Fatimah (Arabic: فاطمة; fāṭimah; pronounced /ˈfɑːtˤɪma/; born c. 605[1][2] or 615[3] – d. 633) was a daughter of Muhammad and Khadijah, wife of Ali and mother of Hasan and Husain, and one of the five members of Ahl al-Bayt.[1][2] She became the object of great veneration by all Muslims, because she lived closest to her father and supported him in his difficulties and because of historical importance of her husband and her two sons, and that she is the only member of Muhammad's family that gave him descendants, numerously spread through the Islamic world.[1]
She was involved in three significant political actions, each recorded in almost all sources. First, after the conquest of Mecca, she refused her protection to Abu Sufian; Second, after Muhammad's death, she courageously defended Ali’s cause, fiercely opposed the election of Abu Bakr, and had violent disputes with him and particularly with Umar; Third, she laid claim to the property rights of her father and challenged Abu Bakr’s categorical refusal to cede them, particularly Fadak and a share in the produce of Khaybar.[4]
She died a few months after her father's death, and was buried in Jannat Al-Baqi', but the exact location of her grave is unknown. Most Shia Muslims believe that she died as a result of her injury caused by Umar, incurred while defending Ali against Abu Bakr.[1]
Birth
Fatimah was born in Mecca to Khadija, the first wife of Muhammad. There are differences of opinion on the exact date of her birth (605 or 615), but the widely accepted view is that she was born five years before the first Qur'anic revelations, during the time of the rebuilding of the Kaaba in 605,[5][6][7] although this does imply she was over 18 at the time of her marriage, which was unusual in Arabia.[1] Shia sources, however, state that she was born either two or five years after the first Qur'anic revelations,[3] but that timeline would imply her mother was over fifty at the time of her birth.[1]
Fatimah as believed by Sunnis is the fourth of Muhammad's daughters after Zaynab, Ruqayya, and Umm Kulthum.[1] While according to Shi'a scholars, Fatimah was Muhammad's only biological daughter,[8][9] they further claimed, Ruqayyah and Umm Kulthum are actually, being the daughters of Hala, the sister of Khadijah, who were adopted by Muhammad and Khadijah at her death. A strong reason given by the Shi'a scholars for this belief is the event of (mubahala) mentioned in the Quran, in which there is no reference of the presence of any other female apart from Fatimah, however Sunnis accept that Muhammad had four daughters all from Khadijah.[10]
Titles
Fatimah is given many titles by Muslims to show their admiration of her moral and physical characteristics. The most used title is "al-Zahra", meaning "the shining one", and she is commonly referred to as Fatimah Zahra.[2][11] She was also known as Ummu Abeeha (Mother of her Father) and "al-Batul" (the chaste and pure one) as she spent much of her time in prayer, reciting the Qur'an and in other acts of worship.[2]
Early life
Following the birth of Fatimah, she was personally nursed, contrary to local customs where the newborn were sent to "wet nurses" in surrounding villages.[12] She spent her early youth under the care of her parents in Mecca in the shadow of the tribulations suffered by her father at the hands of the Quraysh.[1]
According to tradition, on one occasion while Muhammad was performing the salah (prayer) in the Kaaba, Amr ibn Hishām (Abu Jahl) and his men poured camel placenta over him. Fatimah, upon hearing the news, rushed to her father and wiped away the filth while scolding the men.[1][13]
Following the death of her mother, Fatimah was overcome by sorrow and found it very difficult to come to terms with her death. She was consoled by her father, who informed her that he had received word from angel Gabriel that God had built for her a palace in paradise.[1]
Marriage
Many of Muhammad's companions asked for Fatimah's hand in marriage, including Abu Bakr and Umar. Muhammad turned them all down, saying that he was awaiting a sign of her destiny.[1] Ali, Muhammad's cousin, also had a desire to marry Fatimah but did not have the courage to approach Muhammad due to his (Ali's) poverty. Even when he mustered up the courage and went to see Muhammad, he could not vocalise his intention but remained silent. Muhammad understood the reason for his being there and prompted Ali to confirm that he had come to seek Fatimah in marriage. He suggested that Ali had a shield, which if sold, would provide sufficient money to pay the bridal gift (mahr).[1][2] Muhammad put forward the proposal from Ali to Fatimah, who remained silent and did not protest, which Muhammad took to be a sign of affirmation and consent.[1][14]
