<\/p>\n
Shia Islam: F\u0101\u1e6dima (SA), daughter of the Prophet (PBUH)\/22\u00a0 F\u0101\u1e6dima may not be an Imam but she is the mother of eleven infallible Imams and, without a doubt, the Imams owe their infallible characteristics to their mother. Her distinctions are numerous, one of the most outstanding of which are her parents \u2013 the Prophet and Khad\u012bja. Parents have a huge influence on their children; we already know who her father was, but we should acquaint ourselves with her mother too.<\/p>\n
Khad\u012bja was the first woman to accept Islam as her religion. Even before becoming a Muslim, she used to perform prayers. (Ibn Ath\u012br)<\/p>\n
\u02bfAf\u012bf al-Kind\u012b says: \u2018I arrived in Mecca on business. I came across a man who was performing prayers at the\u00a0Ka\u02bfba<\/em>. After some time, a woman joined him. Later on, an adolescent joined them. I asked \u02bfAbb\u0101s, the Prophet\u2019s uncle, about these three and what they are doing. \u2018He is Mu\u1e25ammad, the son of my brother \u02bfAbd All\u0101h. He says he is the Messenger of God. The woman is his wife Khad\u012bja and the young man is my nephew who has accepted Islam. I swear by God that this man has no other followers but these two.\u2019 (Ibn Ab\u012b al-\u1e24ad\u012bd,\u00a0Shar\u1e25<\/em>\u00a0Nahj al-Bal\u0101gha<\/em>\u00a0) Now let us review some narrations about Khad\u012bja.<\/p>\n Ab\u016b Hurayra says: \u2018The Prophet said Gabriel came to him and announced the arrival of Khad\u012bja carrying drinks and food: \u201cGive her God\u2019s regards and mine to her and promise her that God has built her a tranquil house in Heaven.\u201d\u2019 (\u1e62a\u1e25\u012b\u1e25 Muslim<\/em>)<\/p>\n \u02bf\u0100\u02beisha says: \u2018I was not [with the Prophet] during Khad\u012bja\u2019s lifetime but whenever he slaughtered a sheep he would send meat to Khad\u012bja\u2019s friends. \u2026. The prophet always said that he loved her.\u2019 (\u1e62a\u1e25\u012b\u1e25 Muslim<\/em>)<\/p>\n One day, I saw the Prophet saluting an old woman. When I asked him about her, he replied: \u2018She is Waf\u0101\u02be\u2026She used to visit us during Khad\u012bja\u2019s lifetime.\u2019 (Shar\u1e25<\/em>\u00a0Nahj al-Bal\u0101gha<\/em>)<\/p>\n Anas says: \u2018Whenever a gift was brought to the Prophet, he ordered it to be taken to Khad\u012bja. He loved Khad\u012bja very deeply.\u2019 (Saf\u012bnat al-Bi\u1e25\u0101r<\/em>)<\/p>\n \u02bf\u0100\u02beisha says: \u2018One day, the Prophet spoke about Khad\u012bja\u2026. \u201cAt a time when people rejected me she announced her faith in Islam. When people used to deny me, she believed in me. When people deprived me of their wealth, she gave her wealth to me. She is the mother of my children\u2026\u2019\u2019\u2019 (\u1e62a\u1e25\u012b\u1e25 Muslim<\/em>)<\/p>\n Ibn \u02bfAbb\u0101s says: \u2018The Prophet said four women are the best in Heaven: Khad\u012bja, F\u0101\u1e6dima, Mary and Asiya, the wife of Pharaoh (Khi\u1e63\u0101l<\/em>)<\/p>\n These\u00a0a\u1e25\u0101d\u012bth<\/em>\u00a0and many others make it clear that F\u0101\u1e6dima\u2019s mother was highly respected. The Prophet did not take a second wife as long as she lived. When she died, the Prophet named that year \u2018Year of Sadness\u2019 and he personally buried Khad\u012bja. (S\u012brat al-\u1e24alab\u012b<\/em>)<\/p>\n The Prophet\u2019s daughter was born c. 605. She lived with her father for eight years in Mecca and ten years in Medina. After the demise of the Prophet, she lived only between 75 and 95 days before she too passed way. (Kashf al-Ghamma<\/em>) She lost her mother when she was five years old. Her father\u2019s main supporter, Ab\u016b \u1e6c\u0101lib, died a few years later. These two sad events distressed her greatly. F\u0101\u1e6dima was eight when her father left Mecca for Medina. She arrived in Medina along with a group of Muslim women known as the\u00a0Faw\u0101\u1e6dim<\/em>. A new chapter opened in her life.