conditions and unnecessary expenses only to pass through the regular
routines of life. Interestingly enough if we think clearly, many of
these hardships we put ourselves through are rootless, and derive only
from an unnecessary norm and culture that have found its way into
society affecting our liveseither willingly or unwillingly.
During the era of ProphetMuhammad (saw) there lived a rich man by the
name of Abdur Rahman ibn Awf, whom as the custom of the pre-Islamic
era believed a large dowry [Dowry, also known as Sidaq refers to a
wealth that a husband offers his wife as a gift toshow his true
intention.] to present a woman's value and her husband's superiority
in society. Abdur Rahman ibn Awf visited Prophet Muhammad (saw) and
said, "If you give Lady Fatimah's (sa) hand in marriage to me, I will
putas her dowry a hundred camels covered with expensive Egyptian cloth
followed by a thousand gold Dinars!"
Prophet Muhammad (saw) asked, "Do you think I am the servant of wealth
and money that you try to impress me with these things?"
Other than Abdur Rahman ibn Awf, there were many other men like Abu
Bakr, Umar ibn al-Khattab, Uthman from the companions (Sahabah) of
Prophet Muhammad (saw) who would ask Lady Fatimah's(sa) hand in
marriage for reasons ranging from herwell-known virtues to her
relation to Prophet Muhammad (saw) and a noble family. However, all
suitors were refused for as Prophet Muhammad (saw) had said, Lady
Fatimah's (sa) marriage had been decreed by Allah (SWT). And with the
descent of the angel of revelation, Hazrat Jibril (Gabriel) Prophet
Muhammad (saw) had been commanded to marry Lady Fatimah to Imam Ali
ibn Abi Talib (as). ProphetMuhammad (saw) has said in this regards, an
angel came to me from Allah (SWT) and said,"The Lord sends his
greetings unto you and has said, I have wedded your daughter Fatimah
inthe heavens to Ali ibn AbiTalib; you too therefore wed Fatimah to
Ali ibn Abi Talib!"
It is mentioned in the narratives that Prophet Muhammad (saw) said:"If
Ali didn't exist, there would be no mate for Fatimah."
This Prophetic attitude, connected to providence,Divine inspiration
and will, draws our attention and makes us stop to ponder a little. It
raises very critical and significant questions. Why didn't Prophet
Muhammad (saw) leave the matter of Lady Fatimah's (sa) marriage to
herself? Why was the Messenger of Allah (saw) not allowed to give Lady
Fatimah (sa) to any of those who sought her hand until Allah (SWT),
the All Wise, had ordered him to do so?
Why was Lady Fatimah's (sa) marriage so distinguished by these
characteristics? There must by a Divine secret and wisdom related to
this marriage, and connected with this critical human relationship
between Lady Fatimah (sa), the daughter of the Messenger of Allah
(saw), and Ali bin Abi Talib (as), his cousin, "brother and self", as
the Messenger of Allah used to refer to Imam Ali (as).
Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (as)was raised by Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw)
from infancy. He lived with the Messenger of Allah (saw) and Lady
Khadija tul Kubra (sa) . Hewas brought up in the shade of Divine
inspiration and graduated from the prophetic school. While still a
boy, he was the first male believer in the mission and message of Holy
Prophet Muhammad (saw). It was this unique relationship that Imam Ali
(as) describes in these words:
"You know that due to my close relationship, and my special rank I
enjoyed with the Messenger of Allah (saw), I have a distinguished
position with him. He took me in his lap when Iwas a baby. He often
kept me embraced to his heart. He used to make me sleep next to him.
We used to be so close to each other that I felt the warmth of his
body and smelled the fragrance of his odor. When I was a baby, He fed
me from his mouth, chewing hard bits for me. He never found me lying
or making a mistake."
Imam Ali (as) continued in the same speech,
"I followed Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) step bystep as a baby camel
follows its mother. He used to place a fresh code of behavior before
me daily and used to order me to follow it. Every year he used to
stayin the cave of Hira. Nobody used to be with him but me. No single
house gathered, at the time of early Islam, but the Messenger of
Allah's (saw), with Lady Khadija tul Kubra (sa) and me, thethird of
them. I used to see the light of revelationand smell the fragrance of
prophethood."
