Pious Women
Sayyidatunā Fāṭima bint Khaṭṭāb رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهَا
Muhammad Bilal Saeed Attari Madani
Sayyidatunā Fāṭima bint Khaṭṭāb رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهَا was from the respected ʿAdī clan of Quraysh. She is an early Companion who embraced Islam soon after the declaration of prophethood. Despite facing many difficulties and challenges, she remained loyal to Islam. She is the sister of Sayyidunā ʿʿUmar b. Khaṭṭāb رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ [1] and the wife of Sayyidunā Saʿīd b. Zayd رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ , who were both from the ten to whom Paradise was promised.[2] She had one son, ʿAbd al-Raḥmān b. Saʿīd.[3]
The cause of Sayyidunā ʿUmar accepting Islam
She accepted Islam before her brother and played a pivotal role in his accepting faith. After being told that his sister and brother-in-law had accepted Islam, Sayyidunā ʿUmar رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ (who had not yet accepted Islam) furiously rushed to their home. He knocked on the door, but it was closed, and he could hear the Quran being recited inside. Everyone became scared. His sister opened the door and Sayyidunā ʿUmar asked, “Have you accepted Islam too?” He then proceeded to beat her and her husband. Yet, Sayyidatunā Fāṭima رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهَا courageously declared, “Do what you wish. We will never abandon Islam.” Her passion and commitment melted Sayyidunā ʿUmar’s heart. They remained standing for a while, and then Sayyidunā ʿUmar asked them to show him what they were reading. They performed wudu and placed pages of the Quran in front of him. Sayyidunā ʿUmar رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ read some of the verses and began to tremble; the powerful truth of the Quran transformed him. He started to cry and loudly proclaimed the testimony of faith. Immediately, he went to Sayyidunā Zayd b. Arqam’s home where he clung to the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم . The Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم took all the Muslims to the Kaʿba and announced ʿUmar’s Islam.[4] The date and year of Sayyidatunā Fāṭima’s death is unknown.
Our Islamic sisters should take lessons from this. May they be granted Sayyidatunā Fāṭima’s passion for faith and become women who have a positive influence on others.
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