On the birth anniversary of Lady Zahra (a.s.) and Women’s Week, the first virtual and international meeting of women followers of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) with the officials of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly was held on Wednesday, January 26, 2022.
In this meeting, the head of the women’s section of the Imam Jafar Sadeq (a.s.) Institute in Mumbai stated, “Lady Zahra (a.s.) was the greatest women of Paradise and her titles are Lady of Paradise, Lady of Resurrection, Umm Abiha, Fatimah Al-Zahra (a.s.).”
“Whenever Lady Zahra (a.s.) entered the presence of her dear father, the Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h), he would stand in full respect for her. Someone asked Imam Jafar Sadeq (a.s.) ‘Was this act (standing in full respect) the Sunnah (tradition) of Prophet or an Wajib (obligation). If this is the tradition of the Prophet, all the AhlulBayt (a.s.) should follow it, and if it is obligatory, we (Shiites) should do the same. But we do not do so. Why did the Prophet always stand in honor of Lady Fatimah Zahra (a.s.)?’ Imam Jafar Sadeq gave a beautiful answer to this question that should be understood by everyone,” said Ms. Farah Jafari on the characteristics of Lady Zahra (a.s.).
“If you are sitting somewhere and a child gives you a gift, you accept it to appreciate the child. But if a great person (like an ayatollah) gives you a gift, do you just sit there and thank him? No, you would stand and make room for that respectable person to sit down and even give him your place. Therefore, Imam Jafar Sadeq (a.s.) gave a similar answer. He said, ‘Whenever Lady Fatima (a.s.) entered, the Prophet stood in her honor. Because the surah in the Quran in honor of Lady Zahra (a.s.) was revealed to the Prophet twice: once in Mecca and once in Medina. When Surah Al-Kawthar was revealed, a person asked the Prophet who would succeed him because the Prophet did not have a son to succeed him. At this time, God sent Gabriel along with this surah and said, ‘This child, namely Lady Zahra (a.s.) will be your successor,” continued the expert on religious affairs.
“In the verse ‘إِنَّا أَعْطَيْنَاكَ الْكَوْثَرَ’ (Indeed We have given you Kawthar (abundance)) Kowsar means Lady Fatima Zahra (AS). Imam Jafar Sadeq (a.s.) said, ‘Whenever Lady Zahra (a.s.) entered the presence of the Prophet, in fact, the gift and Kawthar of God came before the Prophet. That’s why the Prophet always stood in the honor of Lady Zahra (a.s.). Because she was a gift from God.’ Lady Khadija (a.s.) was the highest woman of the Arab society in her time. Regarding the pregnancy of Lady Zahra (a.s.), she said, ‘When I was pregnant with her, I never felt lonely because the child in my womb always comforted me. Whenever I felt hungry, food would come to me from heaven, and whenever I was thirsty, they would bring me water from the Kawthar pond. I was always taken care of because of this child that I had with me, namely Lady Fatima Al-Zahra (a.s.),” she stated.
“Whenever Lady Zahra (a.s.) stood for prayer, a light would always be emitted from her face and a light from the sky would shine on her. Therefore, the Prophet said to her, ‘O Fatima, you are Zahra.’ That means she was brilliant,” said Ms. Jafari about the meaning of Zahra.