{"id":6733,"date":"2020-01-07T09:50:41","date_gmt":"2020-01-07T09:50:41","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2020-01-07T09:52:07","modified_gmt":"2020-01-07T09:52:07","slug":"fatimah-zahra-a-the-link-between-prophethood-and-imamat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/shiastudies.com\/en\/6733\/fatimah-zahra-a-the-link-between-prophethood-and-imamat\/","title":{"rendered":"Fatimah Zahra (a) the Link between Prophethood and Imamat"},"content":{"rendered":"

Fatimah Zahra (a) the Link between Prophethood and Imamat<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Fatimah (A.S) was the only woman connecting Prophethood and Imamate and was the link between the two. She was the daughter of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W), the wife of the first Imam (A.S) and the mother of the rest of the Imams (A.S) who descended from her and her husband Ali (A.S). Allah singled her out with this virtue and peculiarity because she was the most perfect and highest example in purity, sanctity, worship, asceticism and morals. There are many stories from her life which tell how she used to study her father\u2019s thoughts to know what he liked and disliked, what opened up his heart and what closed it. We also learn from Fatimah (A.S.), in her advanced missionary awareness and position, that she was someone who rebelled against her personal needs, however simple, for the sake of her missionary ambitions; she was someone who prioritized in favour of principles over the self.<\/h4>\n

Fatimah (A.S.) was the only woman connecting Prophethood and Imamate and was
\nthe link between the two. She was the daughter of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.), the
\nwife of the first Imam (A.S.) and the mother of the rest of the Imams (A.S.) who
\ndescended from her and her husband Ali (A.S.). Allah singled her out with this
\nvirtue and peculiarity because she was the most perfect and highest example in
\npurity, sanctity, worship, asceticism and morals.<\/h4>\n

Al-Kawthar<\/strong><\/h4>\n

According to some Qur\u2019an commentaries (tafsir), when the Quraysh (tribe) said
\nthat the Prophet (S.A.W.) had no offspring, the chapter of al-Kawthar was
\nrevealed: \u2018Verily We have given thee the Kawthar (Abundance). So pray thou unto
\nthy Lord! And offer sacrifice. Verily, thy enemy shall be the one cut off (in
\nhis progeny).\u2019 (Qur\u2019an 108:1-3)<\/h4>\n

\u2018We have given you al-Kawthar\u2019 means we have given you the abundant good, which
\nshall last throughout your life and after it; therefore, turn your face unto
\nyour Lord in prayer, as mention of your name shall never end and your offspring
\nshall never perish; it is those standing against you who are more deserving of
\nthis description.<\/h4>\n

This revelation was given against the backdrop of the pronouncements by some of
\nthe Quraysh\u2019s most scurrilous men \u2013 such as al-\u2019As bin Wa\u2019il, Abu Jahl, \u2018Uqbah
\nbin Abi Mu\u2019ayt and Ka\u2019b bin al-Ashraf \u2013 that the Prophet (S.A.W.) was cut off
\nfrom male children, after the death of his son al-Qasim. Hence, it is clear that
\nthe abundant good \u2013 al-Kawthar \u2013 was pointing to the abundant offspring which
\nthe Prophet (S.A.W.) would have through his daughter Fatimah (A.S.), and that
\nthis was a reply to those people and their effort to weaken the Prophet\u2019s
\nspirits.<\/h4>\n

Supporting our interpretation, al-Tabataba\u2019i, in al-Mizan commentary, said:
\n\u2018Without that, the words \u2018Verily, thy enemy shall be the one cut off\u2019 would be
\nuseless.\u2019<\/h4>\n

Her Childhood<\/strong><\/h4>\n

In Fatimah\u2019s childhood, there was no place for playing, leisure and
\npurposelessness. Nor were her energies those of a child living a childhood of
\ninnocence and simplicity. Rather, hers was the energy of a child who stored
\nwithin herself a feeling for the role which she should play in the Messenger\u2019s
\nlife and the suffering and pain which he was facing. It was a childhood with the
\ncharacteristics of a motherhood, living its spirit and fulfilling its role.<\/h4>\n

