Jummah Experience in Ramadaan

Its the final Jumuah of Ramadan 2011, I find my way through the streets of Durban on route to the Grey Street masjid.
‘Oh Allah grant me blessing for every step i take towards the masjid’ i say as i weave through crowds of people on the busy streets. The athaan resounds: “Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, Ashadu Allah ilaha illallah”

I cross the street and instinctively look up at the minarets thinking: ‘I bear witness that there is no God BUT Allah’, my heart overflows with love for Allah SWT.

I pass the main gates to the masjid, there is a handful of poor people seeking charity seated outside, and some old muslim women too. My mum greets them with the universal greeting of peace, ‘Assalaamu Alaykom’, and quickly she adds ‘Jumuah Mubarak sisters, come to the masjid for salah!’. I straggle behind everyone, trying to be wholly present in that moment. Mentally taking in the textures of the stained glass with empty panels of missing glass, the lanterns on the wall partitioning off the ladies entrance, i lower my gaze.

Making my way up the stairs there is an old lady, i greet her. I softly recite the dua for entering the masjid and mum recites after me as it has become a habit for us to do it this way. The stairwell leads to a dim section for the ladies, there is a girl seated on a bench in the wudhu area, we greet her. To which she replies that she isn’t muslim. It is surprising to find her sitting there and watching the rituals of ablution, women walking in and so on, without being muslim. Someone takes the opportunity to invite her to deen, but given the limited time we all say ameen to a sisters dua of ‘May Allah grant you the hidayah to be muslim’ - Alhumdulillah. Dawah is prevalent.

Every Friday I fulfil my Jumuah prayers at the Grey Street mosque in Durban. During Ramadan it has been astounding to find as many women present for congregational prayers. The ladies section is full to the point that one needs to look for a space of carpet when one enters. Subhanallah! I’ve never seen the mosque as full!

Moulana Ismail Patel presents the Jumuah lecture which covers the auspiciousness of Laylatul Qadr which occurs during any odd night within the last 10 days of Ramadan. It is said that ibadah on this night is equivalent to ibadah for 1000months (83 years and 4months) .

This gives rise to a story where Nabi Musa AS encountered a woman who was weeping over the demise of her son. She expresses that she did not have adequate time with him. Nabi Musa AS enquires ‘How old was your son?’ to which the lady replies ‘200 years old’.

Subhanallah! Such an incredibly long lifespan. Allah SWT has given the different Ummahs different life spans. We being the ummah of Nabi SAWS are to assume that 63 is the average lifespan of a Muslim, because Nabi SAWS passed on at the age of 63. This age factor is taken into consideration on this auspicious night as it allows us to maximise our ibadah. Alhumdulillah. The lecture steers to a brief discussion over Surah Al-Qadr

Salah follows, the safs (rows) are full. There is a multitude of colors in the saf - Ladies from different nationalities and different dressings all standing facing qibla in unity of the congregation. Alhumdulillah, islam is beautiful. There are little children dressed in their Islamic garb, scarves, abayas & kurtas. On my way out I meet a little boy called Mu’aath. Immediately my brain is alight with many ahadith narrations by Mu’aath ibn Jabal. I smile. This little boy is no older than 3 years old. His mom puts on his shoes, and strikes up a conversation with me. ‘My son doesn’t want to come to the ladies section, he says he is a man. Doesn’t want to pray with the girls’ - i burst out smiling at this little boy’s awareness. He smirks at me: ‘i’m a man not a girl’.

I love encountering sisters from other countries. They always share snippets of their lives or bits about their native countries. Today i encounter a lady from Tanzania in the wudhu section and we get to talking about the origin of Swahili. Having studied linguistics its easy for me to articulate the origin of their language. I share this titbit of knowledge with the other ladies “As Islam spread through the world, madressas were set up and the quraan was taught in the Arabic language. Swahili is a mixture of African languages and Arabic, and was formulated when arabs settled in the interior parts of Africa. Their infiltration into society forced linguistic adaptation by mixing of languages to create Swahili" interesting huh?

And so marks the last Jumuah this Ramadan, I reluctantly leave the mosque with a heavy heart, holding back the tears and swallowing at the lump in my throat. Ramadan is indeed blessed. Next Jumuah will be lovely but it won’t be Ramadan any longer. May Allah SWT allow us to be present for another Ramadan to come.

