Fiḍḍa al-Nūbiyya

A Personality That Breathed the Scent of the [Prophetic] Message

 (Originally published in Arabic in Risālat al-Qalam Magazine, issue 25 – 11/4/2016)

 

Introduction

In these few pages, we will look at some of what has been narrated regarding the personality of the Nubian Lady Fiḍḍa (r), the servant of al-Zahrāʾ (a). We begin this brief glimpse into her noble life by exploring the atmosphere in which the House of Revelation welcomed this servant, who received a special honour in serving the Lady of the Women of the Worlds (a), unlike any other servant or maiden.

 

Fāṭima (a) Requires a Servant

It is narrated that the Commander of the Faithful [Imam ʿAlī (a)] said to a man from Banū Saʿd: “Shall I tell you about myself and Fāṭima al-Zahrāʾ [a]? She was with me [i.e., married and living with me], and would draw water with a leather bucket until it left a mark on her chest, grind with the millstone until her hands became calloused, sweep the house until her clothes became dusty, and light the fire under the cooking pot until her clothes became darkened. She suffered greatly from all this, so I said to her, ‘Why don’t you go to your father and ask him for a servant to relieve you from this work?’

So, she went to the Holy Prophet [Muḥammad (saw)], and found some people talking with him, so she felt shy and left. He (saw) realized that she had come for a need, so [the next day] he came to us in the morning while we were [still] under our cover [i.e., sleeping]. He said, ‘Peace be upon you.’ We remained silent out of shyness because of where we were. Then he said, ‘Peace be upon you,’ and we remained silent again. Then he said, ‘Peace be upon you,’ so we feared that if we did not respond, he would leave, as he would [customarily] greet three times; if permission was given, he would enter; otherwise, he would depart. So, we replied, ‘And peace be upon you, O Messenger of Allah. Enter.’ He entered and sat near our heads, then said, ‘O Fāṭima, what was your need yesterday with Muḥammad?’

[Imam ʿAlī (a) continues], I was afraid that if we did not answer him, he would leave, so I raised my head and said, ‘By Allah, I will tell you, O Messenger of Allah. She has been drawing water with a leather bucket until it has left a mark on her chest, grinding with the millstone until her hands have become calloused, sweeping the house until her clothes have become dusty, and lighting the fire under the cooking pot until her clothes have become darkened. As a result, I told her, “Why don’t you go to your father and ask him for a servant to relieve you from this work.”’

He [saw] said, ‘Shall I not teach you [two] something that is better for you [both] than a servant? When you go to bed, say “Allāhu Akbar” thirty-four times, “Subḥāna-llāh” thirty-three times, and “Alḥamdu lillāh” thirty-three times.’ Fāṭima (a) raised her head and said, ‘I am pleased with Allah and His Messenger [and whatever they choose for me]. I am pleased with Allah and His Messenger.’”¹

 

Al-Zahrāʾ (a) Wants to Request a Servant But Becomes Shy in Front of Her Father (saw)

It is mentioned in Kitāb Manāqib Āl Abī Ṭālib: “It is reported in the two Ṣaḥīḥs… when the Prophet (saw) had [custody of some] prisoners [of war], he [i.e., Imam ʿAlī (a)] told her [i.e., Lady Fāṭima (a)] to ask the Prophet for a servant. She went to the Prophet (saw), greeted him, and returned [empty-handed]. The Commander of the Faithful asked, ‘What happened?’ She replied, ‘I swear by Allah, I could not speak to the Messenger of Allah due to his awe,’ so ʿAlī went with her to the Prophet… and he [i.e., the Holy Prophet (saw)] taught her the glorification (tasbīḥ) of al-Zahrāʾ.

In Kitāb al-Shīrāzī, it is narrated: When she explained her situation and requested a maid, the Messenger of Allah (saw) wept and said, ‘O Fāṭima, by the One who sent me with the truth, there are four hundred men in the mosque, who have neither food nor clothes. If it were not for a certain concern, I would give you what you asked for. O Fāṭima, I do not want your reward to be transferred to a maid, and I fear that ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib could hold you accountable before Allah (SWT) on the Day of Judgment when he demands his right from you.’ Then he taught her the prayer of glorification (i.e., the tasbīḥ of al-Zahrāʾ). The Commander of the Faithful said, ‘You went to the Messenger of Allah desiring the world, and Allah gave us the reward of the Hereafter.’

