5. After the Prophet
OneofthedarkestpagesofMuslimhistoryconsistsoftheeventswhich
tookplace afterthe Prophet’s death. Theseeventsdirectlyaffected our
Lady Fātimatu ‘z-Zahrā (a.s.).
WhenAbuBakrwasinstalledasthecaliph,membersoftheProphet’s
familyandsomecompanionsrefrainedfrompledgingallegiancetohim.
Thissmallgroupsoughtrefugewith‘Alīinsidehishome.Thesupporter
ofthecaliph,led by‘UmaribnKhattāb,forcefullyenteredthehouseof
‘Alīandbroughtthemenouttothemosquewheretheywerecompelled
topledgeallegiancetoAbuBakr.Intheprocessofforcingthedooropen,
they broke the door which fell upon Fātimatu ‘z-Zahrā, injuring her
severely and causing the loss of her unborn baby.
FadakwasapropertyinnorthernArabiawhichtheProphethadgifted
to Fātimatu ‘z-Zahrā. But after his death, the caliphate establishment
confiscatedthepropertyofFadak.WhenFātimacomplainedagainstthis
injustice,the caliph quotedanalleged sayingof the Prophetthat, “We
the prophets do not leave anything as inheritance [for our children];
whateverweleavebehindischarity.”Fātimachallengedthevalidityof
thisso-calledhadīthbyrecitingversesfromtheQur’ān inwhichAllah
describes how the children of past prophets inherited their fathers!
However,politicalexpediencytookprecedenceovertruthandhonesty.
ThiswasthefirstattackontherightsofwomeninIslam,andFātimatu
‘z-Zahrā was the first Muslim woman to stand up for her rights.
Fātimaalsostoodby‘Alīindefendinghisrightforthecaliphate.‘Alī
usedtotakeheratnighttothehousesoftheAnsārwhereshewouldad-
dress the women in support for ‘Alī’s right to the caliphate.
Thephysicalhurtofthedoorfallinguponherandthelossofherun-
bornbaby combined with theemotional painof ‘Alī’sdeprivationand
the confiscation of Fadak tookitstoll on Fātimatu‘z-Zahrā— sheleft
this world at the age of 18.
‘Alī,whohadjustlosttheProphetthreemonthsago,alsolosthisfaith-
ful wife. These were the loneliest days for ‘Alī bin Abi Tālib. Hasan,
Husayn,ZaynabandUmmKulthumlosttheirlovingandcaringmother.
And the Muslim world lost the best of all women.