Fatimah was the daughter of Imam Musa Ibn Ja'far al-Kazim1 and the sister of Imam 'Ali Ibn Musa al-Ridha ('a). Her mother was a bondmaid or Najmah, the mother of Imam al-Ridha ('a), and has been listed separately. Fatimah was born in al-Madinah and was known as al-Ma'sumah.

Al-Hasan Ibn Muhammad al-Qummi2 has said, "The learned people of Qumm have told me, 'After Imam al-Ridha ('a) accepted the invitation of al-Ma'mun in the year 200 A.H. and moved from al-Madinah to Marw, his sister Fatimah set out in the year 201 to go and see him. When she reached the city of Sawah, she fell ill and asked what distance remained to Qumm, and she was told that ten parasangs only separated her from Qumm. She said, 'Take me there.' The dignitaries of Qumm went to great her and Musa Ibn Khazraj took her to his home. After being in Qumm for 17 days, she passed away and was buried there."'

Al-Hasan Ibn Muhammad al-Qummi has said, "al-Husayn Ibn 'Ali Ibn al­Husayn Ibn Musa Ibn Babawayh, the brother of Shaykh al-Saduq, related to me from Muhammad Ibn al-Hasan Ibn al-Walid3 that, 'When Fatimah passed away (May God be pleased with her), they washed her body for burial, covered her with a shroud, took her to the tomb at Babalan, where she is currently buried, and put her in the crypt which had been dug. Then, among the eminent people who had gathered the question arose as to who should put her body into the grave. Finally it was agreed that a pious, old man and servant by the name of Qadir would do it. Suddenly, two veiled men on horses appeared from the direction of the desert. They prayed over her body, entered the crypt, and buried the body. Afterwards they again climbed on their horses and rode away. No one realized who they were."'4

Her Merits

Fatimah was raised in an immaculate family, and inherited her father's superior qualities. She grew up under the care of her brother Imam al-Ridha ('a), because her father, Imam Musa al-Kazim ('a), was in the prison of Harun the 'Abbasid ruler. Fatimah was a wise, virtuous, honorable, pious woman, and transmitter of traditions. She did many miraculous acts, and these have been written in books.5

There is a special written prayer to be said on visiting her shrine which Shaykh al-Mufid has written in his book al-Mazar. 'Allamah al-Majlisi has written about this special prayer in his book Bihar al-Anwar.6 There are traditions from the Imams about the virtues of making a pilgrimage to visit Fatimah Bint Imam al-Kazim ('a). One of these Ibn Qawlawayh has related from Shaykh al-Saduq based on his documents from Imam al-Ridha ('a) that he said, "Whoever makes a pilgrimage to visit her (Fatimah Bint Imam al-Kazim) will go to heaven."

It is also related from the son of Imam al-Ridha ('a), Imam al-Jawad ('a) that he said, "Whoever makes a pilgrimage to visit my aunt (Fatimah Bint Imam al-Kazim) in Qumm will go to heaven."7

Al-Hasan Ibn Muhammad Ibn al-Hasan al­Qummi in his book Tarikh Qumm has written, "A group of people from the city of Ray came upon Imam al-Sadiq ('a) and said, 'We are from the city of Ray.'

He said, 'May God bless our brothers who are from the city of Qumm.'

Again, they said, 'We are from the city of Ray', and again the Imam answered with the same sentence. That group repeated their words again, and Imam al-Sadiq ('a) repeated his sentence.

Then he said, 'God has a sanctuary which is Makkah. The Messenger of God (S) has a sanctuary which is al-Madinah. Amir al­Mu'minin ('a) has a sanctuary which is al-Kufah, and we have a sanctuary which is the land of Qumm. In a short time, a woman from my family will be buried there, and her name is Fatimah. It is compulsory for anyone who makes a pilgrimage there to go to heaven.'8

The transmitter states that these words of Imam al-Sadiq ('a) were before the birth of Imam al-Kazim ('a).

Lady Fatimah al-Kubra was a scholarly woman who related traditions. She has related traditions from her ancestors. A group of scholars and experts on traditions have related traditions from her.

