Eternal Role of Hazrat Fatima Zahra in Islam

Reza Soltani

Muslimwomen have realized the role of the prophet's daughter Fatima Zahra (A.S) as the unique example set for them to follow. So what is it about Fatima Zahra that makes her so special, and so great? Allah had created Fatima Zahra as a sign of his ability to create a complete woman with all morals and positive personality characteristics. The personality of Fatima Zahra is of high nobility, and new aspects of this great personality continue to be discovered. And as time goes on, more and more is learnt about this great lady. She became the object of great veneration by all Muslims, because she was the closest individual to her father and supported him in his difficulties and because of historical importance of her husband and her two sons, and that she is the only member of Mohammad's family that gave him descendants, numerously spread through the Islamic world.

Role of Fatima (SA) in Islam

Only those that know her are aware what she went through during her short life of 18 years will understand what she stood for and how she served Islam. It is also, those who love her are the lovers of the divine truth. Many of us know her by the name and only by that, others may know her as being the daughter of Mohammed (P.B.U.H) and wife of the leader of the faithful Ali (AS), again only by that, yet they don t thoroughly know her.  She is Fatima, siddiqua ( the honest ), al-Mubarakah ( the blessed one ), at-Tahira (virtuous ), az-Zakeah (the Chaste), ar-Rathiatul Marthia (she who is gratified and who shall be satisfied ), al-Muhadathah (a person other than the prophet that the angels speak to ), and az-Zahra ( the Splendid ). Her name "Fatima" was chosen by Allah and was revealed to Mohammed. She also had other names: Al-Batoul (the pure one), and al-Hania(the affectionate one to her children). She was also titled UmuAbeeha (her father’s mother).

Hazrat Fatima was welcomed into this world on the 20^th of the month of Jamadi al-Thani. Her parents were Hazrat Mohammad (pbuh) and Khadija (SA). Khadija used to give her children to other women to be nursed but when Hazrat Fatima (SA) was born Khadija undertook her nursing. The prophet brought her up in an environment of knowledge and spirituality. Fatima herself was gifted with special intelligence and so was quick to realize the meaning of faith, piety and the reality of Islam. Fatima (SA) faced many hardships and sorrows during her life. She faced with those infidels and polytheists that fought her father and his family. She became an orphan at a young age; the death of her mother when she was about seven or eight caused her great sadness. She was forced to immigrate to Medina due to the infidel's agitation. Prophet Mohammad was going through a very harsh time because several people wanted to stop the new faith and to do so many plots to injure and kill him.

Hazrat Fatima’s (SA) Life

Hazrat Fatima (SA) spent her life in struggle, resisting poverty and difficulties. One of the happy moments in Fatima’s life is her marriage to Imam Ali (AS). The two great infallible characters came together to be partners in life which was magnificent unity. As a wife, Fatima displayed the perfect role model, Ali had said "I never angered Fatima, or forced her to do something she did not like up to the day she died, nor did she ever anger or disobey me. In fact, when I looked at her, depression and sadness would be removed from my heart. As a mother, Fatima gave birth to the great Imams Hassan and Hussein (AS), she also gave birth to Zeinab (SA) and Um-e Kulthum (SA); all of whom were victims of historical oppression and sorrowful inflictions. As a mother she raised the great martyr (Imam Hussein), and ladies of such strong will and faith that withstood pains (in particular during the great tragedy of Karbala) which strong men could barely tolerate. The death of Mohammad left Fatima very sad. This was a great loss to her as she was to miss him dearly. The agonies kept on coming to Fatima, yet she persisted in glorifying Allah and spending generously in His exalted path. Fatima was angered when the rights of caliphate were taken from her husband and she stood up to those arrogant ones and fought for justice. She kept on fighting until the last days in her life. It was a short life with many calamities and severe hardships. It was shown that even in the short period of Fatima’s life after the death of the prophet; there was long tales of agony and grief. She was like a withering flower that never really blossomed. She had been a model for our daily lives, fighting injustice and oppression and standing on the side of truth. Her life serves as an example for each one of us. The prophet said: "Surely my daughter Fatima is: "the greatest of all women from the beginning to the end, she is part of me, and the light of my eyes, she is the flower of my heart, and is my soul."