Abū Hurayra reports: When the Messenger of Allah left Fāṭima’s house, Allah revealed to His Messenger:

“And if you have to hold off from [assisting] them [for now], seeking your Lord’s mercy which you expect [in the future]…,” i.e., from [assisting] your kin, Fāṭima, to seek a sustenance from your Lord that you hope for, “then speak to them with gentle words,”² i.e., [turn them away with] words of kindness. When this verse was revealed, the Messenger of Allah (saw) sent her a servant, whom he named Fiḍḍa.”³

 

The Nubian Lady Fiḍḍa

In Kitāb al-Iṣābah by Ibn Ḥajar al-ʿAsqalānī, there is a passage titled: “The Nubian Lady Fiḍḍa – The maid of Fāṭima al-Zahrāʾ.”⁴ Ibn al-Athīr also mentions in his book Usd al-Ghābah: “Fiḍḍa al-Nūbiyya was the maid of Fāṭima al-Zahrāʾ, the daughter of the Messenger of Allah (ṣaw).” He also narrates the story of her vow of fasting – which will be mentioned – and that Fiḍḍa said: “If my masters recover, I will fast for Allah (SWT) in gratitude.”⁵

 

Fiḍḍa (a) and the Illness of Al-Ḥasan (a) and Al-Ḥusayn (a)

Regarding the verse:

“They fulfill vows and fear a day whose evil will be widespread. And they give food, despite their love for it, to the needy, the orphan, and the captive,”⁶

Ibn al-ʿAbbās narrates: “Al-Ḥasan and al-Ḥusayn (pbut) became ill, and their grandfather, the Messenger of Allah (saw), along with many Arabs, visited them. They said, “O Abu-l-Ḥasan, why don’t you make a vow (nadhr) on behalf of your children?” At that, ʿAlī (a) said, “If they recover from their illness, I will fast for Allah (SWT) for three days in gratitude.” Fāṭima said the same, and a Nubian maid named Fiḍḍa also said, “If my masters recover, I will fast for Allah (SWT) in gratitude.”

[A while later], the two young boys regained their health, [and they started to fulfil the vow by fasting]; although, the family of Muḥammad [saw] did not have anything [to break their fast with]. ʿAlī [a] went to Shamʿūn al-Khaybarī and borrowed three measures (aṣwāʿ)⁷ of barley from him and brought it home. Fāṭima [a] took one measure, ground it, and baked it. ʿAlī [a] prayed with the Messenger of Allah (saw), then returned home, and the food was placed before them. Suddenly, a needy person stood at the door and said, “Peace be upon you, O Family of Muḥammad. I am a needy person from among the Muslims. Feed me, may Allah (SWT) feed you from the tables of Paradise.” ʿAlī [a] heard him and ordered that the food be given to him. They spent their day and night with nothing but water.

The next day, Fāṭima [a] took another measure, baked it, and ʿAlī [a] prayed with the Prophet (saw). [Upon his return], the food was placed before them when suddenly, an orphan stood at the door and said, “Peace be upon you, O Family of Muḥammad. I am an orphan from among the children of the Muhājirīn. My father was martyred. Feed me.” At that, they gave him the food, and had now spent two days tasting nothing but water.

On the third day, Fāṭima [a] took the remaining measure, ground it, and baked it. ʿAlī [a] prayed with the Prophet (saw), [and upon returning home] the food was placed before them. [This time] a [released] captive stood at the door and said, “Peace be upon you, O Family of Prophethood. You capture us and bind us, yet you do not feed us. Feed me, for I am a [needy released] captive.” At that, they gave him the food, and spent three days and nights with nothing but water.

The Messenger of Allah (saw) came to [visit] them and saw their state of hunger. Allah [SWT] then revealed:

“Has there come upon man a period of time…” up to the verse: “We seek from you neither reward nor gratitude.”^{8 9}

 

Ibn Taymiyya Denies the Existence of the Nubian Lady Fiḍḍa (a)

Ibn Taymiyya sought to deny the authenticity of the aforementioned report and that the verses revealed were revealed regarding the Ahl al-Bayt (pbut). Therefore, he was compelled to reject the report in its entirety by denying the existence of a servant Lady of the Ahl al-Bayt by the name Fiḍḍa.

He states, “ʿAlī and Fāṭima did not have a maid named Fiḍḍa, nor did any of the Prophet’s relatives (saw). We do not know of any maid named Fiḍḍa in Medina, nor has any scholar mentioned such a name, who may have otherwise detailed the small and grand events of her life. However, this personality of Fiḍḍa resembles the [disputed account] of Ibn ʿaqab, who was supposedly the teacher of al-Ḥasan and al-Ḥusayn, and is said to have received an apple containing knowledge of future events. This is among the fabrications that spread among the ignorant… and likewise, [the story of] this maid Fiḍḍa.”¹⁰

 

Response to Ibn Taymiyya’s Claim

Sayyid al-Mīlānī responds to the aforementioned claim with evidence from major historians, who acknowledge the existence of this figure. He says in his research, “I say: Look at his insistence on denying [her existence] with [such] impudence… while he is the [actual] liar!! Here is the statement of Ibn al-Athīr: ‘Fiḍḍa al-Nūbiyya, the maid of Fāṭima al-Zahrāʾ, daughter of the Messenger of Allah (saw)…’

Also, [refer to] the statement of Ibn Ḥajar al-ʿAsqalānī: ‘Fiḍḍa al-Nūbiyya, the maid of Fāṭima al-Zahrāʾ…’ Then he mentions the narration of ʿAlī (a): ‘The Messenger of Allah (saw) assigned a maid to his daughter Fāṭima, named Fiḍḍa al-Nūbiyya, who shared the household duties with her, and the Messenger of Allah (saw) taught her a supplication to recite.’”¹¹

