AL-ZAHRA’ (A.S.) was above Menstruation and Postpartum --- http://www.almujtaba.com

AL-ZAHRA’ (A.S.) was above Menstruation and Postpartum

Someone says that the fact that Lady al-Zahra’ (A.S.) did not menstruate is considered a health problem which needed treatment, or at least it was a deficiency in her womanhood or in her personality as a woman, and it cannot be counted among her esteems or merits, and so is the case with her postpartum. He even labels such a condition as “nonsense.”

We say:

FIRST: It may happen to some women, though rarely, that one does not bleed while delivering, or she may bleed a little, and this is not seen as a deficiency in her womanhood or personality as a woman. As regarding al-Zahra’ (A.S.) having no menstruation, we say that slipping out of the straits of nature is not regarded as a deficiency. Rather, it is an esteem for her and a trait just like that bestowed upon Mary (Maryam) (A.S.) who was pregnant by Jesus (A.S.) although no man had ever touched her before, and like the wife of Abraham (A.S.) who became pregnant at a very advanced age, and like the wife of Zacharias (Zakariyya) (A.S.) who also became pregnant although she was sterile. There are many such super-natural esteems and blessings.

The fact that al-Zahra’ (A.S.) was above menstruation points out to her lofty status, to her uniqueness and distinction from all others since menstruation is a discomfort as described by the One Who has all the Glory^{^[1]}.

Such a “discomfort” causes the woman to be embarrassed, to feel psychologically and physically out of the ordinoory. It is an indication of a woman’s bad health, according to some traditions, and a sick condition, according to the physicians’ researches in this subject. It invalidates her fast and prayers and forbids her from entering mosques and from doing other things which point out to the woman being unable to live the spiritual environments with all her energy, tranquility, purity and strength...

Such a continuous condition, which neither ablution nor ghusul nor tayammum can remove till it is no more, was removed by Allah, Glory is His, from the Head of the Women of Mankind whom He purified from all filth with a perfect purification. She was chosen by Allah, Glory to Him, for His favour and esteem without in any way altering her feminine nature. Allah, the most Exalted One, is the One Who causes all causation, the omni-Potent Who can override the law of cause and causation not by “violating” it or annihilating it but through the law of causation itself. He, the most Exalted One, is the One Who brings about the miracles of His prophets through causes for them, the knowledge of which is with Him, and only with Him, and humans are not familiar with it, nor is it well known to them. This is the meaning of the super-natural which they discuss in the subject of miracles and super-natural phenomena. This may be more clear than needing additional explanations, proofs or evidences.

SECOND: Labelling the exemption of al-Zahra’ (A.S.) from menstruation and postpartum as “nonsense” is unacceptable from one who follows the statements of the Prophet (A.S.) and the purified Imams (A.S.) because everything articulated by the Prophet (A.S.) and by the purified Imams (A.S.) can never be nonsense, nor can it be useless knowledge for those who know it.

Such an exemption has been noorrated by Sha`as and Sunnis who cite the Messenger of Allah (A.S.) and the purified Imams (A.S.) in numerous texts which are so many, they reach the degree of consecutive reporting. They all prove that Allah, Glory and Exaltation are His, exempted al-Zahra’ (A.S.) from going through menstruation or postpartum. Among such noorrations are the following:

1. The Prophet (A.S.) has said, “Fatima is called `al-batal’ because she was exempted from menstruation and postpartum.”^{^[2]}

2. He (A.S.) has also said, “My daughter, Fatima, is a hari who never menstruated nor went through postpartum.”^{^[3]}

3. Al-Saduq, through his own isnad, has cited `Omer ibn Ali quoting his father saying that the Prophet (A.S.) was asked, “What is `batal’? We have heard you, O Messenger of Allah, saying that Maryam is batal and Fatima is batal.” He said, “Batal is a woman who never menstruates, for it is contemptible for the daughters of prophets to menstruate.”^{^[4]}

