Preface

In the name of Allah, The Beneficent, The Merciful.

All praise is due Allah who created mankind and made for them an example to follow throughout their fierce battle with evil.

Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H.) was the last apostle sent by Allah to communicate to mankind His Divine code (i.e. Islam). Because this code was a comprehensive one, it also dealt with the needs of women throughout history, and assigned a perfect example for them to prove beyond doubt that what Islam preaches is practical and, if properly followed, leads to everlasting felicity. This example set by Islam to women was manifested in the person of Lady Fatima Zahra (A.S.), daughter of Allah's Messenger.

Yet, the English Library lacks a comprehensive book in regard to her life; so I was asked to take upon myself the duty of translating the work of a profound Shiite speaker - Muhammad Kazim Qazwini- entitled Fatima Zahra Min Al-Mahde Ila al-Lahd, into English. As I was translating, I found the book to be in the form of speeches regarding the successive events of Fatima's life; therefore I decided to depend mainly on the said book for recording Fatima's biography until the time of the Prophet's death. Because of the extremely sensitive period which followed his death,

and the everlasting effects which the events thereafter left upon the Islamic ideology and the structure of various Muslim sects and issues, I deemed it necessary to study various historical books, especially those which dealt with Lady Fatima Zahra's life, to come up with the most accurate information regarding the prime of the post-period of the Prophet's death. Moreover, various sermons, which were delivered during those events, were intentionally included in the book-especially Fatima's speeches-so as to allow researchers to study the said historical events independently.

The main books on which I depended in bringing about the book at hand were:

1. Fatima Zahra Min al-Mahde Ila al Lahd written in Arabic by Muhammad Kazim Qazwini: p. 680

2. Fatima Zahra (A.S.) Banou-ya Namoune-ye Islam written in Persian by Ibrahim Amini: pp. 246

3. Fatima Zahra (A.S.) Umme Abiha written in Arabic by Fadhl Hussaini Milani: pp. 203

4. Fadak Fi al-Tarikh written in Arabic by Ayatullah Sayyid Muhammad Baqir Sadr: pp. 152

5. The Message in English- written in Persian by Allama Ja'far Subhani: pp. 781

6. The Early History of Islam, in English, written by Sayyid Safdar Hussain: pp.358

7. Al-Mizan, English translation, written by Allama Syed Muhammad Hussain Tabatabai: v. 1

8. Nahjul Balagha, by Imam Ali (A.S.)

In conclusion, it is most accurate to state that this book will be very useful not only to information-seeking readers, but also to researchers and history students.

Many thanks are extended to Br. Muhammad Taqi Ansariyan

for giving me the opportunity to serve the cause of this Great Lady of all times.

I beseech Allah to supply us all with his abundant mercy, which overwhelms every living thing, and to guide all truth seekers to His right path. May His peace, blessings, and grace be upon Muhammad and his righteous progeny.

(Abu - Muhammad Ordoni (Jordanian),

Qum, Zulhijja 20, 1407 A.H.

August 16, 1987.