Fatima (a), Light of the Heavens

Introduction

Sayyada Fatima al-Zahra’, daughter to the Messenger of Allah (upon both of them be the peace of Allah, the angels and creation altogether) has one of the highest statuses among all of creation, and even among the fourteen infallibles themselves (upon them be peace). 

Allah the Exalted has granted her a lofty status among the inhabitants of the Earth and the Heavens from being the mother of the believers and an intercessor for them, and being the one around whose ma’rifa (understanding) the former generations revolved around. 

With a woman of such high stature, I felt the need to dedicate a piece of writing to her greatness, after all, as Imam al-Ridha (peace be upon him) states,

“May Allah have mercy on those who revive our remembrance, he learns our knowledge, and teaches it to the people“

That being said, let us increase our remembrance of al-Zahra’,

In the name of Allah, the Lord of al-Zahra’.

1. Fatima - Light of the Heavens

[Narration 1]

[Ma’any al-Akhbar page 64]

سألت أبا عبد الله عليه السلام عن فاطمة لم سميت زهراء؟ فقال، لأنها كانت إذا قامت في محرابها زهر نورها لأهل السماء كما يزهر نور الكواكب لأهل الأرض

“I asked Aba Abdillah [al-Sadiq] (a) on Fatima, why was she called al-Zahra’? 

He said: ‘Because whenever she would stand [for worship] in her prayer chamber, her light radiates to the people of the heavens. Just like the light of the planets radiate to the people of the Earth’”

Evaluation:

When al-Zahra’ stood for prayer, the light she emanated reached the residents of the heavens, including even angels of the highest positions such as Jibr’aeel (a) and Mika’eel (a).

A detailed discussion on this narration can be found here

[Narration 2]

[Bihar al-Anwar volume 43 page 75]

It was narrated from the Prophet (s) that,

'Once while the inhabitants of Heaven were enjoying themselves in Heaven and the inhabitants of the fire were being punished in Hell, a bright light appeared unto the inhabitants of the Heaven. At which they said to one another -

"What light was that? Did Almighty Allah look at us?"

Then Jibra’eel (a) responded to them, "No! Rather ‘Ali (a) humored with Fatima (a), at which she smiled and that light reflected from her front teeth".

Evaluation:

As we can see, al-Zahra’ was special in that she had an eminent light, a light that is both apparent and esoteric.

In this narration, the light is said to have emanated from her blessed teeth. Similar narrations have been reported about other members of the Holy Household, such as the Holy Prophet, stating that light used to emanate from his blessed body, and that he did not have a shadow either (by virtue of being a light himself).

But what is the nature and importance of this Nūr (light)?

“…and We have sent down to you a clear light.” (4:174)

Allah refers to the Holy Qur’an as a light, a light that (characteristically) dispels darkness. The darkness here referring to the evil path, the opposite to the ‘Sirat al-Mustaqim’.

But the Qur’an alone isn’t sufficient to repel this darkness - this is not a deficiency in the Qur’an, but in the people, for ordinary men cannot grasp the beauty of the Qur’an. Thus Allah revealed along with the Qur’an, a Qayyim (leader) , who’s duty is to convey the message of the Qur’an and explain it. 

Allah obligates us to follow both the Qur’an as well as the Messenger: they go hand-in-hand and do not separate from each other.

“And when it is said to them, "Come to what Allah has revealed and to the Messenger," you see the hypocrites turning away from you in aversion.” (4:61)

And it was thus Allah’s wish that after the Messenger, his blessed household would take the reigns of the religion, to guide the people to the truth, and the Messenger of Allah announced the message:

“I leave behind for you the Qur’an and my Household, my progeny. They will not separate until they meet me at the pond of Kawther.” (Hadith Thaqalayn)

Thus, the spiritual role that the Holy Prophet had with the Qur’an, was now transferred to the Imams of the Ahl al-Bayt. Meaning, the Qur’an which could only be truly understood and followed by the word of the Prophet, can now only be truly understood and followed by the word of the chosen successor of the Prophet, meaning the Imams.

Which is why the Imams state:

[al-Kafi, volume 1, page 169]

Imam al-Sadiq said: 

“ [..] so know that the Qur’an is not a hujjah (evidence) except through a Qayyim (i.e, the Imam’s interpretation).” (1)

فعرفت ان القرآن لا بكون حجة الا بقيم.

Now that we have elaborated as to how the Qur’an and the Imam go hand-in-hand, it now provides us with a whole new perspective on the concept of light that repels darkness.

[Narration 3]

[al-Kafi, volume 1 page 128]

- عدة من أصحابنا، عن أحمد بن محمد، عن الحسين بن سعيد عن أبي وهب عن محمد بن منصور قال: سألته عن قول الله عز وجل: " وإذافعلوا فاحشة قالوا وجدنا عليها آبائنا والله أمرنا بها قل إن الله لا يأمر بالفحشاء أتقولون على الله ما لا تعلمون (2) " قال فقال: هل رأيتأحدا زعم أن الله أمر بالزنا وشرب الخمر أو شئ من هذه المحارم؟ فقلت: لا، فقال: ما هذه الفاحشة التي يدعون أن الله أمرهم بها قلت: اللهأعلم ووليه، قال: فإن هذا في أئمة الجور، ادعوا أن الله أمرهم بالائتمام بقوم لم يأمرهم الله بالائتمام بهم، فرد الله ذلك عليهم فأخبر أنهم قدقالوا عليه الكذب وسمى ذلك منهم فاحشة.

