An Historical Analysis of the Roots of Enmity Towards Lady Fatimah (as) and its Continuation in Islamic History
Seyed Hashem Moosavi
Introduction
In the story of Karbala and the martyrdom of the Master of Martyrs, Imam Abu Abdullah al-Husayn (peace be upon him), one of the notorious slogans of the enemy’s army was: «انا نقتلک بغضا لابیک “We fight you out of hatred for your father, Ali!”. Al-Qunduzi, Sulayman ibn Ibrahim, Yanabee’ Al -Mavaddah Li Zavi Al-Qurba, Vol. 3, p. 80.
This statement is a key to understanding an important structure in the historical enmity towards the Ahl al-Bayt (the Household of the Prophet).
This expression was not a momentary battle cry but rather revealed the hidden layer and the deepest political and theological motivations against the Prophet’s family. It summarizes the profound hostility of a group of apparent Muslims toward the pure essence of Islam. This essence was embodied in the existence of the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) and his Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them).
The same logic applied to the enmity towards Lady Fatimah al-Zahra (peace be upon her). Many of the actions taken against her immediately after the passing of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family)-including the assault on her home, the threat of murder, the burning of the door, her physical injury, the usurpation of her right, and ultimately her martyrdom-must all be analysed within the framework of that accumulated resentment towards the Messenger of God and his Household. In fact, due to her special status, this hatred and enmity were even more intense and overt in the case of Lady Fatimah (peace be upon her).
This hostility did not end with the Lady Fatimah’s oppressed martyrdom. It continued for centuries and is repeated today in the form of casting doubt on the defence of Wilayah (divine authority) and her martyrdom, which results in the distortion and hostility towards the virtues of the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them).
This article seeks to examine the historical, ideological, and political roots of this enmity. It aims to show how it began as “hatred towards the Prophet” (peace and blessings be upon him and his family), manifested as “hostility towards Lady Fatimah” (peace be upon her), and continued throughout the history of Islam.
The Enmity Towards the Ahl al-Bayt (as) Did Not Begin with the Prophet’s Demise
Some people imagine that the hostility toward the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them) started with the political disputes following the Prophet’s death. However, a careful study of the Quranic verses and historical reports reveals that the roots of this enmity are far deeper and older.
Hypocrites Who Appeared as Muslims but Never Truly Believed
The Holy Quran states: «وَ مِنَ النّاسِ مَن يَقُولُ آمَنّا بِاللّهِ وَ بِاليَومِ الآخِرِ وَ ما هُم بِمُؤمِنين؛ “And among the people are those who say, ‘We believe in Allah and the Last Day,’ while they are not believers“. Surah Al-Baqarah: 8.
This group only accepted the outward form of Islam, not its essence. Their motivations for adopting Islam included:
- Fear of the Prophet’s rapid rise to power.
- Social pressure from the Muslims.
- Hope for political exploitation and self-preservation.
The passing of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) was an opportunity for these individuals to reveal their resentment. Immediately afterward, they felt secure and unveiled their hidden grudges.
Historical Evidence of Concealed Hatred
Reports of conspiracies and hidden opposition to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) are found in credible Sunni and Shia sources, including:
- A) The Incident of the “Pen and Paper” The Prophet of God (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) was on his deathbed, surrounded by a group of companions. The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) asked for a pen and paper to write something important for the Islamic Ummah (community). Suddenly, one of the attendees said: إنَّ الرَجُل لَیَهْجُر (قَد غَلَبَ عَلیهِ الوَجَع)! حسبنا کتاب الله؛”The man is raving (the pain has overcome him)! The Book of God is sufficient for us”. Sahih Bukhari, Kitab Al-Maghazi, Chapter 84, Hadith 5. Sahih Muslim, Kitab al-Wasiya, chapter 6, Hadith 8. Ibn Abi al-Hadid, Commentary on Nahj al-Balagha, vol. 12, p. 21
This was the first overt act of disobedience to the Prophet’s command.
