DISCOURSES ON FATHIMA ZAHRA [A.S.]

BY – MUHUMMED ZULKIFLI NAZIM
Fathima Zahra Day –
This is the lecture given on 03rd November 1996 at the B.M.I.C.H.
On the occassion of the Meelad of Fathima Zahra (A.S.)

بسم الله الرّحمن الرّحيم
ربّ ا شرحلي صدري ويسّرلي أمري واحلل عُقدة مّن لُّلساني يفقهو قولي
الحمد لله ربّ العالَمين والعاقبة اللمتّقين والصّلوةُ والسّلام على رسولك سيّدنا محمّد وأاله وأصحابه وأهل بيته وأهل طاعتك أجمعين – أمّا بعد
أعوذ بالله من الشيطان الرّجيم
بسم الله الرّحمن الرّحيم
إنّما يُريدُاللَهَ لِيّذهِبَ عنكُمُ الرّجس أهل البيتِ ويُطهّرَكُم تطهيرًا(33:33)
عن عائشة قالت خرج النّبيُّ (ص) غَدَاةً وَ عَلَيْهِ مِرْطٌ مُرَحّلٌ مِنْ شّعْر ٍ أسْوَدَ فَجَاءَ
الْحَسَنُ بْن ِ عَلِيّ ٍ فَأدْخَلَهُ ثُمَّ جَاءَهُ الْحُسَيْنُ فَأدْخَلَ مَعَهُ ثُمَّ جَائَتْ فَاطِمَةُ فَأدْخَلَهَا ثُمَّ جَاءَ
عَلِيٌّ فَأدْخَلَهُ ثُمَّ قَالَ: إنّما يُريْدُاللَهَ لِيُذهِبَ عنْكُمُ الرّجْسَ أهْلَ اْلبَيْتِ ويُطهّرَكُمْ تطْهيْرًا
(5955 -مسلم – حديْث )

The President and Secretary of Az-Zahra Association, Sister Members of the Majlis of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Brother Dr. Hilmi, Cultural Officer and Brother Barkhordari and My Dearest Brothers, my Dearest sisters and my Dearest children:
السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته
Let me address you as the Holy Qur’an would. It calls you as
كُنْتُمْ خَيْرَ أُمَّةٍ أُخْرِجَتْ لِلنَّاسِ
3.110 – You are the best of peoples evolved for mankind –
تَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ
You enjoin what is good [and you yourselves do good]
وَتَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ -
You forbid evil [and you yourselves abstain from evil]
وَتُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ
AND you believe in Allah.

Yes, you have come here sacrificing your time, your leisure and your worldly commitments for the sake of Allah and that is why You come within the category of Khaira Umma, people who have gathered together, to
enjoin good and forbid the wrong. We have gathered here today to commemorate the birth Anniversay of Hadhrath Fathima A.S. and I thank Allah for having given me this opportunity to be invited to such an august gathering.

Before we go into the life of Fathima (A.S.)Let ustry to learn something of the family of the Holy Prophet (S) – the Household of the Holy Prophet (S) – the Ahlal Baith. The Aayath that I read out to you was from Surah Al-Ahzab – Chapter 33 Verse 33
إنّما يُريدُاللَهَ لِيّذهِبَ عنكُمُ الرّجس أهل البيتِ ويُطهّرَكُم تطهيرًا(33:33)
‘‘And Allah only wishes to remove impurity from you – O you members of the family, – members of the household – and to make you pure and spotless and purify you an excellent purification.
Who are the members of the Household of the Prophet (S) ?
We have to go into the Hadeethes to look for an explanation of this Aayah.
FIRST REFERENCE:
The first Hadeeth I read out to you at the beginning states:
عن عائشة قالت خرج النّبيُّ (ص) غَدَاةً وَ عَلَيْهِ مِرْطٌ مُرَحّلٌ مِنْ شّعْر ٍ أسْوَدَ فَجَاءَ
الْحَسَنُ بْن ِ عَلِيّ ٍ فَأدْخَلَهُ ثُمَّ جَاءَهُ الْحُسَيْنُ فَأدْخَلَ مَعَهُ ثُمَّ جَائَتْ فَاطِمَةُ فَأدْخَلَهَا ثُمَّ جَاءَ
عَلِيٌّ فَأدْخَلَهُ ثُمَّ قَالَ: إنّما يُريْدُاللَهَ لِيُذهِبَ عنْكُمُ الرّجْسَ أهْلَ اْلبَيْتِ ويُطهّرَكُمْ تطْهيْرًا
(5955 -مسلم – حديْث )
Ummul Mu’mineen Ayesha (R) reported: the Prophet (S) came out one morning while there was over him a blanket made of black fur.
Hassan bin ‘‘Ali came and he admitted him into the Blanket. Then
Hussain came and he admitted him into the blanket. Then Fathima
came and he admitted her and when ‘Ali came he admitted him as well
and said :
إنّما يُريْدُاللَهَ لِيُذهِبَ عنْكُمُ الرّجْسَ أهْلَ اْلبَيْتِ ويُطهّرَكُمْ تطْهيْرًا
And Allah only wishes to remove impurity from O you members of the Household and to make you pure and spotless and purify an excellent purification”.
Those who have been brought under the blanket are referred to as
AHLUL ABAA. Maapillai Lebbai ‘A’Alim in his Thalai Faathiha
(written in Arabic-Tamil) – says :
أهْلُ الأبا اِنُمْ أيْوَرْ تَمّنِلْ آكِيَ نايَكِيَيْ تُذִِفوّم
Ahlul abaa enum aiwar thamminil aakhiya nayakhiyai thudhippome
. Meaning – “Let us praise the honoured lady who is one of the ‘Ahlul Abaa’ – the people of the Blanket, [ the people who had been granted special protection].

Let us now look at Surah Waqiah – Chapter 56 verses 77 to 79.
إِنَّهُ لَقُرْآنٌ كَرِيمٌ
56:77 – That this is indeed a qur’an Most Honourable,
فِي كِتَابٍ مَكْنُونٍ
56:78 – In a Book well-guarded,
لا يَمَسُّهُ إِلا الْمُطَهَّرُونَ
56:79 – Which none shall touch but those who are clean: – Muthahharoon
The most superficial explanation given to this ayath is that
“No one can touch the Holy Qur’an without wudhu (Ablution).
Let us take a deeper look at this Ayath. You may have heard of Maaun Thahoor (مَاءٌ طَهُوْر) – or – Or Maaul Muthlaq (مَاءُ المُطلق )- Meaning Pure water. It is not just pure water – It is water that is pure and can purify others. If you take the word “touch” for example, when we say – “touch on this subject” you do not just touch the book with your hand, it means that you have to expound it.
And more over the arabic word “Muss” (مس ) or “Mussuhu” ( مسُّهُ)
does not only mean “touch” it also means – Be aware of – Feel – Sense – Perceive – Comprehend – Grasp
. So the translation of this verse goes
None shall be aware of the Holy Qur’an except the Muthahharoon.
None shall feel the Holy Qur’an except the Muthahharoon.
None shall sense the Holy Qur’an except the Muthahharoon.
None shall perceive the Holy Qur’an except the Muthahharoon.
None shall comprehend the Holy Qur’an except the Muthahharoon.
None shall grasp or understand the Holy Qur’an except the Muthahharoon.

Who are the “Muthahharoon” ?
أهْلَ اْلبَيْتِ ويُطهّرَكُمْ تطْهيْرًا
It is the Ahlal Baith who are the Muthahharoon, those who have been purified an excellent purification and who can purify others.

SECOND REFERENCE
I would like you to refer to the Holy Qur’an – Chapter 3 verse 61.
This verse was revealed to Rasoolullaahi (S) When the Christians of
Najran visited the Prophet (S) in the Year of Deputations – ‘
AAMUL WUFOODH’ – THAT WAS in 10TH Hijra. You may have heard of Abraha who came to destroy the Holy Ka’ba, before Islam. The reason was that he tried his best to divert the trade caravans to come to Yemen instead of Makkah. He thought that it is the Ka’aba that is making the traders go to Makkah and he decided to Build something similar to the Holy Ka’aba so as to divert the trade caravans to Yemen from Makkah. He built a magnificent Cathedral at Najran.
When he found that the traders from all over the peninsula were not to be diverted, he became very angry. He concocted a plan, desecrated this beautiful cathedral, in fact he set fire to a part of the cathedral and said that this cathedral had been defiled, desecrated by an Arab youth. Using this as a pretext he came to attack the Holy Ka’ba and you all know what happened to him and his followers and the army of elephants. So the Christian deputation came from this same cathedral at Najran. They were very much impressed by the Holy Qur’an giving the true position of Jesus Christ (A.S), and they entered into tributary relations with the new Muslim State. But habits ingrained in them and their customs prevented them from accepting Islam. They were trying to find some excuse or other.
Now, Allah advises Holy Prophet (S) – to have something called a “MUBAHALA” – A solemn meeting and the Holy Qur’an states:

فَمَنْ حَاجَّكَ فِيهِ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا جَاءَكَ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ
3:61 If anyone disputes in this matter with you now after full knowledge has come to you
فَقُلْ تَعَالَوْا نَدْعُ أَبْنَاءَنَا وَأَبْنَاءَكُمْ وَنِسَاءَنَا وَنِسَاءَكُمْ وَأَنْفُسَنَا وَأَنْفُسَكُمْ
Say, comeLet usgather together our sons and your sons, our women
and your women, ourselves and yourselves
ثُمَّ نَبْتَهِلْ فَنَجْعَلْ لَعْنَةَ اللَّهِ عَلَى الْكَاذِبِينَ
ThenLet usearnestly pray and invoke the curse of Allah on those who are lying.
[Here the Prophet (S) called his Children, while the enemies did not dare to call their children to invoke curse on them out of fear of destruction.]

Please permit me to quote you a Hadith at this juncture – this Hadith is from Sahih Muslim
عَنْ سَعْدِ بْن ِ أبيْ وقّاس ٍ قَال :
Sa’ad ibn Abee Waqqas said:
لَمّا نَزَلَتْ هذِهِ الآ يَتُ : فَقُلْ تَعَالَوْا نَدْعُ أَبْنَاءَنَا وَأَبْنَاءَكُمْ
when this verse “say, comeLet uscall our children and your children” was revealed
دَعَا رَسُوْلُ الله (ص) عَلِيّاً وَ فَاطِمَة َ وَحَسَنًا وَ حُسَيْناً
The Apostle of Allah called, ‘‘Ali, Faathima, Hassan and Hussain
فَقالَ هؤُلاء أهْل ِ بَيْتِيْ (مُسلم)
And Said: These are my Ahla-Baith – These are the people of my household.

When the Christian deputation saw the innocent, beautiful and radiant faces of Fathima, Hasan and Husain and ‘‘Ali – they could not believe that anybody could subject such innocent beautiful children to the curse of Allah unless it is the truth. Heart rending, touching stories have been written on this subject by great Muhadhdhithoon and Mufassiroon. Result – The Christian deputation immediately declined the Mubahala.

THIRD REFERENCE
This reference comes from the Hadeethes relating at the time of the Farewell Pilgrimage – Hajjathul Widha’ – This Hadeeth is reported by Hadhrath Zaid Bin Arqam (R) in Muslim and Tirmizi.
It is also reported by Hadhrath Jabir (R) in Jaami’uth Tirmizi. This is also reported in Baihaqi and Dharimi.
عَنْ جَابر ٍ قَالَ رأيْتُ رَسُوْلَ اللهِ (ص) فِيْ حَجّتِهِ يَوْمَ عَرَفَةَ وَهُوَ عَلى نَاقَتِهِ
الْقُصْوَاء ِ يُخْطِبُ
Jaabir (r) reported that: I saw Rasoolullaah (S) in his farewell pilgrimage on the day of Arafath while he was riding his camel Qaswa to deliver a sermon.
فَسَمِعْتُهُ يَقُوْلُ
I heard him say:
يَا أيُّهَا النَّاسُ إنّيْ تَرَكْتُ مَا إنْ أخَذْتُمْ بِهِ لَنْ تَضِلُّوْا
Oh people! Oh mankind! I have left among you something if you adhere to it you will never be misguided
كِتَابَ اللهِ وَ عِتْرَتِيْ أهْلَ بَيْتِيْ
The Book of Allah and my Progeny – the people of my household.

So the Ahlal Baith, whatever anybody may say, have a distinction -
They have special protection, (Ahlal Abaa) –
They are those who perceive,
They are those who grasp the guidance of the Holy Qur’an
Those who are pure and can purify others and they have to be emulated. This is the gist of the earlier explanations and proofs
- Yes these people cannot be addressed like anybody else -
that is why they are addressed as “Alaihissalaam” – a distinction accorded to the Prophets.

Is it only the Shiahs who address the Blessed Household of the Prophet (S) as Alaihis Salaam ? And is it only I who is addressing them as “Alaihis Salaam” ?
Let me quote you references from books which are in your possession
- may be everyone possess this in your homes. I am going to quote from Sahih Al-Buhari, because that is what you have at the moment.
All the Muhaddhithoon as well as all the great Imams have addressed the Blessed Household of the Prophet (S) as “Alaihis Salaam”

Now for the references:
1. Volume 2. Chapter (4) – Page 126.
باب تَحْرِيضِ النَّبِىِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَلَى صَلاَةِ اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّوَافِلِ مِنْ غَيْرِ إِيجَابٍ .
The Prophet (S) exhorting (the people) to Tahajjud and Nawaafil without making them compulsory:
وَطَرَقَ النَّبِىُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَاطِمَةَ وَعَلِيًّا – عليهما السلام – لَيْلَةً لِلصَّلاَةِ
The Prophet (S) went to ‘‘Ali and Fathima Alaihimas Salaam and
knocked at their door to exhort them to perform Thahajjud Prayer.

I am only quoting the reference – the mentioning of “Alaihis Salaam” with regard to ‘‘Ali, Fathima, Hasan and Husain (A.S.) and
therefore I will not translate the full hadeeth. I am giving the reference for you to refer to the Hadeeth.

2. Volume 4. Hadeeth no.744 – Page 486
حَدَّثَنِى عَمْرُو بْنُ عَلِىٍّ حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ فُضَيْلٍ حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ أَبِى خَالِدٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا جُحَيْفَةَ – رضى الله عنه – قَالَ رَأَيْتُ النَّبِىَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَكَانَ الْحَسَنُ بْنُ عَلِىٍّ – عَلَيْهِمَا السَّلاَمُ – يُشْبِهُهُ قُلْتُ لأَبِى جُحَيْفَةَ صِفْهُ لِى . قَالَ كَانَ أَبْيَضَ قَدْ شَمِطَ . وَأَمَرَ لَنَا النَّبِىُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِثَلاَثَ عَشْرَةَ قَلُوصاً قَالَ فَقُبِضَ النَّبِىُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَبْلَ أَنْ نَقْبِضَهَا
(Hadith Serial No: 3544-)
Narrated Ismail bin Abi Kha’Alid: I heard Abu Juhaifa saying “I saw the Prophet (S) and al-Hassan bin ‘‘Ali Alaihimassalaam resembled
him…. I said to Abu Juhaifa: “describe him for me”……(Till the end of hadith)

3. Volume 5. Hadeeth no.55. Page 46
حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى عَنْ شُعْبَةَ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِى الْحَكَمُ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِى لَيْلَى حَدَّثَنَا عَلِىٌّ أَنَّ فَاطِمَةَ – عَلَيْهِمَا السَّلاَمُ – أَتَتِ النَّبِىَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم تَشْكُو إِلَيْهِ مَا تَلْقَى فِى يَدِهَا مِنَ الرَّحَى ، وَبَلَغَهَا أَنَّهُ جَاءَهُ رَقِيقٌ فَلَمْ تُصَادِفْهُ ، فَذَكَرَتْ ذَلِكَ لِعَائِشَةَ ، فَلَمَّا جَاءَ أَخْبَرَتْهُ عَائِشَةُ – قَالَ – فَجَاءَنَا وَقَدْ أَخَذْنَا مَضَاجِعَنَا ، فَذَهَبْنَا نَقُومُ فَقَالَ « عَلَى مَكَانِكُمَا » . فَجَاءَ فَقَعَدَ بَيْنِى وَبَيْنَهَا حَتَّى وَجَدْتُ بَرْدَ قَدَمَيْهِ عَلَى بَطْنِى فَقَالَ « أَلاَ أَدُلُّكُمَا عَلَى خَيْرٍ مِمَّا سَأَلْتُمَا ، إِذَا أَخَذْتُمَا مَضَاجِعَكُمَا – أَوْ أَوَيْتُمَا إِلَى فِرَاشِكُمَا – فَسَبِّحَا ثَلاَثاً وَثَلاَثِينَ ، وَاحْمَدَا ثَلاَثاً وَثَلاَثِينَ ، وَكَبِّرَا أَرْبَعاً وَثَلاَثِينَ ، فَهْوَ خَيْرٌ لَكُمَا مِنْ خَادِمٍ »
(Hadith Serial No: 5361)
Narrated ‘‘Ali : Faathima Alaihimas Salaam complained of the suffering caused to her by the handmill ….Till the end of hadith
And Hadith Serial No. 5362-
حَدَّثَنَا الْحُمَيْدِىُّ حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ حَدَّثَنَا عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ أَبِى يَزِيدَ سَمِعَ مُجَاهِداً سَمِعْتُ عَبْدَ
الرَّحْمَنِ بْنَ أَبِى لَيْلَى يُحَدِّثُ عَنْ عَلِىِّ بْنِ أَبِى طَالِبٍ أَنَّ فَاطِمَةَ – عَلَيْهَا السَّلاَمُ – أَتَتِ النَّبِىَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم تَسْأَلُهُ خَادِماً فَقَالَ « أَلاَ أُخْبِرُكِ مَا هُوَ خَيْرٌ لَكِ مِنْهُ ، تُسَبِّحِينَ اللَّهَ عِنْدَ مَنَامِكِ ثَلاَثاً وَثَلاَثِينَ ، وَتَحْمَدِينَ اللَّهَ ثَلاَثاً وَثَلاَثِينَ ، وَتُكَبِّرِينَ اللَّهَ أَرْبَعاً وَثَلاَثِينَ » . – ثُمَّ قَالَ سُفْيَانُ إِحْدَاهُنَّ أَرْبَعٌ وَثَلاَثُونَ – فَمَا تَرَكْتُهَا بَعْدُ ، قِيلَ وَلاَ لَيْلَةَ صِفِّينَ قَالَ وَلاَ لَيْلَةَ صِفِّينَ .

ِAs well as Hadith Serial No: 3705-
حَدَّثَنِى مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ حَدَّثَنَا غُنْدَرٌ حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ عَنِ الْحَكَمِ سَمِعْتُ ابْنَ أَبِى لَيْلَى قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَلِىٌّ أَنَّ فَاطِمَةَ – عَلَيْهَا السَّلاَمُ – شَكَتْ مَاتَلْقَى مِنْ أَثَرِ الرَّحَا ، فَأَتَى النَّبِىَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم سَبْىٌ ، فَانْطَلَقَتْ فَلَمْ تَجِدْهُ ، فَوَجَدَتْ عَائِشَةَ ، فَأَخْبَرَتْهَا ، فَلَمَّا جَاءَ النَّبِىُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَخْبَرَتْهُ عَائِشَةُ بِمَجِىءِ فَاطِمَةَ ، فَجَاءَ النَّبِىُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِلَيْنَا ، وَقَدْ أَخَذْنَا مَضَاجِعَنَا ، فَذَهَبْتُ لأَقُومَ فَقَالَ « عَلَى مَكَانِكُمَا » . فَقَعَدَ بَيْنَنَا حَتَّى وَجَدْتُ بَرْدَ قَدَمَيْهِ عَلَى صَدْرِى وَقَالَ « أَلاَ أُعَلِّمُكُمَا خَيْراً مِمَّا سَأَلْتُمَانِى إِذَا أَخَذْتُمَا مَضَاجِعَكُمَا تُكَبِّرَا أَرْبَعاً وَثَلاَثِينَ ، وَتُسَبِّحَا ثَلاَثاً وَثَلاَثِينَ ، وَتَحْمَدُا ثَلاَثَةً وَثَلاَثِينَ ، فَهْوَ خَيْرٌ لَكُمَا مِنْ خَادِمٍ »

Also refer to
Volume 4. Hadith no. 325. Page 208.Hadith Serial No: -3113-
حَدَّثَنَا بَدَلُ بْنُ الْمُحَبَّرِ أَخْبَرَنَا شُعْبَةُ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِى الْحَكَمُ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ ابْنَ أَبِى لَيْلَى حَدَّثَنَا عَلِىٌّ أَنَّ فَاطِمَةَ – عَلَيْهَا السَّلاَمُ – اشْتَكَتْ مَا تَلْقَى مِنَ الرَّحَى مِمَّا تَطْحَنُ ، فَبَلَغَهَا أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أُتِىَ بِسَبْىٍ ، فَأَتَتْهُ تَسْأَلُهُ خَادِماً فَلَمْ تُوَافِقْهُ ، فَذَكَرَتْ لِعَائِشَةَ ، فَجَاءَ النَّبِىُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَذَكَرَتْ ذَلِكَ عَائِشَةُ لَهُ ، فَأَتَانَا وَقَدْ دَخَلْنَا مَضَاجِعَنَا ، فَذَهَبْنَا لِنَقُومَ فَقَالَ « عَلَى مَكَانِكُمَا » حَتَّى وَجَدْتُ بَرْدَ قَدَمَيْهِ عَلَى صَدْرِى فَقَالَ « أَلاَ أَدُلُّكُمَا عَلَى خَيْرٍ مِمَّا سَأَلْتُمَاهُ ، إِذَا أَخَذْتُمَا مَضَاجِعَكُمَا فَكَبِّرَا اللَّهَ أَرْبَعاً وَثَلاَثِينَ ، وَاحْمَدَا ثَلاَثاً وَثَلاَثِينَ ، وَسَبِّحَا ثَلاَثاً وَثَلاَثِينَ ، فَإِنَّ ذَلِكَ خَيْرٌ لَكُمَا مِمَّا سَأَلْتُمَاهُ » .