“I asked Abu ‘Abdullah (al-Sadiq) regarding the word of Allah, “And when they commit an immorality, they say, "We found our fathers doing it, and Allah has ordered us to do it.’ Say, "Indeed, Allah does not order immorality. Do you say about Allah that which you do not know?’” (7:28)

[..] (the Imam) said; ‘This is about the Imams of wrongdoing. They claim that God commanded them to follow a people (when in reality) God did not command them to follow (the wrongdoer Imams)…” 

Evaluation:

What we understand from this narration and several others, is that the “light” refers to the Imams (i.e their Wilayah) and darkness refers to their enemies, the false Imams (i.e Shaytan, the tyrants of the past and the present, etc.).

Hence we gather from all these above points is that the Ahl al-Bayt are a light that diminishes the darkness (of evil and falsehood).

Because the Light is not an object but what makes possible to see every object. It is the way through which God makes it possible to know things. 

The historical Ahl al-Bayt were in the world as a manifestation of this light, they were the source of every knowledge and the guide for every human to the path of Allah.

And such a virtue is of Fatima - for she also is a light that repels the darkness, a light that is both apparent and esoteric, a light that shines in the heavens and the earth.

2.  Fatima, the Light of the life of ‘Ali

الحسين بن محمد، عن معلى بن محمد، عن أحمد بن محمد بن علي، عن علي بن جعفر قال: سمعت أبا الحسن عليه السلام يقول: بينارسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله جالس إذ دخل عليه ملك له أربعة وعشرون وجها فقال له رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله حبيبي جبرئيل لم أرك فيمثل هذه الصورة، قال الملك: لست بجبرئيل يا محمد بعثني الله عز وجل أن أزوج النور

“I heard Abu al-Hassan (a) say, ‘Once when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was sitting, an angel who had twenty four faces came to him. 

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to him, “My friend Jibra’eel , I had not seen you in this form before.” The angel said, “ I am not Jibra’eel, O’ Muhammad ﷺ . Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most gracious, has sent me to join in marriage the light with the light.” 

He then asked, “Who with who?” The angel said, “Fatima (a) and ‘Ali (a).”

Evaluation:

Both ‘Ali and Fatima were light created for each other, and as the Imams state, had Allah not created ‘Ali, there would be no match for Fatima. This goes to show once again the position al-Zahra’ has been granted by Allah.

3. Light of Fatima enters the World

[al-Amali of al-Saduq, page 691]

“On the authority of al-Mufaddal ibn Umar:

I asked Abi Abdilah (al-Sadiq) about the birth of Fatima (peace be upon her)

He (the Imam said) [..] Fatima (peace be upon her) was born - pure and purified, and when she fell to the earth, the light shone from her until it entered the houses of Makkah, and there was no place left in the east or west of the earth without that light shining in it…”

عن المفضل بن عمر، قال: قلت لأبي عبد الله الصادق )عليه السلام(: كيف كان ولادة فاطمة )عليها السلام(؟

فلما حملت بفاطمة كانت )عليها السلام( تحدثها من بطنها وتصبرها، وكانت تكتم ذلك من رسول الله )صلى الله عليه وآله(، فدخل رسول الله)صلى الله عليه وآله( يوما فسمع خديجة تحدث فاطمة )عليها السلام(، فقال لها: يا خديجة، من تحدثين؟ قالت: الجنين الذي في بطنييحدثني ويؤنسني. قال: يا خديجة، هذا جبرئيل يخبرني )1( أنها أنثى، وأنها النسلة الطاهرة الميمونة، وإن الله تبارك وتعالى سيجعل نسليمنها،

.وسيجعل من نسلها أئمة، ويجعلهم خلفاءه في أرضه بعد انقضاء وحيه

فوضعت فاطمة )عليها السلام( طاهرة مطهرة، فلما سقطت إلى الأرض أشرق منها النور حتى دخل بيوتات مكة، ولم يبق في شرق الأرض ولاغربها موضع إلا أشرق فيه .ذلك النور

ودخل عشر من الحور العين كل واحدة منهن معها طست من الجنة، وإبريق من الجنة، وفي الإبريق ماء من الكوثر، فتناولتها المرأة التي كانتبين يديها، فغسلتها بماء الكوثر، وأخرجت خرقتين بيضاوين أشد بياضا من اللبن وأطيب ريحا من المسك والعنبر، فلفتها بواحدة، وقنعتهابالثانية، ثم استنطقتها فنطقت فاطمة )عليها السلام(

بالشهادتين، وقالت: أشهد أن لا إله إلا الله، وأن أبي رسول الله سيد الأنبياء، وأن بعلي

،سيد الأوصياء، وولدي سادة الأسبا

Conclusion;

The light of al-Zahra’ isn’t merely physical (emanating from her blessed body) but also esoteric in that it is a repellant from darkness and it is visible to the people of the heavens, the angels.

And may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon our master and mother Fatima, 

Wa Allahu Ta’ala ‘Aalam.

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(1) Once again, this is not a deficiency of the Qur’an but rather a deficiency of the people, because the Qur’an is a light from Allah, it has layers and layers of meanings, the apparent and the hidden, and it is not for the common man to grasp it. Rather, the Prophet and His family are the ones given complete knowledge of it and as such, are the ones who are responsible for it’s explanation.