The Garden of Knowledge

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

21 Jumaadal Aakhirah 1447/12 December 2025

All praise is due to Allah ﷻ, the Cherisher, Sustainer, Nourisher and Provider of the entire creation. May peace, blessings and salutations be upon our Beloved Prophet Muhammed ﷺ.

The 20th of Jumaadal Aakhirah historically dates back to the birth of Sayyida Fatima al Zahra (R.A), the beloved daughter of the Prophet Muhammed ﷺ.

Sayyida Fatima al Zahra (R.A) was the last of the daughters of Sayyida Khadija (R.A). She was born 5 years before the declaration of the Prophet ﷺ mission.

Known as az-Zahra due to her radiant complexion tinged with redness. She was known by various names including as-Siddiqah (the veraciously truthful), al-Mubarakah (the blessed one), at-Tahirah (the pure one), az-Zakiyyah (the flawless), ar-Radiyah (the well pleased with Allah).

It is said that she was given the kunya Umm Abiha (The mother of her father) as she took care and tended to the needs of the Prophet Muhammed ﷺ until his demise.

Aisha (R.A) narrated:

مَا رَأَيْتُ أَحَدًا أَشْبَهَ سَمْتًا وَدَلاًّ وَهَدْيًا بِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ فِي قِيَامِهَا وَقُعُودِهَا مِنْ فَاطِمَةَ بِنْتِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏.‏ قَالَتْ وَكَانَتْ إِذَا دَخَلَتْ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَامَ إِلَيْهَا فَقَبَّلَهَا وَأَجْلَسَهَا فِي مَجْلِسِهِ وَكَانَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِذَا دَخَلَ عَلَيْهَا قَامَتْ مِنْ مَجْلِسِهَا فَقَبَّلَتْهُ وَأَجْلَسَتْهُ فِي مَجْلِسِهَا فَلَمَّا مَرِضَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم دَخَلَتْ فَاطِمَةُ فَأَكَبَّتْ عَلَيْهِ فَقَبَّلَتْهُ ثُمَّ رَفَعَتْ رَأْسَهَا فَبَكَتْ ثُمَّ أَكَبَّتْ عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ رَفَعَتْ رَأْسَهَا فَضَحِكَتْ فَقُلْتُ إِنْ كُنْتُ لأَظُنُّ أَنَّ هَذِهِ مِنْ أَعْقَلِ نِسَائِنَا فَإِذَا هِيَ مِنَ النِّسَاءِ فَلَمَّا تُوُفِّيَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قُلْتُ لَهَا أَرَأَيْتِ حِيْنَ أَكْبَبْتِ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَرَفَعْتِ رَأْسَكِ فَبَكَيْتِ ثُمَّ أَكْبَبْتِ عَلَيْهِ فَرَفَعْتِ رَأْسَكِ فَضَحِكْتِ مَا حَمَلَكِ عَلَى ذَلِكَ قَالَتْ إِنِّي إِذًا لَبَذِرَةٌ أَخْبَرَنِي أَنَّهُ مَيِّتٌ مِنْ وَجَعِهِ هَذَا فَبَكَيْتُ ثُمَّ أَخْبَرَنِي أَنِّي أَسْرَعُ أَهْلِهِ لُحُوقًا بِهِ فَذَاكَ حِينَ ضَحِكْتُ ‏

“I have not seen anyone closer in conduct, way, and manners to that of the Messenger of Allah in regards to standing and sitting than Fatima the daughter of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.” She said “Whenever she would enter upon the Prophet ﷺ he would stand to her and kiss her, and he would sit her in his sitting place. Whenever the Prophet ﷺ entered upon her she would stand from her seat, and kiss him and sit him in her sitting place. So when the Prophet ﷺ fell sick and Fatima entered, she bent over and kissed him. Then she lifted her head and cried, then she bent over him and she lifted her head and laughed. So I said: ‘I used to think that this one was from the most intelligent of our women, but she is really just one of the women.’ So when the Prophet ﷺ passed away, I said to her: ‘Do you remember when you bent over the Prophet ﷺ and you lifted your head and cried, then you bent over him, then you lifted your head and laughed. What caused you to do that?’ She said: ‘Then, I would be the one who spreads the secrets. He ﷺ told me that he was to die from his illness, so I cried. Then he told me that I would be the quickest of his family to meet up with him. So that is when I laughed.’” -Tirmidhi 3872

When Sayyida Fatima al Zahra (R.A) reached marriageable age, she received numerous proposals from the Sahabah however Allah ﷻ commanded Nabi Muhammed ﷺ to marry Fatima al Zahra (R.A) to Ali ibn Abi Talib (R.A) for 400 mithqal of silver (mehr).

Sayyida Fatima al Zahra (R.A) blessed Nabi Muhammed ﷺ with 2 amazing grandsons, the masters of the youth of paradise, Hasan and Husayn (R.A).

She was also known as al-Batul due to her devotion to worship of Allah ﷻ.