Future memories

It’s Saturday night, and the people have gathered. The lights go out. A hush descends as the crowd becomes quiet. The screen begins displaying its image. A man appears. He speaks. He tells of a group of people who will have lived their lives for a period, enjoying life – doing as they pleased. These people received certain information and requests – warnings that their life choices were dangerous. But they rejected these warnings – thinking they knew better. Thinking they were entitled to continue engaging in the lifestyles that they were enjoying, and that no consequences would harm them if they continued. But then their lives will come to an end. Death approaches them, and they see a different reality. The curtain is lifted from their eyes. The truth smacks them like a sledgehammer. They finally realize the truth: the messages that came to them were true. The messengers that warned them were not liars, or gullible fools hanging onto a fantasy – a make-believe idea that had no bearing in the real world. The world they existed in – where freedom and unlimited fun reigned – was an illusion. And the world they’re now facing is real. Real; troubling; and never-ending. They beg for more time. They ask to be sent back. Now that they know the truth, if they have another chance, they’d do it all differently. They’d accept the messages. They’d believe the messengers. They’d live in the way they were asked to. Or so they believe. But if they were sent back, they would do the same thing again. Nothing would be different. And they will be forced to remain in this state of regret until the Day of Resurrection – when they will be called to account for that which they used to do, and will have to deal with the consequences thereof. You’re probably wondering what this scene describes. What movie was this? And when did this happen? This was no cinema. And this was no movie. This was the scene in a masjid –Zeenatul Islam, District Six, Cape Town – one Saturday night this month. It was in the basement level, after the taraweeh prayers were concluded for that night. The speaker – the man who described this series of events – was Mufti Ismail Menk, who is visiting from Zimbabwe. The events he described was a snippet from the Quran – and the intro to his lecture for the night. Down in the basement level, they put up TV screens so that the people downstairs can see the speaker on the main level, as he delivers his talk. This particular narrative – about the regretful people who will want to go back – is based on Surah Mu’minoon (The Believers: Quran – surah 23 – verses 99 and 100). It describes those who, in worship, join partners with Almighty Allah (i.e. the idolaters / pagans). And when their (worldly) lives are about to end, they finally see the truth and wish they could have another chance. (Full tafseer here.) It could also describe those who have been negligent as regards the commands of Allah (Tafseer Ibn Kathir). In either case, we would do well to safeguard ourselves against the company of such people, lest we become of them – since the people we surround ourselves with can play a huge role in our beliefs and choice of lifestyle. And – even without friends like these – we would do well to guard our own selves so that we never slip into those categories; because we’re not immune – we never know where our wrong choices in life could lead us. I began with this story because it came on a night that was very memorable. Memorable not because it was extra-ordinary in its events, but because of the epiphany that struck me during the evening. This Ramadan, Cape Town has been blessed once more to have the visit of the always-inspiring Mufti Ismail Menk, And my habit this month has been – on Saturday nights – to go to the taraweeh prayers he’s leading. So on this particular night, I took a break during the salaah and looked around, and just took in the atmosphere. All these people standing, so dedicated, in long night prayer – with the Quran being recited so beautifully by one of the world’s greatest (for me, at least) Islamic personalities – and all this in the blessed month of the ummah. I had one of those flash-forward moments: where you just appreciate the present. Something about it just strikes you deeply. You imagine that – in the future – you’re going to look back on this moment, on this period of your life, with fondness. And for those few moments that I pondered this – those moments that this atmosphere hit me – it was just awesome. How special a time this is. How blessed. How amazing. This experience – taraweehs with Mufti Menk – stand out for me in this month. In that downstairs level, when the talk starts, it’s like this huge sleepover. They put the lights off, the TV screens come on, and everyone gathers together to watch. It’s like a cinema – and it’s a Saturday night, which makes it even more similar to that experience. But in this case, it’s actually virtuous to be in this gathering. This isn’t some Hollywood movie – designed for our entertainment. How amazing that all these people are gathered here – on a Saturday night – to watch something ‘religious’. Everyone so eager to take in the lessons and wisdom about to be imparted, by Allah’s mercy and permission, from this tremendously-loved speaker – a caller to goodness. The theme for this series of talks this month is the stories of the Prophets (peace be upon them all). And what amazing stories they are – so full of wisdom and lessons for all of humanity – whether we call ourselves Muslim, Christian, Jew, Hindu, Buddhist, or even atheist. Humans naturally incline towards stories – and these are the stories of the best people to ever walk the Earth: the messengers and prophets – chosen by God – to convey a simple message to humanity. The same message throughout the ages: your Creator is ONE, and you should worship Him alone. And because this series draws directly from the Quran – which we believe is the pure, un-altered word of God – as Muslims we know these stories are 100% true; free of the fabrications that were introduced in other scriptures that have been corrupted. Another event that night was while I waited outside to go home. A Somalian brother stopped by to speak to me – saying how tired he was in taraweeh – almost falling asleep, but pushing himself to go on. He’d slept only 2 hours the night before. And he said how inspirational he found Mufti Menk to be – how balanced a speaker he is: not too liberal, not too conservative; but balanced. And, clearly inspired, he spoke of how the change of the world starts with us: if we live right, and teach our children right, they’ll be better than us; and in two or three generations, they can change this world. Bring it back to its senses. It was such a random encounter – he spoke to me as if he knew me well; but I didn’t know him at all. It was a bond – brotherhood in Islam. That’s what made it so easy – so comfortable a conversation. And before long, he was gone. A seemingly-random experience – but one, I suspect, that was meant to teach me something. Ramadan is usually a special month for me – but this one is standing out even more. I know it and feel it. Like Ramadan 2007 – when I was on the verge of a life-changing milestone in life. That was such a special month – and one I look back on fondly. And this one – this month –feels like it’s going to be the same in terms of nostalgia. I have been largely restricted in terms of the spiritual depth I would otherwise want to pursue, but even despite that, this month has an air to it that is definitely exceptional. In future years, insha-Allah, I’ll look back and remember how beautiful this was. These are future memories in the making, and I’m extremely grateful to be living through these experiences. But to make this post interactive, I ask you – the reader: How’s your month been so far? And have you had any of these “future memory” moments in Ramadans past or present?