- B) The Assassination Plot at al-Aqabah” The esteemed Prophet of Islam (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) often spoke to the Muslims about the plot of some hypocrites to murder him, and this is widely reported in Islamic sources. For instance, Tafsir al-Kabir by Fakhr al-Razi mentions the assassination plot against the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) on his return from the Battle of Tabuk, under the commentary for verse 74 of Surah al-Tawbah. Al-Tafsir Al-Kabir (Mafateeh Al Ghaib), Fakhr Razi, Muhammad bin Omar, volume 16, page 103
- C) The Messenger of God’s Prophecies About Oppression of the Ahl al-Bayt Sources from both Sunni and Shia traditions state that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) repeatedly warned about the future of his Ummah. Among these warnings are:
- « إِنِّي تَارِكٌ فِيكُمُ اَلثَّقَلَيْنِ مَا إِنْ تَمَسَّكْتُمْ بِهِمَا لَنْ تَضِلُّوا بَعْدِي كِتَابَ اَللَّهِ وَ عِتْرَتِي أَهْلَ بَيْتِي وَ إِنَّهُمَا لَنْ يَفْتَرِقَا حَتَّى يَرِدَا عَلَيَّ اَلْحَوْضَ؛ “Indeed, I am leaving among you two weighty things (al-Thaqalayn): as long as you adhere to them, you will not go astray after me: the Book of God and my ’Itrah (progeny), my Household. And verily, the two shall never separate until they meet me at the Pond (of Kawthar)”. Sahih Muslim, Vol. 4, Hadith 2408.
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- « فَاطِمَةُ بَضْعَةٌ مِنِّی فَمَنْ آذَاهَا فَقَدْ آذَانِی وَ مَنْ آذَانِی فَقَدْ آذَی اللَّهَ؛ “Fatimah is a part of me. Whoever harms her has indeed harmed me, and whoever harms me has indeed harmed God”. Musnad Ahmad, Vol. 4, Page 323&328.
- قال عبد الله بن العبّاس: لمّا حضرت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله الوفاة بكى حتّى بلّت دموعه لحيته، فقيل له: يا رسول الله، ما يبكيك؟ فقال صلى الله عليه وآله: أبكي لذرّيّتي وما تصنع بهم شرار أمّتي من بعدي، كأنّي بفاطمة بنتي وقد ظلمت بعدي وهي تنادي: يا أبتاه، فلا يعينها أحد من أمّتي، فسمعت ذلك فاطمة عليها السلام فبكت، فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله: لا تبكين يا بنيّة، فقالت عليها السلام: لست أبكي لما يصنع بي من بعدك، ولكنّي أبكي لفراقك يا رسول الله، فقال صلى الله عليه وآله لها: أبشري يا بنت محمّد بسرعة اللحاق بي، فإنّك أوّل من يلحق بي من أهل بيتي؛
Abdullah ibn al-Abbas narrated: “When the passing of the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) approached, he wept until his tears wet his beard. He was asked, ‘O Messenger of God, what makes you weep?’ He replied: ‘I weep for my children and what the worst of my Ummah will do to them after me. I can almost see my daughter Fatimah being oppressed after me, and she cries out, ‘O Father!’ but no one from my Ummah helps her.’ When Fatimah (peace be upon her) heard this, she wept. The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) told her: ‘Do not weep, my daughter.’ Fatimah (peace be upon her) responded: ‘I am not weeping for what will be done to me after you, but I weep for your separation, O Messenger of God.’ The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) then told her: ‘Be happy, O daughter of Muhammad, for you shall soon join me. You are the first of my Household to join me.'” Bihar Al Anwar, Vol. 43, Page 156.
These indications show that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) knew that his Household would face oppression after him.
Why Was Lady Fatimah (as) the First Target of Hostility?
Lady Fatimah (peace be upon her) was not an ordinary person or merely the Prophet’s daughter. From a historical, political, and religious perspective, she was the most significant obstacle to the political deviation that sought to establish itself after the Prophet’s passing.
- In the view of the opponents of the Ahl al-Bayt, she was:
- The Living Reminder of the Prophet
Her face, behaviour, voice, and even her manner of walking resembled the Prophet. Sunan al-Tirmidhi, in the section on the merits of Fatimah, states: «کانت فاطمة أشبه الناس برسول اللّه؛ “Fatimah was the person most similar to the Messenger of God”.
Her personality, voice, gaze, and conduct directly reminded people of the Prophet. Anyone who harboured hatred towards the Prophet naturally expressed their animosity through resentment towards her.
- The Principal Defender of Wilayah (Authority)
Fatimah al-Zahra (peace be upon her) was the most prominent voice of protest against the political situation following the Prophet’s death.
Her sermon in the Mosque (Khutbah Fadakiyyah), her courageous demands, her Quranic arguments, and her political actions in defence of the Commander of the Faithful (Ali), and her resistance to the deviation, were extremely dangerous to certain factions.
- From the perspective of the new government:
- As long as Fatimah was alive, nothing was settled.
- As long as the Prophet’s daughter openly called the ruling government unjust, their political legitimacy remained incomplete.
Therefore, the pressure on her was not merely personal hatred; it was a conscious and purposeful movement to silence the voice of truth.
- The Symbol of the “Prophetic Inheritance”
In the incident of Fadak, the issue was not primarily the land. Rather, it was whether the Prophet’s daughter had the right to rise against the government, and whether the new government was willing to accept the rights of the Prophet’s family.