 

The Prophet’s (saw) Recommendation Regarding Fiḍḍa and Al-Zahrāʾ’s (a) Treatment of Her

Ibn Mardawayh mentions in a narration: “Then, the Messenger of Allah (saw) conquered the coast and acquired captives, whom he divided [among the Muslims]. He retained two women, one young, and the other older and no longer in her young years. He sent for Fāṭima, and then he took the woman’s hand and placed it in Fāṭima’s hand¹² and said, ‘O Fāṭima, this one is for you. Do not hit her, for I saw her praying, and Jibrāʾīl (a) forbade me from striking those who pray.’¹³ The Messenger of Allah continued advising her [i.e., Lady Fāṭima] about her. When Fāṭima saw how much he advised her, she turned to the Messenger of Allah (SWT) and said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, one day [of work] will be on me and the other day on her.’ At that, tears flowed from the eyes of the Messenger of Allah (saw), as he remarked saying:

“Allah knows best where He places His apostleship!”¹⁴

And:

“Some of them are descendants of the others [in their manners and morals], and Allah is all-hearing, all-knowing.”^{15 16}

 

The Prophet (saw) Teaches Fiḍḍa a Supplication

Ibn Ḥajar mentions in his book Al-Iṣābah: “ʿAlī (a) said: ‘The Messenger of Allah (saw) assigned a Nubian maid named Fiḍḍa to his daughter Fāṭima (a), and she shared the household duties with her. The Messenger of Allah (saw) taught her a supplication to recite. Fāṭima said to her, “Would you like to knead [the dough] or bake?” Fiḍḍa replied, “I will knead, my lady, and gather firewood.” She went and gathered firewood, carrying a bundle in her hand. When she tried to lift it, she struggled, so she recited the supplication taught to her:

“O Unique One, with no one like You, You cause everyone to perish, and nothing remains but You on Your Throne. You neither sleep nor slumber.”

يَا وَاحِدُ لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ أَحَدٌ، تُمِيْتُ كُلَّ أَحَدٍ، وَتُفْنِيْ كُلَّ أَحَدٍ، وَأَنْتَ عَلَى عَرْشِكَ وَاحِدٌ،

 وَلَا تَأْخُذُهُ سِنَةٌ وَلَا نَوْمٌ

[Upon reciting that, suddenly] an Arab man, who looked like he was from the tribe of Azd Shanūʾah, appeared and carried the bundle to Fāṭima’s door.'”¹⁷

 

The Supplication of ʿAlī (a) for Fiḍḍa

It is narrated by Abū ʿAbdullāh al-Imam al-Ṣādiq, from his forefathers (pbut): “The Commander of the Faithful [ʿAlī (a)] came to the house of ʿĀʾisha and called, ‘O Fiḍḍa, bring us some water to perform ablution with.’ No one answered him. He called three times, and still no one answered. So, he turned away from the door, intending to go to the house of the blessed angelic lady Fāṭima (a). Suddenly, he heard a voice calling, ‘O Abu-l-Ḥasan, here is water for you to perform ablution with.’ He looked to his right and found a golden jug filled with water. He performed ablution, and the jug returned to its place [i.e., it disappeared].

When the Messenger of Allah (saw) saw the drops of water dripping [from Imam ʿAlī (a)] as if they were pearls, he said, ‘O ʿAlī, what is this water that I see dripping [from you] as if they were pearls?’

ʿAlī [a] replied, ‘May my father and mother be sacrificed for you. I went to ʿĀʾisha’s house and called for Fiḍḍa to bring us water for ablution three times, but no one answered. I turned to leave, and suddenly I heard a voice calling, “O ʿAlī, here is water.” I turned around and saw a golden jug filled with water.’ The Prophet (saw) asked, ‘O ʿAlī, do you know who was calling and where the jug came from?’ I replied, ‘Allah and His Messenger know best.’ He (saw) said, ‘The caller was my beloved Jibrāʾīl (a), the jug was from Paradise, and the water was a mixture; a third of it was from the East, a third from the West, and a third from Paradise.’

Jibrāʾīl (a), descended at that point and said, “O Messenger of Allah, Allah sends you greetings and says to you: Convey my greetings to ʿAlī, and say that Fiḍḍa is in her period.” The Prophet (saw) replied, “From Him is peace, to Him is peace, and to Him return all good words.” Then he turned to ʿAlī (a) and said, “My beloved ʿAlī, this is Jibrāʾīl (a) who has come to us from the Lord of all worlds, and he sends you greetings and says that Fiḍḍa is in her period.” ʿAlī (a) replied, “O Allah, shower your blessings over our Fiḍḍa.’”^{18 19}

 

 

Fiḍḍa’s Conversation with ʿUmar

It has been narrated from Abū ʿAbdullah Jaʿfar ibn Muḥammad (a), who said:

“Fāṭima (a) had a maid named Fiḍḍa. After her passing, Fiḍḍa remained with ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib (a), who married her to Abū Thaʿlabah al-Ḥabashī, and she bore him a son. Abū Thaʿlabah later passed away, and then Fiḍḍa married Sulayk al-Ghaṭafānī.²⁰ [When] her son from Abū Thaʿlabah also passed away, she refused to let Sulayk approach her. He complained about her to ʿUmar during his time, and ʿUmar asked her, ‘What is Sulayk complaining about, O Fiḍḍa?’ She replied, ‘You are the judge in this matter, and nothing is hidden from you. Why would I prevent him from myself?’ ʿUmar said, ‘I see no excuse for you.’ She replied, ‘O Abū Ḥafṣ, you are being misled in your judgments. My son from the previous husband passed away, and I wished to purify myself by [waiting until I go through] a menstrual period, so that if I am not pregnant, I would know my son has died without a sibling. But if I were pregnant, then the one in my womb would be his brother.’ ʿUmar responded, ‘A strand [of hair] from the family of Abū Ṭālib has more religious knowledge than the entire tribe of ʿAdī.’”^{21 22}

 

Fiḍḍa and Her Speech Using the Qur’an

Shaykh ʿAbbās al-Qummī (r) in his book Bayt al-Aḥzān recounts a narration from Abū -l-Qāsim al-Qushayrī mentioned in the latter’s book, where someone said, “I was in the desert, separated from my caravan and found a woman. I asked her, ‘Who are you?’ She replied, “And say, “Peace.” For they shall know.”²³

I greeted her and asked, ‘What are you doing here?’ She said, “Whomsoever Allah guides, there is none to mislead him.”²⁴ I asked, ‘Are you from the jinn or from humans?’ She replied, “O children of Adam, take your adornment.”²⁵ I asked, ‘Where have you come from?’ She said, “They will call out from a distant place.”²⁶ I asked, ‘Where are you headed?’ She replied, “And pilgrimage to the House is a duty unto Allah for mankind.”²⁷ I asked, ‘When did you get separated?’ She said, And indeed We created the heavens and the earth and all between them in six days.”²⁸

Then I asked, “Do you desire food?” She replied, “And We did not make them bodies that ate no food.”²⁹ So, I fed her. Then I said, “Hurry and move quickly.” She said, Allah does not burden a soul beyond what it can bear.”³⁰ I said, “Shall I give you a ride with me?” She replied, “If there had been in them gods besides Allah, they both would have been ruined.”³¹ So, I dismounted and let her ride. She said, “Glory be to Him who has subjected this to us.”³² When we caught up with the caravan, I asked, “Do you have anyone in it?” She said, “O David, We have made you a successor on the earth,”³³ “And Muhammad is but a Messenger,”³⁴ “O John, take the Scripture,”³⁵ “O Moses, indeed I am Allah.”³⁶ I called out with these names, and soon, four young men approached her. I asked, “Who are these to you?” She replied, “Wealth and children are [but] adornment of the worldly life.”³⁷ When they came to her, she said, “O my father, hire him. Indeed, the best one you can hire is the strong and the trustworthy.”³⁸ They rewarded me with some things, and she said, “And Allah multiplies [His reward] for whom He wills.”³⁹ They increased my reward, and I asked them about her. They said, “This is our mother Fiḍḍa, the maid of al-Zahrāʾ (a). She has only spoken with verses from the Qur’an for twenty years.”⁴⁰

 

Fiḍḍa and ʿAlī’s (a) Food

One factor that indicates a person’s nobility is for them to respect the dignity of those close to them. Such was Lady Fiḍḍa, the servant whose heart was enlightened with guidance. Narrations tell us about the Commander of the Faithful (a) and how he would follow the traditions of the Prophet (saw) regarding his food and drink. [Meer] servitude dictates that a servant should adhere to the orders of their master. However, true nobility is when this servant’s heart feels compassion towards her master and works to do good beyond her obligations. Lady Fiḍḍa was such a person. When the Commander of the Faithful (a) instructed her not to season his food, she complied. Later, out of compassion, she prepared his food with seasoning to improve its taste, without his knowledge, as some narrations suggest. But ultimately, she came to understand that following his instructions, after his insistence on asceticism, was the best kindness and respect she could offer her Master (pbuh).

In a narration by al-Aswad ibn Qays, he said: “ʿAlī used to feed people in the square of Kufa, and upon finishing, he would go home to eat. One of his companions thought to himself, ‘I have a suspicion that the Commander of the Faithful eats better food at home than what he serves the people.’ So, I left the public food and followed him. He asked, ‘Did you have lunch?’ I replied, ‘No.’ He said, ‘Then come with me.’ I went with him to his home, and [upon reaching,] he called out: ‘O Fiḍḍa.’ A black maid came, and He requested her: “Bring us lunch.” She brought some loaves of bread and a jug of milk, which she poured into a bowl and crumbled bread into it. [Al-Aswad ibn Qays] said, “I noticed bran in it, so I said, ‘O Commander of the Faithful, if only you ordered that the flour be sifted.’