4. Al-Qattan, quoting al-Sukkari quoting al-Jawahiri quoting al-`Abbas ibn Bakar from Abdullah ibn al-Muthanna from his uncle Thumamah ibn `Abdullah from Anas ibn Malik who quotes his mother saying that Fatima never saw any blood in any menstruation, nor did she undergo any postpartum.^{^[5]}

5. Aba Ja`fer has cited his forefathers (A.S.) saying that she (A.S.) was called “al-Tahira” (the pure one) for many reasons one of which is that she never underwent any menstruation or postpartum.^{^[6]}

6. Imam al-Sadiq (A.S.) has said, “Do you know what the meaning of `Fatima’ is? She was weaned from evil, and it is said that she is named so because she was weaned from menstruation.”^{^[7]}

7. The Prophet (A.S.) said once to `a’isha, “O Humayra’! Fatima is not like other women; she does not suffer from (green) sickness like they do.”^{^[8]}

8. Aba `Abdullah al-Sadiq (A.S.) is quoted as having said, “Allah forbade Ali (A.S.) from taking another wife as long as Fatima was alive because she was purified and never menstruated.”^{^[9]}

The author of Bihar al-Anwar, Shaikh al-Islam `allama al-Majlisi II, has spoken very well about this issue; so, refer to him.

9. `a’isha is quoted as having said, “Whenever Fatima came along, her gait was similar to that of the Messenger of Allah (A.S.), and she never menstruated because she was created from the apple of Paradise.”^{^[10]}

10. The author of Dala’il al-Imama, through his own isnad going back to Asma’ daughter of `Umays, cites the latter saying, “I have been around Fatima and she had given birth to some of her children. The Messenger of Allah said to me, `O Asma’! Fatima was created as a human hari.’”^{^[11]}

11. Ali (A.S.) is quoted as having said that the Messenger of Allah (A.S.) said to him that Fatima was created as a hari in human form, and that the daughters of prophets do not menstruate.^{^[12]}

12. In a tradition from Aba Ja`fer (A.S.) he said, “So He called her Fatima (A.S.). Then He said, `I have weaned you with knowledge and weaned you from menstruation.’” Then Aba Ja`fer (A.S.) continued to say, “By Allah! Allah, the most Exalted and Sublime, weaned her with knowledge and from menstruation according to His covenant.”^{^[13]}

Al-Majlisi I described this tradition as strong.^{^[14]}

13. Al-Saduq, may Allah have mercy on him, has cited his father quoting Sa`d from Ibn `Isa from Ali ibn al-Hakam from Aba Jameela from Aba Ja`fer (A.S.) saying, “Daughters of the prophets, peace and blessings of Allah be upon them, do not menstruate, for menstruation is a penalty, etc.”^{^[15]}

14. Aba `Abdullah (A.S.) is quoted as having said, “Daughters of the prophets do not menstruate.”^{^[16]}

15. Al-Sayyati has said, “One of the characteristics of Fatima (A.S.) is that she never menstruated.”^{^[17]}

16. Al-Sabban has said, “She was called al-Zahra’, which means the purified one, because she never bled in a menstruation nor during childbirth.”^{^[18]}

17. The Prophet (A.S.) is cited in a tradition as saying, “Fatima was called batal because she was exempted from women’s ordinoory monthly periods.”^{^[19]}

18. Asma’ daughter of `Umays has said, “I acted as the midwife for Fatima (A.S.) and I never noticed any bleeding, so I said, `O Messenger of Allah! I never noticed any bleeding in Fatima during a menstruation or postpartum.’” The Messenger of Allah (A.S.) said to her, “Have you not come to know that my daughter is pure and purified and she undergoes no bleeding during any menstruation or childbirth?”^{^[20]}

19. The author of `Umdat al-Akhbar has said, “Al-Hasan son of Ali (A.S.) was born in the middle of the month of Ramadan. His mother conceived al-Husain (A.S.) after having given birth to al-Hasan (A.S.) because Fatima (A.S.) never underwent any menstruation or postpartum.”^{^[21]}

20. Ibn `Abbas has said, “The Messenger of Allah (A.S.) has said, `My daughter Fatima is a hari; she has never menstruated, nor has she ever been through postpartum.’”