4. Volume 5. Hadith no. 60. Page 49. – Hadith Serial No: 4035-
حَدَّثَنَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ مُوسَى أَخْبَرَنَا هِشَامٌ أَخْبَرَنَا مَعْمَرٌ عَنِ الزُّهْرِىِّ عَنْ عُرْوَةَ عَنْ عَائِشَةَ أَنَّ فَاطِمَةَ – عَلَيْهَا السَّلاَمُ – وَالْعَبَّاسَ أَتَيَا أَبَا بَكْرٍ يَلْتَمِسَانِ مِيرَاثَهُمَا ، أَرْضَهُ مِنْ فَدَكٍ ، وَسَهْمَهُ مِنْ خَيْبَرَ .

Narrated A’isha (r) : Fathima Alaihissalaam sent somebody to Abu Bakr (R) asking him to give her, her inheritance from the Prophet (s)……. Till the end of hadith.

I can give more, but I feel this is sufficient for the moment.
And as final proof of the dignity of the Ahlal Baith I quote the Holy Qur’an chapter 33 verse 56 : Allah says :
إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَمَلائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ
33.56 Allah and His angels send blessings on the Prophet:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا صَلُّوا عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيمًا
O you who believe! You too send blessings on him and salute him
with all respect.

Let us now look at a hadeeth quoted in
Sahih Bukhari – Volume 4. Hadeeth no.589: Hadith Serial No: 3370

حَدَّثَنَا قَيْسُ بْنُ حَفْصٍ وَمُوسَى بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَاحِدِ بْنُ زِيَادٍ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو قُرَّةَ مُسْلِمُ بْنُ سَالِمٍ الْهَمْدَانِىُّ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِى عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عِيسَى سَمِعَ عَبْدَ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنَ أَبِى لَيْلَى قَالَ لَقِيَنِى كَعْبُ بْنُ عُجْرَةَ فَقَالَ أَلاَ أُهْدِى لَكَ هَدِيَّةً سَمِعْتُهَا مِنَ النَّبِىِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقُلْتُ بَلَى ، فَأَهْدِهَا لِى . فَقَالَ سَأَلْنَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقُلْنَا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ كَيْفَ الصَّلاَةُ عَلَيْكُمْ أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ عَلَّمَنَا كَيْفَ نُسَلِّمُ . قَالَ « قُولُوا اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ ، وَعَلَى آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ ، كَمَا صَلَّيْتَ عَلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَعَلَى آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ ، إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ ، اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ ، وَعَلَى آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ ، كَمَا بَارَكْتَ عَلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ ، وَعَلَى آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ ، إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ » .
Narrated Abdullah – ibn – ‘Eesa saying I heard Abdur-Rahman bin Abi Laila say : Ka’ab bin ‘Ujrah met me and said:
“Shall I not give you a present which I heard from the Prophet (S)?”
He (Abdur-Rahman) said: “Certainly, give that gift to me”

I said: “we asked the apostle of Allah (s) saying :”O Allah’s apostle how should one (ask Allah to) send blessings on you, – The Ahla Baith – the members of the family, for Allah has taught us how to salute you (in the prayer)

He [Prophet (S)] said: “Say:
O Allah, send your Mercy on Muhummed and on the family of Muhummed,
as you sent your mercy on Abraham and on the family of Abraham, for You are the Most Praise-worthy, the Most Glorious.

O Allah send your blessings on Muhummed and the family of Muhummed,
as you sent your blessings on Abraham and the family of Abraham, for you are the Most Praise-worthy, the Most Glorious.”

A similar hadith is seen in Hadith Serial No: 6357-
حَدَّثَنَا آدَمُ حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ حَدَّثَنَا الْحَكَمُ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ عَبْدَ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنَ أَبِى لَيْلَى قَالَ لَقِيَنِى كَعْبُ بْنُ عُجْرَةَ فَقَالَ أَلاَ أُهْدِى لَكَ هَدِيَّةً ، إِنَّ النَّبِىَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم خَرَجَ عَلَيْنَا فَقُلْنَا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَدْ عَلِمْنَا كَيْفَ نُسَلِّمُ عَلَيْكَ ، فَكَيْفَ نُصَلِّى عَلَيْكَ قَالَ « فَقُولُوا اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ ، وَعَلَى آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ ، كَمَا صَلَّيْتَ عَلَى آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ ، إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ ، اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ ، وَعَلَى آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ ، كَمَا بَارَكْتَ عَلَى آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ ، إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ » .

I will now give you further hadeethes from Sahih – al – Bukhari
VOLUME 6. HADEETH NO.320 – Hadith Serial No: 4797

حَدَّثَنِى سَعِيدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى حَدَّثَنَا أَبِى حَدَّثَنَا مِسْعَرٌ عَنِ الْحَكَمِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِى لَيْلَى عَنْ كَعْبِ بْنِ عُجْرَةَ – رضى الله عنه – قِيلَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ، أَمَّا السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكَ فَقَدْ عَرَفْنَاهُ فَكَيْفَ الصَّلاَةُ قَالَ « قُولُوا اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ ، كَمَا صَلَّيْتَ عَلَى آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ ، إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ ،
اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ ، كَمَا بَارَكْتَ عَلَى آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ ، إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ » .

Narrated Ka’b bin Ujra :
It was said ,”O Allah’s Apostle! We know how to greet you, but
how to invoke Allah for you? ”
The Prophet (S) said: “say : O Allah send your blessings on Muhummed and the family of Muhummed, as you sent your blessings on Abraham and the family of Abraham, for you are the Most Praise-worthy, the Most Glorious.”
VOLUME 6. HADEETH NO.321 – Hadith Serial No: 4798
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ يُوسُفَ حَدَّثَنَا اللَّيْثُ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِى ابْنُ الْهَادِ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ خَبَّابٍ عَنْ أَبِى سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِىِّ قَالَ قُلْنَا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ هَذَا التَّسْلِيمُ فَكَيْفَ نُصَلِّى عَلَيْكَ قَالَ « قُولُوا اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ عَبْدِكَ وَرَسُولِكَ ، كَمَا صَلَّيْتَ عَلَى آلِ
إِبْرَاهِيمَ ، وَبَارِكْ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا بَارَكْتَ عَلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ » . قَالَ
أَبُو صَالِحٍ عَنِ اللَّيْثِ « عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ ، كَمَا بَارَكْتَ عَلَى آلِ
إِبْرَاهِيمَ »
Narrated Abu Sa’id Al – Khudri:
We said, “O Allah’s Apostle! (We know) this greeting (to you) but
how shall we invoke Allah for you”
The Prophet (S) said: “say : O Allah send your blessings on Muhummed your servant and Apostle as you sent your blessings on Abraham.”

And : O Allah send your blessings on Muhummed and the family of Muhummed, as you sent your blessings on Abraham.”

Al-Laith said : “…on Muhummed and the family of Muhummed, as you sent your blessings on the family of Abraham.”

VOLUME 6. HADEETH NO.322 – Hadith Serial No: 6358
حَدَّثَنَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ حَمْزَةَ حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ أَبِى حَازِمٍ وَالدَّرَاوَرْدِىُّ عَنْ يَزِيدَ عَنْ
عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ خَبَّابٍ عَنْ أَبِى سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِىِّ قَالَ قُلْنَا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ هَذَا
السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكَ ، فَكَيْفَ نُصَلِّى قَالَ « قُولُوا اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ عَبْدِكَ
وَرَسُولِكَ ، كَمَا صَلَّيْتَ عَلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ ، وَبَارِكْ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِ
مُحَمَّدٍ ، كَمَا بَارَكْتَ عَلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَآلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ »
Narrated Abu Sa’id Al – Khudri:
We said, “O Allah’s Apostle! (We know) this greeting (to you) but
how shall we invoke Allah for you”
The Prophet (S) said: “say : O Allah send your blessings on Muhummed your servant and Apostle as you sent your blessings on Abraham.”
And : O Allah send your blessings on Muhummed and the family of Muhummed, as you sent your blessings on Abraham and the family of Abraham.”
What is it that we have been reciting? Does it sound familiar?
Does it ring a bell?
Oh yes, it is the Aththahiyyaath التّحيّات – - The Salawaathul Ibraahimiyya (صلوات الإبراهيميّة in the Aththahiyyaath that we recite in all our prayers – Salaah – In all our Obligatory and Sunnah prayers. Your prayer will not be
accepted without this Salawaath and Salaam. The prayer which is
the key to paradise will not have the teeth to open the door,
without this Salawaath and Salaam.
It is a duty incumbent on every Muslim to recite this – whether he be a Sunni or a Shiah, whether he be a Shafi or a Hanafi, whether he be of the Shazuliya order or the Qadiriya, or Naqshabandiya, or whatever you are -
Reciting this Salawaath in the name of Rasoolullahi (S) and Salaam in the name of the Ahlal Baith is made Obligatory right unto the last day of a man’s life. Right unto the day of judgment. And this increase of mercy and blessings goes on and on.

Now, having known the merits and the exalted positions of the Ahlal
Baith,Let us continue with Hadhrath Fathima (Alaihas Salaam), the
Blessed Lady among the The Household of the Prophet (S). Who is
she and what is her position:

*. She is the Youngest Daughter of our Holy Prophet (S);
*. One of the Four most celebrated and perfect women born so far.

Our Holy Prophet (S) said:
“Among men there have been many perfect – But among women only
four:
1. Aasiya Wife of Pharoah
2. Maryam daughter of Imran
3. Khadija daughter of Khuwailid
4. Fathima daughter of Muhummed (S)

Let me quote a hadith from Jaami’u Thirmizi:
عَنْ أنَس ٍ انّ النّبِيَّ (ص) قال- حَسْبُكَ مِنْ نِسَاءِ الْعَالَمِيْنَ مَرْيَمُ بِنْتُ عِمْرَانَ
وخَدِيْجَةُ بِنْتُ خُوَيْلِد وَ فَاطِمَة ُ بِنْتُ مُحَمَّد ٍ وَ ءَاسِيَةُ امْرأةُ فِرْعَوْنَ (التّرمذي)

Anas (R) reports that the Apostle of Allah said : “Sufficient for
from the women of the universe are Maryam daughter of Imran,
Khadheeja daughter of Khuwailid, Fathima daughter of Muhummed and
Aasiya the wife of fir’aun (Pharaoh).

So we have Fathima (A.S.) – one of the four perfect women of the
universe – classed as perfect by none other than our Holy Prophet
Muhummed (S) – how and why?
Let us look at the titles given to her. These are not just titles but she was a living personification of those titles.
طاهرة – مطهّرة – زكيّة – راضية – مرضيّة – بتول – زهرة
Thaahira, Muthahhira, Zakia, Razia, Marziah, Bathool, Zahra.
Thaahira طاهرة – - – Meaning: Clean, Pure, Immaculate, Chaste, Modest,
Virtuous.
Zakiyya – زكيّة – Meaning: Innocent, Blameless, Guiltless, Ruighteous,
Upright, Virtuous Honest, Good, Fragrant, Sweet,
Sa’Alihah – صالحة – Competent, Meritorious, Devoted, Honest, Pious, Dutiful, True,
Raaziya and Marziya – راضية – مرضيّة – - Meaning: Pleased and Well Pleased -
Remember the Qur’anic Verse in Surah Fajr 89:27 & 28
يَا أَيَّتُهَا النَّفْسُ الْمُطْمَئِنَّةُ
89.27 O you righteous soul in complete satisfaction !
ارْجِعِي إِلَى رَبِّكِ رَاضِيَةً مَرْضِيَّةً
89.28 “Come back thou to thy Lord,- well pleased (thyself), and well-pleasing unto Him! – - Return to thy Lord well pleased and well pleasing unto Him
Bathool – بتول – Meaning: Virgin, Maiden, Spotless Chastity, Chaste and
Pure.
Hafiz ibn Hajar says – Hadhrath Fathima is called Bathool because she is distinguished among ladies as regards learningand piety and being the daughter of the most honoured Prophet (S).
Zahra – زهْرة – Meaning: Flower, Blossom, The Resplendent One, Beaming
Face, Radiating Light, Excellence of Femininity.

F a t h i m a – فاطمة – means – Allah will protect her and her friends
from the fire of hell.
Yes, we too want our sisters, our mothers, our daughters too, to be
Thahira, We do want them to be Zakiyya, We want them to be Raziya
and Marziya, We yearn that they be Bathool, Zahra and Fathima, so
let us say in the words of Maapillai Lebbai A’Alim of Keelakkarai,
ִفاوَيّرْ تِلَذمانَ ִفيْنִ ִكض ِ فاطِمَتَّيْ ִفُكضند¸ي تُذִِفوّم
Paavaiyar thiladha madhaana paying kili Fathimaththai pukalndhay
thudhippome.
Let us extol the praises of Fathima , the one who is the mediator of women
ﻧ¸يرִْشّيْ نٌومْبِلْ تُيَرִْشّيْ نِريْو¸يْرَ – نِيْ ִدِيَ كَتَّلِنالْ نِيْ ִدِيَونْ
ﺗ¸يرִْشّيْ تُثِ قُرْءانِلْ ִﺷ¸ִفِّيَ – دِوْيَ شَفِيْعَتَّيْ تُذִِفّومْ
Nayrchchai nombil thuyarchchai niraivayra -neediya kaththalinaal nediyavan
thayrchchai thudhi quraanil cheppiya – divya shafee’aththai thudhippome.”
Let us extol the praises of the intercessor Fathima – who when sickness or trouble touches her gets relief from her troubles and sickness with the Grace and Mercy of Almighty whose praises are sung in the Holy Qur’an by observing fast unto Him. Let usconfer blessings on this great intercessor.
Let us ask ourselves – we who recite these beautiful verses praising
Fathima, are we following her footsteps?
These beautiful verses are from the Thalai Fathiha. Maapillai Lebbai A’Alim says that he was really taken up by the ladies of Sri Lanka singing the praises of Fathima (A.S.) that it prompted him to write the Thalai Fathiha
يَاقُوْتُ مَرْجَانَيْ ִفلِتִّدُمْ ياسِيْنِنْ مُتّرَيَّاَمْ ִفُكَضْوُوْمْ
“Yaqoothu marjaanai p’Aliththidum yaaseenin muththinai yaam pukalvome.”

Let us Praise the one – Pearl of Yaaseen which will put to shame
the lustre of gems and the beauty of coral
فاطمة ُ زَهْرا بَتُوْلى ִفاكّيمى ويريْ يَارَيْ ִشلْووْمْ
Fathimathuz zahra bathoolay paakkiyamay wayrai yaarai cholwome.
Fathima, Zahra, Bathool – What a blessing indeed to acquire such
titles, unparalleled titles
If we too are not in re’Ality a Fathima, a Zahra and a Bathool, woe
to us who just recite her praises by word of mouth and forget about
what she stood for.
تَمْ إرُ ִفاثَمْ ألْلاثُ ويْررُ تَمْبَمْ ا¸مَكّلّيْ لاكِنْ أرِيُوْمْ
“Thammiru paatham allaadhu vayroru thambam emakkillai laakin ariyome.”
We do not know of any footsteps to follow except yours oh Dearest
Fathima (A.S.).”
Yes this beautiful Thalai Faathiha, in praise of Fathima, has lost its beauty, it has gone out of fashion. There were the days, we invited families and others to our homes, we sang her praises, we gave meals, families came together, there was an atmosphere of love, affection and goodwill. There was Unity, Love, Togetherness.
What happened to it? Where are the praises? Where is the family Unity? Where is the familiar love exhibited? All gone.
Shaithaan has stepped in and taken over the reigns.
Shaithaan suggested to you – Oh my Dear, see, so and so had given meals for 300 People at the Thalai Fathiha Ceremony, We should give Meals for 600 and show that Hajima we are better than her. The husband asks, what shall
we do? Comes the suggestion – sell the house.
Competition started. That which began with love now degraded itself into a
competition, to compete for name, fame, power and position and recognition. The seeds of enmity, hatred and disunity was sown.
The younger generation who witnessed such unacceptable behaviour could not believe their eyes that all this is happenning in the name of Fathima Zahra Bathool and their generation tried, all ways and means to put a stop to it. Don’t you think it is reasonable and understandable ?
We know the greatness of such a noble lady. We know the importance of extolling her praises – yes,Let usdo it with love and affection. Let useulogise her to bring about unity, harmony and togetherness among the families and the community.
قَالَتْ عَائِشَة َ : مَا رَأيْتُ أحَداً قَط ّ ُ أصْدَقَ مِنْ فَاطِمَة َ غَيْر أبِيْهَا
Once Hadhrath ‘Aisha (R) said, : “I have not seen a person more truthful than Hadhrath Fathima (A.S.) other than her father the Holy Prophet (S).”

Let us examine ourselves. We too love Fathima (A.S.) and we extol
her praises and eulogise her. How truthful are we? Let usjust sit
back and ask ourselves -
Does Fathima misquote others? Does Fathima mix her opinion with
facts?
Does Fathima assert without proper referencing?
Does Fathima gener’Alize the specific and specify the general?
Is Fathima an agent for carrying harmful rumours?
Does Fathima pass Judgment hastily on others? Does Fathima condemn
others irresponsibly?
Does Fathima make Haraam and Halaal interchangeable?
The answer of course will be a BIG “N O ”

In comparison what do we do? When we receive any information,
before we pass it on to others we add, we subtract, we multiply and
we divide. What ever that has been given to us when it leaves us
will have in addition 4 legs, two ears, two eyes, two ears and a
tail and what-nots – why is this?
Because we know that Fathima (A.S.) obeyed her Blessed Father, our Holy Prophet Muhummed (S).
She listened to his sayings :
“Choose your words before you utter them.” and again
“Weigh your words before you choose to utter them said Our
Holy Prophet Muhummed (S) –
because words are sacred, words have meaning, words have implications, because a word so uttered may cause chaos in a country, a word uttered without re’Alizing its implications may damage an organization, it might kill a useful plan, it can initiate a fitnah and fasaadh.
A word so uttered without realizing its implications drags a man down into hell for 70 years and added, “Isn’t it the tongue that causes the people to
bow down their faces in Hell.?”

Yes, my Dear brothers and sisters, I can speak on this subject the
whole day. Let me therefore, give you just one more point and I
will wind up my speech.

Look at the following hadeethes:

Sahih Bukhari Volume 5. Hadeeth no. 94
3714- حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْوَلِيدِ حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ عُيَيْنَةَ عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ دِينَارٍ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِى مُلَيْكَةَ عَنِ الْمِسْوَرِ بْنِ مَخْرَمَةَ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ « فَاطِمَةُ بَضْعَةٌ مِنِّى ، فَمَنْ أَغْضَبَهَا أَغْضَبَنِى » .
And
3767- حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْوَلِيدِ حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ عُيَيْنَةَ عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ دِينَارٍ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِى مُلَيْكَةَ عَنِ الْمِسْوَرِ بْنِ مَخْرَمَةَ – رضى الله عنهما – أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ « فَاطِمَةُ بَضْعَةٌ مِنِّى ، فَمَنْ أَغْضَبَهَا أَغْضَبَنِى »
Fathima is a peice of my flesh, Fathima is a part of me – whoever
makes her angry makes me angry.
Sahih bukhari volume 5. Hadeeth no.157 – Hadith Serial No: 5230
حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ حَدَّثَنَا اللَّيْثُ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِى مُلَيْكَةَ عَنِ الْمِسْوَرِ بْنِ مَخْرَمَةَ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ وَهْوَ عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ « ، فَإِنَّمَا هِىَ بَضْعَةٌ مِنِّى ، يُرِيبُنِى مَا أَرَابَهَا وَيُؤْذِينِى مَا آذَاهَا » . هَكَذَا قَالَ . أطرافه
“……..Faathima is a part of my body, she is a piece of my flesh,
I hate what she hates to see and what hurts her hurts me.

I am relating these hadeethes to show how close is Fathima (A.S.)
to the Holy Prophet (S) and to show the sacrifices This Family of the Prophets Household have made for us.
Just look at this incident:
Rasoolullah (S) was one day in the house of Fathima (A.S.) playing with his grandchildren Hasan and Hussain (A.S.), when she observed that he blessed Father – Rasoolullah (S) kissed Hassan (A.S.) on the lips and Hussain (A.S.) on his neck. She was indeed amazed at what she saw. She immediately asked her Blessed father, “Oh my Dear father, why did you kiss Hassan on his lips and Hussain on his neck – Why did you not kiss both the same way?”

