~Ya Maulaati, Ya Fatima, grant me a rank as your khadima, It is only your servant that I wish to be, as I pray for

Allah to be pleased with me.~

Glimpses of the Most Radiant

Part 1: On Sayyida Fatima and Laylat ul-Qadr That night which is better than a thousand months, has come again to us, and so we are blessed, To have been given this Divine invitation from Allah, this night of ibadah, that is truly a test, Wa ma adraaka ma Laylat ul-Qadr---how often do we recite this Holy verse? But do we ever contemplate the reasons why, this night is superior to all of the rest? To even begin to understand its meaning, we must take our minds back to the origin of time, When there was nothing but Allah, with His Everlasting Glory, that Noor which is Eternal and so very Sublime, Allah is He who has no beginning nor end, and Allah is He who has the Greatest Plan, Careful steps are required to see the beauty of His Order, is this a path that you are willing to climb? If so, then know that Allah brought from His Noor, the Light of Muhammad; and from Muhammad, the Light of Ali, Fatima, Hasan, Husayn, and the nine Holy sons--Noorun 'ala noorin (24:35), are the Lights that complete the Holy Family, Of these fourteen Lights, if we glance at just one, that Noor of the Noble and Immaculate Fatima, Then our vision and souls will be awakened to Truth, Truth that is clear for eyes willing to see. Adam and Hawwa asked Allah if there is, anything better than them, and were told to explore, Adam wandered until he found such a thing---a large floating ruby dome that he had not seen before, With no chain to hold it up, and no pillar of support from below, Adam focused on the image inside, It was a girl with a crown, and necklace, and earrings; falling into sajda he asked Jibraeel to tell its story and more. Jibrail said that Allah ordered her to be and she was, and that is her essence, she is an angelic maid, The crown is her father, the necklace, her husband, and the earrings, her sons, creations of the highest grade, The dome has 100,00 doors, and on each door there are one thousand angels that reside, This dome is seen from a distance by Heaven's people, as a shining pink planet that does never fade. Rasoolullah has said that we Ahlulbayt, praised Allah, as Anwaar reciting countless tasbeeh, Our Noor did sweat, and from each drop of this, was created the soul of each future Nabi, This was thousands of years before other creation, our Noor is this ancient, do you not know? Allah created us so that everyone could learn, the proper way of takbeer, tahmeed, and tasbeeh. From Muhammad's Noor, the 'Arsh was created, it is that highest point which is called the Throne, And from the Noor of Ali, Allah made the Angels, thus their beauty is from Ali, and not of their own, The suns and moons are from the Noor of Hasan, while Jannah and its maids are from the Noor of Husayn, And Fatima's Noor was behind the creation of, the seven skies and earths, as they are known. Allahuma inni as-aluka bihaqqi...Fatima wa anta faatiru samawaati wal ardh, we repeat, We ask Allah for the sake of Fatima, by His Name Faatir, a name so elite, Faatir is the one who brings about existence, the Originator who made all the skies and the earths, Without this name, the entire system of creation, could not ever be said to have been complete. Wa lillaahil asmaa ul-husna (7:180), the Most Beautiful Names to Allah belong, Not all can handle the truth of this matter, only those whose imaan is surely strong, Imam as-Sadiq said we are those names, we Ahlulbayt, the creations from Noor, Our merits and every fadha-il of ours, are from Allah directly, the list is so long. Now take a look and study this Hadith--Hadith al-Qudsi that is from Allah's point of view, Ya Ahmad, laulak, ma khalaqtul aflaak: O Ahmad, I would not have created the universe if not for you, Laula 'Ali ma khalaqtuka, And if not for Ali, then I would not have created you says the Lord, Laula Fatima, lima khalaqtukuma, And if not for Fatima, then I would not have created either of you two! These are strong and fine words, but how do we understand them, you ask, Surely, to comprehend the essence of Wilayah, is here the single most important task, Risalah needs a guardian, and not just one, but a chain that will last to the end, Fatima is that Noor, who can be said is wearing, Risalah and Imamah as a mirror or mask. She is majma'tan-noorayn--the one who does, serve as the merging of the two Lights, Both Risalah and Imamah are protected by her, yet we are still not aware of the nature of her rights, Read Hadith al-Kisa and you will find, that Allah tells Jibraeel of his chosen few,