21. In the Sihah books, Ali ibn Ja`fer quotes his brother Abul-Hasan (A.S.) saying, “Fatima is a truthful woman, a Witness, and the daughters of prophets do not menstruate.”^{^[22]}

22. Anas ibn Malik quotes Umm Salam wife of Aba Talhah al-Ansari as saying that she never saw Fatima (A.S.) suffering from bleeding during menstruation or childbirth, that she was created of the water of Paradise, and that when the Messenger of Allah (A.S.) went during his isra’ journey and entered Paradise, he ate of the fruit of Paradise and drank of its water. He also noorrated the same from the Prophet.^{^[23]}

23. Ahl al-Bayt (A.S.) are also quoted as having said that the way with the mothers of all the Imams, peace be upon them, is the same like that with Fatima: menstruation was removed from them.^{^[24]}

24. It is agreed upon that the Prophet (A.S.) is quoted as having said, “Fatima is not like any of you; she never sees any bleeding during menstruation or childbirth, like a hari.”^{^[25]}

^{^[1]}The Most Exalted One has said, “They ask you about menstruation. Say: It is a discomfort; therefore, stay away from women during the menstrual discharge and do not go near them till they have become clean” (Qur’an, 2:222).

^{^[2]}Al-Qandoozi, Yanabi` al-Mawaddah, p. 260. Ihqaq al-Haqq (in the Appendices section), Vol. 10, p. 25, where it is quoted from the previous reference and from p. 103 of Mawaddat al-Qurba.

^{^[3]}Thakha’ir al-`Uqba, p. 26. Sharh Bahjat al-Mahafil, Vol. 2, p. 138. Refer to Vol. 11, p. 54 of `Awalim al-`Ulam and in one of its footnotes citing Vol. 12, p. 331 of Tarikh Baghdad and Vol. 12, p. 109 of Kanz al-`Ummal and many other references. Refer also to Is`af al-Raghiban as cited in a footnote on p. 173 of Nar al-Absar.

^{^[4]}Ma`ani al-Akhbar, p. 64. Manaqib al Aba Talib, Vol. 3, p. 330, citing Aba Salih, the caller to prayers, in Al-Arba`een. Taj al-Mawalad, p. 20. Kashf al-Ghumma, Vol. 2,p. 90. Al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 43, pp. 15-16; also refer to Vol. 78, p. 112. Al-Qandoozi, Yanabi` al-Mawaddah, p. 260. Mustadrak al-Wasa’il, Vol. 2, p. 37. `Ilal al-Shara’i`, Vol. 1, p. 181. Musbah al-Anwar, p. 223. Al-Kaf`ami, Musbah, p. 659. Rawdat al-Wa`izan, p. 149. Dala’il al-‘Imama, p. 55. Al-Rawda al-Fayha’ fa Tarakh al-Nisa’, p. 252. Habab al-Siyar, Vol. 1, p. 433. Diya’ al-`alaman (manuscript), Vol. 2, p. 7. Ihqaq al-Haqq, Vol. 10, pp. 25, 310 and Vol. 19, p. 11, citing other references. Tarikh al-`Awalim, Vol. 11, p. 153 in the footnote of which there are many references.

^{^[5]}Al-Sadaq, Al-Amali, p. 154. Al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 43, p. 21. Refer also to Tarikh al-`Awalim, Vol. 1, p. 153 in the footnote of which there are many references.

^{^[6]}Al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 43, p. 19 citing Musbah al-Anwar. `Awalim al-`Ulam, Vol. 11, p. 66.

^{^[7]}Manaqib al Aba Talib, Vol. 3, p. 330. Al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 43, p. 16.

^{^[8]}Refer to both above-cited references and to Vol. 9, p. 202 of Mujma` al-Zawa’id citing al-Tabrani. I`lam al-Wara, p. 148. Mir’at al-`Uqal, Vol. 5, p. 345. Al-Tara’if, p. 111. Al-`Awalim (in a section about the biography of al-Zahra’), p. 64. Diya’ al-`alaman (manuscript), Vol. 2, p. 7.