Rasoolullah (S) was silent for a few minutes and said : “My Dearest Daughter, I kissed Hassan on his lips, because he will be martyred by a person giving him poison through the mouth and I kissed Hussain on his neck, because he will be martyred by the sword – His neck will be cut.”
Imagine the state of a mother. A mother coming to know the death of her children! She could not bear it. After all she is a mother of Hassan and Hussain (A.S.). She cried bitterly.
And after some time, she asked :
“Oh my Dearest father, O Allah’s Apostle, Allah has given a special privilege to all the Prophets – a privilege, when at a time of real distress or real calamity, the Prophets are permitted to ask a “Dua” – a supplication for the prevention of such calamities and Allah in His Mercy has never refused this Du’a of the Prophets. I beseech O Dearest father, that you use that privilege and ask for the protection of my two children, your two grandchildren, that they may not be martyred in the manner you have just told me.”

Rasoolullah (S) remained silent for sometime with is eyes closed.
He opened them, looked at his most beloved daughter and said: “My Dearest daughter, I am very sorry I cannot do that.
I have reserved that Du’a – that supplication – for My Ummah on the Day of
Judgment.”

What sacrifice – unprecedented sacrifice. There is nobody who had given such sacrifices as the sacrifices of the Household of the Holy Prophet (S).

We are the Ummah. Let us ask ourselves, do we deserve such sacrifices? Do we? Your own conscience will give you the answer.

Let us therefore, my Dear brothers, sisters and Dearest children,
let us do everything humanly possible to emulate the life of Our
Holy Prophet Muhummed (S), the life of the Blessed Lady Fathima (A.S.) – the Household of the Holy Prophet (S).
May Allah in His Mercy guide us all along the right path. AAMEEN.
وآخر دعوانا أن الحمد لله ربّ العا لمين
السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

AL-ZAHRA DAY – THE BIRTH OF THE NOBLE DAUGHTER OF OUR HOLY PROPHET [S] – 20TH JAMADHUL AAKHIR – 1421 [19TH SEPTEMBER 2000] AT THE BMICH.
بسم الله الرّحمن الرّحيم
ربّ ا شرحلي صدري ويسّرلي أمري واحلل عُقدة مّن لُّلساني يفقهو قولي
الحمد لله ربّ العالَمين والعاقبة اللمتّقين والصّلوةُ والسّلام على رسولك سيّدنا محمّد وأاله وأصحابه وأهل بيته وأهل طاعتك أجمعين – أمّا بعد
أعوذ بالله من الشيطان الرّجيم
بسم الله الرّحمن الرّحيم
إنّما يُريدُاللَهَ لِيّذهِبَ عنكُمُ الرّجس أهل البيتِ ويُطهّرَكُم تطهيرًا(33:33)
Today is 20th Jamadhul Aakhir – The holy day in which the most noble and beloved daughter of our Holy Prophet [S] was born.
At the outset I would praise Allah Azzawajall and then would like to thank brother Al-Massi, Director of the Iranian Cultural Center and the sisters of the Al-Zahra Association for inviting me to participate in such a noble and august occasion. Alhamdu-Lillah

The ayath I read out to you is from Surah Al-Ahzab – Chapter 33 Verse 33
إنّما يُريدُاللَهَ لِيّذهِبَ عنكُمُ الرّجس أهل البيتِ ويُطهّرَكُم تطهيرًا(33:33)
And Allah only wishes to remove impurity from you – O! you members of the family, members of the household and to make you pure and spotless and purify you an excellent purification.-
You are all aware of the great virtues of this noble lady – the names attributed to her itself suggests her greatness, her virtuousness, steadiness, loyalty and beauty.
You are also aware that these are not just titles but she was a living embodiment of those titles.
Fathima, Zahra, Thaahira, Muthahhira, Zakia, Razia, Marziah, Bathool
Zahra – Meaning: Flower, Blossom, The Resplendent One, Beaming Face, Radiating Light, Excellence of Femininity
Thaahira – Meaning: Clean, Pure, Immaculate, Chaste, Modest,
Virtuous.
Zakiyya – Meaning: Innocent, Blameless, Guiltless, Righteous, Upright, Virtuous Honest, Good, Fragrant, Sweet,
Sa’Alihah) , Competent, Meritorious, Devoted, Honest, Pious, Dutiful, True,
Raaziya and Marziya – Meaning: Pleased and Well Pleased -
Bathool – Meaning: Virgin, Maiden, Spotless Chastity, Chaste and Pure.
Hafiz ibn Hajar says – Hadhrath Fathima is called Bathool because she is distinguished among ladies as regards learning and piety and being the daughter of the most honoured Prophet (S).
Yes, we too want our sisters, our mothers, our daughters too to be Thahira, We do want them to be Zakiyya, We want them to be Raziya and Marziya, We yearn that they be Bathool, Zahra and Fathima
I need not repeat them – so todayLet uslearn something else – something out of the ordinary -Let us go into a little bit of history and give you a rare treat with an anecdote.
This is again a reminder – First let us see as to who the members of the Household of the Prophet (S) are:

عن عائشة قالت خرج النّبيُّ (ص) غَدَاةً وَ عَلَيْهِ مِرْطٌ مُرَحّلٌ مِنْ شّعْر ٍ أسْوَدَ فَجَاءَ
الْحَسَنُ بْن ِ عَلِيّ ٍ فَأدْخَلَهُ ثُمَّ جَاءَهُ الْحُسَيْنُ فَأدْخَلَ مَعَهُ ثُمَّ جَائَتْ فَاطِمَةُ فَأدْخَلَهَا ثُمَّ جَاءَ
عَلِيٌّ فَأدْخَلَهُ ثُمَّ قَالَ: إنّما يُريْدُاللَهَ لِيُذهِبَ عنْكُمُ الرّجْسَ أهْلَ اْلبَيْتِ ويُطهّرَكُمْ تطْهيْرًا
(5955 -مسلم – حديْث )

Ummul Mu’mineen Ayesha (R) reported: the Prophet (S) came out one
morning while there was over him a blanket made of black fur.
Hassan bin ‘‘Ali came and he admitted him into the Blanket. Then
Hussain came and he admitted him into the blanket. Then Fathima
came and he admitted her and when ‘Ali came he admitted him as well
and said : And Allah only wishes to
remove impurity from O you members of the Household and to make you pure and spotless and purify an excellent purification”.
Hadith No.2.
عَنْ سَعْدِ بْن ِ أبيْ وقّاس ٍ قَال :
Sa’ad ibn Abee Waqqas said:
لَمّا نَزَلَتْ هذِهِ الآ يَتُ : فَقُلْ تَعَالَوْا نَدْعُ أَبْنَاءَنَا وَأَبْنَاءَكُمْ
when this verse “say, come, Let us call our children and your children” was revealed
دَعَا رَسُوْلُ الله (ص) عَلِيّاً وَ فَاطِمَة َ وَحَسَنًا وَ حُسَيْناً
The Apostle of Allah called, ‘‘Ali, Fathima, Hassan and Hussain
فَقالَ هؤُلاء أهْل ِ بَيْتِيْ (مُسلم)
And Said: These are my Ahla-Baith – These are the people of my household.
Let us go step by step:
Hadith No. 3.
عَنْ أنَس ٍ انّ النّبِيَّ (ص) قال- حَسْبُكَ مِنْ نِسَاءِ الْعَالَمِيْنَ مَرْيَمُ بِنْتُ عِمْرَانَ
وخَدِيْجَةُ بِنْتُ خُوَيْلِد وَ فَاطِمَة ُ بِنْتُ مُحَمَّد ٍ وَ ءَاسِيَةُ امْرأةُ فِرْعَوْنَ (التّرمذي)
Among The most distinguished women of the world there are four:
1. Maryam daughter of Imran
2. Khadija daughter of Khuwailid
3. Fathima daughter of Muhummed (S)
4. Aasiya Wife of Pharoah
Part of a long Hadith:
Ummul Mu’mineen Ayesha [R] reports: Rasoolullah [S] said To Fathima
قَالَ « يَا فَاطِمَةُ أَلاَ تَرْضَيْنَ أَنْ تَكُونِى سَيِّدَةَ نِسَاءِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ – أَوْ
- سَيِّدَةَ نِسَاءِ هَذِهِ الأُمَّةِ »
O Fathima, are you not pleased that you will be the Leader of the women of the inmates of Paradise? Or Leader of the women of this Ummah ? (Agreed)
Fathima is the Leader of the Believing women of Paradise and the leader among the women of this Ummah.
I will now relate to you a hadith which is described as the tradition of “Thaqlain” : Meaning the hadith of Two Weighty Things.
قال رسولُ الله (ص) :
إنّيْ تَار ِ كٌ فِيْكُمُ الثَّقَلَيْن ِ كِتَابَ اللهِ وَعِتْرَتِيْ ، “يُوْشَكُ أنْ اُدْعى فا ُ جِيْبُ ”
كِتَابُ الله حَبْلٌ مَمْدُوْدٌ مِنَ السّمَاء ِ إلى الأرْض ِ وَ عِتْرَتِيْ أهْلَ بَيْتِيْ
وَ إنّ اللّطِيْفَ الْخَبِيْرَ أخْبَرَنِيْ أنّهُمَا لَنْ يَفْتَرِقَا حَتّى يَر ِدَا عَلَيّ َ الْحَوْضَ
فانْظُرُوْا بِمَاذ َا تَخْلُفُوْنِيْ
The Messenger of Allah said:
“It is probable that I be called soon and I will respond. Then I leave behind me among you two weighty (very worthy and important things): the book of Allah (The Luminous Qur’an), which is a cable from the heaven to the earth; and my progeny – my Ahlul-Bayth; For verily Allah, the merciful, the aware, informed me that never, never will these two get separated from each other until they meet me at the “Houdh of Kauthar” – the Pond of Abundance -
Therefore be careful how you will treat that which is due to those two in my absence.”
وَفِيْ حَدِيْثٍ آخَر: “لَنْ تَضِلّوْا مَا إنْ تَمَسَّكْتُمْ بِهِمَا
And in another tradition,:
“Never, never, shall you go astray if you attach yourselves to these two
these hadithes are narrated by more than twenty different persons from the companions of the Prophet [S] and it is also narrated by over 185 narrators mentioned in Sahih Muslim v.2.p.238. – Musnad Ahmed ibn-Hanbal v.5. p.181, 182; Sahih Tirmizi v.2.p.220 (Hadith Serial No: 6143, 6144) and a host of other references including Nafahaathul Azhaar fi Khulaasath-i- ‘Abaqat-ul-Anwaar – Pages 199 to 210 of Volume No.1.
I will give you a couple of more references to prove my point :

Sahih Muslim Book 31, Number 5920: (Part 7 – Kitab Fadaaa-il Al-Sahabah
Yazid b. Hayyan reported, I went along with Husain b. Sabra and ‘Umar b. Muslim to Zaid b. Arqam and, as we sat by his side, Husain said to him: Zaid. you have been able to acquire a great virtue that you saw Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) listened to his talk, fought by his side in (different) battles, offered prayer behind me. Zaid, you have in fact earned a great virtue. Zaid, narrate to us what you heard from Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him). He said: I have grown old and have almost spent my age and I have forgotten some of the things which I remembered in connection with Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him), so accept whatever I narrate to you, and which I do not narrate do not compel me to do that. He then said: One day Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) stood up to deliver sermon at a watering place known as Khumm situated between Mecca and Medina. He praised Allah, extolled Him and delivered the sermon and. exhorted (us) and said: Now to our purpose. O people, I am a human being. I am about to receive a messenger (the angel of death) from my Lord and I, in response to Allah’s call, (would bid good-bye to you), but I am leaving among you two weighty things: the one being the Book of Allah in which there is right guidance and light, so hold fast to the Book of Allah and adhere to it. He exhorted (us) (to hold fast) to the Book of Allah and then said: The second are the members of my household. I urge you to remember Allah regarding my Ahlal-Bayth. I urge you to remember Allah regarding my Ahlal-Bayth. I urge you to remember Allah regarding my Ahlal-Bayth – (repeated 3 times) – I remind you (of your duties) to the members of my family.
Sahih Muslim – Book 31, Number 5921:
This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Zaid b. Arqam through another chain of transmitters.
Sahih Muslim – Book 31, Number 5922:
This hadith has been transmitted on the authority of Abu Hayyan but with this addition:” The Book of Allah contains right guidance, the light, and whoever adheres to it and holds it fast, he is upon right guidance and whosoever deviates from it goes astray.
Sahih Muslim – Book 31, Number 5923:
Yazid b. Hayyan reported: We went to him (Zaid b. Arqam) and said to him. You have found goodness (for you had the honour) to live in the company of Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) and offered prayer behind him, .. .. Behold, for I am leaving amongst you two weighty things, and the rest of the hadith is the same but with this variation of wording that he said:
وَ فِيْ رِوَايَةِ كِتَابُ اللهِ هُوَ حَبْلُ الله –
مَن ِ تَّبَعَهُ كَانَ عَلَى الهُدى وَ مَنْ تَرَكَهُ كَانَ عَلَى الضّلالةِ (مسلم)

The Book of Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, and that is the rope of Allah. He who holds it fast would be on right guidance and he who abandons it, is upon misguidance.

It is indeed very strange that this popular hadith is suppressed by the majority of the ‘Ulama and strangely enough they quote this hadith – which has only one reference – Khabar Wahid – in hadith parlance – A Single Reference giving two variations – Prophet and Messenger:
These are reported by Malik-bin-Anas (R): Hadith Serial No: 1625-
وَحَدَّثَنِى عَنْ مَالِكٍ أَنَّهُ بَلَغَهُ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ
« تَرَكْتُ فِيكُمْ أَمْرَيْنِ لَنْ تَضِلُّوا مَا تَمَسَكْتُمْ بِهِمَا كِتَابَ اللَّهِ وَسُنَّةَ نَبِيِّهِ »(الموطّا))
I leave behind me two things, never, shall you go astray if you attach yourselves to these two – The Book of Allah and the Sunnah of the Prophet. (Mu’atta)
تَرَكْتُ فِيكُمْ أَمْرَيْنِ لَنْ تَضِلُّوا مَا تَمَسَكْتُمْ بِهِمَا كِتَابَ اللَّهِ وَسُنَّة رَسُوْلِه
I leave behind me two things – never, shall you go astray if you attach yourselves to these two – The Book of Allah and the Sunnah of the Messenger. (Ahmed)
But what they do not say is, that the sunnah he had left behind was the Ahlul Baith.
Consider this: Let me quote a hadith from Jaamiu Thirmizi
Our Holy Prophet (S) said:
HADEETH:
عَنِ الْمِسْوَرِ بْنِ مَخْرَمَةَ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ
« فَاطِمَةُ بَضْعَةٌ مِنِّى ، فَمَنْ أَغْضَبَهَا أَغْضَبَنِى » .
Miswar bin Makhramah reported that the Apostle of Allah said:
Fathima is a piece of my flesh whoever angers her angers me.

in another narration: what causes her doubt causes my doubt
فَإِنَّمَا هِىَ بَضْعَةٌ مِنِّى ، يُرِيبُنِى مَا أَرَابَهَا وَيُؤْذِينِى مَا آذَاهَا »
“….She …(Fathima) is a part of my body, she is a piece of my flesh,
I hate what she hates to see and what hurts her hurts me.
And whoever injures her – hurts her, injures me – hurts me
(Muththafaqun Alaihi : Bukhari Vol.5. Hadith No. 94 & Hadith No. 157)
There are innumerable hadithes with regard to the great honour that has been conferred on this Noble Lady – Fathima [A] , I think that this would suffice for the moment – As we have been talking about this time and again.
You have now, some inkling of the love that Rasoolullaahi [S] had for Fathimah (A) – and the importance and dignity of Fathima[A].

Immediately after the demise of our Holy Prophet [S] the contest for power I will give you references of what I am going to say after this. These TABARI V.3. P.98 – AQDUL FAREED OF IBN ABDUR RUBBAHO V.2.P.179 (EGYPT) – MORAVVAJUL-ZAHAB – MUSOODEE – P.159
MILLAL WA NAHAL OF SHAHRISTANY [BOMBAY] – AL FAROOQ OF SHIBLI NU’MANI From the various accounts which these books have given – we had observed a Hadhrath ‘‘Ali (A) kept away from the politics that was going on in Arabia One night when only ‘‘Ali, Fathima and her children, Hassan and Husayn The house was attacked and set on fire – her house burned down upon her head Hadhrath ‘‘Ali [A] was attending to his wounded wife and trying to help his Just within a few months of the departure of our Holy Prophet [S] – everyone They had forgotten what he had spoken of Hasan and Husayn [A] – They had all Hadhrath Fathima [A] was grief stricken – those who had claimed love and After this attack our Dearest Fathima [A] fell seriously ill.
Let me now relate to you an account of the last day of her life – It will Fathima [A] told the household that she was feeling better – that the pain she then started bathing the children. Immediately, ‘‘Ali and Fizza, their She got the children bathed – dressed and fed them and she sent them away to Then she called Hadhrath ‘‘Ali to her side and said:
‘‘Ali, my Dear husband, you know very well why I did all that. Please excuse Yes ‘‘Ali you know also that this is the last day of my life -
I am happy and also I am sad.
Happy, I am that my troubles will shortly be over and I shall meet my please ‘‘Ali make a note of what I say and do as I wish you to do.
Hadhrath ‘Ali [A] replied: “Instruct me to do anything you wish; you will Fathima continued: “Dear ‘‘Ali, you may marry anybody you like, but it is my Dear ‘Ali, bury me in the night and do not let those who have been so cruel let not my sufferings embitter your life – promise me ‘‘Ali”
Dear ‘‘Ali”, she continued, “I know how you love my children but be very ‘Ali [A] was caressing the broken hand, his hot and big tears dropped on her Farewell my lord, farewell my Dear husband, farewell ‘Ali – say good-bye to Sorrow had choked Hadhrath ‘‘Ali – his words were mixed with his tears, “Hearing this she said: “may the Merciful Lord help you to bear these Now please I want to stay alone with my Allah.
Saying this she turned towards her prayer-carpet and prostrated before إنّا لِلّه وَ إنّا إلَيْهِ رَاجِعُوْنْ
Hadhrath ‘Ali says: “She died very young – a flower nipped in the bud – This In the darkness of the jet-black night when eyes were asleep and voices were The heart breaking procession moved towards an unknown location followed by Where are the thousands who inhabited Medina?
Fathima’s (A) request was that they should not be present at her The family and their friends hurry to bury the Mubarak body of Fathima The insult and injury had killed this noble lady; and when Hadhrath ‘Ali was O Prophet of Allah, please accept my salaams and those of your daughter who After having endured the separation from you I shall have to bear this surely we belong to Allah and towards him is our return (2.156)
إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ
Then Hadhrath ‘Ali [a] made the shapes of four fresh graves in “Baqi” so as Now they rush back to their own homes, so that no one would know where the started in the Saqifa of Bani Sa’eeda.
references are:
HISTORY OF ABUL FIDA V.1.P.156 [EGYPT] – KITABUL IMAMUTH WA SIYAASATH – ALLAMA IBN QATEEBA V.1.P.20 [EGYPT]
[INDIA] – IBN ABIL HADEED COMMENTARY OF NAHJUL BALAGHA -
very sad and pathetic episode that is going to unfold before your very being now.
for the seizing of power – he had decided to retire to the seclusion of his house and not to take any part in power-politics yet, the oppressors did not spare them.
[Alaihis-Salaathu Wassalaaml] were in their own home they were quite suddenly and quite unexpectedly attacked.
– someone wrenched a burning door and flung the burning door on the Mubarak body of Hadhrath Fathima [A] and the impact broke her ribs and her left hand. This cruelty caused the premature birth and death of a baby that she was carrying – the lady of the house was seriously hurt and had fainted. The house was full of smoke, the children were frightened – the resulting confusion could be better imagined than narrated.
suffocating children – when he was overpowered and dragged from his house.
had forgotten what he had said about his Dearly beloved daughter.
forgotten about the Thaqlain – The two weighty things referred to by Rasoolullaah. in fact they were hell bent on destroying the family of our Holy Prophet [S] – the only family.
attachment to the Prophet [S] during his life, became so engrossed in their machinations for power that instead of consoling his only daughter, crowded around her house with material to set it on fire – they displayed cruelty with all the display of oppression, compulsion and violence.
clearly show you what kind of lady was this noble daughter of the Holy Prophet [S].
in her ribs and in her hand was not so severe and that her fever had come down.
servant girl came to her assistance.
her cousin Yamama.
my fussiness, they have suffered so much with me and during my illness that I want to see them happy on the last day of my life.
beloved father and sorry I am to part with you.
certainly find me devoted and I will execute everything that you command me to do. I shall also put your matters over mine.”
wish that you marry my cousin Yamama, she loves my children and Husayn is very much attached to her. let Fizza remain with you even after her marriage, if she so desires, – she was more than a mere servant to me. I loved her like my own daughter.
to me attend my burial – let my death not dishearten you – you have to strive for islam and humanity for long time to come.
/> careful of Husayn. he loves me Dearly and will miss me sadly. Be a mother unto him as well. Till my recent illness he used to sleep on my chest, he is already missing it.”
hand. she looked up and said: “Do not weep ‘Ali, I know with a strong out-ward appearance what a tender heart you possess. You have already borne too much and will have to bear some more.
me”.
chokingly he said “Good-bye Fathima.”
sorrows and sufferings patiently.”
Allah. when after a little time Hadhrath ‘Ali entered the room he found her still in prostration but the soul had departed to join her holy father in the Realm of the Grace, Mercy and Might of the Almighty.
beautiful flowerf was from Jannath and it went to Jannath but has left its fragrance in my mind.”
silent, a heavenly procession left the house of Hadhrath ‘‘Ali carrying the daughter of the Messenger of Allah to her final abode.
a small number of devoted ones – they were ‘Ali, Hassan, Husayn, Zainab and Umm-Kulthum, Abu Dharr, ‘Ammar, Miqdad and Salman were following them.
funeral.
(A).
layihg her in the grave – when he could not resist the outburst no one can really translate and depict the pathos which the words of Hadhrath ‘‘Ali carried in them:
is being buried not very far from you, and who is to meet you so quickly. O the Chosen Apostle! the death of your dearest daughter has left me without patience and solace. I have lost my self-restraint and power of endurance.
catastrophe patiently – O Prophet of Allah! I laid you down in the grace with my own hands, your soul departed from your body while you were resting upon my breast and your head was lying between my neck and my heart:
/> me. Sorrow now abides with me and happiness has taken leave. This grief is so overbearing that it engulfs and swallows other sorrows and it has left me with sleepless nights and joyless days.
with you both in the realm of his favour and peace.
have behaved with her and how they have ill-treated her. You please ask her the details of what has happened to during such a short period after your departure to heaven. This period of separation from you was so short that people still remember you and were still talking about you.
a sincere heart which has loved and will always love you both, a heart which will cherish and will carry your tender and loving memories to the grave.
which mankind has refused to you in this world.
your company, I wish I had it to the end of my life.
the reward that Allah has reserved for those who bears sorrows patiently.
to conceal the location where Fathima (a) was buried.
Mubarak body of Fathima (A) lie buried.

