The status of Fatima al-Zahara within the religion of Islam has been documented thoroughly in both Sunni and Shia texts; with that said, it is still very sad to see Muslims until this very day elevating other female individuals over the status of Fatima al-Zahara. And it is for that very reason that I deem it necessary to write an article on her status, primarily from the texts of our Sunni brothers and sisters in order to prove once and for all that Fatima al-Zahara is indeed a shining light in Islam, and a role model for all to follow.
All references today will come from the two Sahih books of Sunni Islam, those being Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim. __________________________________________________________________________________________________
Fatima al-Zahara according to Sahih Muslim Book 31 and Hadith number 5955 has been purified by Allah (swt):
Aisha reported:
That Allah’s Apostle (May peace be upon him) went out one morning wearing a striped cloak of the black camel’s hair that there came Hassan b. ‘Ali. He wrapped him under it, then came Husain and he wrapped him under it along with the other one (Hassan). Then came Fatima and he took her under it, then came ‘Ali and he also took him under it and then said: Allah only desires to take away any uncleanilness from you, O people of the household, and purify you (thorough purifying).
So according to the above hadith, Fatima al-Zahara along with Imam Ali (as), Imam Hassan (as), and Imam Hussein (as), have been purified thoroughly by Allah (swt), this indeed is a very rare honour and no other individual has had such an occasion similar to this.
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The relationship of the Prophet to his daughter Fatima al-Zahara is so great that the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said:
“Fatima is a part of me, and whoever makes her angry, makes me angry.”
(Sahih Bukhari: Volume 5, Book 57, Number 111)
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As we have seen according to the two hadiths we have posted, Fatima al-Zahara has been purified by Allah (swt), as well as having such a strong relationship with her dad, the Prophet of Islam, that he said whoever angers her, angers him as well. But that is not all, according to the Prophet of Islam in the afterlife; she (Fatima al-Zahara) will be the leader of all the women in heaven:
Sahih Bukhari: Volume 4, Book 56, Number 819:
Narrated ‘Aisha:
Once Fatima came walking and her gait resembled the gait of the Prophet. The Prophet said, “Welcome, O my daughter!” Then he made her sit on his right or on his left side, and then he told her a secret and she started weeping. I asked her, “Why are you weeping?” He again told her a secret and she started laughing. I said, “I never saw happiness so near to sadness as I saw today.” I asked her what the Prophet had told her. She said, “I would never disclose the secret of Allah’s Apostle.” When the Prophet died, I asked her about it. She replied. “The Prophet said.) ‘Every year Gabriel used to revise the Qur’an with me once only, but this year he has done so twice. I think this portends my death, and you will be the first of my family to follow me.’ So I started weeping. Then he said. ‘Don’t you like to be the mistress of all the ladies of Paradise or the mistress of all the lady believers? So I laughed for that.”
Conclusion
The status of Fatima al-Zahara within Islam is so great, that according to the hadiths of both Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, Fatima al-Zahara is a part of the purified member of the holy household, she is also so dear to the Prophet that whoever dares to anger her, also dares to anger him, and finally her status on this earth is so high that she has also been made the leader of all women in paradise.