The actual date of the marriage is unclear, but it most likely took place in 623, the second year of the hijra, although some sources say it was in 622. The age of Fatimah is reported to have been 9 or 19 (due to differences of opinion on the exact date of her birth i.e. 605 or 615) at the time of her marriage while Ali was between 21 and 25.[1][2][3] Muhammad told Ali that he had been ordered by God to give his daughter Fatimah to Ali in marriage.[15] Muhammad said to Fatimah: "I have married you to the dearest of my family to me."[2] Ali sold his shield to raise the money needed for the wedding, as suggested by Muhammad.[1] However, Uthman ibn Affan, to whom the shield was sold, gave it back to Ali saying it was his wedding gift to Ali and Fatimah.[2] Muhammad himself performed the wedding ceremony and two of his wives, Aisha and Umm Salama, prepared the wedding feast with dates, figs, sheep and other food donated by various members of the Medinan community.[1] According to Hossein Nasr, their marriage possesses a special spiritual significance for all Muslims because it is seen as the marriage between the greatest saintly figures surrounding Muhammad.[15] Their marriage lasted about ten years and ended when Fatimah died. Although polygyny is permitted by Islam, Ali did not marry another woman while Fatimah was alive.[15]
Poverty
After her marriage to Ali, the wedded couple led a life of abject poverty in contrast to her sisters who were all married to wealthy individuals.[2] Ali had built a house not too far from Muhammad's residence where he lived with Fatimah. However, due to Fatimah's desire to be closer to her father, a Medinan (Haritha bin al-Numan) donated his own house to them.[1]
At the beginning they were extremely poor. For several years after her marriage, she did all of the work by herself. The shoulder on which she carried pitchers of water from the well was swollen and the hand with which she worked the handmill to grind corn where often covered with blisters.[16] Fatimah vouched to take care of the household work, make dough, bake bread, and clean the house; in return, Ali vouched to take care of the outside work such as gathering firewood, and bringing food.[17] Ali worked to irrigate other peoples lands by drawing water from the wells which caused him to complain of chest pains.[2] Their circumstances were akin to many of the Muslims at the time and only improved following the Battle of Khaybar when the produce of Khaybar was distributed among the poor. When the economic situations of the Muslims become better, Fatimah gained some maids but treated them like her family and performed the house duties with them.[1]
Another reference to their simple life comes to us from the Tasbih of Fatimah, a divine formula that was first given to Fatimah when she asked her father for a kaneez (servant girl) in order to help her with household chores. Her father asked her if she would like a gift instead that was better than a servant and worth more than everything in the world. Upon her ready agreement, he told her to recite at the end of every prayer the Great Exaltation, Allahu Akbar 34 times, the Statement of Absolute Gratitude, Alhamdulillah 33 times and the Invocation of Divine Glory, Subhan'Allah 33 times, totalling 100. This collective prayer is called the Tasbih of Fatima.[18]
Marriage Relationship
According to the Encyclopedia of Islam, Fatimah had occasional disputes with her husband and often sought the intersession of her father who showed signs of great satisfaction upon reconciling the couple's differences. On one occasion, a member of the house of Hisham ibn al-Mughirah proposed that Ali marry a woman from their clan. Ali did not immediately reject the proposal and when word reached Muhammad he is reported to have said, "Fatima is a part of me and whoever offends her offends me."[19]
Muhammad re-iterated his affection for Fatimah when she was made aware that Ali had proposed to a daughter of Abu Jahl. From the pulpit Muhammad pronounced, "she is indeed a part of me" and that Ali would have to first divorce Fatimah before the marriage could go ahead. Ali was given the name of Abu Turab (the man of dust) by Muhammad. One of the explanations for this is linked to the disputes with Fatimah where, instead of arguing with Fatimah, Ali would go and put dust on his head.[20]