In the morning the people came to know of the demise of the beloved daughter of the Prophet [S] and when they entered the graveyard, they were confused as to which spot was actually the grave of Lady Fathima Zahra (A). The people turned towards each other with feelings of guilt – and
they were all lamenting that they could not participate in the funeral of the Prophet’s own one and only daughter. .. .. And they did not even know where she lies buried.
Some mischief makers announced: “let us select a group of Muslim women and ask them to dig these graves so that we may find Fathima and perform prayers on her – and they attempted to execute the plan violating the will of Fathima [A].
In order to preserve Muslim unity Imam ‘Ali [a] did not fight back after the demise of the Holy Prophet (S) – that did not mean he would ignore this challenge.
When he heard what was taking place at Baqi he put on his fighting gear and rushed to Baqi – he levelled his sword against those gathered there and said:
“If anyone moves even a mere stone from any of these graves, I shall strike even the back of the last follower of the unjust.’
People realized the seriousness of ‘Ali and no one dared oppose him. Yet a man among the governing ones addressed ‘Ali saying:
“What is the matter, Abul Hasan? by Allah we shall dig her grave out and perform prayers on her.”
‘‘Ali [A] grabbed the man by his clothes, shook him and dashed him on the ground and said:
“You Son of the Sawada, I have abandoned my right to prevent people from forsaking their faith, but as regards the grave of Fathima, by Him in Whose Hand is my soul, if you and your followers attempt to do anything to it, I will irrigate this ground with your blood.
At this hadhrath Abu Bakr [R] who was there said:
Abul Hassan, I ask you by the right of Allah’s messenger and by him who is above the throne, leave him alone and we will not do anything which you would not approve of..”
‘‘Ali [A] then let him go . Hence until this day, the location of the grave of Hadhrath Fathima remains a secret.
anecdote:
It was the hot season in the town of Medina. Heat was pouring from the skies and the earth was baked all the people were in their houses taking shelter from the sun.
The town was quiet and no shadows of people were seen in the streets. Despite all this, Medina was the only chance for survival for an old man who had entered the town. He stood under the shade of the roof of a mud house and took a deep breath of contentment.
He wiped the sweat from his forehead with his sleeves and spoke softly to himself.
“Thank you Allah for here is the town of Medina – the town of the Prophet. When I reach the Prophet, I will not be tired because, he is the Prophet I am yearning to meet. He is the saviour of the people and until now nobody has heard him say “no” to anybody.
He has never sent anyone away empty-handed. Being an old man he suddenly felt tired – Oh! I hardly have enough strength to reach the mosque for I am too tired and hungry, and have no place to stay – but his heart gave him strength – come on old man, you may not be far from the mosque.
He had sold his shoes to buy a piece of bread and had walked barefoot on the hot sands under the burning sun.
His feet were hurting and the scorched wounds on his legs were troubling him. He had no choice, he had to reach Medina, so he cut his clothes and tied it like a bandage around his feet and walked on and on.
At last, he arrived at the mosque – The for ‘Asr Prayers had just passed and he knew that at this time the Prophet was expected to be at the mosque. With his sun burnt hands he tidied his beard and entered the mosque. The evening prayer was just over and the Prophet [S] was at the ‘mimbar’.
The old man said to himself: how beautiful and peaceful is the face of Muhummed. This Prophetic face! Just by seeing his face all my tiredness disappears. I wonder if it would be possible for him to ask about the health of a person like me, who is so shabbily dressed!!
However, as soon as the Prophet saw the poor and tired face of the old man, he rose and came towards him and hugged him, warmly greeted him, took him with him and bade him seated beside him. Ammar bin Yaasir, Jabir Ansari, Bilal (R.A.) and others shook hands with the old man and warmly greeted him.
The old man was taken up by these greetings and suddenly started pouring out his sorrows:
“May the lord never let a person be in such a poor and forlorn condition when he is away from his home.
In my city I had respect and comfortable life but on this journey I have encountered such events which have left me with nothing. Now I am hungry, without shoes, clothes and provision. With difficulty I have come to you O Prophet in the hope that you may save me from this condition.
The Holy Prophet [S] said: “although I do not have anything now, I will send you somewhere that you can go – the house of my daughter Fathima – it is in the neighbourhood. At her house you will always find happiness, blessings and guidance. get up my brother, go to Fathima’s house so that she may solve y our problem. Bilal will guide you to her house.”
Bilal and the old man stood up and went to Fathima’s house, which was adjacent to the Prophet’s house. The old man stood near the door and in a loud voice greeted the Prophet’s daughter : “Salaam to you O Member of the Ahlul-Bayth.” Fathima, the Prophet’s beloved daughter, from within her house returned the old man’s greeting. “Blessings and the Peace of Allah be upon you. May I know who you are, and what you need?”
The old man softly and gently said: I am old Arab. I am hungry and I do not have clothes and I am helpless. I went to your beloved father, the holy Prophet of Allah and he sent me here…”
Fathima was not a person who could send a poor person away empty-handed. Fathima was an example of virtue and generosity. She is the dearest of Allah and dearest of the holy Prophet – but what could she do?
It had been 3 days since she and her family had anything to eat. It had been 3 days since hunger had struck her home. It had been 3 days that water was the only food for them.
But for Fathima, this was not a matter of hesitation or doubt.
She had only a small sheep skin which she used as a carpet and bedding for her beloved sons Hasan and Husayn.[A]
she gathered it up and with an apology presented it to the old man and said: “I hope Allah will give you better than this.”
But the old man did not take it and said: “O daughter of the Prophet! What can I do with this? I am hungry. I have no clothes nor have I any money for my journey back home.”
Fathima (A) looking astonished, glanced around her small house to find something else. Suddenly she remembered the necklace that her cousin – Uncle Hamza’s daughter – had given her. She quickly unfastened it and gave it to the old man. “Sell it, and I hope that Allah will solve your problems.”
The old man took the necklace, blessed her and returned to the Prophet.
The Prophet (S) upon hearing from the old man what had transpired, with tears in his eyes said: “by all means your problems will be solved because the Leader of Women has blessed you with it.”
Ammar b Yaasir, who had been watching moved closer to the Prophet. The Prophet’s daughter had given everything she had, and had not said no – he said to the Prophet:
O Prophet of Allah! Will you give me permission to buy this necklace?”
the Prophet [S] with tears in his eyes, smiled and said: “Yes O ‘Ammar! whoever buys this necklace will be saved from the fire of hell.”
‘Ammar [R] turned to the old man and asked, how much will you sell this necklace for?”
The old man replied: I need money to buy a few good clothes and for my journey so that I can go to my city – I will sell it for that much money.
‘Ammar looked at the tired old man with a melting heart and with kindness said: “in addition to what you have asked, I will give you 20 gold dinars and 200 silver dirhams for this necklace.”
The old man eyes shining with happiness said: “you are a very strange and generous man.”
‘Ammar looked down modestly and said: “the value of this necklace that has been touched by the Prophet’s daughter’s hand is more than I can give you right now.”
The old man raised his hands in prayer and said : “Ya Allah, please bless the Prophet’s daughter the likes of which nobody has so far seen.”
Ammar b Yaasir took the old man to his house and gave him what he had promised and allowed him to go.
He then took the necklace and perfumed it with scent and rose water and put it in a beautiful and expensive cloth and called for his slave “Sahm”. Sahm was a respectful and good slave whom he had obtained as booty in the Battle of Khaibar. He said:
“Come take this and present it to the Prophet and after this you will belong to the Prophet.”
Sahm took the necklace and went to the Prophet. The Prophet prayed for Ammar – but he did not take the necklace nor Sahm. But he said:
“Give my regards to my daughter Fathima and give her the necklace and tell her that you are now in her custody.”
Fathima-Zahra – with surprise – took the necklace and told Sahm, “You are free in the way of Allah. You can freely go wherever you want to.”
Sahm laughed and said : I am indeed amazed at the blessings of this necklace – an enchanted necklace indeed. It has satisfied a hungry person, clothed a naked person, fulfilled the needs of another, freed a slave and in the end, it returned to its owner. Indeed this house has been really blessed.

May Allah in His Mercy Guide us all along the right Path – Aameen.
السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

FATHIMA ZAHRA DAY – 20/21ST JAMAADHUL AAKHIR 1422 –
10TH SEPTEMBER 2001 – BMICH – CINEMA HALL
بسم الله الرّحمن الرّحيم
ربّ اشرحلي صدري ويسّرلي أمري واحلل عُقدة مّن لُّلساني يفقهو قولي
الحمد لله ربّ العالَمين والعاقبة اللمتّقين والصّلوةُ والسّلام على رسولك سيّدنا محمّد
وأاله وأصحابه وأهل بيته وأهل طاعتك أجمعين – أمّا بعد
أعوذ بالله من الشيطان الرّجيم
بسم الله الرّحمن الرّحيم

ادْعُ إِلَى سَبِيلِ رَبِّكَ بِالْحِكْمَةِ وَالْمَوْعِظَةِ الْحَسَنَةِ وَجَادِلْهُمْ بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَنْ ضَلَّ عَنْ سَبِيلِهِ وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِالْمُهْتَدِينَ
16.125 Invite (all) to the Way of thy Lord with wisdom and beautiful preaching; and argue with them in ways that are best and most gracious: for thy Lord knoweth best, who have strayed from His Path, and who receive guidance.

Let me in the first instance Thank and Praise Allah Subhanah, for His Kind Mercy in helping me participate in such an exalted august occasion and thank the Al-Zahra Association, especially Sister Zavini Jalill and her council members for inviting me on such an illustrious day.

Year after year we have been talking of Fathima (A). We have been listening to her traits, her character, her morality, her difficulties, her dedication towards her family, especially to her Beloved Father – Our Beloved Prophet – Muhummed (S) and her Beloved Husband Hazrath ‘Aliyy (A) and her loving children, Hassan, Hussain, Zainab and Umm-Kulthoom [Salawaathullaahi Alihim] and the concern she showed for the Ummah of Rasoolullah (S) – meaning us.

I would like to share with you today, Insha Allah, some of her extra-ordinary traits, which may only serve us all, as a reminder – Just to remember and to put into practice what our Beloved Daughter of our Holy Prophet Muhummed (S) practiced, so that we too may be recognized as those who love Allah and His Prophets.

Fathima (A) – is a Sign of Allah, a Sign of His marvelous and unprecedented might. For the Almighty Lord created Muhummed (S) as a Sign of his might among prophets and from him – his beloved daughter – Fathima Zahra – to be a Sign of his might in giving a female possessing all moral excellence and talents. In fact Allah Almighty bestgowed Fathima (A) with a vast share of greatness and a high level of Majesty which no other woman can ever claim to have reached. No wonder she is called the Leader of Women Paradise.
Sahih Bukhari 3624- فَقَالَتْ مَا كُنْتُ لأُفْشِىَ سِرَّ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم حَتَّى قُبِضَ النَّبِىُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَسَأَلْتُهَا فَقَالَتْ أَسَرَّ إِلَىَّ «إِنَّ جِبْرِيلَ كَانَ يُعَارِضُنِى الْقُرْآنَ كُلَّ سَنَةٍ مَرَّةً ، وَإِنَّهُ عَارَضَنِى الْعَامَ مَرَّتَيْنِ ، وَلاَ أُرَاهُ إِلاَّ حَضَرَ أَجَلِى ، وَإِنَّكِ أَوَّلُ أَهْلِ بَيْتِى لَحَاقاً بِى » . فَبَكَيْتُ فَقَالَ « أَمَا تَرْضَيْنَ أَنْ تَكُونِى سَيِّدَةَ نِسَاءِ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ – أَوْ نِسَاءِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ » . فَضَحِكْتُ لِذَلِكَ .
Sahih Muslim 6286 (and 6468)- قَالَتْ مَا كُنْتُ لأُفْشِىَ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم سِرَّهُ . فَلَمَّا تُوُفِّىَ قُلْتُ لَهَا عَزَمْتُ عَلَيْكِ بِمَا لِى عَلَيْكِ مِنَ الْحَقِّ لَمَّا أَخْبَرْتِنِى . قَالَتْ أَمَّا الآنَ فَنَعَمْ . فَأَخْبَرَتْنِى قَالَتْ أَمَّا حِينَ سَارَّنِى فِى الأَمْرِ الأَوَّلِ ، فَإِنَّهُ أَخْبَرَنِى أَنَّ جِبْرِيلَ كَانَ يُعَارِضُهُ بِالْقُرْآنِ كُلَّ سَنَةٍ مَرَّةً « وَإِنَّهُ قَدْ عَارَضَنِى بِهِ الْعَامَ مَرَّتَيْنِ ، وَلاَ أَرَى الأَجَلَ إِلاَّ قَدِ اقْتَرَبَ ، فَاتَّقِى اللَّهَ وَاصْبِرِى ، فَإِنِّى نِعْمَ السَّلَفُ أَنَا لَكَ » . قَالَتْ فَبَكَيْتُ بُكَائِى الَّذِى رَأَيْتِ ، فَلَمَّا رَأَى جَزَعِى سَارَّنِى الثَّانِيَةَ قَالَ « يَا فَاطِمَةُ أَلاَ تَرْضَيْنَ أَنْ تَكُونِى سَيِّدَةَ نِسَاءِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ – أَوْ – سَيِّدَةَ نِسَاءِ هَذِهِ الأُمَّةِ » The most important aspect of these two Hadithes – Where Rasoolullaah Says:
Oh Fathima are you not pleased that you will be the Leader of the Women of Paradise – the Inmates of Paradise – Leader of the Believing women or Leader of women of this Ummah (Agreed – متّفق عليه )

Fathima is a lady, who, as mankind advances in the understanding and realization of facts and secrets, the greatness of her personality will become more apparent, and the deep meanings and characteristics of her actions will be more appreciated.
She is Fathima Zahra (A) – whom Allah praises and is “Satisfied with her satisfaction and is angered when she is angered.”
Bukhari – 3714- حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْوَلِيدِ حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ عُيَيْنَةَ عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ دِينَارٍ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِى مُلَيْكَةَ عَنِ الْمِسْوَرِ بْنِ مَخْرَمَةَ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ « فَاطِمَةُ بَضْعَةٌ مِنِّى ، فَمَنْ أَغْضَبَهَا أَغْضَبَنِى » .
Fathima is part of me – is a piece of my flesh whoever causes her anger, causes my anger.
Bukhari 5230- ، فَإِنَّمَا هِىَ بَضْعَةٌ مِنِّى ، يُرِيبُنِى مَا أَرَابَهَا وَيُؤْذِينِى مَا آذَاهَا »
Because, she is my daughter What causes her doubt causes my doubt, what she hates I hate and what causes her trouble causes me trouble.
And the Messenger of
Muslim – 6461- حَدَّثَنِى أَبُو مَعْمَرٍ إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ الْهُذَلِىُّ حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ عَنْ عَمْرٍو عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِى مُلَيْكَةَ عَنِ الْمِسْوَرِ بْنِ مَخْرَمَةَ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم « إِنَّمَا فَاطِمَةُ بَضْعَةٌ مِنِّى يُؤْذِينِى مَا آذَاهَا »
And the Messenger of Allah commends her nobility and meritorious personality. Her beloved husband Imam ‘Aliyy (A) looks to her with respect and admiration and all others venerate her.

The life of Fathima Zahra (A) speaks of many events from which many morals and admonitions can be learned, and through which one can familiarize himself or herself with the life-style of true believers and the view points they held.
Fathima Zahra (A) is considered an example of a Muslims womkan’s adherence to noble traits.
Fathima is a perfect example of how a daughter, wife and mother should act while keeping t heir decency and maintaining pure character.
She also shows us the role of Muslim women in the social field within limits of religion and virtue.
The life of Fathima Zahra (A) confirms that Islam does not deprive women of acquiring scientific, cultural and literary knowledge – granting that they safeguard themselves from nudity, recklessness, unrestraint and such actions which would bring sorrow upon and them and destroy their identities.
We believe, that it is impossible that another system can exist in the world which guards of women and protect their honour and identities more than Islam.
We can go on and on – Describing her traits in truthful words. We can go on and on for many days – But let us see some of the beautiful examples that she had set in her life-time, for all of us to follow –
I have chosen today, one of the most illustrious names attributed to her – Attributed to her exalted traits and that is :
SIDDEEQAH – MEANING SCRUPULOUS, EXTREME HONESTY OR SINCERITY.
As I go down the line, let each one of us compare these exalted traits, with our traits – whether it be male or female – and see where we have gone wrong – and what could be done and should be done to correct ourselves.

Siddeeqah differs from the word Sadook, in that the first is scrupulous and precise in telling (relating) facts. Furthermore, several other meanings have been given to the word Siddeeqah; among them are:
1. She who is a truth-teller.
2. She who never lies.
3. She whose deeds conform to her words.
4. She who never lied, because she is used to truthfulness.
5. A woman with scrupulous speech and beliefs, and whose deeds conform to her words.
6. She who believes in the commands of Allah and His Prophet’s, without doubting any of them.
This last opinion is supported by the following Quranic verse:
وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَرُسُلِهِ أُولَئِكَ هُمُ الصِّدِّيقُونَ
57.19 ‘and those who believe in Allah and His apostles; they are the truthful…” (57: 19)
[ And those who believe in Allah and His messengers- they are the Sincere (lovers of Truth) . .]

“Sideeqoon” are those who believe in truth and righteousness and practice what they believe – at any given place or time – Their number may be very small.
مَا الْمَسِيحُ ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ إِلا رَسُولٌ قَدْ خَلَتْ مِنْ قَبْلِهِ الرُّسُلُ وَأُمُّهُ صِدِّيقَةٌ
5.75 Christ the son of Mary was no more than a messenger; many were the messengers that passed away before him. His mother was a woman of truth.

When interpreting “His mother was a woman of truth”, it was said that Mariam was called “Siddeeqah” because she believed in the signs of the Lord, her son’s position, and that which he preached to her. This point is supported by the verse:
وَمَرْيَمَ ابْنَتَ عِمْرَانَ الَّتِي أَحْصَنَتْ فَرْجَهَا فَنَفَخْنَا فِيهِ مِنْ رُوحِنَا وَصَدَّقَتْ بِكَلِمَاتِ رَبِّهَا وَكُتُبِهِ وَكَانَتْ مِنَ الْقَانِتِينَ
66.12 And Mary the daughter of ‘Imran, who guarded her chastity; and We breathed into (her body) of Our spirit; and she testified to the truth of the words of her Lord and of His Revelations, and was one of the devout (servants).

” She was given the title Siddiqah by Allah’s Apostle (S), as was mentioned in Ryad An-
Nadherah v.2, p.202. and in Sharaf An Nubuwwah;
Rasollullaahi (S) said to Aliyy (A):

“You have been given three things which have been given to no one else, not even me, (they are):
You have been given a father-in-law like me and my father-in-law was not like me.
You have been given an honest (Sideeiqah) wife like my daughter, and 1 have not been given the like of her as a wife.
And, you have been given Hassan and Hussain from your loin and 1 was not given two sons like them.
But you are from me, and 1 am from you.”

Look at this Hadith
عَنْ مُفَضَّلِ بْنِ عَمْرٍ قَال : قُلْتُ لأبِيْ عَبْدِاللهِ(ع): مَنْ غَسِلَ فَاطِمَةَ (ع) ؟
Also, Mufadhdhal Ibn Amr said:
“I asked Imam Sadiq (A): Who gave the mayyith bath Fatima (Ghusl Mayyet)?
قَالَ ذَاكَ أمِيْرُ الْمُؤْمِنِيْن عَلِيُّ (ع):
He answered: ‘Amir Al -Mu’mineen ‘Ali’yy (A)
فَكَأَنَّمَا إسْتَفْظَعْتُ ذَالِكَ مِنْ قَوْلِهِ
I reacted in such a way that made it appear as if I could not believe he (A) would do so.
فَقَالَ لِيْ كَأنََّكَ ضَقَتْ بِمَا أخْبَرْتُك
Thus, Imam Sadiq (A) said: It appears as if you feel uncomfortable about what I told you?
فَقُلْتُ قَدْكَانَ ذَالِكَ بِجَعَلْتُ فِدَاكَ
I said: May I be your sacrifice, I indeed do.
فَقَالَ: لاَتُضِيْقُنَّ – فَإنَّهَا صِدِّيْقّة لَمْ يَكُنْ يُغْسِلُهَا إلاَّ سِدِّيْق
He then said: Do not be annoyed by this, for Fatima was a `Siddiqah’ and no one save a `Siddiq’ can give her ablution.
مَا عَلِمْتَ إنَّ مَرْيَمَ لَمْ يَغْسِلُهَا إلاَّ عِيْسَى
Don’t you know that no one gave ablution to Mariam save Isa (A).”
(Biharul-Anwaar – Oceans of Light – Vol.81.Page 299. Hadith No.16 Chapter 8.)

