Sultan-ul-Faqr first Hazrat Fatima Razi Allahu Ta'ala Anha was the beloved daughter of the Holy Prophet Mohammad Sall'Allahu Alayhi Wa'alihi Wasallam. She held the status of first Sultan-ul-Faqr because her sacred soul is directly created from Noor-e-Mohammadi Sall'Allahu Alayhi Wa'alihi Wasallam. That is why Faqr i.e. Divine Union, Vision of Allah and presence in the Assembly of Mohammad Sall'Allahu Alayhi Wa'alihi Wasallam are granted through her mediation. It is promise of the Holy Prophet Sall'Allahu Alayhi Wa'alihi Wasallam that any prayer or wish asked through her mediation is never left ungranted by Allah, such is the status of belovedness of Hazrat Fatima Razi Allahu Ta'ala Anha. It is also an honour of her that despite being a woman she travelled the most difficult stages of Faqr with such courage and firmness that the Holy Prophet Sall'Allahu Alayhi Wa'alihi Wasallam made her the first custodian of heritage of Faqr. Her devotion and extremity of Divine love took her to the utmost levels of Oneness and Union with Allah. Thus she was made the Supreme Lady of all the women of Muslim Ummah and the knowledge of Gnosis (Marifat) of Allah and the Divine Vision of Allah (Deedar-e-Elahi) is only possible through her mediation.
It is written in the 7th chapter of Tawareekh Aina-e-Tasavvuf that:
It is written in the 7th chapter of Tawareekh Aina-e-Tasavvuf that:
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"Hazrat Fatima Razi Allahu Ta'ala Anha asked the Holy Prophet Sall'Allahu Alayhi Wa'alihi Wasallam that "shall I be raised alone on the Doomsday?" He said "Oh beloved daughter! The spiritual education of women will be started from you and all the women of my Ummah who will join your spiritual chain will be raised with you on the Doomsday. Allah has honoured you with this status since Eternity. Soon you will be made the custodian of heritage of Faqr. Then you will have to transfer it to (Imam) Hassan (Razi Allah Anhu)". One month after this Hazrat Mohammad Sall'Allahu Alayhi Wa'alihi Wasallam transferred treasure of Faqr to Hazrat Fatima Razi Allahu Ta'ala Anha by the grace of Allah in Safar 11th Hijri. He said to her that "Oh Syeda if anyone belonging to your spiritual chain will recite Drood-e-Ahmadi with your permission, he (or she) will have the privilege of seeing me". Then he Sall'Allahu Alayhi Wa'alihi Wasallam covered Bibi Fatima's head with green shawl after touching it with his own holy self. This shawl was gifted to him by the king of Yemen. Then he Sall'Allahu Alayhi Wa'alihi Wasallam said "bless you Syeda, today Allah has made you the custodian of Faqr." After that Hazrat Fatima Razi Allahu Ta'ala Anha passed on the Trust of Faqr to Hazrat Hassan Razi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu as ordered by the Holy Prophet Sall'Allahu Alayhi Wa'alihi Wasallam". (Tawareekh Aina-e-Tasavvuf)
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Hazrat Mujadad Alif Sani Rehmat-ul-Allah Alayh who is unanimously accepted by all the sections also considers Hazrat Fatima ul-Zahra the mediation and channel of reaching the Divine Oneness and Union with Allah. He writes in his letters that:
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"There are two ways to be blessed with Divine Oneness and Union with Allah. One is of Prophethood (Nabuwat) and only the Prophets of Allah can find the Divine Oneness and Union directly through this way without any mediation. It ended on the Holy Prophet Sall'Allahu Alayhi Wa'alihi Wasallam. The other way is of sainthood (willayat). The followers of this way find the Divine Oneness and Union with Allah through mediation and source. This group comprises of Qutabs, Abdals, Autads and Saints, and the source and mediation of this way is the honoured self of Hazrat Ali Razi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu and this way is directly related to him. Hazrat Mohammad Sall'Allahu Alayhi Wa'alihi Wasallam heads him in this way. Hazrat Fatima Razi Allahu Ta'ala Anha and Hazrat Imam Hassan and Hazrat Imam Hussain Razi Allahu Ta'ala Anhum are united in singularity with him in this status. (Maktoobat Hazrat Mujadad Alif Sani Rehmat-ul-Allah Alayh)
