FATIMA ZAHRA - THE WITHERING ROSE

It was a short life... As short as the lives of fragrant roses...

A life which Hazrat Fatima (A.S) endured and now it is coming to an end... even before it was given the chance to completely blossom!!

Surely the successive calamities and severe hardships which befell Hazrat Fatima Zahra (A.S). While she was still young, left her with a broken rib and confined to bed, suffering from her broken rib and remembering what had come to pass and her devoted husband who was her safe refuge in whom she took refuge whenever abused...

She remembered her usurped rights...

She remembered her oppressed husband and his stolen position...

She remembered him being led by his turban to the Mosque while she followed him...

She remembered all this and a gloomy picture appeared before her tired eyes…then a sigh becomes imprisoned deep in her heart.

That heart which longs for the great Messenger who gave her the good news of her speedy departure after him...

Oh! How forsaken she was?!

But, she was the Prophet's daughter!

She was his favorite child!

She whom the Prophet repeatedly expressed the importance of observing her rights!!

And as he (P.B.U.M.) said: "Man is observed by respecting his children!!"

Yet, this did not stop the arrogant ones from encroaching on her rights, nor did it stop the sinful hands from reaching out to strangle the beautiful rose before it completely blossomed!!

Thus, the branch which the Prophet (P.B.U.M.) left among his nation, withered away, it’s flowers became scattered, its branches wilted.

Fatima (A.S) appeared pale and faint!!

Allah is with you Um Al-Hassan.

You shall depart towards a generous Lord and a great Father... then you shall complain to him about what you have encountered...

Yes! Um Al-Hassan... only ninety (90) days are left...

But you, Muhammad's Ummah, remember her...

Write this in the pages of history... and tell the generations about Fatima's sad story!!

HAZRAT FATIMA ZAHRA'S (A.S) WILL TO IMAM ALI (A.S)

Imam Ali (A.S) was surprised to find that his dear wife had left her bed and had started doing the housework; he asked her about it and she replied:

"This is the last day of my life. I want to wash my children's hair and clothes, because they will soon be orphans, without a mother”

Imam Ali (A.S) then asked her about the source of knowledge of this news (the day of her departure). She (A.S) told him that she had seen the Messenger of Allah (P.B.U.H) in her dream and he had told her that she was going to join him that night. She then asked Imam Ali (A.S) to execute her will.

He said:

"Instruct me to do anything you wish, daughter of Allah's Messenger." Ali (A.S) then asked everyone to leave the house and he sat next to her.

Fatima (A.S) started:

"Cousin, you are not accustomed to me being a False-teller, undevoted, or have I disobeyed you since I have become your companion?"

Ali (A.S) said:

'Allah forbid!! You are more knowing of Allah, more devoted, more pious, and more honorable and more fearing of Allah than (to give me a reason) to reprimand you for disobeying me. Surely it is very painful for me to be separated from you and to lose you; but it is an inevitable destination. By Allah, you have renewed the sorrow I have just encountered with the death of Allah's Messenger; surely your death and departure will be a great calamity, but 'to Allah do we belong, and to Him shall we return.'

What a painful, bitter and sad calamity. Surely this is a calamity for which there is not consolement, and a disaster for which there is no compensation."

Then they both cried and Imam Ali (A.S) embraced her head and said:

"Instruct me to do anything you wish; you certainly will find me devoted and I will execute everything that you command me to do. I shall also put your matters over mine.

She said:

"May Allah reward you with the best of goodness. Cousin, firstly I ask you to marry after my death, my niece Umamah; surely she will be to my children as I was. Besides, men cannot do without women."

Fatima (A.S) then added:

"I ask you not to let anyone who did injustice to me to witness my funeral, for they certainly are enemies of mine, and the enemy of Allah's Messenger. Also don't give them the chance to pray over me, nor to any of their followers. Bury me at night when eyes are rested and sight is put to sleep."

