Quick Answer:
Detailed Answer:
Modesty played a great role in the life of Fāṭimah (‘a) and a very interesting story has been narrated in this regard in the book DhakhāÞir al-‘uqbā from AsmāÞ bint ‘Amīs. She has narrated that one day Fāṭimah (‘a) said to me: I am displeased with how the people of Medina take their women for burial after their passing, while they have placed a sheet upon them which reveals the shape of their body. AsmāÞ said: In Abyssinia I saw something where the body of the dead was carried on a bier. Then branches from a palm tree were fashioned on the bier and a sheet was then placed upon these branches. In this way, the body’s shape could not be seen.
When Fāṭimah (‘a) heard this, she said: That is a great thing (and when I have passed away, you should carry me with such a bier…). It has also been mentioned in this same report that when Fāṭimah (‘a) saw this bier, she smiled and it was the only time that she smiled after the passing of the Prophet (ṣ).[1] Abū NaÞīm has narrated a tradition from the Prophet (ṣ) that one day he faced his companions and said: What is the best thing for a woman? The companions didn’t know the answer; ‘Alī (‘a) went to Fāṭimah (‘a) and narrated the question to her. The Lady Fāṭimah (‘a) said: Why did you not say: The best thing for women is that they neither see men nor do any men see them (meaning that they don’t have private gatherings with men who are not related to them).[2] ‘Alī (‘a) returned and he gave this answer to the Prophet (ṣ). The Prophet (ṣ) asked ‘Alī (‘a): Who taught you this answer? He said: Fāṭimah (‘a). The Prophet (ṣ) then said: She is a part of me.[3] [4]
When Fāṭimah (‘a) heard this, she said: That is a great thing (and when I have passed away, you should carry me with such a bier…). It has also been mentioned in this same report that when Fāṭimah (‘a) saw this bier, she smiled and it was the only time that she smiled after the passing of the Prophet (ṣ).[1] Abū NaÞīm has narrated a tradition from the Prophet (ṣ) that one day he faced his companions and said: What is the best thing for a woman? The companions didn’t know the answer; ‘Alī (‘a) went to Fāṭimah (‘a) and narrated the question to her. The Lady Fāṭimah (‘a) said: Why did you not say: The best thing for women is that they neither see men nor do any men see them (meaning that they don’t have private gatherings with men who are not related to them).[2] ‘Alī (‘a) returned and he gave this answer to the Prophet (ṣ). The Prophet (ṣ) asked ‘Alī (‘a): Who taught you this answer? He said: Fāṭimah (‘a). The Prophet (ṣ) then said: She is a part of me.[3] [4]
No feedback yet