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This statement of Hazrat Mujadad Alif Sani that Hazrat Ali Karam Allah Wajhul Kareem, Hazrat Fatima Razi Allahu Ta'ala Anha and Husnain Kareemain Razi Allahu Ta'ala Anhum are united and single in Faqr is confirmed and explained by the following statements of Hazrat Sakhi Sultan Bahoo Rehmat-ul-Allah Alayh about these honourable Ahl-e-Bait. He says: | Hazrat Ali Karam Allah Wajhul Kareem got Faqr from the Holy Prophet Sall'Allahu Alayhi Wa'alihi Wasallam. (Ain-ul-Faqr) |
| Four Sacred companions of the Holy Prophet are blessed with four attributes. Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddique Razi Allah Anhu has got perfection in truth and veracity, Hazrat Umer Razi Allah Anhu got perfection in justice and accountability of Nafs, Hazrat Usman Razi Allah Anhu got excellence in modesty and generosity while Hazrat Ali Razi Allah Anhu got excellence in knowledge and Faqr. (Asraar-e-Qadri) |
| Hazrat Fatima Razi Allah Anha was born of and nourished with Faqr. She held Faqr and only through her mediation one can reach Faqr. (Jamay-ul Asraar) |
| Hazrat Imam Hassan and Hussain were blessed with extreme perfection and excellence in (Faqr is my pride). (Muhik-ul-Faqr Kalan) |
These statements prove that these four honourable personalities held similar and equal status in Faqr which is Union and Oneness with Allah and His beloved Prophet Sall'Allahu Alayhi Wa'alihi Wasallam and hence they are united in Oneness.
Hazrat Mohammad Sall'Allahu Alayhi Wa'alihi Wasallam has complete authority over Faqr. He said
Hazrat Mohammad Sall'Allahu Alayhi Wa'alihi Wasallam has complete authority over Faqr. He said
The Person who acquires Faqr from Him unites completely with his resplendent light of Oneness with Allah (Noor-e-Wahdat) and becomes one with his holy self Sall'Allahu Alayhi Wa'alihi Wasallam. When Hazrat Fatima Razi Allah Anha acquired Faqr from the Holy Prophet Sall'Allahu Alayhi Wa'alihi Wasallam,he said about her:
| Fatima (Razi Allah Anha) is from me. |
| Hazrat Maswar Bin Makhrama Razi Allah Anhu relates that Hazrat Mohammad Sall'Allahu Alayhi Wa'alihi Wasallam said "certainly Fatima is a part of my body (and soul), whatever hurts her, hurts me infact. (Muslim, Nisai) |
| Hazrat Maswar Bin Makhrama Razi Allah Anhu related this Hadith that Hazrat Mohammad Sall'Allahu Alayhi Wa'alihi Wasallam said that "No doubt Fatima is my branch, whatever makes her happy makes me happy and whatever hurts her infact hurts me". (Imam Ahmed, Hakim) |
| Hazrat Ali Razi Allah Anhu narrates that Hazrat Mohammad Sall'Allahu Alayhi Wa'alihi Wasallam said to Syeda Fatima Razi Allah Anha that "No doubt Allah is displeased when you are displeased and Allah is pleased when you are pleased." (Hakim, Tibrani) |
| Hazrat Ayesha Razi Allahu Ta'ala Anha said that "I have not seen anyone resembling the Holy Prophet Sall'Allahu Alayhi Wa'alihi Wasallam more than Syeda Fatima in habits, attributes, manners and etiquettes". |
Hazrat Fatima Razi Allah Anha, the youngest daughter of the Holy Prophet Sall'Allahu Alayhi Wa'alihi Wasallam and Hazrat Khadija Razi Allah Anha, was born 5 years before Hazrat Mohammad Sall'Allahu Alayhi Wa'alihi Wasallam was granted Prophethood. It was the time when the Holy Prophet used to spend most of his time in the solitude of cave of Hira, meditating upon his Creator. Syeda Fatima was naturally very intelligent. She also liked solitude and never indulged in worldly affairs. Since childhood she had no attraction for playing with other children, fancy clothes or other pleasures of this material world. She was engrossed in the Divine love of Allah since very small age. She used to ask her holy parents that "can we see our Allah who has created us and all the worlds". The Holy Prophet Sall'Allahu Alayhi Wa'alihi Wasallam, keeping in view her love and curiosity about Allah, used to tell her about Him. In this way she started having spiritual education and knowledge of Gnosis of Allah directly from the fountain head of knowledge and righteousness Prophet Mohammad Sall'Allahu Alayhi Wa'alihi Wasallam. Allah had blessed her with extreme intelligence; she remembered and understood completely whatever she heard from her holy father.