Commenting on Imam Ali's speech after Fatima's burial, the commentator on NahjulBalagha-English version-published by Ansanyan Publication, P.347 - wrote:

"The treatment meted out to the daughter of the Prophet (P.B.U.H) after his death has been extremely painful and sad. Although Sayyedah Fatima (A.S) did not live in this world more than a few months after the death of the prophet (P.B.U.H.), yet even this short period has a long tale of grief and woe (about her). In this connection the first scene that strikes the eyes in that arrangements for the funeral rites of the Prophet (P.B.U.H) had not yet been made when the contest for power started in the Saqifa of Bani Sa'eda. Naturally, their leaving the body of the Prophet (P.B.U.H) (without burial), must have injured Hazrat Fatima's grief-stricken heart to see that those who claimed love and attachment (to the Prophet (P.B.U.H) during his life, became so engrossed in their machinations for power that instead of consoling his only daughter, they did not even know when the Prophet was given funeral bath and when he was burried; and the way they condoled her, was that crowded at her house with material to set fire to it and tried to secure allegiance by force with all the display of oppression, compulsion and violence. All these excesses were with a view to so obliterate the prestigious position of his house that might not remain its lost prestige on any occasion. With this aim in view, in order to crush her economic position, her claim for (the estate of) Fadak was turned down by dubbing it as false, the effect of which was Hazrat Fatima (A.S) made the dying will that none of them should attend her funeral"

Fatima Bint Muhammad was ready to meet her Lord. She bathed, then lay down in her garment... She then instructed Asma Bint Umais to wait awhile and then to call her name; if there was no answer, this would mean that she (A.S.) had departed towards her Lord.

Asma waited a while, then called Fatima's name… but there was no answer;

Asma repeated the call :

"O daughter of the chosen Muhammad!

O daughter of the most honorable of them whom women bore!

O daughter of the best of those who have walked on gravel!

O daughter of him who was at ‘A distance of but two bow-lengths or (even) nearer”

…There was no answer... silence overwhelms the house

…Asma then proceeds towards Fatima and finds her dead.

At that point, Hassan and Hussain entered and asked:

"Where is our mother?"

Yet Asma uttered not a word!

Hassan and Hussain proceeded towards their mother and found her dead. At this, Hussain turned towards Hassan and said:

"May Allah console you for our Mother!"

Imam Ali (A.S) was at the Mosque. Hassan and Hussain went to the Mosque and broke the news to their father. As soon as he (A.S) heard their words, he fell unconscious. When he regained consciousness, he said:

"Who will console me now, daughter of Muhammad? You used to console me, so who will take your place now?"

The Hashimite women were then gathered to receive the news of the great calamity... Yes, the calamity befell them once more, while the blood was still flowing from the wound of losing the Prophet...

Medina shakes...

Everyone came to console Ali (A.S) and his two children... Allah is with you, Zahra 's children...

It was just yesterday that you were inflicted with the death of your great father-the Prophet of Allah-and your new calamity is not any less than that one! But take patience, for this is the will of the Mighty Lord.

A QUIET FUNERAL

In the darkness of the jet-black night, when eyes were asleep and voices were silent, a Heavenly procession left Ali's house while carrying the Messenger of Allah's daughter to her final abode.

This was on the night of the third (3rd) of Jamadi Al-Thani (the second), 11 A.H.

The heartbreaking procession moved towards an unknown location followed by a small number of devoted ones...

They were Ali, Hassan, Hussain, Zainab and Um Kulthum... Abu Dhar, Ammar, Miqdad, and Salman were following them.

Where are the thousands who inhabited Medina? One asks, and the answer came: Fatima (A.S) requested that they may not be present at her funeral!

The family and their friends hurry to bury Fatima... then they rush back to their own homes so that no one would know where Fatima was buried!

In such a matter, the first start from Ahlul-Bayt set after the sun (the Prophet) and left everyone with the only light of Imamate!

Here I was asked:

"What do you think about the end of the life of Fatima (A.S)?