Fitra and Fidya Ramadan 1432 / 2011 South Africa

About Fitra

The word combinations “Zakatul Fitr” or “Sadaqatul Fitr” or "Fitrah" are different names of an obligatory kind of Zakah that is paid in the month of Ramadan immediately after its end.

It is said that one's fasting (Roza / Sawm) remains suspended between the heavens and earth until such time your Fitrah is discharged. Remember we each will be enjoying wonderful food with our family & friends, however think of those less fortunate. Our Fitrah will ensure that they too will have food to share with their family & friends - Please be generous and pay your Fitrah

These amounts below are for South Africa only:

	Fitrah		Fidyah
	Hanafi	Shafi	Hanafi	Shafi
Eastern Cape		R 26.00		R 13.00
Gauteng	R 16.00	R 21.00	R 16.00	R 21.00
KwaZulu-Natal	R 17.00	R 20.00	R 17.00	R 20.00
Northern Cape	R 17.00	R 22.00	R 17.00	R 22.00
Western Cape		R 26.00		R 13.00

If you would like to post the amounts for other countries, please comment on my post, Shukran

The Fasting & the Starving

I awake in the morning,
From the warmth of my bed.
He sleeps not, due to hunger,
He has no tears to shed.

I descend my stairs,
Food I can smell.
He struggles to stand,
As he walks to the well.

I have so much to choose,
There is food to spare.
He gathers water with dirt,
And drinks without care.

I am full from my feast,
The rest goes to waste.
He ate nothing, drank filth,
He has nothing to taste.

I make my intention.
Then to prayer I stand.
There is no water left,
Instead he uses sand.

My stomach is full,
Satisfied, I sleep.
His stomach is empty,
In pain he weeps.

I awake later on,
My sleep, satisfactory.
He has not sleeped at all,
And now works in a factory.

I relax in my home,
With the leisures of the West.
From dawn 'till dusk,
He has no rest.

I read the Qur'aan,
And Hadiths of my Prophet.
He yearns for such knowledge,
But only works for a profit.

I enjoy the holidays,
Time away from school.
He would cherish education,
As it is Life's greatest tool.

The Sun is setting,
I help prepare the meal.
He returns from work, exhausted,
His fingers can no longer feel.

I break my fast with my family,
We complain how it was tough.
He shares a date with his Sister and Mother,
For now, it has to be enough.

I finish the banquet prepared,
Taking it all for granted.
He says "Shukran Alhamdulillah"
And thus his fast has ended.