It is quoted in Vol.10 of Bihaarul Anwaar that Imam Hussain (A) quoted Imam Hassan (A) as saying:
“Once, on a Friday night, I watched my mother, Fatima, pray all night long. She kept making Ruku’ and prostrating until dawn. I heard her supplicate for the believers by name; but she did not supplicate for herself, so I asked:
`Mother, why don’t you supplicate for yourself as you supplicate for others?’
She answered: `Son! Prefer your neighbour over yourself. “‘
Al-Hassan al-Basri said:
“There was not a woman in this Ummah more submitting (to Allah) than Fatima. She
used to pray until her feet became swollen.”

Here is another wonderful Hadith :
قَالَ رَسُوْلُ اللهِ (ص) :
‘The Messenger of Allah (S) said:
وَأمَّأ بِنْتِيْ فَاطِمَةَ فَإ نَّهَاسَيِّدَةُ نِسَاءُ الْعَالَمِيْنَ مِنَْلأَوَّلِيْنَ وَاْلآخِرِيْنَ
“As for my daughter Fatima, she is the mistress of all women; from the beginning of history until the end.
وَهِيَ بَضْعَةُ مِنِّيْ – وَهِيَ نُوْرَ عَيْنِيْ – وَهِيَ ثَمَرَهُ فُؤَادِيْ
She is part of me; she is the light of my eye and the fruit of my heart.’
وَهِيَ رُوْحِيْ اِلَّتِيْ بَيْنَ جَنْبِيْ
‘Fatima is my spirit, which I hold in me;
وَهِيَ حُوْرَاءَ اْلإنْسِيَّة
she is a human huri.
مَتَى قَامَتْ فِيْ مِحْرَابِهَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْ جَلَّ جَلاَلُهُ زَهَرَ نُوْرَهَا لِمَلاَئِكةِ السَّمَاءِ كَمَا يَزْهَرُ نُوْرُ الْكَوَاكِبْ ِلأَهْلِ اْلأَرْض
Whenever she keeps up prayer in her Mehrab before her Lord, her light illuminates to the angels in Heaven just as a star shines to mankind on Earth.
وَيَقُوْلُ اللهِ عَزَّوَجَلَّ لِلْمَلائِكَةِ
So Allah, Exalted is His name, says to the angels:
يَا مَلاَئِكتِيْ اُنْظُرْ إلَى اُمَّتِيْ فَاطِمَةَ سَيِّدَةُ اْلإمَائِ قَائِمَةُ بَيْنَ يَدَيْ
‘My angels, look at my servant, Fatima, who is the mistress of all my female servants, keeping up prayers before Me.
تَرْتَعْدُ فَرَائِضُهَا مِنْ خِيْفَتِيْ وَقَدْ أقْبَلْتُ بِقَلْبِهَا عَلَى عِبَادَتِيْ
Her limbs shake from fear of Me and she worships Me whole heartedly.
أشْهَدُكُمْ إنِّيْ قَدْ آمَنْتُ شِيْعَتَهَا مِن َالنَّار
Bear witness that I have safeguarded her followers from Hellfire…”‘
(Al-Biharul Anwaar – Vol.28.pg.38.Ch.2.Hadith.No.1.)

ANECDOTE
‘Abu Saeed al-Khudari said: One morning Ali Ibn Abu Talib woke up very hungry and said:
‘Fatima, do you have anything to feed us?’
She answered: `No, by Him who honoured my father with Prophethood, and honoured you with successorship, we have nothing edible this morning, and we haven’t had any food for two days save that which I have preferred to give you and our two children, Hassan and Hussain.’

‘Aliyy (A) said: ‘Fatima! Why didn’t you tell me, so I could bring some food for you?’
Fatima answered: ‘Abu Al-Hassan, I surely become ashamed before my God to ask you to do something you cannot do.’

At this, Aliyy Ibn Abu Talib left Fatima, with full trust that Allah would help him. He borrowed a dinar, and while he was holding the dinar and trying to buy some food for his family, he came upon Miqdad Ibn Al Aswad.

The sun had burnt Al-Miqdad’s face and feet on that exceptionally hot day. When ‘Aliyy (A) saw him, he exclaimed surprisingly:
`Miqdad, what brings you out of your home at this hour?’
Miqdad answered: ‘Abu Al-Hassan, ask me not about what I have left behind in the house.’
‘Aliyy (A) said: `My brother, I cannot leave you without knowing your problem.’
Miqdad then said: ‘Abu Al-Hassan, for Allah’s sake and your sake leave me alone, and do not ask about my condition!!’
Imam ‘Aliyy said: `My brother, you should not hide your condition from me.’
Miqdad replied: ‘Abu Al-Hassan, now that you insist, by Him who honored Muhammad with Prophethood and honored you with successorship, nothing forced me out of my house save poverty. I left my children starving; when I heard their cries, there remained no place for me on earth-I have come out of my house in depression; this is my story.’
Imam ‘Aliyy (A) cried when he heard the story; he cried until his beard was wet from tears and said:
`By Allah, that which forced you out of your house and also forced me out of my house; I borrowed a dinar, but I prefer you to have it.’
When Imam ‘Aliyy (A) had given the dinar to Miqdad, he went to the Mosque and performed his Dhuhr (noon), Asr (afternoon) and Maghrib (evening) prayers. When the Messenger of Allah had completed his prayers, he signaled Ali, who was in the first line, to follow him. ‘Aliyy (A) obediently followed him out of the Mosque and after the Prophet greeted him said:
‘Abu Al-Hassan, do you have some food for dinner so that I can accompany you?’
Imam Ali was too shy to answer the Messenger; but the Prophet of Allah (S) had detailed knowledge about the dinar and what had happened to it; for Allah, the Exalted, had revealed to His Prophet to have dinner at Ali’s house that night. When Ali did not answer, the Prophet said:
‘Abu Al-Hassan, why don’t you say no, so I may leave you; or yes, so I may accompany you?’
Imam ‘Aliyy (A) said: ‘Accompany me!!’
The Prophet then took Ali’s hand and proceeded toward Fatima’s house. When they arrived, Fatima was just finishing her prayers and there was a pan oil fire behind her. When she heard the Prophet coming, who was the dearest person to her, she greeted him and he wiped his hand on her head and said:
`How is your evening, my daughter?’
She answered: `Fine!’
He then said: `Give us some dinner, may Allah bless you, and surely He has.’
Fatima (A) placed the pan in front of the Prophet (S) and ‘Aliyy Ibn Abu Talib…

At that moment, the Messenger of Allah put his hand on Ali’s shoulder and said:
‘Alyyi, this is a substitute for your dinar. This is a reward from Allah for the dinar; surely Allah grants whoever He wills without limit.’
The Prophet (S) cried and said:
“Praise be to Allah, Who insisted on rewarding you in this world, too, and made you Ali-like Zakariya and Fatima like Maryam Bint Imran, for whenever Zakariya entered the Mehrab, he found Maryam with her subsistence.”
فَتَقَبَّلَهَا رَبُّهَا بِقَبُولٍ حَسَنٍ وَأَنْبَتَهَا نَبَاتًا حَسَنًا وَكَفَّلَهَا زَكَرِيَّا كُلَّمَا دَخَلَ عَلَيْهَا زَكَرِيَّا الْمِحْرَابَ وَجَدَ عِنْدَهَا رِزْقًا قَالَ يَا مَرْيَمُ أَنَّى لَكِ هَذَا قَالَتْ هُوَ مِنْ عِنْدِ اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَرْزُقُ مَنْ يَشَاءُ بِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍ
3.37 – Right graciously did her Lord accept her: He made her grow in purity and beauty: To the care of Zakariya was she assigned. Every time that he entered (Her) chamber to see her, He found her supplied with sustenance. He said: “O Mary! Whence (comes) this to you?” She said: “From Allah: for Allah Provides sustenance to whom He pleases without measure.”

My Dearest Sisters and Brothers and dearest Children, we are the heirs of history no matter how the heavy responsibility may bend our back and set our hands a tremble. With reliance on the unlimited strength of Allah and the model set before us in Fathima (A), we tread once more on the path toward completion. Insha Allah
فِي بُيُوتٍ أَذِنَ اللَّهُ أَنْ تُرْفَعَ وَيُذْكَرَ فِيهَا اسْمُهُ يُسَبِّحُ لَهُ فِيهَا بِالْغُدُوِّ وَالآصَالِ
24.36 (Lit is such a Light) in houses, (This lamp is found in houses), which Allah hath permitted to be raised to honour; for the celebration, in them, of His name: In them is He glorified in the mornings and in the evenings, (again and again),-

This Lamp is found in houses which Allah has allowed to be exaltged and that His Name shall be remembered therein. There in do offer praise to Him in the Morning and in the Evening.
This was held true with Fahima’s (A) House.

May Allah in His Mercy Guide us all along the Right Path. Aameen
وآخِرُ دَعْوَانَا اَن ِالْحَمْدُ لِلهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِيْن
السّلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

Fathima Zahra Day – 20th Jamaadhul Aakhir 1423 –
29th August 2002
بسم الله الرّحمن الرّحيم
ربّ ا شرحلي صدري ويسّرلي أمري واحلل عُقدة مّن لُّلساني يفقهو قولي
الحمد لله ربّ العالَمين والعاقبة اللمتّقين والصّلوةُ والسّلام على رسولك سيّدنا محمّد وأاله وأصحابه وأهل بيته وأهل طاعتك أجمعين – أمّا بعد
أعوذ بالله من الشيطان الرّجيم
بسم الله الرّحمن الرّحيم

إ ِنَّا أَعْطَيْنَاكَ الْكَوْثَرَ
108.1 To thee have We granted the Fount (of Abundance).

فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْ
108.2 Therefore to thy Lord turn in Prayer and Sacrifice.

إِ نَّ شَانِئَكَ هُوَ الأبْتَرُ
108.3 For he who hateth thee, he will be cut off (from Future Hope).

The other meanings for إِ نَّ شَانِئَكَ هُوَ الأبْتَرُ according to the lexicon read:
* Verily it is thy traducer who shall be tail-less.
* For he who makes you angry [O Muhummed (S)] – It is he who will be
cut off
* Lo! It is the one who insults you (and not you) who is without posterity.

My Dearest Brothers, my dearest sisters and my dearest children.
السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته
The Hon. Chief Guest Madam Amara Piyaseeli Rathnayake, The Hon. Minister of Women’s Affairs, The Hon. Members of the Diplomatic Corp of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Distinguished guests. Please, let me address all of you without exception as my Dearest Brothers, my Dearest Sisters and my Dearest Children – I greet you all with the Islamic greetings of Peace and Blessings :
السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته
At the outset I would like to thank and Praise Allah (جلّ جلاله)first, and then also take this opportunity sister Zavini Jaleel, President, office bearers and the members of the Fathima Zahra Association, for having invited me to such an illustrious, luminous function for which I feel greatly honoured. Al-Hamdu-Lillaah

Year in and year out we are Praising and eulogizing our beloved Fathima [A] – We are listening to her various characteristics, her humility, her truthfulness, her courage and bravery – her service to humanity and an entire range of goodness emanating from that Fount of Abundance – Al-Kauthar.
Let us all sit back, place our hands, now, on our hearts and ask ourselves whether we see any difference in us since the last time we heard of Fathima Zahra – The Radiant –
Let each one of us, male and female, let us for a moment, be silent and contemplate on this –
Our Hearts, Our conscience will give the answer.
Let me take this opportunity once again, to remind you of who Fathima [A] is – Who this noble Radiance – Fathima Zahra is!
Who is this Fathima? Let us know a little more about her.
The Birth of Fathima [A]
The largest Arab tribe is the Quraish.
The Ka’ba is in their hands which, naturally gives them tribal nobility.
They are divided ‘into two families, the Bani Omayyid and the Bani Hashimi.
The Bani Omayyid are the wealthiest but the Bani Hashimi are the most honourable for they are in charge of looking after the affairs of the Ka’ba.

Abdul Mutt’alib is from this family but at this time, he is not in the land of the living – he is dead and his son, Abu T’alib, the leader of the Bani Hashim, does not have the power that his father had.
He has gone bankrupt in his trading. He is living in poverty and has distributed his children to be cared for among his family.
A very strong rivalry has broken out between the two tribes.
The Omayyids are trying to gain control of all of the property and honours of the Quraish.
They wanted to, at the same time, break the spiritual hold of the Hashimis.
Among the Hashimi tribe, the family of Muhummed [S] has received new credit. The grandson of Abdul Mutt’alib has just married Khadijah, a wealthy, well respected widow of Makkah. This gives him a stronger social position.

The personal standing and personality which Muhummed [S] shows, the trust and credibility which he has among people and, in particular, among all the Hashimis and the leaders of the Quraish, makes everyone aware of the fact that he reflects the honour of Abd Manaf and is the protector of the nobility of the Hashimis.
In particular, they sense he will be the activator of the honour and nobility which Abdul Muttalib had wielded.
Yes, It is only Muhummed [S], Al-Ameen, the Trustworthy, – As-Saadiq – The truthful – who along with his beloved wife – Ummul-Mu’mineen Khadijathul Kubra, have character. He has youth as well. They are also viewed in the light of having a respectable amount of wealth and are part of the family tree of the Bani Hashimi.
Great expectations – according to Jahiliyyah standards – they felt that great developments should be strewn from this family. Hoping their shadow will fall over Makkah.

Everyone is awaiting for sons to be born of this family, sons to bring strength, sons to bring credit and nobility to the family of Abdul Mutt’alib.
Alas! – The first child born is a girl, Zainab.
But the family is anticipating a son.
Another shock :
The second child is also a daughter, Ruqiyyah.
The anticipation grows stronger and the need also increases.
Stunning : The third, another girl, Umm Kulthum.
Now – Two boys, Qasem and Abdullah are born. They hold great promise. But they do not blossom. They die in infancy. Now there are three children in this house, and all three are girls.
The mother has aged. She is over 60 years old. The father, although he loves his three daughters, shares his tribe’s feelings and their anticipation.

Can Khadijah, who is almost at the end of her life, bring forth another child? Hope has become very dim.
Another Surprise -
Yes! Happiness and hope once again fill the house. Khadija has conceived again – The excitement reaches a peak. This is the last chance for the family of Abdul Mutt’alib, the last hope.
But once again, a daughter.
They name her Fathima [A].

The happiness and hope of the Hashimi tribe falls to the Omayyids. The happiness of the enemies! Whispering bad names and screams of ‘Muhummed [S] is cut off’ – Muhummed is Abthar, the man who is the last link in his family chain, has four daughters. Nothing more.’

How sad. What a beautiful and strange game fate is playing. Life passes on. and Muhummed [S] drowns in the storm of his mandate and his being appointed as the Prophet of Allah (Azzawa Jall).
He conquers Makkah and frees all the Quraish prisoners.
All of the tribes are under his leadership and his shadow is thrown throughout the whole of the Arabian peninsula.
His sword crushes the faces of the Emperors of the world. His song rings through the heavens and the earth. In one hand, strength, and in the other, prophecy, the full honours of which – would never even enter the heads of the Omayyids, the Hashimi tribe or all of the Arabs and non Arabs.
And now, Muhummed [S] is the Prophet. In the city, filled with the most significant waves of happiness, he has the power and greatness which a human being could never conceive of.
A tree, which does not grow from Abd Manaf nor Hashimi nor Abdul Mutt’alib, but
rather, grows from a light under a mountain, in the Cave of `Hira’.
It extends from one end of the desert to the other, from horizon to horizon of the earth.
Till the end of time, it encompasses and will continue to encompass all of the future until the end of history.
And this man has four daughters.

Three of them died before he did. And now, he has only one child, a daughter, the youngest, Fathima [A].

The Quranic Word, Al-kawthar – ا لكوثر
Muhummed [S] is heir to all of the family’s honour, inheritor of a new kind of wealth which is neither based upon blood nor earth nor money but the phenomenon of revelation. Born of faith, jihad (جهاد) [Striving and sacrificing], revolution, thought and humanity, he is a beautiful weave.
Of values, he receives the highest of gifts.
Muhummed [S] is joined to the history of mankind, not to that of Abdul Mutt’alib, Abd Manaf, the Quraish nor the Arabs.
He is the inheritor of Ibrahim [A], Noah, Moses and Jesus – and Fathima [A] is his only heir.
إ ِنَّا أَعْطَيْنَاكَ الْكَوْثَرَ فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْ إِ نَّ شَانِئَكَ هُوَ الأبْتَرُ
We gave you Al- Kawthar, oh Muhummed [S] – Turn to your Creator, establish the prayer and institute sacrifices. It is he, that very hated enemy of yours who is cut off.

إ ِنَّا أَعْطَيْنَاكَ الْكَوْثَرَ
108.1 To thee have We granted the Fount (of Abundance).

فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْ
108.2 Therefore to thy Lord turn in Prayer and Sacrifice.

إِ نَّ شَانِئَكَ هُوَ الأبْتَرُ
108.3 For he who hateth thee, he will be cut off (from Future Hope).

Verily it is thy traducer who shall be tail-less.
For he who makes you angry [O Muhummed (S)] – It is he who will be
cut off
Lo! It is the one who insults you (and not you) who is without posterity.

He, your enemy with ten sons is cut off. He is useless, cut off without the
highest form of inheritors. Not you with your daughter.
And this authoritative prediction came to pass. Look at this incident:
One day, Abu Lahab was found missing and they found him dead in one of his retreats – he had been dead for sometime and his body was rotten and stinking.
None of the children or the kith or kin were willing to take his body.
The Man who insulted Rasoolullah [S] as Abthar – الأبْتَرُ.
The man who had 10 sons -
All the sons in fact refused even to see the dead body of Abu Lahab – How sad!!
They had to hire two slaves – who dug a grave at the entrance to the house and used two long sticks to push his dead body in to the hole that had been dug outside the house and – the dead body dropped into it unceremoniously – this was the ignominious fate of the man who had sons and who insulted the prophet calling him ‘abthar’ – one without descendants – a person cut off
إ ِنَّا أَعْطَيْنَاكَ الْكَوْثَرَ
We gave you Kawthar, Fathima [A].’
It is in this way that Revolution appears in the depths of the conscience of time.
Now, a daughter becomes the owner of the values of her father, not a son –
She – the daughter – becomes the inheritor of all the honours of her family.
She is the continuation of the chain of great ancestors, the continuation which began with AAdam and passes through all of the leaders of freedom and consciousness in the history of mankind.
It reaches Ibrahim [A] and joins Moses and Jesus to itself. And – It reaches Muhummed [S].
** The final link in this chain of Divine justice,
** The rightful chain of truth is Fathima [A],
** The last daughter of a family who had anticipated a son:
Muhummed [S] had known what the hands of fate had in store for him. And, Fathima [A], also, had known who she was.
Yes! This school of thought created such a revolution.
A woman, in this religion, is freed like this!? Isn’t this the religion of Ibrahim [A] and they, his heirs?
** Another Strange and most important aspect of history came to light from the great thafseers.
During this Pre-Islamic period :
‘If a father has a daughter – and if he does not wish to kill her – and, whenever he thinks of her future, he should think about three different sons in law.
No.1. One son-in-law, is, the house which will hide her;
No.2 – the son-in-law is the husband who will keep her and
No. 3. – The third son-in-law, the grave – which will cover her!
And they say – the last son-in-law, the grave, is the best.’
The idiom which refers to the grave as being the best son in law, has existed in all languages of the wealthiest and most so-called honourable men.
** All of the indigenous and honourable fathers and brothers who are bound to and place emphasis upon their family, father and male ancestors –
** All of those who understand the ideals of name and honour – are ready for and live in anticipation of dying – if it so happens that they’ have to seek a partner for their sister or daughter in marriage.
At this point the daughter is reminded that -`The most beloved of sons in law – is the grave.’
Let us see what Allah in His Mercy does!! Let us see how he counters these beliefs of the ignorant.
The Honour Bestowed Upon a Female Slave

Nobody has the right to be buried in a mosque. The greatest mosque in the world is the Masjid al Haram in Makkah. The Holy Ka’ba. This house belongs to Allah (Jalla Shaanu hu wa tha ‘aala). It is devoted to Allah (Jalla Jalaaluhu). It is the direction to which all of the ritual prayers are oriented.
It is our Qiblah.
The house is ordered by Him and Ibrahim [A] builds it.
It is a house which the Prophet of Islam is honoured with the mandate of freeing.
He frees this `House of Freedom’, circumambulates it and goes down in prostration towards it.
All of the great prophets of history are servants of this house.
** But no prophet has the right to be buried here. ** Ibrahim [A] built it but he is not buried there and
Muhummed [S] frees it but he is not buried there. In the whole history of humanity, there is only one and one person only who has been given this privilege.
Allah (Jalla Shaanu hu wa tha ‘aala) has honoured one person with this honour to be buried in His particular house, In His most honoured House – to be buried in the Ka’ba. Who?
A woman. A slave.
It is none other than Haajar or Haajarah [the 2nd wife of Ibrahim [A] and mother of Ismail (A).
Allah (Jalla Jalaaluhu) orders Ibrahim [A] to build the greatest house of worship of humanity and, alongside it, the grave of this woman.
Humanity must forever gather around the tomb of Haajar and circumambulate there.

