Lady Fatimah Ma’sumah (peace be upon her) is one of the offspring of the Messenger of Allah through his beloved daughter; Lady Fatimah al-Zahra. Lady Ma’sumah is a great personality in Islam. It is interesting to mention that her birth has been foretold for several years. Qādī Nūrullāh Shūshtarī (d. 1109 A.H) reports from the sixth Imam, Imam Ja`far al-Sādiq (peace be upon him) who said: “A lady from my children whose name will be Fatimah, daughter of Mūsā, will die in Qom. On the Day of Judgement this lady will intercede for all my Shi`a to enter Heaven.” (Bihār al-Anwār, vol. 60, p. 228; Majālis al-Mu’minīn, vol. 1, p. 83)
It should be noted that Imam al-Sādiq (peace be upon him) gave these glad tiding before her birth (at least 45 years) and even before the birth of her father, Imam Mūsā al-Kāzim (who was the seventh Imam).
Her Lineage
The father of Lady Fatimah Ma’sumah (peace be upon her) was Imam Mūsā al-Kāzim; the seventh Imam (peace be upon him). It is documented in reliable historical documents that Imam al-Kāzim had numerous children. According to Shaykh Mufīd (d. 413 A.H) in his famous book “Al-Irshād”, wrote: Imam al-Kāzim had 37 children: 19 sons and 18 daughters; and two of these daughters were named Fatimah, i.e., Fatimah al-Kubrā and Fatimah al-Sughrā. (Shaykh Mufīd, Al-Irshād, Chapter on the life of Imam al-Kāzim)
The mother of Lady Fatimah Ma’sumah who was also the mother of Imam Ali al-Riḍā (the eighth Imam) was known by several names, the most well-known of them was Najmah Khātūn. Lady Najmah was a slave from North Africa and was bought by Lady Hamīdah, the mother of Imam al-Kāzim. It was under the guardianship of the Holy Prophetic Household (i.e., Ahl al-Bayt) that she attained a very high intellectual and spiritual status to such an extent that she was married to Imam Mūsā ibn Ja`far.
It is pertinent to mention that Lady Ma’sumah was the second and last child of Najmah Khātūn, after her older brother, Imam Ali ibn Musa al-Riḍā (peace be upon him).
Her birth
According to certain traditions, it is documented that Lady Fatimah Ma’sumah (peace be upon her) was born on the 1st of Dhul Qa`dah, 173 A.H in Medina. According to Ayatollah Shaykh Ali Namāzī (d. 1405 A.H) in his book “Mustadrak Safīnat al-Bihār”; Allāmah Bahrānī in his book “`Awālim al-`Ulūm”; Shaykh Mahdi Mansūrī in his book “Hayāt Al-Sadāt” and Dr. Muhammad Hādī Amīnī in his book “Fātimah Bint al-Imam Mūsā al-Kāzim”, they wrote: “Fatimah Ma’sumah was born at the beginning of the month of Dhul Qa`dah in the year 173 A.H” (Shaykh `Alī Namāzī, Mustadrak Safīnat al-Bihār, vol. 8, p. 257; Allāmah Bahrānī in his book `Awālim al-`Ulūm, vol. 21, p. 328; Shaykh Mahdi Mansūrī in his book Hayāt Al-Sadāt, p. 10; Muhammad Hādī Amīnī in his book Fātimah Bint al-Imam Mūsā al-Kāđim, p. 21)
Her Titles
The name of Lady Fatimah Ma’sumah (peace be upon her) was Fatimah al-Kubrā. Among her titles which can be found in her special salutation (Ziyārat) narrated by Shaykh Muhammad Ali Qummī in his book ‘Anwār al-Musha`sha`īn’ include: Tāhirah; Hamīdah; Bārrah; Rashīdah; Taqīyah; Naqīyah; Rādīyah, Mardīyah, Sayyidah and Ukht al-Ridā. All of these ten titles
Other titles that have been given to Lady Fatimah Ma’sumah (peace be upon her) are:
Ma’sumah: The title of Ma’sumah was given to this noble lady by her brother, Imam al-Riḍā (peace be upon him). It is pertinent to mention that this title was given to her after her death and she was not referred to by this name during her lifetime. Mirzā Muhammad Taqī (d. 1297 A.H) reports that the title “Ma’sumah” was given to her by her brother – Imam al-Riḍā (peace be upon him). And according to this tradition, Imam al-Riḍā (peace be upon him) said: “Whoever visits Ma’sumah in Qom is like the one who has visited me.” (Nāsikh al-Tawārikh, vol. 3, p. 68; Rayāhīn al-Sharī`ah, vol. 5, p. 35)
Karīmat Ahl al-Bayt: This title, meaning “the Noble one of the family of the Prophet” was given to her by either Imam al-Bāqir or Imam al-Sādiq (peace be upon them) in a dream seen by Ayatollah Sayyid Mahmūd Mar`ashī Najafī, the author of ‘Mashjirat al-`Ālawīyīn’.
