Relationship with Children 2

Paying Attention to the Needs of Children

One of the most important factors for the mental and physical well-being of a child is nutrition and the other is hygiene. Thus providing for these needs of the child, guarantees his physical and psychological well-being for life. Many of the psychological and mental problems that surface in adulthood too, have their roots in unfulfilled childhood need and desires. Moreover, the mutual effects between the body and the spirit should never be taken for granted or neglected. There is no doubt that a sick body distresses the soul, while an unrestful soul causes physical disorders.

 History has recorded that time and again, Hazrat Fatima (SA) would go hungry in order to feed her children. It is said that once, because of scarcity of water, the Muslims of Medina were facing severe problems. Like any other mother, Fatima (SA) was concerned about her sons Hassanand Hussain (AS) and took them to her father, the Prophet (SAW). She expressed her concern to her father saying that she was worried since her children were small and couldn"t bear the thirst. Seeing Fatima distressed, the Prophet (SAW) put his tongue into the mouths of his two grandsons. This immediately soothed Fatima (SA) and relieved her of her concern as well as satiated the extreme thirst of the two children. (Manaqibe Ibn-e Shahr Asheeb, vol. 3, p. 394)

 Fatima (SA) loved her children so deeply andwas so full of compassion that towards the end of her life, she was very worried about her small children. Her main worry was that these children would be deprived of a mother"s love which no one else could probably be able to compensate for. Foreseeing the plight of her motherless children, Fatima (SA) suggested that her  husband Imam Ali (AS) married someone who would take care of her children, after her demise. (Ibid., p. 362)

 

As we all know, Fatima (SA) was deeply-grieved after the demise of her father and it is said that a large part of her pain was because her children were deprived of the love and care of the Prophet (SAW) and their grandfather. Sometimes she would talk to them with a painful heart, saying:

"Where has your grandfather who loved you so dearly gone? The grandfather who showered you with love and affection and carried you on his shoulders. Where has your grandfather who was the kindest to you, gone? He wouldn't even allow you to walk on the ground and would carry you in his arms. Alas, I'll never see you all on his shoulders again!" (Ibid.; Biharul-Anwar, vol. 43, p. 181)

Play & Activity

Although Islam emerged from an ignorant society, lacking in civilized culture, however the Message of the Prophet (SAW) and his Traditions that were forwarded through him and the Infallibles (AS) are suitable for the people of all cultures and civilizations, at any period of time, since Islam deals directly with the common innate nature of man.

 

Play and activity for children had a very special and important place  in the methods of child-upbringing of Fatima (SA). Physical and mental activity and stimulation are so important for the healthy overall growth of a child that even adults should involve themselves wholeheartedly in these activities, in order to enthuse and encourage the child.

 

 During childhood, play is the best way in which a child relates with his environment and leads to the surfacing of the latent aptitudes of the child. At the same time, it has very positive effects on the physicaldevelopment of the child. Keeping these factors in mind, play and activity should never be neglected by parents or by the child.

 It has been recorded that the Prophet (SAW) often involved himself wholeheartedly in play with his grandchildren. This shows that one of the very important tools of good parenting and positive upbringing of children is play and activity. Imam Ali (AS) and Fatima (SA) gave great attention to this childhood need and this was one of the secrets of the health and freshness of theirchildren.

It has also been found that in homes where children do not have an environment where they can play and express themselves, the effects of such an environment are very negative on the children.

Fatima (SA) involved herself actively in play with her children, always attentive and alert to the fact that her words and actions would play a very determining role on the development of the characters and personalities of her children. This teaches us the importance of using healthy language and expressions in dealing with children. Hazrat Fatima (SA) used play as a very important tool in developing the bodies and souls of her children as well as enthused and inspired them into greatness and bravery through these entertaining activities.

It has been recorded that while playing with Imam Hassan (AS), Hazrat Fatima (SA) would swing him, reciting poems like:

   "My Hassan, grow up to be like your father and do away with oppression on the way of the Truth. Worship Allah Who Bestows upon us countless blessings and never befriend oppressors."

While play with Imam Hussain (AS), she would recite:

 "You look just like my father (the Prophet) - you don"t look like your father (Ali)."

 It is said that when Imam Ali (AS) heard these playful poems between Hazrat Fatima and her children, he would smile indulgently.

 Our main purpose in glimpsing into the personal family-life of Fatima (SA) is to learn from her flawless and divinely inspired approaches in her inter-relationships within her immediate family as wellas in society. We can see very clearly through studying her relationship with her father as well as her children that in spite of all the hardships, problems and pains this great family suffered at the hands of the cruel, ignorant people of their times, within of the family, always they shared very warm, affectionate and joyful times.