What will be the position of those who oppressed her in the hereafter!!!!?"

I waved my hand to him...

So long... with no word... dead silence...

So long!

But wait... can't you hear the Commander of the faithful... the known hero... Ali... Don't you realize that he is crying? Yet, who would not cry for being separated from the Mistress of women?

Listen to him, he is speaking to the Prophet (P.B.H.M.)

"0 Prophet of Allah, peace be upon you from me and from your daughter who has come to you and who has hastened to meet you. 0 Prophet of Allah (P.B.H.M.) my patience about your chosen (daughter) has been exhausted and my power of endurance has weakened, except that I have ground for consolation in having endured the great hardship and heart-rending event of your separation. I laid you down in your grave while your last breath had passed (when your head)

'Verily we are Allah's and verily unto Him shall we return.'

between my neck and chest.

Now the trust has been returned and what had been given has been taken back. My grief knows no bounds, and my nights will remain sleepless till Allah chooses for me the house in which you are now residing. Certainly your daughter would apprise you of the joining together of your Ummah (people) for oppressing her. You ask her in detail and get all the news about the position. This happened when a long time had not elapsed and your remembrance had not disappeared. My Salam be on you both, the Salam of a grief stricken not of a disgusted or a hateful person. For if l go away, it is not because l am weary (of you); and if I stay, it is not due to lack of belief in what Allah has promised the endurers."

Failing Attempts

At sunrise people gathered to participate in Fatima's funeral, but they were informed that the darling of Allah's Messenger (P.B.U.H.) had been secretly buried during the night.

Meanwhile, Ali (A.S.) made the shapes of four fresh graves in Baqi' so as to conceal the location where Fatima was buried. When the people entered the graveyard, they were confused as to which spot was actually Hazrat Fatima Zahra's grave; the people turned towards each other and with feelings of guilt said:

"Our Prophet (P.B.U.H.) has not left behind but one daughter, yet she has died and was buried without our participation in the funeral or the prayer rituals. We do not even realize the place where she has been buried!"

Noticing that a revolt might be ignited because of the emotional atmosphere this event created, the governing party announced:

"Select a group of Muslim women and ask them to dig these graves so that we may find Fatima and perform prayers on her."

Yes! They attempted to execute the plan, violating Fatima's will and causing Ali's (A.S) attempts to hide the grave to lie vainly.

Have they forgotten Ali's sharp sword and his well-known courage!! Did they really think that Ali would remain indifferent to their outrageous actions up to the point of letting them dig Fatima's grave?

Imam Ali (A.S) did not fight back after the Prophet's (P.B.U.H.) death because he considered the Muslim's unity and overall interests. Yet, this did not mean that he would ignore their villainous crimes against Fatima even after her death. In other words, Ali (A.S) was asked by the Prophet (P.B.U.H.) to have patience, but only to a certain extent; when Ali (P.B.U.H.) received the news of the about-to-be-executed plot, he put on his fighting gear and rushed towards Baqi'. A man from among the people called out:

"This is Ali Ibn Abu Talib leveling his sword and saying:

'If anyone moves even a mere stone from these graves, I shall strike even the "back of the last follower of the unjust.”’”

            People who realized Ali's seriousness, took his threats with complete belief that he would do just as he said if anyone were to oppose him. Yet, a man from the governing ones addressed Ali (A.S) by saying:

"What is the matter, Abu Al-Hassan?! By Allah, we shall dig her grave out and perform prayers on her."

Ali (A.S) then grabbed the man by his clothes shook him and threw him to the ground and said;

“Son of the Sawada! I have abandoned my right to prevent people from forsaking their faith, but as regards Fatima’s grave, by Him in whose hand is my soul if you and your followers attempt to do anything to it, I will irrigate the ground with your blood!!"

At this, Abu Bakr said;

'Abu Al-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…"

Thus, until this day, the location of Fatima's grave remains a secret.