The Lord of Ibrahim [A], chooses a woman from among this great human society as his unknown soldier, a mother, and she, a slave.
In other words, Allah (Jalla Shaanu hu wa tha ‘aala) chose a creature who, in all systems of human standards, lacks nobility and honour.
You ladies – My dearest sisters and children should be extremely proud of that fact – That Allah in His Mercy and Wisdom has given – A WOMAN – this privilege, – a woman has been exalted – a position which he did not grant even to his prophets.
So you see, When man tries to insult the creations of Allah –
when he tries to look down upon his creations – When MAN tries to determine who and what is honourable and tries to despise the creations of Allah – by man’s own standards, Allah (Subhanah) always makes those which man looks down upon – dominant and exalted.

It has become an obligatory duty of the Ummah to Circumambulate the Ka’bah where Haajar lies – a great honour bestowed upon a woman by Allah.
The Honour Bestowed Upon the Prophet’s Daughter

Yes, in this school of thought such a revolution took place. In this religion, a woman is freed in this manner.
This is how Islam appreciates and honours the position of womanhood.
And once more Allah – the Lord of Ibrahim [A] has chosen Fathima [A].
Fathima [A], a girl, replaces a son – as the inheritor of the glory of her family, maintaining the honourable values of their ancestors and continuing the family tree and credibility.

In a society that feels the birth of a daughter to be a disgrace which only burying her alive can purify -
where – the best son in law a father could hope for her to have is called `the grave’:
Muhummed [S] knows what fate has done to him and Fathima [A] knows who she is.

This is why history looks in amazement at the way Muhummed [S] behaved towards his young daughter, Fathima [A], the way he spoke with her and the way he praised her.

We Will come to see that the house of Fathima [A] is next to the house of Muhummed [S].
Fathima [A] and her husband, ‘Ali [A], are the only people who live next to the Prophet’s mosque.
They are of the same house as he is and there is only a courtyard of two meters separating the two houses.
Two windows; facing each other,
The window of the house of Muhummed [S] faces the window of the house of Fathima [A].
Every morning the Prophet opens his window and greets his young daughter.

We will see that whenever the Prophet goes on a journey, he knocks at the door of Fathima [A]’s house and bids farewell to her.
Fathima [A] is the last person who bids farewell to him. And … Whenever he returns from a journey, Fathima [A] is the first person he seeks out. He knocks on the door of her house and he asks how she is.

In some of the historic documents, it is recorded that the Prophet would kiss the face and hands of Fathima [A].
This sort of behavior is more than just the relationship of a kind father and his daughter.
A father kisses the hands of his daughter, and that, his youngest daughter! Unheard of!! – Such behaviour in such an environment strikes a revolutionary blow to the families and inhumane relationships of that environment.
The Prophet of Islam kisses the hands of Fathima [A]
Such a relationship opens the eyes of important people, politicians and the majority of the Muslim people gathered around the Prophet in amazement to see the greatness awarded to Fathima [A].
This sort of behaviour on the part of the Prophet of Islam teaches humanity and mankind to come –
To release themselves from the habits and the fantasies of history and traditions.
** It teaches man to come down from the Pharaoh like throne, to put aside his pride and rough oppression and to bow his head when confronted by a woman.
** It teaches a woman to reach towards the glory and beauty of humanity and to put aside her old and new feelings of inferiority complex, humiliation and baseness.
This is why the words of the Prophet not only show the kindness of a father but also bring out her responsibilities and strict duties.
He shows his appreciation for her and speaks about her in the following terms:
HADITH:
قال رسول الله (ص): -أفْضّلَ نِسَاءِ الْجَنَّة َ ( أوْ- الْعَالَمِيْنَ) أرْبَعَ
وخَدِيْجَةُ بِنْتُ خُوَيْلِد وَ فَاطِمَة ُ بِنْتُ مُحَمَّد ٍ وَ مَرْيَمُ بِنْتُ عِمْرَانَ
وَءَاسِيَةُ بِنْت مَزاحِم إ مْرأةُ فِرْعَوْنَ
`The best women in the world were four: And in another hadith – The best of women of Paradise are Four – Khadijah daughter of khuwailid, Fathima daughter of Muhummed Maryam daughter of Imran and Asiyah daughter of Mazahim – the wife of Phiraun
The Holy Prophet says:
Allah (Jalla Shaanu hu wa tha ‘aala) is satisfied with her contentment and becomes angry from her anger.’ `Whosoever loves my daughter Fathima [A] loves me.
أن النّبىّ (ص) قال: فاطِمَة بَضْعَتُ مِنّيْ يُرِيْبُنِيْ مَا أرابَهَا
Fathima is a piece of my flesh, part of my body, Anything that causes her
doubt, causes my doubt.

وَ قاَ لَ إنّ الله يَغْضُب لِغَضَبِ فاطِمَة وَيَرْضى لِرَضَاهَا
Fathima’s anger is Allah’s anger – Fathima’s satisfaction is His satisfaction.
رضا – means- contentment – assent, approval, acceptance, pleasure, delight
Contentment of Fathima is the Contentment of Allah
Fathima’s delight is Allah’s Delight. Fathima’s Approval is the Approval of Allah and Fathima’s Acceptance if Allah’s Acceptance.
قال رسول الله (ص):
فاطِمَة َ بَضْعَة ٌ مِنّيْ مَنْ آذ َاهَا فقدْ آذ َانِيْ
Fathima is a piece of my flesh – any body causes her hurt, harm – hurts me, harms me
آذا means – hurt, harm, injure, wrong, annoy, vex, offend, trouble, irritate, harrass
Whoever injures her, inujers me – Whoever annoys her, irritates her – irritates me, annoys me
فَمَنْ آذ َاهَا آذ َانِيْ – و مَنْ آذ َانِيْ آذ َا الله
Whosoever offends her Offends me, wrongs me – and in turn they offend Allah – hurt Allah.
وَمَنْ غَاظَهَا فقد غَاظَنِيْ
Whoever Angers her – Angers me – infuriates her, infuriates me
- أغَاظ Means : infuriate, enrage, embitter, make lose temper
So, Whoever infuriates her, embitters her, They infuriate me, embitters me.
وَمَنْ سَرَّهَا فقد سَرَّ نِيْ
whoever delights her, gladdens her – delights meز
Whoever gladdens her – gladdens me
وَمَنْ سَائهَا فقد سَا ئنِيْ
Whoever is evil, vile and wicked to her – Is evil, vile and wicked to me
قال رسول الله (ص):
إنَّ فاطِمَة َ شَجْنَة ُ مِنّيْ – يَسْخَطْنِيْ مَا أسْخَطْهَا – وَيَرْضِيْنِيْ مَا أرْضَا هَا
Fathima is an off-shoot from me – a branch from me – Her discontentment is my discontentment and – and
her contentment, her gratification and her satisfaction is my contentment, my gratification and my satisfaction.,
فَاطِمَة َ فهِيَ سَيّدةَ نساء ِ الْعَالَمِيْن مِنَ الأوَّ لِيْنَ وَالآخِرِيْنَ
Fathima is the Chief of the women of the universes from the beginning to the end.
فَاطِمَة َ فهِيَ سَيِّدَةَ نِسَاءِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ
Fathima is the Chief of the believing women
فاطمَةَ فهِيَ سيّدةَ نساءِ أهل ِالَجنّة وَنِسَاءِ اُمَّتِيْ
Fathima is the Chief of the women of Paradise and the Chief of the women of my Ummah.
Why all this repetition?
Why does the Prophet insist upon praising his young daughter?
Why does he insist upon praising her in front of other people?
Why does he want all of the, people to be aware of his special feelings towards her?
And finally, why does he so emphasize the contentment and anger of Fathima [A]?
Why does he so often repeat the word `hurt’ in relationship to Fathima [A].
The answer to this is very sensitive and important. It is clear. History has answered it all:
The secret of these wonderous actions will be unveiled in the near future, in the few short months after the death of her father.
The Mother of her Father – أ ُمّ الأبِيْهَا
History does always speaks of the `great ones’, but it only attends to them. Children are always forgotten.
Fathima [A] is the youngest child in the family. Her childhood passes in a storm. We are concerned with Fathima [A] herself and the reality of Fathima [A]. History makes it clear that Fathima [A] remained in Makkah alone.
Her two brothers had died when they were infants and Zainab, her oldest sister, who acts as the mother of this beloved child, goes to the home of Abi al Aas.
Then Ruqiyyah and Umm Khulthum marry the sons of Abu Lahab, and Fathima [A] remains even more alone.

In fact Fathima essentially, from ‘the time she opened her eyes, she was alone.
At any rate, the beginning of her life coincides with the heavy mandate of the Prophet.
It is filled with great struggles, difficulties and punishments whose shadows fall upon the house of the Prophet.

While her father bears the mandate of consciousness for mankind upon his shoulders and suffers the enmity of the enemies of the people, -
her mother nurses her beloved husband.
With the initial experiences of childhood, Fathima [A] tastes the suffering, sadness and anger of life.
Because she is very young, she can move about freely.
She makes use of this freedom to accompany her father.
She knows her father has no life of his own to be able to take hold of his child’s hand and walk freely and easily down the streets and into the bazaar. He always goes alone.
In the wave of the town’s enemies and enmity, he swims with dangers on all sides.
The small girl, The frail little Girl – who knows her father’s fate, never lets him go alone.

Many times she sees her father standing amidst a crowd of people. He speaks to them softly and they, in turn, harshly send him away.
Their only answers are to make fun of him and show him enmity.
He feels lonely and friendless again:
But quietly and patiently, he gathers, another group together.
He begins his speech all over again. At the end… tired and having brought forth no result, like fathers of other children who return home from their jobs, he also returns home seeking a bit of rest and then returns once more to his work.
History reminds us that once when he had gone into the Masjid al haram, he is called bad names – he is insulted and is beaten – Fathima [A], the frail little child, is standing alone a short distance from the scene.
She watches with tear filled eyes and then returns home with her father.

** The day when he had prostrated himself in the mosque and his enemies throw the rotting entrails- rotting intestines of a sheep on his neck,
Little Fathima [A] who was there, while crying her heart out – reaches towards her father, picks the rotting intestines with her small delicate hands and throws them away.
Then with her small, loving hands, cleans her father’s head and face, comforts him and returns him to their home.

People who see this thin, weak girl, alone, beside her champion father, see how she comforts him.
She supports him through his troubles and sufferings. With her pure, child like behavior, she sympathizes with him.
They were stunned – they who buried their baby girls alive, sees what a girl child could do – they see how strong she is in her support of her father – How they the fathers of Quraish – the Fathers of Jahiliyyah , heartlessly killed and murdered and buried alive their girl children – Lamentation after lamentation – oh God, why did we kill our children – Their conscience started pricking.
The actions of that frail little girl Fathima clearly manifested their ignorance and heartlessness.
They saw such tenderness and love in this little girl child towards her father.
It is because of this that she comes to be called umm al abiha, أ ُمّ الأبِيْهَا
the mother of her father.

NOW LOOK AT THIS:
Rasoolullah’s ancestry began with this Mother of Ismail [A] – Haajarah – The Mother of the Muslim Ummah from whose descendants was born our Holy Prophet [S] – She is the Ancestor of the Arabs – She is the mother of the descendants right upto Rasool [S]and she is buried in the mother of Cities – Ummul Qura – Makkah
This Prophetic Lineage ends with Rasoolullaah [s]
And once more The Lord of Ibrahim [A] has chosen Fathima [A].
Fathima [A], a girl, replaces a son as the inheritor of the glory of her family, maintaining the honourable values of their ancestors and continuing the family tree and credibility.
Where she is known as the Mother of her father – Umm al – Abiha
Beginning with a mother- Haajara and continuing the ancestry with the mother of her father – This is Kauthar
Hence the Quranic Ayah: emphasizing that benedictions be passed on both to Prophet Muhummed [S] and his family as well as to Prophet Ibrahim and his family.
إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَمَلائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا صَلُّوا عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيمًا
33.56 – Verily Allah and His angels send their benedictions, blessings, upon the prophet. O ye who believe! send your benedictions upon him and salute him with a goodly Salutation.
Sahih Bukhari – Volume 4. Hadeeth no.589: Hadith Serial No: 3370
حَدَّثَنَا قَيْسُ بْنُ حَفْصٍ وَمُوسَى بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَاحِدِ بْنُ زِيَادٍ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو قُرَّةَ مُسْلِمُ بْنُ سَالِمٍ الْهَمْدَانِىُّ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِى عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عِيسَى سَمِعَ عَبْدَ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنَ أَبِى لَيْلَى قَالَ لَقِيَنِى كَعْبُ بْنُ عُجْرَةَ فَقَالَ أَلاَ أُهْدِى لَكَ هَدِيَّةً سَمِعْتُهَا مِنَ النَّبِىِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقُلْتُ بَلَى ، فَأَهْدِهَا لِى . فَقَالَ سَأَلْنَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقُلْنَا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ كَيْفَ الصَّلاَةُ عَلَيْكُمْ أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ عَلَّمَنَا كَيْفَ نُسَلِّمُ . قَالَ « قُولُوا اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ ، وَعَلَى آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ ، كَمَا صَلَّيْتَ عَلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَعَلَى آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ ، إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ ، اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ ، وَعَلَى آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ ، كَمَا بَارَكْتَ عَلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ ، وَعَلَى آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ ، إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ » .

Narrated Abdullah – ibn – ‘Eesa saying I heard Abdur-Rahman bin Abi Laila say : Ka’ab bin ‘Ujrah met me and said:
“Shall I not give you a present which I heard from the Prophet (S)?”
He (Abdur-Rahman) said: “Certainly, give that gift to me”

O Allah send your blessings on Muhummed and the family of Muhummed,
as you sent your blessings on Abraham and the family of Abraham, for you are the Most Praise-worthy, the Most Glorious.”

108.1 To thee have We granted the Fount (of Abundance).

فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْ
108.2 Therefore to thy Lord turn in Prayer and Sacrifice.

إِ نَّ شَانِئَكَ هُوَ الأبْتَرُ
108.3 For he who hateth thee, he will be cut off (from Future Hope).

Fathima [A] now more than ever senses the heavy burden of the unfortunate hatreds and grudges, because she is called ‘the mother of her father’.

Fathima [A] converses with her beloved mother – Ummul Mu’mineen Khadijathul Kubra [R]
‘Mother, I never want to replace this home with another one. Mother, I will never leave you.’
Khadijah smiling, answers, ‘They all say that dearest daughter – and we say, ‘My daughter, the time will come’.’
Fathima [A], imploringly continues, ‘No. Dearest Mother, I will never, ever leave my father. No one will separate me from him.’
Her mother remains silent.
Fathima the little girl senses she has such a mandate. Her message is not a child’s desires.
*** Her faith in her mandate gains strength when she hears her father begin his invitation in the following way:
Sahih Bukhari Hadith Serial No: 2753-
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْيَمَانِ أَخْبَرَنَا شُعَيْبٌ عَنِ الزُّهْرِىِّ قَال أَخْبَرَنِى سَعِيدُ بْنُ الْمُسَيَّبِ وَأَبُو سَلَمَةَ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ أَنَّ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ – رضى الله عنه – قَالَ قَامَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم حِينَ أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ ( وَأَنْذِرْ عَشِيرَتَكَ الأَقْرَبِينَ ) قَا ل:

َ « يَا مَعْشَرَ قُرَيْشٍ – أَوْ كَلِمَةً نَحْوَهَا – اشْتَرُوا أَنْفُسَكُمْ ، لاَ أُغْنِى عَنْكُمْ مِنَ اللَّهِ شَيْئاً ، يَا بَنِى عَبْدِ مَنَافٍ لاَ أُغْنِى عَنْكُمْ مِنَ اللَّهِ شَيْئاً ، يَا عَبَّاسُ بْنَ عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ لاَ أُغْنِى عَنْكَ مِنَ اللَّهِ شَيْئاً ، وَيَا صَفِيَّةُ عَمَّةَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ لاَ أُغْنِى عَنْكِ مِنَ اللَّهِ شَيْئاً ، وَيَا فَاطِمَةُ بِنْتَ مُحَمَّدٍ سَلِينِى مَا شِئْتِ مِنْ مَالِى لاَ أُغْنِى عَنْكِ مِنَ اللَّهِ شَيْئاً » .
‘O!, Quraish, take yourselves back. In relationship to your LORD, I cannot implore anything for you:
O! children of Abd Manaf, in relationship to your LORD, I cannot implore anything for you.
O! Abbas, ibn Abdul Mutt’alib, in relationship to your LORD, I cannot implore anything for you.
O!, Safiyeh, daughter of Abdul Mutt’alib I cannot implore anything for you.
O!, Fathima [A], take whatever you want of my wealth but in relationship to thy Allah (Jalla Shaanu hu wa tha ‘aala), I cannot implore anything for you.’
Fathima [A], full of understanding, spiritual desire and perseverance, answers, ‘Yes. Yes, dearest of fathers, the most respected of Prophets.’
How surprising that the Prophet calls upon her in the presence of the leaders and elders of the Quraish, as well as with the leaders and elders of the Hashimi tribe and the Abd Manafs.
Her? A young girl?
She and she alone – Yes only Fathima from among her family?

The child like feelings and loving kindness of the young girl, who hundreds of times reiterated that she would never marry and that she would never leave her father, is growing into a serious covenant and takes on the color of a responsibility and a commandment.
The first years of her life coincide with the first years of the mission and the difficulties and tortures of the beginning of the mandate.
Fathima [A], from among all of the children of Muhummed [S], is the worthiest to have been able to bear the suffering of the difficulties, to bear the heavy weight of the responsibilities of the mandate which is upon her father’s shoulders. She is aware of her fate and so are her mother and father.

On one of the last days of her life, Khadijah, worried, turns to her and says, `After me what things will you see, my daughter. My life will end today or tomorrow. Zainab and Ruqiyyah, your two sisters, are at peace beside their kind husbands. My mind is not worried about Umm Kulthum because her age and experience are enough to keep her.
But, you, Fathima [A], are drowned in difficulties. You have to suffer multiple sorrows and tribulations which increase daily.’

Fathima [A], who shared in bearing the burdens which had been placed upon her father’s shoulders, answers,: “Rest assured, mother. Don’t worry about me.”
She knows : The idol worshipping Quraish will have a rebellion among themselves.
She knows : They will torture and punish Muslims and they will show no mercy. They will pre judge. The souls and hearts of Muslims should rejoice in accepting this despotic torture.’

Fathima [A] is the most worthy for having suffered this torture. She is special because the blessing of being the daughter of the Prophet is offered to her and because of the kindness and respect which has been devoted to her.

Fathima [A] lived like this and died like this. After her death, she began a new life in history. Fathima [A] appears as a halo in the visages of all of the oppressed who later become the multitudes of Islam.
**All of the usurped, extorted, oppressed, sufferers
** All of those whose rights have been destroyed and sacrificed by pressure and have been deceived, had the name of Fathima [A] as their slogan.

The memory of Fathima [A] grew with the love, emotions and wonderful faith of the men and women, who throughout the history of Islam, fought for freedom and justice.
Throughout the centuries they were nourished under the merciless and bloody lashes of the various Caliphates. Their cries and anger grew and overflowed from their wounded hearts.

This is why in the history of all Muslim nations and among the deprived masses of the Islamic community, Fathima [A] is the source of the inspiration for freedom, the desire of that which is a right, the seekers of justice, the resisters of oppression, cruelty, crime and discrimination.

It is most difficult to speak about the personality of Fathima [A]. Fathima [A] is the woman that Islam wants a woman to be. The concept of her visage is painted by the Prophet himself.
He melted her and made her pure in the cauldron of difficulties, in the fire of poverty, resistance, deep understanding and the wonder of humanity.
She is a symbol in all the various dimensions of being a woman. FATHIMA IS :
The symbol of a daughter when facing her father.
The symbol of a wife when facing her husband.
The symbol of a mother when facing her children.
The symbol of a responsible, fighting woman when facing her time and the fate of her society.
The Symbol of striving and sacrifice.
She herself is an Imam, a guide, that is, an outstanding example of someone to follow, an ideal type of woman and one who bears witness to any woman who wishes to ‘become herself’ through her own choice.

She answers the question of how to be a woman with her wonderful childhood, her constant struggling and resisting on two fronts, inside and out,
in the home of her father,
in the home of her husband,
in her society,
in her thoughts and behaviour and in her life.

I do not know what to say. I have said a great deal. Still much remains unsaid.

In the expression of all of the amazing aspects of the great spirit of Fathima [A], that which causes the most wonder in me, is this that Fathima [A] is the traveling companion, steps in the same steps, flies together with the great spirit of ‘Ali [A], through the ascension of humanity towards completeness and the stages of the descent of the spirit and the psyche.
She was not just a wife to ‘Ali [A]. ‘Ali [A] looked upon her as a friend, a friend who was familiar with his pains and his great wishes.
She was his endless refuge, the one who listened to his secrets.
She was the only companion of his loneliness.
This is why ‘Ali [A] looked at her and her children with a look quite different.
And we saw that the Prophet also saw her with different eyes.
From among all of his daughters he would only discipline Fathima [A].
He only relies upon her. From an early age, she accepted the great invitation.