The secret of this trainingwas not vague. Nor was this care merely out
of the blood relationship. It is a matter related to the life of the
whole Ummah (Community/Nation) . Therelationship went as far as the
branches of prophethood and Imamat went. Thus Allah (SWT), the
Eternal, gave the best woman of this Ummah, in marriage to the best of
its men. Glory be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds!
Imam Ali (as) was the oneProphet Muhammad (saw) praised before Hadrat
Fatimah (sa) saying: "I asked my Lord to marry you to the best of his
creatures."
And he said to Imam Ali (as): "Aren't you satisfied that you are
holding, in respect to me, the rank ofHaroon (Aaron) to Musa (Moses)
(as) except that there is no prophet after me?"
Similarly, he asked Lady Fatimah (sa): "Aren't you satisfied that you
are the believing women?" So, both of them were the most loved by
Prophet Muhammad (saw) and the closest of people to him.
Ayesha, the wife of Messenger of Allah (saw) is reported to have been
asked: "Who is, from among all people, most loved by Prophet of Allah
(saw)?"
"Hadrat Fatimah," she said.
"And from among the men?" they asked. "Her husband," she replied,"for
I know him to be a fasting and praying one."
With the consummation of the marriage, the household of the relatives
of Prophet of Allah (saw) was established. Prophet Muhammad (saw)
cared for this household and often spoke about it, stressing that Imam
Ali bin Abi Talib, Lady Fatimah and their descendants were his family
and that from Imam Ali bin Abi Talib and Lady Fatimah his offspring
and children would descend.
It was Allah's (SWT) Will that the offspring of the Messenger of Allah
(saw) descend from Imam Ali bin Abi Talib (as) and Lady Fatimah (sa),
and that Imam Hassan (as) and Imam Hussain (as), and the pure progeny
be Imams and guides for this Ummah. That is why the marriage of Imam
Ali bin Abi Talib (as) and Lady Fatimah (sa) was achieved upon a
Divine order.
Although it is true this marriage is a divine marriage, however Lady
Fatimah's (sa) character and in general women rights in Islam for
choosing their own husbands provided that Prophet Muhammad (saw) not
proceed to this act without having his daughter's word in this matter.
When Prophet Muhammad (saw) discussed Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib's (as)
proposal to her, he clearly explained his characteristics. Imam Ali
ibn Abi Talib (as), a man whose worldly goods and wealth were to the
least, and who did not meet the criteria for marriage that the
pre-Islamic era required of him, had however a character that was full
of faith and religious virtues. This time, unlike the previous cases
Lady Fatimah (sa) agreed. Once Prophet Muhammad(saw) saw Lady
Fatimah's (as) agreement in marriage, he asked ImamAli ibn Abi Talib
(as) if he has anything to place as his wife's dowry.
Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (as)replied, "May my parents be sacrificed for
you, youare well aware that my belongings are nothing more than a
sword, a shield, and a Camel."
Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw), who believed a small dowry to increase
awoman's value as opposed to a large one, replied, "You are correct.
You will need your swordfor battles with the enemies. And with your
Camel you must water the palm trees and travel with it on your trips.
Thusyou can only give your shield as her dowry."
Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) ordered to sell Imam Ali's (as) shield. He
divided its money into three sections. He gave a part of it to Hazrat
Bilal (ra) to purchase a decent perfume, and he spent the other two to
purchase some household items and clothes for Lady Fatimah (sa).
Obviously with the money from the shield the material that could be
bought were very cheap and simple!
History has recorded the material that were purchased with the money
consisted of theseitems: a large scarf for four Dirham, material for a
dress for seven Dirham, a bed made of wood and leaves from a date
palm, four pillows made from sheep skin and filled withleaves from an
aromatic plant, a woolen curtain, asmall mat, one hand mill, a
leathern sac for water, one copper flat wash, a container for milking
the Camel, and a pitcher made from clay.
Lady Fatimah's (sa) simple dowry and its usage for purchasing
necessities of the home can be the biggest lesson for decreasing our
expenses and remaining satisfied with what we are capable of
purchasing.
A marriage so divine, yet so simple? What are its criteria? Where then
can virtues be found? And amidst all these, how should we act? Let us
be the judge?
