Fatima bint Muhammad (رضي الله عنها)

Fatima (رضي الله عنها) was the youngest daughter of the Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم). She was born in Makkah some five years before the prophet-hood of the Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم).

Fatima (رضي الله عنها) is also known as many nicknames such as Batool, Az-Zahra and Umm Abeeha.

Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) had a special love for her Daughter Fatima (رضي الله عنها)

The Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم) loved his youngest daughter. Fatima (رضي الله عنها) also dearly loved her father. She was always ready to defend her father from the Quraysh.

One day while the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) was praying in the Kabah,’Uqbah ibn Abi Mu’it came and threw the guts of a dead animal on the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم). When she found out about this, Fatima ran to her father and removed the filth from his back, crying all the time.

The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) then said to her, ”Don’t cry my daughter, for indeed Allah will make your father victorious.” she had a great deal of patience. She went through a lot in her life.

Verse：

قَالَ رَبِّ هَبْ لِي مِنْ لَدُنْكَ ذُرِّيَّةً طَيِّبَةً ۖ إِنَّكَ سَمِيعُ الدُّعَاءِ

“My Lord! Grant me—by your grace—righteous offspring. You are certainly the Hearer of ˹all˺ prayers.” (Al Imran 3:38)

An Excellent Upbringing

Jumai ibn Umayr once asked Aisha, ”Who did the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) love most?” ”Fatima (رضي الله عنها),” she replied. It has been reported that if Fatima (رضي الله عنها) came into the place where the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) was seated, he would get up and kiss her between her eyes.

Whenever the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) returned from a Journey, the first thing the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) would do was to go to the Masjid and pray two raka’ah and then he would go and visit Fatima (رضي الله عنها).

And if he was leaving Madinah, the last thing he would do before leaving was to go and see Fatima (رضي الله عنها).

The Matter of Stealing-A Memorable Incident

However, the Prophet’s (صلى الله عليه وسلم) whole life was moulded by the thoughts of hereafter. He loved his children, but not in any worldly way. For all his love for her, the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) showed no bias in dealing with her.

When the matter of stealing was being decided, the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said, ”By Allah if Fatima (رضي الله عنها), the daughter of Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم), stole something I would cut off her hand.”

Verse:

وَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى الْحَيِّ الَّذِي لَا يَمُوتُ وَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِهِ ۚ وَكَفَىٰ بِهِ بِذُنُوبِ عِبَادِهِ خَبِيرًا

Put your trust in the Ever-Living, Who never dies, and glorify His praises. Sufficient is He as All-Aware of the sins of His servants. (Al Furqan 25:58)

The Marriage of Fatima (رضي الله عنها)

After migrating to Madinah, the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) married Fatima (رضي الله عنها) to Ali. Then, Fatima (رضي الله عنها) was about eighteen years old and Ali was twenty-two.

At the time of their marriage, the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said to Fatima (رضي الله عنها): ”I have married you to the person dearest to me in my family.”

Ali narrates that when he made the proposal of marriage, the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) asked him, ”Do you have something to give in Dower(as a bridal gift)?” Ali confessed that he did not.

The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) then asked, ”Where is the coat of mail I gave you on so and so the occasion?” Ali replied, ”I have that” The Prophet said, ”Give it in the dower of Fatima (رضي الله عنها).”

Ali sold this coat for 480 dirhams and gave it in the dower. The marriage of Ali and Fatima (رضي الله عنها) produced three boys, Hassan, Hussain, and Muhsin (who died in his infancy) and two girls, Zainab and Umm Kulthum.

Verse:

اِلَّا مَنۡ تَابَ وَاٰمَنَ وَعَمِلَ عَمَلًاصَالِحًـا فَاُولٰٓـئِكَ يُبَدِّلُ اللّٰهُ سَيِّاٰتِهِمۡ حَسَنٰتٍ​ ؕ وَكَانَ اللّٰهُ غَفُوۡرًا رَّحِيۡمًا‏

unless he repents and believes and does righteous works. For such, Allah will change their evil deeds into good deeds.86 Allah is Ever-Forgiving, Most Compassionate. (Al Furqan 25:70)

Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم) Fatima is a Part of Me

The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) once said, ”Fatima (رضي الله عنها) is a part of me. Whoever offends her, offends me”

Despite that, the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) never favored Fatima  (رضي الله عنها) unduly while dealing with Fatima (رضي الله عنها) and Ali’s marital relationship.
Fatima (رضي الله عنها) got the best upbringing by the best person on the earth and she was a true picture of modesty, sacrifice and patience.