Al-Majlisi has written, "Nurallah Shushtari the judge has reported in the book Majalis al-Mu'minin from Imam al-Sadiq ('a) that he said, "Verily, Allah has a sanctuary, which is Makkah, the Messenger of Allah has a sanctuary, which is al-Madinah, Amir al-Mu'minin has a sanctuary, which is al-Kufah, and verily, Qum is the minor al-Kufah. Verily, Paradise has eight gates; three of these gates are opened towards Qumm. A woman from my descendants, whose name is Fatimah the daughter of Musa, shall depart this life there. All my adherents shall be allowed to Paradise due to her intercession from them."9

Fatimah related traditions from her aunt Fatimah Bint Ja'far Ibn Muhammad ('a). And, her niece Fatimah Bint 'Ali Ibn Musa ('a) has related traditions from her.

Muhammad Ibn Muhammad al-Jazari al-Shafi'i based on his documents relates from Bakr Ibn Ahmad al-Qasri from Fatimah Bint 'Ali Ibn Musa al-Ridha ('a) from Fatimah, Zaynab, and Umm Kulthum, the daughters of Musa Ibn Ja'far ('a) from Fatimah Bint Ja'far Ibn Muhammad al-Sadiq from Fatimah Bint Muhammad Ibn 'Ali from Fatimah Bint 'Ali Ibn al-Husayn from Fatimah and Sukaynah, the daughters of al-Husayn Ibn 'Ali from Umm Kulthum Bint Fatimah the daughter of the Holy Prophet that she said, "Have you forgotten what the Prophet (S) said on the day of Ghadir when he said, 'For anyone that I am his Master and Leader, then 'Ali is his Master and Leader.' And, he told 'Ali, 'The relation of you to me is as the relation of Aaron to Moses.'"10

Al-Majlisi based on his documents relates from Bakr Ibn Ahnaf from Fatimah Bint 'Ali Ibn Musa al-Ridha ('a) from Fatimah, Zaynab, and Umm Kulthum, the daughters of Musa Ibn Ja'far ('a) with the same documentation as the previous tradition from Fatimah the daughter of the Messenger of God (S) that she said, "I heard the Prophet (S) say, 'When I was taken to the heavens I entered heaven. I saw myself in a castle of diamonds with a door adorned with pearls and rubies behind a curtain. I lifted my head and saw there was a writing on the door. It was written, 'There is no God but Allah, Muhammad is His messenger, and 'Ali is the friend of God.' On the door it was written, 'Blessed are the followers of 'Ali.' I entered and found myself in a castle of green, clear emeralds which were the best that I had ever seen. It had a door of red rubies decorated with pearls and covered by a curtain. I lifted my head and saw a writing on the curtain. It was written, 'The Shi'ah of 'Ali will prosper.' I said, 'My friend Jibra’il, whose castle is this?' He answered, 'O Muhammad, this castle belongs to your cousin and successor 'Ali Ibn Abi Talib. Everyone will be raised naked on the Judgment Day except for the Shi'ah of 'Ali. People will be called by their mother's names except for the Shi'ah of 'Ali who will be called by their father's names.' The Prophet (S) said, 'O my friend Jibra’il, why is that?' Jibra’il said, 'Because they love 'Ali.'"11

• 1. Kitab al-Irshad, p. 302; al-Mujdi, p. 106.
• 2. Abu 'Ali, al-Hasan Ibn Muhammad Ibn al-Hasan al-Shaybani al-Qummi was the author of a book on the history of the city of Qum. He was a great religious authority living at the time of Shaykh al-Saduq. He has related traditions from Shaykh al-Saduq and his brother. [al-Dhari'ah, vol. 3, p. 278].
• 3. Muhammad Ibn al-Hasan Ibn Ahmad Ibn al-Walid al-Qummi was an insightful jurisprudent, of high magnitude, trustworthy, the author of a book, and a contemporary of Shaykh al-Saduq. [al-Fihrist by Shaykh al-Tusi; Majma' al-Rijal by al-Qahpa'i].
• 4. Tarik Qumm, p. 213; Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 48, p. 290; Safinat al-Bihar, vol. 2, p. 376.
• 5. Reference to these miracles has been avoided here for the sake of brevity, however for more information please refer to the book al-Fawa'id al-Radawiyyah, p. 379.
• 6. Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 99, p. 265.
• 7. Kamil al-Ziyarat, p. 324; Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 99, p. 265.
• 8. Tarik Qumm, p. 215; Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 99, p. 267.
• 9. Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 57, p. 228.
• 10. Al-Ghadir, vol. 1, p. 197.
• 11. Safinat al-Bihar, vol. 1, p. 729; al-Fawa'id al-Radawiyyah; p. 60.