Later I turn on the TV,
To see images of poverty.
He is monitored by patrolling cameras,
That come from a higher economy.

My screen then shows a boy,
I am told he is my age.
He stares into the camera,
Pondering deeply like a sage.

Our eyes now meet,
We stare at each other.
His eyes see through me,
Just like a brother.

In his eyes I see pain,
I see hunger and poverty.
In mine he can see hope,
A land of opportunity.

I realise that we are brothers,
We belong to one Ummah,
I hear words of my Nabi,
And the echoes of his Sunnah.

I whine when I am hungry,
I have not felt his hunger.
I cry when I am hurt,
Yet he has heard cries like thunder.

Tears stream down at his sight,
As his tears, in my heart, are carving.
Oh Allah, diminsh the difference between,
The Fasting and the Starving.

Dua'a for My Husband

Oh Allah! I thank you for granting me the one who is a garment for my soul

Who will satisfy half of my deen and in doing so making me whole

Make him righteous and on your path in every way and let him sprinkle water on me at Fajr reminding me to pray!

May he earn from halaal sources and spend within his means

May he seek Allah's guidance always to fulfill all his dreams

May he always refer to Qura'an and Sunnah as his moral guide

May he thank and appreciate Allah for the woman at his side

May he be conscious of his anger and often fast and pray

Be charitable and sensitive in every possible way

May he honor, protect me and guide me in this life pleasing Allah!

Make me worthy to be his loving wife

And finally, Oh Allah!

Make him abundant in love and laughter

In taqwa and sincerity

In striving for the hereafter!

Aameen

The Other Doors

The Other Doors

Our 4 year old son has some fairly serious health problems, so we are "frequent fliers" at the local children's hospital. Two weeks ago, our son was there for several days having surgery.

As stressful as that was for us, my visits to that hospital almost always leave me feeling grateful. Why? Because of "the other doors."

As I walk the corridors of that hospital, I pass doors leading to many different departments. I pass the department where surgeons reconstruct children's faces. I pass the department where specialists treat children who have been tragically burned. I pass the department where children with cancer spend their childhoods battling a disease that terrifies most adults. Every day, people walk through those doors. I keep walking.

Occasionally, I walk through a ward, past the room of a dying child. I look in at the child, unconscious amid a mass of tubes and machines. I see the family, staring blankly into space, grieving for what is to come. I keep walking.

On the fourth floor, I pass the "catacombs" where parents with children in ICU watch their days and nights stretch into weeks and months, hoping against hope for good news. I keep walking.

It's late one evening, and I walk to the waiting room. Only one family remains, and their doctor arrives from surgery. He begins to tell them about the patient's injuries....a shotgun blast, self-inflicted ....massive facial damage.... a dozen more operations to come....a lifetime of disfigurement...a lifetime of asking "why?" I sit, half-listening, considering the doors, this family will face in the years ahead.

I stood up. I walk back to the preschool ward, to the one door I seek. Behind this door, our son is slowly recovering from surgery. And in a strange way, I am grateful for the "situation" that we live with.

Because there are a hundred other doors in this place that are far worse. And we could just as easily be in one of those rooms.

As you pray for strength to open the doors you face, be sure to thank Allah Ta'ala for the doors he has spared you.

French police enforcing burka ban

Ya Allah give the Ummah the strength to rise and push back this modern oppression. Oh Allah give our sisters the strength to stand steadfast, Aameen

Brothers and sisters, the Burka ban is in place in France and this shocking video shows a woman being arrested by police, additionally the ban is soon to come into force in Belgium and Italy is also trying to pass the law now.

Are we ready to challenge this kind of fascism should it come to our part of the world?

Does anyone seriously believe that police man hours are best spent on this kind of racist abuse?http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=144_1312416192

Oh People

As-Salaamu-Alaikum

All praise is due to Allah Rabbul izaatiwal Jalal, He is Exalted in Might, Most Gracious, Most Merciful, The All-Knowing, All-Hearing, Owner of the day of Judgement, To Him do we belong, and unto Him shall we undoubtedly return.

