Hazrat Fatima Zahra (s.a.)

20th Jamdi-us-Sani - Birth anniversary of the leader of the women of the world and Paradise and the only daughter of Prophet Muhammad (sawaw) – Hazrat Fatima Zahra(s.a.).

Fatima(s.a.) The Radiant

Imam Hasan Askari(a.s.) reported that his father quoted Jabir Ibn Abdullah as saying : ' The Messenger of Allah, Peace be Upon him and his cleansed progeny, said : ' When Allah created Adam and Eve, they strutted through paradise and said : ' Who are better than we ? ' At that moment they noticed an image of a girl like they had never seen before; from this girl came an illuminating light so bright that it almost blinded the eyes. They said : ' O Lord, what is this ? ' He answered : ' This is the Image of Fatima(s.a.), the mistress of your women descendants. '

Lisan Al Mizan Volume 3 page 346

Hazrat Fatima Zahra's(s.a.) other names:

Az-Zahra: She was named by Allah(swt), as Az-Zahra because her Holy Light used to shine among those brighter in all The Heavens.

Batool: Because of her absolute Purity attained from Paradise from The Heavens. And also because, The Lady Fatimah Al-Zahra, is not like all the other women in the world.

Siddiqah: The Honest, The Righteous Al-Mubarakah: The Blessed One Al-Tahirah: The Virtuous, The Pure Al-Zakiyah: The Chaste, The Unblemished Al-Radhiatul Mardhiah: She who is gratified and who shall be satisfied Al-Muhaddathah: A person other than a Prophet, that the angels speak to Al-Zahirah: The Luminous

The Holy Prophet(sawaw), her Father, loved her very much Whenever she would go to the house of her father The Holy Prophet(sawaw) would stand up out of respect to her. Whenever he greeted her he would honor her by giving her a special place to seat herself in his house. Very often Her Father(sawaw) would softly kiss her hands and say, "Allah, The Most High; is pleased when Fatimah(a.s.) is pleased. He is angered; whenever Fatimah is angered!"

He(sawaw) also said: "Fatima is part of me. Whoever angered her angered me and whoever angered me angered Allah".

Probably the most important ayat revealed in Quran about the sinlessness of her and the family of the Holy Prophet(sawaw) is the following:

"...Allah only desires to keep away the uncleanness from you, O people of the House! and to purify you a (thorough) purifying" - Sura Ahzab (33:33) translation by M.M.Shakir.

Her Birth

Sheikh Salman Hanafi writes in his book “Yanabi al-Mawadah” that at the time of birth of Hazrat Fatima(s.a.), her mother Hazrat Khadija(a.s.) called some women of Quraish for help but they all refused because of her acceptance of Islam. Hazrat Khadija(a.s.) was worried but in a little while four women came to her and after salutation they said that she does not need to worry. They were her sisters and Allah(swt) has sent them to her in this difficult time.

The first lady said that she was Sara, the wife of Hazrat Ibrahim(a.s.). The second one said that she was Aasia binte Mazahim, wife of Firoun. The third said that she was Maryam binte Imran, mother of Hazrat Eisa(a.s.) and the fourth said that she was Kulsoom, the sister of Hazrat Moosa(a.s).

Nasikh-ut-Tawarikh states that Hazrat Fatima Zehra(s.a.) was born on 20th Jamadi-us-Sani on Friday early morning. The was such a lightening early morning that all houses of Makkah got lit up. Upon birth Hazrat Fatima(s.a.) performed sajda and recited the Kalma.

'Her Prayer'

One day the Holy Lady Fatimah Al-Zahra(s.a.) was taught by her Father, the Holy Prophet(sawaw), a very special kind of Prayer that he himself was shown earlier by The Trusted Archangel Jibrael(a.s.).

This special After-Prayer is to be said after each time, any Prayer of worship is concluded. The Holy Lady(s.a.) in turn began to teach the short Prayer to so many others that in the very short time, it became to be known as the 'Prayer of Fatimah Al-Zahra(s.a.).

Hazrat Fatima bint-e-Hazm bin Khalid

13th Jamadi-us-Sani - the death anniversary of Hazrat Fatima bint-e-Hazm bin Khalid (also known as Umm-ul-Baneen) – the wife of Imam Ali(a.s.) and mother of Hazrat Abbas(a.s.)

Hazrat Fatima binte Hazam bin Khalid Ibn-e-Rabi'e Ibn-e-Amer Kalbi belonged to the clan of Banu Kilah, which was one the noblest families amongst the Hashimites and famous for the bravery and valour of its warriors.

She was born in 5 A.H. Some years after the martyrdom of Hazrat Fatima Zahra(s.a.), Imam Ali(a.s.) expressed his desire to his brother Aqil bin Abi Talib(a.s.) to marry a women of a brave and warrior tribe. Hazrat Aqeel was a very knowledgeable in tribe genealogy and he immediately proposed the name of Hazrat Fatima binte Hazam bin Khalid and the marriage took place soon after.

Much earlier during 8 A.H., Imam Ali(a.s.) had been given the prophecy by Prophet Mohammad(sawaw) of a brave son who would be martyred alongside with his brother Imam Hussain(a.s.) on the day of Ashura. Eversince then, Imam Ali(a.s.) had been waiting for the birth of that son which came in the person of Hazrat Abbas(a.s.).

