A Brief Biography of Hazrat Fatima (a.s.)

Chapter 3: Hazrat Fatima's Childhood and Adulthood

BEFORE MARRIAGE, HER CHILDHOOD

Her total life was of eighteen years only. For ordinary people, a person of this age is considered a child only. But this was not the case with her.

As Allah chose her life to be an example for women of Islam of all ages and all times, it becomes necessary for us to look closely at every stage of her life so that women in their early as well as late life could benefit from her perfect life.

She was born at a time when her parents were going through bad times. The Quraish of (except for a few Hashimites) Mecca were all enemies of her father for preaching Islam You will remember that the women of Quraish had refused to come to help her mother to deliver her.

As a child she was made sad to see her father being troubled by the Quraish of Mecca It must have been very-hard for her as a child of two years to spend her days in the estate of Abu Talib where there wasn't even enough food to eat.

This went on for three years.

Then her mother died when she was not even nine, The death of her mother came as a great shock to her. She stopped crying for her only when Allah sent His Salaams to her informing her through Angle Gibrael that her mother, Khadija, was given a very high position in Paradise.

Although the boycott ended after three years, the cruelty of the Quraish did not. In fact it increased on the death of Hazrat Abu Talib. The enemies of Islam were throwing dirt on her father and even hurting him. She would remove the dirt and bandage his wounds. She would weep seeing how trouble her father was.

But he would calm her saying, "Don't cry my little daughter. Allah will certainly protect your father and give him victory over the enemies of Islam."

As a child, she learned to be patient and courageous. She helped her father when there was no one to do so. Abdulla Ibne Masood says that once when the Prophet (S.A.W.W) was in prostration ("Sajda") somebody from Quraish threw dirt of sheep on his back.

He stayed in that position till when Hazrat Fatima (A.S) had removed the dirt from his back.

Though she was not even nine years yet, she served her father so well that he gave her the title of "Umm Abiha" (The Mother of Her Father).

HER MIGRATION TO MEDINA

After the deaths of Hazrat Khadija and Abu Talib, it became impossible for the Prophet (S.A.W.W) to stay in Mecca The Meccans found it easy to kill the Prophet(S A W.W.) Allah instructed the Prophet (S.A.W.W.) to go to Medina in the darkness of the night. The Prophet (S A W.W) left for Medina secretly.

Imam Ali (A.S) was left behind to take the Prophet's family to Medina.

Having finished all the jobs that had been left to him by the Prophet (S.A.W.W), Imam Ali (AS) started his journey to Medina His caravan was of four women:

Fatima (S. A) (daughter of the Prophet (S.A.W.W)), Fatima (S.A) (Imam Ali's mother(, Fatima (daughter of Hamza) and Fatima (daughter of Zubair Bin Abdul Muttalib). Thus began the first journey of Bibi Fatima - A journey of 450 kms to Medina.

The way was full of dangers. Her caravan was attacked by a gang of eight people of Mecca at a place called Dhajnan. They had been sent by Quraish of Mecca. They wanted to take them back to Mecca. Imam Ali (A.S) fought with them and drove them away.

The caravan then proceeded to Quba, where the Prophet (S.A.W.W) was waiting for them. From there they went to Medina to start a new life at a new place.

LIFE IN MEDINA

Hazrat Fatima (A.S), as before, was living with her father. She was her father's dublicate Aisha says, "1 have never seen any other person more similar to the Prophet's appearance, conduct; guidance and speech whether sitting or standing than Fatima."

Another wife of the Prophet (S.A.W.W), Umm Salma says, "After moving to Medina, the Messenger of Allah married me. She put Fatima (S.A) to my care. I was supposed to educate her but by Allah she was more educated and learned in all matters than I was."

She grew up to be a beautiful woman combining all the rare qualities found in her father and her mother: purity and piety. Her father used to say, "Fatima is a human 4Huri whenever I think of paradise, I kiss her."

Annas Bin Malik reports his mother saying, "Fatima (S.A) was like a moon on its full night, or the sun covered with no clouds. She was white with a touch of rose colour on her face. Her hair was black and she had the beautiful features of the Messenger of Allah."

Mufazzal B. Umar asked Imam Jaffer Sadiq (A.S) as to why Hazrat Fatima (S.A) was called Zahra, the Imam replied, "because when she stood up to pray, light came out of her and shone for the inhabitants of heaven as lights from planets shine for the inhabitants of the earth." This was the natural beauty that she had been given by Allah.