We now know who al-Sayyida Khadijah was and have an idea about some of her virtues and excellent traits that represent brilliant examples of perfection in the human being. This is the lady who bore al-Sayyida Fatimah al-Zahra and nursed her with breast milk that was mixed with merits and virtues.

Fatimah al-Zahra is the daughter of two illustrious parents – and we have seen some of what relates to their lives and their virtues. This brief summary will enable us to understand the uniqueness of our mistress Fatimah al-Zahra and through this vantage point, what she inherited [from her parents] will become evident for us.

There are certain realities that cannot be denied and have been clearly mentioned in the lofty mutawatir traditions from the Holy Prophet (S) and his pure progeny (‘a). Realities that have not been discovered by modern science and have not been unravelled by the latest scientific studies, despite their extensiveness and despite having reached the limits of atoms and particles smaller than that, and the planets and what lies beyond them.

These realities are such that cannot be studied or observed by instruments and microscopes, and they cannot be captured by the lenses of cameras, even with the help of ultraviolet rays or other rays that are higher in the spectrum.

The analogies of physics and logic fall short of comprehending these truths, as they are realities that are beyond the scope of matter and the scale of reason. They cannot be perceived by the five senses (sight, sound, taste, smell, and touch); rather, they are from the secrets of Allah that have been entrusted to creation, and if you wish to call them ‘metaphysical’, then you may do so.

Before we discuss these realities, we must mention some brief introductory points: The sperm that finds its way to the womb results in the formation of a foetus. This sperm is made from blood and blood is derived from food after it has undergone the digestive process and has ripened and been cooked in the sophisticated laboratory that is found inside the body. There is no doubt that the sperm made from the blood that is derived from pork or intoxicants (for example) is different from that made from blood that is formed by eating the meat of sheep and the like, because the constitution of this blood differs greatly from that, and thus the result of each differs from the other.

Food has a particular effect on the soul of the human being and his ego. There are certain foods that bring joy to the heart, tranquillity to the body, and have a calming effect on a person, and there are other foods that do just the opposite of this.

Foods that are permissible and pure have a positive effect on the soul and spirit of the human being, and contrarily impure food like intoxicants or impermissible [foods] like that which is stolen or usurped have a negative effect.

This very effect manifests itself in the sperm that is created from the lawful or unlawful food, from the pure or impure, and if we want to produce evidence and give proof for this, our book would be protracted and would turn away from its intended goal.

In the same way, the food that parents eat have a direct effect on the development of their offspring and lead the child either to good or evil, because it is from this food that the sperm develops and is then transferred from the loins of the man to the womb of his wife, attaching itself to the wall of the womb where it grows and develops until it becomes a fully developed foetus.

So, the food, based on its type and depending on the legal ruling related to it, like being lawful or unlawful, pure, or impure, has an astounding and bewildering effect on the fate of the child - how he thinks about matters and the choices that he makes in his life, whether he turns towards justice and uprightness or strays and deviates [from the right path].

This is also true about the psychological states of the spouses when they undertake the [blessed] act of intercourse. This has a direct effect on the fate of the child and his psychological state in the future. Fear and anxiety in them have a negative effect on the future of the poor child, and contrarily, tranquillity and calmness have a positive effect on the child. Similarly, passionate desire and deep yearning has an effect on the beauty of the child, his goodness and intelligence, whereas lack of desire and weakness of lust results in the opposite of this.

From these two points i.e., the effect of food and the psychological state [of the parents], we direct the esteemed readers to some authentic traditions. Shaykh al-Majlisi, may Allah elevate his status, has mentioned the following tradition in the sixteenth volume of Bihar al-Anwar:

…Jibra’il descended upon the Prophet of Allah (S) and called out, “O Muhammad! The Highest of the high has sent His salutations to you and has commanded that you withdraw yourself from Khadijah for forty days.”