Hazrat Umm-ul-Baneen came to the house of Imam Ali(a.s.) knowing very well that before her the chief of the women of paradise, Hazrat Fatima Zahra(s.a.) was living in that house. She served Imam Ali(a.s.) in the same manner as Hazrat Umm-e-Salma had served the Holy Prophet(sawaw) after the demise of Hazrat Khadija(a.s.). Immediately stepping in  the house, she vowed herself to act as a slave of the children of Hazrat Fatima(s.a.). Her sincerity was much respected by the children of Hazrat Fatima(s.a.) that they always gave her a high status and respect.

Fatima Binte Hazam was an accomplished and cultured lady, and bore Hazrat Ali's four sons, Abbas, Abdullah, Jafer and Usman. The meaning of 'Ummul Baneen' is 'Mother of Sons'. All of her sons were martyred along with Imam Husain. After their martyrdom, she requested people not to call her 'Ummul Baneen' ever again. When Imam Husain(A.S.) was leaving Madinah for Iraq Hadrat Ummul Baneen asked her four sons, Hadrat Abbas(A.S.), Abdulla, Ja'far and Usman to sacrifice their lives in the sacred cause of Imam Husain(A.S.).

On 10th Muharram 61 A.H.,the day of martyrdom of Imam Husain(a.s.) and his 72 faithful companions at the battlefield of Karbala when Hadrat Umme Salamah witnessed that the earth in the bottle given to her by the Holy Prophet(sawaw) had turned into blood she raised the cry of "Ya Husain" Ya Husain" and declared that Imam Husain(a.s.) has been martyred according to the prophecy foretold to her by the Holy Prophet(sawaw) about the martyrdom of Imam Husain(a.s.).

Then Ummul Baneen gathered women of Madinah in her house and all cried for the martyrdom of Imam Husain(a.s.).This was the first ever Majlis conducted after the martyrdom of Imam Husain(a.s.). Ummul Baneen had such sincerity toward the Holy Prophet's progeny that she loved Imam Hussain(a.s.) more than her own children. A feeling which was from the bottom of her heart. It was to the extent that when she received the news stating the martyrdom of her four children, she said: "Tell me about Hussain (A.S.)" and when she received the news of Imam Hussain (A.S.)'s martyrdom she said: "All of the arteries of my heart are torn. May all of my children and what ever that exists under this azure heaven be sacrificed for the sake of Imam Hussain (a.s.).

The First Noha Recitor of the martyrdom of Imam Hussain(a.s.)

After the arrival of Imam Sajjad(a.s.) and Hazrat Zainab(s.a.) in Madinah Hadrat Ummul Baneen used to gather women in her house and used to narrate them how Imam Husain(a.s.) and his companions were martyred by Yazidi forces.

Hadrat Ummul Baneen was a great poet and she is considered as the first Noha (lamentation poetry) and marsia reciter for the martyrdom of Imam Husain(a.s.).She used to visit regularly the famous Jannat al-Baqi cemetery in Madinah and recite her Nohas in a very sad voice that everybody present there used to weep bitterly. Her poetry on the events of Karbala are recorded in the book mentioned below.

She transformed the Jannat al-Baqi cemetery in Madinah as "the Centre of Azadari of Imam Husain(a.s.)". The Nohas recited by Hadrat Ummul Baneen for the martyrdom of Imam Husian(a.s.) are recorded in history and are considered as masterpieces in Arabic literature.

It is recorded in historical accounts that Hazrat Ummul Baneen died on 13th Jamadi us-Sani 64 A.H. and was buried in the Jannat al-Baqi cemetery in the holy city of Madinah.

Hazrat Bibi Fatima Masooma-e-Qom (a.s.)

4th Rabi-al-Awwal – According to some traditions, it is the death anniversary of Hazrat Bibi Fatima Masooma-e-Qom(a.s.) – daughter of Imam Moosa-e-Kazim(a.s.) and sister of Imam Ali Riza(a.s.). Another date mentioned of her death is that of 10th Rabi-us-Sani.

Her position among Ahl-e-Bait(a.s.)

Among the children of the seventh Imam(a.s.), Hazrat Fatimah Masooma bint Musa ibn Jafar(a.s.) has a special position after Imam Ali Riza(a.s). Due to her faith, virtuousness and training under the guardianship of Imamate she reached such a position that the Masoom (Imam) gave her the title of Masoomah (infallible), and because of her worship and abstemiousness she acquired the status of intercession.

This is why the most learned scholars, the greatest Maraje', and the real Gnostics are humbly standing at her holy shrine saying: O Fatimah(a.s.) intercede for us in heaven since you have reached a dignified status from a high rank with Allah(swt)

There is a tradition that states that out of the eight gates of heaven, one will open towards Qom and due to her intercession all Shias will go to heaven.

Visitors entitled to Heaven

In tradition it is excessively mentioned that whoever visits (does ziyarat of) Hazrat Masoomah(a.s.), heaven is incumbent upon that person and this position is obtained by her after the fourteen Masoomeen(a.s.).

Imam Riza(a.s.) has said: Whoever visits her (performs her ziyarat) acknowledging her right, is entitled to heaven.

In Kamil-al-ziyarah it is quoted from Imam Riza(a.s) Whoever does the ziyarat of Masooma in Qom it is as though he/she has done my ziyarat

Haram of Ahl-e-Bait(a.s.)

Imam Jafer Sadiq (a.s) says: Haram of Allah(swt) – Mecca, Haram of Rasool(sawaw) – Madina, Haram of Imam Ali(a.s.) – Kufa, and the Haram of Ahlul bait(a.s.) is Qom.