In the same way that the Prophet (SAW) used to put aside all his pains and concerns while he was with his beloved daughter Hazrat Fatima (SA), Fatima (SA) and Ali (AS) too,always made time to pay due attention to the different needs of their children. All of these very scientific methods played a very major role in bringing up their children as the bravest and most powerful people in human history. It is also important to note the importance of timing in child-upbringing because as we all know, Hazrat Fatima (SA) had a very few years with her children, but these were the most crucial years that shape a child"s personality. She played her role as a mother most perfectly and efficiently, leaving behind for the world a legacy of great and powerful heroes like Hassan (AS) and Hussain (AS) and Hazrat Zainab (SA) who in times to come, shook up the roots of oppression and tyranny.

 Thus far, we have gained invaluable insights into the importance and benefits of healthy inter-family relations through studying the life of Hazrat Fatima (SA) and her role as a daughter and a mother. Continuing on this topic, in our following issue, we shall look into the personality of this great lady and her social relationships - insha"Allah.

 

 

Relationship with Children 1

The Fundamental Role of a Mother in the Well-Being and Prosperity of a Generation:

There is no doubt that to a very large extent, the future of a child depends greatly on the mental and psychological influence that he is exposed to, through people closest to him in his childhood. And naturally since a mother is the closest to a child during his growing years, her role in his upbringing is of the utmost importance. Therefore, we could say that the starting point of the success or failure of an individual"s life is the mother"s lap and the overall environment of his upbringing, of which the mother constitutes the main pillar. The child is therefore like a soft lump of wax which is moulded in the hands of his mother.

 If we carefully examine the emotional and logical approach of Hazrat Fatima (SA) in the upbringing of her great children, we will be able to discover very subtle anddelicate methods used by her in their upbringing. Behavioral psychologists and other experts who have studied these methods closely, have developed faith in the positive effects of the approach adopted by this great lady. This unique success in the upbringing of children has its roots in the profound understanding of the nature of man as has been explained by Islam. Every school of thought has recommended methods of upbringing of children, based on its interpretation and understanding of innate human nature.An unbiased research and analysis easily proves that the definition and explanation that the divine religion of Islam has revealed, regarding the complete innate nature of man (taking in consideration, all his physical, emotional, psychological, material as well as spiritual needs), is the most perfect and objective. Moreover, since the method of child-training and parenting used by Hazrat Fatima (SA) was based in this Divine Source, studying and practically adopting this method could ensure the success and well-being of our children both in this world and in the Hereafter.

 

 

 One of the most critical factors determining the characters of the children of Hazrat Fatima (SA) was genetics. As we all believe, she was an Infallible (Ma"sum) and was thus free from all kinds of sins and moral pollution. The Ziyarat of Imam Hussain (AS) confirms:

"I testify that you (i.e. Imam Hussain) were from a pure seed that was nurtured in a pure womb, free from polytheism and ignorance." ("Ziyarat of Imam Hussain", see Mafatih ul-Jinan).

Imam Hussain had himself emphasized on the purity of Hazrat Fatima (SA), on the Day of Ashura, when he announced:

         

"The virtues of courage, freedom and generosity, I owe to the purity of my mother Hazrat Fatima (SA)."

 

All of us are aware of the importance and the greatness of the Day of Ashura (10th of Muharram), and as a matter of fact, the extraordinary roles that the children of Hazrat Fatima Zahra (SA) played, throughout the historical event were the result of her powerful upbringing and training. In other words, the Karbala phenomenon is one of the best testimonies of the divine nature of her methods of child-rearing.

 

The Methods of Child-Upbringing Adopted by Hazrat Fatima (SA)

Psychologists and child-training experts have always debated regarding the best age to commence child-training, and have not really reached to any substantial conclusion regarding the issue, even today. However, according to Islam, the point that actually starts affecting the soul of the child is the moment a name is chosen for him. And this is the first stage in the moulding of the character of a child. It is because of this very important reason that Islam has laid great emphasis on care and attention in naming of children. Thus, a good name has a very deep and lasting effect on the soul of a child. In this context, Imam Ali (AS) has advised thus in one of his sayings mentioned in the "Nahjul-Balagha ("Peaks of Eloquence"):

 

       

   "...while the right of the child on the father is that he should give him a good name." (Saying No. 409)

 In other words, one of the primary duties of parents, especially the father, is the selection of a worthy name for his child. It is for this very important and scientific reason that Fatima (SA), after consulting her husband, Imam Ali (AS) and her beloved father, Prophet Muhammad (SAW), chose the best and most beautiful names for her children.

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Sacrifice of a goat or sheep (Aqiqah)

Aqiqah (sacrifice of a goat or sheep) and also alms-giving, are highly-recommended acts that have been greatly emphasized in Islamic traditions. It has been recorded that whenever Fatima (SA) would be blessed with a child, she would sacrifice a sheep and would distribute the meat among people. Then on the 7th day of the child"s birth, she would shave his/her head and distribute in charity (alms), the equivalent in silver, of the weight of the shaved-hair of the child. Also she would send gifts to the mid-wife as well as the neighbors such that they too, would share the happy event with her family. ("Bihar ul-Anwar, vol. 43, p. 257)

 

Another custom followed by Fatima (SA) was that as soon as her child would be born, she would recite the `Adhan" in his/her right ear and would recite the `Iqamah" in his/her left ear. This was because she was very well-aware that if the child would be acquainted with the names of Allah, Muhammad (SAW), salat, etc., from the very beginning of his early life, it would have deep and lasting effects on his/her psychological inclinations.