This was something difficult for the Prophet (S) because of his immense love for her. So, the Prophet (S) began fasting in the mornings and spending the nights in prayer, until the end of this period. He sent ‘Ammar Ibn Yasir to Khadijah saying: “Tell her: O Khadijah! Do not think that my isolation from you is desertion or lack of love and desire for you, rather my Lord has ordered me to do this So, that His will may be done. So, do not think of me, O Khadijah, except positively, for Indeed, my Lord, the Mighty and the Great, boasts of your servitude to His noblest angels all the time.

When night falls, therefore, shut the door and take your mattress from your bed, for Indeed, I will be in the house of [my aunt] Fatimah Bint Asad.”

Khadijah wept incessantly every day for losing the [company] of the Prophet (S). When forty days were over, Jibra’il descended and said: “O Muhammad! The Highest of the high sends you His salutations and orders that you prepare yourself for His greetings and gift.”

The Prophet (S) asked: “O Jibra’il, what is the gift of the Lord of the Worlds and what is His greeting?” Jibra’il replied: “I have no knowledge of it.”

A short while later, Mika’il descended and brought with him a tray that was covered with a kerchief made of fine silk or brocade and placed it in front of the Prophet (S). Jibra’il (‘a) then came forward and said: “O Muhammad, your Lord commands you to break your fast tonight with this food.”

Ali Ibn Abi Talib (‘a) says: “Whenever the Prophet (S) broke his fast, he would instruct me to open the door for those who wanted to share in the food, but on this night, the Prophet (S) asked me to sit at the door of the house saying: ‘O son of Abu Talib, this is food that is prohibited on all but me.’”

Ali (‘a) said: “I sat at the door and the Prophet (S) brought the food and uncovered the tray. It had some wet dates and a bunch of grapes. The Prophet (S) ate from it until he was satiated and drank the water until his thirst was quenched. When he extended his hands to wash them, Jibra’il poured water for him and Mika’il washed his hands and Israfil wiped his hands, and the remainder of the food and the vessel [of water] was taken back to the heavens.”

Then the Prophet (S) stood to pray but Jibra’il came to him and said: “Prayer is forbidden to you at this moment, until you have gone to the house of Khadijah and laid with her. For Indeed, Allah, Mighty and Great is He, has taken an oath that He will create from your loins an excellent progeny this night.” Thus, the Prophet (S) rushed towards the house of Khadijah.

Khadijah says: “I had become accustomed to loneliness So, whenever night fell, I would cover my head, close my curtains, lock my door, recite my prayers, turn off my lamp and retire to my bed. On this particular night, I was neither fully asleep nor fully awake when the Prophet (S) came and knocked at the door. I called out: ‘Who is knocking at the ringlet [of the door] which none other than Muhammad has ever knocked?’

The Prophet (S) called back with his sweet voice and loving words: ‘Open the door O Khadijah, for it is I, Muhammad.’” Khadijah says, “I stood up rejoicing that the Prophet (S) had come and [quickly] opened the door. Whenever the Prophet (S) entered the house, after coming in he would ask for a vessel [of water] to perform ablution for prayer. Then he would pray a short two-rak’ah prayer before retreating to his bed.

On this night, however, he did not ask for a vessel, and he did not pray… rather, there transpired between him and me what occurs between a husband and his wife. Indeed, I swear by the One who created the heavens and made water flow forth from the earth, the Prophet (S) did not leave my side until I felt the weight of Fatimah in my belly…”1

We can derive the following from this narration:

1. Allah ordered His Prophet (S) to seclude himself from Khadijah and to isolate himself from her for some time So, that this would lead to an increase in desire and yearning.

2. The Prophet (S) was, during this period, occupied in worship and engrossed in matters related to elevating the soul in order to connect to the higher realms.

3. He opened his fast with the paradisiacal food that was sent as a gift from heaven, which quickly turned into spermatozoa because of its fineness.

4. The development of sperm by fine heavenly food is not the same as [what results from] the material food of this world.

