Why did Lady Fatima (as) stand behind the door even though Imam Ali (as) was present in the house?
The argument usually put forward:
How can we believe that with the presence of Imam Ali (as) inside the house, his wife Fatima (as) will go and open the door? Why didn’t Imam Ali (as) go and open the door himself?
Answer:
First: From some narrations, we understand that Fatima (as) was sitting close to the entrance door of the house, and by seeing Umar and his followers, she (as) closed the door on them.
Al-Ayyashi and al-Mufid have narrated like many others:
“Umar said: ‘Lets us go to him (Ali (AS))’, so then Abu-Bakr, Umar, Uthman, Khalid ibn Al-Walid, Mughira ibn Shu’ba, Abu Ubaida ibn al- Jarrah, Salim Mawla Abu-Hudhayfa and Qunfudh stood up and I stood up with them. As we approached the door Fatima (AS) saw them and she closed the door in their faces and had no doubt they would not enter (the house) without her permission. Umar then kicked and broke down the door with his leg, which was made of date (tree) branches. Then they entered the house, and brought Ali (as) out while holding him by his neck...” [1]
1.Al-Ayyashi, Tafsir al-Ayyashi, vol. 2, p. 67,Al-Mufid, al-Ikhtisas, p. 186, Al-Majlesi, Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 28, p. 227
Sulaim ibn Qays narrates that:
“Then Umar reached the house of Ali (as), and Fatima (as) was sitting behind the door. She had tied a piece of cloth to her head and had lostmuch weight due to the tragic loss of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH&HF). Umar came forward and knocked on the door and cried ‘Oh Son of Abu Talib (as) [open the door]’. Fatima (as) replied: ‘O Umar! What do you want from us? Leave us with the tragedy which has fallen upon us.’ Umar said: ‘Open the door else I will set it on fire on to you!’ Fatima (as) said: ’Oh Omar, do you not fear Allah the Almighty? You want to enter my house and attack my home?” Umar declined to back off, instead he asked for fire then set the door alight till it burnt down.”[2]
Second: Fatima (AS) had no doubt that they wouldn’t enter the house without permission because this is the order of Allah in the Holy Quran:
“O you who believe: Do not enter houses other than your own houses until you have asked permission and said hello (Salam) to the household, that is better for you so you may remember.
But if you do not find any one therein, then do not enter them until permission is given to you, and if it is said to you: ‘Go back’, then go back for this is purer for you, and Allah is aware of what you do.”
Quran 24:27-28
On the other hand the houses of the Prophet (PBUH&HF) have a special rank, and no one is allowed in them without asking permission:
“O you who believe! Do not enter the houses of the Prophet unless permission is given to you...”
Quran 33:53
الحزاب 35 » يا أَي هَُّا الَّذينَ آمَنُوا ل تَ دخُلُوا ب يُوتَ النَّبِيِّ إِل أَ ن ي ؤذَنَ لَكُم «
There is no doubt that the house of Fatima (as) is regarded as one of the houses of the Holy Prophet (PBUH&HF). This fact has been mentioned in many different Sunni Tafsir books under the commentary of the following Holy Verse:
“In houses which Allah has permitted to be raised and His name be mentioned in them, they glorify Him therein in the mornings and the evenings.”
Quran 24:36
النور/ 63 » فِى ب يُوتٍ أَذِنَ اللَّو أَن تُ رفَعَ وَ يُ ذكَرَ فِيهَا ا سمُو يُسَبِّحُ لَو فِيهَا بِال غُدُوِّ وَا لَْصَالِ
«
Suyuti and others have narrated on from the Holy Prophet (PBUH&HF) that the house of Imam Ali and Fatima (as) is one of the greatest house of the Prophets:
Ibn Mardawayh has narrated from Anas ibn Malik and Buraida that:
“Allah’s Messenger (PBUH&HF) recited this verse ‘In houses which Allah has permitted to be raised…’ and someone asked ‘Which houses are those, Oh Messenger of Allah?’ He (PBUH&HF) said: ‘The houses of the Holy Prophets (PBUT)’. Abu-Bakr then said: ‘Is this house one of them?’, (pointing to) the house of Ali and Fatima (as). To which the Prophet (PBUH) replied: ‘Yes, it is amongst the greatest of them.’” [3]
3.Al-Suyuti, al-Dur Al-Manthoor, vol. 6, p. 203,Al-Tha’labi al-Nisaburi, al-Kashf Wal-Bayan, vol.7, p.107Al-Tha’alibi, Tafsir al-Jawahir al-Hisan, vol. 7, p. 107,Al-Aloosi, Tafsir Rooh al-Ma’ani, vol. 18, p.174
Furthermore, it was thought that by acknowledging the stature and position of Fatima (as) and the respect for the Holy Prophet (PBUH&HF), people would be ashamed to face Fatima (as) and would stop their aggression, just like some people who retreated after hearing the voice of Fatima (as):
“Umar came towards the house of Fatima (as) and a group of men were accompanying him. They then knocked on the door. Upon hearing their voices, Fatima (as) cried with tears and said with a loud voice ‘Ya Rasul Allah (O Messenger of Allah)! (How difficult) are the oppressions we face from the son of Khattab (Umar) and the son of Abu-Quhaafa (Abu-Bakr) after you passed away’. In hearing Fatima’s (as) grief stricken cries, some changed their minds and left with tears whilst their -hearts were about to be broken and their livers be cut in half*-, however Umar remained with a group of people.” [4]
4.Al-Dinawari, al-Imama Wal-Siyasa, vol. 1, p. 16
*This is used by Arabs to show a state of extreme emotional pain and grief
Therefore, by seeing Umar and his followers, Fatima (as) closed the door and stood behind it. She (as) never thought that they would enter without permission and with her presence.