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The Role of Maternal Emotions in Child's Upbringing:

 The soul of a human being is created in such a way that love and compassion are among one of its most basic needs. This is the reason why children who have been deprived of love, care and attention, become prone to various psychological and physical illness, a fact that has been proved scientifically. Research indicates that many crimes committed are rooted in the vacuum created by lack of love and affection in the life of an individual.

Fatima (SA) who had herself grown up saturated with the love and affection of her beloved father (SAW), showered the same love and warmth upon her children.

 

 An incident that has been narrated by one of the close companions of the Prophet named Salman, says:

 "One day, I saw Fatima (SA) who was busy grinding some grain. In the meanwhile, her son Hussain (AS) became impatient and started crying. I offered my help to Fatima (SA), asking her whether she would prefer me to take over the grinding of grain or whether it would help her if I comforted the child. She answered by saying that it would be better for me to take over the grinding, since she would be better at comforting her child" (Bihar ul-Anwar, vol. 43, p. 280).

 

This incident gives us the knowledge of the importance of a mother's soothing presence for a child. It indicates how no one else can soothe and comfort a child, better than his own mother, an important message to mothers in today"s "creche and milk-bottle" culture. She showed us just how important it is for a child to have his mother around when he needs her and how these little moments of attention go a long way in shaping a confident, secure and powerful personality for a human being.

To be continued...

 

The verse of relationship, from the Qur"an, says:

"Say: `No reward do I ask of you for this except the love of those near of kin. And if anyone earns any good, We shall give him an increase of good in respect there of for Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Ready to appreciate (service)."(42: 23)

This verse is a clear command from Allah to His noble Prophet. It is as follows:

(Say) O Muhammad, to your nation: (no reward do I ask of you for this) the message of Islam (except the love of those near of kin) to me. (i.e.) Ahlul-Bayt (PBUH).

It is unanimously agreed upon that the kin mentioned in this verse are Ahlul-Bayt (PBUH). There are many traditions narrated by both Shiite and Sunni Scholars, which not only specify the kin mentioned in this verse, but also state their names. Among the narrations mentioned in this regard by Sunni scholars, are the following:

 

When this verse was revealed, someone said: "Messenger of Allah, who are the kin whose love is obligatory for us?"

 

The Prophet (PBUH) replied:

"Ali,Fatima, and her two children."

This narration has been reported by the following Sunni scholars

1. Ibn Hajar in his al-Sawa"iq al-Muhriqah.

2. al-Thalabi.

3. Al-Suyuti in al-Durr al-Manthur.

4. Abu Nu"aym in Hilyat al-"awliya

5. al-Hamawayni al-Shafi"i in Fara"id al-Samtayn

 

Another narration similar to the one stated above, is reported by Tabari and Ibn Hajar; according to this narration the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) is reported to have said:

"Surely Allah made it incumbent on you to love my kin, and I will ask you about them in the hereafter."

Moreover, the following narrations mentioned on the account of Ahlul-Bayt are a few of the many saying of the Imams (PBUH) in which they recite this verse as proof of the fact that loving them is a religious duty:

A. It is written in al-Sawa"iq al-Muhriqah by Ibn Hajar that Imam Ali (PBUH) said:

"It is stated in the (Quranic chapter) Ha Mim that no one upholds our love save the faithful ones."

He then read:

"Say: `No reward do I ask of you for this except the love of those near of kin, and if any one earns any good, We shall give him an increase of good in respect thereof; for Allah is Oft-Forgiving, most ready to appreciate (service). "(42: 23)

 

B. It has also been reported in the same book that Imam Hasan (PBUH) gave a speech in which he said:

"Surely we are among the Ahlul-Bayt whose love and support were made incumbent (upon the faithful) by Allah, the Exalted.

He­-- Glory be to Him, said:

"Say: `No reward do I ask of you for this except the love of those near of kin, and if arty one earns any good, We shall give him an increase of good in respect thereof. For Allah is Oft-Forgiving, most ready to appreciate (service).""(42: 23)

 

C. The fourth Imam, Imam Ali Ibn Hosein (PBUH) replied to the Syrian who said to him while he was a prisoner of the Umayyads inDamascus:

"Praise be to Allah Who killed you..etc. "

 

Then he (PBUH) said: "Haven"t you read the verse:

 

"Say: `No reward do I ask of you for this except the love of those near of kin, and if any-one earns any good, We shall give him an increase of good in respect thereof; For Allah is Oft-Forgiving, most ready to appreciate(service). ""(42: 23)

 

D.Jabir Ibn Abdullah said:

"A Bedouin came to the Prophet (PBUH) and said: "Mohammad, present Islam to me."

