|
When Fatima Zahra
(A.S.) reached the age nine
years , she was a fully grown woman who
enjoyed intellectual maturity and integrity of
conduct. ALLAH gifted her with a brilliant
mentality and cleverness, together with beauty,
grace and elegance. Her talents were many and
her inherited and acquired noble traits, excel
those of many female or male.Fatima's religious
feelings and literary knowledge were unlimited.
You will come to know that she was the most
knowledgeable and most honorable woman in
the world. In fact history has not witnessed any
other woman who achieved such a high level of
education, knowledge, and social graces that
Fatima reached; regardless of the fact that she
did not graduate from any educational
establishment save the school of Revelation and
membership. In light of this, it is not strange that
prominent compasions of the Prophet (P.B.U.H.)
asked to marry her, but he (P.B.U.H.) rejected
them by saying: "Her affair is left to her Lord;
whenever He wills, she will marry." Abu Bakr
and Umar were among those who asked to
marry Fatima, but the Prophet (P.B.U.H.)
rejected them too, and said the she was still too
young for marriage. Abdurrahman Ibn Awf also
asked for her hand, but the Prophet (P.B.U.H.)
ignored him. Abu Bakr came to see the Prophet
(P.B.U.H.). After sitting down he said: "O
Messenger of ALLAH, you surely know of my
devotion and long standing service to Islam..."
The Prophet (P.B.U.H.) then said: "What is it
that you want?" Abu Bakr then said: "I want you
to give me Fatima in marriage." When the
Prophet heard this, he did not say anything, so
Abu bakr returnd to Umar and said: "I have
ruinedmyself and others!!" Umar said: "What
happned?" Abu Bakr replied: "I asked for
Fatima's hand from the Prophet, but he ignored
me." Umar said: "You stay here, and I will go ask
the Prophet for the same thing that you asked
him for." Umar went to the Prophet (P.B.U.H.)
and after sitting down started to saying: "O
Messenger of ALLAH, you surely know my
devotion and long lasting service to Islam..."
The Prophet (P.B.U.H.) then said: "What is it
that you want"? Umar replied: "I want you to give
me Fatima in marriage." But the Prophet
(P.B.U.H.) ignored him too. Umar returned to
Abu Bakr and said: "He is waiting for ALLAH's
command in this regard." Perhaps the Messenger
avoived telling Abu Bakr and Umar openly that
he is keeping Fatima for the qualified man,
because he did not want to declare to them that
they were unqualified to marry her, and that his
daughter was above their level. The Prophet
(P.B.U.H.) also wanted everythng to occur in it's
natural order. Imam Ali (A.S.) was staying in the
house of Saad Ibn Ma'adh since he immigrated
to Medina. One day while Imam Ali (A.S.) was in
one of the gardens of the Medina, Saad came to
him and said: "What prevents you from asking to
marry Fatima from your cousin?" It has also
been mentioned in Kanz Al-Umal that Umar came
to Ali (A.S.) and said: "What prevents you from
marrying Fatima?" Imam Ali relpied: "I fear that
he (Prophet) will not give her to me in
marriage!" Umar said: "If he does not give her to
you in marriage, then who will she marry?
Besides, you are the nearest of ALLAH's
creatures to him..." Actually, Ali (A.S.) had never
mentioned his deisre to marry Fatima to two
reasons, first his shyness to do in front of the
Prophet (P.B.U.H.), and seconldy because of his
very difficlut economic conditions. Imam Ali (A.S.)
owned nothig of empherial belongings of this
world-not even a house or a peace of land!! So
how could he get married? And where would he
live with his wife? Besides, Fatima (A.S.) is not
the type of woman who can be neglected or
looked down upon!! Imam Ali (A.S.) finally
approached the Prophet (P.B.U.H.) and asked
for Fatima's hand in marriage. The Messenger,
who has absolute gaurdianship over all Muslim
men and women, including his daughter, would
not announce his agreement to the marriage
without Fatima's consent.The Prophet (P.B.U.H.)
in reply to Ali said: "Ali, many men have asked
before you and she has rejected them-her
resentment to marry them was clear on her face.
Yet, wait until I bring you the answer." The
Prophet (P.B.U.H.) left Ali waiting for the answer.
the Prophet informed his daughter that Ali
wished to marry her. Fatima did not need to ask
about Ali's occupation, manners, age and other
traits; because she knew all about his talents,
excellent traits and long standing sevice to Islam.
