Sirah of Sayyida Fatima al-zahraa d ALI 233 Session 3: Tuesday, JCC, Toronto 19 Jamadi II 1434/ 30 April 2013 1
Sûrah al-nahl, Ayat 58 & 59 ب سم الل ه الر مح ن الر حيم * و إ ذا ب ش ر أ ح د ه م ب األ نثى ظ ل و جه ه م س و د ا و ه و ك ظيم ٥٨ ي ت و ارى م ن ال ق وم م ن س وء م ا ب ش ر ب ه ع لى ه و ن أ م ي د س ه ف ال ت اب أ ي س ك ه أ ال سآء م ا ي ك م و ن ٥٩ 16:58 And when one of them is informed of [the birth of] a female, his face becomes dark, and he suppresses grief. 16:59 He hides himself from the people because of the ill of which he has been informed. Should he keep it in humiliation or bury it in the ground? Unquestionably, evil is what they decide. 2
Questions for Discussion How would you link verses 16:58 & 59 to our discussion on the life of Sayyida Fatima J? Fatima preferred the Hereafter over this world? Is this correct? Please comment. Do you remember any Du a from Sayyida Fatima J? Did Fatima play any political role after the demise of her father, the Messenger of Allah 1? 3
Division of household duties Fatimah J agreed with Imam Ali A that she will undertake duties inside the house, (of preparing) the dough, (baking) the bread and house keeping. Ali (a) guaranteed to Fatimah all that is needed from outside the house, such as providing the firewood and food. One day he said to her: O Fatimah do you have something (to eat in the house)? She replied: By He who glorified you we do not have anything to give you since three days. He said: Why did you not inform me? She said: the Messenger of Allah 1 always advised me against asking you for anything. He said to me Do not ask your cousin for anything. If he brought you something, fine; and if not then do not ask him for anything. 4
Fatima s Du as of the week- 1 ا لل ه م اف ت ح ل ن ا خ ز ائ ن ر مح ت ك و ه ب ل ن ا الل ه م ر مح ة ال ت ع ذ ب ن ا ب ع د ه ا ف الد ن ي ا و ا ل خ ر ة و ار ز ق ن ا م ن ف ض ل ك ال و اس ع ر ز قا ح ل ال ط ي با و ال ت و ج ن ا و ال ت ف ق ر ن ا إ ل أ ح د س و ا ك Saturday: O Allah open for us the treasures of your mercy. Give us compassion O Allah. Do not punish us in this world and the hereafter. Provide us from Your abundant bounties a pure and good livelihood, and let us not be in need or want of anyone other than You. الل ه م اج ع ل أ و ل ي و م ي ه ذ ا ف ل حا و آخ ر ه ن احا و أ و س ط ه ص ل حا Sunday: O Allah make the first part of this day successful, the last have a happy ending and the middle be righteous. الل ه م إ ن أ س أ ل ك ق و ة ف ع ب اد ت ك و ت ب ص را ف ك ت اب ك ك ف ح ك م و ف ه ما Monday: O Allah I ask you for strength in worshiping you, comprehension of your book, and understanding of your commands. 5
Fatima s Du as of the week-2 و اج ع ل ص ال ح م ا ن ق ول ب أ ل س ن ت ن ا ن ي ة ف ق ل وب ن ا الل ه م إ ن م غ ف ر ت ك أ و س ع م ن ذ ن وب ن ا و ر مح ت ك أ ر ج ى ع ن د ن ا م ن أ ع م ال ن ا Tuesday: Let us speak from the depths of our hearts whatever we say by our tongue. O Allah, verily the plentiness of your forgiveness has enough room to absorb our sins, and we rely more on your mercy than on our good deeds. الل ه م اح ر س ن ا ب ع ي ن ك ال ت ال ت ن ا م و ر ك ن ك ال ذ ي ال ي ر ا م و ص ل ع ل ى م م د و آل ه ال ع ظ ا م و ب أ س ائ ك Wednesday: O Allah protect us with Your eye that never sleeps Your pillar that never falters, and Your mighty names, and bless Muhammad and his family 6
Fatima s Du as of the week -3 الل ه م إ ن أ س أ ل ك ا ل د ى و الت ق ى و ال ع ف اف و ال غ ن و ال ع م ل و ت ر ض ى ب ا ت ب Thursday: O Allah! I seek from You the guidance and taqwa, chastity and sufficiency (free of need of others) and deeds according to what You love and are pleased with ا لل ه م اج ع ل ن ا م ن أ ق ر ب م ن و أ ن ح ت ق ر ب م ن س أ ل ك إ ل ي ك و ت ض ر ع و أ و ج ه إ ل ي ك م ن ت و ج ه إ ل ي ك Friday: O Allah! Render us among the nearest of those who seek nearness to You and the most illustrious of those who turn to You and the most successful of those who ask from You and beseech You 7
Fatima reacts when Ali taken to Abu Bakr Fatima went to the Masjid and said to Abu Bakr, Do you intend to take my husband away from me, making me a widow? If you do not release him, I swear by Allah, I will dishevel my hair and tear my collar and go to the grave of my father and pray to Allah against you. She took the hands of al-hasan and al-husayn and proceeded towards the grave of the Prophet Ali sent Salman to request Fatima not to imprecate. Fatima: O Salman! They desire to kill Ali and my patience has now parted away, let me go... Salman: Allah sent your father as rahmat lil alameen and Ali has asked you to return to your house 8
Fatima talks to Ansaar Ibn Qutayba (d. 322 AH) narrates: At night, Ali a took Fatima to the Ansaar, and she told them to support Ali. They replied, O daughter of Messenger of Allah, we have taken the oath of allegiance to this man (Abu Bakr) and die has been cast. If your cousin and husband had approached us in the beginning before we had given the bay ah to Abu Bakr we would have supported him and listened to him regarding the caliphate. What would you say to the Ansar? Refer to House of Sorrows (p.70) to see the reponses of Imam Ali (a) and Sayyida. 9
Shariati on Fatima s struggle This is why Medina now witnesses one of the most wonderful views of history. Next to the mosque of the Prophet, in the heart of the dark night, a woman in mourning, sitting upon a horse, being led by a man, passes through the dark empty streets of the town. Ali walks. Fatima, the beloved and rebellious daughter of the Prophet rides. Every night they leave their home with the same purpose. Ali goes with her to seek the Ansaar. They are more sincere and impartial than the Muhajirun who are mainly from the Quraysh tribe. They support each other. An aged political structure brings them together. Now the Caliph, from among them, is their influential master. (Fatima is Fatima, p. 209) 10