"The Prophet replied: `Bear witness that there is no God but Allah, to whom an associate does not exist; and that Muhammad is the slave and Messenger of Allah. "

The Bedouin said: `Do you require any reward from me (for bringing me to Islam)?"

He (PBUH) answered: `No, save loving the nearest of kin."

The Bedouin then asked: `Mine or yours?"

The Prophet (PBUH) said: `My kin."

The Bedouin said: `Let me pay allegiance to you, and may the curse of Allah be on those who do not love you and your kin."

Thus he (PBUH) said: "Amen.""

This narration has been reported by Al-Kinji in Kefayat At-Talib p.31.

Sheikh Amini (may Allah bless his soul) listed forty-five (45) sources in v.3 of Al-Ghadeer which state that the verse was revealed regarding Ali, Fatima, Hasan and Hosein (PBUT). They are: Imam Ahmad, Ibn al-Mundir, Ibn Abu Hatim, Tabari, Ibn Mardawaih, Tha"labi, Abu Abdullah al-Mula, Abu Sheikh Nisaee, Wahidi, Abu Nu"aym, Bagawi, Bazaz, Ibn Maghazili, Hasakani, Muhib al-Deen, Zamakhshari, Ibn Asaker, Abu al-Faraj, Hamueeni, Nishabouri, Ibn Talhe, Razi, Abu al-Saoud, Abu Hayan, Ibn Abu al-Hadeed, Baidhawi, Nasfi, Haithami, Ibn Sabagh, Ganji, Manawi, Qastalani, Zarandi, Khazin, Zargani, Ibn Hajar, Samhoudi, Suyuti, Safuri, Saban, Shab Lanje, Handhrami, and Nabhawi.

 

 

The Holy Prophet said:

" Whoever injures (bodily or sentimentally) Fatima, injures me; and whoever injures me injures Allah; and whoever injures Allah practices unbelief. O Fatima! If your wrath is incurred, it incurs the wrath of Allah; and if you are happy, it makes Allah happy too."

Fatima, the only daughter of the Holy prophet of Islam, was born in Mecca on 20 Th. Jumadi al- thani 18 BH. The good and noble lady Khadijah and the apostle of Allah bestowed all their natural love, care and devotion on their lovable and only child Fatima, who in her turn was extremely fond of her parents. The princess of the House of the Prophet was very intelligent, accomplished and cheerful. Her sermons, poems and sayings serve, as an index to her strength of character and nobility of mind. Her virtues gained her the title "Our Lady of light".

  She was tall, slender and endowed with great beauty, which caused her to be called " AZ - Zahra" " (the Lady of Light). She was called az - Zahra" because her light used to shine among those in Heaven. After arriving in Medina, she was married to ` Ali, in the first year hijrah, and she gave birth to two sons and two daughters. Her children, Hasan, Husayn, Zaynab and umm kulthum are well - known for their piety, goodness and generosity .Their strength of character and actions changed the course of history.

 The Holy Prophet said, "Fatima is a peace of my heart".

Every morning on his way to the Mosque, he would pass by Fatima's house and say: "peace be on you O the Household of prophet hood and the source of Messengership".

Fatima is famous and acknowledged as the "Leader of all the women of the world" because the Prophethood of Muhammad would not have been everlasting without her. The Prophet is the perfect example for men, but could not be so for women. For all the verses revealed in the Holy Quran for women,Fatima is the perfect model, who translated every year into action. In her lifetime, she was a complete woman, being Daughter, wife and Mother at the some time.

Fatima was very generous; and none who come to her door, when away empty handed. She never asked ` Ali for anything in her whole life. As a mother, she cared for and brought up wonderful children; they have lifted their marks on the face of the world, which time will not be able to erase. The death of the Apostle, affected her very much and she was very sad and grief- stricken and wept her heart out crying all the time. Fatima died in the prime of her life at the age of eighteen, and was buried in jannatu "l-Baqi ` Medina.

Fatimah (peace be upon her) is the student of Islamic school. She was brought up in revelation house and under the supervision of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his descendants), and even when she married Ali (peace be upon him), she had a close contact with her father. Her view towards the world and its aspects is the view of Prophet (peace be upon him and his descendants). It is as if she has derived all her views from the Prophet’s.

In the Islamic school, she was Ali’s classmate. They have got the same views. She was developed under the protection of the Islamic Ideology, taught by the Prophet (peace be upon him and his descendants).

It seems difficult to express and study all aspects of Fatimah’s outlook, but whatever based on her practice, her speech, her view, can be stated includes:

1. Her View on the World:

Fatimah’s view on the world is that it is a farm for cultivation. Its facts and appearance are interconnected, and it has been created by a Creator.

We must love the world, but not absorb in it; it is a means and not an end. Therefore, approaching the end, one must use the means but not attach himself to it. According to Fatimah (peace be upon her), the world deserves love, but not attachment.