In 2nd Hijri she was married to Hazrat Ali Karam Allah Wajhul Kareem. She was a mirror image of the Holy Prophet Sall'Allahu Alayhi Wa'alihi Wasallam and was extremely pious, had great endurance and contentment. Hazrat Ali Karam Allah Wajhul Kareem was not sound financially but Hazrat Fatima Razi Allah Anha never complained or demanded anything from him. Inspite of the fact that she held the status of the queen of all the Muslim women and daughter of the Prophet and master of both the worlds, she did all the house hold tasks by herself. She got blisters on her hand while grinding millstone, her clothes got dirty while cleaning the house but she happily resigned to the will of Allah even in the worst situations of life, hence Allah was also completely pleased with her. Despite such hard life, she was completely devoted to prayers. After completing house hold jobs she spent all her time in prayers, recitation of Holy Quran and invocation of Allah's Name. Hazrat Imam Hassan Razi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu said that "I saw my sacred mother praying day and night. She wept before Allah, completely absorbed in His Divine Love but never asked anything for her ownself". Hazrat Ali Karam Allah Wajhul Kareem once said "I saw Fatima that she was cooking food but invoking Allah's Name as well, grinding millstone and reciting the verses of the Holy Quran also."
Iqbal says about Hazrat Fatima Razi Allah Anha:
In 2nd Hijri she was married to Hazrat Ali Karam Allah Wajhul Kareem. She was a mirror image of the Holy Prophet Sall'Allahu Alayhi Wa'alihi Wasallam and was extremely pious, had great endurance and contentment. Hazrat Ali Karam Allah Wajhul Kareem was not sound financially but Hazrat Fatima Razi Allah Anha never complained or demanded anything from him. Inspite of the fact that she held the status of the queen of all the Muslim women and daughter of the Prophet and master of both the worlds, she did all the house hold tasks by herself. She got blisters on her hand while grinding millstone, her clothes got dirty while cleaning the house but she happily resigned to the will of Allah even in the worst situations of life, hence Allah was also completely pleased with her. Despite such hard life, she was completely devoted to prayers. After completing house hold jobs she spent all her time in prayers, recitation of Holy Quran and invocation of Allah's Name. Hazrat Imam Hassan Razi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu said that "I saw my sacred mother praying day and night. She wept before Allah, completely absorbed in His Divine Love but never asked anything for her ownself". Hazrat Ali Karam Allah Wajhul Kareem once said "I saw Fatima that she was cooking food but invoking Allah's Name as well, grinding millstone and reciting the verses of the Holy Quran also."
Iqbal says about Hazrat Fatima Razi Allah Anha:
Meaning: "Hazrat Fatima held such great status and grandeur that angles and jins obeyed her but she was so humble that she had submitted her will to her husband's will. She was brought up by Hazrat Mohammad Sall'Allahu Alayhi Wa'alihi Wasallam and Hazrat Khadija Razi Allah Anha who were the embodiment of endurance and submissiveness so she also inherited these attributes from them. She ground the millstone and recited the Holy Quran at the same time. Hazrat Jibrael Alayh Salam picked her tears from earth and spread them like pearls of dew drops in the heavens".
