When was AL-ZAHRA’ (A.S.) Born?

 

The first that we come across, with regard to the biography of the truthful and the purified one, is the date of her birth. Some people claim that she (A.S.) was born five years before the Prophetic mission. We say that this is incorrect. Accurate is what the followers of Ahl al-Bayt (A.S.) know from their Imams[1] (A.S.) and the people of the House know best what is therein. They are followed suit by many others. She (A.S.) was born five years after the inception of the Prophetic mission, i.e. in the year when the migration to Ethiopia took place, and she died at the age of 19. This is narrated by our Imams (A.S.) according to authentic narration[2].

Let us add to the above that this date can be reached or supported by the following:

 

1. A number of historians have mentioned that the total number of the children of Khadija, may Allah shower her with His mercy, were born after the inception of the Prophetic mission, and that Fatima (A.S.) was their youngest.

 

2. There are many traditions narrated from a number of the Prophet’s companions, such as `a’isha, `Omer ibn al-Khattab, Sa`d ibn Malik, Ibn `Abbas, and others, proving that Fatima’s seed came as the result of the fruit of Paradise which the Prophet (A.S.) had eaten during the isra’ and mi`raj[3], the event which we proved as having taken place during the early period of such mission[4].

If there is anyone who argues about the premises of some of these narrations in his own way, there is no argument about the others even if the same way is applied.

If anyone claims that this narration cannot be authentic because al-Zahra’ was born five years before the inception of the Prophetic mission, he actually circumvents the outcome because these traditions, which we are discussing, have been narrated by various narrators, and this is the strongest evidence testifying to the fallacy of such a claim.

 

3. Al-Nisa’i has narrated saying that when Abu Bakr and `Omer sought the hand of Fatima (A.S.) in marriage, the Prophet (A.S.) rejected their suits saying that she was too young to marry[5]. Had their claim that she was born five years prior to the Prophetic mission, her age after the Migration, when both men sought her hand, according to the consensus of the historians, would be about 18 or 19. Nobody can say about someone like that as being too young to marry.

 

4. It is narrated that the women of Quraish abandoned Khadija, may Allah have mercy on her, when she was pregnant with Fatima (A.S.) so Fatima (A.S.) used to talk to her and encourage her to be patient[6].

Some people may find it unlikely that Khadija could have been pregnant with Fatima (A.S.) five years after the inception of the Prophetic mission because Khadija (may Allah be pleased with her) was too old to get pregnant. But this supposition is inappropriate because I have proven in m book titled Al-Sahah min Sirat al-Nabiyy al-A`zam (A.S.) that her age then was about 50 years, or, according to the strongest arguments, even less than that, although there is a great deal of disagreement in this regard. It is also possible that her birth after her mother was past the child-bearing age was a blessing unto Khadija and unto the Messenger of Allah (A.S.), one similar to the woman who said, “Shall I bear a son while I am an extremely old woman and this husband of mine is an extremely old man?!” (Qur’an, 11:72). This is out of place because had it been so, it would have become widespread, but we find no references to it anywhere.

 

5. Another evidence is the Abundance of traditions explaining why she was named Fatima, among other names given her, which point out and prove that her name came from the heavens according to the orders of Allah, Exalted and Great is He. These are many in number, and they exist in many references, so refer to them[7].

[1]Refer to Diya’ al-`alaman, Vol. 2, p. 2 (manuscript). Ibn al-Athar, Jami` al-Usal, Vol. 12, pp. 9-10.

[2]al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 43, p. 101, quoting Al-Kafi through an authentic tradition and also Al-Misbah al-Kabar, Dala’il al-Imama, Musbah al-Kaf`ami, Al-Rawda, Ibn Shahr ashab, Kashf al-Ghumma, Vol. 2, p. 75, and Ithbat al-Wasiyya. Refer also to Thakha’ir al-`Uqba, p. 52, Tarakh al-Khamas, Vol. 1, p. 278 quoting the book about the dates of the births of Ahl al-Bayt (a) by Imam Ahmed ibn Nasr ibn `Abdullah al-Darra`. Refer also to al-Mas`adi’s Muraj al-Thahab, Vol. 2, p. 289, and to other books.