There she was, and having opened her eyes to life, she saw her father (S.A.W.)
\ncoming every now and then, weighed down by the pressures, burdens and harm
\ninflicted by the atheists; so she would embrace her father and relieve his pain
\nand take care of him with all kindness.
\nOne day, she saw her father (S.A.W.) in the Holy Mosque of Makkah after the
\natheists had dumped dirt and rubbish over his back while he was praying to his
\nLord. She promptly went forward and removed the rubbish with her small hands,
\nexpressing her sadness and condolences to him (S.A.W.) with her tears.<\/h4>\n

This is what made her open up to her responsibilities in her early childhood to
\nstand by her father, to take care of him and empathize with him; and he was the
\none who had lost his mother, and his sympathetic wife. She stood by him when he
\nwas challenged with the Message: some called him names, others accused him of
\nbeing insane, others threw dirt and stones on him; his uncle Abu Lahab crying
\nout: \u2018No doubt, Muhammad (S.A.W.) has bewitched you!\u2019<\/h4>\n

But when he returned home, he would be greeted by Fatimah (A.S.), with her
\nsympathy and care, which was not that of a child weeping without awareness\u2026..
\nShe was sensing that his pain was also hers and so amassed during her childhood
\nthe pain of the Message and pain of the Messenger\u2026 And whosoever amasses in
\ntheir early childhood the awareness of the pain of the Messenger and the Message
\ncannot find time for leisure or playing or purposelessness; playing and
\npurposelessness occur in our lives because of an emptiness, which we are trying
\nto fill.<\/h4>\n

This was how Fatimah (A.S.) grew up, not like other children, but as a person
\nwith mission in her feelings, emotions, opinions and her whole dynamic attitude.<\/h4>\n

Her Relationship with the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.)<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Ibn \u2018Abdul Barr, in al-Istee\u2019ab, narrated \u2013 and we would like very much to use
\nit, as it was a Sunni source which represents a neutral source, so that the
\nShi\u2019ah could not be accused of talking out of emotion \u2013 that \u2018Ayshah said: \u2018I
\nhad not seen any one who was more resembling the Messenger of Allah in his
\nspeech, conduct and manners as Fatimah; when she used to enter (his house) he
\nwould stand up for her, take her hand and kiss it and make her sit in his
\nsitting place; and when he used to enter (her house) she would stand up for him,
\ntake his hand and kiss it and make him sit in her sitting place\u2019.<\/h4>\n

When we study this text, we can conclude two things: first, the unity and
\ncomplete merging between Fatimah\u2019s personality and her father\u2019s, as the person
\nmost closely resembling him. This is reflected even in his walking, as seen in
\nmany narrations, such as \u2018Fatimah came and her walk did not fail the walking of
\nthe Messenger of Allah (S.A.W.)\u2019; second, the depth of the spiritual
\nrelationship between the Prophet (S.A.W.) and Fatimah (A.S.), a relationship
\nwhich the Prophet (S.A.W.) had with Fatimah (A.S.) alone.<\/h4>\n

Another narration by al-Hakim in al-Mustadrak states: \u2018The Messenger of Allah
\nused, when he came back from a battle or journey, to come to the mosque and pray
\ntwo rak\u2019as to thank Allah\u2026.. then would enter to (the house of) Fatimah, then
\nhe would come to his wives\u2019.<\/h4>\n

This meant that Fatimah (A.S.) held the prime place in the relationships between
\nthe Prophet (S.A.W.) and other people, including his wives.<\/h4>\n

In the same book, al-Mustadrak, al-Hakim also narrated: \u2018The Prophet (S.A.W.),
\nwhen he used to travel, the last person he would see was Fatimah.\u2019
\nThus her image would stay in his mind, and the kindness and emotion, with which
\nshe used to embrace him, would stay with him in his travel and his memory, to
\ncomfort him.<\/h4>\n

Al-Hakim added: \u2018And when he returned from a journey, the first person he would
\nsee would be Fatimah.\u2019<\/h4>\n

Historians have said that the Prophet (S.A.W.) did not accept that Fatimah (A.S.)
\nbecame separated from him even after her marriage and, therefore, did not accept
\nthat she lived in a house far away from him, so she lived in the house next to
\nhis so that he could enter into her house directly from his.
\nIn al-Isti\u2019ab we read: \u201dAyshah was asked: who was the most beloved person to
\nthe Messenger of Allah? She replied: Fatimah. I asked: and amongst men? She
\nsaid: her husband\u2026\u2019<\/h4>\n