The four Lights are introduced with their relation to Fatima, this is among the most beautiful sights. In Dua at-Tawassul, you plead with the Masters, as you heart does proclaim, Ya Wajeehan 'Indallah! You ask the Holy Ones by stating their status, that they are the Intimate and those near Allah, Sayyida Fatima has nine special names--given not by her mother or even her father, Yet these names are with and from her Divine Creator, these nine names are also 'Indallah. Siddiqa is she who is not merely honest, but who is the Greatest Honest Saint, who is Truthful to all, Every word that she speaks is sincere and exact, whether in front of the people, or behind a curtain or wall, She is trustworthy and loyal, to Allah and His Deen, and to her family, and every person of good, It suffices to say, that her Khutbah of Fadak, was not just a speech, but an earth-shaking call. Zakiyya is the one who is pious and innocent, full of virtue and honor; a model for all women--Nisa, And who else but Tahira, the purest of the pure, could be the center of the renowned Hadith al-Kisa? Allah protects her and her family from every impurity, no stain can reach them, this is the essence of Tat-heer (33:33), It is Allah's desire to keep Ahlulbayt pure, proven by Innama yureed ullaaho li yudh-hiba 'ankum ur-rijsa... Muhaddatha is a name granted by Allah, to his Divine Maid on Earth with whom the angels speak, It was Jibraeell who sought to comfort my Lady's grief, when her suffering and sadness was at its peak, When Rasoolullah departed from the earthly world, Fatima's days and nights were full of pain, And yet the people would say, to my Holy Lady, that they did not wish to hear from her a cry or shriek. This Muhaddatha is she who possessed a book, which is now in the hands of her last Holy son, That mas-haf is a Divine gift in itself, the entire map of creation, given by Allah to this chosen one, How high is the status of one who is given, all history, written: past, present, and future? Besides her Creator and her Holy family, who can recognize her true status? None. Mubaraka is she who is infinitely blessed, just look to the Quran and Surat ul-Kawthar, She is the abundance, that goodness which has no end, any person of reason would surely concur, Just take a long look at the Earth, and you will see her children spread throughout its lands, Even the plants, animals, birds, and the earth itself, know that goodness and blessings are from her. Raadhiya, Allah has named this content one, she who is pleased with what Allah desired, She was aware of course, of the tragedies to fall, but her soul knew that sabr was required, The Quran tells us that the power of shafa' is for those with whom the Almighty Rahman is pleased(20:109), And through this name we see that Allah has given, this power to her, for she is so admired. Mardhiyya is the pleasing, and the emotions of Fatima are indeed the universe's Divine measure, For she is the one for whom Allah has said, the pleasure and happiness of Fatima is My Pleasure. And with this, know that the anger of Fatima causes the anger of Allah, about this there is no doubt, The Divinely connected emotion of Mardhiyya to her Perfect Creator, is a symbol of her status: a manifested treasure. The name Zahra is created from the Light, of the Glory of Allah, that limitless Subhaan, The Noor of Zahra, illuminated in such a way, that towards sajda, every single angel was drawn, That light was too much for the angels to take, they were nearly blinded by a glimpse from the Noor of Zahra, And imagine that now, looking at her child's face--the Saadaat, is an 'ibadah just as it is to look at the Quran. When Zahra does stand for salaat at each time, her Noor shines to the creatures of all the seven skies, It is similar to the way that we see the stars in the heavens, except that we view with only our eyes, We creatures are limited, and cannot use all our senses, we cannot even stare at the sun without pain, The Noor of Zahra is beyond our thoughts' capacity, but it is essential for us, to at least try to recognize. The morning white of the sun is from Fatima at fajr, and its yellow later on is from her prayers in the afternoon, In the evening we see, the redness of the sun, that is red light from Fatima at maghrib, nearly maroon, These are only bits of her Glorious Light, for on the Earth, only the Ma'soom can handle this Noor, When Fatima prays, her full light is shown, to Maula Ali who praises Allah and falls into sajda so soon. For the Greatest of All Women, the Leader of All Women of the Worlds, there is one especially important name, It is not a characteristic as her other Holy titles, but is the essence of her being, as Allah did proclaim, That name is Fatima, the grandest name of the Holy one, and from this, two meanings have been made clear, It is the first name given to my Holy Lady, and its source is that Noor from which her soul came. She has been named Fatima because she and her family, and those who love her are protected from the fire, Her followers cannot be touched by the flames, and who says so otherwise, can be called a liar, But Fatima has also been given this name, because the people have been prevented from truly knowing her, Try as we may, we cannot fully understand, her status and rank, even though we inquire.