5. He immediately went to the house of Khadijah in preparation for transferring the sperm with all the prerequisites.

This narration has been mentioned by the following Sunni scholars with slight variations [in wording]:

• Al-Khwarizmi in Maqtal al-Husayn2

• Al-Dhahabi in Mizan al-I’tidal3

• Al-Dhahabi in Talkhis al-Mustadrak4

• Al-Asqalani in Lisan al-Mizan5

In addition, there are numerous traditions similar in meaning with slight differences in their wordings, but which essentially contain the same message about the creation of the sperm that led to the birth of Fatimah al-Zahra from the food of Paradise. Herewith we mention only a few of these narrations for the sake of brevity:

1. From Imam al-Ridha (‘a): The Prophet (S) said: “When I was taken up to the heavens, Jibra’il took my hand and led me inside Paradise where he gave me some dates which I ate. This then turned into sperm in my loins, and when I descended back to earth, I laid with Khadijah, So, she became pregnant with Fatimah. Thus, Fatimah is a houri in the form of a human being, and whenever I wish to smell the fragrance of Paradise, I inhale the fragrance of my daughter Fatimah.”6

2. From Imam al-Baqir (‘a), from Jabir Ibn Abdillah who said: It was said to the Holy Prophet (S), “Indeed, you veil Fatimah and cling to her, always keeping her close to yourself… and you treat her differently from the way you treat your [other] daughters?” He (S) said, “Verily Jibra’il came to me with an apple from the apples of Paradise, and when I ate it, it turned into liquid in my loins. Then I was intimate with Khadijah, So, she became pregnant with Fatimah. Thus, I get the scent of Paradise from her.”7

3. Ibn ‘Abbas narrates: ‘A’ishah came to the Prophet (S) while he was kissing Fatimah, So, she said to him: “Do you love her O Prophet of Allah?” He replied: “Indeed, by Allah, if you were to know the extent of my love for her, you would increase your love for her. When I was taken up to the fourth heaven… then I was given dates that were softer than foam, more fragrant than musk and sweeter than honey. I took one date and ate it and the date turned into sperm in my loins. When I descended to the earth, I was intimate with Khadijah, and she became pregnant with Fatimah. Thus, Fatimah is a houri in the form of a human being and whenever I desire Paradise, I smell the fragrance of Fatimah.”8

The following people have narrated the above tradition with slight variances from ‘A’ishah, Ibn ‘Abbas, Sa’id Ibn Malik and ‘Umar Ibn al-Khattab:

• Al-Khatib al-Baghdadi in his Tarikh9

• Al-Khwarizmi in Maqtal al-Husayn10

• Al-Hafiz al-Dhahabi in Mizan al-I’tidal11

• Al-Zarandi in Nazm Durar al-Simtayn

• Al-’Asqalani in Lisan al-Mizan12

• Al-Qanduzi al-Hanafi in Yanabi’ al-Mawaddah

• Muhib al-Din al-Tabari in Dhakha’ir al-’Uqba13

The following has also been narrated by al-Shaykh Shu’ayb al-Misri:

Some of the honourable narrators have reported that one day, al-Sayyida Khadijah told the Noble Prophet (S) that she wished to see a fruit from the fruits of the Abode of Peace, So, Jibra’il descended to the Prophet of Both Worlds from Paradise with two apples and said: “O Muhammad, the One who had placed for everything a measure says to you: ‘Eat one and give the other to Khadijah al-Kubra to eat, then lay with her, for Indeed, I will create from both of you Fatimah al-Zahra!’” So, the chosen one did what the trustworthy messenger had directed and instructed him to do… and whenever the Prophet yearned for paradise and its bounties, he would kiss Fatimah and smell her beautiful fragrance, saying as he inhaled her holy scent: “Fatimah is a houri in human form.”14

There are other authentic (mutawatir) narrations with similar connotations, but we suffice with the above.

Another point that is worthy of mention here is the fact that these narrations indicate that Khadijah’s pregnancy with Fatimah came about immediately after the Ascension of the Prophet (mi’raj), and the ascension, according to what has been recorded in some books of hadith, took place in the third year of the Prophethood, and some have said it was in the second year, and other dates have also been mentioned.

Some narrations from the Imams of the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) explicitly state that she was born five years after the mab’ath (i.e., the start of the Prophetic mission), and this would mean that she remained in her mother’s womb for more than two years which is obviously incorrect, So, how can we reconcile these two versions?