^{^[9]}Al-Khawarizmi, Maqtal al-Husain, Vol. 1, p. 64. Manaqib al Aba Talib, Vol. 3, p. 330. Al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 43, pp. 16, 153 where the latter reference is cited and so is al-Tusi’s Amali, Vol. 1, p. 42. Mustadrak al-Wasa’il, Vol. 2, p. 42. Refer to Al-Tahthab, Vol. 7, p. 475 and Bisharat al-Mustafa, p. 306. Refer also to `Awalim al-`Ulam, Vol. 11, pp. 66 &387 and Diya’ al-`alaman (manuscript), Vol. 2, p. 7.

^{^[10]}Akhbar al-Duwal, p. 87 (Baghdad edition) according to the contents of the Appendices of Ihqaq al-Haqq, Vol. 10, p. 244. Refer to `Awalim al-`Ulam, Vol. 11, p. 60.

^{^[11]}Dala’il al-Imama, pp. 53, 55. Al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 78, p. 112. Refer to Vol. 43, p. 7 of Kashf al-Ghumma.

^{^[12]}Dala’il al-Imama, p. 52. Al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 78, p. 112. Mustadrak al-Wasa’il, Vol. 2, p. 37.

^{^[13]}Al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 43, p. 13 citing Misbah al-Anwar. Kashf al-Ghumma, Vol. 2, p. 89. `Ilal al-Shara’i`, p. 179. `Awalim al-`Ulam, Vol. 11, p. 55 and in its footnote are the following references: Al-Kafi, Vol. 1, p. 46; Al-Muhtadir, pp. 132, 138; Al-Mukhtasar, pp. 172, 218 and others.

^{^[14]}Rawdat al-Muttaqan, Vol. 5, p. 439.

^{^[15]}`Ial al-Shara’i`, Vol. 1, p. 290. Al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 43, p. 25 and Vol. 12, p. 107 and Vol. 81, p. 81. `Awalim al-`Ulam, Vol. 11, p. 153. Mustadrak al-Wasa’il, Vol. 2, p. 38.

^{^[16]}Al-Khara’ij wal Jara’ih, Vol. 2, p. 527.

^{^[17]}Ihqaq al-Haqq (Appendices), Vol. 10, p. 309 from al-Sayyati’s Al-Sharaf al-Mu’abbad. Refer to `Awalim al-`Ulam, Vol. 11, p. 63.

^{^[18]}Refer to Is`af al-Raghiban (as appears in a footnote in Nar al-Absar), p. 172, which is attributed to al-Muhibb al-Tabari and to the Hanafi author of Al-Fatawa al-Zahariyya.

^{^[19]}Ihqaq al-Haqq, Vol. 10, p. 25 from Al-Manaqib al-Murtadawiyya, p. 78 and from `Awalim al-`Ulam, Vol. 11, p. 64.

^{^[20]}Refer to Al-`Awalim (in the biography of al-Zahra’), pp. 66, 153 from Sahafat al-Rida (A) and Thakha’ir al-`Uqba, p. 44, and Ithaf al-Sa’il, p. 90, and Tarikh al-Khamas, Vol. 1, p. 417, and Nuzhat al-Majalis, Vol. 2, p. 183, and Diya’ al-`alaman (manuscript), Vol. 2, p. 7.

^{^[21]}Al-`Awalim (in the biography of al-Zahra’), p. 66 from `Umdat al-Akhbar, p. 349.

^{^[22]}Rawdat al-Muttaqeen, Vol. 5, p. 342. Al-Kafi, Vol. 1, p. 458.

^{^[23]}I`lam al-Wara, p. 148.

^{^[24]}Al-Tibrisi, Taj al-Mawalad, p. 20, where it is included among a sect of precious letters and is published by Intisharat Baseerti, Qum, Iran.

^{^[25]}Al-Sadaq has narrated this tradition in his Faqah book in a chapter about taking a bath following menstruation in “Kitab al-Tahara” (the book of purification).