These nine names were given to the Holy one, in the beginnings of time, by the Almighty Allah, But there are other titles, by which she is known, including the Mother of Her Father: Umm-e-Abiha. Her Holy father is Rahmata lil-'Aalameen, the Mercy upon the worlds, and yet, We know that a daughter herself is a mercy, so the mercy for the Prophet is his daughter Fatima. But Mother of her Father, what else can this mean? To examine this, we refer back to the Grand Plan of Noor, Recognize that Muhammad and Ali are two halves of one Light, and with Fatima these halves unite again, ever pure, Fatima would bring forth eleven sons of Light, each one a copy of the essence of Muhammad, Thus when Rasoolullah said 'We are all Muhammad' it was not just a statement, but a historical trace, for sure. The Noor of each Imam, is from that First Noor, which Allah brought forth, at a time long ago, Imam al-'Askari said we are the Proofs, of Allah upon creation, each is Hujjatullah, do you know? And Fatima is Allah's Proof over us, it is through her that every Amr, or command is reflected, This status of Fatima, and her role in the the Universe, is that which Allah did gladly bestow. And now we are brought to the Truth of this night, with one final hadith from our Holy Rasool, He says that when he misses the heavens he smells Fatima, who is between his sides, his very soul, Fatima is the ruh of Rasoolullah, and Ali is the nafs, as we know from Mubahela, And in trying to understand the virtues of this night, we use the status of Fatima as our guiding tool. Inna anzalnaaho fi laylat il-qadr, here history of the Quranic descent is revealed, Wa ma adraaka ma laylat ul-qadr, this is the posed challenge, whose truth is concealed, Laylat ul-qadri khayrun min alfi shahr--the status of this night we feel and do know, But it is the next verse whereby which, our souls and minds can ultimately be healed. Tanazzalul malaa-ikatu war ruhu feeha, bi idhni rabbihim, min kulli amr, And the final line we do recite, Salaamun hiya hatta matla'il fajr, The angels and the Spirit descend it in, by the permission of their Lord, with news of every affair and decree, There is peace until the break of morning, that time after the time of sahr. The Quran to the Prophet was revealed, it was brought down upon his pure, flawless heart, This Night of Destiny is the one where news, of the entire year, is told from its start, Only the Ma'soom who are free from all filth, can hold in them the commands of Allah as such, The amount of knowledge descended, and the fate of the year, is something that none but the Ma'soom can chart. Tanazzalu is the key to these mind-blowing few words, the angels each year, on this night do descend, But to where is the question, for they need a pure heart, to receive the words that Allah does extend, Open your eyes and see that Fatima is the ruh, and heart of the Prophet, the Divine connection, It was her father, her husband, and then her sons who are, the receivers of Kulli Amr, until the world's end. Imam Al-Mahdi is that trace to Allah, in this night he takes in all decrees in their full scope, He is the Final Word, and Remainder of Allah (11:86), Baqiyatullah he is, the noble end of the rope, To be aware of his power, and rank given by Allah; this is an essential goal of this night, With your prayers and your pleading, know that Al-Mahdi, the last son of Zahra, is forever your hope. This Laylat ul-Qadr is a night of worship, don't just keep your body, but also your soul awake, Remember your sins, and shed grief at your self, pray with a live heart that does surely shake, Know that this is a time to express to your Creator, your hopes and fears, and course istighfaar, Let Allah see the reform in your soul, as the decisions about your future, He does make. We place the Holy Quran on our heads, in its shadow we recite the Holy Names as we sit, By the words of the Book, and those praised in its pages, we loudly proclaim that we do submit, This is the essence of Thaqalayn, that Quran and Ahlulbayt can never be apart, On this Holy Night, we should make a vow, that forever to their words we do surely commit. The 'aamaal are many, on