The Martyrdom of Lady Fāṭima al-Zahrā
On Thursday, the 5th of December 2024 A.D. (the 3rd of Jamādi al-Thānī 1446 A.H.)
Lady Fatimah was born on the 20th of Jamādi al-Thānī, in the 5th year after the declaration of the Prophethood (615 A.D.) in Mecca. She is the only daughter of the Prophet of Islam and her mother’s name is Lady Khadījah. Lady Fatima is the wife of Imam Ali. She is the mother of Imam al-Hassan, Imam al-Husayn, Lady Zeynab, Lady Umm-e-Kulsūm, and Mohsin (the fetus who was miscarried). Holy Fatima is also the ancestress mother of nine other infallible Imams. She is also one of those whom God testified to their purity in the 33rd verse of Surah al-Hujurāt.
Her Martyrdom
After the demise of the Prophet many of the Prophet’s companions, despite of his explicit announcement in regard with Imam Ali’s succession, joined together and elected a caliph amongst themselves. They could not leave Imam Ali unengaged and wanted him to give the pledge for their caliph. Lady Fatima could not stay calm and sadness and some mistreatments made her weaker day by day and she passed away within three months after the death of her father!
The true date of Lady Fatima’s departure is a subject for discussion among Muslims. According to some sources, she passed away seventy five days[1] after the demise of the Prophet Muhammad so as the Prophet’s demise occurred on the 28th of the month of Safar in 11 A.H (the 28th of May 632 A.D.), the martyrdom of Lady Fatima must have occurred on the 13th of Jamādi al-Ūlā (the 9th of August). However, other more authentic sources state that it was ninety five days[2] after the death of her honorable father. Therefore, the 3rd of the month of Jamādi al-Thānī (the 29th of August) is also known as to be the day of her demise.
Her Hidden Tomb
The place of Fatima’s grave is still unknown because she had asked Imam Ali to hide it to be a proof on her anger against the people who stood against her husband and caused her to become angry. Al-Bokhārī in his Sahih narrates that Fatima was angry at Abu Bakr and decided not to talk to him and passed away while she was still in that status.[3]
Anyhow, it was said that she was either buried in al-Baqī’ Graveyard[4] or in her house[5], or between the Prophet’s tomb and his pulpit (al-Minbar) as in is narrated from the Prophet to have said, “Between my tomb and my pulpit there is a garden from the gardens of the Paradise”.[6]
Whereas the most authentic sources state that the 3rd of the month of Jamādi al-Thānī is a day when honorable lady Fatima departed from this world so, it is recommended to recite the following words (Ziyārah):
السّلامُ عَلَيْكِ يَا سَيّدَةَ نِسَاءِ الْعَالَمِينَ،
Peace be upon you; o the master of the women of the world!
السّلامُ عَلَيْكِ يَا وَالِدَةَ الْحُجَجِ عَلَى النَّاسِ أَجْمَعِينَ،
Peace be upon you; o the mother of the Imams who are like proofs of God upon all mankind.
السّلامُ عَلَيْكِ أَيّتُهَا الْمَظْلُومَةُ الْمَمْنُوعَةُ حَقّهَا.
Peace be upon you; o the one who is oppressed and was deprived from her rights.
اَللّهُمّ صَلّ عَلَى أَمَتِكَ وَابْنَةِ نَبِيّكَ وَزَوجَةِ وَصِيّ نَبِيّكَ صَلاةً تُزْلِفُهَا فَوْقَ زُلْفَى عِبَادِكَ الْمُكَرّمِينَ مِنْ أَهْلِ السّمَاوَاتِ وَأَهْلِ الارَضِينَ.
O Allah! Send blessings upon Your servant, the daughter of Your Prophet, the wife of the successor of Your Prophet such remarkable blessings that approaches her nearer to You and nearer than Your other honored servants those who inhabitant in the skies and the earth.[7]
[1] . Manāqib Āl-e- Abī Tālib, v. 2, p. 116; Usūl al-Kāfī, v. 1, p. 458.
[2] . Bihār al-Anwār, v. 43, p. 156.
[3] Sahih, Bokhari, vol. 4, p. 42.
[4] . Al-Bidāyah wa al-Nihāyah, v. 6, p. 334.
[5] . Tahzīb al-Asma’ wal-Lughāt, v. 2, p. 353.
[6] . Bihār al-Anwār, v. 43, p.185.
[7] Sayyed bin Tāwūs, Iqbāl al-A’māl, p. 622.
