HADRAT FARIDUDDIN GANJ-E-SHAKAR (R.A) - Sufism Biographies

The Reverend Pir of Hadrat Qutab Jamal
Shaikh Fariduddin was born in 569/1173-74 or 571/1175-76. His father
was a scholar, but it was his lengthy an exceedingly pious woman, who
prayed nightly at lengthy vigils, who exerted the greaterinfluence on
the future sufi saint. One story regarding the spiritual power of Baba
Farid's mother related is that a thief, entering the houseglanced at
the playing woman and was instantly blinded. The thief implored the
Swhaikh's mother to restore his eyesight. She did so, and the
blindnesswas removed. The following day, the thief returned with his
family to the Shailkh's house and was converted to Islam.
His mother's influence helped to promote an extreme asceticism in
Shaikh farid. Unconcerned with food or clothing, he was constantly
occupied withmeditation in a place behind the mosque at Khtwal. The
townsfolk came to believe he was deranged, and they spoke so to Shaikh
Jalau'd-Din Tabrizi of Baba Farid and what to them were his strange
habits.
When Jalalu'd-Din Tabrizi went to see BabaFarid he had only torn
clothing to wear so he had great difficulty in presenting himself
respectably to his distinguished visitor. Jalalu'd-Din had with him a
pomegranate, andbroke it, offering it to Baba Farid. As the Baba was
fasting he refused to eat it, but after his guest had left he picked
up a seed and in the evening ate that. Instantly his heart was
illuminated and he lamented no having eaten the whole fruit. However
in Dehli KhwajaQubu'd Din consoled the Baba saying that in pomegranate
there was only one seed endowed with spiritual blessings and that he
had had it.
At the age of eighteen, Baba Farid settled in Multan to undertake
further studies and joined a seminary at the mosque of Maulana
Minhaju'd-Din Tirmizi. There he met Khwaja Qutbu'd-Din Bakhtiyar Kaki
and asked to become his disciple. According to Jamali, Baba Farid was
initiated into silsila by the Khwajaat Multan and was advised to
complete his education there. Shortly afterwards the Khwaja left for
Delhi. Jamali addsthat the Baba then visited Qandhar to acquire
further knowledge, but it is more likely that Baba Farid reached Delhi
shortly after the Khwaja arrival and was initiated into the
distinguished group of Sufis residing in the Khwaja's jama'at khana.
Baba Farid lived in a small cell near the jama'at-khana and, under
guidance, performed severe asceticexercises. His austerities so
impressed Khwaja Mu'inu'd-Din during his visit to Delhi, that he took
a special interest in Baba Farid, prophesied his later fame and asked
Khwaja Qutbu'd-Din to join him in prayer for hisdisciple's future
greatness.
The severities practiced by the Baba in his Delhi cell failed to
satisfy him and he asked his master if he could perform a chilla which
involved spiritual exercises and fasting for forty days. The Khwaja
finally permitted him to perform a chilla-I ma'kus(inverted chilla).
Ignorant of the details he asked Bdru'd-Din Ghaznawi to obtain them
from the Khwaja who replied that it required a man to tie a rope
around his feet andremain suspended in a well, head down, for forty
days and nights, while both fasting and praying. The Baba founda
lonely mosque in Uch and, talking the mu'azzin into his confidence
performed the chilla-ima'kus.
The reason why the Shaikh came to be known as Ganj-I Shakar (Store of
Sugar) is described in different stories in various hagiological
works. A more popular version is that, overpowered by incessant
fasting for three days, the Baba placed some pebbles in his mouth.
These immediately changed into sugar. Baba Farid, believing that this
had been the work of the devil, spat them out. At midnight, again
overcome by hunger, he repeated his actions, thestones became sugar
and he refused to eat them. Finally, overpowered by extreme hunger he
ate some pebbles which hadbecome sugar so that he could continue
praying. Khwaja Qutbu'd-Din approved his action, telling him that
whatever was received from the unseen world must necessarily be good.
After the Baba's fame in Delhi became an obstacle to prayer and
meditation, he left for Hansi in the Hisar district. He was therefore
absent from Delhi at the time of the Khwaja's death, arriving five
days after the event.In accordance with the khwaja's will, Qazi
Hamidu'd-Din Nagauri gave Baba Farid relics from the Khwaja including
his khirqa, turban, stick and wooden sandals. Although this implied
that the Baba was the Khwaja's successors in Delhi, the Baba's
asceticism and total withdrawal from the world precluded any conflict
with Shaikh Badru'd-Din who had also been extremely close to the
khwaja and who wished to be his spiritual successor in Delhi.
First going to Hansi, the Baba finally settled at Ajodhan, where the
remained from about 1236 until his death on 5Muharram 664/17 October
1265. His long stay on th Stalaj, along one of the main routes from
Multan to Lahore and Delhi, was a spiritually rewarding experience.
Although he selected a lonely place toreside, Baba Farid was harassed
by local officersof the Qazi of Ajodhan and by the rudeness of the
people of the town. This was prompted mainly by the Qazi's hostility
towards the sufimovement.
Through an example of sanctity and austerity, Baba Farid sought to
reform the Muslims in Punjab.
Shaikh Faridu'd-Din livednear the Jaml' mosque, in a small house of
mud walls covered with a thatched roof. He had strictly forbidden the
useof burnt bricks for the building which, according to Chishti
tradition, were not simple enough for an ascetic's dwelling. The door
remained open until midnight as a welcome to visitors. Among his few
possessions, the Baba had a small rug which heused by night as a
blanket, but which hardly covered him. During the day it was used as a
sitting rug. Khwaja Qutbu'd-Din's stick rested behind his head as a
pillow. His food consisted of wild fruit and millet bread. Abstaining
from nourishment during the day, in the evening he broke his fast by
taking sherbet. A bowl of it would be brought to theBaba and often
mixed with dried grapes. Of this he drank never more than half,
dividing the rest among his visitors. After prayers, two pieces of
bread smeared with ghee weretaken to Baba Farid. One was given away,
the other he himself ate, sharing it with his favourite disciples.
The jama'at-khana consisted only of a thatched hall, used for communal
living and a separate cell was for the Shaikh's meditation.
The jama'at-khana contained not a single piece of furniture, every
member sat and slept onthe floor. On special occasions a bed was
provided for a new visitor. The Shaikh, followed the same practices as
his disciples. Once when ill and forcedto rest on the bed he
apologized profusely to those sitting on the floor.
The establishment was run by Baba's chief disciples. Fuel and wild
berries, which were then boiled, were collected from the forests. In
the early yearsof his stay at Ajodhan a zanbil (a basket made of palm
leaves hung round the neck) was carried by some members of the
jama'at-khana twice a day to the town and the offerings placed in it
were shared by everyone. The Baba also preferred to eat bread from the
zanbil, perhaps to be more fully integrated into the life of all
