Fatima

For other people named Fatima (name), see Fatima (name) (disambiguation).

Fatimah (c. 605 – 632 CE) was the youngest daughter of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and his first wife Khadija. She was Muhammad's favourite daughter and is regarded by Muslims as an exemplar for women. She remained at her father's side through the difficulties sufferred by him at the hands of the Quraysh of Mecca. She married Ali ibn Abi Talib, Muhammad's cousin, and was mother to his three children. She died from illness a few months after her father, and was buried in Jannat al-Baqi in the city of Medina.

Birth

Fatimah bint Muhammad (c. 605 – 632 CE), the daughter of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, was born in Makkah to Khadija, the first wife of Muhammad. There are differences of opinion on the exact date of her birth, but the widely accepted view is that she was born five years before the first Qur'anic revelations, during the time of the rebuilding of the Kaaba in 605, although this does imply she was over 18 at the time of her marriage which was unusual in Arabia. Shia sources, however, state that she was born either two or five years after the first Qur'anic revelations, but this timeline would imply her mother was over fifty at the time of her birth.

Fatimah is generally placed as the fourth of Muhammad's daughters after Zaynab, Ruqayya, and Umm Kulthum. Shias claim she was his only daughter, believing Khadija's three other daughters to have been from her previous marriage.

Virtues

Arabic calligraphy reading Fatimah az-Zahra.

After Khadijah, Muslims regard Fatimah as the most significant historical figure, considered to be the leader of all women in Paradise. She was the first wife of the first Shia Imam (and fourth Sunni caliph), the mother of the second and third, and the ancestor of all the succeeding Imams; indeed, the Fatimid dynasty is named after her.

Fatimah was given the title "al-Zahra" (meaning "the shining one") and is commonly referred to as Fatimah Zahra. She was also known by many other titles including "al-Batul" (the chaste and pure one) and spent much of her time in prayer, reciting the Qur'an and in other acts of worship.

Muslims regard Fatimah as a loving and devoted daughter, mother, and wife, a sincere Muslim, and an exemplar for Muslim women. It is believed that she was very close to her father and her distinction from other women is mentioned in many hadiths: "Fatima is a part of me, and whoever makes her angry, makes me angry."

Early life

Following the birth of Fatimah, she was personally nursed by her mother contrary to local customs where babies were sent to other women in surrounding villages to be nursed. She spent the early years of her life under the care of her parents in Makkah in the shadow of the tribulations suffered by her father at the hands of the polytheists.

According to tradition, on one occasion while Muhammad was performing the salah (prayer) in the Kaaba, Abu Jahl and his men poured Camel placenta over him. Fatimah upon hearing the news rushed to the Kaaba and wiped away the filth off her father while scolding the men. On another occasion, she passed by Abu Jahl on the street who slapped her across the face. She went to Abu Sufyan, the leader of the Quraish and complained about Abu Jahl's behaviour. Abu Sufyan brought her to Abu Jahl and instructed her to slap him back which s