Abdul Rasool Syed
AMONG the most illustrious women of Islam, The name of Hazrat Fatima (RA), the most beloved daughter of Holy Prophet (SAW), is the most distinct one due to her myriad virtues and closeness with the Holy Prophet (SAW). She was the nucleus of the Last Prophet’s love and affection. Holy Prophet (SAW) used to treat her so lovingly that he once remarked that my daughter Fatima is the part of me; Whoever injures (bodily or otherwise) Fatima, he injures me; and whoever injures me, injures Allah; and whoever injures Allah, practises unbelief. O Fatima! If your wrath is incurred, it incurs the wrath of Allah; and if you are pleased, it makes Allah pleased, too.”
Fatima (R.A) was born in Mecca on a Friday, the 20th of Jumada II in the fifth year after the declaration of the Prophetic message. A number of chronicles quote her mother, Khadija, narrating the following about the birth of her revered daughter: “At the time of Fatima’s birth, I sent for my neighbouring Qurayshite women to assist me. They flatly refused, saying that I had betrayed them by marrying and supporting the Last Prophet (SAW). I was perturbed for a while when, to my great surprise, I saw four strange tall women with halos around their faces approaching me. Finding me dismayed, one of them addressed me thus, ‘O Khadija! I am Sarah, mother of Ishaq (Isaac). The other three are: Mary mother of Christ, Asiya daughter of Muzahim and Umm Kulthum sister of Moses. We have all been commanded by God to put our nursing knowledge at your disposal.’ Saying this, all of them sat around me and rendered the services of midwifery till my daughter Fatima was born.”
Fatima has many epithets, some of which are the trustworthy (al-siddiqa), the blessed (al-mubarakah), the pure (al-tahira), the refined (al-zakiyya), the contented (al-radiya), the pleasing one (al- mardiya) and of course al-Zahra and al-Batul. The appellation, al-Zahra, the resplendent light, was given to her on account of the light that emanated from her face. It is said that she would stand in prayer so much so that she became a reflection of the Light of God. She was called “al-Batul” because she was distinguished from all the women of her time in virtue, in religion and progeny; as well as for her detachment from the world and her immersion in ibadah (worship).
Fatima (R.A) is, indisputably, acknowledged as the “Sayyidatu nisa-`alamin” (Leader of all the women of the world for all times); for all the verses revealed in the Holy Qur’an for women, Fatima is the perfect model, who translated every verse into action. In her lifetime, she was a complete woman, being Daughter, Wife and Mother at the same time. Fatima(R.A) inherited the virtues of genius and wisdom, the determination and will power, piety and sanctity, generosity and benevolence, devotion and worship of Allah, self-sacrifice and hospitality, forbearance and patience, knowledge and nobility of disposition of her illustrious father, both in words and in actions. “I often witnessed my mother,” says Imam Husain, “absorbed in prayer from dusk to dawn.” Her generosity and compassion for the poor was such that no destitute or beggar ever returned from her door empty-handed. She worked, dressed, ate and lived very simply. She was very generous; and none who came to her door ever went away empty handed. Many times she gave away all the food she had had, staying without any food at all.
‘A’ishah, (R.A) talking of her, says she bore a remarkable resemblance to her father. She not only looked like him, but her way of speaking, sitting, standing and walking – in other words, all her mannerisms and gestures were exactly like that of Prphet(SAW). Whenever her father visited her she would receive him and kiss his forehead with respect. They were exceptionally close to each other and whenever she visited her father, he would stand up and receive her. If he saw her troubled or sad he would also be grieved, and if he saw her happy he would also be pleased.
M.H. Shakir, a renowned Egpytian scholar, pays tributes to Syeda Fatima (R.A) in the following words: “Fatima, the daughter of the Holy Prophet of Islam, was born in Mecca on 20th of Jumada al-Thaniya 18 B.H. (Before Hijra). The good and noble lady Khadija and the Apostle of Allah bestowed all their natural love, care and devotion on their lovable and only child, Fatima, who in her turn was extremely fond of her parents. The Princess of the House of the Prophet was very intelligent, accomplished and cheerful. Her speeches, poems and sayings serve as an index to her strength of character and nobility of mind. Her virtues gained her the title ‘Our Lady of Light’. She was moderately tall, slender and endowed with great beauty which caused her to be called ‘az-Zahra’ (the Lady of Light)”. To encapsulate, we must educate our women about the holy life of Syeda Fatima (R.A) and admonish them to emulate her example, if they want success in their life and the life-hereafter…
— The writer, an Advcate, based in Quetta Balochistan.
