The
historical records relate that Fatima al-Zahra (a.s.), the daughter of
the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.), was angry with the two shaykhs (i.e. Abu Bakr
and `Umar) until she died. For this very reason she requested her husband, Ali ibn
Abi Talib (a.s.), to bury her in secret, permitting only a few of the
very close companions of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) such as Salman
al-Farsi and Abu Tharr to know of her burial. She also asked Imam Ali to
conceal her grave, as a form of protest.
The reasons for this protestation can be explained as follows:
1- `Umar's and his followers attacked the house of Imam Ali (a.s.) and
set it on fire. This was done in order to force Imam Ali and his
adherents to give allegiance to Abu Bakr.
2- Abu Bakr's and `Umar's refusal to give back to Fatima her inheritance (from her father).
3- Also because she considered Ali as the legal successor and vicegerent of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.).
Historians have narrated that, when `Umar ibn
al-Khattab brought some wood in order to set Imam Ali's (a.s.) house on
fire, he was told that Fatima, the daughter of the Holy Prophet
(s.a.w.), is inside the house too! He replied: LET IT BE!!! Then he
kindled the fire and began to set fire to the house of the daughter of
the Holy Prophet! "O son of Khattab! Are
you really going to set our house on fire?" Fatima (a.s.) asked. `Umar
replied, "Sure! Unless you agree on what the whole ummah had agreed
upon."
The daughter of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) said, "I do not remember a
people that have done worse than yours... You have left the Holy
Prophet's body lying among us, while, at the same time, you were busy in
electing a caliph among yourselves, without consulting us or asking our
opinion. You have plainly misappropriated our right."
Then `Umar and muhajirin proceeded in burning the house!