Hence during the second year after the migration, marriage of Imam Ali
(as) with Lady Fatimah (sa) took place. Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw)
did notsend Lady Fatimah (sa) the same day to Imam Ali's (as) house.
Imam Ali (as), on his part, started preparing his house for Lady
Fatimah (sa) and furnishing it in a simple and neat way. He covered
the floor with soft sand and placed a wooden bar between two walls for
hanging their laundry on. He decorated Lady Fatimah'sroom with a sheep
skin and a pillow, stuffed withpalm leaves. He got his house ready and
was awaiting Lady Fatimah's arrival.
Twenty-nine days (in another narration more than five months)
passed,but Lady Fatimah Zahra (sa) had not moved to her new house yet.
ImamAli ibn Abi Talib (as) was too shy to discuss the matter with the
Messenger of Allah (saw). So he asked his brother Aqil to go with him
to thehouse of the Prophet of Allah (saw). On their way,they met Umm
Ayman, the maidservant of the Prophet of Allah (saw). They explained
to her Imam Ali's (as) desire. Umm Ayman conveyed Imam Ali's (as)
request to Umm Salamah, the wife of the Messenger of Allah (saw). She
also told the rest of Prophet Muhammad's (saw) wivesabout the matter.
They got together and decidedto go, all of them, to the Messenger of
Allah (saw).
Informed of Imam Ali's (as) request, Prophet Muhammad (saw) consented.
On an occasion like this, a mother has place which cannot be filled by
another. Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) was very eager to make
compensation to Lady Fatimah Zahra (sa) for the absence of her mother.
He (saw) himself took part in the preparations for the nuptials.
Prophet Muhammad (saw) ordered his wives to prepare Lady Fatimah (sa)
for her husband as any girl should be. They did it with happiness
andjoy. The Messenger of Allah (saw) called for a festival. Imam Ali
(as) prepared a befitting feast. Both Muhajirs (immigrants) and Ansars
(helpers), shared in the blessed occasion with their Prophet
Muhammad(saw).
And thus the married life of Hazrat Fatima al-Zahra (sa) and Imam Ali
ibn Abi Talib (as) began. The establishment of the newhouse was
completed, and its firm pillars were fixed by the Messenger ofAllah
(saw). By them he had secured the basis of the new legislation, life
and philosophy of marriage and family. It was an example set for the
coming generations to follow.
The Messenger of Allah (saw), throughout his lifetime personified the
principles of his message,and the values of his Shariah (Islamic Law),
which specify the position of woman and her worth and rights in life
through the person of Hazrat Fatima al-Zahra (sa). The father loved
his little girl and filled her with tenderness and affection. He (saw)
took the responsibility of the marriage, the purchase of her needs,
her nuptialsand the festival. What kind of extraordinary care Prophet
of Islam (saw) displayed towards women? How high is the position of
the family, woman and marriage in his noble, eternal Shariah(Islamic
Law)?
These are the lessons, pioneering social ideals, and the Islamic
system for the behavior of the Muslim family which would produce the
high principled generations.
They are the practical applications of the social and family ties, and
the sound relationships and conduct ordered by Allah (SWT), and
personified byHis noble Messenger (saw).
Hazrat Fatima al-Zahra (sa) and Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (as), had 4
children: Imam Hassan, Imam Hussain, Hazrat Zainab and Hazrat Umm
Kulthum(pbut). Imam Hassan and Imam Hussain (pbut), who are trained by
such mother, are of the 12 Imams and the other 9 Imams [except Imam
Ali and Imam Hassan (pbut)] are of Imam Hussain's (pbuh) progeny and
are related to Prophet Muhammad (saw) by Lady Fatimah (sa). This is
the reason we call her Umm al-A'immah (Motherof Imams).
Hadrat Fatimah (sa) was pregnant one other time,after the death of her
dear father, Prophet Muhammad (saw). This child, however, never was
given the chance to live. Mohsin, the stillborn son of Hazrat Fatima
al-Zahra (sa) was abortedwhen the door of her house was pushed down
upon her by those opposing her husband regarding successor ship after
the death of the Messenger of Allah (saw).
So all of Lady Fatimah's living children were four.She herself didn't
live long. She passed away while still in the prime of her life. She
joined her father, the Messenger of Allah (saw) in the other world.
She left behind her little children, the oldest was hardly seven years
old.
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