She was granted the title of "Batool" which means "a sincere and pious lady who has broken all her worldly connections just for Allah".
Usually she had no money or other material objects that she could give as charity still she was so generous that she never returned any beggar empty handed. Once she sold her shawl to help a newly convert Muslim.
Although she was completely engrossed in the Divine Love and love of the Holy Prophet Sall'Allahu Alayhi Wa'alihi Wasallam but she never neglected her duties as a wife and a mother. She fulfilled all her duties perfectly and in the best way. It was owing to her bringing up that Hazrat Imam Hassan and Hussain Razi Allah Anhum reached the highest status of Faqr. She induced in them the Divine Love and indifference to the worldly pleasures since childhood. In short, the way she fulfilled all here responsibilities regarding her religion as well as worldly affairs and kept perfect balance between them, it was not possible for any other man or woman to do so. Her holyself is the best model for muslim women. Following her footsteps all muslim women can travel on the path of Faqr and reach Allah while keeping their worldly life in balance too. Once the Holy Prophet Sall'Allahu Alayhi Wa'alihi Wasallam asked her "Oh my beloved daughter what are the characteristics of a muslim woman?" she replied "respected father, she should always obey Allah and His Prophet Sall'Allahu Alayhi Wa'alihi Wasallam, be kind to her children, hide her beauty, neither she should see strangers nor a stranger should see her."
She loved and obeyed the Holy Prophet Sall'Allahu Alayhi Wa'alihi Wasallam to such extent that she became a complete image of him. He Sall'Allahu Alayhi Wa'alihi Wasallam also loved Hazrat Fatima Razi Allah Anha more than anyone else. Whenever she came to meet him, He Sall'Allahu Alayhi Wa'alihi Wasallam used to stand up to greet her and let her sit at his own place. Whenever the Holy Prophet Sall'Allahu Alayhi Wa'alihi Wasallam went out of Madina, first he used to meet Hazrat Fatima Razi Allah Anha and then set on his journey and when he returned back he wanted to see her first and then went to his own house. Certainly this shows her belovedness and highest status near Allah and His Prophet Sall'Allahu Alayhi Wa'alihi Wasallam. Once he stated the splendour of Hazrat Fatima Razi Allah Anha in these words "on the Doomsday, my daughter Fatima will be raised with such grace and grandeur that she will be wearing a gown of honour that will have been washed by the water of eternal life. All the creations will be amazed to see her grace. Then she will be dressed up in the clothes of Paradise, every garment of which will consist of thousands of heavenly garments, and on each garment it will be written that "take the beloved daughter of Mohammad Sall'Allahu Alayhi Wa'alihi Wasallam to the heaven with complete honour, perfect dignity and grace and tremendous splendour."
On the death of Holy Prophet Mohammad Sall'Allahu Alayhi Wa'alihi Wasallam Hazrat Fatima Razi Allah Anha was so much grieved that she prayed "oh Allah let the soul of Fatima join the soul of Mohammad Sall'Allahu Alayhi Wa'alihi Wasallam. Let my heart be contended by the privilege of seeing him. Oh Allah let me be forgiven on the Doomsday through his intercession, let me not be of the deprived ones". It is narrated in all the books of Hadiths and biograhphies of the Holy Prophet Sall'Allahu Alayhi Wa'alihi Wasallam that after his death no one ever saw Hazrat Fatima Razi Allah Anha smiling again. Only after six months of Holy Prophet's death, she left this material world and met her father in the paradise on 3rd Ramadan 11th Hijri, at the age of 29 years only. Before death she called Hazrat Asma bint-e-Amees Razi Allah Anha and told her "during my last ablution do not take any help from anyone except my husband and take complete care of my veil during funeral and burial and do not let much crowd gather around". Hazrat Fatima Razi Allah Anha died in the night and was buried on the same night. Her tomb is in Jannat-ul-Baqeeh.
