Islam is distinguished from other religions by several unique features. Among these, Islam gains a special characteristic through the person of a singular lady like Fatimah al-Zahra (peace be upon her); a lady whom the Quran has dedicated the Surah Al-Kawthar in her name…
God has willed to continue both the human and prophetic aspects of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) through his family, ensuring that, unlike some past prophets like Noah, Moses, and Jesus (peace be upon them), the continuity of the prophetic lineage is not severed. Thus, God has decreed that the progeny of the Prophet (peace be upon him) continues through his “daughter,” Fatimah (peace be upon her), and no one else. This is despite the fact that God could have, like with Prophet Abraham (peace be upon him), extended the Prophet’s lineage through his sons. [1]
Fatimah al-Zahra (peace be upon her) holds a unique virtue and sanctity in the sight of God, and her relationship with her Lord is also a special one, which has led to divine praise and exaltation directed toward her. For this reason, no woman is comparable to Fatimah (peace be upon her). This is a matter that can be definitively proven through narrative and historical texts, to the extent that even the majority of Sunni scholars have conveyed it in various forms and with different narrations. All of these texts agree on one point: the “sanctity of Fatimah (peace be upon her).” [2]
Now, if such a lady is subjected to neglect, the scope of this neglect is undoubtedly far beyond what we might imagine:
Indeed, the enemies of Zahra (peace be upon her) are the ones forming the front of hostility against the most important sacred things in Islam, namely the Holy Quran. For Muslims believe that many verses of the Quran were revealed in honor of the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them), such as the “Verse of Purification,” the “Verse of Love,” and the “Verse of Mubahila.” [3][4][5]
Yes, Muslims may differ in their opinions about the specifics and number of the Ahl al-Bayt, but there is no doubt or disagreement among Muslims that Fatimah (peace be upon her) is one of the individuals mentioned in the Verse of Purification. Therefore, hostility toward Fatimah (peace be upon her) is hostility toward the Quran.[6]
Moreover, without a doubt, hostility toward Fatimah (peace be upon her) is hostility toward the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), the most sacred figure in human history. In other words, injustice toward Fatimah (peace be upon her) is injustice toward all Islamic sanctities, the clearest and most obvious of which is the Prophet (peace be upon him), for Fatimah’s pleasure is God’s pleasure, and her anger is God’s anger. Thus, harming Fatimah (peace be upon her) is harming the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). [7]
Additionally, this hostility is, in fact, an act of enmity toward the believer’s dignity. Many narrations emphasize the sanctity and greatness of a believer in the sight of God, to the extent that their sanctity is considered even greater than that of the Kaaba, which holds a prominent place among Muslims. Some narrations state that if the sanctity of the Kaaba is violated, God’s Throne shakes. Yet, despite this, the “sanctity of an ordinary believer” is higher than that of the Kaaba. Now, what about the sanctity of a believing lady like Fatimah (peace be upon her), who is honored not only for her connection to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) but also for her own elevated qualities, status, and lofty position? Her sanctity is very special. This is further emphasized by the fact that the Verse of Purification was revealed in her honor. If such a sacred being, known for her purity and sanctity among Muslims, is subjected to injustice, this is not a mere neglect; it is the highest form of enmity against dignity and humanity.[8]
From another perspective, hostility toward this lady is enmity against the status of women. In Islam, women hold a special and revered place. Even if we look at this matter from the conventional societal perspective, we see that in human societies, women are respected. One of the most painful injustices a man can experience is seeing his wife oppressed in front of his eyes. This is why the suffering endured by the women of the Ahl al-Bayt during the tragedy of Karbala is parallel to the suffering of Imam Husayn (peace be upon him) himself. However, what happened to the women of his household was not killing or striking with stones and swords, but rather their “desecration” through captivity and similar humiliations, which were in themselves a great tragedy.
When we reflect further on the life of Fatimah (peace be upon her), we realize that she is the perfect example of a woman and an epitome of sanctity in the Islamic community. Therefore, neglect and hostility toward her, who embodies the pinnacle of a woman’s sanctity, is hostility toward the status of women.
But did Fatimah, who holds such a high position, not suffer neglect after the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)? Where exactly is the grave of the Lady of Islam? What became of the third grandson of the Prophet (peace be upon him), whom the Prophet called Muhsin, and whom Islamic scholars have mentioned as the son of Fatimah (peace be upon her)? Why is so little said about his fate? The pages of history have much to tell us…
“Taken from the book ‘Zahra (peace be upon her),’ by Ayatollah Sayyid Muhammad Baqir Hakim (with abbreviations and additions)”
Footnotes:
[1] It should be noted that the human society of that time regarded women as ugly and unworthy of continuing their father’s name. This pessimistic view continued to the extent that the Quran describes it by saying: “And when one of them is given the good news of a female, his face becomes dark and he is filled with grief.” (Surah An-Nahl, verse 58)
[2] Sahih Ibn Hibban, Vol. 15, p. 408 – Amali al-Hafidh al-Asbahani, p. 45 – Al-Majma’ al-Kabir, Vol. 20, p. 20 – Khasa’is Amir al-Mu’minin, p. 121 – Al-Sunan al-Kubra, Vol. 5, p. 97, Hadith 8370 – Al-Jami’ al-Saghir, Vol. 2, p. 208 – Kanz al-‘Ummal, Vol. 12, p. 107 – Tasbit al-Imama, p. 28 – Al-Dhurriyyah al-Tahira al-Nabawiyyah, p. 48 – Nazm al-Durr al-Samtin, p. 176, and many other narrations and books.
[3] Surah al-Ahzab, verse 33
[4] Surah Ash-Shura, verse 23
[5] Surah Aal-e-Imran, verse 61, Shawahid al-Tanzeel, Vol. 1, p. 160 – Jami’ al-Bayan al-Tabari, Vol. 3, p. 404 – Yanabi’ al-Mawadda, Vol. 1, p. 136
[6] Mustadrak al-Hakim, Vol. 3, p. 158 – Al-Durr al-Manthur, Vol. 5, p. 199
[7] Sahih al-Bukhari, Vol. 4, p. 210 (Dar al-Fikr Beirut edition) – Fath al-Bari fi Sharh Sahih al-Bukhari, Vol. 7, p. 84 – Mustadrak al-Hakim, Vol. 3, p. 154 – Al-Imama wa al-Siyasah, Vol. 1, p. 31 – Majma’ al-Zawa’id, Vol. 9, p. 203 – Al-Shafi, Vol. 4, p. 214 – Sharh Nahj al-Balagha by Ibn Abi al-Hadid, Vol. 16, p. 281
[8] Al-Khisal, p. 27, Hadith