members of his jama'at-khana. Other Chishti Shaikhs, including his own
teachers, had permitted the borrowing of small amounts of money for
household needs, but the Baba strictly forbadethis practice. Anything
received as futuh if not used immediately was kept no longer than a
day and was distributed to the needy. To a sufi a new day ushered in
newhope in God, and a concern for future needswas seen as totally
opposed to a complete trust in Him.
The jama'at-khana, situated on a main route, attracted many visitors.
These included scholars, merchants, government servants, artisans,
Sufis and qalandars, in short, men from all classes and sections of
society. Some, disillusioned with a life of affluence and comfort,
became permanent members, others stayed for short periods to seek the
Baba's blessing and experience a spiritual rejuvenation. Some of his
eminent disciples who lived in other areas also visited the
jama'at-khana, but one such visitor, Maulana Badru'd-Din Ishaq, stayed
and became a steward of thejama'at-khana. Prestigious guests, and many
other people who came to the Shaikh werehumble. A large number
requested ta'wiz (amulets) and the demand for amulets became to
fulfill all requests, so often they would be written instead by
Maulana Ishaq.
The jama'at-khana received visitors who were often less than polite
and considerate to its inmates.
To Baba Farid, Sufism was a strenuous exerciseleading one to a pious
life within the society in which one lived. It demanded humility,
modesty , patience, fortitude and a cleansing of the heart from all
conceit. Self-abnegation involved careful concernfor any offence to
another, and in the event of such a situation,sincere and copious
apologies were demanded.
Baba Farid was him self a scholar and wrote excellent poetry in
Arabic, Persian and the local Hindawi dialect. He recited the Qur'an
perfectly, popularized the study of the 'Awarifu'l-M'aarif and
lectured on the subtle philosophy of the Lawa'ih of Qazi Hamidu'd-Din
Nagauri. Nevertheless, he did not pride himself on his intellectual
achievements and felt a genuine sense of humility. He encouraged
education in his disciplesand considered the 'ulama' to be nobler than
the common people, though he disliked their self-satisfied
indifference to others. The faqirs, he asserted, were superior to the
'ulama' and occupied the same place among them as the full moon
amongst a sonstellation of stars.
Baba Farid illustrated the difference between Shari's, Tariqa and
Haqiqa by using the zakat, an obligatory payment for all Muslims, as
an illustration. The zakat of Sharia'a was five dirhams our of 200,
the zakat of Tariqa omvolved the payment of 195 dirhams out of 200 and
the retention of only five dirhams and the zakat of Haqiqa entailed
the payment of everything, retaining nothing.
Five hundred aphorisms of Baba Farid were collected, of which the
following, selected by Amir Khwurd, give some insight into the Baba's
broadly based, humanitarian teachings.
1. Pray to God alone for everyone else takes away but He gives.
Whatever He gives cannot be taken away by anyone else.
2. Escaping from the carnal self should be deemed as a means of reaching God.
3. Do not satisfy the demands of the carnal self for its demands know no limit.
4. Do not regard the ignorant as amongst the living.
5. Avoid the ignorant who pose a though they were wise.
6. Do not utter a truth which resembles a lie.
7. Do not sell what people do not wish to buy.
8. Do not worry about position and wealth.
9. Do not eat every body's bread, but give bread to everybody.
10. Never forget death atany place.
11. Do not make a statement based on supposition.
12. Treat a calamity as the consequence of greed.
13. Do not boast of having committed a sin.
14. Do not make the heart a plaything of the devil.
15. Keep your internal self better than the external one.
16. Do not try to adorn yourself.
17. Do not lower yourselfin order to secure a position.
18. Do not borrow eitherfrom the helpless or from the upstart.
19. Protect the honour of old families.
20. Strive to obtain freshgrace everyday.
21. As far as possible prevent women for developing the habit of using
abusive language.
22. Consider good healtha divine blessing.
23. Be grateful but do not compel others to be grateful to you.
24. While doing good to others think that you arehelping yourself.
25. Give up immediately that which your heart finds evil.
26. Do not retain a slave who wishes to be sold.
27. Seek a pretext to perform a good work.
28. Always keep the doors of peace open in awar.
29. Consider levity and harshness signs of weakness.
30. Do not consider yourself safe from the enemy however conciliatory
he might appear.
31. Fear the man who fears you.
32. Do not rely on your own strength.
33. Self-restraint is neveras imperative as it is at the time of sexual desire.
34. Do not forget religion in the company of state dignitaries.
35. Glory and honour depend upon equity andjustice.
36. Be magnanimous to the righteous.
37. Do not consider anything a substitute forreligion.
38. There is no compensation for the (loss) of time.
39. Be magnanimous to the righteous.
40. Be arrogant to the stubborn.
41. Do not be extravagant in entertaining guests.
Make wisdom and solitude your 42. (main) provision.
43. Do not flee from calamity sent to you by God.
44. Consider the dervish who seeks riches as covetous.
45. entrust the government to the care of a God-fearing visor.
46. Annihilate the enemyby discussion and captivate the heart of
friends by hospitality.
47. Consider worldliness as unforeseen calamity.
48. Seek out your faults.
49. Acquire wealth honestly in order to be able to retain it.
50. Acquire knowledge through humility.
51. Do not be concerned by the bitter words of enemies.
52. Do not flee from the enemy.
53. If you wish to avoid disgrace, do not beg.
54. if you wish to make the whole world your enemy, be arrogant.
55. Keep your good and bad points secret.
56. Protect religion through knowledge.
57. If you wish to be great be humble.
58. If you want satisfaction, do not be jealous.
59. Accept affliction as a gift.
60. Try to become immortal by obliteratingyour carnal self.
The above sayings are profound, but the inner nature of the Baba's
mystical consciousness isbest expressed in the following verses which
he often recited while praying in solitude:
'I pray to live only for the sake of loving Thee,
I wish to become dustand dwell eternally under
Thy feet.
My principal expectation from both worlds in that,
I should die and live for Thee.'
According to the Shaikh, the initiation of a disciple should be
performed personally byhis preceptor. He was opposed to the
initiationcustoms involving head shaving rituals at the tombs of sufi
saints. When one of his own sons performed such a ceremony at the foot
of Khwaja Qutbu'd-Din Bakhtiyar's tomb, his father remarked that such
an initiation was invalid. True initiations involved the disciple
holding the Shaikh's hand, while it was usual for his Pir to offer
blessings and prayers forthe disciple's welfare.
Hadrat Baba Fariduddin Ganj-e-Shakkar died on 5th of Muharram 664 A.H.
corresponding to 17 October 1265 C.E. He was buried in Pak Pattan (135
miles off Lahore).