The world is the scene of action. It is the field of struggle and effort. The world is a means to make us reach to the otherworldly felicity.

2. Her View on Wealth:

Fatima (peace be upon her) wants property and wealth but not for acquiring value and credit. She wants it for providing her life and protecting her honor.

Those who think of money as an end and seek for it all days and nights, in fact, they have got a complex, and are misleading between means and end. Whatever is achieved in life is not limited to eating, drinking, and wearing. Therefore, we’d better do our utmost to gain wealth but dedicate the rest to our end after satisfying our needs. Fatimah (peace be upon her) never limited herself to wealth and did not think of it as the end, because according to her view, the abundant wealth in man’s hand can bring Allah’s pleasure and His affection if he knows how to use it.

The best wealth is her inner richness and generosity, the hand that pays sincerely will receive Allah’s pleasure, instead, and Fatima (peace be upon her) had got such an spirit.

3. Her View on Happiness:

Her view on happiness and felicity is different from others. She doesn’t see happiness in a doll’s life, luxury, beauty, materialism, decoration, make-up, etc. because these factors cannot solve man’s problems and prepare the ground for inner peace and tranquillity. They are considered as worldly things and can be lost through the passage of time and as a result, involve man in a heart-rending regret.

Any love and adherence to them are wrong, because they will swallow us in themselves and make us forget our real end and ourselves.

The feeling of happiness under the protection of wealth, position, and property is a plot and a deceit, a plot for the decline of our character, and a deceit for keeping us negligent of our development and perfection process. Therefore, we must have another view of happiness. Fatimah (peace be upon her) sees happiness in the eternal moments in which man finds himself in the way of Allah; the time that he fulfills Allah’s orders, and obeys the Divine verdicts.

Happiness is in freedom from all bonds and limitations, having captured our minds, and not in pleasure and fruition. Fatimah (peace be upon her) never spends her lifetime for happiness with the same misconception of ordinary people, and she is more rational to dissipate her life for reaching to pleasure and fruition.

Fortunately, Ali (peace be upon him), as her husband, is also not a person to provide pleasure with negative concept for her, because he deserves a great value and credit for his life and wife.

4. Her View on Mankind:

She is a responsible and duteous being. She is responsible to develop her character and elevate her soul, and tries to achieve her aims and responsibility, and exalt right perfection of mankind, come to people rescue, make progress, and make the people progress.

According to Fatima (peace be upon her), man is more exalted than he passes his life in the way of his passion as a means for a shameful life. Therefore, she tried to elevate her soul.

She was exposed to different exams during her life, in good and bad conditions, misery and happiness, pains and pleasure. She must endeavour to show herself as she really is and endeavour as she must be.

5. Her View on Death:

She has got another view of death. She thinks of it as a means of transfer from this world to the next as well as a door to happiness and prosperity.

She knows that everything in this world is temporary, even its light, its darkness, its pleasure, and its groan. The time when death arrives and Doomsday occurs, everything will be clear; the people are called to account, and man is put in “Dar Ul-Gharar”‌; the place of stability.

She is not frightened of death. And at the time of the Prophet’s death when he sees Fatima’s great love towards himself, he feels he must console her only; therefore, he puts his head into her ears and says, “You are the first person that will join me after my departure”‌. And then, Fatima (peace be upon her) not only does not get sad, but also happy. Yes, the news of death is joyful for her, because she knows that there is prosperity, comfort, and glory to those who have achieved good deeds in this world. She knows that even death for criminals is a bless due to the fact that it prevents them from more crimes and keeps them away from the abyss of adversity.

 

The role of Fatimah (peace be upon her) in women’s revival was fabulous. She is the sample of deconstruction of the misleading customs, which were prevalent among the people in the society and had captured their hearts.

She was the practical sample of laws, through which the Prophet (peace be upon him and his descendants) managed to apply the Islamic principles and programs.

Like the Prophet (peace be upon him and his descendants), Fatimah (peace be upon her) tried to instruct the parents how to revere and love their daughters. While the people buried their daughters alive, the Prophet (peace be upon him and his descendants) kissed Fatimah (peace be upon her) and said,”‌ daughter is Allah’s gift.”‌ When she was a child, the Prophet (peace be upon him and his descendants) sat her on his knees, and through this action wanted the people to take lesson.

The Prophet (peace be upon him and his descendants) should show the high position of women and how they should be viewed in Islamic ideology through her method. Kissing Fatimah’s hand is the symbol of campaign and rebellion against the society viewpoint. It is a revolution against burying girls alive, teaches us indirectly that women as the gift of Allah must be revered and not heated.

The girls and women at her era were not believed, and even they were forced to work hard in the farms. They were not considered as kin; they were deprived from inheritance, retaliation was completely fulfilled for them, etc. A woman having some daughters and no son was considered as barren.

