The Holy prophet was awaiting the Divine order in this respect, till Imam Ali approached him and asked for her hand in marriage.

The Holy Prophet came to Hadhrat Fatimah and asked, "My daughter! Do you consent to be wedded to Ali, as I am so commanded by Allah? "Hadhrat Fatimah thereupon bowed her head in modesty. Umm Salamah narrates: "

The face of Fatimah bloomed with joy and her silence was so suggestive and conspicuous that the Holy Prophet stood up reciting 'Allahu Akbar' (Allah is most great). Fatimah’s silence is her acceptance.

"On Friday, lst or 6th. dhi’ l hijjah 2 AH, the marriage ceremony took place. All the Muhajirun (Emigrants) and Ansar (Helpers) of Medina assembled in the mosque while Imam Ali (as) was seated before the Holy Prophet with all the ceremonious modesty of a bridegroom. The Holy Prophet first recited an eloquent sermon and then announced: I have been commanded by Allah to get Fatimah wedded to Ali, and so I do hereby solemnize the matrimony between Ali and Fatimah on a dower of four hundred mithqal of silver or an armor. Then he asked Imam Ali, "Do you consent to it, O Ali ? " Yes, I do, O Holy Prophet of Allah! “Replied Imam Ali.

Then the Holy Prophet raised his hands to pray thus O May God bless both of them, sanctify their progeny and grant them the keys of The beneficence, Thy treasures of wisdom and Thy genius; and let them be a source of blessing and peace to my ummah.

Her children; Imam Hasan, Imam hussein, zainab and um kulthun, are well - known for their piety, goodness and generosity. Their strength of character and action changed the course of history and fortified Islam which otherwise would have been lost to mankind.

House hold affairs

In the whole world, there was only one house that was free from impurities and that house was of Imam Ali (as) and Zahra (sa). She being the leader of all the women of the world, she was the torch bearer of the ideals and character of woman hood.

Zahra (sa) never used to take household duties as a chore for a woman. In the performance of domestic duties, she had faced many obstacles and hardships.

The Infallible daughter of the Holy Prophet (SW) was conscious of her responsibilities and aware that a wife could shape the direction of her husband’s activities. Her thinking was that the home is the place of refuge. A place of peace for a man, when he comes back tired from his struggles and dealings with the outside world. A place to re-strengthen his energy and also to gain in him fresh confidence and determination, so that he could be able to tackle his duties.

Imam Musa Al Kadhim (as) says: "The crusade of a woman is to have concern and regard for the husband."

 

Fâtemeh had many suitors. As one would imagine, becoming the son in law of Hazrate Mohammad-e Mostafâ [Peace be upon him! ], was something to be desired, and everybody wished to become such, from the bottom of his heart, and to be granted this supreme honor...

But also because a gracious lady such as Fâtemeh, who was great in wisdom,beauty, and had the most sweetest of the caracters, doubled this fervent wish between men. But Hazrate Mohammad-e Mostafâ [Peace be uon him!], refused all her suitors, and had always the same answer :" I am waiting for the Divine

Command ..."

Finally Ali Ibn Abi Tâleb [ May the Divine Greetings reach him! ], who was our Prophet's cousin and his beloved brother, and had grown up beside the holy Prophet himself, took his courage into his hands and asked for the hand of Fâtemeh. He came respectfully to the house of our Prophet, and knelt in complete respect and submission before our beloved Prophet, without uttering any word, whatsoever, but just waiting...

Our Prophet, by seeing him thus, asked him curiously:" Son of Abou Tâleb! Why have you come to see me ? "

He answered:" I have come to ask for the hand of Fâtemeh... "Our Prophet was overjoyed and he said:" Very well! I welcome this announcement." and then nothing more. Ali asked permission to take his leave. When the people who knew him well, saw him, they asked him  most curiously about the outcome of his request.

Ali repeated the sentence that our Prophet had given him. Those who were listening said:" You should satisfy yourself with this answer. It seems that our Prophet has granted you your wish, and has accepted you into his household."

The fact is : if Ali had, not come forth, nobody could have become Fâtemeh’s husband. This irrefutable truth is assured by what Hazrate Imâm Sâdigh has said about this matter :" If God hadn't created Ali, nobody would have been dignified or worthy enough to become Fâtemeh’s husband..."

Our Prophet, talked about this matter to his beloved daughter, and asked her opinion. Fâtemeh, in front of his father, blushed and kept quiet. But our Prophet had seen enough : he had seen the sign of deep joy in Fâtemeh’s face, and had known that her daughter's silence, was in fact her approval. Our

Prophet came back quickly to tell the good news to Ali .

Our Prophet then required from Ali to respect the custom of giving a dowry to his daughter. Ali had to determine the sum of money that he wished to give to his wife to be... Ali began to enumerate his very limited possessions and said:" All I have is one sword, one camel who helps me bring out water from the well,

and one armour..."

Our Prophet answered:" Go my son, and sell your armour. Then you could procure the sum of my daughter's dowry. "

Ali sold his armoar at 480 dirhams, and then came back quickly to give this sum to our Prophet, and to submit himself to his wishes for further demands. Our Prophet took a small sum of it to buy some possessions for their home [ Ali and Fâtemeh’s ], he also took a small portion of it to buy some perfume for her daughter, and to buy some things for the wedding night.

The list of this simple dowry, is as follows:

* a dress at the price of 7 Dirhams

* a fabric at the price of 4 Dirhams

* a black towel from Kheybar

* a bed, woven with palm leaves

* two cotton mattresses : one made of palm leaves

* the other one from sheep’s wool

* four leather pillows ...

* a woolen curtain

* a bed

* a manual mill

* a leather goatskin [ water skin ]

* a wooden bowl

* a bowl for milking

* a bowl for water

* a green pitcher

* some earthen pots and jars When those ho had bought these things, came back home, they showed this items all to our Prophet and he declared: " May God bestow from His Heavenly Provisions

to this family..." And then the vows of marriage took place...

A month passed by without Ali having the courage to take his bride to his home. Ali went everyday to the mosque, but with no result... Finally, one of the most respected wives of our Prophet said sympathetically

to Ali:" Do you wish me to ask respectfully from our Prophet, to grant you the

permission to take your bride to your home? "

Ali joyously and gratefully aknowledged this and confinned his wish to settle this matter. When our Prophet knew of this matter, he said:" I was expecting Ali to come to me about this matter, and I was hoping that he would tell me himself about his wish…"

 

But Ali answered:" OProphet of God! I was verily ashamed to ask you such permission ..."

So then, our Prophet asked his wives to prepare a room in their home [ our Prophet's house ] for Ali & Fâtemeh.Then a great number of Ansars [ immigrants ] and also from the Christian community were invited to come to Fâtemeh’s marriage banquet and eat their fill and enjoy themselves… From what history has left us, that night our Prophet, with his gracious and generous hand, provided miraculous food for four thousand guests… Then he put the hand of Fâtemeh into Ali's hand, and prayed for them and said:" May God bring happiness and joy to the beloved daughter of His Prophet!"