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Fatima is the daughter of Mohammad (saws), the wife of Ali, the mother of Hussain, Hassan, Zainab and Umm Khultum!
Rasool Allah lived for almost sixty two years, and his history is not just the last ten years of his life, contrary to what most Muslims believe. The most difficult years were the first thirteen years of his prophethood.
A book called, "Fatima is Fatima" by Ali Shariati
Source!
QUOTE
The black and difficult years of hunger begin in the valley of Abu Talib. The Hashimi and Abdul Muttalib families are imprisoned with the exception of Abu Lahab who has joined the enemies. Men; women and children are placed in this hot, dry valley. A notice is written by Abu Jahl in the name of all the wealthy people of the Qoraish and it is placed on the Ka`ba wall:
No one should have any contact with the Hashimi tribe and Abdul Muttalib. All relationships with them are cut‑off. Do not buy anything from them. Do not sell anything to them. Do not marry any of them.'
They are forced to live in this stony prison until loneliness, poverty, hunger and the difficulties of life make them surrender to either the idols or death! They all have to bear the torture, both those who have accepted the new religion and those who have not as yet turned to the new religion.
…..
The families of the Hashimi and Abdul Muttalib tribes cut themselves off for three years from their city, their people, their freedom and even their means of livelihood and live in this confinement. Is it possible to‑leave the valley in the middle of the night and , hidden from the eyes of the spies of the Qoraish, get some food for the hungry who are waiting in jail? Could it be that a liberal family member or friend might out of kindness bring them some bread. Hunger sometimes reaches the point that they take on the image of 'black death'. But as they had prepared themselves for a 'red death', they are patient.
Sa'ad ibn Ali Vaqas, who is confined with the others, writes, 'Hunger has brought on such dizziness that, if at night I kick at a soft and wet material, without even realizing it, I put it in my mouth and suck it. Two years later, I still do not know what it was.'
One can see, under these conditions, what passes for the family of the Prophet, even if history said nothing. All of this family bears the difficulties of hunger, loneliness and poverty for the sake of the Prophet. The Prophet personally assumes responsibility for them. When a child cries from the pain of hunger, whenever a sick person cries from lack of medicine and lack of food, whenever an aged person, man or woman, reaches their limits of bearing difficulties and pressures suffered from three years of hunger, physical torture and the tortures of this valley, they hide all they bear within themselves. The light and blood drained from their faces, they deny any problems when confronting Mohammad.
At the same time, inspite of all of the difficulties, they remain loyal and generous in faith and love. All of this shows the expressions of the spirit, of faith and human life which greatly affected the sensitive heart of the Prophet.
Know for sure that whenever food arrives in the darkness of the night and it is given into the hands of the Prophet to be spread among the people, the share of his wife and daughter is the least of all, in order that they not fear for their lives.
……………….
The days pass with difficulty in this compound. At night, the black tent of darkness falls upon the residents of this mountainous area separated from life. Weeks, months and years pass with hardship, they pass slowly over their tired bodies and spirits but all continue to step in sympathy with each other and with the Prophet.
The family of the Prophet has a special position in the midst of this group. The head of the family holds the heavy weight of their bitter fate upon his shoulders. Umm Khulthum, her happiness destroyed, has moved from the home of her husband to that of her father. His other daughter, Fatima, is still a young girl either two or three years old or twelve or thirteen. At the same time that she has a weak constitution, she has a sensitive spirit, full of feelings. His wife, Khadijeh, very aged, perhaps seventy years old, having lived through the ten years of the Prophet's mission and three years in the compound, having suffered hunger, having witnessed the constant torture of her husband and daughters, and bearing the death of her two sons, has not given up patience, but the flow of strength to her body has been stopped. At every instant death appears to her.
In this state, the hunger in Mohammad's house cries out so loud that the aged, sick Khadijeh, who has lived her life in wealth and has now given everything in the way of Mohammad, puts a bit of leather in water and holds it between her teeth.
Fatima, the young, sensitive girl is worried about her mother and her mother is worried about her last, frail daughter whose love for their mother and father is a common expression among the people.