The Prophet (peace be upon him and his descendants) through having Fatimah (peace be upon her) proved that having no son does not mean barrenness as the short sighted think. On the contrary, she can be the source of abundant felicity for her own family and relatives.

She was the sample of deconstructing the wrong marriage customs. In that age, the rich just married to the rich, but she deconstructed this custom and married to Ali (peace be upon him), her cousin who was poor and by selling his chain mail had managed to provide the marriage costs.

In fact, if there existed no Fatimah (peace be upon her), how these false customs were deconstructed, and how the real practical samples in the Prophetic mission were achieved?

If there existed no Fatimah, how the complexes, disgrace, irregularity, making the women’s souls weak, were removed?

 

Fatimah (peace be upon her) is grand and eternal on the account that she has been united with Allah. She has absorbed herself in His.

She is greater than the great, because she is acquainted with Allah, who is the greatest, and she is eternal forever until Doomsday, because she is acquainted with the Eternal.

Fatimah (peace be upon her) is a woman, whose grandeur cannot be inserted in expression and words, because we cannot analyze the infinite with our finite conception. When she is called “Sedigheh”‌ [truthful], it is different from the Sedigheh, applied to others; all her members of body and thought are truthful. It is impossible to describe her grandeur through writing, speaking, and hearing, because all her attributes are in full and infinity. Her faith, her morals, devotion, soul elevation, grandeur, knowledge all are in utmost perfection.

Satisfaction and obedience of Allah:

Fatimah (peace be upon her) is Allah’s real follower, and her exalted purpose and ambition are to satisfy Him and seeks for a way to achieve to this end without any shadow of doubt.

This is Fatimah’s viewpoint that Allah has superiority over all things and everyone. Thus, she has accepted His bondage of servitude. She is seeking for Allah and His satisfaction in her speech, action, and all her life. This is pride that the Prophet (peace be upon him and his descendants) knows her satisfaction His satisfaction and her way as the way of God, the Almighty.

Fatimah (peace be upon her) as a measure:

Scales is an instrument for measuring and the facts are assessed by it. In materialism, for measuring goods, volume, weight, and a period of time, the special measuring instruments are utilized. In spirituality, measuring is possible through samples and symbols.

For instance, the level of somebody’s understanding is measured through comparison with an intelligent person; the level of somebody’s piety is measured through comparison with a pious person; the level of somebody’s intelligence and talent is measured through comparison with a talented and bright person; and the level of somebody’s generosity and humanity is measured through comparison with a generous person.

Fatimah (peace be upon her) is a complete measure for evaluating the ladies’ deeds, and according to the infallible, “she is measure”‌. Fatimah’s spirit power, unique courage, elevated thoughts, and excellent dispositions are all and all measures and samples. Her chastity, piety, faith, nobility, honor, housekeeping, rearing the children, abstinence from sublunary luxury, material and spiritual aspects and even her death are all measures for us.

In the history of the women world, we do not know a woman like her to be the measure and sample. All Fatimah’s attributes make her more adorned than others and give a distinguished face to her.

Fatimah (A.S), the Cause of Continuation of the Prophetic Mission:

It is her clean and pure womb that can be the source of grace and the origin of light and the originator of eleven clean offspring, who are the Prophet’s successors and continuance of the Prophetic mission from generation to generation.

It was not haphazard that the Prophet (peace be upon him and his descendants) knew Fatimah’s wrath his wrath and her torment or satisfaction his torment or satisfaction. He said, “those, who make Fatimah (peace be upon her) happy, have made me happy, and those who tease her, have in fact teased me.”‌

Yes, she was the continuance of the Prophetic mission, and made any kind of endeavour to promote the Islamic teachings along with Ali (peace be upon him). As a trustful trustee, she went to the companions’ houses at night and delivered them an ultimatum. She explained them that Ali is with right, and right is with Ali (peace be upon him), and if they do not adapt it, they must answer back to Allah. She wanted the people to know that what a big crime they would commit if they negate Ali’s (A.S) right and what undesired future they would expect.

Fatimah (peace be upon her) is the continuance of the Prophetic mission. She is Ali’s witness and assistance. She confirms his speeches, and tried to prove his claims, and in this way, she is not afraid of the door stroke, causing damages on her body, and as a result miscarriage. Even the enemy’s whips cannot stop her from defending Ali; the martyrdom and death in Allah’s way cannot prevent her from continuing the Prophetic mission.

She is the continuance of the Prophetic mission, because she has managed to rear a generation that were the preservers of the religion the Karbala mission that was the continuance of the Prophetic mission.

She is the continuance of the Prophetic mission, because Imamate, the continuation of Prophethood, belongs to her generation, and Imam Mahdi (may God hasten his reappearance), who will defend Fatimah’s purpose will rise to revive Islam.

How did this way of Prophetic mission continue and what happened to her offspring, who were the followers of the Prophet and Ali (peace be upon him)? Prison, torture, homelessness, banishment, stroke of sword, poison, separation from dynasty and children were some of the hardships they suffered in the way to achieve their holy end.