I do not know what to say about her. How to say it? I have no more expressions left in me -
And I wanted to begin in this manner with Fathima [A]. I got stuck.
I wished to say, ‘Fathima [A] is the daughter of the great Khadijah.’ I sensed it is not Fathima [A].
I wished to say, ‘Fathima [A] is the daughter of Muhummed [S].
I wished to say, ‘Fathima [A] is the wife of ‘Ali [A] .’
I wished to say, ‘Fathima [A] is the mother of Hasan and Husain.’[Alaihimas Salaam] I sensed it is not Fathima [A].
I wished to say, ‘Fathima [A] is the mother of Zainab.’ I still sensed it is not the Fathima [A] I want to speak about.
These are all true –
But The only expression I have of Fathima is that:
FATHIMA IS FATHIMA [SALAWAATHULLAAHI ALAIHA] – UNPARALLELLED

فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْ – إِنَّ شَانِئَكَ هُوَ الأبْتَرُ إِنَّا أَعْطَيْنَاكَ الْكَوْثَرَ -
May Allah in His Mercy guide us all along the right path, the path of those on whom He has bestowed his favours and protect us all from the path of those who have incurred His wrath or gone astray. Aameen.
السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته
FATHIMA ZAHRA DAY – 19TH AUGUST 2003 – JAYAWARDANA HALL COLOMBO 7. (21 Jamaadhul thaani 1424)

بسم الله الرّحمن الرّحيم
ربّ ا شرحلي صدري ويسّرلي أمري واحلل عُقدة مّن لُّلساني يفقهو قولي
إنّما يُريدُاللَهَ لِيّذهِبَ عنكُمُ الرّجس أهل البيتِ ويُطهّرَكُم تطهيرًا(33:33)

“Allah only wishes to remove all abomination from you O You Members of the Family and to make you pure and spotless.”
“Allah only desires to take away uncleanness from you, people of the house-hold, and to purify you with a thorough purification.”

Respected ‘Ulama, My Dearest Brothers, Dearest sisters and my dearest children –
السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته
Before I proceed with my talk, I would like to present a verse from the Holy Quran and a very – very relevant hadith.
Allah says in The Holy Qur’an : 51:23
فَوَرَبّ ِ السَّمَآء ِ والاْرْض ِ إنَّهُ لَحَقّ ٌ مِثْلَ مَآ أنَّكُمْ تَنْطِفُوْنَ
Then by the Lord of heaven and earth this is the very Truth as much as the fact that ye can speak intelligently to each other.

Allah uses the word مِثْلَ – Meaning when you are conveying a message, use examples, use adages, use and explain with unprecedented novel examples – and Allah uses the word : أنْطَقَ – Meaning: go to the root of the words, give its root meaning –
THE HOLY QURAN FURTHER STATES IN : 55: 1 – 4
BY THE MOST COMPASSIONATE. الّرحمان
HE TAUGHT THE QURAN. علّمل قرءان
HE CREATED MAN خلق الإنسان HE TAUGHT INTELLIGENT SPEECH.علّمه البيان
Yes, He taught intelligent speech so that learning – acquisition of knowledge, would make your speech intelligent and intelligible.

The more there is intelligence in your speech – the More the truth that will be expounded.
Then Our Holy Prophet at the same time issued us a warning.
قال رسولُ الله (ص):
ءافَة ُُُالْعِلْم ِ النّسْيَان وإضَاعَتُهُ أنْ تُحَدّ ِثَ بِهِ غَيْرَ أهْلِهِ (الدّارمي)
“The calamity of knowledge, the calamity of learning is forgetfulness.
And the Destruction of Knowledge – The Ruination of Knowledge – The waste of Knowledge is your talk therewith, with those not deserving of it.”

We sincerely hope that the dissemination of knowledge, here, will not be a waste.

Every year we commemorate the Birth Anniversary of the beloved daughter of our Holy Prophet Rasool [S] – Fathima al-Zahra (A.S). We have listened to various discourses on the life of Fathima [A.S.] – We have listened to the extreme attachment of our Holy Prophet to his beloved daughter as well as their joint sacrifices – even today, you have heard some wonderful expositions of Fathima (A.S.) – In fact we have come to know her life almost like the palm of our hands.
With all this listening year after year, learning and awareness, tell me
what is it that we feel?
How do we react with all this knowledge of Fathima (A.S.) in us?
Or is it that the knowledge that we have acquired of Fathima the Gracious is insufficient for us to understand her?
What I want you to do is, to react to Fathima [A.S.] – React with admiration for her uncompromising protest and the stance which she took.
I want you to admire her with heartfelt sympathy for the most cruel and most disloyal injustice that which she had suffered from those who professed
undying-unqualified loyalty to our Holy Prophet [S].
You can only do that not just by knowing and learning – but – by taking Al-Zahra as your role model and putting into practice, by implementing the life of Al-Zahra in your daily lives. Otherwise this would just be another lecture, another story which goes in through one ear and goes out through the other.
So, therefore,Let uslook at just a few of the various Roles played by our Lady Fathima who is being nominated by Allah Subhaanah as
سيّدةَ نساءِ أهل ِالَجنّة the Leader of Women in Paradise.
There are people in history who completely fade away when they die, because their existence is encapsulated in the span of their lives;
there are others who remain alive as long as life exists, and who continue as long as their message continues and as long as there are followers who are prone to their message. Fathima is placed at the pinnacle of all these people – Reason :
You cannot mention the Messenger of Allah [S] without mentioning Fathima. She was his product and the spirit inside his body;
You cannot mention Ali (A.S.) without mentioning Fathima Al-Zahra as she
was his companion in life and suffering;
You cannot mention al-Hasan, al-Husain and Zaynab (A.S.) without mentioning Fathima Zahra Al-Bathool as she was the secret of purity in their childhood and of their personalities throughout their lives.
The stances of Fathima [A.S.] were stances for the right, and her sorrow was: the sorrow for the issue of (Islam), and her joy was the joy of the message of Islam.
The depth of Islam was manifested in the depth of her personality and she
amassed within herself all the Islamic human virtues, since being the
Doyenne of the Women of the World implied that she should be at the highest level – spiritually and morally.
This is why we are intensely interested in Fathima ِِAl-Zahra’ (A.S.) because when we remember her we remember the message and her role -
We remember Islam and the dynamic issues in which Fathima (A.S.) was a central figure; We feel that she is with us in all of our concerns and that she is alive among us.
This is the secret of Fathima [A] (A.S.) that obliges us – That compels us – to keep her in our minds and our hearts as a message and thought, not just the cause of tears.
We cannot but open up to her with our tears, – but more important than that —– is to —- open ourselves to her message because she lived all her tears and all her life for that Message and never for one moment lived it for herself.
This is the secret of all the members of Ahlul Bayt (A.S.): -
The Family of Rasoolullahi [S] lived for the whole of Islam and gave their lives for Islam and the Message.
Unless and otherwise you too resolve that you too will live your whole life for Islam and the message, you and I will never even get an inkling of
feeling towards Fathima Zahra [A.S.]
When we present Fathima [A] (A.S.) as a role model, we are not talking about women only. We present her as a role model for both men and women – because she is a constituent element of Islam and the Muslim people as a whole, not just of women.

Not only Muslim women but every woman, irrespective of religion, caste or creed, can take quite a number of lessons from Fathima (A.S.) when they know how to spend their time valuably and how to open themselves up, with all their powers, to knowledge, spirituality and dynamic attitude, according
to their abilities.
When a person takes words of knowledge or rulings, or follows a line of conduct which can be right or wrong, he will be puzzled as to the legitimacy of what he has seen or heard; but – if the source from which he derives the information are through examples of who have been purified from abominable acts, then there can be no place for falsehood, and no place for injustice. He will have taken the truth from a pure fountain, in which nothing can contaminate its purity.
She Fathima is from the People of the Household (Ahlul Bayt), whom Allah kept from all uncleanness and on whom he conferred thorough purification.
إنّما يُريدُاللَهَ لِيّذهِبَ عنكُمُ الرّجس أهل البيتِ ويُطهّرَكُم تطهيرًا(33:33)
Allah only wishes to remove all abomination from you o you Members of the Household and to make you pure and spotless.
Allah only desires to take away uncleanness from you, people O of the house-hold, and to purify you with a thorough purification.
Surah Waqiah – Chapter 56 verses 77 to 79.

56:77 – That this is indeed a qur’an Most Honourable,
فِي كِتَابٍ مَكْنُونٍ
56:78 – In a Book well-guarded,
لا يَمَسُّهُ إِلا الْمُطَهَّرُونَ
56:79 – Which none Shall touch except those who are clean –مُطَهَّرُون – Muthahharoon -
The most superficial explanation given to this ayath is that
“No one can touch the Holy Qur’an without wudhu (Ablution).
Let us take a deeper look at this Ayath. You may have heard of Maaun Thahoor – Or maaun Muthlaq – Meaning Pure water.
It is not just pure water – It is water that is pure and can purify others. If you take the word “touch” for example, when we say – “touch on this subject” you do not just touch the book with your hand, it means that you have to expound it.
And more over the arabic word – “Muss” or “Mussuhu”
does not only mean “touch” it also means – Be aware of – Feel – Sense – Perceive – Comprehend – Grasp
So the translation of this verse goes
None shall be aware of the Holy Quran except the مُطَهَّرُون
None shall feel the Holy Quran except the مُطَهَّرُون
None shall sense the Holy Quran except the مُطَهَّرُون
None shall perceive the Holy Quran except the مُطَهَّرُون
None shall comprehend the Holy Quran except the مُطَهَّرُون
None shall grasp or understand the Holy Quran except the مُطَهَّرُون
Who are the “Muthahharoon” ?
أهل البيتِ ويُطهّرَكُم تطهيرًا -
It is the Ahlal Baith who are the Muthahharoon, those who have been purified an excellent purification and who can purify others.
Hadhrath Imam al-Sadiq (A.S.) said:
رُوِيَ هَاشِمْ بِنْ سَالم وحمَّاد بن عُثْمان وغَيْرُهُمَا قَالُوْا سَمِعْنَا أبا عبْدِالله يَقُوْل:
حَدِيْثِيْ حَدِيْثُ أبيْ و حَدِيْثُ أبيْ حَدِيْثُ جَدّيْ و حَدِيْثُ جَدّيْ حَدِيْثُ ااحُسيْن و حَدِيْثُ ااحُسيْن حَدِيْثُ ااحَسَن و حَدِيْثُ ااحَسَن حَدِيْثُ أمِيْرُ الْمُؤْمِنِيْن (علِيّ) و حَدِيْثُ أمِيْرُ الْمُؤْمِنِيْن (علِيّ) حَدِيْثُ رَسُوْلُ اللهِ (ص) و ) حَدِيْثُ رَسُوْلُ اللهِ (ص) قوْلُ اللهِ عَزّ وجَل
‘My hadith is the hadith of my father, and my father’s is that of my grandfather, and my grandfather’s is that of al-Husain, and al-Husain’s is that of al-Hasan, and al-Hasan’s is that of the Commander of the Faithful, and the Commander of the Faithful’s is that of the Messenger of Allah, and the Messenger of Allah’s is the word of Allah the Great and Almighty.’
So, the hadithes, the narrations which come with the isnad of the Ahlul Bayt, they are very very accurate and have great depths in its transmission.
The Source of Transmission has to be pure and what can be more purer than source whom Allah has confirmed as to its purity – The Source of Ahlal Bayth.
عَنْ أبيْ ذرّ ٍ أنّهُ قَال وَهُوَ ءَاخِذ ٌ بِبّابِ الْكَعْبَةِ سَمِعْتُ النّبِيُّ (ص) يَقُوْل :
أنَاأنَّ مَثَلَ أهْل ِ بَيْتِيْ فِيْكُمْ مَثَلُ سَفِيْنَةِ نُوْح ٍ مَنْ رَكَبِهَا نَجَا وَمَنْ تَخَلَّفَ عَنْهَا هَلَكَ(أحمد)
Abu Zarr reported while he was holding the door of the Ka’aba: I heard the Apostle of Allah say: the parable of the people of my household among is the parable of the Ark of Noah. Whoso got on it was safe and who so
remained behind was destroyed.
You can therefore, see that Fathima, the truthful lady of the house of the Prophet, derived her knowledge and wisdom directly from the Prophet, who derived his through the Revelation. Lady Fathima (A.S.) watched closely all the actions of her father, who was commissioned by the Almighty to guide humanity towards the Right Path. She was brought up by the Prophet and taught how to be a perfect example -
We believe that Fathima [A] (A.S.) is infallible – free of all wrongdoing, Free of incorrectness, free of lack of awareness, Free of forgetfulness, and that she committed no sin whatsoever – however small.
If we study her life, from birth to death, her life with her father, husband, her children and all people, we will find no error or wrongdoing in thoughts or speech, or uncertainty in deeds; thus her life has been a manifestation of infallibility in the most comprehensive way.
When Rasolullaah [S] said :
فاطمَةَ سيّدةَ نساءِالعالمين
Fathima [A] al-Zahra (A.S.) is the Chief of the Women of the Universe, The Leader of the women of the world – One who rules, guides and inspires. Was it a mere honorary title?

No! The Messenger of Allah [S] does not give titles without a reason, for when he moves to evaluate people, even if they are his relatives, he does so according to precise evaluation of the actual capabilities of the person in question. Otherwise, he would have been speaking out of desire, while Allah says:
وَمَا يَنْطِقُ عَن ِ الْهَوٰى إنْ هُوَ إلا وَحْىٌ يُوْحَى
‘And nor does he speak of (his own) inclination (desire). It (the wording) is naught but a revelation revealed.’ –
He speaks only what has been revealed to him(Qur’an 53:3-4)

He also said: 12- باب مَنَاقِبُ قَرَابَةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَمَنْقَبَةِ فَاطِمَةَ – عَلَيْهَا السَّلاَمُ – بِنْتِ النَّبِىِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم . (41) وَقَالَ النَّبِىُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم
<<« فَاطِمَةُ سَيِّدَةُ نِسَاءِ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّة(Sahih-al-Bukhari)
Hence, for Fathima [A] to be the Doyenne and Leader of the Women of Paradise means that She has amassed in her mind, heart and virtues, all the mind, heart and virtues of the women of paradise, and in fact excelled on them.

When He Again said :
قَالَ « يَا فَاطِمَةُ أَلاَ تَرْضَيْنَ أَنْ تَكُونِى سَيِّدَةَ نِسَاءِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ – أَوْ – سَيِّدَةَ نِسَاءِ
هَذِهِ الأُمَّةِ »
“Oh Fathima are you not Pleased that you will be the leader of the Believing women – Or Leader of the women of this Ummah ? ”
Fathima [A] to be the Doyenne of the Believing Women – means that all the virtues and attributes of believing and all the merits of believing women are invested and manifested in her.
Otherwise, how could she be a leader of a people if she had not outshone them or had not acquired the merit with which she would possess that mastery.
We will just narrate to you a few of the characteristics that made her the leader of women
A. The truthful
قَالَتْ عَائِشَة َ : مَا رَأيْتُ أحَداً قَط ّ ُ أصْدَقَ مِنْ فَاطِمَة َ غَيْر أبِيْهَا
It was narrated that ‘Ayshah (RA) said: ‘I have not seen any one most
truthful than her – Fathima [A] – but only her father.’
The value of this hadith is that it has been narrated by ‘Ayshah, who seems to have spoken after a study of the Islamic society. It is worth noting that ‘Ayshah (RA) did not say in her description of Fathima [A] (A.S.) that she was ‘the truthful’, but the most truthful.
This expression, when given to a person, means that they are very sensitive to truthfulness, and that they would make absolutely sure that any word they utter contains no false suggestions, and certainly no lies.
‘Ayshah [R.A.] saw Fathima [A] as (A.S.) the most truthful, and one who represented truth in speech and attitude, like her father the Messenger of Allah [S] who manifested truth so that his people knew him – even before the proclamation of his Message – He was called ‘the truthful, the
trustworthy’. Al-Ameen and Al-Saadiq

Fathima [A] (as) acquired this attribute from her father [S] and excelled in it until she became the most truthful after him. Fathima [A] (as) has been, and still is, a role model of truthfulness, and wants us to turn life into truth, so that every one of us might be the most truthful with himself and the most truthful among his people, NOT like the many who live their lives in continuous lying –
Lying in religion through all kinds of deviations, and lying in politics with
all its traitors and arrogant powers, – and in social reality where lying
may promote selfish interests.
Lying for name, fame, power and position seem to be the order of the day.
Anas bin Malik said that there was no one who resembled the Messenger of Allah [S] more closely than al-Hasan bin Ali and Fathima [A].
‘Ayshah (R.A.) said: ‘I had not seen any one who was more resembling the Messenger of Allah in his speech, conduct and manners as Fathima [A]; when she used to enter (his house) he would stand up for her, take her hand and kiss it and make her sit in his sitting place; and when he used to enter (her house) she would stand up for him, take his hand and kiss it and make him sit in her sitting place’ -
And Ibn Mas’ood, Ibn ‘Abbas, Ibn ‘Umar, Abu Hurayrah, Abu Sa’eed al-Khudari, Salman al-Farsi and other companions of the Prophet [S] told of her virtues and merits in quite a number of narrations and praised her to the highest. The Taabi’een, the Taba’uthaabi’een including the compilers of books of hadith al-Bukhari, Muslim, al-Hakim al-Naysaboori, al-Baghawi,
Ibn ‘Abdul Barr, Ibn Hajar and others, who allocated in their books chapters to narrate what was said in her regard and how Allah distinguished her from others.
Let us all, every male and female ask ourselves whether these characteristics are ingrained in us?
B. If we look at what history books have told us about Fathima [A] (A.S.), we find that her worship was unrivalled.

1- Hasan al-Basri said: ‘There was no one in this nation who worshipped more than Fathima [A]: she used to pray until her feet became swollen.’
2- Even more emphatic was her son, Imam al-Hasan (A.S.), who said:
عن على ابن الحسين عن الفاطمة الصغرى عن الحسين ابن على عن اخيه الحسن بن على ابن ابى طالب قال رأيت امي فاطمة عليها السلام قامت في محرابها ليلة جمعتها فلم تزل راكعه ساجده حتى ا تضع عمود الصبح و سمعتها تدعو للمؤمنين والمؤمنات وتسميهم و تكثر ا لدعاء لهم ولا تدعو لنفسها بشيء فقلت لها يا اماه لم لا تدعين لنفسك كما تدعين لغيرك فقالت يا بني الجار ثم الدا ر ●
‘I saw my mother Fathima [A] (A.S.) standing up in her mihrab [prayer niche] every Friday night. She bowed and prostrated herself until dawn, and I heard her praying for the believers, naming them, and she prayed much for them and never for herself. So I said to her: O mother! Why don’t you pray for yourself as you pray for others? She said: O my son! The neighbour [first], then the house!’
Fathima [A] was burdened with her household problems, pregnancies and children, and with her Islamic responsibilities in the social arena – but in spite of all that, and the weakness of her body, she would worship Allah and perform her salaah until her feet became swollen, and found the time to stay awake and pray all night, praising Allah.
You and I can never ever surpass this dedication of subjugation and sublimity- at least – we should ask ourselves – Do we at least say our obligatory 5 times prayers?

C. She too was a woman who had feelings, emotions and desires, as other
women have. Her greatness was that she developed her feelings within the
framework of Allah’s satisfaction and did not let her desires go beyond what Allah permitted, and so her heart, mind and body did not deviate from the right path by even the tiniest measure. it is no wonder that she was addressed as Raadhiah and Mardhiah [ راضية - مرضية ]
D. After her missionary concern comes her concern for the people around her, or rather her concern for the people was part of her missionary concerns.
- Here lies the value of Fathima (A.S.), -
Her high and distinguished position does not lie in her family descent – however honourable – or in her tribe, or – in any other connection that people boast about, but – in the Islamic values which have been manifested in her, and for which she was called and identified.
It is for these values that man lives for others before living for himself – to bear the burdens and concerns of others and loves for them what he loves for himself, and hates for them what he hates for himself.

Rasool [S] said:
قال رسول الله (ص):
صَاحِبِ النَّاسَ مِثْلَ مَا تُحِبّ ُ أنْ يُصَاحِبُوْكَ بِهِ
Treat your companions the same way you would like them to treat you.
[Treat others the same you would like them to treat you.]
This was what Fathima (A.S.) manifested in her being; in fact she excelled to the highest level, and she did not only give the others some of what had Allah given her, but she also favoured them, even though she herself was in urgent need.
Remember the Narration of Imam al-Hasan (A.S.) saying:
‘I saw my mother Fathima [A] (A.S.) standing up in her mihrab [prayer niche] every Friday night. She bowed and prostrated herself until dawn, and I heard her praying for the believers, naming them, and she prayed much for them and never for herself. So I said to her: O mother! Why don’t you pray for yourself as you pray for others? She said: O my son! The neighbour [first], then the house!’
And for whom was she praying at night, when she was waiting to sit before Allah to confide in Him, and to submit and surrender to Him?
Was she praying for herself, and requesting something for herself, like we usually would do when we pray or supplicate during the day or night?
No! For her, for Fathima [A.S.] the matter lay in another direction:
She would use the precious opportunity of the night – its serenity, its tranquility and spirituality through which the horizons open for worshippers and uplift the soul – to pray not for herself – but for the believers.
Do we possess these sublime characteristics or do we fight with our neighbours and families, the very first opportunity we get?
Think, Reflect and Ponder!