A day among the last days of their imprisonment, Khadijeh, who senses the approach of her death, is bedridden. Fatima and Umm Khulthum are sitting beside her. Her father has gone outside to distribute the rations.
Khadijeh, aged, weak, sensing the difficulties she has lived through, says with a sense of regret, `If only my approaching death could wait until these dark days pass and I could die with hope and happiness.'
Umm Khulthum, crying, says, 'it is nothing, mother, do not worry.'
'Yes, for me, by God, it is nothing. I am not worried about myself, my daughter. No woman among the Qoraish has tasted the blessings that I have tasted. There is no woman in the world who has received the generosity which I have received. It is enough for me that my fate in this life, in this world, has been to be the beloved wife of God's choice. As to my fate in the other world, it is enough that I have been among the first who believed in Mohammad and that I am called `the mother of his followers'.' Then whispering to herself, she continues, 'Oh God, I cannot count the blessings and kindnesses that you have given me. My heart has not grown narrow because I am moving towards you, but I do wish to be worthy of the benefits you gave me.'
The shadow of death falls upon the house. Silence and deep sorrow fill Khadijeh, Umm Khulthum and Fatima. Suddenly, the Prophet appears illuminated with hope, faith, strength and victory. It is as if three years of loneliness, hunger and heavy spiritual asceticism have had no effect upon the body and spirit of the Prophet other than to increase his courage, will power and faith.
No one should have any contact with the Hashimi tribe and Abdul Muttalib. All relationships with them are cut‑off. Do not buy anything from them. Do not sell anything to them. Do not marry any of them.'
They are forced to live in this stony prison until loneliness, poverty, hunger and the difficulties of life make them surrender to either the idols or death! They all have to bear the torture, both those who have accepted the new religion and those who have not as yet turned to the new religion.
…..
The families of the Hashimi and Abdul Muttalib tribes cut themselves off for three years from their city, their people, their freedom and even their means of livelihood and live in this confinement. Is it possible to‑leave the valley in the middle of the night and , hidden from the eyes of the spies of the Qoraish, get some food for the hungry who are waiting in jail? Could it be that a liberal family member or friend might out of kindness bring them some bread. Hunger sometimes reaches the point that they take on the image of 'black death'. But as they had prepared themselves for a 'red death', they are patient.
Sa'ad ibn Ali Vaqas, who is confined with the others, writes, 'Hunger has brought on such dizziness that, if at night I kick at a soft and wet material, without even realizing it, I put it in my mouth and suck it. Two years later, I still do not know what it was.'
One can see, under these conditions, what passes for the family of the Prophet, even if history said nothing. All of this family bears the difficulties of hunger, loneliness and poverty for the sake of the Prophet. The Prophet personally assumes responsibility for them. When a child cries from the pain of hunger, whenever a sick person cries from lack of medicine and lack of food, whenever an aged person, man or woman, reaches their limits of bearing difficulties and pressures suffered from three years of hunger, physical torture and the tortures of this valley, they hide all they bear within themselves. The light and blood drained from their faces, they deny any problems when confronting Mohammad.
At the same time, inspite of all of the difficulties, they remain loyal and generous in faith and love. All of this shows the expressions of the spirit, of faith and human life which greatly affected the sensitive heart of the Prophet.
Know for sure that whenever food arrives in the darkness of the night and it is given into the hands of the Prophet to be spread among the people, the share of his wife and daughter is the least of all, in order that they not fear for their lives.
……………….
The days pass with difficulty in this compound. At night, the black tent of darkness falls upon the residents of this mountainous area separated from life. Weeks, months and years pass with hardship, they pass slowly over their tired bodies and spirits but all continue to step in sympathy with each other and with the Prophet.
The family of the Prophet has a special position in the midst of this group. The head of the family holds the heavy weight of their bitter fate upon his shoulders. Umm Khulthum, her happiness destroyed, has moved from the home of her husband to that of her father. His other daughter, Fatima, is still a young girl either two or three years old or twelve or thirteen. At the same time that she has a weak constitution, she has a sensitive spirit, full of feelings. His wife, Khadijeh, very aged, perhaps seventy years old, having lived through the ten years of the Prophet's mission and three years in the compound, having suffered hunger, having witnessed the constant torture of her husband and daughters, and bearing the death of her two sons, has not given up patience, but the flow of strength to her body has been stopped. At every instant death appears to her.