She was like this all throughout her life, even after marriage, as her husband Ali was poor and she had to do all her work by herself and barely had enough to eat.

Fatima lived her life following the teachings of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم). She was an ideal daughter, an ideal wife and an ideal mother.

Verse:

وَقُل رَّبِّ أَدْخِلْنِى مُدْخَلَ صِدْقٍ وَأَخْرِجْنِى مُخْرَجَ صِدْقٍ وَٱجْعَل لِّى مِن لَّدُنكَ سُلْطَٰنًا نَّصِيرًا

“O my Lord! Let my entry be by the Gate of Truth and Honour, and likewise my exit by the Gate of Truth and Honour; and grant me from Thy Presence an authority to aid (me).” (Al Isra 17:80)

Lady of Paradise

Ali ibn Abi Talib, Fatima’s husband, once told Ibn Abdul Wahid a story about the Prophet’s (صلى الله عليه وسلم) most beloved daughter. Fatima’s hands, he said, was blistered from constant grinding; her neck had become sore from carrying water; her clothes had become dirty from sweeping the floor.

When the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) had received an influx of servants from someplace, Ali suggested to Fatima (رضي الله عنها) that she approach her father and ask for a servant.

She went but could not speak to the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) because of the crowd. The next day he came to their house and asked Fatima (رضي الله عنها) why she had wanted to see him. Ali told the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) the whole story and said that he had sent her.

The Matter of Requesting Servant from Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم)

”Fear Allah, Fatima (رضي الله عنها),” the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said, ”Fulfil your obligations to the Lord, and continue with your housework.

Moreover, when you go to bed at night, say Subhan Allah thirty-three times, and Alhamdullilah the same number of times, Allahu Akbar thirt four times, and that will make a full hundred. This would be much better than a servant.”

”If that is the will of Allah and His Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم),” Fatima (رضي الله عنها) replied, ”then so be it.” After this, Fatima  (رضي الله عنها)never complained to the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم).

Verse:

رَبِّ هَبۡ لِىۡ حُكۡمًا وَّاَلۡحِقۡنِىۡ بِالصّٰلِحِيۡنَۙ

(And then Abraham prayed): “My Lord, endow me with knowledge and wisdom and join me with the righteous (Al Shu’ara 26:83)

وَاجۡعَلْ لِّىۡ لِسَانَ صِدۡقٍ فِى الۡاٰخِرِيۡنَۙ‏

and grant me an honourable reputation among posterity (Al Shu’ara 26:84)

وَاجۡعَلۡنِىۡ مِنۡ وَّرَثَةِ جَنَّةِ النَّعِيۡمِۙ‏

and make me of those who will inherit the Garden of Bliss (Al Shu’ara 26:85)

Parity before the Law

A woman by the name of Fatima (رضي الله عنها), belonging to the Banu Makhzum tribe, once committed a theft. Her kinsfolk, fearing that her hands will be cut off, sent Usamah ibn Zayd to plead with the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) on her behalf.

When the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) had heard their case, signs of anger appeared on his face ”Are you trying to sway me as to the limits laid down by God?” asked the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم).

Usamah ibn Zayd immediately admitted his mistake and begged the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) to pray on his behalf for forgiveness.

The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) then preached a sermon to those assembled there. The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said:

”Communities of old came to grief because of the leniency shown to those in high positions when they committed a theft, which was in contrast to the punishment meted out to any thief of humble origin. By the one who has control over my soul, if my own daughter Fatima (رضي الله عنها)were to steal, I would have her hand cut off.”

Verse:

رَبِّ اَوۡزِعۡنِىۡۤ اَنۡ اَشۡكُرَ نِعۡمَتَكَ الَّتِىۡۤ اَنۡعَمۡتَ عَلَىَّ وَعَلٰى وَالِدَىَّ وَاَنۡ اَعۡمَلَ صَالِحًـا تَرۡضٰٮهُ وَاَدۡخِلۡنِىۡ بِرَحۡمَتِكَ فِىۡ عِبَادِكَ الصّٰلِحِيۡنَ

“My Lord! Hold me under (Your) control that I may render thanks for the favor which You have bestowed on me and on my parents, and that I may act righteously in a manner that would please You. Include me, out of Your Mercy, among Your righteous servants.” (Al Naml 27:19)