<\/p>\n The spread of Islam and the improvement of the Prophet\u2019s position prompted Arab tribal chiefs to ask F\u0101\u1e6dima\u2019s hand for marriage. Not a week passed without a new suitor for the Prophet\u2019s only daughter. But F\u0101\u1e6dima turned all of them down because she believed that marriage is a connection of two souls. When the Prophet told her daughter of \u02bfAl\u012b\u2019s proposal, F\u0101\u1e6dima remained silent. This silence was an indication of an affirmative response.<\/p>\n When \u02bfAl\u012b was told of F\u0101\u1e6dima\u2019s consent, he decided to make the necessary preparations for marriage. \u02bfAl\u012b owned nothing but a sword and an armour so he sold his armour and gave the money to the Prophet who, in turn, distributed it between Bil\u0101l, Ab\u016b Bakr and \u02bfAmm\u0101r to purchase perfume, clothing and furnishings. F\u0101\u1e6dima\u2019s dowry included the following items:<\/p>\n A garment bought for seven dirhams<\/p>\n A headscarf bought for one dirham<\/p>\n A long dress<\/p>\n A bed made from palm trees<\/p>\n Two mattresses made from Egyptian cotton<\/p>\n Four pillows made from wool and palm fibre<\/p>\n A curtain<\/p>\n A straw mat<\/p>\n A grinder<\/p>\n A water container made of animal skin<\/p>\n A wooden bowl for milk<\/p>\n A green pot<\/p>\n Other pots<\/p>\n Two silver armbands<\/p>\n A copper vessel<\/p>\n Having seen the material, the Prophet said: \u2018May God bestow happiness on those whose living stuff is mostly pottery.\u2019 (Bi\u1e25\u0101r al-Anw\u0101r<\/em>)<\/p>\n The marriage gift for F\u0101\u1e6dima amounted to 500 dirhams. (Was\u0101\u02beil<\/em>\u00a0al-Sh\u012b\u02bfa<\/em>) This marriage set an example for others to follow, as there are always young people who avoid marriage because they think they cannot afford it due to too much expense. Married life should be made pleasant by kindness and faithfulness; expensive dowries and lavish gifts do not guarantee a happy life. It is unfortunate to see in the present time that some people believe imposing heavy demands in a bid to guarantee \u00a0stability within future marriage. But that is no remedy; the real solution is to ensure that our youths are morally virtuous and, for this, certain cultural and social practices should be supported.<\/p>\n A group of guests were invited by the families of groom and bride. The guests were served lunch. After lunch, the Prophet invited her daughter to the gathering. F\u0101\u1e6dima was humble. As she was approaching, she was close to falling. The Prophet held her hand and said: \u2018May God protect you from all deviations. Then, he unveiled F\u0101\u1e6dima\u2019s face and put her hand in \u02bfAl\u012b\u2019s and told \u02bfAl\u012b : \u2018May God bless you with the daughter of His prophet. \u02bfAl\u012b! F\u0101\u1e6dima is the best wife. Then he turned to F\u0101\u1e6dima and said: F\u0101\u1e6dima! \u02bfAl\u012b is the best husband.\u2019 (Bi\u1e25\u0101r al-Anw\u0101r<\/em>)<\/p>\n The prophet then asked a group of Muslim women to lead the camel carrying F\u0101\u1e6dima to \u02bfAl\u012b\u2019s house. In some\u00a0a\u1e25\u0101d\u012bth<\/em>, the Prophet is said to have appointed an important person such as Salm\u0101n to hold the camel\u2019s leash out of respect for his daughter.<\/p>\n The most pleasant moment was the nuptial night. Both \u02bfAl\u012b and F\u0101\u1e6dima felt shy. The prophet arrived, held a bowl of water, sprinkled him daughter and said: \u2018O God! This is my daughter and the most beloved of people to me. O God! This is my brother in faith and the most beloved of people to me. O God! Strengthen their affection. (Bi\u1e25\u0101r al-Anw\u0101r<\/em>)<\/p>\n Anas b. Malik says: \u2018The prophet used to leave home at dawn for mosque. For six months, he used to stand in front of F\u0101\u1e6dima\u2019s house and say: \u2018My household! Always offer your prayers. God wants to keep my household from any evil.\u2019 (Musnad A\u1e25mad<\/em>)<\/p>\n The Qur\u2019an\u2019s description of people is never flawed because the book speaks for God, the creator of all mankind, and God knows human beings better than they know themselves! \u2018Would He who has created not know? And He is the All-attentive, the All-aware.