this night of Fate, we read Jaushan al-Kabeer, shielded with its armor, These one thousand names of Allah do protect, the believers from whatever harm could occur, With your salaat and dua, recitations and all, remember that the words should enlighten your soul, Think about your existence, and place in this world, and do not let this night, pass by as a blur. The likely nights of Power, have been noted as three, of the 19th, 21st, and the 23rd, The possible locations of the qabr of Zahra, are also three, as from history we have heard, Jannat ul-Baqi', the house of her Holiness, or that Holy Garden that is like Paradise, The truth of these secrets will only be revealed by Imam al-'Asr, Allah's Remaining Word. Ameer ul-Momineen said that Surat ul-Qadr is the fruit of the Quran, that gives the oppressed one ease, It is a shield and the decoration of the Book, it is almost like one of the Divinely given Keys, Who else but Fatima is this decoration and shield, she will save her lovers from that blazing fire,

Ask Allah for all in the name of Fatima, for her sake, while you pray and express your heart's pleas. In this night do not forget her son, the Proof of Allah, who sees all in the earth and in the skies, Recite the du'a for his safety, for in this night it was revealed; be a noble servant asking your Maula to arise, Read the du'a as many times as you can, Allahuma kun-le waliyyikal hujjat ibnil Hasan, Salawaatuka 'alayhi wa 'ala aabaa-ih, fi haadhihi saa'at wa fi kulli saa'at, but do repeat it with tears in your eyes. Waliyyan wa haafidhan, wa qaa-idan wa naasira, wa daleelan wa 'ayna, Allah will protect our Imam, Hatta tuskinahu ardhaka tow'aa wa tumattiahu feeha taweela--he will live for a long time and spread Islam. My Master, we stand here awaiting your command, InshaAllah when the time comes, we will be ready to serve, Until then, each year when this night is upon us, the least we can do is send you our salaam. Part 2: On Sayyida Fatima and her early life and traits Some secrets of that Holy Night, the Night of Qadr, have been revealed, Yet the status of my Lady, the Radiant Zahra, is still somewhat by time concealed, The earthly stage of Sayyida, her birth and life I seek to share, So perhaps the knowledge of her Light, will serve the momin as a shield. On the 20th of Jamadul Akhirah, in Holy Makkah a Noor did shine, A Heavenly maid, in human form, was born to Khadija as a marked sign, From above descended those women, of noble rank to give their aid, Maryam, Aasiya, Umm Kulthoom and Sarah, assisted in the birth of a child Divine. Every human is to be carried, generation to next, from father to son, Then son becomes father, the cycle repeats, as both daughters and sons are born one by one, Zahra is she, let truth be told, who was not brought forth in this stated way, From Allah to Muhammad she was directly placed, a fruit whose seed in Tuba had begun. Can Zahra be cast as similar to others, any person on this vast Earth? Undoubtedly no, for she spoke to her mother, even before her purified birth, How blessed is the station of Lady Khadija, the one to bring forth this special flower, This grand event that lighted the skies, tells of both Fatima and Khadija's worth. When Zahra was born, her Noor did cause, every house in Makkah to glow, White clothes of Heaven were sent for her, and water which in Kawthar did flow, Spoken from her Holy lips, were words of shahadah and greetings to all, Name by name to all those present, as they rejoiced in her Light that Allah did bestow. Illuminated was all east to west, as full of joy and smiling was Maryam, She knew her son Isa would be, the doorguard of Fatima's final son, With my Lady's arrival on this realm, works of Grand Design can be seen, Through her, perfection will be achieved, and fulfilled by her family, each Holy one. The Creator created the Holy Ones--Lights to serve as the means to reach, Himself, the Almighty Lord of all, for they were sent to Earth to teach, Both the humans and jinn alike, to remind them of their lofty roots, Through books, actions, speech and silence, each Divine Guide was chosen to preach. The beloved of Allah, Al-Mustafa, was one half