Oh People, Fear Allah! Know that you will stand before your Creator on a promised day, A day when your innermost thoughts and most secret sins will be revealed, A day when good deed will be rewarded and every sin accounted for, O Believers! People are tested in different ways so that the wise can learn lessons from this and the successful can take advantage of them. Through these trials, the heedless become deceived and those who are doomed will go into further destruction. Do not let yourselves be deceived and do not lose this opportunity that you have been given, the next days of Ramadaan are days of forgiveness, so turn to your Lord in shame and repent for your past sins, make abundant astagfaar, beg your Lord for forgiveness and ask The Most Merciful Lord to grant you refuge from the eternal Fire of Jahannum, Beg your Lord to grant you Taqwa and keep yourself on the path of the righteous. You have no guarantee that you are going to live through this entire month, so Turn to your Lord and beg for forgiveness, The grave, The day of judgement and the hereafter is as more of a reality than this temporary life you are currently leading.

Our Almighty Lord says: "And march forth in the way (which leads) to forgiveness from your Lord and for Paradise as wide as are the heavens and the earth, prepared for the pious." (Aal ‘Imraan 3:133). He also says: "Race one with another in hastening towards Forgiveness from your Lord, and towards Paradise, the width whereof is as the width of heaven and earth, prepared for those who believe in Allaah and His Messengers. That is the Grace of Allaah which He bestows on whom He pleases. And Allaah is the Owner of Great Bounty." (Al-Hadeed 57:21)

'Glory be to Allah and praise be to Him. O Allah I glorify You and praise you and testify that there is none worthy of worship but You. I seek your forgiveness and I turn to you, 'I seek forgiveness from Allah, there is no diety worthy of worship besides Him, Who is alive and everlasting and I turn towards Him.'

Remember the entire Ummah of Nabi (SAW) in your Dua'as...

Queen of the Ladies of Paradise Sayyidah Fatimah az-Zahra Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anha

Sayyida Zaahira Tayyiba Taahira
Fatimah az-Zahra Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anha

Sayyidah Fatimah az-Zahra Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anha was the fourth daughter of the Holy Prophet SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam and Sayyidah Khadija Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anha. "Zahra" (having gleaming and luminous face), "Batool" (aloof from the worldly pleasures) are "Tahira" (chaste and modest) are among her exalted titles.

She was an unusually sensitive child of her age. When she was five, she heard that her father had become the Apostle of Allah SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam. Her mother Sayyidah Khadija Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anha explained to her what the responsibilities of a Prophet are. Sayyidah Fatimah Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anha became more closely attached to her father and felt a deep and abiding love for him. She used to accompany him through the narrow streets of Makkatul Mukarrama, visiting the Ka’bah or attending the secret meetings of the early Muslims who had embraced Islam and pledged allegiance to her father.

Once, she accompanied her father to the Masjid al-Haraam. Sayyiduna Rasoolullah SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam began to pray in front of the Ka’bah. A group of Quraysh chiefs gathered around the Holy Prophet SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam. Uqbah bin Abi Mu’ayt brought the entrails of a slaughtered animal and threw it on the shoulders of the Beloved Habeeb SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam. Sayyidah Fatimah Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anha, a ten year old girl, went up to her father and removed the filth. Then, in a firm and angry voice she lashed out against Abu Jahl and his colleagues. They could not utter a single word.

After the demise of her mother, Sayyidah Khadija Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anha, she felt that she had to give even greater support to her father. She devoted herself to looking after his needs. She was so engrossed in her father’s service that people started calling her “Umm Abiha”, the mother of her father. The Holy Prophet SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam had a special love for Sayyidah Fatimah Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anha.

Sayyiduna Miswar bin Makhramah Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anha reported that the Holy Prophet SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam said:

فاطمة بضعة منى ، فمن أغضبها أغضبنى
“My daughter is part of me. He who disturbs her in fact disturbs me and he who offends her offends me.” [Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 3767]

The Holy Prophet SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam also said:

حسبك من نساء العالمين أربع مريم بنت عمران و آسية امرأة فرعون و خديجة بنت خويلد و فاطمة بنت محمد
“The best women in the entire world are four: The Virgin Mariyam Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anha daughter of Imran and Aasiya Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anha the wife of Pharaoh and Khadija Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anha Mother of the Believers and Fatimah Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anha, daughter of Muhammad SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam.” [Mustadrak al-Hakim, Vol. 4, Page 262, Hadith 4745]

Sayyidah Fatimah Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anha thus acquired a place of love and esteem in the Beloved Nabi’s SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam heart that was only occupied by his wife Sayyidah Khadija Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anha. She was given the title of “Zahra” which means “The Resplendent One”. That was because of her beaming face, which seemed to radiate light. She was also called “Batool” because of her purity and asceticism. She spent most of her time in the recitation of the Holy Quraan, performing Salaah and doing other acts of Ibadah.

