How The Wedding of Imam Ali & Lady Fatima Took Place?
If we want to talk about the most perfect wedding, the most Islamic wedding, it was the wedding of Amir al-Mu'minin 'alayhi as-salam, and Fatimat uz-Zahra'. The most beautiful wedding, the most successful wedding, the most simple wedding, and the wedding that brought the most, the happiest marriage, the happiest marriage, and the most successful marriage. Imam Ali, 'alayhi as-salam, came to propose to Fatimat uz-Zahra'.
First, Abu Bakr came and proposed, if you remember from my lecture, he was rejected. 'Umar came and proposed to Fatimat uz-Zahra', he was also denied. They came to him, they both Abu Bakr and 'Umar, they came to Imam 'Ali 'alayhi as-salam. They told him, look, we proposed to the Rasul Allah for Fatimah az-Zahara' hand in marriage and we were both denied. You go and propose. Amir al-Mu'minin said okay. He went, he knocked at the door of Rasul Allah, salla Allahu alayhi wa alihi. Rasul Allah greeted him. He sat down and he put his head to the ground, very shy, very embarrassed, not able to say a word. You know, young men today, when they go and propose, they are playing with their phones, they are tweeting, they are taking selfies, they are joking around in front of their father-in-law, you know no embarrassment, not being shy whatsoever.
Have you heard of the story of the young man who went and proposed and he was chewing gum? Let me tell you the story. Sallu 'ala Muhammad wa Aali Muhammad [Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa Aali Muhammad]. A young man goes and he proposes to a father, and he was chewing gum. You know, in our culture, that is very disrespectful. You go and you are chewing gum in front of your future father-in-law. So the father-in-law, the man, the father of the lady, he told him, do you always chew gum in front of adults?
He said, no, no, no, but, you know it's this nicotine gum. He told him, "Why are you chewing that kind of gum?" He said, "Well, I'm trying to quit smoking." He said, "Oh, so you smoke? He said, "Well, yeah, you know when you are trying to quit taking drugs, you start smoking cigarettes." Told him, "So I used to take drugs?" He said, "Well, obviously, when you are in jail, you learn to take drugs." He said "you were in jail? He said, "Yeah, well, I mean, when you kill people, you go to jail." He told him "You killed someone?" He said, "Yeah." He told him who? He said, Some father. I went, I proposed to his daughter. He refused, so I killed him.
Imam Ali, 'alayhi as-salam, he comes in the presence of Rasul Allah, salla Allahu alayhi wa alih, his head is down, he doesn't say a word, he is embarrassed, he is shy. He couldn't even say that I am here to propose. Rasul Allah, salla Allahu alayhi wa alih, he took the initiative. He told him, ya Ali, perhaps you are here to propose to my daughter, Fatimah. He said, Indeed, ya Rasul Allah, indeed. Rasul Allah got up, and he came, and he asked Fatimat uz-Zahra', 'alayha as-salam, he said, that Amir al-Mu'minin Ibn Abu Talib, your cousin is here proposing to you. What do you say? Fatimah az-Zahara', 'alayha as-salam, also, she put her head down, not saying a word. Not like young ladies today, when a handsome guy comes and proposes, you hear the shouting from inside, the extreme shouting, and they are overjoyed.
Fatimat uz-Zahra' put her head down, she didn't say a word. She didn't say a word. Rasul Allah here said his famous statement. He said: "Subhana Allah, sokutuha radhaha". That her silence is a sign of her, what? Acceptance. Acceptance. And this became a general law. A general law that if a young lady she isproposed to, and she remains silent, then it says sign of her what? Acceptance. Because if she does not accept, she will say something. But if she accepts, she is embarrassed in front of her father to say so. She remained quiet. Rasul Allah realized that she accepted.
Jibra'il comes down, and he said ya Rasul Allah. Allah Subhana wa Ta'ala, has recited the Nikah up in the sky, among the angels, among the angels. The Nikah of Ali ibn Abi Talilb and Fatimat uz-Zahra' has been recited, and Allah says zawwju an-nura min an-nur, zawwuj 'Ali min Fatimah. Give the light to the light. Give Ali ibn Abi Talib to Fatimat uz-Zahra'. Sallu 'ala Muhammad wa Aali Muhammad [Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa Aali Muhammad]. They prepared for the wedding, they prepared for the marriage. Rasul Allah ask Ali ibn Abi Talib, "What do you own, ya Ali? What do you own? What do you have? He said, "Ya Rasul Allah, I only own two things. Two things, my sword and my shield. These are the two things that I own, and I own a very small house.
Rasul Allah, salla Allahu alayhi wa alih said: "As for your sword, then you can't sell it because we need your sword, Islam needs your sword. As for your shield, you don't need your shield on you Ali ibn Abi Talib. Go and sell your shield. He went in, he sold it, and with the price of the shield he was able to furnish his house. Very simple furniture, he furnished the house. The night of the wedding, Fatimat uz-Zahra', the famous story. Fatimat uz-Zahra' had a wedding dress, prepared for her. The night of her wedding, a poor lady came and knocked at the door and asked for something. Fatimat uz-Zahra' goes, she left everything, she came, and she gave her the wedding dress. She gave her, her wedding dress.
Rasul Allah asked her, he told her, "Why did you give your wedding dress?" She said, "Because the Qur'an says: "Lan tanalu al-birra hattaa tunfiqoo min ma tuhibboon" (3:92), that you will not reach righteousness until you give that which you love. You know, there is people, they donate the things that they don't need. The old clothes, whatever that's old, they give it to the poor. True righteousness is when you give the things that you need the most. The things that you like the most. She give her wedding dress.
On the day of the wedding, it was simple food. Simple food. It was one sheep with some dates and some milk. That was very good food back then. And it was enough for everyone. It was enough for everyone. There was no music, there was no DJ, there was no dancing. Instead there was poetry recited. "Fatimatu khayru nisa'i al-bashari, wa man laha wajhun ka wajhi al-qamari". Fatimah is the greatest lady from all the women, and who has a face glowing like a moon, like the face of Fatimat uz-Zahra' alayha as-salam. Beautiful wedding, beautiful people, beautiful bride, beautiful groom.
And when they finally met, Rasul Allah, salla Allahu alayhi wa alih, took the hands of Ali ibn Abi Talib and the hand of Fatimat uz-Zahra', alayha as-salam, and they put their hands together and he told Fatimah, "Fatimah, you are marrying the best of husbands. This is the best husband. Take care of your husband. And Ya Ali, you are marrying the best of wives. This is the best wife. Take care of my daughter, ya Ali. I'm entrusting you with my daughter, Ya Ali.
This was the best wedding in the Islamic history, between the best husband and the best wife.