It is for this reason that the Prophet (P.B.U.H.)
only said to her: "Fatima, you know Ali Ibn Abi Talib's relationship to us, his devotion and faithfulness
to Islam. I asked ALLAH to give you in marriage to the best of His creatures, and the most
beloved to Him; and Ali has declared his wish to
marry you; what do you say?" Faima did not
reply, nor did she show a sign of rejection or
resentment, so he (P.B.U.H.) stood an said:
"ALLAH is the Greatest! Her silence is her
approval." The Prophet (P.B.U.H.) went back to
the waiting Ali and informed him of Fatima's
approval of the marriage.
|
He also inquired about
the extent of his preparedness to fulfill the requirements needed for the wedding (dowry).
The Prophet said to Ali: "Do you posses
anything which you can pay for the dowry to
marry Fatima?" Imam Ali answerd: "May my
parents be your sacrifice! By ALLAH, there is
not a thing of my affiars hidden from you; I own
my sword, shield and the camel which I use for
irrigation!!" The Messenger listened to Ali and
said: "Ali, you cannot do without your sword, for
you have to struggle with it and defend yourself
against the enemies of ALLAH. As for your
camel, you need it to irrigate palm trees and
support your family, and you need it as a means
of travel. But I accept the shield as a dowry from
you; thus, sell it and bring me the money!!"
TheCommander of the Faithful (A.S.) sold the
shield for 480 or 500 dirhams and brought the
money to the Prophet (P.B.U.H.). They both
agreed that this money would be the dwory of
the most honorable girl and the most exalted
female of the universe. Yes, Fatima was the
Mistress of the women of the world, and the
daughter of the master of Prophets and
Messengers, who was the best of ALLAH's
creatures.Despite
Fatima's modest marriage on Earth, Allah.The Exalted, bestowed her with
an honourable gift. He (Golry be to Him ) gave her in marriage to Ali
Ibn Abu Talib,before the Messanger himsef did so. The celebration took
place in the fourth Heaven near Al-Baith Al-Ma'mour(the constantly
attended house of Allah).It is reported in Nuzhat Al- Majalis tha Anas
Ibn Malik said: The Prophet was in the mosque when he said to Ali:
"Here is Gabriel informing me that Allah gave Fatima to you in
marriage, and made forty thousand angels testify to to her marriage. He
also revealed to the tree of Tuba to sprinkle them with gems, rubies,
jewelry and embellishments. When it had done this, the Huris rushed to
collect these gems, rubies, jewelry and embellishments to exchangethem
for gifts until the day of Resurrection" (Sayuti reported this
narration in Tahdheer Al-Khawas.) The Prophet gave
AbuBakr some money and asked him to accompany Bilal and Salman (or Ammar
Ibn Yasir) to buy some household necessities for Fatima's house. The
Prophet said to Abu Bakr: "Buy some appropriate household
necessities for my daughter with this money." Abu Bakr said:
"He gave sixty-three Dirhams, so we went to the market and bought
the following
-
Two
mattresses made of Egyptian canvas.(One stuffed with fiber and the
other with sheep wool)
-
A
leather mat.
-
A
pillow made of skin, filled with palm tree fiber.
-
A
Khaibarian cloak.
-
An
animal skin for water.
-
Some
jugs and jars also for warer.
-
A
pitcher painted with tar.
-
A
thin curtain made of wool.
-
A
shirt costing seven Dirhams
-
A
veil costing four Dirhams.
-
A
black plush cloak.
-
A
bed embellished with ribbon.
-
Four
cushions made of skin imported from Ta'ef, stuffed with a good
smelling plant.
-
A
mat from Hajar.
-
A
hand mill.
-
A
special copper container used for dyestuff.
-
A
pestle for grinding coffee.
-
A
(water ) skin.
When
Abu Bakr and the other companions had bought the above mentioned
articles, they carried them to Um Salama's house. When the
Prophet(P.B.U.H) saw them, he started kissing every article and
supplicated to Allah, saying:" O Allah, bless them! for they are
people who the majority of their belongings are made of natural
materials." These were all furnishings they purchased for the
daughter of the best of all Prophets and Messengers. But indeed, marital
happiness is not achieved by wealth and overspending, nor can
expensive wardrobes, gems, golden ware, luxurious furniture, splendid
palaces or comfortable automobiles provide a person with marrital
happiness, contrary to the beliefs of most people.
Although
Fatima's(A.S) dowry was modest, because of the Messenger's wish to set
an example for the muslims and for other implicit reasons, Fatima
Zahra(A.S) did not ignore her greatness and exalted identity to obtain a
fantastic gift for her wedding.Fatima's drive for excellence and
perfection motivated her to ask for the right of intercedence-if Allah
willed-for the sinners among the muslims.
Nasfi
said: "Fatima (A.s) asked the Prophet (P.B.U.H) that her dowry
would be intercedence for his nation on the Day of Resurrection. So when
she passes the path, she will ask for her dowry.
|