[3]You can find such narrations in the books of the Sha`as such as: al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 43, pp. 4-6; al-Sadaq, Amali; `Uyan Akhbar al-Rida, Ma`ani al-Akhbar, `Ilal al-Shara’i`, al-Qummi, Tafsar; al-Tibrisi, Al-Ihtijaj, and in others. Refer also to Al-Anwar al-Nu`maniyya, Vol. 1, p. 80 or any other book, modern or classic, which discusses AL-ZAHRA’ (A.S.).

In non-Sha`a books, you can find them in works such as Al-Mustadrak `Alal Sahahayn, Vol. 3, p. 156; al-Thahbi, Talkhas al-Mustadrak (as referred to in a footnote in Al-Mustadrak); Nuzul al-Abrar, p. 88; Al-Durr al-Manthar, Vol. 4, p. 153; Tarakh Baghdad, Vol. 5, p. 87; Ibn al-Maghazli, Manaqib al-Imam Ali ibn Aba Talib, p. 357; Tarakh al-Khamas, Vol. 1, p. 277; Thakha’ir al-`Uqba, p. 36; Lisan al-Mazan, Vol. 1, p. 134; Al-La’ali’ al-Masna`a, Vol. 1, p. 392; and Al-Durra al-Yatama fa Ba`d Fada’il al-Sayyida al-`Azama, p. 31.

In the Appendices Section of Ihqaq al-Haqq, Vol. 10, pp. 1-10, they are quoted from some of the references cited above as well as from Mazan al-I`tidal, Al-Rawd al-Fa’iq, Nuzhat al-Majalis, Mujma` al-Zawa’id, Kanz al-`Ummal, Muhadarat al-Awa’il, al-Khawarizmi’s Maqtal al-Husain; Miftah al-Najat, Al-Manaqib by `Abdullah al-Shafi`i, I`rab Thalathan Sara, and Akhbar al-Duwal.

The author of Diya’ al-`alaman discusses it on pp. 4-5, Vol. 4, of his work and in his manuscript, citing a large number of references.

There are other references which we mentioned while discussing the isra’ and mi`raj, while discussing the biography of the Greatest Prophet (a) to which you may refer.

[4]Refer to my book titled Al-Sahah min Sarat al-Nabiyy al-A`zam (a), Vol. 3, in the chapter discussing the isra’ and mi`raj.

[5]Refer to Khasa’is Amar al-Mu`minan Ali ibn Aba Talib, p. 228, critiqued by al-Mahmadi; p. 393, Vol. 3, of Al-Manaqib by Ibn Shahr ashab (Dar al-Adwa’ edition); Tathkirat al-Khawass, pp. 306-307; and Diya’ al-`alaman, Vol. 2, p. 36 (manuscript).

[6]Al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 43, p. 2.

[7]Refer to Yanabi` al-Mawadda and to p. 219, Vol. 6, of Kanz al-`Ummal by al-Muttaqi al-Hindi; to pp. 221 & 229 of Al-Manaqib by Ibn al-Maghazli; to Diya’ al-`alaman (manuscript), Vol. 4, pp. 6 & 9, where there is a plenty of researched material. Refer also to al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 43, p. 13 and to its footnotes citing `Ilal al-Sharayi`, Vol. 1, p. 178. Refer also to Thakha’ir al-`Uqba, p. 26; to Vol. 2, p. 400 as well as Vol. 3, p. 439 of Mazan al-I`tidal; to Lisan al-Mazan, Vol. 3, p. 267; to Tawali` al-Anwar, pp. 112-113 (Tabriz, 1395); to p. 51 (Dar al-I`tisam, Beirut, 1392) of Ma`rifat ma Yajib li al al-Bayt al-Nabawi by Ahmed ibn Ali al-Maqrazi, and to Ahmed Fahmi’s book titled Al-Batal al-Tahira, pp. 11 & 15.