Daughter of the prophet of Islam Muhammad and his first wife Khadija. Wife of Ali ibn Abi Talib, she is a major and venerated figure in Islam, particularly in Shiism, where she holds a central place.
Fatima Zahra(604 — 632)
Fatima Zahra
califat Rachidun
5 min read
Frequently asked questions
Key Facts
- Born around 605-615 in Mecca, daughter of Muhammad and Khadija
- Married Ali ibn Abi Talib, the Prophet's cousin, around 623-624
- Mother of Hasan and Husayn, ancestors of the sharifs and the Shia imams
- Died in 632 in Medina, shortly after her father
- Venerated under the title al-Zahra (“the radiant”), she is one of the most respected women in Islam
Works & Achievements
A daily practice of glorification that bears her name and is still recited by millions of Muslims after every prayer.
As the mother of Hasan and Husayn, she is the source of the Prophet's descendants, the foundation of the lineage of the sayyids and sharifs.
A speech attributed to her in tradition, delivered concerning the land of Fadak; a text studied for its eloquence and theological significance.
Her life became an ideal of simplicity, patience, and devotion, passed down in both Sunni and Shia devotional literature.
An annual mourning cycle observed in Shia Islam in her memory, structuring an important part of popular devotion.
Anecdotes
Fatima Zahra is the youngest daughter of Muhammad and Khadija. According to tradition, she was so close to her father that he would rise to greet her and have her sit in his place whenever she entered. This gesture illustrates the special affection that bound them.
Her most famous epithet is “az-Zahra,” which means “the radiant” or “the resplendent.” Islamic tradition attributes many honorific titles to her, such as “al-Batul” (the pure, the chaste), underscoring the veneration she is held in.
At her marriage to Ali ibn Abi Talib, the Prophet's cousin, the dowry was very modest: Ali had to sell his coat of mail to pay for it. This simplicity is often cited as an example of detachment from material things in Muslim tradition.
Fatima is the mother of Hassan and Husayn, regarded as the beloved grandsons of the Prophet. Through them, she is the ancestor of the Prophet's descendants known as “sayyids” or “sharifs,” a lineage revered throughout the Muslim world.
She died very young, only a few months after her father, in 632. In Shia Islam, the circumstances of her death are the object of profound devotion and annual commemorations, notably during the “Days of Fatimiyya.”
Primary Sources
The Prophet said: “Fatima is a part of me; whatever angers her angers me.”
“Fatima is the mistress of the women of Paradise.”
Sermons and letters gathered by al-Sharif al-Radi, evoking the household of Ali and Fatima as a model of piety and simplicity.
“Allah only wishes to remove all impurity from you, O People of the House, and to purify you completely.”
Key Places
Fatima's birthplace and the spiritual center of Islam, where her family lived before the Hijra.
The city where Fatima emigrated with the first Muslims, married, raised her children, and died.
A mosque in Medina founded by Muhammad, close to the home of Fatima and Ali; a central gathering place for the fledgling community.
The historic cemetery of Medina where tradition places Fatima's burial, a major site of remembrance.
Typical Objects
The "Tasbih of Fatima" refers to a formula of glorification (33 times subhanallah, 33 times alhamdulillah, 34 times Allahu akbar) that tradition attributes to her father as advice. It symbolizes her daily piety.
An everyday object that tradition associates with Fatima, who ground the grain herself to the point that her hands were marked. It embodies her simple and laborious life.
A garment of modesty worn by the women of 7th-century Arabia, closely associated with the image of Fatima as a model of modesty in tradition.
The famous double-pointed sword that the Prophet handed to Ali, Fatima's husband. Having become a major symbol of Shiism, it is often reproduced in art and on banners.
According to one tradition, a necklace inherited from her mother Khadija was given away by Fatima as alms, illustrating her generosity and her detachment from wealth.
Domestic containers typical of a 7th-century Medinan household, evoking the household chores that Fatima carried out in her modest dwelling.
School Curriculum
Vocabulary & Tags
Key Vocabulary
Tags
Daily Life
Morning
According to tradition, Fatima would begin her day with the dawn prayer, then attend to the household chores of her modest home in Medina. She ground grain for the family's bread so often that her hands bore the marks of it.
Afternoon
The afternoon was devoted to caring for the home, preparing meals, and raising her children Hasan and Husayn. She would sometimes receive visits from her father, the Prophet, who came to ask after her family.
Evening
In the evening, after the prayers, the household would gather in simplicity. Tradition recounts long vigils of prayer and supplication, with Fatima often praying for others before herself.
Food
Their diet was frugal, reflecting the austerity of the early community in Medina: barley bread, dates, milk, and water. The accounts emphasize the times when the family shared the little they had with the poor.
Clothing
She wore the loose garments and the veil (khimar) of the women of seventh-century Arabia, made of simple fabrics. In tradition, her dress became a symbol of modesty and decency.
Housing
Her dwelling was a modest house of mud brick and palm fronds, adjoining the Prophet's Mosque in Medina. Its furnishings were reduced to the bare essentials, in keeping with the simplicity the family chose to embrace.
Historical Timeline
Period Vocabulary
Liens externes & ressources
Références
Œuvres
Le Tasbih de Fatima
VIIe siècle
Transmission de la lignée prophétique (Ahl al-Bayt)
VIIe siècle
Le sermon de Fadak (Khutba Fadakiyya)
632
Modèle de piété féminine
VIIe siècle
Commémorations de la Fatimiyya
tradition postérieure