The usurpation of Fadak had only one goal: to break Fatimah’s social and political influence.
Enmity After the Prophet’s Demise: Swift and Overt Violence
Although God explicitly stated: « قُل لا أسألُكُم عَلَيهِ أجرًا إلّا المَوَدَّةَ فِي القُربى؛”Say (O Prophet): ‘I ask of you no reward for it except love for the near relatives'” (Surah Al-Shura: 23) , historical evidence (from both parties’ sources) shows that the hostility towards Lady Fatimah (peace be upon her), as the most certain member of the Prophet’s Household, quickly and violently manifested after the Prophet’s passing. The time between her martyrdom and the Prophet’s demise (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) was only a few weeks, not years. This in itself demonstrates that the hostility towards her was a political and ideological enmity; the hatred existed beforehand, and the Prophet’s death provided an opportunity for its execution.
Some examples of this hostility include:
- Threat to Burn the House
Tarikh al-Tabari, Al-Imamah wa al-Siyasah, and Sharh Nahj al-Balaghah by Ibn Abi al-Hadid report that a group attacked the Lady’s home and declared: لتخرجن او لاحرقنها علی من فیها ، “You must leave, or I will burn the house upon those within it”. Al-Imamah Wa al-Siyasa al-Maruf bi Al Tarikh Al Khilafa, Ibn Qutaiba (276 AD), Sharif Razi Publications, Vol. 1, p. 30.
- The Door Pressure and Physical Injuries to Lady Fatimah (as)
Although Sunni historians have written less about the details, even they have not denied the fundamental fact of the assault on the house. Shia sources, since the first century of the Hijra, have considered her martyrdom to be the result of this assault and the injuries sustained from it.
- The Bequest to Be Buried at Night and Conceal the Grave
This is the strongest evidence of her oppression (mazlumiyyah). Lady Fatimah (peace be upon her) instructed:
- “I enjoin you that none of these who oppressed me should attend my funeral, for they are my enemies and the enemies of the Messenger of God. Do not allow any of them or their followers to pray over me and bury me at night when the eyes have rested and the sights have slept.” أوصيك أن لا يشهد أحد جنازتي من هؤلاء الذين ظلموني فإنّهم عدوّي وعدوّ رسول اللّه ، ولا تترك أن يصلّي عليّ أحد منهم ولا من أتباعهم ، وادفني في الليل إذا هدأت العيون ونامت الأبصار ؛
- “Bury me at night, not during the day; secretly, not openly; and conceal the location of my grave.” «وادفني ليلا لا نهارا ، وسرّا لا جهارا ، وعفّ موضع قبري
If this oppression was minor, why should the grave of the Prophet’s daughter remain hidden until the Day of Judgment?
- The Link Between the Enmity Towards Lady Fatimah (as) and Imam Husayn (as)
The hostility towards the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them) has a single historical and psychological connection. The same animosity that began at Saqifah reached its peak at Karbala. The same ideology, motivated by hatred and animosity toward the Prophet of Islam, harmed Lady Fatimah and led to her martyrdom, was the same ideology that cried out on the Day of Ashura: نقاتلک بغضاً لأبیک، “We fight you out of hatred for your father,” meaning, “O Husayn, we fight you because of our enmity toward your father”73.
In effect:
- Saqifah was the first stage of removing the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them).
- The martyrdom of Fatimah (peace be upon her) was the second stage.
- And Ashura was the third stage.
History shows a single, continuous line.
The Continuation of Enmity in History: From Distortion to Denial
The hostility towards Lady Fatimah (peace be upon her) was not limited to the early years of Islam. Over time, it changed its face and appeared in new forms.
Phase One: Historical Distortion
Many official historians of the Caliphate sought to minimize the event of the assault on Fatimah’s home or entirely omit it, as any power that benefits from a certain historical narrative fight to preserve it.
Despite these efforts, the traces of this oppression remained in hundreds of sources.
Phase Two: Casting Doubt on the Martyrdom of Lady Fatimah (as)
Today, some individuals who are unwilling to accept the deviation in the early Islamic society attempt to deny the martyrdom of Lady Fatimah (peace be upon her). This is because accepting her martyrdom means accepting the existence of deviation in the Islamic society right from the beginning.
Furthermore, admitting the martyrdom of Fatimah (peace be upon her) undermines the legitimacy of certain historical factions.
However, in recent decades, even Sunni researchers have considered the martyrdom of Lady Fatimah to be the most probable historical report.
The goal of this soft war is to eliminate the political and ideological impact of Lady Fatimah’s personality (peace be upon her).
