Peace be upon you, O Fatimah al-Zahra,
Peace be upon you, O Mistress of the Women of the Worlds, from the first to the last.
Peace be upon you, O Truthful Martyr.
The highest rank of human perfection is the state of infallibility (‘Ismah), where a person’s pleasure and anger in all matters align completely with the pleasure and anger of God. If the greatest level of infallibility is for a perfect human to reach the state where they are pleased with whatever pleases God and angered by whatever angers Him, then Fatimah al-Zahra is the one whose pleasure satisfies God and whose anger provokes His wrath. This is a station that astounds even the most complete of human beings.
She is the one described in the visions of John: “A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and a crown of twelve stars on her head” [1].
She is the wife and mother of twelve leaders from the descendants of Ishmael, as foretold by God to Prophet Abraham in the Book of Genesis [2].
She is the meaning behind the “Blessed Night” in Surah al-Dukhan, the night “in which every wise matter is determined” [3].
She is the only woman in history whose supplication on the Day of Mubahala was equated with that of the Prophet Muhammad and Imam Ali.
She is the one whom the Prophet saw on the Night of Ascension, where it was written on the gates of Paradise: Fatimah, the Chosen One of Allah [4].
Her merit is such that she is the first to enter the Divine presence, as the Prophet said: “Fatimah will be the first to enter Paradise” [5].
She is the unique jewel whom God bestowed upon the Prophet of the Seal as a favor to the believers (Surah Aal-e-Imran, Verse 64). About her, He revealed: “We have given you al-Kawthar. So pray to your Lord and sacrifice” [6].
What then transpired after the passing of the Prophet that this exalted individual would lament: “Calamities have befallen me, so severe that if they were to descend upon bright days, they would turn them into dark nights” [7]? And when she was laid to rest, her body was so weakened and frail that it was described as a shadow of itself [8].
The Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali, was so grief-stricken that he said to the Prophet at her grave:
“As for my sorrow, it is everlasting, and my nights will now be spent awake until dawn” [9].
Ali ibn Isa al-Arbili narrates the story of her martyrdom:
When Fatimah al-Zahra (peace be upon her) passed away and attained martyrdom, her blessed body was covered with a shroud. Asma relates: “At that time, Hasan and Husayn entered and said:
‘O Asma! Our mother never sleeps at this hour.’ Asma replied: ‘O sons of the Messenger of God, your mother has not fallen asleep but has passed away.’”
Hearing this, Hasan (peace be upon him) threw himself on his mother’s body, kissed her face, and said:
‘Mother, speak to me before my soul leaves my body.’
Husayn (peace be upon him) approached, kissed her feet, and said:
‘Mother, I am your son Husayn. Speak to me before my heart shatters and I die.’
(Kashf al-Ghummah, Volume 2, Page 126)
Footnotes:
[1] Revelation of John, Chapter 12.
[2] Genesis, Chapter 17.
[3] Surah al-Dukhan, Verses 3-4.
[4] Tarikh Baghdad, Volume 1, Page 274.
[5] Mizan al-I’tidal, Volume 2, Page 131.
[6] Surah al-Kawthar, Verses 1-2.
[7] Bihar al-Anwar, Volume 79, Page 106.
[8] Da‘a’im al-Islam, Volume 1, Page 232.
[9] Nahj al-Balaghah, Sermon 202.
[10] Ya Ummah, kallimini qabl an tufariqa ruhi badani
[11] Ya Ummah, ana ibnuk al-Husayn, kallimini qabl an yatasadda‘ qalbi fa-amut.