Sayyida Fatima (SA)’s role encompasses every facet of Islam and she is an example for all men and women. Her devotion to Allah was absolute. Her care for her father was such that he referred to her as “her father’s mother”. She was a pillar of strength for her father and her family in the face of oppression and tribulation. Her renunciation of the world and her courage is an example for us today.
Sayyidah Fatima (AS) saw the persecution of her father and the believers at a young age. She witnessed Abu Lahab and Quraysh abusing and mocking her father, and even she saw her own sisters mistreated, and their marriages broken apart because of the hurtful and disgraceful actions of Umm Jamil, Abu Lahab and his sons.
615 CE was the year of heavy persecution from the Qurayshi leaders, it is now five years into the revelation of the Quran and the Quraysh leaders were as angry as they could be. To release some of this anger, they publicly tortured and humiliated many Muslims as was the case for Hadrat Bilal ibn Rabah, Ammar bin Yasir, Summayah and her husband Yasir(RA).
It is narrated in Sahih Bukhari , that in this same year once the Prophet(peace be upon him) stood in the place known as Al-Hijr, preparing to pray. Alongside him was Sayyida Fatima(RA).Abu Jahl came right in front of him and screamed out, “Which of you can bring the entrails of a slaughtered animal and throw it on top of Muhammad?”
A criminal by the name of Uqbah ibn Abi Muayt responded to the call and threw the entrails of an animal upon the shoulders of the Prophet(peace be upon him) while still he was in sujud(prostration).Other leaders of Mecca such as Umayyah ibn Khalaf, Shaybah and Utbah were also present and they started laughing hysterically at what had just happened.
Sayyidah Fatima (SA) seeing her father in this condition, removed the entrails from him and then admonished Abu Jahl, asking how he can do such a thing to his own nephew. He did not respond to this and the Prophet(peace be upon him) went on to complete his salat while Sayyida Fatima(RA) stood by him. According to other narrations, they were also being pelted with stones.
On another occasion, the Quraysh sent Uqbah to attack the Prophet (peace be upon him) and he got close to him and he started to strangle the Prophet (peace be upon him) with his own clothes right in front of Sayyida Fatima (SA). When she saw this happening, she screamed at the top of her lungs for help and Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (RA) was the first to rush to the scene and he managed to free the Prophet (peace be upon him).While he was doing so, he asked them, “Why would you kill a man who says, ‘My Lord is Allah?'”
According to Ibn Hisham, “On another occasion, Uqbah spat in the face of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ at the behest and incitement of his friend Ubayy ibn Khalaf and (because of this disrespect), Allah revealed at that moment the Quranic verse(25:29) regarding both Ubay and Uqbah.”
Once again, these events were witnessed by Sayyida Fatima (SA) and had an impact on her. Her strength allowed her to stand up to the tyrants of Quraysh as they tormented her beloved father.
Services of Sayyida Fatima(SA) during the years of Social Boycott
It was the year 616 CE and this is the year of the beginning of the boycott of the Banu Hashim and Banu Muttalib. During these hard times Sayyidah Fatima(RA)’s service to Allah and His Messenger ﷺ speaks volumes.
Sayyidah Fatima (SA) was eleven years of age when the boycott began. Sayyiduna Ali (AS) was young and he had the duty of going out near the city at the risk of death to get water, food and other essential goods. Sayyidah Khadija (RA) would give him gold to buy whatever was needed for the community. She spent her money till her last dinar ran out.
Allah always provides for the believers and this is shown by the fact that the Banu Hashim still had some good hearted people in Mecca trying to help them.
As this was going on, the family of Messenger of Allah ﷺ stuck together by his side and Sayyidah Fatima(SA) showed her dedication to Islam by serving everyone around her. The beautiful example of Sayyidah Fatima (SA)’s life within this particular struggle was that she would attend to the sick and help seek food for everyone. The boycott and lack of food did of course affect her physical health. Sayyidah Khadija (SA) played an integral role in the survival of Muslims, for she was the one who funded the community until her very last dinar was spent. Thus, by means of virtuous actions of the Prophet ﷺ, Sayyidah Khadija (RA), Sayyidah Fatima (SA) and Hadrat Ali (AS), the times within the valley of Abu Talib, while still rough were a whole lot easier.
