Imam Ali (as) said to Umar, “It is the fire that you ignited at the door of my house in order to burn me and to burn Fatima (A.S.), daughter of the Messenger of Allah (A.S.), and burn my sons, al-Hasan (A.S.) and al-Husain (A.S.) and also burn my daughters Zainab and Umm Kulthum…, etc.”
SALIM ibn Qais has narrated saying that `Umar ibn al-Khattab once fined all his governors half of their salaries, exempting Qunfuz al-`Adawi from such a fine, and he was one of such governors. He even returned to him what he had taken away from him, the sum of twenty thousand dirhams. Nor did he deduct the tilth, nor half the tilth. Aban said that SALIM has said, “I met Ali (A.S.) and asked him about what he thought regarding what `Umar had done. He said, `Do you know why he (`Umar) exempted Qunfuz and did not fine him or deduct anything from his salary?’ I said, `No.’ He said, `Because he is the one who hit Fatima, peace and blessings of Allah be upon her, with the whip when she came to act as a barrier between me and them. So she died, peace and blessings of Allah be upon her, and there was still a mark on her wrist like a bracelet.’”[1]
Aban has said that SALIM said, “I went to a study circle at the Mosque of the Messenger of Allah (A.S.). The non-Hashemites were Salman, Abu Tharr, al-Miqdad, Muhammed ibn Abu Bakr, `Umar ibn Aba Salamah and Qais ibn Sa`d ibn `Abadah. Al-`Abbas said to Ali (A.S.), `I wonder what stopped `Umar from fining Qunfuz as he did to all his other governors.’ Ali (A.S.) looked around him, then his eyes were filled with tears. He then said, `He did so in appreciation of his hitting Fatima (A.S.) with the whip, so she died and her wrist bore the mark of the hit like a bracelet.’”[2]
SALIM quotes Ibn `Abbas saying, “I visited Ali (A.S.) at Tha Qar. He took out a tablet and said to me, `O son of `Abbas! This is a tablet written according to what the Messenger of Allah (A.S.) dictated to me, and it is in my own handwriting.’ I said, `O Commander of the Faithful! Please read it for me.’ He read it, and it contained a narrative of the events from the demise of the Messenger of Allah (A.S.) to the martyrdom of al-Husain (A.S.), detailing how he would be killed, the name of his killer, the names of his supporters, and who would be martyred in his company. He wept profusely, causing me to weep, too. Among what he read to me was what would happen to him (to Ali [a]), how Fatima (A.S.) would be martyred, how al-Hasan (A.S.) would be betrayed by the nation then be martyred, etc.”[3]
Ali (A.S.) is quoted, at the time when he buried al-Zahra’ (A.S.), as saying, “… And your daughter shall inform you of how the nation assisted each other in oppressing her, so inquire of her and ask her about the conditions, for there are many agonies filling her chest for which she found no outlet…”[4]His speech, peace be upon him, above, although free from frankly stating what took place to al-Zahra’ (A.S.), is indicative of the fact that there were many injustices that remained inside her chest, peace be upon her, for which she found no outlet. Among such injustices are: the confiscation of Fadak, the confiscation of her inheritance, the usurpation of the caliphate that belonged to her husband, because these issues she did publicly and clearly announce, using them as proofs indicting the oppressors, delivering a great sermon in explaining them.
Refer to what is mentioned by the mentor al-Kaf`ami, who died in 905 A.H., in his book titled Al-Misbah which he compiled from about two hundred and forty books. He states that he compiled it “… from books the authenticity of which is reliable and upholding them mandated, and this cannot be altered by the evil efforts of time or by the endeavor of those with twisted minds.”
Books, like the sun, whose light
Is written above the most high of height.[5]
Is written above the most high of height.[5]
He, may Allah have mercy on him, recorded a supplication transmitted by Ibn `Abbas and which Ali (A.S.) used to recite in his qunat. In a footnote, he described it as, “a great supplication, one of a lofty status.” About this supplication, Ali (A.S.) says, “One who recites it is like one who shot a million[6] arrows in defense of the Prophet (A.S.) during the battles of Badr and Hunain.”