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And Allah Knows the Best!

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Published by :->
M NajimudeeN Bsc- INDIA

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Seeing Through Eyes ofHope

We all feel weary at times. We feel like we're fighting on so many
fronts and that we have no helpers. At times our passion drains away
and we feel like we're just going through the motions. This happens to
me. I think it happens to everyone.
At those moments, Shaytan (Satan) tries to push us into despair.
Despair is one of Shaytan's greatest weapons. If we are in debt,
Shaytan tries to get us to despair of getting out of debt. If we're
ill, he tries to convince us to despair of getting well. Ifwe have
committed sins, he whispers to us to despair of Allah's mercy and the
possibility of forgiveness. He tries to make us despair of our
futures, despair of our salvation, and fail to see the beauty in our
lives.
Believers must resist Shaytan's whispers. Believers must be people of
hope, and must see the world through eyes of hope. Believers make life
choices that are rooted in hope.
"Shaytan threatens you with poverty and orders you to immorality,
while Allah promises you forgiveness from Him andbounty. And Allah is
all-Encompassing and Knowing." – Quran, Al-Baqarah, 2:268
So we have two differentcalls echoing in our ears. Shaytan calls us to
fear, and grasping attachmentto this material world.
Allah the Almighty, on theother hand, offers us forgiveness and true
blessings. Allah offers us hope. Hope is not wishing on a star, or
daydreaming. Hope is a real thing, because it's a part of trusting
Allah. After all, prayer is all about hope.
The Quran tells us that with every difficulty comes ease. Hope is an
acknowledgment of that reality, that things will get better, and a
time of ease will come.
When life becomes hard, we need to see through eyes of hope, not eyes
of despair.

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And Allah Knows the Best!

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Published by :->
M NajimudeeN Bsc- INDIA

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Haazir O Naazir - Present and Witnessing

