Fatimah was the daughter of Nasir al-Saghir, al-Husayn Ibn al-Hasan 'Ali Ibn al-Hasan Ibn 'Ali Ibn 'Umar Ibn 'Ali Ibn al-Husayn ('a), and the granddaughter of al-Nasir al-Kabir.1 She was the mother of the two noble descendants of the Prophet (S), Sayyid al-Radi2 and Sayyid al-Murtada 'Alam al-Huda.3 Her husband was Abu Ahmad, who was called al-Tahir Dhu'l-Manaqib.4

Her Merits

Fatimah was an honorable, virtuous, pious, chaste woman. She made great effort in the training of her children, and raised them for years without a father. Shaykh al-Mufid respected her very much and whenever Fatimah would enter he would stand up. He wrote the book Ahkam al-Nisa' for her. The translation of what is written in the beginning of this book is as follows, "I realized that this honorable and scholarly woman - may God grant her a long and esteemed life - is interested in having a book available which gives all the necessary rules for women. Therefore, I wrote this book for her."

Ibn Abu al-Hadid has written in the book Sharh Nahj al-Balaghah, "Shaykh al­Mufid saw in dream that Lady Fatimah ('a) enters the Karkh5 Mosque while she is holding the hands of her young sons, al-Hasan and al-Husayn ('a). She greeted him and asked him to teach these two sons jurisprudence. Shaykh al­Mufid was surprised at this dream. The next day Fatimah Bint al-Nasir came to him holding the hands of her two sons Muhammad al-Radi and 'Ali al-Murtada and surrounded by her servants. She said, 'O Shaykh, these are my sons who have come to learn from you.' Shaykh al-Mufid cried, accepted them, and started to teach them."6 This tradition shows the status and honor of this respectable woman. It is sufficient to show her greatness just in being the mother of Sayyid al-Radi and Sayyid al-Murtada.

• 1. Al-Nasir bil-Haqq, Abu Muhammad al-Hasan Ibn 'Ali Ibn al-Hasan Ibn 'Ali Ibn Umar Ibn 'Ali Ibn al-Husayn ('a) was a scholar, literary man, poet, and pious. He had many battles with the Samanians. He was martyred in the year 304 in Tabaristan.
• 2. Muhammad Ibn Abi Ahmad al-Husayn Ibn Musa Ibn Muhammad Ibn Musa Ibn Ibrahim Ibn Musa Ibn Ja'far ('a) was well-known as Sayyid al-Radi. He was the brother of Sayyid al-Murtada (359 – 404 A.H.), and compiled the book Nahj al-Balaghah.
• 3. Abu al-Qasim 'Ali Ibn al-Husayn Ibn Musa Ibn... Ibn Musa Ibn Ja'far ('a) was known as Sayyid al-Murtada 'Alam al-Huda (the brother of Sayyid al-Radi). He passed away in the year 436 A.H.L. He was the author of many books, and a great Shi'ah religious scholar.
• 4. Abu Ahmad al-Husayn Ibn Musa Ibn Muhammad Ibn Musa Ibn Ibrahim Ibn Musa Ibn Ja'far ('a) was one of the dignitaries during the 'Abbasid and the Buyid dynasties. He was the chief of the Talibiyyin (i.e., descendants of Abu Talib, Imam 'Ali's father) five times.
• 5. This is a mosque in the district of Karakh in Baghdad.
• 6. Shar Nahj al-Balaghah, vol. 1, p. 14.