Chapter 54:

Lady Fatima Zahra' s Will to Imam Ali (A.S.)

Imam Ali (A.S.) was surprised to find that his dear wife had left her bed and had started doing the housework; he asked her about it and she replied:

"This is the last day of my life. I want to wash my children's hair and clothes, because they will soon be orphans, without a mother!!"

Imam Ali (A.S.) then asked her about the source of know­ledge of this news (the day of her departure). She (A.S.) told him that she had seen the Messenger of Allah in her dream and he had told her that she was going to join him that night. She then asked Imam Ali (A.S.) to execute her will.

He said:

"Instruct me to do anything you wish, daughter of Allah's Messenger." Ali (A.S.) then asked everyone to leave the house and he sat next to her.

Fatima started:

"Cousin, you are not accustomed to me being a False-teller, undevoted, or have I disobeyed you since I have become your companion?"

Ali said:

"Allah forbid!! You are more knowing of Allah,
more devoted, more pious, and more honorable and more
fearing of Allah than (to give me a reason) to reprimand
you for disobeying me. Surely it is very

painful for me to be separated from you and to lose you; but it is an inevitable destination. By Allah, you have renewed the sorrow I have just encountered with the death of Allah's Messenger; surely your death and departure will be a great calamity, but 'to Allah do we belong, and to Him shall we return.'

What a painful, bitter and sad calamity. Surely this is a calamity for which there is not consolement, and a disaster for which there is no compensation."

Then they both cried and Imam Ali (A.S.) embraced her head and said:

"Instruct me to do anything you wish; you certainly will find me devoted and I will execute everything that you command me to do. I shall also put your matters over mine."

She (A.S.) said:

"May Allah reward you with the best of goodness. Cousin, firstly I ask you to marry after my death, my niece Umamah; surely she will be to my children as I was. Besides, men cannot do without women."

Fatima (A.S.) then added:

"I ask you not to let anyone who did injustice to me to witness my funeral, for they certainly are enemies of mine, and the enemy of Allah's Messenger. Also don't give them the chance to pray over me, nor to any of their followers. Burry me at night when eyes are rested and sight is put to sleep."

Commenting on Imam Ali's speech after Fatima's burial, the commentator on Nahjul Balagha-English version-published by Ansariyan Publication, p.347 - wrote:

"The treatment meted out to the daughter of the Prophet after his death has been extremely painful and sad. Although Sayyedah Fatima (A.S.) did not live in this world more than a few months after the death of the Prophet (P.B.U.H.), yet even this short period has a long tale of grief and woe (about her). In this

connection, the first scene that strikes the eyes in that the arrangements for the funeral rites of the Prophet had not yet been made when the contest for power started in the Saqifa of Bani Sa'eda. Naturally, their leaving the body of the Prophet (without burial), must have injured Hadhrat Fatima's grief-stricken heart to see that those who claimed love and attachment (to the Prophet) during his life, became so engrossed in their machinations for power that instead of consoling his only daughter, they did not even know when the Prophet (P.B.U.H.) was given funeral bath and when he was buried; and the way they condoled her, was that crowded at her house with material to set fire to it and tried to secure allegiance by force with all the display of oppression, compulsion and violence. All these excesses were with a view to so obliterate the prestigious position of this house that it might not remain its lost prestige on any occasion. With this aim in view, in order to crush her economic position, her claim for (the estate of) Fadak was turned down by dubbing it as false, the effect of which was that Hadhrat Fatima (A.S.) made the dying will that none of them should attend her funeral."

Fatima Bint Muhammad was ready to meet her Lord. She bathed, than lay down in her garment... She then instructed Asma Bint Umais to wait awhile and then to call her name; if there was no answer, this would mean that she (A.S.) had departed towards her Lord.

Asma waited awhile, then called Fatima's name... but there was no answer;

Asma repeated the call:

"O daughter of the chosen Muhammad!

O daughter of the most honorable of them whom women

bore!

O daughter of the best of those who have walked on

gravel!

O daughter of him who was at 'A distance of but two

bow-lengths or (even) nearer" (a Quranic verse, (53:9))

...There is no answer... silence overwhelms the house ...Asma then proceeds towards Fatima and finds her dead.

At that point, Hassan and Hussain entered and asked:

"Where is our mother?"

Yet Asma uttered not a word!

Hassan and Hussain proceeded towards their mother and found her dead. At this, Hussain turned towards Hassan and said:

"May Allah console you for our Mother!"

Imam Ali (A.S.) was at the Mosque. Hassan and Hussain went to the Mosque and broke the news to their father. As soon as he (A.S.) heard their words, he fell unconscious. When he regained consciousness, he said:

"Who will console me now, daughter of Muhammad? You used to console me, so who will take your place now?"

The Hashimite women were then gathered to receive the news of the great calamity... Yes, the calamity befell them once more, while the blood was still flowing from the wound of losing the Prophet...

Medina shakes...

Everyone came to console Ali (A.S.) and his two children... Allah is with you, Zahra's children...

It was just yesterday that you were inflicted with the death of your great father-the Prophet of Allah-and your new calamity is not any less than that one! But take patience, for this is the will of the Mighty Lord.