It was these attackers who disgracefully and shamelessly disrespected the House and those inside it.
The wives of the Holy Prophet (PBUH&HF) and opening the door for non - mahrams ( :( غیر ذی محر م
The best way to refute the arguments put forward regarding the topic being discussed, is by seeing the actions of the Holy Prophet (PBUH&HF). It has been mentioned in many Shia and Sunni sources, that sometimes the Holy Prophet (PBUH&HF) would allow His wives to open the door for non-mahrams.
Umme Salma:
According to Alqama, Umme Salma opened the door for Imam Ali (as):
“Allah’s Messenger left the house of Zainab bint Jahsh and entered the house of Umm Salma, as that day was her turn. After a short while, Ali (as) arrived and slowly knocked on the door. Hearing this, Allah’s Messenger (PBUH&HF) woke up but Umme Salma hadn’t noticed (the knock on the door).The Holy Prophet (PBUH&HF) then said to her: ‘Go and open the door for him.’” [5]
5. Ibn Asakir, Tarikh Madinat al-Dimashq, vol. 42, p.470,Al-Raafi’i al-Qazwini, Al-Tadwin Fi Akhbar Qazwin, vol. 1, p.89
Aisha:
It has been narrated that Aisha opened the door for Imam Ali (as) by the order of the Holy Prophet (PBUH&HF). Imam al-Sadiq (as) narrates from his father who narrated from his fathers that Amir al-Mu’minin Ali (as) said:
“I was with the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) in the mosque after we had prayed the morning prayers. He rose to leave so I left with him. If He was to go somewhere He would inform me and if he came back late, I would go look for him as my heart could not bear to be away from Him, even for an hour. He said to me: ‘I will go to the house of Aisha’, and I went to Fatima’s house and we were happy alongside Hassan and Hussein (as). I then went to the house of Aisha and knocked on the door. She said: ‘Who are you?’ I answered: ‘Ali (as).’ She said: ‘The Prophet (PBUH&HF) is asleep.’ I went away. After a while I thought to myself (how can) the Prophet (PBUH&UF) be asleep while Aisha is present in the house. So I returned and knocked on the door again. She asked again: ‘Who are you?’ I said: ‘Ali’. She said: ‘The Prophet (PBUH&HF) is busy’. I hesitated because I was embarrassed* to knock on the door again but I felt I couldn’t bear being away from Him (PBUH&HF), so I returned and knocked hard on the door. Aisha Said: ‘Who are you?’ I answered: ‘Ali’.
Then I heard the voice of Allah’s Messenger (PBUH&HF) saying: ‘Oh Aisha, open the door for him’. She opened the door and I went in…” [6]
6.Al-Tabresi, al-Ihtijaj, vol. 1, p. 292-293,Al-Majlesi, Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 38, p. 348
*The word مستحییا has been used.
The above narrations from both Shia and Sunni books were presented as examples. In these narrations although the Holy Prophet (PBUH&HF) himself was in the house he allowed his wives to open the door for non-mahram men. This attitude shows that doing so does not have a problem if it is performed in accordance with Islamic laws.
Thus we can conclude that Fatimah (as) didn’t go behind the door to open it. Rather, she was already standing beside it and when she saw Umar and his followers approaching, she went inside the house and closed the door. Even if we ‘assume’ that Fatima (as) did indeed go to open the door, there will be no problem with her doing this because the Prophet (PBUH&HF) himself had ordered his wives to do the same thing in some occasions.