This apparent contradiction can be resolved in the following ways:

1. The Prophet (S) was taken up to the heavens more than once as has been mentioned in the book al-Kafi15. I take this to be the best answer.

2. Taking the narration stating that she was born on the second or third year of mab’ath to be correct since this corresponds to the statement that the mi’raj (ascension to the heavens) took place in that very same year, especially after we take into consideration the different narrations about the month in which the ascension took place.

The Unborn Child Speaks To Her Mother

One of the extraordinary qualities of al-Sayyida Fatimah (‘a) was that she used to talk to her mother Khadijah while she was in her womb. It is not only the Shi’ah scholars who recount this miracle; rather, many of the Sunni scholars and traditionists have also mentioned this. ‘Abd al-Rahman al-Shafi’i, for example, says: Her mother Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: “When I was pregnant with Fatimah, the pregnancy was easy. She would speak to me from my belly.”16

Al-Dihlawi has narrated in Tajhiz al-Jaysh from the book Madh al-Khulafa’ that: When Khadijah was pregnant with Fatimah, she used to speak to her from inside the womb and Khadijah did not disclose this to the Prophet (S). One day, the Prophet (S) came to her and found her speaking while there was nobody with her. He asked her whom she was speaking with, So, she replied: “[I am speaking with] the child that is in my womb, for it speaks to me.” The Prophet (S) said: “Glad tidings to you O Khadijah, this is the daughter whom Allah will make the mother of eleven khulafa who will come after me and [after] their father.”17

Shu’ayb Ibn Sa’d al-Misri says: when the disbelievers asked him to show them the splitting of the moon, Khadijah was pregnant with Fatimah and [her pregnancy] was showing. Khadijah said: “Woe be to the one who belies Muhammad while he is the best of my Lord’s messengers.” At this point, Fatimah called out from her womb: “O mother, do not fear and do not fret, for Indeed, Allah is with my father!” When her pregnancy came to an end and she

delivered Fatimah, the place was illuminated by the light of her presence.18

We have already mentioned in the introduction the narration from al-Sayyida Khadijah about how Fatimah al-Zahra used to speak to her from inside the womb.

• 1. Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 16, p. 78.
• 2. Maqtal al-Husayn, p. 105 and 110.
• 3. Mizan al-I’tidal, vol. 3, p. 267.
• 4. Muhammad Ibn Ahmad al-Dhahabi (d. 748 A.H.), Talkhis al-Mustadrak ‘ala al-Sahihayn, vol. 3, p. 156.
• 5. Ahmad Ibn Ali Ibn Hajar al-’Asqalani al-Shafi’i (d. 852 A.H.), Lisan al-Mizan, vol. 4, p. 364.
• 6. Muhammad Ibn Ali Ibn al-Babawayh (d. 381 A.H.), Amali al-Saduq, p. 411.
• 7. Muhammad Ibn Ali Ibn al-Babawayh (d. 381 A.H.), ‘Ilal al-Shara’i’, vol. 1, p. 183.
• 8. Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 18, pp. 350, 351.
• 9. Tarikh Baghdad, vol. 6, p. 259.
• 10. Maqtal al-Husayn, p. 105.
• 11. Mizan al-I’tidal, vol. 1, p. 494.
• 12. Lisan al-Mizan, vol. 5, p. 160.
• 13. Dhakha’ir al-’Uqba, pp. 44-45.
• 14. Shu’ayb Ibn Sa’d al-Hurayfish (d. ca. 802 A.H.), al-Rawdh al-Fa’iq fi al-Mawa’idh wa al-Raqa’iq, p. 214.
• 15. Muhammad Ibn Ya’qub al-Kulayni (d. 329 A.H.), Al-Kafi, vol. 1, p. 442, hadith no. 13
• 16. Nuzhat al-Majalis, vol. 2 p. 227.
• 17. Cf. Madh al-Khulafa’ al-Rashidin, p. 211.
• 18. al-Rawdh al-Fa’iq, p. 214.