of the purest Holy Light, His brother, the only Ameer ul-Momineen, was his compliment and other half, equally bright, Zahra is she who unites the halves, into the whole and in this way, From her eleven Lights will pour, heirs to Muhammad and 'Ali's Divine Right. Grievous was the day in Shahru Ramadhan, when the mother of Fatima said goodbye, Still a child was the precious Zahra, as she and her father began to cry, Khadija was left to watch her daughter, from her palace in the skies above, Until the day of reuniting, when the soul of Fatima to Heaven did fly. When Zahra did come of age there was, an event that had not been seen before, Requests had come, but Rasoolullah waited, for the plan that Allah had in store, Sarsaeel in his massive presence, descended to Earth and told of the plan, He was commanded by Allah to marry, Fatima to 'Ali, Noor to Noor. Jibraeel, Mikaeel, and Israfeel were granted, permission to fly down and view this great act, The two Perfect Ones were joined in marriage, bound by this beautiful Heavenly pact, Raheel in his glorious voice near the Arsh, gave a sermon--the entire marriage speech, This marriage was indeed sanctified in Heaven, before reaching Earth--this is a fact.

The first of Dhulhijjah was this day, in which the black-eyed maids of Heaven did rejoice, The marriage was by the will of Allah, as quiet was 'Ali and Fatima's voice, The match for Zahra was only one, there could be no other but Imam 'Ali, Zahra's silence was indicative of, her being pleased in her Creator's choice. What is a dowry, but a great gift, something that belongs solely to a bride? Women prefer gold, jewels and clothing, evident gifts to show and not hide, Zahra is like no other woman, and asked for a power, that gift of shafa', When The Day arises, she will save the sinners, her lovers from all places far and wide. Who are those two seas that indeed meet: marajal bahrayni yaltaqiyaan? And the barrier between them who cannot be passed: baynahuma barzakhun la yabghiyaan? Fatima and 'Ali are these distinct seas, while Rasoolullah is the barzakh between, Then which of your Lord's bounties will you deny: fa bi-ayyi aalaa-i rabbikuma tukadhibaan? (55:19-21)? This marriage and union is the model for all, and its fruits are not ordinary says the Quran, Yakhruju minhun al-lulu wal marjan: pearls and coral from them emerge, clearly states Surat-ur-Rahman (55:22), Hasan and Husayn are indeed these treasures, revealed as the greatness produced by these seas, What is their status and who are these youth? Open and read Surat ul-Insan. These two young children, Noor from Noor, had vowed with their parents to fast three days, Zahra would make some loaves of bread, but cries would come in multiple ways, First the poor man, then the orphan, and on the third night a captive came, For three days the Holy Ones did not eat, a feat which stilll stands to amaze. Hungry were the noble four, and along with them, their pious maid, The vow was kept, the fasts were proper, and then Rasoolullah had prayed, Down descended Jibraeel, and with him brought a Heavenly meal, This is only the tip of reward, for such creations of the highest grade. If you seek to know more of Zahra, then flip open the Quran page by page, Kawthar is the title of Zahra, that abundance which does not decrease with age, Saadaat are plentiful as the children of Zahra, are scattered throughout the many lands, Charity, help, kindness and blessings, do flow through her, at every time and stage. A nurse she was, at Badr and Ohud, the kind flower, helping her father--her root, She prayed for others during the nights, while in awe watched her sons, the Masters of youth, Every noble quality you know, increase it to the maximum you can withstand, Then you will see, why only Zahra, raised the bravest daughters, the standards of Truth. That day you know, when the Holy Prophet, arrived at his daughter's house to be near, Brought forth was revelation of the verse, that declaration known as tat-heer (33:33), The center of Ahlulbayt is only one, the one whose name Allah did state, Hum Fatima to me, is the beautiful essence, of this greatest event and its tafseer. And what