 

Fatimah (peace be upon her) has endowed with honor and grand dignity; the honor no one could achieve it as Fatimah (peace be upon her) did. Expressing all her aspects of her character is not feasible; therefore, some points are stated:

1. She is Allah’s beloved:

She is the pure servant of Allah, and is always in worship and contact with Him in order to give her servanthood superiority over her other positions, so that no luxury, effort, or attachments could prevent her from fulfilling her conscious duty. As that the Prophet (peace be upon him and his descendants) appreciated her and praised her position was due to the fact that she was pious and in contact with Allah, and not because she was the Prophet’s daughter.

Fatimah’s generosity, thought, and efforts are all for Allah’s pleasure. Fatimah (peace be upon her) is so dissolved in the Divine grandeur and majesty that she devotes all her things in His way: her position, her rank, her silver bracelet, her wedding dress, the screen of her house, etc. In this case, shouldn’t she be the dear of Allah?

2. She is the Prophet’s dear:

The Prophet (peace be upon him and his descendants) knows her as a part of his body and soul, as he says,

بضعة منه و روحة اللذی بین جنبیه

In the age of Ignorance and the hard times of his Prophethood, she was as a mother to her father in Mecca. She cleansed the thorns and dust that the people had thrown over the head of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his descendants) with her little hands and soothed him. Sometimes, she would cry for his loneliness and caressed for his beaten body.

She was her father’s consular at the time of Hijra, she was so dear for him in Medina that Ayesheh stated, “There was no one dearer than Fatimah (peace be upon her) to the Prophet (peace be upon him and his descendants); he attended her house every day and asked about her mood repeatedly. When he was setting for trips, Fatimah (peace be upon her) was the last one, visited at the time of departure by him, and at the time of arrival, Fatimah (peace be upon her) was the first one, visited”‌.

Owing to her dignity and action, purity and sincerity, she reached to a rank that the Prophet (peace be upon him and his descendants) stated, “ ابوهافداها ”‌ [May his father be sacrificed to her].

Once, the Prophet (peace be upon him and his descendants) saw Ali and Fatimah (peace be upon them), grinding wheat. He asked, “who gives her place to me to turn the mill?”‌ Ali said to Fatimah (A.S), “rise, ‘cause you are tired?”‌ and then the Prophet (peace be upon him and his descendants) sat on her place and continued her job.

Even on his point of death, she was closest to the Prophet (peace be upon him and his descendants). The Prophet (peace be upon him and his descendants) whispered in her ear, “Dear Fatimah, sit beside me, and recite Qur’an”‌. Yes, the whispers and Qur’an recitation of Fatima (peace be upon her) could sooth the Prophet (peace be upon him and his descendants).

3. She is Ali’s wife:

As stated before, if there was no Fatimah (peace be upon her), there would be no one deserving to be her husband. Her marriage was determined by the Word of Revelation. She was a wife, kind and the perfect symbol ofلتسکنو ایها ; confidant with her husband…

She never shattered her family estate under the pretext of ornament and did not make the life bitter for her husband for the false worldly allure.

They had a house, apparently made of clay; a house, void of ornaments, but full of purity, sincerity, faith, piety, and chastity. Their dishes consisted of wooden and earthen bowls, but their soul bowls were full of grandeur and overfilled with cordiality and affection.

 

Her stances were stances for the right, and her sorrow was the sorrow for the issue (Islam), and her joy was the joy of the message; the depth of Islam was manifested in the depth of her personality and she amassed within herself all the Islamic human virtues, since being the Doyenne of the Women of the World implied that she should be at the highest level, spiritually and morally.

This is why we are intensely interested in Fatimah al-Zahra' (s.a) because when we remember her we remember the message and her role, and remember Islam and the dynamic issues in which Fatimah (s.a) was a central figure; hence we feel that she is with us in all of our concerns and that she is alive among us. There are people in history who finish when they die, because their existence is encapsulated in the span of their lives; there are others who remain alive as long as life exists, and who continue as long as their message continues and as long as there are people who are open to their message. Fatimah (s.a) is placed at the pinnacle of these people, since you cannot mention the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) without mentioning her. She was his product and the spirit inside his body; and you cannot mention Ali (a.s) without mentioning her as she was his companion in life and suffering; and you cannot mention Imam Hassan, Imam Hussein and Zainab (s.a) without mentioning her as she was the secret of purity in their childhood and of their personalities throughout their lives.

This is the secret of Fatimah (s.a) that obliges us to keep her in our minds and our hearts as a message and thought, not just the cause of tears. We cannot but open up to her with our tears, but more important than that is to open ourselves to her message because she lived all her tears and all her life for the Message and never for one moment lived it for herself.

This is the secret of all the members of Ahl-ul- Bayt (a.s): they lived for the whole of Islam and gave their lives for Islam and the Message.