He wept and then said, ‘By Allah, I did not know that there was ever a sieve in the house of the Messenger of Allah (saw).’”⁴¹

 

Fiḍḍa Used to Place Good Food in ʿAlī’s (a) Pouch

It is said: “ʿAmr ibn Ḥurayth observed the meal of the Commander of the Faithful (a). Fiḍḍa came with a sealed pouch, from which she took out coarse, old bread. ʿAmr said, ‘O Fiḍḍa, if only you sifted this flour and improved it!’ She replied, ‘I used to do so, but he forbade me. I would put good food in his pouch, but then he [started to] seal it.’”⁴²

 

We Dislike That We Should Be Rewarded While He Commits a Sin

Suwayd ibn ʿAlqamah narrated, “I went to visit ʿAlī (a) in Kufa, and there a bowl of milk before him that had a sharp smell from its sourness, and in his hand was a loaf [of bread] with barley husks visible on the surface, which he was breaking, sometimes using his knee for assistance, while his maid Fiḍḍa stood by his side. I said, ‘O Fiḍḍa, do you not fear Allah regarding this elderly person? Why do you not sift his flour?’ She replied, ‘We dislike for us to be rewarded, but for him to be sinning,⁴³ and he has made us swear not to sift his flour as long as we are with him.’”⁴⁴

 

A Miracle Happens to Fiḍḍa’s Granddaughter

It is not far-fetched that Fiḍḍa, for her service to the family of the Prophet (saw), received special blessings and care, and that her granddaughter was granted divine care as a blessing for her grandmother, Fiḍḍa. Fiḍḍa experienced the trials of the Message in every sense of the word, as she participated in the Vow, fasting, and hunger, and she remained with the family of the Prophet (saw) until she was honoured with serving them during the greatest tragedy in their hearts: the tragedy of Karbalāʾ.

Among the miracles narrated about her granddaughter, Mālik ibn Dīnār narrated: “I saw a frail woman at the place for bidding farewell to people about to undertake the pilgrimage; she was riding a weak animal, and people were advising her to turn back. When we reached the desert, her mount tired, and I rebuked her for coming. She raised her head to the sky and said, ‘You neither left me in my home nor carried me to Your House. By Your Majesty and Glory, if anyone other than You had done this to me, I would not have complained except to You…’”

Then, suddenly, a person came to her from the desert with the reins of a camel in his hand and said to her, “Mount!” So, she mounted, and the camel moved like a flash of lightning. When she reached the area for circumambulation, I saw her performing ṭawāf. I implored her by Allah, [and asked her]: “Who are you?” She replied, “I am Shahrah, daughter of Maskah, daughter of Fiḍḍa, servant of al-Zahrāʾ (a).”⁴⁵

 

A Summary of Fiḍḍa al-Nūbiyya’s Merits

In Mustadrak Safīnat al-Biḥār, there is a general reference to these merits of Fiḍḍa al-Nūbiyya: “The praise of Fiḍḍa, the maid of Fāṭima al-Zahrāʾ (a), for her charity to the needy, orphan, and captive alongside the family of the Prophet, with the revelation of Sūrat Hal Atā (Surah Al-Insān, 76) about them, including her. In al-Barṣī’s narration, Fiḍḍa is described as the daughter of the King of India,⁴⁶ and she possessed an elixir with which she turned copper into a block of gold for the Commander of the Faithful (p). The Commander of the Faithful then showed her the treasures of the earth.⁴⁷ She (may Allah be pleased with her) reportedly spoke only with verses from the Qur’an for twenty years, including her story when travelling and her only speaking with Qur’anic verses. In the narration of Waraqa ibn ʿAbd Allāh, Fiḍḍa recounts the manner of Fāṭima al-Zahrāʾ’s (a) passing away, and in it, the Commander of the Faithful (a) says: ‘[After enshrouding her in the kafan,] when I was about to tie the knot in her shroud, I called, “O Umm Kulthūm, O Zaynab, O Sukayna, O Fiḍḍa, O Ḥasan, O Ḥusayn, come and bid farewell to your mother…” The Commander of the Faithful (p) said: ‘Fāṭima (a) took a covenant from me, in the name of Allah and His Messenger, that when she died, I would not inform anyone except Umm Salama, the wife of the Messenger of Allah (p), Umm Ayman, Fiḍḍa, and from the men, her two sons…’ [Similarly, among the events which demonstrate her virtue is] her story with the lion in Karbalāʾ, [in addition to] the nobility of Shahrah, daughter of Maska, daughter of Fiḍḍa, and her ṭawāf story, indicating her [granddaughter’s] virtue and excellence, and the events regarding her marriage and children as mentioned in Biḥār al-Anwār. [Also worth noting are] some of the daily happenings that would transpire between her and the Commander of the Faithful (p), like her sifting of his flour and his forbidding her from doing so.”⁴⁸

It is honour enough for her that she served Fāṭima al-Zahrāʾ (a), living with her in the same house and seeing her every morning and evening. It is also [honour] enough that the Commander of the Faithful (p) considered her among the children of al-Zahrāʾ (a) when he said, as he prepared to shroud al-Zahrāʾ (a): “O so-and-so, O so-and-so… O Fiḍḍa, come and bid farewell to your mother.”