\u2019 (Q67:14)<\/p>\n The Qur\u2019an may not have mentioned F\u0101\u1e6dima by name, but it has spoken implicitly about people whose characteristics match those of F\u0101\u1e6dima.<\/p>\n This famous verse was revealed about the Prophet\u2019s household, describing them as pure and pious people; F\u0101\u1e6dima is a member of the Prophet\u2019s Household, as many\u00a0a\u1e25\u0101d\u012bth<\/em>\u00a0confirm (Dhakh\u0101\u02beir al-\u02bfUqb\u0101<\/em>).<\/p>\n \u2018Indeed Allah desires to repel all impurity from you, O People of the Household, and purify you with a thorough purification.\u2019 (Q33:33)<\/p>\n The prophet describes his daughter as follows:<\/p>\n \u2018God will become angry for the sake of F\u0101\u1e6dima\u2019s anger and He will be pleased on account of her happiness.\u2019 (Far\u0101\u02beid al-Sam\u1e6dayn<\/em>)<\/p>\n This tradition, narrated by Muslim traditionists with minor variations, indicates that F\u0101\u1e6dima is infallible, or else her feelings could not have influenced God\u2019s: \u2018Say, \u2018Indeed Allah does not enjoin indecencies. Do you attribute to Allah what you do not know?\u2019\u2019 (Q7:28)<\/p>\n Mub\u0101hila<\/em>\u00a0in Islamic tradition refers to a form of resolving religious disputes. The event of\u00a0Mub\u0101hila<\/em>\u00a0involved a debate between the Prophet and the Christians of Najr\u0101n, in which he summoned the members of his household. The event is recorded in several\u00a0\u1e25ad\u012bth\u00a0<\/em>collections and is referred to in\u00a0S\u016bra \u0100l \u02bfImr\u0101n<\/em>:<\/p>\n \u2018Should anyone argue with you concerning him, after the knowledge that has come to you, say, \u2018Come! Let us call our sons and your sons, our women and your women, our souls and your souls, then let us pray earnestly and call down Allah\u2019s curse upon the liars.\u2019\u2019 (Q3:61)<\/p>\n Exegetes of the Qur\u2019an say the only woman present in the\u00a0Mub\u0101hila<\/em>\u00a0was F\u0101\u1e6dima, as no other woman from the Emigrants or Helpers was qualified to be included in the above supplication by the Prophet.<\/p>\n It is well-known that the Prophets have endured great difficulties and hardships all for the sake of God and their reward lies with Him. However, God has obliged mankind to love the close associates of the Final Messenger: \u2018Say, \u2018I do not ask you any reward for it except love of [my] relatives.\u2019\u2019 (Q42:23) The prophet\u2019s daughter, F\u0101\u1e6dima, is the closest person to him and therefore it is incumbent upon all Muslims in the world to love and respect her.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u02bfAl\u012b, F\u0101\u1e6dima and their sons, \u1e24asan and \u1e24usayn, as well as Fi\u1e0d\u1e0da (who helped F\u0101\u1e6dima) had decided to fast for three days as part of a vow for the health of \u1e24asan and \u1e24usayn. On the first night, a beggar came and asked for food so they gave him their food and broke their fast with water. On the second night, an orphan came and asked so the Prophet\u2019s household repeated their sacrifice. On the third night, the same happened for a slave. Out of respect for the sacrifices of these four people, fifteen verses were revealed to the Prophet. Two of these verses read: \u2018They give food, for the love of Him, to the needy, the orphan and the prisoner, [saying,] \u2018We feed you only for the sake of Allah. We do not want any reward from you nor any thanks.\u2019 (Q76:8\u20139)<\/p>\n \u2018Indeed We have given you abundance. So pray to your Lord, and sacrifice. Indeed it is your enemy who is without posterity.\u2019 (Q108:1\u20133)<\/p>\n Enemies of the Prophet such as \u02bf\u0100s b. W\u0101\u02beil taunted the Prophet for not having any male descendants but God dismissed this view and revealed these verses to tell him that he will have progeny through F\u0101\u1e6dima, his only surviving offspring. F\u0101\u1e6dima\u2019s children were killed one after another by Umayyad and Abbasid caliphs, but today the entire world feels the presence of the progeny of the Prophet.