This is an important witness by \u2018Ayshah for Fatimah and Ali (A.S.).<\/strong><\/h4>\n

There are many stories from her life which tell how she used to study her
\nfather\u2019s thoughts to know what he liked and disliked, what opened up his heart
\nand what closed it. An example of this was when he (S.A.W.) came back from a
\njourney and entered her house, looked around a little, then left. Quickly she
\nknew that something bothered the Messenger of Allah (S.A.W.). She thought about
\nit and realized that on the door of her house was a curtain and that she had two
\nbracelets in her hands; she took the curtain down and took off the bracelets and
\nsent them with her sons and said: \u2018Say greetings to my father and say to him: we
\nhave not introduced anything after you except this, it is for you to do with
\nthem what you like.\u2019<\/h4>\n

When the Prophet (S.A.W.) heard this, his expression relaxed. He was moved by
\nthis generous, wonderful, spiritual gesture by his daughter, and this thoughtful
\nresponse, and gave these things to the poor, saying: \u2018She did this! May her
\nfather be sacrificed for her! May her father be sacrificed for her! May her
\nfather be sacrificed for her! What have the family of Muhammad (S.A.W.) to do
\nwith life: they have been created for the hereafter!\u2019<\/h4>\n

This is what every girl with a mission should learn, when her father is a man of
\nmissionary affiliations and responsibilities; as too should every woman with
\nsomeone who has a missionary dimension in his life: she should learn not to get
\ntoo engrossed with her own affairs, but to open herself up to the
\nresponsibilities of her father, husband, brother or son so as to join with him
\nin the dynamic movement of responsibility, and not to add to the burdens to his
\nresponsibility. For we see many great men, past and present, become burdened by
\nthe people who are around them: while when they think in a missionary manner,
\nthose around them think only of themselves.<\/h4>\n

We also learn from Fatimah (A.S.), in her advanced missionary awareness and
\nposition, that she was someone who rebelled against her personal needs, however
\nsimple, for the sake of her missionary ambitions; she was someone who
\nprioritized in favour of principles over the self. This is what we need to
\nlearn, for many of us \u2013 men and women alike \u2013 fall down when it comes to a
\nchoice between the needs of the principle and the needs of the self; we too
\noften choose the self, and may even make a principle of service to the self.<\/h4>\n

Fatimah al-Zahra (A.S.) was unique in all her behaviour and deeds, even in her
\nsorrow for her beloved, especially during her separation from the Messenger of
\nAllah (S.A.W.).<\/h4>\n

Historians tell us that, when she went to him as he was dying, she embraced him
\nand he whispered something in her ear which made her weep. Then, when he
\nwhispered something that made her laugh, she was asked:<\/h4>\n

\u2018How quickly (your) laughing after weeping?!\u2019 She said: \u2018I shall not reveal the Messenger of Allah\u2019s secret in his life.\u2019 So, when she was asked about this after his death, she said: \u2018He whispered in my ear first that he was going to meet his Lord and that his soul was announced to him (his death), so I wept;
\nthen he whispered in my ear again that I was going to be the first of his family
\nto go after him, so I laughed!\u2019<\/h4>\n

Where else would you find a young woman, whatever her love for her father,
\nbecome happy when he tells her that she is going to be the first to die after
\nhim?<\/h4>\n

What relationship deeper could be than this, and what unity of spirit could be
\nstronger?<\/h4>\n

shiastudies.com<\/a><\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Fatimah (A.S.) was the only woman connecting Prophethood and Imamate and was the link between the two. She was the daughter of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.), the wife of the first Imam (A.S.) and the mother of the rest of the Imams (A.S.) who descended from her and her husband Ali (A.S.). Allah singled her out with this virtue and peculiarity because she was the most perfect and highest example in purity, sanctity, worship, asceticism and morals.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":9466,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7453,7758],"tags":[16845,10822],"class_list":["post-6733","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bank-of-subjects-of-articles","category-prophet","tag-fatimah-zahra-a-the-link-between-prophethood-and-imamat","tag-shaistudies"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/shiastudies.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6733","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/shiastudies.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/shiastudies.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shiastudies.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shiastudies.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6733"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/shiastudies.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6733\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shiastudies.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9466"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/shiastudies.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6733"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shiastudies.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6733"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shiastudies.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6733"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}