 

The Location of the Grave of Fiḍḍa, the Maid of Al-Zahrāʾ (a)

As for the location of her grave, it is said to be in Damascus. Al-Ḥamawī mentions in his Muʿjam: “To the south of Damascus, there is a grave claimed to be that of Umm ʿĀtika, the sister of ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb, and nearby is a grave said to be that of Ṣuhayb al-Rūmī and his brother. However, [contrary to this] it is reported that Ṣuhayb was [actually] buried in Medina. Also in the south of this area is a historical site where there is a grave with a roof split in half, associated with ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib [a]. In the south of Bāb al-Ṣaghīr [cemetary] is the grave of Bilāl ibn Ḥamāmah [r],⁴⁹ Kaʿb al-Aḥbār, three wives of the Prophet [saw], and the grave of Fiḍḍa [r], the maid of Fāṭima (a).”⁵⁰

 

Lessons and Insights

From the teachings of the Prophet (saw) and the life of Fāṭima al-Zahrāʾ’s blessed servant, Fiḍḍa, we can derive some practical lessons for our lives:

 

Lesson One: Why Did the Prophet Consider Glorification (tasbīḥ) Better Than a Servant?

The answer: This superiority appears in the same narrations, that describe when the Prophet (saw) granted Fāṭima al-Zahrāʾ (a) the well-known tasbīḥ called “Tasbīḥat al-Zahrāʾ,”⁵¹ [in which] he considered it better than having a servant. In some narrations, this tasbīḥ is regarded as a means to attain Paradise. The phrases of this tasbīḥ consist of three parts: “Allāhu Akbar” (Allah is the Greatest), “Subḥāna-llāh” (Glory be to Allah), and “Alḥamdu lillāh” (All praise is due to Allah). Each phrase holds virtue in itself as a remembrance (dhikr), falling under the merit of general remembrance of Allah, the Exalted. Together, these phrases form the specific remembrance known as “Tasbīḥat al-Zahrāʾ.”

Another dimension in explaining the superiority of this tasbīḥ over having a servant, is that in addition to being a form of remembrance that falls within general recommendation, and a means to attain Paradise, it also contains a set of spiritual secrets and effects which are mentioned in chapters on Tasbīḥat al-Zahrāʾ, especially in the books of the Mujarrabāt (tested spiritual practices) of the Imāmiyya, and the advice of scholars of ethics.⁵²

 

Lesson Two: What was the Effect [of Imams Ḥasan and Ḥusayn falling sick] on Fiḍḍa’s Heart That Made Her Vow to Fast for Three Days Along With the Members of This Household?

The answer: There is no doubt that those who live among the noble acquire nobility from them. And who is more noble than the Ahl al-Bayt, whom Allah has removed impurity from and purified thoroughly? The house of ʿAlī and Fāṭima, with its dignity and high morals, was a school from which Fiḍḍa learned greatly. Thus, ʿAlī treated her as a father, as he and the Prophet (saw) are the fathers of this ummah. This attribute extended from the life of the Prophet to the life of the Commander of the Faithful and the life of al-Ṣiddīqa al-Zahrāʾ. The Prophet would sometimes treat certain people as members of his family, as he did with Abū Dharr when he said, “You are one of us, the Ahl al-Bayt.” ʿAlī (a) dealt with Fiḍḍa in the same manner, considering her not as a foreign servant, but as one of the daughters of this pure household.

As for Fiḍḍa, she possessed a pure spirit that welcomed this Prophetic grace within this holy household. She was thus affected by the state of al-Ḥasan and al-Ḥusayn (pbut) and felt compassion for them, surpassing the feelings of a mere servant. This is what motivated her to vow to fast for three days, like the rest of the blessed members of this household.

 

Lesson Three: What was the Impact of Prophetic Guidance on the Personality of Lady Fiḍḍa?

The answer: There is no doubt that monotheism (tawḥīd) has levels and degrees, and every person has a unique share of it, influenced by the manner, type, and amount of nurturing they receive. The [aforementioned] supplication taught by the Prophet (saw) to Fiḍḍa, “O Unique One, with no one like You, You cause everyone to perish, and nothing remains but You on Your Throne. You neither sleep nor slumber,” contains profound meanings of tawḥīd. And because she had learned it directly from the truthful and trustworthy Prophet, she was entirely convinced by it, believing that this one Lord and God, who has control over everything, including life and death, is also capable of [everything] lesser [also], such as sustenance and assistance. How could it not be, as He is the ever-present observer who neither neglects nor is taken by slumber or sleep! The impact of this supplication and Fiḍḍa’s faith and belief in the Prophet (saw) became evident when she turned to Allah after all means had been exhausted, and He provided her with a solution from His divine means and fulfilled her need.