is to say of the meeting between, the Christians of Najran and the Holy Ones (3:61)? Muhammad and his self 'Ali were there, as were Hasan and Husayn, named as "our sons," Representing "our women" was a single lady, whose Light shined upon her beloved four, The bishop said peace, for he saw these were pious, the ones who could move mountains of tons. The Holy Prophet was sent to preach, but did he ask for a thing in return? Yes, for he asked the Muslims to love, those for whom his heart did yearn (42:23), His Ahlulbayt, the love for them--muwwadah, is the most excellent act, Do every good deed with their love, and the Prophet's love, you too shall earn. Fatima is that central love, that piece of the Prophet, the fruit that cannot fall, A teacher, helper and revolutionary she was, unafraid to speak Truth if that was the call, They say that paradise lies under the feet, of a mother, so then think of Hasanayn, For them their Jannah is under Zahra's feet, yet they are the Masters of youth one and all. What more can be said of Sayyida's life, every minute was in service to her Lord, She gave to the poor, was the model of hayaa, took care of her family, and always looked toward... The next act of 'ibadah and noble step, that was in the path of Allah's pleasure, Sayyida the Immaculate, the Pious, the Righteous: this is the image history should record. One day Zahra asked her father for help; he said he would grant her the greatest gift, The tasbeeh, the perfect praise of Allah, has such power that through it--any problem will shift,

It is superior to this world, and all therein, better than a servant--it holds such a rank, A treasure more valuable than anything else, with it, prayers are answered, ever so swift. This tasbeeh is comprised of three special phrases: Allaho Akbar, Alhamdolillah, SubhanAllah we repeat, After finishing salat one should recite these words, even before moving one's feet. Say La ilaha illAllah upon its completion, and know that Allah will forgive your sins, The Masoom have promised that if you do this, wajib upon you becomes Jannah's seat. What has Imam Al-Baqir said, concerning the virtues of this beautiful act, Allah is not worshipped, by anything more worthy than this tasbeeh: hear this fact, Had there been anything greater, then surely the Prophet would gift it to Fatima, The careful words of the fifth Imam, are Divine Truths that no one can retract. Study Allaho Akbar and what will you find, you may in your mind say Allah is Great, But the reality is ever above this thought, this short phrase is not one that we can translate, I could say that Allah is superior to all, the Greatest Existence, the Most Powerful Might, Yet still this falls short in describing Allah, for His Essence is more vast than any named trait. Alhamdolillah, a most peaceful phrase, is one that we utter, time and again, All Praise is for Allah, the Master of all, the Creator, Sustainer, the only one who can... Be thanked for all that was and is, or ever will be, till the end of time, Thank Allah and forever sing his Praises; it makes no difference where or when. SubhanAllah you hear, from the voices of the pious, those who are aware and truly realize, That the Glory of Allah is beyond our cognition, Allah is He whom the soul does recognize, The Originator of all that ever existed, the Creator of the fourteen Lights, How Glorious is our Lord, that singular Essence, the one to whom each, returns when he or she dies. And La ilaha illAllah, the essential tahleel, what place does this hold in the grand scheme? It has such a status that the Almighty says, this phrase is My Fortress and thus it does seem, That all of Deen is in this one statement, state it with imaan and the Fortress you will enter, But remember that entrance has conditions, no doubt, the Wilayah of those whom Allah does deem. The nature of the tasbeeh of Fatima is one, that Imam As-Sadiq says it is more liked by me, Than 1000 rakat of mustahab salat--compare it to the night of Qadr, and surely you will see, That in one instance Allah does say, this night is better than 1000 months, And in the other, the words of the Masoom speak, of the highest rank of