According to the Holy Quran every thing has todie as Allah almighty says:
"Every soul is to taste thedeath" (Sura Al-Imran)Like this prophets of
Allah almighty were also passed through the process of death. They
were given death but it was for a very short time. And at the same
time they were brought to life as same as before.
Now all of the prophets (Alaihis salam) of Allah almighty are alive.
Allama Baihaqi (Rahmatullah Alaih) has collected a number of
narrations in the proof of the life of the prophets (Alaihis salam)
after death.
Such as Allama Jalaluddieen Sayuti (Rahmatullah Alaih) also written a
book on this topic and there are so many scholars of ummahwho have
written very much about this topic. Now I prove it from the Quran and
Hadith. Allah Almighty says:
"And say not those who are killed in the path of Allah as dead, but
they are alive yes, you are unaware." (Sura Al Baqara, Verse 154)
According to the Holy Quran pious people are of four categories. The
Prophets (Alaihis Salam) are of the highest grade and then comes the
number of truthful and then martyrs and righteous people stands fourth
in grade. And all four kinds are blessed according to their grades. As
the Holy Quran says: "Those who have been blessed by Allah viz., the
Prophets, and the truthful, and martyrs and righteous." (Sura Al Nisa,
Verse 69)
According to the generalpractice of the people we see that an officer
of grade "B" is provided all facilities which is provided to the
officer of grade "C". But the officer of B grade is given more than
the officer of C grade. Like this is the case of the officer of grade
"A". He is not only provided all the facilities of the officer of
grade B but also more than that of"B" grade. Now we believe that a
martyr gets the life after death by practicing the teachings of his
Prophet (Alaihis Salam) although he comes in third grade of the pious
peoples, so what is about the position of the Prophet (Alaihis Salam)
who is highest of all in his grade. Surely He is the most deserve able
of all others to be alive after death. It is a logical proof.
Secondly the Prophet of Allah almighty is a martyr because he died due
to the eating of piousness food. As Imam Bukhari and Baihaqi
(Rahmatullah Alaih) narrated by Aiysha (Allahalmighty is well pleased
with her) that the Holy Prophet (Allah's Grace & Peace be upon Him)
said in his mortal disease, " I always felt the pain of food which I
ate in Khaibar, now that poison is killing me." (Al Havi Lilfatawa.
Printed from Bairut. Vol. 2, P 149)
So the Holy Prophet (Allah's Grace & Peace beupon Him) is also alive
according to the Quranicverse.
Proof of the life of Prophets (Alaihis Salam) after death by
narrations of the Holy Prophet (Allah's Grace and Peace be upon Him)
1) Qazi Shaukani writes that the Holy Prophet (Allah's Grace & Peace
beUpon Him) in saheeh hadith that the Prophets (Alaihis Salam) of
Allah almighty are alive in their shrines. And Baihaqi (Rahmatullah
Alaih) has rectified it andwrote a book on this topic.
(Nail-ul-Qwatar. Vol.5, Page 108)
Abu Darda (Radi Allaho Unho) narrates that the prophet of Allah
said,"Send salutation (Durood) upon me againan again on Friday.
Because these salutation(Durood) are observed by angles. No one sends
salutation but it is presented to me before his getting free from
salutations". I asked him,"What is about after death?" He (Allah's
Grace& Peace be Upon Him) said "Allah almighty has made unlawful upon
earth to spoil prophet's bodies and the Prophet of Allah is alived and
he is given food." (Sunnan-e- Ibne Maja, Printed Noor Muhammad, P 118)
There are so many narrations which are found in proof of the lifeof
Prophets (alaihis salam) after death, thosecan't be written this is
why I stop my pen at thisbecause it is enough for a reasonable man.
What does the Holy Quran say ?
Before we quote the Holy Quran let us define and understand the
terminology of this subject matter. The terms used for the
omnipresence are"Haazir" and"Naazir"and these terms need to be
clarified and understood from the outset.
The meaning of Haazir and Naazir is explained below:
HAAZIR-To be present (physically or spiritually, i.e. in being)
NAAZIR-To see or behold with ones own eyes (from near or afar)
Note very carefully, that to be truly present and seeing one must be
'Aware' and 'Understand'what one sees.
To illustrate, a person named Zaid is in his home watching the live
Jum'a broadcast from Mecca. Then it follows that Zaid is Haazir
(physically), at his home, and Zaid is Naazir (seeing events) in his
home and in Mecca. NowZaid saw with his own eyes the Imaam lead the
Jum'a prayer in Mecca, although Zaid was sitting in
London.
Added to the fact that, while sitting in London Zaid observed the
eventsin Mecca, Zaid needs twomore abilities to becomea WITNESS to
this event, i.e. Zaid must be AWARE of what he sees & hears, as well
as UNDERSTAND the event fully. Therefore, when Zaid satisfies the
conditions of being present and seeing,together with theability to
comprehend the event in front of him, Zaid may be called upon as a
WITNESS to that event.
Now, it would follow that, if Zaid were blind or deaf, Zaid could not
be called upon as a reliable witness, since Zaid does not fulfill all
the requirements of being are liable witness. Therefore, a WITNESS is
someone who is HAAZIR& NAAZIR at an event andfully understands the
event. Be it that the witness was at the eventphysically or was able
to observe the event LIVE from afar spiritually or in the case of Zaid
electronically!
It must also be apparent that one cannot be NAAZIR without being
HAAZIR, the two abilities go hand in hand.
This is a very important point to understand. Now, bearing in mind the
definition of HAAZIR& NAAZIR together with the definition of being
aWITNESS to an event, payfull attention to what the Holy Quran says
about the Holy Prophet (Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam).
1) " 'O' Nabi (communicator of the unseen) we have sent you as a
witness." (S33 V45)
2) "Then how shall it be, when We bring up a witness from each nation
(of each Prophet)and 'O' beloved
Messenger We will bring you as a witness and guardian against all
those." (S4 V41)
Observe that the Holy Prophet (Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) is
beingcalled a WITNESS to all the nations that Allah has put upon this
Earth. Therefore, the Holy Prophet (Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) must
have been present before his Earthly appearance and is still present
after this Earthly demise, otherwise he cannot be called upon asa
witness in the true sense of the word. Thereare many other verses
ofthe Holy Quran that call upon the Holy Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi
Wasallam)to be a witness. And a witness can only be someone who is
Haazir & Naazir.
A Technical Point
The following Quranic verses are often quoted to show that the Holy
Prophet (Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) was notpresent and seeing
before his Earthly appearance :
"And you ('O' Prophet) were not with them (present) when they
casttheir pens(to decide) which of them should be
Mary's guardian." (S3 v44)
"The Prophet was not present when Musa was called upon Tur" (S28 V46)
Yes, the Holy Prophet (Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) was notpresent
(physically speaking) at these events, but this is not to say that he
was not seeing (Naazir) these events. On the contrary, he must have
been seeing these events, otherwise how can he be a witness to all the
events as mentioned in the previous Quranic Verses. And since he was
seeing (NAAZIR) he must have been present(HAAZIR), be it spiritually
and from afar.
Read the following verses of the Holy Quran:
3)" ('O' Prophet) Have you not seen how your Lord dealt with the
owners of the Elephant." (S105 V1)
This event took place many days before the birth of the Holy
Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam).
4)" ('O' Prophet) Have you not seen how your Lord dealt with (the
people) of Aad. " (S89 V9)
Now the people of Aad lived many centuries before the advent of the
Holy Prophet (Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) on this Earth.
So, how could the Holy Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) 'SEE'
these events? Allah only knows how, but, since it is clear from the
verses of the Holy Quran,that the Holy Prophet (Sallal Laahu Alaihi
Wasallam) did SEE these events, then you must admit that the Holy
Prophet (Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) was present and seeing (HAAZIR
& NAAZIR) at these events. Furthermore, the Holy Prophet(Sallal Laahu
Alaihi Wasallam) witnessed these events before his Earthly advent.
Note that Allah did not say, "have you not HEARD..." or "have you not
been TOLD..". No, Allah says to the Holy Prophet (Sallal Laahu Alaihi
Wasallam) "did you not SEE"!
Please apply a little common sense. Is there not a difference between
seeing an event and being told about an event.
Mu'adh(RA)reports that the Holy Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam)
said, "I saw Allah. He put His hand between my shoulders. I felt the
coolness of His hand in my breast which enlightened me about
everything. And I recognized Him." (Tirmidhi Sharif)
Even a lifetime would not be enough to contemplate on this Hadith, if
only Allah would open our minds to contemplation and understanding.
Sayyidina Umar (RA), states "In one Friday sermon, the Holy Prophet
(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) informed us about everything which has
happened or will happen from the very beginning of time until the
Hereafter when some will inhabit Paradise while the others Hell."
(Bukhari Sharif)
Is it not clear, that the Holy Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam)
isa witness to all that has happened and will happen!
Ibn Abbas (RA) reports that the Holy Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi
