Over the aforementioned qualities, there are many more sides to Hazrat Fatima’s character, some of which are described below.
1. HER PIETY
After the Prophet (S.A.W.W) and Imam Ali (A.S), no one else understood Allah more than she did. Her true knowledge (‘Maarifa’) of Allah had a great effect on her When she stood to pray, it is said that the fear of Allah would make her breath fast.
According to the writer of Biharul Anwar the Prophet (S.A.W.W) said, “…whenever Fatima stands for prayers in Mehrab before her Allah, light comes out of her and shines to the Angels of Heaven just as a star shines to mankind on earth. “Allah says to the Angels, ’Look on my servant Fatima, who is the leader of all women, prays before me. Her limbs shake out of my fear…”
According to Hasan Al Basri, there was no other Muslim woman who prayed as much as did Hazrat Fatima (S.A). She would pray until her legs would swell.
Once on a Friday night, Imam Hasan (A.S) saw her pray all night. He heard her pray for believers by naming each of them, but did not ask from Allah for anything for herself. When he inquired why this was so she said, “My son, give your neighbours preference over yourself.”
2. HER MODESTY
Hers was a life of simplicity and sacrifice She always put the wants and wishes of others before her own Everybody else in her house followed this principle.
One day Imam Hasan (A.S) and Imam Husain (A.S) were sick. Imam Ali (A.S), Hazrat Fatima (S.A) and their maid Fizza made a promise (“Nazr”) to Allah that they would fast for three days after the children had become well.
When the children became well, the whole family and Fizza started three days fast. On the first day, just when the family were to break their fast each with a loaf of bread, a needy person came asking for food. Hazrat Fatima (S. A), her two sons, Imam Ali (A.S) and Fizza all gave away their bread and went to sleep hungry.
On the second day at the time of breaking the fast, an orphan came and he was given all the five loaves. And on the third day a prisoner came and he was given all the loaves. Such was the high character of Hazrat Fatima (S. A) and her family. Allah was so much pleased by this action that he revealed Sura Al Dahr (chapter 76) in honour of Hazrat Fatima (S. A) and her family.
Allah also sent food and drinks of heaven for Hazrat Fatirna (S A) and her children with which to break their fast. Another example of her piety is: On the night of : marriage. a beggar came to her house asking for help. She didn’t have anything to give so she gave her best dress that her father had given her as her marriage gift. She, instead, wore an old dress.
3. HER GENEROSITY
After settling in Medina, gradually the economic position of Muslims became good. From the ‘Male Ghanima’ (property and riches got from wars) many Muslims became rich. But not Hazrat Fatima (S.A) and her family.
All that they got, they spent in the way of Islam. Several times when the needy and the travellers came to the Prophet (S.A.W.W) for help, he would send them to Hazrat Fatima’s house and she would never send them emptyhanded.
On one occasion she gave away her necklace of great sentimental value (it being a gift from her cousin Fatima Bint Hamza) to a beggar as she didn’t have anything else to give.
In the last few years of her life, her father had given her the estate of Fadak. It is said that the annual income from this estate was not less that 20,000 dinars.
In those days this was a lot of money. This was hers to spend. However, she used only that amount of money from Fadak that was needed to feed her children. The remaining part was given away in charity to the needy.
4. HER KNOWLEDGE
She was a very knowledgeable person though went to no school. She had her knowledge direct1 Allah, and then there was her father Hazrat M (S.A.W.W) who was another teacher ftr incidents are given below to show the ’ knowledge.
Once the Prophet (S,A.W.W) asked all those who were present in the Mosque of Medina this question: What: the best thing for the women? Everybody gave his reply but none satisfied the Prophet (S.A.W.W). Imam Ali (A.S) went to Hazrat Fatima (S A) to get her reply. She said, “The best thing for women is not to see men, and not to let men see them.”
When the Prophet (S.A.W.W) heard her reply he was pleased and satisfied. He said, “Surely she has spoken the truth for she is part of me.”
She was the teacher for women who needed religious and other day to day guidance. Imam Hasan Askari (A.S) (We shall learn more about him in Unit #13) says that a woman came to Hazrat Fatima and asked questions that the woman’s mother wanted to know.
Hazrat Fatima (S.A) gave the answers. The mother asked more questions and Hazrat Fatima (S.A) replied them all. The mother asked still more questions. Her daughter apologized to Hazrat Fatima(S.A).
Hazrat Fatima (S.A) replied, “Ask any questions that come in your mind.” She added, “If a person was hired to carry a load to the top of a mountain for a reward of one thousand dinars, would he mind doing so? The woman replied”No."
Hazrat Fatima continued, “My reward for answering each question is more (in value) than what it takes pearls to fill in the space between the earth and the sky.”
And then she went on narrating “Hadith” from her father, the Prophet (S.A.W.W), on the rewards that scholars of Islam would get from Allah on the Day of Judgement. Indeed, she is one of the most reliable sources of (“hadith”) of the Prophet (S.A.W.W).
Her knowledge of every branch of Islam and every part of Qur’an can be seen in her sermon (Khutba) which she gave in the court of Abubakr when she came to ask him to return to her the estate of Fadak. (We shall talk more about this incident in Chapter seven). As this ‘Khutba’ is very long we do not reproduce it here.
To support her claim and to prove that Abu Baqr was wrong, she quoted more than twenty verses of the Quran. Abu Baqr had no reply to give to her In her closing words she challenged him in these words, “So you do what you want and wait, and we too shall wait…”
Her knowledge was of such high quality that she could talk with Angels She would receive some special information which was collected in a book called ’Mushaf according to Allama Majlisi who reports on the authority of Imam Sadiq (A.S).
This book had information on Islamic Law, e.g. legal punishments. The book also had names of all rulers of the world both of the past and the future. Lastly, it had description of all important events that would take place in future.
The size of this book was three times that of the Quran. Remember: this book was not part of the Quran.
Source:
A Brief Biography of Hazrat Fatima (A.S.), [Pg. 27-30].
By: M.M. Dungersi Ph.D.