Suwaid Bin A’laqamah Rahimahullah narrated:

أَصَابَتْ عَلِيًّا، خَصَاصَةٌ، فَقَالَ لِفَاطِمَةَ: لَوْ أَتَيْتِ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَسَأَلْتِيهِ، فَقَالَ: «إِنْ شِئْتِ أَمَرْتُ لَكِ بِخَمْسَةِ أَعْنُزٍ، وَإِنْ شِئْتِ عَلَّمْتُكِ خَمْسَ كَلِمَاتٍ عَلَّمَنِيهِنَّ جِبْرِيلُ» ، قَالَتْ: بَلْ عَلِّمْنِيهِنَّ، قَالَ: قُولِي يَا أَوَّلَ الأَوَّلِينَ، وَيَا آخِرَ الآخِرِينَ، وَيَا ذَا الْقُوَّةِ الْمَتِينِ، وَيَا رَاحِمَ الْمَسَاكِينَ، وَيَا أَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِينَ فَانْصَرَفْتُ، فَقَالَ عَلِيٌّ: مَا وَرَاءَكِ؟ فَقَالَتْ: ذَهَبْتُ إِلَى الدُّنْيَا وَأَتَيْتُكَ بِالآخِرَة

“Hunger affected Ali (R.A), so he said to Fatima ((R.A) “if you can go to Rasulullah ﷺ and ask him for something”, so Nabi ﷺ said “if you want I can give you five female goats, and if you want I can teach you five sentences which Jibrail (A.S) has taught me? She replied, “Teach me what he taught you”, he said “Say Ya Awwal al Awwaleen (O the First of the First), Ya Akhir al Akhireen (O the Last of the Last,Ya Dhal Quwwat al Mateen (O the Possessor of Absolute Power) ,Ya Rahim al Masakeen (O He who shows mercy to the impoverished), Ya Arhamar-rahimeen (O the Most Merciful of the Merciful). ” then Fatima (R.A) left. Ali (R.A) asked her “what is behind you?” she replied, “I went to ask for Dunya, I have returned with Akhirah”. – Mu’jamush shuyukh Al kabeer of Imam Dhahabi 2/258.

Amongst her character and pleasing qualities, she was extremely generous and gave preference to others over herself and she was mentioned as being amongst the best of women of paradise.

Ibn Abbas (R.A) reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

 أَفْضَلُ نِسَاءِ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ خَدِيجَةُ بِنْتُ خُوَيْلِدٍ وَفَاطِمَةُ بِنْتُ مُحَمَّدٍ وَمَرْيَمُ بِنْتُ عِمْرَانَ وَآسِيَةُ بِنْتُ مُزَاحِمٍ امْرَأَةُ فِرْعَوْنَ

“The best of women among the people of Paradise are Khadija bint Khuwaylid, Fatimah bint Muhammad, Maryam bint Imran, and Asiyah bint Muzahim, the wife of Pharaoh.” – Musnad Aḥmad 2896

The love shared between Sayyidina Ali (R.A) and Sayyida Fatima (R.A) was unmatched and like no other, hence we conclude with the poem of Sayyidina Ali (R.A): 

مالِي وَقَفتُ عَلى القُبورِمُسَلِّماً قَبرَ الحَبيبِ فَلَم يَرُدَّ جَوابي

What is wrong with me standing at the grave saying Salam to the one who has passed. The grave of my beloved but she is not responding.

أَحَبيبُ مالَكَ لا تَرُدُّ جَوابَنا اَنَسيتَ بَعدي خُلَّةُ الأَحبابِ

Oh my beloved! Why is it that you fail to respond? Have you forgotten all our bond/intimate moments that we shared?

Ali (R.A) responds with what Fatima (R.A.) would be saying back to him:

قالَ الحَبيبُ وَكَيفَ لِي بِجَوابِكُم وَأَنا رَهينُ جَنادِلٍ وَتُرابِ

The beloved one responded: How can I answer you for I am wedged between stones and sand

أَكَلَ التُرابُ مَحاسِني فَنَسيتُكُم وَحُجِبتُ عَن أَهلي وَعَن أَترابي

The sand swallowed my beauty and that is why I moved on and I have been veiled from my family and friends.

فَعَلَيكُمُ مِنّي السَلامَ تَقَطَّعَت مِنّي وَمِنكُم خُلَّةُ الأَحبابِ

Upon you be my Salam and them (those that I left behind), those intimate moments have passed.

This was a poem which Sayyidina Ali (R.A) recited just after he buried his beloved wife Sayyida Fatima al Zahra (R.A). This is an expression of the deep love that Sayyidina Ali (R.A) had for Sayyida Fatima (R.A). It shows the great pain that he felt at her passing however he did not go back on his faith or become resentful.

A lesson for us is that when we lose a loved one, we are not expected not to feel pain. We should use this as an opportunity to do good for them by keeping up with those that were close to them, giving charity on their behalf etc.

May Allah ﷻ accept our efforts from us and grant us understanding In Sha Allah!