Wasallam) said, "I know everything which is in the Heavens and
theEarth, from the East to the West."(Tirmidhi Sharif)
How can the Holy Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) know everything
in the Heavens and the Earth and their constant changing conditions,
without beholding the conditions of the Heavens and the Earth
continuously !
The Holy Prophet (Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) had elevated some of
hiscompanions to such a state of being, that even those selected
companions were ever seeing the Heavens and the Earth.
Imaam Al Azam, Imaam Abu Hanifa writes that Haaris Ibn La'man and
Haarisa bin Na'man havestated, "Once I went to the Holy Prophet
(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam). The Holy Prophet (Sallal Laahu Alaihi
Wasallam) asked me a question, 'O Haaris in what state did you pass
the day?' I replied 'as a true Muslim'. Then the Holy Prophet(Sallal
Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) asked me the state of my faith.
I replied 'I see the Throne of Allah and the people of Paradise
helping each other and the people of Hell lamenting in Hell. I see
infront of me Eight Heavens and Seven Hells as clear as idol
worshippers see their Idols. I can recognize each individual just like
a miller can recognize Wheat from Barley, evenwho is to go to Paradise
and who is to be found in Hell. In front of me people are like fish
and ants. Shall I stay silent or continue to speak?'
The Holy Prophet (Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) told him to stop and
say no more. (Fiqah-Al-Akbar)
All it takes is a little common sense, if a companion of the Holy
Prophet (Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) can behold Allah's creation in
such detail, then whatremains to be said aboutwhat the Holy Prophet
(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) beholds of Allah's creation.
Allama Ahmed Qustulani (RA) commentator of Bukhari Shareef, writes in
his book Mawahib-ladunya and Imam Muhammad Ibni Hajar Makki (RA)
writes in his book Madkhal: "There is no difference between the states
of life and death of the Holy Prophet (Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam),
in his seeing his entire ummahand his recognizing of their states,
their intentions and their minds, and all this is clear to him; there
is no secret thereof to him." (Mawahib p.32, Madkhal p.21).
Qadi Ayyaz(RA) the well-known author of Shifa, writes "Whenever there
is nobody present in the home and you enter the home recite"Assalamo
Alaika Ayyohannabi Warahmatullah Wa Barakatahoo" Meaning"Peace be upon
you 'O' Holy Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) of Allah and
Allah's mercy and blessings be upon you." (Shifa Sharif)
The point to note is that we are saluting the Holy Prophet(Sallal
Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) in the present tense i.e. accepting him as
Haazir& Naazir.
Mulla Ali Qari (RA): Substantiating on the above, the great Islamic
scholar, Mulla Ali Qari(RA)in his Shareh Shifa writes, "The reason(
for saluting the Holy Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) in the
present tense) is that theHoly Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam's)
soul is HAAZIR (present) in every Muslim home". (Shareh Shifa)
There are a billion Muslim homes throughout the world, and according
to the Islamic scholars, the HolyProphet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam)
is present in everyMuslim home, does this not prove that the Holy
Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) is Haazir in many places at the
same time and Naazir as well.
Imaam Ghazali (RA) the seal of Islam, a great scholar and a Sufi
Masterwrites, "When you go into a mosque then say salaam to the Holy
Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) becausethe Holy Prophet (Sallal
Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) ispresent (Haazir) in mosques." (Mirqat -
Shareh Miskat)
There must be millions of Mosques situated around the world and inall
mosques the Holy Prophet (Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) is present
spiritually. Whenthe Holy Prophet (Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam)
isHaazir then he must be seeing and therefore he must be Naazir as
well.
It has been reported in the famous book 'Tafseer-e-Roohul Bayan'that
Imaam Ghazali (RA) stated, "the Holy Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi
Wasallam) and his companions' souls have been given the right to
travel the world and many Awliya Allah have seen the Holy Prophet
(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam)."(Tafseer-e-Roohul Bayaan - SurahMalak
)
Again Imaam Ghazali (RA), referring to the position of sitting
(Tashahudd) during Salat and reciting 'At-Tahiyyatu..', says that on
reciting the words 'Ayyohannabi'('O' Prophet) the reciter must behold
the Holy Prophet (Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) as Haazir. Imaam
Ghazali (RA) says, ''And believe inyour hearts that the HolyProphet
(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) is present (Haazir) and then say
Assalamo AlaikaAyyohannabi'' (Ihya ' ul -Uloom Vol. 1 Section 3)
How strange, when we put the above argument forward to a
Deobandi(Wahhabi) mullah in South London, the Deobandi mullah said,
"we only recite 'Ayyohannabi' because itis stated in the Hadith,
otherwise reciting 'Ayyohannabi' has no special significance". Who
should we believe, the seal of Islam Imaam Ghazali(RA) or a 'square
head' Deobandi mullah. Perhaps our Deobandi mullah needs more proof.
Let us give him and other 'square heads'more proof.
Hazrat Sheikh Abdul Haqq Muhaddith Dehlvi (RA), the 30th in line of
the Golden Naqshbandi Sufi Order, and someonewhom Deobandis' are very
fond of quoting, says, ''In Attahiyat, the reason for reciting
'Ayyohannabi' is that Haqqiqat-e-Muhammadi (Reality (light) of the
Holy Prophet (Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam)) is present in every
little thing. Therefore, it is present in the people praying Salat,
and those performing the Salat should be fully aware of this fact and
should not pay attention to anything except for the Holy
Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam's) presence (Haazri)''.
(Madarijun Nabuwat Vol.1 part 4 - Zikreh Fazaalileh Nabi )
Imaam Jalaluddin Suyuti (RA) says, "To keep watch of his own
followers' work and to pray for their forgiveness; to pray for their
abstention from bad deeds; to come and go in all parts of the world to
give auspiciousness; if one pious person dies from his followers then
to come and attend his janazah (funeral), all thisis done by the Holy
Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam)" (Intibahul Azkiyya)
Imaam Suyuti (RA) further states, ''If someone believes, that, while
performing Milad Sharif, or at the end of Ramadan or while reciting
Qasida(Naat) Sharif, that the Holy Prophet (Sallal Laahu Alaihi
Wasallam's) soul is present on these occasions, then to believe this
is perfectly acceptable" (Shareh Sudoor)
By now any reasonable minded Muslim must, at least, accept that the
Holy Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) has been granted the
ability of being in several places at the same time, be it
spiritually. However, some Muslim believe that the Holy Prophet(Sallal
Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) can even present himself physically.
Sheikh Abdul Haqq Muhaddis Dehlvi(RA) states, ''Allah Ta'ala has given
the Holy Prophet (Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) the strength and power
to go anywhere he likes, he can go with his own body or only in soul.
On the earth, in the sky, in the grave and the Holy Prophet(Sallal
Laahu Alaihi Wasallam's) connection stays with his own shrine.''
(Madarigun Naboowat Vol.2 Part4 Wasleh Hayaateh Ambiya)
Abdul Karim Ibn Ibrahim Al Jili (RA) is a descendant of the great
Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani(RA). Sheikh Jili (RA) gives us a
mind-blowing insight into the reality ofthe Holy Prophet (Sallal Laahu
Alaihi Wasallam) in his book "The Perfect Man". However, we shall stay
with the subject matter and quote SheikhJili (RA) on this subject
alone. He writes "His original name is Muhammad (Sallal LaahuAlaihi
Wasallam), his name of honor is Abu'l Qasim, his description Abdullah,
and his title Shamsuddin. In every age he bears a name suitable to his
guise in that age. I once met him in the form of my Sheikh". He
further writes, "The truth of the matter is that the Holy Prophet
(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) has the power of assuming every form
(In every age)." (Al Insanul Kamil)
Sheikh Jili(RA) relates how the Holy Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi
Wasallam) took the bodily form of Sheikh Shibli (RA). He writes,
"Thus, when he appeared in the form of Shibli, Shibli said to his
murid, 'Bear witness thatI am the Messenger of Allah'; and the murid,
being of insight, recognized the Holy Prophet(Sallal Laahu Alaihi
Wasallam)and said, 'I bear witness that thou art the Messenger Allah.'
" (Al Insanul Kamil)
Finally, take heed of what the saint of saints has said on this subject.
Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani(RA) writing about the Holy Prophet (Sallal
Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) says, "He is called the Total Intellect,
because he saw and understood everything." (Sirr al-asrar)
Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani(RA) further writes, "The soul of the Holy
Prophet (Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam), is watching you. He is pained,
at seeing your state." (Sirral-asrar)
What more proof does anyone require. If our feeble minds are unable to
understand the omnipresence the Holy Prophet (Sallal Laahu Alaihi
Wasallam) then that is our own weakness. However, to deny something
when irrefutable proofs are presented is pure foolishness.

