FATIMAH AZ-ZAHRA رضي ا لله عنها

1. Who was Fatimah Az-Zahra What was her mother’s name? When was she born? 
Fatimah Az Zahra was the youngest of the four daughters of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Her mother’s name was Khadijah. She was born about five years before the prophethood of Allah’s Messenger.


2. Describe Fatimah’s marriage with Ali. 
Fatimah was married to Ali in 2 H. A ram was sacrificed, a wedding feast was arranged, and the house was readied for the bridal couple. Soft sand was brought from the sea-bed and was scattered it over the earthen floor. Dates and figs were laid out for the guests to eat in addition to the main meal, and a water-skin was filled with water they had perfurmed. This wedding feast was the finest held in Madinah at that time.


3. Fatimah’s life after her marriage was rigorous. Discuss. 
Fatimah’s life after her marriage was rigorous as she had no one in the house to help her. Ali, her husband, earned some money as a drawer and carrier of water, and she as a grinder of corn.


4. What did Allah’s Messenger do when Fatimah asked him to give her a servant? 
Allah’s Messenger said, 'When you go to bed you say: Allahu Akbar thirty four times, Subhanallah thirty-three times, and Alhamdulillah thirty-three times; this is better for you than a servant.'


5. How many children did she have? 
She had five children, three sons, Hasan, Husayn and Muhsin; and two daughters, Zaynab and Umm Kulthum.


6. When did Fatimah die? 
Fatimah died on 3rd Ramadan in 11 H.


7. What had she willed before her death?
Before her death, Fatimah willed that her body be carried for burial in such a way that no one could recognise whether it was the body of a man or woman.


8. Write a character sketch of Fatimah. 
Fatimah resembled her father closely in habits, traits and in manner of conversation. She was kind and polite. She was a brave and a courageous lady. As there was no one to help her at home, she used to the rigorous household work by herself.


9. Modern Muslim women have indeed an example to copy in Fatimah. Do you agree with this view?
Not only do I agree with this view but also firmly believe that much of the problems in Muslim families will be solved if Fatimah's inimitable character is imbibed by the modern day Muslim women.


10. Who were the four great women of the world according to the Prophet? 
The four great women of the world according to the Prophet were Khadijah, Fatimah, Maryam bint Imran and Asi’yah (wife of Pharoah).


11. What did the Prophet once say once about Hasan and Husayn? 
The Prophet said, ‘Dearest unto me of the people of my house are Hasan and Husayn’.