A Brief Biography of Hazrat Fatima (a.s.)
Chapter 1: Hazrat Fatima (S.A): The Birth and Naming of The Child
GENERAL
The study of the biography of the Prophet, Hazrat Muhammad (S.A.W.W.) and that of the twelve Imams remains incomplete if we exclude from it the biography of Ha/rat Fatima (S.A).
This is because she is the main link between the Prophet (S.A.W.W.) and the twelve Imams. This link can be looked at in two different ways.
Firstly, this link is explained in the tradition of the mantle ("Hadise Kisa"), when the Archangel Gibrael asks Allah as to who are in the Mantle. Allah says, ""They arc: I'annul her father, her husband and her sons".
Secondly, she is the Grandmother to nine Imams (beginning the fourth Imam, Ha/rat Ali. Zainulabidin), all being the direct descendants of her son Imam Husain (AS) The progeny of the Prophet continues through her. On this matter the Prophet himself is reported to have said:
"Allah made the offspring of every Prophet in that Prophets loins, and he made my offspring in I he loins of Ali..." All sons are linked to their farther except the sons of Fatima. For I am their leather and their closest relative. "
Moreover, for the Muslim men, the Prophet (S.A.W.W.) was the example from whom they could learn how to live a life of excellence ("Uswatul Hasana").
For the Muslim women, Hazrat Fatima (S.A) became the model on which Muslim women could learn to lead a life of virtue and excellence.
EVENTS LEADING TO HER BIRTH
Allah made special arrangements so that Hazrat Fatima (S.A) would be born pure in body and in spirit. Allama Majlisi, a well known scholar, reports in his book Bihar-AI-Anwar ("The Seas of Light"), that before Hazrat Fatima (S.A) was conceived in her mother's womb, the Archangel Gibrael came to the Prophet (S.A. W.W.) telling him that Allah wished him (the Prophet) to stay away from his wife Khadija for fourty days. He did as he was told.
On the fortieth day, Gibrael came back to congratulate the Prophet (S.A. W.W.) for the heavenly gift that he was about to get from Allah Then came the Angel Michael with heavenly food, letting the Prophet (S.A.W.W.) know that it was Allah's wish that on that night the Prophet (S.A.W.W.) should break his fast with the heavenly food. The Prophet did what Allah wished He broke his fast with the dates and grapes from heaven.
After that, the Prophet was told to go to his wife Hazrat Khadija. They stayed together. Hazrat Khadija became pregnant that night. Hazrat Fatima (S.A) was thus conceived in her mother's womb that night.
One of the miracles of Hazrat Fatima is: while she was still in her mother's womb she spoke with her! The Sunni Scholar, Abdulrehman Shafie says in his book, "Nuzhat Al-Majils", that Hazrat Khadija said, "When I was pregnant, she would speak with me from within my womb”.
Another Sunni Scholar and historian called Shah Abdul Aziz Dahlawi reports in his book, 'Tajhiz Al-Jaish", the following incident:
“When Khadija was pregnant with Fatima, Fatima used to speak to her mother from her mother s womb Khadija kept this secret from the Prophet "
"One day the Prophet found Khadija talking to someone though there was no one around in the house. He therefore asked her about it. She replied, 'The one who is in my womb speaks with me’.
Then the Prophet said, "Be happy Oh! Khadija. For the one in Your womb is a girl who will, by command of Allah be Mother of eleven of my successors..... "
Another Sunni Scholar called Shuab B. Saad Al Misry, adds to the above incident, saying that Hazrat Fatima (AS) while still in her mother's womb would give courage and hope to her mother Khadija when Khadija was feeling sad.
BIRTH OF HA/RAT FAT I MA (S.A)
Some historians say that she was born five years before the Prophet announced his Prophethood But the more reliable historians and scholars such as Kulayni and Shahr Ashub say that she was born five years after Hazrat Muhammad (S.A.A.W) had told the people that he was their Prophet.
She was born in Mecca on 20th Jamadiul Akhar on I'riday AD 615).
Muffazzal B. Omar, a companion of Imam Jaffer Sadiq (AS) asked the Imam to tell him about the birth of the Imam's Grandmother, Hazrat Fatima (S.A). What follows is a summary of what the Imam told Muffazal.
Hazrat Khadija (Hazrat Fatima's mother) was advised by her friends and women of Kuraish not to get married to Hazrat Muhammad (S.A.W.W.), but she did not follow their advice As a result they were very angry with her and stopped visiting her.
When the time of the birth of Hazrat Fatima came near, she called them to help her deliver the child but they all refused to come. At that time four beautiful though strange looking women came to help Hazrat Khadija.
They introduced themselves as Hawwa (Nabi, Adam's wife), Kulthum (Nabi Musa's sister), Mariam (Nabi Isa's mother), Asia (The Pharo's wife). They told Hazrat Khadija that Allah had sent them to help her in the delivery of the child.
The child was then bom She read the fc'Qalma" and went into the "Sajda".
NAMING OF THE CHILD
Allama Majlisi reports in his book, "Bihar-ul-Anvar", that Imam Jaffer Sadiq (A.S.) says that, "When Fatima (S.A) was born, Allah instructed an Angel to utter this name (FATIMA) with the Prophet's tongue, and then Allah said,
4I have given you knowledge and protected you from (the dirt of menstruation) discharge of blood women of certain age experience for a few days every month"'.
Several leasons have been given to explain why she was named Fatima; some of these reasons are as follows:
Abdulla B. Abbas reports that he heard the Prophet iS.A.W.W) say Fatima was given that name "because she and her followers are protected from heir.
Our sixth Imam, Imam Jaffer B. Mohammed (also known as Sadiq) is reported to have said that his grandmother Fatima (S.A) is called by the name because she is safeguarded from evil.
It is for these reasons that the Prophet (S.A.W.W) and his successors (the Imams) liked this name very much Once Imam Jailer Sadiq (A.S) learned that one of his followers had a daughter who was named Fatima; then the Imam said, "Fatima' May the peace from Allah be upon Fatima. Now that you have named your daughter Fatima do not beat or abuse her. Instead, honour her."
HER OTHER NAMES
According to the Shia scholar, Ibne Babawayya, Imam Jaffer Sadiq (A.S.) has said, "Fatima (S.A) has nine names in the presence of Allah These names are:
FATIMA (The safeguarded one)
SIDD1QA (The truthful one)
MlBARAKFH (The Blessed one)
TAHIRA (The virtuous one)
ZAKEEAH (The pure one)
RADHIA (The one who is satisfied)
MARDHIA (The one who pleases)
MUHADD1SA (The one speaking with angels)
ZAHRA (The lady of light)
Each of these names tells us about her high character and greatness We shall talk about these in chapter six in more detail.