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And Allah Knows the Best!

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Published by :->
M NajimudeeN Bsc- INDIA

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Fatimah bint Muhammad - Biographies of the Companions (Sahabah)

Fatimah was the fifth child of Muhammad and Khadijah. She was born at
a time when her noble father had begun to spendlong periods in the
solitude of mountains around Makkah, meditating and reflecting on
thegreat mysteries of creation.
This was the time, before the Bithah, when her eldest sister Zaynab
was married to her cousin, al-Aas ibn ar Rabiah. Then followed the
marriage of her two other sisters, Ruqayyah and Umm Kulthum, to the
sons of Abu Lahab, a paternal uncle ofthe Prophet. Both Abu Lahab and
his wife Umm Jamil turned out to be flaming enemies of theProphet from
the very beginningof his public mission.
The little Fatimah thus saw her sisters leave home one after the other
to live with their husbands. She was too young tounderstand the
meaning of marriage and the reasons why her sisters had to leave home.
She loved them dearly and was sad and lonely when they left. It is
said that a certain silence and painful sadness came over her then.
Of course, even after the marriage of her sisters, she was not alone
in the house of her parents. Barakah, the maid-servant of Aminah, the
Prophet's mother, who had been with the Prophet since his birth, Zayd
ibn Harithah, and Ali, the young son of Abu Talib were all part of
Muhammad's household at this time. And of course there was her loving
mother, the lady Khadijah.
In her mother and in Barakah, Fatimah found a great deal of solace and
comfort in Ali, who was about two years older than she, she found a
"brother" and afriend who somehow took the place of her own brother
al-Qasim who had died in his infancy. Her other brother Abdullah,
known as the Good and the Pure, who was born after her, also died in
his infancy.However in none of the people in her father's household
did Fatimah find the carefree joy andhappiness which she enjoyed with
her sisters. She was an unusually sensitive child for her age.
When she was five, she heard that her father had become Rasul Allah,
the Messenger of God. His first task was to convey the good news of
Islam to his family and close relations. They were to worship God
Almighty alone. Her mother, who was a tower of strength and support,
explained to Fatimah what her father had to do. From this time on, she
became more closely attached to him and felt a deep and abiding love
for him. Often she would be at Iris side walkingthrough the narrow
streets and alleys of Makkah, visiting the Kabah or attending secret
gatherings off, the early Muslimswho had accepted Islam and pledged
allegiance to the Prophet.
One day, when she was not yet ten, she accompanied her father to the
Masjid al-Haram. He stood in the place known as al-Hijr facing the
Kabah and began to pray. Fatimah stood at his side. A group of
Quraysh, by no meanswell-disposed to the Prophet, gathered about him.
They included Abu Jahl ibn Hisham, the Prophet's uncle, Uqbah ibn Abi
Muayt, Umayyah ibn Khalaf, and Shaybah and Utbah, sons of Rabi'ah.
Menacingly, the group went up to the Prophet and Abu Jahl, the
ringleader, asked:
"Which of you can bring the entrails of a slaughtered animal and throw
it on Muhammad?"
Uqbah ibn Abi Muayt, one of the vilest of the lot, volunteered
andhurried off. He returned with theobnoxious filth and threw it on
the shoulders of the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace,
while he was still prostrating. Abdullah ibn Masud,a companion of the
Prophet, was present but he was powerless to do or say anything.
Imagine the feelings of Fatimah as she saw her father being treated in
this fashion. What could she, a girl not ten years old, do? She went
up to her father and removed the offensive matter and then stood
firmly and angrily before the group of Quraysh thugs and lashed out
against them. Not a single word did they say to her. The noble Prophet
raised his head on completion of the prostration and went on to
complete the Salat. He then said:"O Lord, may you punish the Quraysh!"
and repeated this imprecation three times. Then he continued:
"May You punish Utbah, Uqbah, Abu Jahl and Shaybah." (These whom he
named were all killed many years later at the Battle of Badr)
On another occasion, Fatimah was with the Prophet as he made; tawaf
around the Kabah. A Quraysh mob gathered aroundhim. They seized him
and tried to strangle him with his own clothes. Fatimah screamed and
shouted for help. Abu Bakr rushed to the scene and managed to free the
Prophet. While he was doing so, he pleaded: "Would you kill a man who
says, 'My Lord is God?'" Far from giving up, the mob turned on Abu
Bakr and began beating him until blood flowed from his head and face.
Such scenes of vicious opposition and harassment against her father
and the early Muslims were witnessed by the young Fatimah. She did not
meekly stand aside but joined in the struggle in defence of her father
and his noble mission. She was still a young girl and instead of the
cheerful romping, the gaiety and liveliness which children of her age
are and should normally be accustomed to, Fatimah had to witness and
participate in such ordeals.
Of course, she was not alone in this. The whole of the Prophet's
family suffered from the violent and mindless Quraysh. Her sisters,
Ruqayyah and Umm Kulthum also suffered. They were living at this time
in the very nest of hatred and intrigue against the Prophet. Their
husbands were Utbah and Utaybah, sons of Abu Lahab and Umm Jamil. Umm
Jamil was known to be a hard and harsh woman who had a sharp and evil
tongue. It was mainly because of her that Khadijah was not pleased
with the marriages of her daughters to Umm Jamil's sons in the first
place. It must have been painful for Ruqayyah and Umm Kulthumto be
living in the household of such inveterate enemies who not only joined
but led the campaign against their father.
As a mark of disgrace to Muhammad and his family, Utbah and Utaybah
were prevailed upon by their parents to divorce their wives. This was
part of the process of ostracizing the Prophet totally. The Prophet in
fact welcomed his daughters back to his home with joy, happiness and
relief.
Fatimah, no doubt, must have been happy to be with her sisters once
again. They all wished that their eldest sister, Zaynab, would also be
divorced by her husband. In fact, the Quraysh brought pressure on
Abu-l Aas to do so but he refused. When the Quraysh leaders came up to
him and promised him the richest and most beautiful woman as a wife
should he divorce Zaynab, he replied:
"I love my wife deeply and passionately and I have a great and high
esteem for her father even though I have not entered the religion of
Islam."
Both Ruqayyah and Umm Kulthum were happy to be back with their loving
parents and to be rid of the unbearable mental torture to which they
had been subjected in the house of Umm Jamil. Shortly afterwards,
Ruqayyah married again, to the young and shy Uthman ibn Allan who was
among the first to have accepted Islam. They both left for Abyssinia
among the firstmuhajirin who sought refuge in that land and stayed
there for several years. Fatimah was not to see Ruqayyah again until
aftertheir mother had died.
The persecution of the Prophet, his family and his followers continued
and even became worse after the migration of thefirst Muslims to
Abyssinia. In about the seventh year of his mission, the Prophet and
his family were forced to leave their homes and seek refuge in a
rugged little valley enclosed by hills on all sides and defile, which
could only be entered from Makkah by a narrow path.
To this arid valley, Muhammad and the clans of Banu Hashim and
al-Muttalib were forced to retire with limited supplies of food.
Fatimah was one of the youngest members of the clans -just about
twelve years old - and had to undergo months of hardship and
suffering. The wailing of hungry children and women in the valley
could be heard from Makkah. The Qurayshallowed no food and contact
with the Muslims whose hardship was only relieved somewhat during the
season of pilgrimage. The boycott lasted for three years. When it was
lifted, the Prophet had to face even more trials and difficulties.
Khadijah, the faithful and loving,died shortly afterwards. With her
death, the Prophet and his family lost one of the greatest sources of
comfort and strengthwhich had sustained them through the difficult
period. The year in which the noble Khadijah, and later Abu Talib,
died is known as the Year of Sadness. Fatimah, now a young lady, was
greatly distressed by her mother's death. She wept bitterly and for
some time was so grief-striken that her health deteriorated. It was
even feared she might die of grief.
Although her older sister, Umm Kulthum, stayed in the same household,
Fatimah realized thatshe now had a greater responsibility with the
passing away of her mother. She felt that she had to give even greater
