Martyrdom of Hazrat Fatema Zahra (PBUH)

Heartfelt condolences to you all on one of the most tragic day in the Islamic calendar.

Today, the 3rd of Jamadi as-Sani is the anniversary of martyrdom of the Noblest ever lady that graced Planet Earth. She was none other than Hazrat Fatema Zahra (Peace be upon her), the Immaculate Daughter of the Almighty’s Last and Greatest Messenger, Prophet Mohammad (Blessings of God upon him and his progeny). Please stay with us for a special feature in this regard:

In ayah 23 of Surah 42 of the holy Qur’an, God Almighty says:

“That is the good news Allah gives to His servants who have faith and do righteous deeds! Say (O’ Muhammad to Muslims), ‘I do not ask you any reward for it (preaching Islam) except love of [my] closest kin."…

The Words of God Almighty are crystal clear. He sent Prophet Muhammad (blessings of God upon him and his progeny) with the universal message of Islam, for the benefit of all mankind. The Prophet doesn’t need any kind of reward from anyone for making them cognizant of the One and Only God; instilling in them virtue and humanitarian values; saving them from agnosticism, polytheism, vices and sins; rescuing them from the pitfalls of hell; and paving for them the path towards the bliss of paradise. So what is the token of the Muslims’ gratitude towards the Prophet for delivering them from darkness? God does not leave His creatures in the dark. As is obvious by its wordings the Ayah that we recited explicitly says that it is obligatory for any real Muslim to have love, affection, and respect for the Prophet’s closest of kin, that is, his immediate blood relatives, who are faith and virtue personified, and are free from any sort of uncleanness and impurity, as is evident by another Ayah of the Holy Qur’an, that is,33 of Surah Ahzaab:

“Allah desires to keep away uncleanness from you Ahl al-Bayt, and preserve you thoroughly purified.” (33:33)

Those still in doubt about the identity of the Immaculate Personages known as the Ahl al-Bayt, which does not include any wife of the Prophet, however virtuous, should study the Holy Qur’an more closely and read the undeniable facts of the principal events of the life of the Mercy unto the creation, that made Islam victorious in all encounters. The Prophet of Islam was not a mere preacher but a practical demonstrator of whatever the All-Wise Creator revealed to him for the good of mankind. He set the personal example and it is for this reason the holy Qur'an calls him the "Excellent Exemplar". He also granted him the best of children in the form of the noblest ever lady who was ever born. So virtuous was she that the Prophet used to stand to his feet whenever his daughter, Hazrat Fatema (peace upon her) entered his presence and would make her sit in his place. By the command of God Almighty, he married her to the most virtuous person after him, that is, his cousin, Imam Ali ibn Abi Taleb (AS). The couple became the proud parents of four immaculate children, that is, sons Imam Hasan and Imam Husain, and daughter Hazrat Zainab and Hazrat Omm Kolsoum (peace upon them). The Prophet at every opportunity highlighted the Muslims the pride of place of these personages, the Ahl al-Bayt. On revelation of ayah 61 of Surah Aal-e Imran, the Prophet, as per divine commandment, challenged the Christians of Najran to a unique contest of malediction for making truth triumphant, and took with him none of his companions or spouses, but his only daughter Hazrat Fatema Zahra, her husband Imam Ali, and her two sons, Imam Hasan and Imam Husain (peace upon them).

Alas, after the passing away of the Prophet, his companions failed to do justice to the Ahl al-Bayt. The result was that Fatema (peace upon her) became the first victim of terrorism in the history of Islam, while defending the ethereal values of Islam, especially the divinely-decreed right of leadership of her husband. She accomplished her religio-moral mission to the extent that she lost her life in this way. She confirmed what Allah had revealed to other Divine prophets, as Islam was to complete all the previous religions. It was her mission to disseminate the teachings of the Divine prophets. She lost her life in a very tragic and heart-rending way in the way of achieving these aims and directing people to the virtuous morals and kindness amongst people. Regarding the time of her martyrdom at the age of eighteen, there are two reports, the first one takes it as seventy-five days, and the other one as ninety-five days, after the passing away of the Prophet, that is on 13th Jamadi al-Awwal, or the 3rd of Jamadi as-Sani, respectively. Of these two dates, the second date is more reliable. Fatema (peace upon her) dauntlessly challenged the persons who had usurped her rights and the rights of her husband. She delivered a famous sermon that is still alive in the books of history and hadith.

If we take a brief look at her sermon given in the mosque of Medina and in the public presence of the Prophet’s companions, we can observe that she questions the ruler and reproaches him with sharp speeches. At this point a question may occur to the mind: can the speech of Hazrat Fatemah (peace upon her) be an implication and reaction of her being hurt and angry at the oppression of the first Caliph and his helpers? This implication can also be inferred by the famous saying of the Prophet, who has said: “If Fatema is displeased, God Almighty becomes displeased. That sermon had their impact as they thundered down upon the first Caliph and his followers. With her speech she changed the view of the people towards the tyranny. However, after she delivered the sermon in the mosque of Medina, a series of sorrowful events took place, which all caused her to remain in bed. Imam Ali (AS) felt that his wife wants to have a private conversation. He asked the other women who were in the room to leave. Then he sat beside her bed. He held her head against his chest and said: “Dear Fatimah! Tell me; tell me whatever is in your heart.” Fatimah said: “My dear cousin! I am departing from this world. I saw my father in my dream an hour ago. He told me: ‘Come to me my daughter; I am eager to see you.’ So, my first word (question) to you is, during all this period that I was with you, have you heard a lie from me? Have I ever disobeyed any of your requests?” (In other words, forgive me if I have done you any wrong.)

Upon hearing these words Imam Ali (AS) became even more grieved and began to cry; he said: “We seek refuge in Allah; you were much greater than to have lied or disobeyed.”

Then she continued: “My last will is to prepare my funeral at night; I do not want any of those who oppressed me to know about my funeral. I want you to wash me at night, put the shroud on me, perform the prayer upon my body, and bury me at night. And after my burial, sit beside my grave and recite the Qur’an for me.”

In that moment in which her head was on the chest of Imam Ali (AS), she said: “Peace be upon Gabriel, Peace be upon the Messenger of Allah.”

And in those moments her soul left her holy body; her departure from this world turned off the lights in Imam Ali’s (AS) home.

AS/ME