Not an inflation of the past

Talking about Fatimah (s.a) involves no unwarranted inflation of history. Besides, with her virtues, she represents the living present and a bright future. We have seen her in her motherhood as the greatest of mothers, and we have seen the cruelty imposed by that role on her weak body, but she withstood all this with an open mind and with patience. Then we saw her fulfilling her different missionary responsibilities when she stirred up the conscience of the nation, and presented the greatest lesson in how to deal with the circumstances following the death of the Prophet (PBUH). She held that stance which has proved itself over time and stayed valid to the present, and will ever be.

Studying the experience of Fatimah (s.a) is not a reversion to the past, and hence a diminution of ourselves within those limitations, but rather a question of trying to draw lessons from a pioneering experience by an infallible personality - an experience which has never been confined to the past but one which shall ever be current and renewed.

A role model for both sexes

When we present Fatimah (s.a) as a role model, we are not talking about women only. We present her as a role model for both men and women because she is a constituent element of Islam and the Muslim people as a whole, not just of women - even if there was a big role as woman in her life.

Muslim women can take a lot from Fatimah (s.a) when they know how to spend their time valuably and how to open themselves up, with all their powers, to knowledge, spirituality and dynamic attitude, according to their abilities.

Love versus allegiance

Love for the great personalities and individuals with a mission are not only an emotion but a stance. This is the difference between being a loving person and being a proponent follower: allegiance is a stance while love is emotion. It is natural that the situation must live the emotion and move by it, but it should move beyond it to open up to the whole of the message through opening up to the bearers of the message, who represent its legitimacy.

Yes! The value of what Ahl-ul- Bayt (a.s) say and do is that it represents the whole legitimacy. When a person takes words of knowledge or rulings, or follows a line of conduct which can be right or wrong, he will be puzzled as to the legitimacy of what he has seen or heard; but if he depends on infallible examples who have been purified from abominable acts, then there can be no place for falsehood, and no place for injustice. He will have taken the truth from a pure fountain, in which nothing can muddy its purity.

Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: 'My hadith is the hadith of my father, and my father's is that of my grandfather, and my grandfather's is that of Imam Hussein, and Imam Hussein's is that of Imam Hassan, and Imam Hassan's is that of the Commander of the Faithful, and the Commander of the Faithfull's is that of the Messenger of Allah, and the Messenger of Allah's is the word of Allah the Great and Almighty.'

 

Reciting the Tasbih of Hazrat Zahra (s.a.) before sleeping

Imam Jafar Sadiq (a.s) says: “One who recites the Tasbih of Hazrat Zahra (s.a) at the time of going to bed, he will be accounted amongst those who have remembered Allah a lot.” (Wasaaelush Shia Vol 4, Pg. 1026)

In the book ‘Wasaaelush Shia’ there is a tradition from Imam Muhammad Baqir (a.s) which says that at the time of going to bed, Tasbih of Hazrat Zahra (s.a) and then Maoozatain (Surah Falaq and Surah Naas) and Ayatul Kursi should be recited.

Teaching the recitation of Tasbih to the children

In this connection, Imam Jafar Sadiq (a.s) says:

“O Abu Haroon! We order our children to recite the Tasbih of Hazrat Zahra (s.a) in the same manner as we order them for the performance of Namaz” (Al-Kafi, Kitabus Salaat, Pg. 343)

Reciting Tasbih made out of the Turbah of grave of Imam Hussein (a.s):

It is better that the Tasbih of Hazrat Zahra (s.a) be made of the pure Turbah (soil) of the grave of Imam Hussein (a.s)

It has been narrated from Imame Zaman (a.s): “ One who just holds the Tasbih made out of the soil of the grave of Imam Hussein (a.s) and does not do any dhikr, even then for him will be written the reward of having recited the Azkaar” (Wasaaelush Shia Vol 4, Pg. 1033)

Imam Jafar Sadiq (a.s) says:

“One dhikr or Isteghfaar recited on the Tasbih made out of the soil of the grave of Imam Hussein (a.s) is equal to 70 such dhikr recited on any other thing.” (Wasaaelush Shia Vol 4, Pg. 1033)

Some noteworthy points:

1. One of the conditions of worship, rather the most important of them all, is being attentive in its performance. This is specially so in the recitation of Tasbih of Hazrat Zahra (s.a).

2. There should be continuity in the recitation of the Tasbih without any interruptions. This has been the practice of our holy Imams (a.s) (Al- Kaafi, Kitaabus Salaat, Pg. 343)

1. In case one has a doubt regarding the number of Azkaar that he has recited, then he should start again. This is according to a tradition from Imam Sadiq (a.s) (Al- Kaafi, Kitaabus Salaat, Pg. 342)

Thus, by the grace of Allah and the blessings of Imam Mahdi (a.s), we have come to realize the importance of reciting Tasbih of Hazrat Zahra (s.a) and its merits. We pray to Allah to grant us the Taufeeq that we may be regular in its recitation.

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Merits of Hazrat Fatimah’s Tasbih - Part 1