support to her father. With loving tenderness, she devoted herself to
looking after his needs. So concerned was shefor his welfare that she
came to be called "Umm Abi-ha the mother of her father". She also
provided him with solace and comfort during times of trial, difficulty
and crisis.
Often the trials were too much for her. Once, about this time,
aninsolent mob heaped dust and earth upon his gracious head. Ashe
entered his home, Fatimah wept profusely as she wiped thedust from her
father's head.
"Do not cry, my daughter," he said, "for God shall protect your
father." The Prophet had a special love for Fatimah. He oncesaid:
"Whoever pleased Fatimah has indeed pleased God and whoever has caused
her to be angry has indeed angered God. Fatimah is a part of me.
Whatever pleases her pleases me and whatever angers her angers me."
He also said: "The best women in all the world are four: the Virgin
Mary, Aasiyaa the wife of Pharoah, Khadijah Mother of the Believers,
and Fatimah, daughterof Muhammad." Fatimah thus acquired a place of
love and esteem in the Prophet's heart that was only occupied by his
wife Khadijah.
Fatimah, may God be pleased with her, was given the title
of"az-Zahraa" which means "the Resplendent One". That was because of
her beaming face which seemed to radiate light. Itis said that when
she stood for Prayer, the mihrab would reflect the light of her
countenance. She was also called "al-Batul" because of her asceticism.
Instead of spending her time in the company of women, much of her time
would be spent in Salat, in reading the Quran and in other acts of
ibadah.
Fatimah had a strong resemblance to her father, the Messenger of God.
Aishah, the wife of the Prophet, said of her:"I have not seen any one
of God's creation resemble the Messenger of God more in speech,
conversation and manner of sitting than Fatimah, may God be pleased
with her. When the Prophet saw her approaching, he would welcomeher,
stand up and kiss her, take her by the hand and sit her down in the
place where he wassitting." She would do the same when the Prophet
came to her. She would stand up and welcome him with joy and kiss him.
Fatimah's fine manners and gentle speech were part of her lovely and
endearing personality.She was especially kind to poor and indigent
folk and would often give all the food she had to those in need even
if she herself remained hungry. She had no craving for the ornaments
of this world nor the luxury and comforts of life. She lived simply,
although on occasion as we shall see circumstances seemed to be
toomuch and too difficult for her.
She inherited from her father a persuasive eloquence that was rooted
in wisdom. When she spoke, people would often be moved to tears. She
had the ability and the sincerity to stir the emotions, move people to
tears and fill their hearts with praise and gratitude to God for His
grace and His inestimable bounties.
Fatimah migrated to Madinah a few weeks after the Prophet did.She went
with Zayd ibn Harithah who was sent by the Prophet back to Makkah to
bring the restof his family. The party included Fatimah and Umm
Kulthum, Sawdah, the Prophet's wife, Zayd's wife Barakah and her son
Usamah. Travelling with the group also were Abdullah the son of Abu
Bakr who accompanied his mother and hissisters, Aishah and Asma.
In Madinah, Fatimah lived with her father in the simple dwellinghe had
built adjoining the mosque. In the second year afterthe Hijrah, she
received proposals of marriage through her father, two of which were
turned down. Then Ali, the son of Abu Talib, plucked up courageand
went to the Prophet to ask for her hand in marriage. In the presence
of the Prophet, however, Ali became over-awed and tongue-tied. He
stared at the ground and could not say anything. The Prophet then
asked: "Why have you come? Do you need something?" Ali still could not
speak and then the Prophet suggested: "Perhaps you have come to
propose marriage to Fatimah."
"Yes," replied Ali. At this, according to one report, the Prophet said
simply: "Marhaban wa ahlan - Welcome into the family," and this was
taken by Ali and a group of Ansar who were waiting outside for him as
indicating the Prophet's approval. Another report indicated that the
Prophet approved and went on to ask Ali if he had anything to give as
mahr. Ali replied that he didn't. The Prophet reminded him that he had
a shield which could be sold.
Ali sold the shield to Uthman for four hundred dirhams and as he was
hurrying back to the Prophet to hand over the sum asmahr, Uthman
stopped him and said:
"I am returning your shield to you as a present from me on your
marriage to Fatimah." Fatimah and Ali were thus married most probably
at the beginning of the second year after the Hijrah. She was about
nineteen years old at the time and Ali was about twenty one. The
Prophet himself performed the marriage ceremony. At the walimah, the
guests were served with dates, figs and hais ( a mixture of dates and
butter fat). A leading member of the Ansar donated a ram and others
made offerings of grain. All Madinah rejoiced.
On her marriage, the Prophet is said to have presented Fatimah and Ali
with a wooden bed intertwined with palm leaves, a velvet coverlet, a
leather cushionfilled with palm fibre, a sheepskin, a pot, a waterskin
and a quern for grinding grain.
Fatimah left the home of her beloved father for the first time to
begin life with her husband. The Prophet was clearly anxious on her
account and sent Barakahwith her should she be in need of any help.
And no doubt Barakah was a source of comfortand solace to her. The
Prophet prayed for them:
"O Lord, bless them both, bless their house and bless their
offspring." In Ali's humble dwelling, there was only a sheepskin for a
bed. In the morning after the wedding night, the Prophet went to Ali's
house and knocked on the door.
Barakah came out and the Prophet said to her: "O Umm Ayman, call my
brother for me."
"Your brother? That's the one who married your daughter?" asked
Barakah somewhat incredulously as if to say: Why should the Prophet
call Ali his"brother"? (He referred to Ali as his brother because just
as pairs of Muslims were joined in brotherhood after the Hijrah, so
the Prophet and Ali were linked as "brothers".)
The Prophet repeated what he had said in a louder voice. Ali came and
the Prophet made a du'a, invoking the blessings of God on him. Then he
asked for Fatimah. She came almost cringing with a mixture of awe and
shyness and the Prophet said to her:
"I have married you to the dearest of my family to me." In this way,
he sought to reassure her. She was not starting life with a complete
stranger but with one who had grown up in the same household, who was
among the first to become a Muslim at a tender age, who was known for
his courage, bravery and virtue, and whom the Prophet described as
his"brother in this world and the hereafter".
Fatimah's life with Ali was as simple and frugal as it was in her
father's household. In fact, so far as material comforts
wereconcerned, it was a life of hardship and deprivation. Throughout
their life together, Ali remained poor because he did not set great
store by material wealth. Fatimah was the only one of her sisters who
was not married to a wealthy man.
In fact, it could be said that Fatimah's life with Ali was even more
rigorous than life in her father's home. At least before marriage,
there were always a number of ready helping hands in the Prophet's
household. But now she had to cope virtually onher own. To relieve
their extreme poverty, Ali worked as adrawer and carrier of water and
she as a grinder of corn. One dayshe said to Ali: "I have ground until
my hands are blistered."
"I have drawn water until I have pains in my chest," said Ali and went
on to suggest to Fatimah:"God has given your father somecaptives of
war, so go and ask him to give you a servant."
Reluctantly, she went to the Prophet who said: "What has brought you
here, my little daughter?" "I came to give you greetings of peace,"
she said, forin awe of him she could not bring herself to ask what she
had intended.
"What did you do?" asked Ali when she returned alone.
"I was ashamed to ask him," shesaid. So the two of them went together
but the Prophet felt they were less in need than others.
"I will not give to you," he said,"and let the Ahl as-Suffah (poor
Muslims who stayed in the mosque) be tormented with hunger. I have not
enough for their keep..."
Ali and Fatimah returned home feeling somewhat dejected but that
night, after they had gone to bed, they heard the voice of the Prophet
asking permission to enter. Welcoming him, they both rose to their
feet, but he told them:
"Stay where you are," and sat down beside them. "Shall I not tell you
of something better than that which you asked of me?" he asked and
when they said yes he said: "Words which Jibril taught me, that you
shouldsay "Subhaan Allah- Glory be to God" ten times after every
Prayer, and ten times "AI hamdulillah - Praise be to God," and
tentimes "Allahu Akbar - God is Great." And that when you go tobed you