<\/p>\n In his interpretation of this\u00a0s\u016bra<\/em>, Fakhr al-R\u0101z\u012b says God means He will protect the Prophet\u2019s progeny for the rest of time: \u2018Look how many of the Prophet\u2019s household have been killed, but still the world is replete with them. But there is no one important from the Umayyad family. Then look at the scholars in the Prophet\u2019s family like al-B\u0101qir, al-\u1e62\u0101diq, al-K\u0101\u1e93im and al-Ri\u1e0d\u0101\u2026\u2019 (Maf\u0101t\u012bh al-Ghayb<\/em>)<\/p>\n F\u0101\u1e6dima is an example for all people to follow in their lives. The Qur\u2019an refers to two women as examples of piety and prosperity and two others as signs of misery. The latter are wives of the Prophets Noah and Lot. These two women betrayed their husbands who were messengers of God. To that effect, the Qur\u2019an says: \u2018Allah draws an example for the faithless: the wife of Noah and the wife of Lot. They were with two of our righteous servants, yet they betrayed them. So they did not avail them in any way against Allah, and it was said [to them], \u2018Enter the Fire, along with those who enter [it].\u2019\u2019 (Q66:10)<\/p>\n The two examples of prosperity are Asiya, the wife of Pharaoh, and Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ. Asiya was the Queen of Egypt. She accepted the invitation of Moses, regardless of all risks. Pharaoh was infuriated when he discovered his wife\u2019s inclination towards his enemy. Despite his love for her, he crucified her as she refused to change her beliefs and acceptance of God and Moses. The Qur\u2019an says: \u2018Allah draws an[other] example for those who have faith: the wife of Pharaoh, when she said, \u2018My Lord! Build me a home near You in paradise, and deliver me from Pharaoh and his conduct, and deliver me from the wrongdoing lot.\u2019\u2019 (Q66:11)<\/p>\n The second woman was Mary, the mother of Jesus. The Qur\u2019an describes how she reacted to Gabriel: \u2018Thus did she seclude herself from them, whereupon We sent to her Our Spirit and he became incarnate for her as an immaculate human. She said, \u2018I seek the protection of the All-beneficent from you, should you be Godwary!\u2019 He said, \u2018I am only a messenger of your Lord that I may give you a pure son.\u2019\u2019 (Q19:17\u201319) The Qur\u2019an describes Mary as follows: \u2018And Mary, daughter of Imran, guarded the chastity of her womb, so We breathed into it of Our spirit. She confirmed the words of her Lord and His Books, and she was one of the obedient.\u2019 (Q66:12)<\/p>\n The third example of women to follow is F\u0101\u1e6dima. The prophet has said that four women, including his daughter, will be the best women in Heaven. \u02bf\u0100\u02beisha says: \u2018I found nobody much virtuous than F\u0101\u1e6dima except her father\u2026\u2019 (S\u012brat al-\u1e24alab\u012b<\/em>)<\/p>\n \u1e24usayn b. Ziy\u0101d \u02bfAtt\u0101r says: \u2018I asked Imam al-S\u0101diq if the Prophet meant that F\u0101\u1e6dima, who will be the best of women in Heaven, is the best of her own time too. The Imam said: \u2018Maryam was so, but F\u0101\u1e6dima will be the best in Heaven.\u2019<\/p>\n F\u0101\u1e6dima, the daughter of the Prophet, passed away at the age of 18 (according to many narrations). It happened three months after her father\u2019s death. F\u0101\u1e6dima was killed as a mob invaded her home. Imam al-S\u0101diq says she drank the chalice of martyrdom. Nobody is able to cover up the injustice perpetrated against the daughter of the Prophet. The Eighth Imam says she was buried in her own home. (al-K\u0101f\u012b<\/em>)<\/p>\nF\u0101\u1e6dima\u2019s birth<\/h5>\n
F\u0101\u1e6dima\u2019s wedding ceremony<\/h5>\n
F\u0101\u1e6dima in the Qur\u2019an<\/h5>\n
The verse of purification<\/h5>\n
The Verse of Mub\u0101hila<\/h5>\n
The Verse of Mawadda<\/h5>\n
It\u2018am verse<\/h5>\n
S\u016brat al-Kawthar<\/h5>\n
F\u0101\u1e6dima, a paragon of virtue<\/h4>\n
F\u0101\u1e6dima as the best woman of the world<\/h4>\n
F\u0101\u1e6dima\u2019s martyrdom<\/h4>\n