Shia acknowledge the saying of Muhammad, "Fatimah is a part of me and whoever offends her offends me", however the context of the reporting in reference to Ali is disputed. "Among the many fabricated stories told against Imam Ali was that he had asked for Abu Jahl's (the chief of infidels) daughter's hand in marriage. When this news reached Fatimah (A), she rushed to her father who found out the falsity of the story."[21]
Shia say this statement was used by Fatimah herself when she spoke to Abu Bakr and Umar, stating that they had both displeased her.[22]
Fatimah in the Quran
Some verses in the Qur'an are associated to Fatimah and her household by classical exegetes, although she is not mentioned by name. According to J. D. McAuliffe, two of the most important verses include the verse of purification, which is the 33rd ayah in sura al-Ahzab[23] and the 61st ayah in sura Al-i-Imran.[24][25] In the first verse, the phrase "people of the house" (ahl al-bayt) is ordinarily understood to consist of Muhammad, Fatimah, her husband Ali and their two sons (al-Tabari in his exegesis also mentions a tradition that interprets "people of the house" as Muhammad's wives; for Ibn al-Jawzi, the order of these options is reversed).[25] The second verse refers to an episode in which Muhammad proposed an ordeal of mutual adjuration (mubahala) to a delegation of Christians. Fatimah, according to the "occasion for the revelation" of this verse, was among those offered by Muhammad as witnesses and guarantors.[25]
Muslim exegesis of the Qur'anic verse 3:42, links the praise of Mary, the mother of Jesus, with that of Fatimah based on a quote attributed to Muhammad that lists the outstanding women of all time as Mary, Asiya (the wife of Pharaoh), Khadija and Fatimah (the all Muslim commentaries insists upon the absolute superiority of Fatimah).[25]
Death
Following the farewell pilgrimage, Muhammad summoned Fatimah and informed her that he would be dying soon but also informed her that she would be the first of his household to join him.[1][2] Some days after this discussion, Muhammad died, following which Fatimah was grief stricken and remained so for the remainder of her life until she died less than six months later, in the month of Ramadhan.[2] Sunnis believe that Fatimah reconciled her differences with Abu Bakr prior to her death although the Shia Muslims believe in her anger with him until her death.[1][7]
There are two distinct views on the manner of her death between the Shias and Sunnis.
The Sunnis state that on the morning of her death, she took a bath, put on new clothes and lay down in bed. She asked for Ali and informed him that her time to die was very close. Upon hearing this news, Ali began to cry but was consoled by Fatimah who asked him to look after her two sons and for him to bury her without ceremony. After her death, Ali followed her wishes and buried her without informing the Medinan people.[2]
Shias, however, maintain that Fatimah died as a result of injuries sustained after her house was raided by Umar ibn al-Khattab who burnt the house and stomed her house by pushing the door to the farthest extent, cracking her rib-cage whilst she was pregnant. Note that this accident also has been affirmed by the Sufi (nagina mosque order) scholar Maulana Shibli's famous book Al-Farook, but he has described the other reasons for this incident as well.[32][33][34][35] Umar not only murdered her in the process but her unborn child, Mohsen, who was miscarried shortly thereafter as a direct result of Umar's attack.[34] Muhammad appeared in a dream and informed Fatimah that she would be passing away the next day. Fatimah informed her husband Ali of her impending death, and asked him not to allow the oppressors to be involved in her ceremonial prayers janazah (prayer performed in congregation after the death of a Muslim) or take part in the burial.[36]
Some sources say, the next day when she died, her two sons were the first family members to learn of her death and immediately proceeded to the mosque to inform their father who, upon hearing the news, fell unconscious. When he regained consciousness, Ali, according to Fatimah's wishes, performed the janazah and buried her during the night on 3rd Jumada al-Thani 11 AH (632) making out three other false graves to ensure her real grave could not be identified. With him were his family and a few of his close companions.[37]