Sayyidah Ayesha Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anha said:

أقبلت فاطمة تمشي كأن مشيتها مشي النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم، فقال: "مرحباً بابنتي". ثم أجلسها عن يمينه، أو عن شماله
“I have not seen any one of Allah’s SubHanuhu wa Ta'ala creation resemble the Messenger of Allah SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam more in speech, conversation and manner of sitting than Fatimah Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anha. When the Holy Prophet SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam saw her approaching, he would welcome her, stand up and kiss her, take her by the hand and sit her down in the place where he was sitting.” [al-Adab al-Mufrad, Page 406, Hadith 421]

Sayyidah Fatimah Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anha learnt from her father the manners and gentle speech. She was kind to the poor. She often gave her food to the needy preferring herself to remain hungry. She had no inclination towards the materialistic world. She had no craving for the ornaments of this world or the luxuries and comforts of life.

Sayyidah Fatimah Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anha was married to Sayyiduna Ali Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anha at the beginning of the second year after the Hijra. She was nineteen-year-old and Sayyiduna Ali Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anha was about twenty-one. The Holy Prophet SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam himself performed the Nikah. On her marriage, Sayyiduna Rasoolullah SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam is said to have presented Sayyidah Fatimah Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anha and Sayyiduna Ali Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anha with a wooden bed intertwined with palm leaves, a velvet coverlet, a leather cushion filled with the leaves of a plant, a sheepskin, a pot, a water-skin and a quern (A primitive hand-operated mill for grinding grain) for grinding grain.

One day Sayyiduna Ali Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anha asked her to go to her father and ask for a servant. Sayyidah Fatimah Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anha came to the Holy Prophet SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam. The Holy Prophet SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam said:

ألا أخبرك ما هو خير لك منه ، تسبحين الله عند منامك ثلاثا وثلاثين ، وتحمدين الله ثلاثا وثلاثين ، وتكبرين الله أربعا وثلاثين
“Shall I not tell you of something better than that which you asked of me? I am telling you the words, which Jibra’eel Alaihis Salam has told me. You should say Subhan-Allah (Glory be to Allah SubHanuhu wa Ta'ala) 33 times, Al-HamduLillah (Praise be to Allah SubHanuhu wa Ta'ala) 33 times and Allahu Akbar (Allah SubHanuhu wa Ta'ala is Great) 34 times.” [Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 5362]

This is called “Tasbeeh-e-Fatimah” and brings blessings upon the person who regularly recites it.

Before proceeding on to his Farewell Pilgrimage in Ramadaan, 10 A.H., the Holy Prophet SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam said to Sayyidah Fatimah Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anha:

إن جبريل كان يعارضني القرآن كل سنة مرة وإنه عارضني العام مرتين ولا أراه إلا حضر أجلي
“The Archangel Jibra’eel Alaihis Salam recited the Qur'an to me and I to him once every year, but this year he has recited it with me twice. I cannot but think that my time has come”. [Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 3426]

On his return from the Farewell Pilgrimage, the Holy Prophet SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam became seriously ill. He was confined to the apartment of his beloved wife Sayyidah Ayesha Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anha. When Sayyidah Fatimah Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anha visited her ailing father, Sayyidah Ayesha Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anha would leave father and the daughter together.

Sayyidah Ayesha Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anha reported:

كن أزواج النبى -صلى الله عليه وسلم- عنده لم يغادر منهن واحدة فأقبلت فاطمة تمشى ما تخطئ مشيتها من مشية رسول الله -صلى الله عليه وسلم- شيئا فلما رآها رحب بها فقال « مرحبا بابنتى ». ثم أجلسها عن يمينه أو عن شماله ثم سارها فبكت بكاء شديدا فلما رأى جزعها سارها الثانية فضحكت. فقلت لها خصك رسول الله -صلى الله عليه وسلم- من بين نسائه بالسرار ثم أنت تبكين فلما قام رسول الله -صلى الله عليه وسلم- سألتها ما قال لك رسول الله -صلى الله عليه وسلم- قالت ما كنت أفشى على رسول الله -صلى الله عليه وسلم- سره. قالت فلما توفى رسول الله -صلى الله عليه وسلم- قلت عزمت عليك بما لى عليك من الحق لما حدثتنى ما قال لك رسول الله -صلى الله عليه وسلم- فقالت أما الآن فنعم أما حين سارنى فى المرة الأولى فأخبرنى « أن جبريل كان يعارضه القرآن فى كل سنة مرة أو مرتين وإنه عارضه الآن مرتين وإنى لا أرى الأجل إلا قد اقترب فاتقى الله واصبرى فإنه نعم السلف أنا لك ». قالت فبكيت بكائى الذى رأيت فلما رأى جزعى سارنى الثانية فقال « يا فاطمة أما ترضى أن تكونى سيدة نساء المؤمنين أو سيدة نساء هذه الأمة ». قالت فضحكت ضحكى الذى رأيت.
“We, the wives of Allah’s Apostle were with him (during his last illness) and none was absent therefrom that Fatimah Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anha, who walked after the style of Allah’s Messenger SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam, came there, and when he saw her he welcomed her saying: ‘You are welcome, my daughter’. He then made her sit on his right side or on his left side. Then he said something secretly to her and she swept bitterly and when he found her (plunged) in grief, he said to her something secretly for the second time and she laughed. I (Ayesha Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anha) said to her: ‘Allah’s Messenger SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam has singled you amongst the women of the family for talking to you something secretly and you wept’. When Allah’s Messenger SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam recovered from illness, I said to her: ‘What did he say to you?’ Thereupon, she said: ‘I am not going to disclose the secret of Allah’s Messenger SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam. When the Holy Prophet SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam passed away, I said to her: ‘I adjure you by the right that I have upon you that you should narrate to me what Allah’s Messenger SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam said to you.’ She said: ‘Yes, now I can do that. When he (Prophet SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam) talked to me secretly for the first time he informed me that Jibra’il Alaihis Salam was in the habit of reciting the Qur'an along with him once every year, but this year it had been twice and so he perceived his death quite near, so fear Allah SubHanuhu wa Ta'ala and be patient (and he told me) that he would be a befitting forerunner for me and so I wept as you saw me. And when he saw me in grief he talked to me secretly for the second time and said: ‘Fatimah Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anha, are you not pleased that you should be at the head of the believing women or the head of this Ummah?’ I laughed and it was that laughter which you saw.” [Sahih Muslim, Hadith 6467]

Sayyidah Fatimah Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anha is undoubtedly the Chief of the Ladies of Paradise and her two sons, Imam Hasan Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anha and Imam Husain Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anha, are the chiefs of the Youths of Paradise. But it should be borne in mind that Sayyidah Fatimah Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anha is the chief of the women of this Ummah and not of the whole world. The Chief of the Women of the whole world is Sayyidah Maryam Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anha, as it has been stated in the Holy Qur'an:

وإذ قالت الملائكة يا مريم إن الله اصطفاك وطهرك واصطفاك على نساء العالمين
“And when the Angels said: O Mariyam, surely Allah SubHanuhu wa Ta'ala has chosen thee and purified thee and chosen thee above the women of the world.” [Surah Aal-e-Imran: 42]

In another narration, Sayyidah Ayesha Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anha reported that when she asked Sayyidah Fatimah Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anha the reasons of her crying and laughing when her father talked to her secretly, she said:

سارني النبي صلى الله عليه و سلم فأخبرني أنه يقبض في وجعه التي توفي فيه فبكيت ثم سارني فأخبرني أني أول أهل بيته أتبعه فضحكت
“He informed me secretly of his death and so I cried. He then informed me secretly that I would be the first amongst the members of his family to follow him, so I laughed.” [Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 3427 ; Sahih Muslim, Hadith 2450]

This Hadith shows the implicit faith that Sayyidah Fatimah Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anha had in the words of her father. She believed that her father was given the Knowledge of Unseen. She was quite sure that the events would take the same turn as her father had informed her. This Hadith also shows that Sayyidah Fatimah Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anha loved her father more dearly than her husband and children, and her meeting with him in the Hereafter was a source of great comfort and consolation for her.

Blessed be that symbol of honor; Pious Batool, our Prophet’s daughter
Blessed be the veils of graces; Which from sun and moon hid their faces
Blessed be our Prophet’s beloved daughter; Pious, pure and women’s leader

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Taken from:
Gateway to Heaven (A Concise Manual for Muslim Sisters)