Is Hazrat Fatima Zahra’s (s.a.) stepping out of the house like Ayesha’s coming out in Jamal?

The opponents are quick to raise objections against Shias and quicker still to attack Aal Muhammad (عليهم‏ السلام).

One of their objections against the infallibles is:

Hazrat Fatima Zahra (سلام‏ اللّه عليها) stepped out of her house to secure Imam Ali Ibn Abi Talib (عليه السلام) without permission of her husband and this is just like Ayesha coming out in Jamal.

If Ayesha was wrong in coming out without permission, then Hazrat Fatima Zahra (سلام‏ اللّه عليها) was also in the wrong (God Forbid).

Reply

1. Securing the Imam vs Fighting the Imam
2. Ayesha cannot be compared to Hazrat Fatima Zahra (s.a.)
3. Wives are prohibited from coming out of the house
4. Challenging the Imam of the time in battle
5. Journey in disobedience of Allah
6. Perfect obedience of husband

1. Securing the Imam vs Fighting the Imam

Hazrat Fatima Zahra (سلام‏ اللّه عليها) stepped out of the house to secure her Imam and husband from oppressors.

Ayesha came out in open confrontation to fight and possibly kill the Imam and unanimously elected caliph.

We fail to see how the two instances are even remotely comparable!

2. Ayesha cannot be compared to Hazrat Fatima (s.a.)

The two personalities cannot be compared for the simple reason that there is divine text (nass) for Hazrat Fatima Zahra’s (سلام‏ اللّه عليها) purity and infallibility in Verse of Purification (Tatheer) that even Ahle Tasannun scholars like Muslim Nishapuri have documented, while there is nothing in favour of Ayesha’s infallibility and purity.

Also, there is consensus among scholars that Hazrat Fatima Zahra (سلام‏ اللّه عليها) is the chief of women of paradise while there is nothing to that effect for Ayesha.

This much is enough to end the discussion in favour of Hazrat Fatima Zahra (سلام‏ اللّه عليها). Given her infallible status and standing as chief of all women, Hazrat Fatima Zahra (سلام‏ اللّه عليها) broke no law or moral code in this matter or any other matter, while the same assurance does not exist for Ayesha.3. Wives are prohibited from coming out of the house

There is consensus among scholars of both sects based on the Quranic verse that the wives were ordered to stay confined to their houses.

‘And stay in your houses and do not display your finery like the displaying of the ignorance of yore…’

• Surah Ahzab (33:33)

Ayesha was duty-bound like other wives (e.g. Umme Salma (r.a.)) to remain confined to her house. By venturing out of the house she has violated a clear Quranic injunction.

Those who maintain that this command was restricted to the lifetime of the Prophet (صلّى اللّه عليه و آله‏ و سلّم) are unable to furnish proof from the Quran or the Sunnah to support their claims.

Such a prohibition for stepping out of the house did not bind Hazrat Fatima Zahra (سلام‏ اللّه عليها), so comparing her with Ayesha in this context is meaningless.

Infallibility of Hazrat Fatima (s.a.) guaranteed by Allah the Almighty, challenged by the pseudo-Caliphs

Among the biggest and possibly the most unforgivable blunders of the usurpers of Caliphate was to

cast aspersions on the infallibility (ismat) of Hazrat Fatima Zahra (s.a.), the daughter of our Great Prophet (s.a.w.a.). They managed to do this by summarily rejecting her right to the property of Fadak, first as a gift and next even as inheritance. No consideration was given to her status and her relationship with the Noble Prophet (s.a.w.a.). Worst, no thought was given to her position in the eyes of Allah the Almighty and as espoused by the Majestic Quran. In doing this, the pseudo-caliphs only succeeded in bringing about their own destruction in this world and the Hereafter.

In a confrontation with the pseudo-caliphs, Ameerul Momineen Ali Ibn Abi Talib (a.s.) goes on to show how their folly in rejecting the demands of Hazrat Fatima (s.a.) with respect to Fadak, had taken all of them outside the pale of Islam. They showed themselves unfit even to pass basic judgments related to Islamic jurisprudence. This calls into question how they came to occupy the divine seat of caliphate. Indeed Hazrat Fatima Zahra (s.a.) has exposed the pseudo-caliphs who only got to caliphate with help from others like them who bore intense animosity and hatred against the Holy Prophet’s progeny (a.s.) combined with an overwhelming greed for the world.

Ameerul Momineen Ali Ibn Abi Talib (a.s.) confronts the caliphs

In a lengthy tradition Imam Sadiq (a.s.) narrates: …..the next day, surrounded by the Muhaajireen (immigrants) and the Ansaar (helpers), Ameerul Momineen Ali (a.s.) approached Abu Bakr in the Mosque of the Prophet (s.a.w.a.). 

He (a.s.) demanded – Why did you forbid Fatima (s.a.) from claiming the inheritance she received from her father, the Prophet of Allah (s.a.w.a.), which he (s.a.w.a.) had handed over to Fatima (s.a.) during his (s.a.w.a.) lifetime?

Abu Bakr:  Fadak is from the spoils of war and is associated with all Muslims. Thus, if Fatima brings witnesses that the Prophet of Allah had given it to her as her (own personal) property, we will give it to her, otherwise she has no claim over it.

Ameerul Momineen (a.s.): O Abu Bakr! You have judged against the orders of Allah regarding us among the Muslims.

Abu Bakr: It is not so.

Ameerul Momineen (a.s.): If a property is in the possession of another Muslim and is under his control and I was to claim that it is my property, from whom will you ask for two witnesses?

Abu Bakr: I will demand two witnesses from you to support your claim (that the property is yours and not the property of the other Muslim).

Then Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) demanded: Then why do you ask for two witnesses from Fatima (s.a.) regarding a property that was already under her possession, and it was very much under her possession during the lifetime of the Prophet (s.a.w.a.) and even after his death? Why do you not ask the Muslims to produce two witnesses on their claim in the same way that you ask me to produce witnesses when I claim the property under the possession of someone else?