Final Hours of the Most Excelled Lady

 

It was as though it was yesterday when her father had asked for her presence at his deathbed, where he whispered some words in her ear.  Words that would prepare her for the ingratitude and chaos that were to come in the near future.  Words that spoke of her joining him soon, words that spread a smile, for just a few short moments, on a face overwhelmed by tears and grief.  

 

Some three months had passed since the demise of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP).  Fatimeh (PBUH) was grieving the loss of her father on the one hand, and the evils stirred up by Saqifah on the other.  She was as though a ship stuck ship held companion to the sick bed, as her final candles of life gave light before slowly going out.

 

That day she told Asma’, a lady helping her, “Prepare some water for me to wash myself.”  Asma’ brought water and Lady Fatimah (PBUH)  washed and said, “Hand me my new clothes.”  She put them on and asked for her bed to be place in the middle of the room.  She lay down on the right side of her body, facing the Qibla, placed her right hand under her face and then said, “Leave me to be alone. I wish to speak privately to my Lord.  Call me a while later, if I respond then nothing, but if I do not, then know that I have left (this world) towards my Lord.”

 

Asma’ narrates, “I left the room and listened to the Lady praying.  Time passed, and I called on her, but heard no response.  I said, ‘O daughter of the best man to have walked on this earth! O daughter of the man whose distance to the Lord has become as far as two arrows or less!’....but there was no answer.  I came close, entered the room, lifted the sheet from the Lady’s face, and saw that she had left this world….”

 

Asma’ threw herself on Fatimeh (PBUH), kissed her and said, “O Fatimeh! As you leave to see your father, send the regards of Asma’ Bint Umais to the Messenger of Allah!”

 

Asma’ left the house.  Hassan and Hussein (PBUH) approached her, asking “Where is our mother?”  She was unable to respond.  They entered the room, and saw their mother lying.  Hussein (PBUH) shook his mother, and saw that she had passed away.  He turned to his brother Hassan (PBUH), and said, “O brother! May Allah reward you in this calamity of mother’s loss.”  

 

Hassan (PBUH) threw himself on mother, saying, “O Mother! Speak to me before I die!” 

Hussein (PBUH) came forth kissed mother’s feet and said, “It is I, your son Hussein! Speak to me before my heart tears to pieces!”

 

Asma’ asked them to get their father, Imam Ali (PBUH) and inform him of the situation.  They left while calling, “O Muhammad! O Ahmad! Our mother has died, it is as if your death has occurred again!”  They reached the Masjid and informed Amiralmu’minin (PBUH). 

 

Those present report that upon hearing the news, Imam Ali (PBUH) lost consciousness.  Awhile later, when having recovered, he presented himself by her side, saying, “O Daughter of Muhammad (PBUH&HP)! Who can calm me after you? You always calmed me, who can give me comfort and peace after you?!”

 

As Imam Ali (PBUH) placed the tomb of Fatimeh (PBUH) into the ground, he addressed the Prophet of Allah (PBUH&HP) referring to the harm inflicted upon the Prophet’s daughter, “O Messenger of Allah! I am returning the one you had given to me, and soon enough your daughter will inform you of how your community gathered together to harm her.  Ask her and ask about our well-being for not much time has passed and your name has not been forgotten…”2

 

Indeed! The one daughter of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH&HP) and the leader of women in both worlds died shortly after his father’s death, at the age of 18.  She bade farewell to the house of Ali (PBUH), having faced grave physical and emotional injuries inflicted upon her from the founders of Saqifah.

 

Selection taken from Fatimah al-Zahra, Bahjata Ghalb al-Mustafa (Peace be Upon Him and His Progeny) by Ahmad Rahmani Hamedani, with minor changes.

 

On behalf of Roshd Website we send our condolences to all Muslim and to you dear friend

Upon the martyrdom of the Mother of the two flowers of the Prophet (PBUT)

And the last pillar of the life of Ali (PBUH),