In this state, the hunger in Mohammad's house cries out so loud that the aged, sick Khadijeh, who has lived her life in wealth and has now given everything in the way of Mohammad, puts a bit of leather in water and holds it between her teeth.
Fatima, the young, sensitive girl is worried about her mother and her mother is worried about her last, frail daughter whose love for their mother and father is a common expression among the people.
A day among the last days of their imprisonment, Khadijeh, who senses the approach of her death, is bedridden. Fatima and Umm Khulthum are sitting beside her. Her father has gone outside to distribute the rations.
Khadijeh, aged, weak, sensing the difficulties she has lived through, says with a sense of regret, `If only my approaching death could wait until these dark days pass and I could die with hope and happiness.'
Umm Khulthum, crying, says, 'it is nothing, mother, do not worry.'
'Yes, for me, by God, it is nothing. I am not worried about myself, my daughter. No woman among the Qoraish has tasted the blessings that I have tasted. There is no woman in the world who has received the generosity which I have received. It is enough for me that my fate in this life, in this world, has been to be the beloved wife of God's choice. As to my fate in the other world, it is enough that I have been among the first who believed in Mohammad and that I am called `the mother of his followers'.' Then whispering to herself, she continues, 'Oh God, I cannot count the blessings and kindnesses that you have given me. My heart has not grown narrow because I am moving towards you, but I do wish to be worthy of the benefits you gave me.'
The shadow of death falls upon the house. Silence and deep sorrow fill Khadijeh, Umm Khulthum and Fatima. Suddenly, the Prophet appears illuminated with hope, faith, strength and victory. It is as if three years of loneliness, hunger and heavy spiritual asceticism have had no effect upon the body and spirit of the Prophet other than to increase his courage, will power and faith.
Some more excerpts from the book of Ali Shariati!
QUOTE
I do not know what to say about her or how to say it? I wanted to imitate the French writer who was speaking one day in a conference about the Virgin Mary. He said, "For 1700 years all of the speakers have spoken of Mary. For 1700 years, all philosophers and thinkers of various nations of the East and West have spoken of the value of Mary. For 1700 years, the poets of the world have spent all of their creative efforts and power in their praise of Mary. For 1700 years, all of the painters and artists have created wonderful works of art showing the face and form of Mary. But the totality of all that has been said and the efforts of all the artists and thinkers throughout these many centuries have not been able to better describe the greatness of Mary than the simple words, 'Mary was the mother of Jesus Christ."'
And I wanted to begin in this manner with Fatima. I got stuck. I wished to say, 'Fatima was the daughter of the great Khadija,' but I sensed this would not fully describe Fatima. I wished to say, 'Fatima was the daughter of Muhammad,' but I sensed this would not fully describe Fatima. I wished to say, 'Fatima was the wife of Ali,' but I sensed this would not fully describe Fatima. I wished to say, 'Fatima was the mother of Hasan and Husayn,' but I sensed this would not fully describe Fatima. I wished to say, 'Fatima is the mother of Zaynab,' but I still sensed this would not fully describe Fatima.
No, these are all true, and none of them is Fatima!
And I wanted to begin in this manner with Fatima. I got stuck. I wished to say, 'Fatima was the daughter of the great Khadija,' but I sensed this would not fully describe Fatima. I wished to say, 'Fatima was the daughter of Muhammad,' but I sensed this would not fully describe Fatima. I wished to say, 'Fatima was the wife of Ali,' but I sensed this would not fully describe Fatima. I wished to say, 'Fatima was the mother of Hasan and Husayn,' but I sensed this would not fully describe Fatima. I wished to say, 'Fatima is the mother of Zaynab,' but I still sensed this would not fully describe Fatima.
No, these are all true, and none of them is Fatima!
This post has been edited by aladdin: 17 October 2008 - 06:41 AM