Usually she had no money or other material objects that she could give as charity still she was so generous that she never returned any beggar empty handed. Once she sold her shawl to help a newly convert Muslim.
Although she was completely engrossed in the Divine Love and love of the Holy Prophet Sall'Allahu Alayhi Wa'alihi Wasallam but she never neglected her duties as a wife and a mother. She fulfilled all her duties perfectly and in the best way. It was owing to her bringing up that Hazrat Imam Hassan and Hussain Razi Allah Anhum reached the highest status of Faqr. She induced in them the Divine Love and indifference to the worldly pleasures since childhood. In short, the way she fulfilled all here responsibilities regarding her religion as well as worldly affairs and kept perfect balance between them, it was not possible for any other man or woman to do so. Her holyself is the best model for muslim women. Following her footsteps all muslim women can travel on the path of Faqr and reach Allah while keeping their worldly life in balance too. Once the Holy Prophet Sall'Allahu Alayhi Wa'alihi Wasallam asked her "Oh my beloved daughter what are the characteristics of a muslim woman?" she replied "respected father, she should always obey Allah and His Prophet Sall'Allahu Alayhi Wa'alihi Wasallam, be kind to her children, hide her beauty, neither she should see strangers nor a stranger should see her."
She loved and obeyed the Holy Prophet Sall'Allahu Alayhi Wa'alihi Wasallam to such extent that she became a complete image of him. He Sall'Allahu Alayhi Wa'alihi Wasallam also loved Hazrat Fatima Razi Allah Anha more than anyone else. Whenever she came to meet him, He Sall'Allahu Alayhi Wa'alihi Wasallam used to stand up to greet her and let her sit at his own place. Whenever the Holy Prophet Sall'Allahu Alayhi Wa'alihi Wasallam went out of Madina, first he used to meet Hazrat Fatima Razi Allah Anha and then set on his journey and when he returned back he wanted to see her first and then went to his own house. Certainly this shows her belovedness and highest status near Allah and His Prophet Sall'Allahu Alayhi Wa'alihi Wasallam. Once he stated the splendour of Hazrat Fatima Razi Allah Anha in these words "on the Doomsday, my daughter Fatima will be raised with such grace and grandeur that she will be wearing a gown of honour that will have been washed by the water of eternal life. All the creations will be amazed to see her grace. Then she will be dressed up in the clothes of Paradise, every garment of which will consist of thousands of heavenly garments, and on each garment it will be written that "take the beloved daughter of Mohammad Sall'Allahu Alayhi Wa'alihi Wasallam to the heaven with complete honour, perfect dignity and grace and tremendous splendour."
On the death of Holy Prophet Mohammad Sall'Allahu Alayhi Wa'alihi Wasallam Hazrat Fatima Razi Allah Anha was so much grieved that she prayed "oh Allah let the soul of Fatima join the soul of Mohammad Sall'Allahu Alayhi Wa'alihi Wasallam. Let my heart be contended by the privilege of seeing him. Oh Allah let me be forgiven on the Doomsday through his intercession, let me not be of the deprived ones". It is narrated in all the books of Hadiths and biograhphies of the Holy Prophet Sall'Allahu Alayhi Wa'alihi Wasallam that after his death no one ever saw Hazrat Fatima Razi Allah Anha smiling again. Only after six months of Holy Prophet's death, she left this material world and met her father in the paradise on 3rd Ramadan 11th Hijri, at the age of 29 years only. Before death she called Hazrat Asma bint-e-Amees Razi Allah Anha and told her "during my last ablution do not take any help from anyone except my husband and take complete care of my veil during funeral and burial and do not let much crowd gather around". Hazrat Fatima Razi Allah Anha died in the night and was buried on the same night. Her tomb is in Jannat-ul-Baqeeh.