Among the rext of that supplication is the following with reference to the Household of the Prophet (A.S.): “… and they both killed his children, vacated his pulpit from his wasi and the heir of is knowledge, reneging from their fealty to his Imamate… and a womb which they cut open, and a fetus which they caused to miscarry, and a rib which they crushed, and a covenant which they tore to pieces…, etc.”[7]
In a comment which he made about it and which he included in a footnote of his book, Misbahallama al-Majlisi, “The mentor/scholar As`ad ibn `Abd al-Qahir said the following in his book titled Rashh al-Bala’: `When he referred to their demolition of the House of Prophethood, he was referring to the harm inflicted by the first (caliph) and the second against Ali (A.S.) and Fatima (A.S.), their desire to burn the house of Ali (A.S.), how they led him away like a wounded camel, how they squeezed Fatima at her door till she miscarried al-Muhassan… She ordered to be buried at night and that neither the first nor the second should be present at her funeral.’”[8]
He also referred to the rib that was crushed, the covenant that was torn to pieces, a reference to what they committed against Fatima (A.S.), how they tore her property’s title (of the real estate of Fadak) to pieces, and how her rib was crushed.[9]Muhammed ibn al-Hasan ibn Ahmed ibn al-Walid cites Ahmed ibn Idras, Muhammed ibn Yahya al-`Attar, who all quote Muhammed ibn Ahmed ibn Aba Hamzah al-Bata’ini quoting Ibn `Umayrah quoting Muhammed ibn `Utbah quoting Muhammed ibn `Abd al-Rehman quoting his father quoting Ali ibn Abi Talib (A.S.) saying, “While I, Fatima (A.S.), al-Hasan (A.S.) and al-Husain (A.S.) were all in the company of the Messenger of Allah (A.S.), he turned to us and wept. I asked him, `What is that for, O Messenger of Allah (A.S.)?!’ He said, `I weep for you and how you will be hit on the head with the sword, and I weep for Fatima (A.S.) and how she will be slapped on the cheek.”[10]
Al-Majlisi describes this narrative as reliable; so refer to his work.[11]
Ahmed ibn al-Khasab, citing Ja`fer ibn Muhammed al-Mufaddal quoting Muhammed ibn Sinan al-Zahiri quoting `Abdullah ibn `Abd ar-Rahman al-Asam quoting Madah ibn Haran ibn Sa`d saying, “I heard the father of al-Tufayl, namely `amir ibn Wa’ilah citing the Commander of the Faithful (A.S.) saying to `Umar, among other things, the following:
It is the fire that you ignited at the door of my house in order to burn me and to burn Fatima (A.S.), daughter of the Messenger of Allah (A.S.), and burn my sons, al-Hasan (A.S.) and al-Husain (A.S.) and also burn my daughters Zainab and Umm Kulthum…, etc.”[12]
What proves violence against Ali (A.S.) and forcing him to swear fealty is a letter which Mu`awiyah wrote him and his answer to it. Mu`awiyah said to him that he was too slow to swear fealty to the “caliphs,” so he was taken to swear it against his wish as a run-away camel is taken.[13]
Among what he said to him was, “You envied Abu Bakr, swerved from his path, wished his attempt would fail, kept sitting at home and attracted a group of people to you till they lagged behind rather than swear fealty to him.” He continued to say, “None of these except that you sought the upper hand over him and were sluggish to swear fealty to him till you were taken to him by force like a frightened camel.”[14]
The Commander of the Faithful (A.S.) answered him with a letter wherein he said, “And you aid that I was led like a frightened camel in order to swear fealty. By Allah! You intended to speak ill of me but praised me, and to expose me but exposed your own self. There is no harm in a Muslim being oppressed so long as he does not entertain any doubts about his religion…, etc.”[15]
This narrative proves that they entered his house and took him out by force, underscoring the fact that they did not have any respect for the privacy of al-Zahra’ (A.S.) who tried to keep them away from him as much as she could as indicated in many narratives although this particular narrative did not disclose how they were directly involved in harming al-Zahra’ (A.S.).
Al-Daylami has stated that al-Zahra’ (A.S.) detailed what she had to go through. Among what she said was the following: “… Then they sent to our house Qunfuz accompanied by `Umar ibn al-Khattab and Khalid ibn al-Walid in order to get my cousin Ali (A.S.) to the saqifa of Bana Sa`idah for their lost fealty, but he would not go out to meet them, being busy carrying out the will of the Messenger of Allah (A.S.) and with his wives, with compiling the Qur’an and with the repayment of eighty thousand dirhams which he (A.S.) had instructed him to pay on his behalf: the price of equipment and of debt. They collected plenty of firewood at our door. Then they brought a flame to set it to fire and to burn us. I stood at the door’s knob and pleaded to them in the Name of Allah to leave us alone and to come to our aid. `Umar took the whip from the hand of Qunfuz, slave of Abu Bakr, and hit me with it on the wrist. The whip twisted itself around my wrist, leaving a mark like a bracelet on it. He kicked the door with his foot. Ali (A.S.) shut it back, and I was pregnant. I fell on my face as the fire kept burning, parching my face. He slapped me with his hand, causing my ear-ring to fall on the ground into bits and pieces. Labor overtook me, so I miscarried al-Muhassan who was killed without having committed any crime. Is this a nation that blesses me?! Allah and His Messenger disowned them and I, too, disowned them.”The Commander of the Faithful (A.S.) carried out her will. He did not inform anyone about her demise. At al-Baqi`, he dug up forty graves during the night wherein he buried Fatima (A.S.).
