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Fatimah "Az-Zahraa": A Very Special Daughter

© Aida Hasan

There is an Arabic saying that goes "The son of a son is dear, the son of a daughter a stranger." While the time of origination and direct meaning of the saying is uncertain, it indicates an ancient Arab attitude about daughters; that they were regarded as less important than sons, and less central to the family in terms of family ties. Indeed, before Arabs were blessed with the religion of Islam, the prevailing attitude among the Pagan Arabs towards daughters was very negative. A son was seen as a blessing to a family because of his position as inheritor of the family name and property. A daughter was seen as a burden. According to Brohi in The Qur'an and Its Impact on Human History, the Arabs "found it difficult to let daughters grow up in their home. This was something derogatory to their status." Daughters were often buried alive. With the arrival of Islam came a change in the attitude and treatment of females. Previous poor treatment of females was prohibited and they were given the right to inherit property and to be a sharer with her brother in family inheritance.

The amount of affection that Prophet Muhammed (pbuh) had for his family was immense, and this was especially apparent in his relationship with his youngest daughter Fatimah. When he named four women who were the best in all the world, he named Fatimah among them. Fatimah was one of six children, and the youngest of four daughters of Prophet Muhammed (pbuh) and his first wife Khadijah. She had a very close relationship with her father which was probably due to the fact that her two brothers had died young and her three older sisters had married early on and moved into their own homes while Fatimah was very young. However, Fatimah had unique attributes which endeared her to Prophet Muhammed (pbuh). She spoke gently, had excellent manners, spent alot of time reading the Quran and in prayer, and busied herself in works of charity. In behavior and speech, Fatimah was more similar to her father, than anyone else.

Fatimah was given the name "Az-Zahraa" which means "The Resplendent One" not only for her kindness and sincerity, but also, according to Hamid in Fatimah: Daughter of Muhammed, because of "her shining face which seemed to radiate light." At the age of five she learned that her father had been chosen by God to be his messenger, and it was from this time on that she grew closer to her father and felt an even deeper love for him. She was often at his side when he went about spreading the message of Islam. Consequently,she grew up to become a very articulate and wise young lady. At age nineteen, Fatimah married and moved away from home. However she still maintained a very close relationship with her father. Fatimah's two sons and two daughters were loved very much by her father. One day when prophet Muhammed (phuh) became very ill, he asked for Fatimah. He told her that he believed his time on Earth was coming to an end, but that she would be the first family member to join him. Because Fatimah was so close to her father, his death caused her to become overcome with grief. About five months after her father's death and at age 29, Fatimah also passed away.

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