should say them thirty-three times each."
Ali used to say in later years: "I have never once failed to say them
since the Messenger of God taught them to us."
There are many reports of the hard and difficult times which Fatimah
had to face. Often there was no food in her house. Once the Prophet
was hungry. He went to one after another of his wives' apartments but
there was no food. He then went to Fatimah's house and she had no food
either. When he eventually got some food, he sent two loaves and a
piece of meat to Fatimah. At another time, he went to the house of Abu
Ayyub al-Ansari and from the food he was given, he saved some for her.
Fatimah also knew that the Prophet was without food for long periods
and she in turn would take food to him when she could. Once she took a
piece of barley bread and he, said to her: "This is the first food
your father has eaten for three days."
Through these acts of kindness she showed how much she loved her
father; and he loved her, really loved her in return.
Once he returned from a journeyoutside Madinah. He went to themosque
first of all and prayed two rakats as was his custom. Then, as he
often did, he went to Fatimah's house before goingto his wives.
Fatimah welcomed him and kissed his face, his mouth and his eyes and
cried."Why do you cry?" the Prophet asked. "I see you, O Rasul Allah,"
she said, "Your color is pale and sallow and your clothes have become
worn and shabby." "O Fatimah," the Prophet replied tenderly, "don't
cry for Allah has sent your father with a mission which He would cause
to affect every house on the face of the earth whether it be in towns,
villages or tents (in the desert) bringing either glory or humiliation
until this mission is fulfilled just as night (inevitably) comes."
With such comments Fatimah was often taken from the harsh realities of
daily life to get a glimpse of the vast and far-reaching vistas opened
up bythe mission entrusted to her noble father.
Fatimah eventually returned to live in a house close to that of the
Prophet. The place was donated by an Ansari who knew that the Prophet
would rejoice in having his daughter as his neighbor. Together they
shared in the joys and the triumphs, thesorrows and the hardships of
the crowded and momentous Madinah days and years.
In the middle of the second year after the Hijrah, her sister Ruqayyah
fell ill with fever and measles. This was shortly beforethe great
campaign of Badr. Uthman, her husband, stayed by her bedside and
missed the campaign. Ruqayyah died just before her father returned. On
his return to Madinah, one of thefirst acts of the Prophet was to
visit her grave.
Fatimah went with him. This was the first bereavement they had
suffered within their closestfamily since the death of Khadijah.
Fatimah was greatly distressed by the loss of her sister. The tears
poured from her eyes as she sat beside her father at the edge of the
grave, and he comforted her and sought to dry her tears with the
corner of his cloak.
The Prophet had previously spoken against lamentations forthe dead,
but this had lead to a misunderstanding, and when they returned from
the cemeterythe voice of Umar was heard raised in anger against the
women who were weeping for the martyrs of Badr and for Ruqayyah.
"Umar, let them weep," he said and then added: "What comes from the
heart and from the eye,that is from God and His mercy, but what comes
from the hand and from the tongue, that is from Satan." By the hand he
meant the beating of breasts and the smiting of cheeks, and by the
tongue he meant the loud clamor in which women often joined as a mark
of public sympathy.
Uthman later married the other daughter of the Prophet, Umm Kulthum,
and on this account came to be known as Dhu-n Nurayn - Possessor of
the Two Lights.
The bereavement which the family suffered by the death of Ruqayyah was
followed by happiness when to the great joy of all the believers
Fatimah gave birth to a boy in Ramadan of thethird year after the
Hijrah. The Prophet spoke the words of the Adhan into the ear of the
new-born babe and called him al-Hasan which means the Beautiful One.
One year later, she gave birth to another son who was called
al-Husayn, which means "little Hasan" or the little beautiful one.
Fatimah would often bring her two sons to see their grandfather who
was exceedingly fond of them. Later he would take them to the Mosque
and they would climb onto his back when he prostrated. He did the same
with his little granddaughter Umamah, the daughter of Zaynab.
In the eighth year after the Hijrah, Fatimah gave birth to a third
child, a girl whom she named after her eldest sister Zaynab who had
died shortly before her birth. This Zaynab was to grow up and become
famous as the "Heroine of Karbala". Fatimah's fourth child was born in
the year after the Hijrah. The child was also a girl and Fatimah named
her Umm Kulthum after her sister who had died the year before after
anillness.
It was only through Fatimah that the progeny of the Prophet was
perpetuated. All the Prophet's male children had diedin their infancy
and the two children of Zaynab named Ali and Umamah died young.
Ruqayyah's child Abdullah also died when he was not yet two years old.
This is an added reason for the reverence which is accorded to
Fatimah.
Although Fatimah was so often busy with pregnancies and giving birth
and rearing children,she took as much part as she could in the affairs
of the growing Muslim community of Madinah. Before her marriage, she
acted as a sort of hostess to the poor and destitute Ahl as-Suffah. As
soon as the Battle of Uhud was over, she went withother women to the
battlefield and wept over the dead martyrs and took time to dress her
father's wounds. At the Battle ofthe Ditch, she played a major
supportive role together with other women in preparing food during the
long and difficult siege. In her camp, she led the Muslim women in
prayer and on that place there stands a mosque named Masjid Fatimah,
one of seven mosques where the Muslims stood guard and performed their
devotions.
Fatimah also accompanied the Prophet when he made Umrah in the sixth
year after the Hijrah after the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah. In the
following year, she and her sister Umm Kulthum, were among the mighty
throng of Muslims who took part with the Prophet in the liberation of
Makkah. It is said that on this occasion, both Fatimah and Umm Kulthum
visited the home of their mother Khadijah and recalled memories of
their childhood and memories of jihad, of long struggles in the early
years of the Prophet's mission.
In Ramadan of the tenth year just before he went on his Farewell
Pilgrimage, the Prophetconfided to Fatimah, as a secret not yet to be
told to others:
"Jibril recited the Quran to me and I to him once every year, butthis
year he has recited it with me twice. I cannot but think that my time
has come."
On his return from the Farewell Pilgrimage, the Prophet did become
seriously ill. His final days were spent in the apartment of his wife
Aishah. When Fatimah came to visit him,Aishah would leave father and
daughter together.
One day he summoned Fatimah. When she came, he kissed her and
whispered some words in her ear. She wept. Then again hewhispered in
her ear and she smiled. Aishah saw and asked:
"You cry and you laugh at the same time, Fatimah? What did the
Messenger of God say to you?" Fatimah replied:
"He first told me that he would meet his Lord after a short whileand
so I cried. Then he said to me: 'Don't cry for you will be thefirst of
my household to join me.' So I laughed."
Not long afterwards the noble Prophet passed away. Fatimah was
grief-striken and she would often be seen weeping profusely. One of
the companions noted that he did not see Fatimah, may God be pleased
with her, laugh after thedeath of her father.
One morning, early in the monthof Ramadan, just less than five month
after her noble father had passed away, Fatimah woke up looking
unusually happy and full of mirth. In the afternoon of that day, it is
said that she calledSalma bint Umays who was looking after her. She
asked for some water and had a bath. She then put on new clothes and
perfumed herself. She then asked Salma to put her bed in the courtyard
of the house. Withher face looking to the heavens above, she asked for
her husband Ali.
He was taken aback when he saw her lying in the middle of the
courtyard and asked her what was wrong. She smiled and said: "I have
an appointment today with the Messenger of God."
Ali cried and she tried to consolehim. She told him to look after
their sons al-Hasan and al-Husayn and advised that she should be
buried without ceremony. She gazed upwards again, then closed her eyes
and surrendered her soul to the Mighty Creator.
She, Fatimah the Resplendent One, was just twenty nine years old.

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And Allah Knows the Best!

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Published by :->
M NajimudeeN Bsc- INDIA

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