14 Unique Qualities of Lady Fatima - peace be upon her

A small contribution to honour that personality which is beyond the comprehension of human minds. This list is not comprehensive by any means, but it does provide a summary of idiosyncratic virtues of Lady Fatima which no other human being shares.

Adnaan Raja· Thursday, 1 November 2018

1. Superior to all women of this nation

Lady A’isha relates that the Prophet of Allah (peace and blessings upon him) said to Lady Fatima (peace be upon her): “Are you not pleased that you are the leader of all believing women or [he said] leader of the women of this nation?”[1]

2. Superior and leader of the women of Paradise

The Prophet (peace and blessings upon him) said to Sayyiduna Hudhayfa: “Before this night, this angel has never descended to Earth. He sought permission from his Lord to [descend and] convey greetings to me and give me the good news that Fatima is the leader of the women of Paradise…”[2]

3. The first to pass away after the Prophet and join him in the hereafter

The Prophet (peace and blessings upon him) said to Lady Fatima: “You will be the first person from my family to join me.”[3]

4. She is a piece/part of the Prophet

The Prophet (peace and blessings upon him) said: “Fatima is a piece/part of me. Whoever angers her, angers me.”[4]

5. The blood lineage of the Prophet continues only through her

The lineages through the other daughters of the Prophet (peace and blessings upon him) eventually expired. Only the line of Lady Fatima continues and will continue till the Last Day.

6. Her happiness is the Prophet’s happiness and her unhappiness is the Prophet’s unhappiness

The Prophet (peace and blessings upon him) said: “Fatima is an integral part of me. Whatever delights her, it delights me. Whatever upsets her, it upsets me.”[5]

7. She resembled the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) more than anyone else

Lady Aisha said: “I have not seen anyone who resembled the Prophet (peace and blessings upon him) more in behaviour, habits, character, and in sitting and standing than Fatima.”[6]

8. She was more truthful in her speech than anyone else, except the Prophet

Lady Aisha said: “I did not see anyone more truthful than Fatima, apart from her father.”[7]

9. The Mahdi will be from her descendants

The Prophet (peace and blessings upon him) said: “The Mahdi is from my offspring, from the children of Fatima.”[8]

10. It was unlawful for her husband, Sayyiduna Ali, to take a second wife while she was alive

When Sayyiduna Ali intended to take Abu Jahl’s daughter as a second wife, the Prophet (peace and blessings upon him) said: “By Allah! The daughter of Allah’s Messenger and the daughter of Allah’s enemy cannot be with the same man.”[9]

11. The first person to defend his honour

Abd Allah b. Mas`ud said: "While Allah's Messenger (peace and blessings upon him) was praying next to the Kaba, there was a group of the Quraysh sitting there in a gathering. One of them said, ‘Do you see this? Who among you can fetch the dung, blood, and entrails of the slaughtered camels of the family of so and so. Then wait till he prostrates and put that in between his shoulders?' The most unfortunate among them [Uqba b. Abi Mu'ait] went [and fetched them]. When Allah's Messenger prostrated, he put them between his shoulders. The Prophet remained in prostration while they laughed so much so that they fell on each other. A passer-by went to [inform] Fatima, who was a young girl at the time. She came running and the Prophet was still in prostration. She removed them [the entrails] and turned to them [the Quraysh], cursing upon them. When Allah's Messenger completed his prayer, he said, 'O Allah! Take revenge on Quraysh.' He said this thrice and added, 'O Allah! take revenge from Amr bin Hisham, Utba bin Rabi`a, Shayba bin Rabi`a, Al-Walid bin Utba, Umaiya bin Khalaf, Uqba bin Abi Mu'ait, and Umar a bin Al-Walid." Abdullah added, "By Allah! I saw all of them dead in the battle field on the day of Badr. They were dragged and thrown in the Qalib [a well] at Badr: Allah's Messenger then said, 'Allah's curse has descended upon the people of the Qalib.’”[10]

12. The only daughter of the Prophet to accompany and support him in battle

She was one of the 14 women who took part in the Battle Uhud were she tended to the wounded.[11]

When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings upon him) was wounded in the Battle of Uhud, "Fatima - the daughter of Allah's Messenger - would wash the wound while Ali poured water [over it] using a shield. When Fatima saw that the bleeding increased because of the water, she took a piece of a palm mat, burnt it [to ashes], and rubbed it into [the wound], whereupon the bleeding stopped."[12]

13. She was protected against hunger

It is reported by Imran b. Husayn that: “The Prophet (peace and blessings upon him) placed his hand on below the neck of Fatima – where the necklace is placed – and prayed: ‘O You who satiates hunger, fulfils needs, and raises ranks! Do not let Fatima bint Muhammad be hungry.’ I met her afterwards and asked about it. She replied: ‘Since then, I have never been hungry.’”[13]

14. The first to be carried on a solid bier after her demise

Lady Fatima informed Asma that she did not like the way female dead bodies are carried on a bier made of malleable palm leaves as it reveals the contours of the body. Upon hearing, Asma prepared a solid bier for Lady Fatima to which she replied: “How beautiful this is. The body of a man and woman cannot be distinguished from.” Asma adds that Lady Fatima smiled after seeing the solid bier and remarked that this was the first time she smiled since the passing on of her father, Sayyiduna Muhammad.[14]

-------- May Allah Almighty accept this and may it be accepted in the court of Lady Fatima. May we be blessed with love for; a love which permeates our hearts and thoughts. Praise be to Allah in the beginning and the end. Prayer and salutations be upon our Master Muhammad, his family, and companions. May special greeting and peace be showered on the Lady of Paradise, Cynosure of the Prophet’s admiration, Mother of Hasan and Husayn, Fatima the Pure and Innocent.

[1] Agreed upon

[2] Al-Tirmidhi: 3781. He graded it as good.

[3] Agreed upon

[4] Agreed upon. The wording above is that of al-Bukhari.

[5] Al-Hakim: 3/168. Al-Dhahabi verified it as authentic.

[6] Abu Dawud: 5219

[7] Al-Hakim: 4765. Al-Dhahabi verified it as authentic.

[8] Abu Dawud: 4286

[9] Agreed upon

[10] Al-Bukhari

[11] Al-Waqidi in Al-Maghazi

[12] Agreed upon. The wording above is of al-Bukhari: 3847

[13] Al-Bayhaqi and others

[14] Paraphrased from Al-Hakim: 4763 and Al-Bayhaqi 7180.