Mother's Day in Iran

Fatimah Zahra's birth anniversary

Iranians celebrate the birth anniversary of a highly revered figure within the world of Islam and the daughter of Prophet Muhammad, Lady Fatima Zahra which also marks Mother's Day in the Islamic Republic of Iran.

“Fatima is above all women of the world, from the very first to the last one of them,” the Prophet had seemingly been heard as repeatedly saying.

Lady Fatima Zahra was born on the 20^th of Jamadi al-Thani, five years after the Prophet received revelations from Gabriel the Angel in Mecca.

The Iranians celebrate her birth anniversary coincident with Mother’s Day to honor the status and character of women.

Life of Lady Fatimah (PBUH) at a glance

Ø 28 March 615 AD: Lady Fatimah (AS) was born five years after Muhammad’s (PBUH&HP) prophetic mission (i.e., Be'that).

Ø 615 -618 AD: She lived through harsh financial and social sanctions in the Shi'b Abi Talib.

Ø 22 April 620 AD: When she was only five, she mourned the loss her mother, Lady Khadija (AS).

Ø 622 AD: She migrated from Mecca to Medina in the company of Imam Ali (AS) and other ladies.

Ø September 623 AD: She married Imam Ali (AS), Prophet Muhammad's (PBUH&HP) cousin.

Ø 1 March 625 AD: Their first son, Imam Hassan (AS), was born.

Ø 23 March 625 AD: At the Battle of Uhud, she cared for the wounds that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) had sustained.

Ø 8 January 626 AD: Their second son, Imam Hussain (AS), was born.

Ø 22 September 627 AD: Their daughter, Lady Zaynab (AS), was born.

Ø 14 April 629 AD: The Prophet gave her Fadak, a village in Hijaz which had been conquered by Muslims after the Battle of Khaybar.

Ø 630 AD: Umm Kulthum (AS), their second daughter, was born.

Ø 25 May 632 AD: She lost her endeared father, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP).

Ø June 632 AD: Usurpation of Fadak by the then ruler which had her deliver a sermon, later known as the Fadakiyya Sermon,  in al-Masjid al-Nabawi.

Ø June 632 AD: In the face of severe mental tribulations and distress of the demise of the Prophet (PBUH&HP), Imam Ali (AS) built her a place on the outskirts of Medina to mourn and grieve the passing of her late father, called Bayt al-ahzan. (lit. the house of sorrows).

Ø July 632 AD: Her house was raided; the door was set ablaze, resulting in a miscarriage and the death of her unborn child. She was also fatally wounded.

Ø 26 August 632 AD: She fell fatally ill in the aftermath of the attack. A few days later, she was martyred as a result and was secretly buried overnight at her own will.

A look at the personality, lifestyle and struggles of

Hazrat Fatimah Zahra (PBUH)

Through the statements of the Supreme Leader of the Revolution

Equivalent to the position of the prophets

Fatimah Zahra (PBUH) is the leading lady of all the women of the world. She is the lady who, at a young age and during her short life, gained wisdom, knowledge and high spiritual levels and reached such a status that was equivalent to that of the prophets and Friends of God. In fact, Fatimah Zahra is a radiant dawn from which shines the suns of Imamate, Guardianship and Prophet Hood. She is the lofty sky in whose lap the luminous stars of Guardianship have been placed.

Exemplary worship acts

Hasan al-Basri related about Fatimah Zahra (PBUH), “The daughter of the Prophet would worship God and stand in her praying niche so much that her feet would become swollen!” Imam Hassan Mojtaba (PBUH) said, “One of the nights before Friday, my mother started to perform prayers and she prayed until morning… She prayed for the people and prayed for the public affairs of the Islamic world. In the morning I asked her, ‘You didn’t pray for anything for yourself! You prayed the whole night, but you only prayed for others!’ She answered, ‘My son, first others, then ourselves!’” This shows the loftiness of her spirit.

A sermon at the height of divine knowledge

Fatimah Zahra (peace be upon her) was an exalted scholar in knowledge. Fatimah Zahra (PBUH) delivered a sermon in the Medina Mosque after the demise of the Prophet, about which Allameh Majlesi said, "Eloquent writers and scholars should sit down and interpret its words and phrases!" This is such an insightful and meaningful sermon... Perhaps for an hour, she spoke with the best, most beautiful phrases and the finest, well selected terminology.

                                At a young ag

                            Fatimah Zahra ^(PBUH)

                       as already at the height

                   of spirituality such that,

                according to certain

          narratives, the angels spoke to her

        and ushered her to some truths.

MANIFESTATION OF PURITY OF SOUL

When reading the supplication for visiting the shrine of Imam Reza (PBUH), when it comes to sending our greetings to Hazrat Zahra (PBUH) she is referred to as, “Al-Tuharah, al-Tahirah, al-Mutahharah, al-Taqiyah, al-Naqiyah, al-Raziyah and al-Zakiyah...” Hazrat Zahra’s purity has been expressed using different expressions: purity of spirit, purity of heart, purity of mind, purity of one’s lap, and purity throughout all of life. Well, these are practical expressions and teach us something. We should try to cleanse and purify ourselves. Without having a pure inner being, we cannot achieve lofty positions, nor can we get close to the haven of these great personalities’ Guardianship. So, purity of one’s inner being is achieved through piety and righteousness.

A leader in the true sense of the word

Fatimah Zahra (peace be upon her) served in the role of a true leader. As our magnanimous Imam (R.A.) pointed out, “If Fatimah Zahra were born a man, she would have been a prophet.” This is a very astonishing, great statement. One could only hear such a statement from someone like our magnanimous Imam (R.A.) who was a scholar, jurisprudent and mystic. He said such a thing. This is Fatimah Zahra. She was a leader in the true sense of the word. She was like a prophet and was a guide for humanity. Pure Zahra, a young woman, was at such a level.

A focal point for the people to refer to

Her young husband was constantly at the battlefront and in the battlefield. However, in spite of the problems in the environment and in life, Fatimah Zahra (peace be upon her) was like a focal point for the people and Muslims to refer to. She was the Prophet’s daughter who solved problems, and under these conditions, she led an honorable life. Even in times of conquests and the coming of spoils of war, the Prophet’s daughter did not allow the minutest of worldly pleasures and luxuries - and the things that attract the hearts of young girls – to enter her heart.

قال رسولُ اللَّهِ صلى اللَّه علیه و آله:

أمّا ابنَتی فاطمةُ فإنّها سیّدةُ نِساءِ العالَمینَ مِن الأوّلِینَ والآخِرِینَ

The Prophet (SAWA) said, 'As for my daughter Fatima, she is the Lady of the women of the worlds, from the first to the last.'

إنَّما سُمِّیَت ابنَتی فاطِمَةُ لأنَّ اللَّهَ عزّوجلّ فَطَمَها

و فَطَمَ مَن أحَبَّها مِنَ النَّارِ

The Prophet (SAWA) said, “My daughter was named Fatima because Allah, Mighty and Exalted, has weaned her and weaned those who love her from the Fire.”

AL- KAWTHAR SURAH

In the Name of Allah the Merciful Beneficent

[O, Messenger!] We have bestowed upon

You Good in Abundance.

So perform thanksgiving prayer and Offer

a sacrifice in Allah’s Way.

Verily, your enemy shall be the one cut off in progeny.

THE STATUS OF WOMAN IN ISLAM

@khamenei_ir