E. She used to sit with Ali (A.S.) before the Prophet [S], as the revelation was revealed, listening with eagerness and concentration to the Messenger’s
teachings which explained to them the meanings of the revelation and taught
them Allah’s rulings and law.
One piece of evidence that the Prophet [S] used to take care of Fathima [A]’s learning was the hadith narrated from Hazrath Imam al-Sadiq (A.S.):
‘When Fathima [A] came complaining to the Messenger of Allah [S]
about something, he gave her a [dried] palm tree branch – which was used for writing – and said: Learn what is in it… In it was: Whoever believes in Allah and the Day of Judgement must not hurt his neighbour, and whoever believes in Allah and the Day of Judgement shall be generous to his guest, and whoever believes in Allah and the
Day of Judgement shall say [something] good or be silent.’

The Prophet [S] wanted for her to relieve her pains by becoming busy with Islamic values and propagating them to people. This suggests to us that we should be aware of our missionary role more than our pains, so that we might beat our pain through our mission, for whoever lives and are concerned of the creations of Allah, he forgets his pains and renders them insignificant.

Have we learnt any lessons from this? Let us ask ourselves.Let us place our hands on our hearts and ask our souls .
Are we ready to improve our lives from what we have heard?

Let me wind up with a point to ponder :
Fathima [A] (A.S.) said: ‘My father the Messenger of Allah [S] entered when I had gone to bed to sleep, and said: O Fathima [A]! Do not go to sleep
before doing four things: reciting the whole of the Qur’an, making the
Prophets your mediators (with Allah), making the believers satisfied with
you and performing the pilgrimage – hajj and ‘umrah . Then he started
praying! So, I stayed in bed until he finished the prayer and said:
O Messenger of Allah! You ordered me to do four things which I could not do in this hour! The Messenger of Allah smiled and said:

If you recite the Tauheed chapter (al-Ikhlas surah) three times it is as if you have recited the whole of the Qur’an; and

If you recite salawaath to me and the prophets before me then we shall be your mediators in the Day of Judgment; and

If you pray that Allah forgive the believers (say istighfar) they shall be satisfied with you; and

If you say: Subhan Allah (praise be to Allah) and al-Hamdu Lillah (gratitude to Allah – Praise be to Allah) and La Ilaha Illa Allah (there is no deity but Allah) and Allahu Akbar (Allah is great) as if you have performed the pilgrimage – Haj and Umra

Tell me, how many of us know these injunctions and how many of us follow them?

Al-Zahra, al-Batool, in her knowledge, worship, faith in Allah and care for the Messenger of Allah [S] and the Commander of the Faithful ‘ALI (A.S.), reached the position of infallibility, elevated to the degree of holiness,
untarnished by sin, and left for us the highest example as a woman who lived
her life for Allah and closed her eyes to depart from this life, whilst reciting the praises of Allah.
Let us jointly take a decision now, that we will start practising at least a few of these most exalted and sublime characteristics. When you go home and reflect on this and next year when we meet, Insha Allah, we will have at
least some of these sublime, exalted characteristics ingrained in us.
hopefully.
May Allah in His Mercy guide us all along the right path – Aameen.
السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

Al-Zahra Day-30th July 2005 – 23 Jumadul-Aakhir 1426 at Sausiripaya – Afternoon
بسم الله الرّحمن الرّحيم
ربّ اشرحلي صدري ويسّرلي أمري واحلل عُقدة مّن لُّلساني يفقهو قولي
الحمد لله ربّ العالَمين والعاقبة اللمتّقين والصّلوةُ والسّلام على رسولك سيّدنا محمّد وأاله وأصحابه وأهل بيته وأهل طاعتك أجمعين – أمّا بعد
أعوذ بالله من الشيطان الرّجيم
بسم الله الرّحمن الرّحيم
إنّما يُريدُاللَهَ لِيّذهِبَ عنكُمُ الرّجس أهل البيتِ ويُطهّرَكُم تطهيرًا(33:33)
Madam Chairperson, His Excellency, The Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Sri Lanka, The Director, Cultural Section of the Islamic Republic of Iran – Br. Barkhordari, Respected Brothers and Sisters of the Diplomatic Corps., Members and office bearers of Al-Zahra Association, My Dearest Brothers, my dearest sisters and my dearest Children.
السّلامُ عليكم و رحمة الله و بركاته
The Quranic Aayath that I read out to you Says:
إنّما يُريدُاللَهَ لِيُذهِبَ عنكُمُ الرّجس أهلَ البيتِ ويُطهّرَكُم تَطهيرًا(33:33)
“Allah only wishes to remove from you all that might be abhorrent, O You Members of the Prophet’s Household, and to purify you to the utmost purity. make you pure and spotless.”
Love, respect and awe, for the great personalities and individuals with a mission is not only an emotion but also an attitude. This is the difference between being a loving and devoted person and being a proponent follower, a supporter and an advocate:

Allegiance is a stance, an attitude, while love is emotion, feeling, sentiment , sensation and passion.
It is natural that the situation must live the emotion and move by it, but it should move beyond it to open up the relevance of the whole of the message – thereby unfolding the truth and the gravity of the message to the believers and the truthful and unconditional bearers of the message.
قال أميرُ المُؤمنين عليّ (ع) :
مَن نَصَبَ نَفسَهُ للنّاسِ إمامًا فعَليهِ أن يبدأ
بتعليم ٍ نفسِهِ قبلَ تعليم ِ غيره
وليَكُن تأديبُهُ بسِيرَتِهِ – قبلَ تأديبهِ بلِسَانِهِ
Hazrat ‘Ali (A) said: Whoever undertakes leading people should, before teaching others, should make effort to teach himself sufficiently; And before training others for good manners by speech – he should show in action by his own good manners.
Year after year, in our daily lives and through the various connections we have, we have come to know our noble Fathima (A) – the various dignified, gallant and gracious names rightly and deservingly attributed to her.
The extra-ordinary,unstinted, and abundant love of her beloved father – Our Holy Prophet Muhummed (S).
The warnings of our Beloved Prophet (S) with respect to Fathima (A) in various ways:
فاطمةَ بضعةٌ مّنّى فمن أغضبها أغضبنِى
Fathima is a piece of my flesh, whoever angers her angers me.
يُريبُنِى ما أرابَها
What causes her doubt causes my doubt
يُؤذينِى ما آذاها
What causes her trouble causes my trouble
What causes her annoyance causes my annoyance
Whoever causes her injury, causes me injury; whoever hurts her hurts me
Whoever harasses her harasses me.
آذا – means hurt, injure, damage, wrong, annoy, vex, trouble, harass, grief.
We also know that Whenever the mention of the Messenger of Allah (S) is made – Fathima also comes to mind.. She was his product and the spirit inside his body – and you cannot mention ‘Ali (AS) without mentioning Fathima as she was his companion in life and suffering;

And you cannot mention al-Hasan, al-Husain and Zaynab (ASW) without mentioning Fathima – as she was the secret of purity in their childhood and of their personalities throughout their lives.
Instead of repeating the same texts over and over again, let us see how she opened herself up to the responsibilities of her father, husband, children and to the community of Muslims in general.

THE world owes much to its men and women of courage. We do not mean physical courage, in which man is at least equalled by the bulldog; nor is the bulldog considered the wisest of his species.

The courage that displays itself in silent effort and endeavour – that dares to endure all and suffer all for truth and duty – is more truly heroic than the achievements of physical valour, which are rewarded by honours and titles, or by laurels sometimes steeped in blood.
It is moral courage that characterises the highest order of manhood and womanhood –
The courage to seek and to speak the truth;
The courage to be just;
The courage to be honest;
The courage to resist temptation and The courage to do one’s duty.
If men and women do not possess this virtue, they have no security whatever for the preservation of any other.
But the greater part of the courage that is needed in the world is not of a heroic kind. Courage may be displayed in everyday life as well as in historic fields of action.
There needs, for example – the common courage to be honest –
The courage to resist temptation –
The courage to speak the truth –
The courage to be what we really are, and not to pretend to be what we are not –
the courage to live honestly within our own means, and not dishonestly upon the means of others.
A great deal of the unhappiness, and much of the vice, of the world is owing to weakness and indecision of purpose – the lack of courage.
Men may know what is right, and yet fail to exercise the courage to do it;
They may understand the duty they have to do, but will not summon up the requisite resolution to perform it.
The weak and undisciplined man is at the mercy of every temptation; he cannot say “No,” but falls before it.
And if his companionship be bad, it will be very easy to lead him away by bad example -into wrongdoing.
The will, which is the central force of character, must be trained to habits of decision – otherwise it will neither be able to resist evil nor to follow good.
Decision gives the power of standing firmly and when to yield. Surrendering however slightly, at the wrong moment, might be only the first step in a downhill course to ruin.
Many are the valiant purposes formed, that end merely in words –
Deeds intended, that are never done;
Designs projected, that are never begun; and all for want of a little courageous decision. It is far better to have a silent tongue than an eloquent deed that would never be done.
For in life and in business, dispatch is better than discourse; and the shortest answer of all is,
Action – performance – doing.
The Holy Quran says:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لِمَ تَقُولُونَ مَا لا تَفْعَلُونَ
61.2 O ye who believe! Why do you say that which ye do not?
Why do you say things which you do not mean – or do not act upon?

كَبُرَ مَقْتًا عِنْدَ اللَّهِ أَنْ تَقُولُوا مَا لا تَفْعَلُونَ
61.3 Grievously odious is it in the sight of Allah – The most hateful that is in the sight of Allah that ye say that which ye do not mean or
what you say that which you do not act upon.

In today’s context – moral cowardice is exhibited quite as much in public as in private life. Pretense is not confined to the flattering of the rich, but is quite as often displayed in the pleasing and flattering of the poor.
Formerly, sycophancy (servile flattery) showed itself in not daring to speak the truth to those in high places; but in these days it rather shows itself in not daring to speak the truth to those in low places.
Now that “the masses” exercise political power, there is a growing tendency to fawn upon them, to flatter them, and to speak nothing but smooth words to them.

They are credited with virtues – which they themselves know – they do not possess.
The public support is maintained because disagreeable truths are avoided; and, to win their favour – sympathy is often pretended.
It is not the man of the noblest character –
Not the highest-cultured and best-conditioned man – whose favour is now sought, so much as that of the lowest man, the least-cultured and worst-conditioned man, Because his vote is usually that of the majority.
Even men of rank, wealth, and education, are seen prostrating themselves before the ignorant, whose votes are thus to be got.
They are ready to be unprincipled and unjust, rather than – be unpopular.
It is so much easier for some men to stoop, to bow, and to flatter, than to be manly, resolute, and magnanimous; and to yield to prejudices rather than run counter to them.
Remember – It requires strength and courage to swim against the stream, while any – dead fish – can float with it.

This servile pandering to popularity has been rapidly on the increase of late years, and its tendency has been to lower and degrade the character of public men. Consciences have become more elastic.
There is now one opinion for the chamber, and another for the platform.
Prejudices are pandered to, in public; which in private, are despised.
Pretended conversions – which invariably jump with party interests are more sudden; and Even hypocrisy – now appears to be scarcely thought to be discreditable.

The same moral cowardice extends downwards – as well as upwards.
The action and reaction are equal. Hypocrisy and time-serving above, are accompanied by hypocrisy and time-serving below.
Where men of high standing have not the courage to declare their opinions -
what is, then, to be expected from men of low standing?
They will only follow such examples as are set before them.
They too will skulk, and dodge, and prevaricate–be ready to speak one way and act another – just like their ‘betters’.

But what Fathima taught us was –
Men of sterling character have the courage to speak the truth, even when it is unpopular.
She taught us that A man must have the courage to be himself, and not the shadow or the echo of another.
He must exercise his own powers, think his own thoughts, and speak his own sentiments.
He must elaborate his own opinions, and form his own convictions.
It has been said that he who dare not form an opinion, must be a coward; he who will not, must be an idler; he who cannot, must be a fool.

When a man’s convictions are honestly formed, after fair and full consideration, he is justified in striving by all fair means to bring them into action.
There are certain states of society and conditions of affairs in which a man is bound to speak out, and be antagonistic – when conformity is not only a weakness, but a sin.
Great evils are in some cases only to be met by resistance; they cannot be swept down, but must be battled down.

This is the teaching of Fathima (A).

The honest man is naturally antagonistic to fraud, the truthful man opposed to lying ;
The justice-loving man is aggressive to oppression ;
The pure minded man is uncompromising to vice and iniquity.
They have to do battle with these conditions, and if possible overcome them.
Such men have in all ages represented the moral force of the world.

Inspired by benevolence and sustained by courage, they have been the mainstays of all social renovation, social transormation and progress.
If not for their continuous antagonism to evil conditions, the world, for the most part, will be given over to the dominion of selfishness and vice.
All the great reformers and martyrs were antagonistic men – Enemies to falsehood and evildoing.
The Apostles (A) themselves were an organised band of social antagonists, who contended with pride, and fought against selfishness, superstition, and irreligion.
Fathima’s daring stand was that ‘It is the strong and courageous men who lead and guide and rule the world.

The weak and timid leave no trace behind them; while the life of a single upright and energetic man is like a trail of light.
This is what she taught her children, Hassan and Hussain – Zainab and Umm Kulthum.

The example of Hussain in Karbala is remembered and appealed to; and
the thoughts of Zainab, her spirit, and her courage in the presence of the tyrant Yezid bin Mu’awiya continue to be the inspiration of succeeding generations – right unto the Day of Judgement..
It is the will of righteousness, that produces the miracles of enthusiasm in all ages. Everywhere – it is the mainspring of what is called force of character, and the sustaining power of all great action.
In a righteous cause the determined man stands upon his courage as upon a granite block; and, like Dawood (A), he will go forth to meet Jaluth (Goliath – the giant), strong in heart – though – hordes of enemies be encamped against him.

This is what she inspired first in her children and then to the Ummah at large – Courage, combined with energy and perseverance, will overcome difficulties – apparently – insurmountable.
It gives force and impulse to effort, and does not permit it to retreat.

Courage is by no means incompatible with tenderness. On the contrary, gentleness and tenderness have been found to characterize the men, not less than the women, who have done the most courageous deeds.
The Ahlal-Baith are a great example of this.

The brave man is magnanimous as well as gentle. He does not take even an enemy at a disadvantage, nor strike a man when he is down and unable to defend himself. Even in the midst of deadly strife such instances of generosity have not been uncommon.
The Life of Hazrath ‘Ali (A) is replete with this type of generosity.

In sickness and sorrow, none are braver and less complaining sufferers than women. The courage of Lady Fathima, where her heart is concerned, is indeed proverbial:
She showed – that Character, in a woman, as in a man, will always be found the best safeguard of virtue, the best nurse of religion and the best corrective of Time.

Personal beauty soon passes; but beauty of mind and character increases in attractiveness – the older it grows.
The courage of woman is not the less true because it is for the most part passive. It is not encouraged by the cheers of the world, for it is mostly exhibited in the recesses of private life. Yet heroic patience and endurance on the part of Fathima (A) is as clear as the light of day.

Self-control is only courage under another form. It may almost be regarded as the primary essence of character.
Self-control – is at the root of all the virtues.
Let a man give vent to his impulses and passions – and from that moment – he yields up his moral freedom.
He is carried along the under-current of life, and becomes the slave of his strongest desire for that moment.
To be morally free–to be superior to an animal–man must be able to resist instinctive impulse, and this can only be done by the exercise of self-control.

Thus it is this power which constitutes the real distinction between a physical and a moral life, and that forms the primary basis of individual character.
This stronger man is he, – who, by discipline, exercises a constant control over his thoughts, Control over his speech, and his acts.
Ninety Percent of the vicious desires that degrade society, are those which, when indulged, amplify into crimes that disgrace it – But, indeed would shrink into insignificance before the advance of valiant self-discipline, self-respect, and self-control.

By the watchful exercise of these virtues, purity of heart and mind become habitual, and the character is built up in chastity, virtue, and temperance.
This is what she ingrained and imbued – entrenched and established in the minds of her children who became manifestations of these noble characteristics.

The best support of character will always be found in habit – A habit which, if, directed rightly or wrongly, as the case may be, will prove either a benevolent and compassionate ruler or a cruel despot.
We may be its willing subject on the one hand, or its servile slave on the other.
It may help us on the road to good, or it may hurry us on the road to ruin.

Habit is formed by careful training. And it is astonishing how much can be accomplished by systematic discipline and drill. Out of the most unpromising materials – in the Jahiliya period (The period of ignorance) – roughs and unkempt and undisciplined Arabs – taken from the Arabian Desert – steady discipline and drill had brought out the unsuspected qualities of courage, endurance, and self-sacrifice, in life as well as in battle fields.

In order to give expression to all what I have said of our beloved Fathima (A), and – because of the time constraint, please permit me to wind up, with an extract, of only a small portion, of one of Fathima’s (A) famous and powerful Sermons. Remember, she is not just addressing the Muhajir and Ansaar, but she is addressing you and me as well – She, Fathima (A), is addressing the whole world, the whole of humanity.

It is my fervent and ardent hope that this Khutba of our beloved Fathima (A) will inspire you all, Brothers and Sisters alike, to lead that life of purity and courage, self-control, selflessness and self-discipline as taught by our most beloved Fathima (A).

She begins her Noble Khutba:

“I, Fathima, daughter of the Prophet (S), bear witness to His Oneness and testify that my father Muhummed (S), is the servant and the Prophet of Allah. In his Avowal, I declare my honesty and sincerity. He chose Muhummed before giving him the mission of prophethood; He elected Muhummed before creating him.

Muhummed (S) appeared, and the light of his Prophethood illuminated the dark horizon of life. Muhummed appeared to hoist the flag of justice and equality, and by means of the doctrine of Unity to kindle the torch of guidance so that the straight path could be distinguished from the aberrant and deviant, and the habitable places, from the wilderness.

By the light of this beacon that illuminated the world, my dear father passed day after night and night after day, until he reached the end of his life.
By the light of eternal favour and divine effulgence, he was placed on the wings of angels and flown high into the heavens. He was a soul that mingled with the Beloved.
“May Allah abundantly bless his soul, who left this dark world for the bright one, and who entrusted you to Allah. You used to sit with and talk to him.
You accepted his dheen as was witnessed by Allah. You too took Allah as the witness of your acceptance, lest one day you leave your rein to your whims and desires, which may overcome your intellect and heart. And weaken your faith.
O ! Mohajir and Ansaar, – you signed a pact with your prophet to administer his dheen and to turn to the world of humanity around it. He left a Book with you that contains secrets, as well as sensible and practical guidance.

“But the Qur’an is waiting for someone to whom it can reveal its secrets, open the door of its knowledge, and narrate what is to be read and heard. But O Muslims! How can you reach the goal from, the black and white of Quran, unless there is an illuminated and knowledgeable scholar who shows you the black and white and reveals the secrets; otherwise, you will be left stranded.

The Quran is an eloquent and far-sighted book, containing instruction. Some hold secrets of Aayaaths in their breasts and are themselves beacons of guidance.
It is a treasure of Divine secrets that benefits both seekers and reader.

Quran is the book that leads to prosperity and is the flaming torch for the journey to the Eternal. This is the Book that guides its followers toward the paradise of deliverance.

O servants of Allah and believers in the pure dheen of Islam ! That Divine phrase that you uttered and through it attained knowledge and virtue, contains a thousand hidden secrets.
لا إ له الاّ الله – “There is no deity but Allah”

Do not regard it casually and with lethargy. He who utters these words must have a pure mind and bright heart to be worthy of piety.
He must be submissive to become fully knowledgeable with Unity.

These words teach you to give a portion of your wealth to the needy, and thereby purify it. These words teach you that after 11 months of revelry and gluttony, you go toward Allah for one month, observing the fast of Ramadhan, doing so with heart and soul and standing in prayer with abundance of love.

“You who worship Allah and believe in One Creator, must go to Allah’s house once in your lifetime and circumambulate in the company of various races, nations, tribes and thoughts, and take the great gift of Allah back to your countrymen. Pay attention and see how these various colours and divergent thoughts unite together at the Holy Ka’bah. During Hajj, Muslims must become aware of this.

“O Muslims! You have been advised not to leave us, not to let the Prophet’s kinsmen alone, nor to keep distance from the axis of Islam, – otherwise you would become confused and vanquished, beaten and defeated.
You must draw your sword, rise up against the vicissitudes of the world and defend the purity of Islam.

As far as you are able, lead others to goodness and purity, expose ugliness in its true light, and help others to avoid it.

O Mohajir and Ansaar, You have been advised to respect parents, your parents, as well as parents of others, and to console relatives, and to avoid wrong actions because it is not worthy of the last ummah of the world to be as thieves and criminals.
O Muslims! Be as you have been asked to be. Be devout, so that when you die, you die a Muslim – one in total submission to the will of Allah.

O Mohajir and Ansaar, it is better that you get to know me. I am Fathima, the only surviving daughter of Muhummed (S). My father is the Messenger of Allah who was your leader. Nobody can tell lies in front of the grave that I am standing before.
I do not exaggerate and I am not given to exaggeration.
What I am telling you is the truth. THE KHUTHBA CONTINUES –
Inspiring words and actions of the most courageous Leader of the Women of the Worlds.
When you go home, my dearest brothers, sisters and children think, reflect, ponder and meditate on these immortal words and deeds of our most Noble and Gracious Fathima (A).

May Allah in His Mercy Guide us All along the right path, the path of those on whom He has bestowed His favours, and protect us all from the path of those who have incurred His wrath or gone astray – Aameen.
السّلامُ عليكم و رحمة الله و بركاته
(It should be noted that Quotations that are in line with the Quran and the Character of the Holy Prophet (S) and the Ahl al-Bayth (A.S) have been taken from Bukhari, Muslim etc.,)

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By Zulkifli Nazim – August 1, 2009

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DISCOURSES ON FATHIMA ZAHRA [A.S.]

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DISCOURSES ON FATHIMA ZAHRA [A.S.]

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