Wednesday, April 8, 2009

FATIMA ZAHRA (sa)

THE GLORIOUS NECKLACE OF FATIMA ZAHRA (SA)

The Prophet of Islam Mohammed (may Allah's peace and our salams be unto him and his Ahlul Bayt) had just finished the Asr prayer and he was sitting in the mosque surrounded by his companions. Suddenly a stranger appeared in the mosque and addressing the assembly in the mosque, he said: "I am hungry, can someone feed me, I have nothing to wear, and can someone provide clothes for me, and I am a wayfarer lost miles away from home, can someone provide for me so that my needs be fulfilled?"

Fatima ZahraNo one said anything. Then the Prophet of Islam Mohammed (pbuh) spoke. He said to the stranger: "I personally do not have anything to help you, but I will send you to a home, where all your needs will be fulfilled. The people of that house love Allah and his Prophet, and Allah and His Prophet love the inhabitants of that house. That is the house of Ahlul Bayt al Nubuwwah, where the family of my daughter Fatima Zahra lives." The Prophet of Islam Mohammed (pbuh) beckoned to Hazrat Bilal (r.a.) so that he may take the stranger to the house of Fatima Zahra (sa), which was adjacent to the mosque. Hazrat Bilal (r.a.) did that. The stranger came to the door and said: "My salam to you O Ahlul Bayt al Nubuwwah, O you the inhabitants of the house where angel Jibril (Gabriel) descends and where other angels come and go. I am hungry, please feed me, I have no clothes, please provide some clothes for me, and I am lost away from home and destitute, please help me get back home."

Fatima Zahra (sa) heard the voice. She looked around. The only thing Fatima Zahra (sa) could see in the house was a goatskin on which his two little children, Imam Hasan and Imam Hussain used to sleep. Fatima Zahra (sa) picked up the goatskin and came to door. She extended that goatskin to the stranger from behind the door and said: "Please take this and fulfill your needs." The stranger looked at the goatskin and replied: "what can I do with this goatskin? It will not be sufficient for anything." Fatima Zahra (sa) thought and then she realized that she was wearing a necklace which was wedding gift her from the daughter of Hamza bin Abdul-Muttalib. Fatima Zahra (sa) took the necklace off and gave it to the stranger.

Glorious Necklace of Fatima ZahraThe stranger came back to the mosque and showed to the Prophet of Islam Mohammed (pbuh) what he had been given by Fatima Zahra (sa). The Prophet of Islam Mohammed (pbuh) looked at the necklace and his eyes filled up with tears.

The Prophet of Islam Mohammed (pbuh) turned to the stranger and said: "Fatima Zahra has fulfilled your needs, now you pray for her." The stranger raised his hands to the heavens and said: "Ya Allah give Fatima Zahra all that which no eyes have ever seen and no ears have ever heard."

Ammar ibn Yasir (r.a.) was also among the companions (Sahaba). He said to the stranger: "Are you selling the necklace?" The stranger replied: "Yes."

Thus Ammar ibn Yasir (r.a.) bought the necklace for three hundred dirhams. That was sufficient money for the stranger to buy food, clothing and a horse; and soon he was on his way.

Ammar ibn Yasir (r.a.) came home. He wrapped the necklace in a Yamani chadar and daubed it with fragrance. Ammar ibn Yasir (r.a.) had a slave boy named Sahm. He gave the necklace thus wrapped to the boy and asked him to take it to the Prophet of Islam Mohammed (pbuh). Ammar ibn Yasir (r.a.) also said to Sahm that he (the slave boy) too was being given away to the Prophet of Islam Mohammed (pbuh) as a gift. The Prophet of Islam Mohammed (pbuh) said to Sahm: "Take this necklace to Fatima Zahra and after, that you are a free man."

As Sahm returned the necklace to Fatima Zahra (sa) and returned from her house, he laughed. People who had been watching the whole thing, asked Sahm for the reason of his laughing.

Sahm replied: "What a glorious necklace - it came out of the house, fed a hungry man, clothed a naked man, and provided for a lost wayfarer. It then freed a slave from his bond and then returned to its rightful owner/mistress."

MORAL OF THE STORY: The Prophet of Islam Mohammed (pbuh) taught us, the Muslims at large, to be grateful to anyone who provides any kind of help. The best expression of that gratitude is doing a Dua for your benefactor. Fatima Zahra (sa) did not need any Dua from a stranger, but that was the teaching of the Prophet of Islam Mohammed (pbuh) and his methodology.

That legacy continued in the Prophet's own family and each and every member of that family provided the best example of social and personal morality.

In the 61 year of Hijra, after the tragedy of Karbala, the surviving women and children were taken prisoners and they were being paraded in the streets of Koofa. On both sides, people were watching the passing caravan from their balconies. On one camel back Husayn's sister Zaynab and his orphan daughter Sukayna who was four years old, were riding. As the camel arrived close to a house, there was a woman standing there. Sukayna was thirsty and asked the woman if she could give her a drink. The woman came back quickly with a cup full of water and said: "You appear to be an orphan; Allah accepts an orphan's prayer very quickly. I have longing, I would like you to pray for my wish after you had your drink."

Zaynab, immediately stopped the four year old and said: "You pray for the lady first and then drink the water."

Who would think about morals in such difficult circumstances - no one but the Ahlul Bayt al Nubuwwah.

This was the character and ideal of the Ahlul Bayt al Nubuwwah. It is for this reason that the devotees of Ahlul Bayt al Nubuwwah revere them and look up to them for all their guidance in religious as well as worldly matters.

By: Syed-Mohsin Naquvi

2 comments:

  1. Nice blog
    Alsalam alayki ya fatimah al zahra

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