Her Status
Lady Fatimah Ma’sumah (peace be upon her) is one of the beloved descendants of the noble Prophet of Allah (peace be upon him and his household) and she has the highest status after Imam al-Riḍā (peace be upon him) from amongst the children of Imam Musa al-Kāzim (peace be upon him).
Meanwhile, the noble status of Lady Fatimah Ma’sumah shall be understood when reference is made to some of these hadiths on her great status. For instance, the eighth Imam, Imam al-Riḍā (peace be upon him) was reported to have said thus: “Whoever visits Ma’sumah in Qom is like the one who has visited me.” (Nāsikh al-Tawārīkh, vol. 3, p. 68; Rayāhīn al-Sharī`a, vol. 5, p. 35)
It is obvious from this hadith that the rewards and benefits a pilgrim to the Shrine of Lady Fatimah Ma’sumah in Qom would get are the same as those of a pilgrim to the Shrine of Imam Al-Riḍa (PBUH) in Khurasan.
Another tradition that illustrated the high status of this noble lady is the hadith from the sixth Imam; Imam al-Sādiq (PBUH), in which her pilgrim has been ensured entry into Paradise: “A lady from my children, by the name of Fatimah, will be buried in Qom. Whoever visits her [shrine], will certainly be admitted to Heaven.” (Bihār al-Anwār, vol. 48, p. 317; vol. 60, p. 216 & vol. 102, p. 266.)
There is another authentic tradition from Imam al-Sādiq (PBUH) where he pointed out that Lady Fatimah Ma’sumah shall be a means of intercession for the Shiites of the pure Prophet’s Household (i.e., Ahl al-Bayt), peace be upon them on the Day of Judgement. He (PBUH) said: “A lady from my children whose name will be Fatimah, daughter of Mūsā, will die in Qom. On the day of Judgement, this lady will intercede for all my Shi`a to enter Paradise.” (Bihār al-Anwār, vol. 60, p. 228; Majālis al-Mu’minīn, vol. 1, p. 83.)
In addition, Imam al-Riḍā (PBUH) refers us to her for intercession in her Ziyārat, due to her proximity, status and special esteem in the sight of Allah. He said (PBUH): “O Fatimah! Intercede for me, so that I enter Paradise, for indeed you have a great status in the sight of Allah.” (Bihār al-Anwār, vol. 102, p. 267)
The participation of the Infallible Imams in the burial of this noble Lady is an indication of her lofty status. It is documented that, two men, whose faces were not clearly seen, came at the time of the burial of Lady Fatimah Ma’sumah. It said that these two men were Imam al-Riḍā and Imam al-Taqī (peace be upon them). This incident indicates her high status, and the fact that the Imams came from afar and took over the responsibility of her burial is worth noting.
Her death
There is no difference of opinion among historians about the fact that Lady Fatimah Ma’sumah (peace be upon her) died in Qom in the year 201 A.H. The year of her death is further corroborated by the tiles in her shrine, dating back centuries ago, which have the same date written on them. (Hasan ibn Muhammad Qummī, Tārikh-e Qadīm-e Qum, p. 213; Bihār al- Anwār, vol. 48, p. 290; Shaykh `Abbās Qummī, Muntahā al-Āmāl, vol. 2, p. 242)
However, there are various possibilities about the month and day of her death. Some scholars believe that Lady Ma’sumah died on the 10th Rabī` al-Thānī [1]and some believe it was on the 12th Rabī` al-Thānī[2] and others believed it was the 8th of Sha`bān [3].
There is no evidence to say which of the three dates is correct, and so the scholars have decided that because the first and the second dates are so close together, the mourning for the death of this noble lady should be over a three-day period (10th,11th and 12th of Rabī` al-Thānī). These three days are called: “the days of Ma’sumah.”
It is pertinent to note that Lady Fatimah Ma’sumah (peace be upon her) was about 28 years old when she died, although some scholars have said that at the time of her death, her age was 18 and others have said her age was 23, but this last narration is not very reliable, due to its weak chain of transmission.
Peace be on You, O Daughter of the Messenger of Allah!
Peace be on you, O Daughter of Fatimah and Khadījah!
Peace be on you, O Daughter of the Commander of the Faithful!
Peace be on you, O Daughter of Hasan and Husain!
Peace be on you, O Daughter of the Vicegerent of Allah!
Peace be on you, O Sister of the Vicegerent of Allah!
Peace be on you, O Aunt of the Vicegerent of Allah!
Footnotes:
[1] . Mīr Abū Tālib Tabrīzī, Wasīlat al-Ma`sūmīn, p. 65; Sayyid Mahdī Mansūrī, Zindagāni-ye Hadrat-e Ma`sūma, p. 37, `Alī Akbar Mahdīpūr, Zindagāni-ye Karimah-ye Ahl al-Bayt, p. 105.
[2] . Mustadrak Safīnat al-Bihār, vol. 8, p. 257.
[3] . Shaykh Hurr ‘Āmilī, Risālat al-`Arabīyah al-‘Alawīyah, p. 11.
