The Story of Lady Fatima’s Final Days

Lady Fatima (peace be upon her) fell gravely ill and remained in this condition for forty days until she passed away. When she sensed her end was near, she called for Umm Ayman and Asma bint Umays, and she sent for Imam Ali (peace be upon him). When he arrived, she spoke to him with tenderness and resolve.

She said, “O cousin, I feel that my time is near. I will soon join my father, moment by moment. I wish to entrust you with things that weigh on my heart.” Imam Ali (peace be upon him) replied with deep sorrow, “Tell me whatever you wish, O daughter of the Messenger of Allah. I will carry out your wishes faithfully.” He sat beside her, ensuring privacy for this intimate exchange.

With tears in her eyes, Lady Fatima began, “O cousin, you have never known me to lie, deceive, or go against your wishes since we lived together.” Imam Ali (peace be upon him) responded, “God forbid! You are far above such things. You are more aware of God, more virtuous, pious, noble, and God-fearing than to ever displease me. Losing you is heartbreaking, yet it is an inevitable truth. By God, your loss brings back the pain of losing the Messenger of Allah. Your departure is a calamity beyond consolation and a grief that cannot be eased.”

Both of them wept deeply. Imam Ali held her head close to his chest, comforting her, and then said, “Tell me what you wish, for I will honor your every word and give it precedence over my own desires.”

Lady Fatima continued, “May Allah reward you, O cousin of the Messenger of Allah. I ask first that you marry my niece, Umama, after me. She will care for my children as I would, for no man can live without the companionship of a wife.” Imam Ali acknowledged this with heavy acceptance, saying, “It is for this reason that I have always said four things are inevitable, one of them being this promise to you.”

She then gave a second request: “O cousin, I ask that you prepare a special bier for me. I saw the angels design its shape, and I want the same for my funeral.” Imam Ali asked her to describe it, and he crafted it exactly as she wished. This was the first bier of its kind, never seen before on earth.

Her final request carried the weight of her suffering. She said, “Do not allow those who wronged me or took my rights to attend my funeral. They are my enemies and the enemies of the Messenger of Allah. Let none of them pray over me. Bury me at night, in secrecy, when the eyes are asleep and the hearts are at rest.” Imam Ali promised to fulfill her wishes with unwavering determination.

Lady Fatima (peace be upon her) then passed away. The people of Medina erupted in cries of sorrow, and the women of Banu Hashim gathered in her home, wailing with grief. Their mourning shook the city, and they lamented, “O our lady! O daughter of the Messenger of Allah!”

Imam Ali sat in mourning, with Hasan and Husayn (peace be upon them) crying beside him. The sight of their grief brought tears to everyone who witnessed it. Umm Kulthum emerged, draped in mourning attire, weeping, and cried out, “O my father, O Messenger of Allah! We have truly lost you forever!”

People gathered outside, waiting to perform the funeral prayer for Lady Fatima. But Abu Dhar came out and said, “Leave, for the burial of the daughter of the Messenger of Allah has been delayed until later tonight.” The crowd dispersed reluctantly.

In the dead of night, when the city was silent, Imam Ali, along with Hasan, Husayn, Ammar, Miqdad, Aqeel, Zubair, Abu Dhar, Salman, Buraydah, and a few close members of Banu Hashim, performed the funeral prayer for Lady Fatima (peace be upon her). They buried her in secrecy, as per her will, and Imam Ali leveled the surrounding ground, creating decoy graves to conceal her resting place.

Some narrations mention that Imam Ali ensured her grave was indistinguishable from the earth, smoothing it so that no one could identify its location. To this day, the grave of Lady Fatima remains unknown, a testament to her final wishes and the injustices she endured.

{Bihar Al-Anwar – Al-Allamah Al-Majlisi – Vol. 43 – Page 191}