daughter”.
Fizza was present with Imam Husain (AS) in Karbala and witnessed the heartrending tragedy of Ashura on the 10th of Moharram. In its equally tragic aftermath, she accompanied Hazrat Zainab (SA) and the other noble captives of the Prophet’s Household to the court of the tyrant Yazid in Damascus, where she ably defended Islam and the honour of the Ahl al-Bayt. Throughout her life, she always remembered her first meeting with Hazrat Fatema Zahra (SA), when the Prophet brought her to the house. She was greeted first by the Prophet’s daughter, who kindly took her hand into her hand saying: Feel comfortable, this is your own house, and consider me your sister. Take rest for a few days. Then one day I do the housework and you take rest and the other day you do the housework, while I spent the day in the worship of God Almighty.