 

 

Lesson Four: The Absolute Importance of Knowledge

Fiḍḍa’s conversation with ʿUmar and her dialogue citing the Qur’an reveal aspects of her knowledgeable personality, acknowledged by those near and far. This sheds light, on one hand, on the elevated level of education Fiḍḍa received in the House of Revelation, and, on the other, on the absolute importance of knowledge itself. Islam considers knowledge a virtue for both a servant and master equally, with no class barriers preventing servants from learning. Moreover, the example of Fiḍḍa as the servant of the Lady of all Women (a) emphazises that Islam promotes the education of slaves and their subsequent liberation [as was the case until slavery was abolished], highlighting the importance given to knowledge in this religion. Fiḍḍa’s life serves as a model and a reminder for others in different occupations who may sometimes neglect the importance of learning due to their preoccupation with earning a living.

 

Lesson Five: Observing Rights

This noble characteristic is evident in Fiḍḍa’s life when she observed the right of the Commander of the Faithful (p) by having compassion for him regarding what he ate and drank. She wished for him to eat something tender and nourishing, instead of the coarse, dry barley bread. Yet she soon realized that the Commander of the Faithful was the leader of all creation and held a high status with Allah due to his support for [and consoling] the poor, and his asceticism in worldly matters. Thus, she prioritized respecting his spiritual right over her compassionate wish for him to have more pleasant food and drink.

And all praise is due to Allah, the Lord of all worlds.

 

Footnotes

[1] Man Lā Yaḥḍuruhu al-Faqīh, Shaykh al-Ṣadūq, Volume 1, Page 320, Hadith 947.

[2] Holy Quran 17:28.

[3] Manāqib Āl Abī Ṭālib, Ibn Shahrāshūb, Volume 3, Page 120.

[4] Al-Iṣābah, Ibn Ḥajar al-ʿAsqalānī, Volume 8, Page 281.

[5] Usd al-Ghāba fī Maʿrifat al-Ṣaḥāba, Ibn al-Athīr, Volume 5, Pages 530–531.

[6] Holy Quran 76:7-8.

[7] Translator’s note: Aṣwāʿ, plural of ṣāʿ; each ṣāʿ is equivalent to approximately 3kgs.

[8] Holy Quran 76:1-9.

[9] Usd al-Ghāba, Ibn al-Athīr, Volume 5, Pages 530–531. In the narration from Al-Iḥtijāj: ʿAlī [a] went to a man from among the Jews named Shimʿūn ibn Ḥābā and said to him, “Will you give me a portion of wool that the daughter of Muḥammad [saw] can spin for you in exchange for three measures (ṣāʿ) of barley?” He agreed and gave it to him.

On the fourth day, after they had fulfilled their vow, ʿAlī took al-Ḥasan in his right hand and al-Ḥusayn in his left hand [pbut], when the Messenger of Allah [saw] came toward them. They were trembling like young birds due to severe hunger. When he saw them, he went to his daughter Fāṭima [a]. They went to her while she was in her prayer niche, praying, with her stomach sticking to her back from the intensity of hunger, and her eyes sunken.

When the Messenger of Allah [saw] saw her, he said, “O succour, the Family of Muḥammad are dying of hunger!” Then Jibrāʾīl [a] descended and recited to him: “Has there come upon man a period of time when he was not a thing worth mentioning?”, until the end of the sūra (Quran 76:1-31), see: Al-Iḥtijāj, al-Ṭabrisī, Volume 1, Page 165.

[10] Majallat Turāthunā, Volume 49, Page 51, quoting from Minhāj al-Sunnah.

[11] Majallat Turāthunā, Volume 49, Pages 51–52.

[12] Translator’s note: One may wonder how the Holy Prophet (saw) would touch the hand of a woman who was unrelated to him! This could either be a figure of speech, or that he actually touched her hand. In the latter possibility, because she was still a slave maiden from his share before he gave her to his daughter, Lady Fāṭima (a), it was permissible for him to touch her hand, being her master. These Islamic rulings were applicable during the sad days when slavery existed, in order to regulate it. Although, it should be known that the Holy Prophet (saw) and his Household (pbut) freed thousands of slaves during their lives, sometimes after merely finishing the taslīm of prayers.

[13] Translator’s note: This piece of advice is interesting, because Lady Fāṭima (a) was an infallible, and would not hit her servant. However, this advice follows the Quranic mode of address, whereby in many places, the verses, even though they address the Holy Prophet (saw), they serve to teach everyone else.

[14] Holy Quran 6:124.

[15] Holy Quran 3:34.

[16] Manāqib ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib, Ibn Mardawayh, Pages 200–201.

[17] Al-Iṣāba, Ibn Ḥajar al-ʿAsqalānī, Volume 8, Pages 281–282.

[18] Al-Thāqib fī al-Manāqib, Ibn Ḥamzah al-Ṭūsī, Pages 280–281.

[19] Translator’s note: The fact that Lady Fiḍḍa was isolating herself from the House of Imam ʿAlī (a), and the presence of Ahl al-Bayt (a) during this period, is in line with the fact that a person who is in the state of al-ḥadath al-akbar  (major occurrence, i.e. something that requires one to perform ghusl, such as menstruation for women and sexual intercourse for both) must not enter the Shrines of Ahl al-Bayt (a) where their graves are located, according to Islamic laws. Therefore, a fortiori, this applies to being in their presence during their lives, even more so, with some narrations showing how our Imams (a) would advise some of their companions who would visit them in the state of janāba (greater ritual impurity), not to do so (refer to Wasāʾil al-Shīʿa, Ibn al-Ḥurr al-ʿĀmilī, Section on Janāba, Chapter 16, narration 1).

