Fatimah bint Muhammad (May Allah be pleased with her)
Fatimah bint Muhammad (radi allah anha) was the fifth child of Muhammad ( sal allah alayhi wasalam) and Khadijah (radi allah anha). Fatimah (radi allah anha) was born at a time when her noble father had begun reflecting on the great mysteries of creation.
When Fatimah was five years old, she heard that her father had become the Messenger of Allah. His first task was to convey the good news of Islam to his family and close relations: that they were to worship none but Almighty Allah alone. From this time on, she became more closely attached to her father. Often she would be at his side walking through the narrow streets and alleys of Makkah, visiting the Kabah or attending secret gatherings of the early Muslims who had accepted Islam and pledged allegiance to the Prophet.
One day, when she was not yet ten, she accompanied her father to the Masjid al-Haram where he began to pray. A group of Quraysh gathered around him (sal allah alayhi wasalam) and asked which one of them would bring the entrails of a slaughtered animal and throw it on Muhammad. One of them carried out this vile act against Muhammad (sal allah alayhi wasalam) whilst he was prostrating. Imagine the feelings of Fatimah (radi allah anha) when she saw her father being treated in this fashion. She went up to her father and removed the offensive matter and stood angrily, yet firm, against the group of Quraysh thugs.
In the seventh year of his mission, Muhammad (sal allah alayhi wasalam) and his family were forced to leave their homes and seek refuge in a valley on the outskirts of Makkah where they were forced to retire with very limited supplies of food. Fatimah was just about twelve years old and had to undergo months of hardship and suffering. The boycott lasted for 3 years after which the Messenger Muhammad (sal allah alayhi wasalam) had to face even more trials and difficulties when his beloved wife Khadijah (radi allah anha) died shortly afterwards. Fatimah now a young lady was greatly distressed by her mother’s death and realized she had a greater responsibility of giving even more support to her father. With loving tenderness, she became to be called "Umm Abi-ha the mother of her father". On one occasion Muhammad (sal allah alayhi wasalam) returned home covered in dust and earth that an insolent mob had thrown on him. As he entered home Fatimah (radi allah anha) wept as she wiped the dust from her father’s head.
The Prophet (sal allah alayhi wasalam) had a special love for Fatimah (radi allah anha). He (sal allah alayhi wasalam) once said: "Whoever pleased Fatimah has indeed pleased Allah and whoever has caused her to be angry has indeed angered Allah. Fatimah is a part of me. Whatever pleases her pleases me and whatever angers her angers me." He also said: "From among the women in the world who have reached perfection and who are worthy of following are Maryam, daughter of Imran, Khadijah Mother of the Believers, Fatimah, daughter of Muhammad and Aasiyaa the wife of Pharoah."
Fatimah (radi allah anha), was also given the title of "az-Zahraa" which means "the resplendent One". That was because of her beaming face that seemed to radiate light Instead of spending her time in the company of women, much of her time would be spent in Salat, in reading the Quran and in other acts of ibadah.
Fatimah had a strong resemblance to her father.
Aisha (radi allah anha), the wife of the Prophet, said of her: "I have not seen any one of Allah’s creation resemble the Messenger of Allah, more in speech, conversation and manner of sitting than Fatimah, may Allah be pleased with her. When the Prophet saw her approaching, he would welcome her, stand up and kiss her, take her by the hand and sit her down in the place where he was sitting. She would do the same when the Prophet came to her. She would stand up and welcome him with joy and kiss him.”
Fatimah's fine manners and gentle speech were part of her lovely and enduring personality. She was especially kind to poor and would often give all the food she had to those in need even if she herself remained hungry. She had no craving for the ornaments of this world or the comforts and luxuries of life. She had the ability and the sincerity to stir the emotions, move people to tears and fill their hearts with praise and gratitude to Allah. Fatimah migrated to Madinah a few weeks after the Muhammad (sal allah alayhi wasalam) did. In the second year after the Hijrah, Ali ibn Abi Talib (radi allah anhu), the son of Abu Talib, found the courage and went to Muhammad (sal allah alayhi wasalam) to ask for her hand in marriage. She was nineteen years old at the time and Ali (radi allah anhu) was about twenty one. Muhammad (sal allah alyhi wasalam) himself performed the marriage ceremony of his beloved daughter.
Fatimah's life with Ali (radi allah anhu) was as simple and as far as material comforts were concerned, it was a life of hardship and deprivation. Throughout their life together, Ali (radi allah anhu) remained poor because he did not set any importance on material wealth. To relieve their extreme poverty, Ali worked as a drawer and carrier of water. On one occasion they both went to Muhammad (sal allah alayhi wasalam) to ask for a servant. But he felt they were less in need than others.
Fatimah (radi allah anha) gave birth to a boy in the month of Ramadhan, who Muhammad (sal allah alayhi wasalam) named ‘Al-Hassan’ which means ‘the beautiful one’. One year later, she gave birth to another son who was called al-Husayn. In the eighth year after the Hijrah, Fatimah gave birth to a third child, a girl whom she named after her eldest sister Zaynab. In the following year she gave birth to another girl called Umm Kulthum. Although Fatimah (radi allah anha) dedicated her life to the rearing of her children she also took part in the affairs of the growing community of Madinah. In the Battle of Uhud and the Battle of the Ditch, she played a major supportive role.
On Muhammad’s return from the Farewell Pilgrimage, he (sal allah alayhi wasalam) became ill. Fatimah (radi allah anha) visited him often. One day he (sal allah alayhi wasalam) told her that he was soon to meet his Lord to which she wept and then he (sal allah alayhi wasalam) said to her that she would be the first of his household to join him (sal allah alayhi wasalam), so she laughed. The death of Muhammad (sal allah alayhi wasalam) left Fatimah (radi allah anha) grief stricken. Five months later she herself passed away at the age of 29 years.
On reflection, the life of Fatimah bint Muhammad (radi allah anha) provides a shining example of a young woman who strived and struggled to please none but Allah (The Most High) alone in all her actions. She lived a life of simplicity in this world seeking the best in the life to come.
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