Then the Muslims, having come to know about the death and burial of Fatima (A.S.), went to the Commander of the Faithful (A.S.) to offer their condolences. They said, “O Brother of the Messenger of Allah (A.S.)! Order us to prepare her for burial and to dig up her grave.” He (A.S.) said, “She has already been buried, joining her father (A.S.).” They said, “We belong to Allah, and to Him shall we return. How can the daughter of our Prophet Muhammed (A.S.), his only offspring, die and we do not perform her funeral prayers?! This is truly very serious!” He (A.S.) said, “Suffices you what you have committed against Allah, the Messenger of Allah (A.S.) and his Progeny. By Allah! I would not violate her will which she entrusted to me, that is, that none of you should perform her funeral prayers, and there is no blame on one who carries out someone’s will.” Those folks shook the dust off their clothes and said, “We have to perform the funeral prayers for the daughter of the Messenger of Allah (A.S.).” They immediately went to al-Baqi` and found forty graves freshly dug up. They could not tell which one of them was hers. People exchanged blame and accusations and said, “You did not witness the demise of the daughter of your Prophet, nor did you perform the funeral prayers for her, and now you do not even know here her grave is so you may visit it!”
Abu Bakr said, “Let a number of trustworthy Muslims dig up these graves till you find her grave so that we may perform her funeral prayers and visit it.”
The Commander of the Faithful (A.S.) heard about it, so he went out of his house angrily. His face was red with anger, his eyes burning, his cheeks puffed up, and he was carrying on his hand his yellow outer garment which he never put it on except on an ill-fated day. He was using his sword, Thul-Fiqar, like a walking stick till he reached al-Baqi`. Prior to his arrival, news reached people that he was going there. A warner said to them, “Here is Ali (A.S.) coming as you can see swearing by Allah that no brick of these graves will be moved from its place except that he will let his sword do its business against the unlucky from among this nation. People fled away in hordes.[16]
Among the verses of poetry which were narrated by traditionists and historians and which were composed by al-Zahra’ (A.S.) eulogizing the greatest of all Prophets (A.S.) are the following:
Why should one who sniffs the earth
Where Ahmed is buried that he shall not
As long as he lives sniff musk at all?
Where Ahmed is buried that he shall not
As long as he lives sniff musk at all?
Calamities were poured over me had they
Been poured on the light of days,
They would have turned it into nights.
Been poured on the light of days,
They would have turned it into nights.
So today I am submitting to humiliation
Shunning the oppression,
Defending myself against the oppressor
Shunning the oppression,
Defending myself against the oppressor
Even with my own outer garment.[17]
Had the calamities to which she is referring in these lines been one relevant to the demise of her father, she would not have used the plural, nor has she resorted to submitting to humiliation or to defending herself with her outer garment. Another verse of poetry refers to her defending herself against her oppressor with her own mantle, referring to the oppression which was not confined to usurping her inheritance, and Fadak, for these do not need to defend against the oppressor with her outer mantle, but she went out and demanded restitution, providing arguments.
Add to all the above the fact that one who used her outer mantle to defend against oppression is one who exerts a physical endeavor which she, peace be upon her, had to exert. She did not confine herself to delivering a speech and to provide arguments supporting her claims.
This is an article taken from the book -TRAGEDY OF AL-ZAHRA’ (A.S.). DOUBTS CAST AND REBUTTALS
By: Ayatullah `Allama Sayyid Ja’far Murtada al-`Amili
Translated from the Arabic By: Yasin T. al-Jibouri
Published By: Imam Hussain Foundation
Read This Book Online
[1]Al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 30, pp. 302-03 and the book of Salam ibn Qais, Vol. 2, pp. 674-75. Al-`Awalim, Vol. 11, p. 413.
[2]Refer to the references listed in the previous footnote.
[3]Refer to the book of Salam ibn Qais as edited by al-Ansari, Vol. 2, p. 915. Ibn Shathan, Al-Fada’il, p. 141. Al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 28, p. 73.
[4]Al-Kulayni, Al-Kafi, Vol. 1, p. 459. Mir’at al-`Uqal, Vol. 5, p. 329. Nahjul-Balagha (Sermon No. 202).
[5]Al-Kaf`mi, Misbah, p. 4.
[6]The word “million” does not exist in Arabic. Instead, Arabs say “a thousand thousands.” __ Tr.
[7]Al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 82, p. 261. Al-Kaf`ami, Misbah, p. 553. Al-Balad al-Aman, pp. 551-52. `Ilm al-Yaqan, p. 701.
[8]Refer to the footnotes of p. 553 of Al-Misbah by al-Kaf`ami, to pp. 551-52 of Al-Balad al-Aman and to p. 701 of `Ilm al-Yaqan.
[9]Refer to p. 555 of the previous reference and to p. 261, Vol. 82, of Bihar al-Anwar.
[10]Shaikh al-Saduq, Amali, p. 118. Al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 28, p. 51; also refer to Vol. 44, p. 149. Ithbat al-Hudat, Vol. 1, p. 281. `Awalim al-`Ulam, Vol. 11, p. 397. Jala’ al-`Uyan, Vol. 1, p. 189. `Abd ar-Razzaq al-Muqarram, Wafat al-Siddaqa AL-ZAHRA’ (A.S.), p. 60. Ibn Shahr ashab, Al-Manaqib, Vol. 2, p. 209 (published by Intisharat `Alamah, Qum).