[20] In Biḥār al-Anwār, his name is mentioned as Abū Malīk al-Ghaṭafānī.

[21] Sharḥ al-Akhbār, al-Qāḍī al-Nuʿmān al-Maghribī, Volume 2, Pages 328–329.

[22] Translator’s note: It is probable, that Fiḍḍa’s (a) refusing to let her new husband approach her seems to be a means of extra precaution, at the very beginning of her marriage to her new husband, before she had any intimate relations with him. This is because sometimes, the signs of pregnancy may not be obvious, even though she may have observed the ʿiddat al-wafāt period of 4 months and 10 days. Otherwise, had this been after a considerable period of being married to him, during which she had already had intimate relations with her new husband and had several menstrual periods as well, it would not have made any sense for her to refuse to allow her new husband to approach her (intimately), just because her son from a previous marriage passed away, and she now, after several menstrual cycles wanted to purify herself to ensure she didn’t have any foetus in her womb from her previous husband. This is due to the fact that any pregnancy from her preceding marriage would have already become evident by then! Allah knows best.

[23] Quran 43:89

[24] Quran 39:37

[25] Quran 7:31

[26] Quran 41:44

[27] Quran 3:97

[28] Quran 50:38

[29] Quran 21:8

[30] Quran 2:286

[31] Quran 21:22

[32] Quran 43:13

[33] Quran 38:26

[34] Quran 3:144

[35] Quran 19:12

[36] Quran 20:11

[37] Quran 18:46

[38] Quran 28:26

[39] Quran 2:261

[40] Bayt al-Aḥzān, Shaykh ʿAbbās al-Qummī, Pages 48–49.

[41] Ansāb al-Ashrāf, al-Balādhurī, Page 187.

[42] Manāqib Āl Abī Ṭālib, Ibn Shahr Āshūb, Volume 1, Page 367.

[43] Translator’s note: Here, Lady Fiḍḍa seems to be referring to a spiritual “sin”, or so to say, and not an actual sin of disobeying Allah (SWT), because it is permissible for one to sift their flour for baking bread. She was referring to the fact that sifting the flour would lead to a spiritual “sin” for Imam Ali (a), whereby as the caliph, he wanted to observe utmost ascetism, through which his food would not be better than the poorest person in his caliphate. Failing to do so would deprive him of the opportunity to do the best deed with this respect, and of engaging in the highest level of spiritual wayfaring.

[44] Sharḥ Nahj al-Balāghah, Ibn Abī-l-Ḥadīd, Volume 2, Page 398.

[45] Manāqib Āl Abī Ṭālib, Ibn Shahrāshūb, Volume 3, Page 117.

[46] Translator’s note: the narrator seems to have made a mistaken assumption that she was from India, due to the fact that the complexion of some Nubians and Indians is very similar. Otherwise, the majority of other sources indicate that she was of Nubian descent.

[47]Translator’s note: This unknown practice is known as alchemy, in which one turns ordinary things / ores into valuable ones like gold. She did so because she wanted to give something of value to Imam ʿAlī (a), who was living a life of asceticism and what she thought to be poverty. When she presented it to him, with a miracle, the Imam took a handful from the ground, and turned it into different gems and precious treasures, to show her, that had he wanted this lowly life, he was able to attain it without any trouble, because the entire Earth is under his command, as an Imam.

[48] Mustadrak Safīnat al-Biḥār, Shaykh ʿAlī al-Namāzī, Volume 8, Pages 212–213.

[49] Translator’s note: Ḥamāmah was the mother of Bilāl ibn Rabāḥ al-Ḥabashī, the muʾadhdhin of the Holy Prophet (saw).

[50] Muʿjam al-Buldān, al-Ḥamawī, Volume 2, Page 468.

[51] Shaykh al-Ṣadūq mentions the narration about the servant in his book Man Lā Yaḥḍuruhu al-Faqīh to explain the recommendation of Tasbīḥat al-Zahrāʾ. The main point of consideration is the order between “Subḥān Allāh” and “Alḥamdu lillāh.” Is this the same Tasbīḥat al-Zahrāʾ that is recited after prayer, or is it the case that Tasbīḥat al-Zahrāʾ has two orders, this one for recitation before sleep, and the other one after prayer?!

[52] Our teacher, Ayatollah al-Sayyid Moneer al-Khabbāz (May Allah SWT prolong his age), reports from his late teacher, Grand Ayatollah Shaykh al-Tabrīzī (May Allah have mercy on him), that if you wish to have a strong memory, you should frequently recite Tasbīḥat al-Zahrāʾ after the Fajr prayer. I have heard this from him many times, when he advises students of knowledge, orators, and those engaging in the memorization of the Holy Qurʾān.