this worthy tasbeeh. Recite it without gap, slowly and with thought, and indeed you will find it to be a cure, For distress, affliction, excess of sins, and anything that the heart suffers from and more, The Masoom have said that the salat without it, is thrown back to the servant, and thus it is called... The adornment of salat, the act that makes it, worthy of being received by Heaven's Lighted Door. The first masbaha, the physical tasbeeh, was made by my Lady, from a blue wool thread, In it thirty-four knots she did tie, markers of the Holy words to be read, After Ohud and the shahadah of the Noble Hamza, Sayyida did go to his grave to make, Beads from the soil of the blessed earth, that held the shaheed for whom tears were shed. The history of this tasbeeh is clear, but are you aware of the secrets it does hold? You only need to glance at the Kaaba, understand its structure, and you will behold, That the Kaaba has four corners, just as Bayt-ul-Ma'moor, as does the Arsh, of Allah the Most High, The Arsh exists, and is supported by, these four special phrases, more precious than gold. Thus after salat, and at any time, recite the tasbeeh and seek forgiveness for wrong, Adhkuru Allaha dhikran katheera (33:41), among this group you will surely belong. Those who remember Allah with much remembrance, they are the winners in this world and the next, And so let it be said, that the tasbeeh of Fatima, is one that keeps both the body and soul strong. How gracious is the Noble Rasool, who granted this gift to the piece of his heart? This Praise of Allah, that stands above all, is forever with Zahra, never apart, This Lady who towers over every woman, from first to last, the young and the old, Is verily the height of character and virtue, piety and every noble quality, so smart. Some important narrations in the life of Zahra, mentioned in the Book, I hope you did see, Here life was the epitome of obedience to Allah, and soon you will learn of her bravery, On the days that came in her later life, her era of sadness that cannot be ignored, For it was on the twenty-eighth of Safar, when Zahra was struck with great tragedy... Part 3: On Sayyida Fatima, her khutbah and her tragedies

The day had come when the best of creation, was called to return to Heavens Light, But a few days earlier, that tragic Thursday, was the time when calamity first took flight, Our Rasool had asked for ink and paper, to record his final will and ever-lasting words, Yet there were those who said the Quran was enough, and told the Rasool that he could not write. What can I say of those accursed ones, the ones who initiated every level of pain? Their status and rank, as the lowest of low, will be clear on That Day, as these words will explain, We must seek to travel backward in time, to open our history page by page, For this is the means to gather Truth, and will Truth, marifah one will obtain. The Prophets time on this earthly sphere, was edging near its fateful end, In these precious moments of final breath, to whom did his pious hand extend? Ali came forward, and was gifted with, one thousand branches of sacred ilm, From which another thousand did sprout, just as Allah did intend. The blessed head of the Rasool, rested on the lap of his noblest brother, While Zahra was also in the room, the daughter whom the Prophet called his mother, Who, in the entire existence of creation, are more closely bonded, than these Holy three? The Noble Prophet, in his final moments, desired only his nafs, his rooh, and no other. Alas arrived that fated darkness, the hour on Safars twenty-eighth day, A caller knocked on Zahras door, but my Lady asked the stranger to go away, On the third knock the Prophet told Zahra, to let him in for he could not be stopped, This stranger was none other than the Angel of Death, the visitor whom one cannot delay. The Prophet recited from the Quran, then flew away with his companion Jibraeel, But do you realize why that angel did knock, the bringer of death known as Izraeel? This one does take the spirit away, by the order of Allah, and yet we do see, That he first sought the permission of Zahra, to enter her abode to contract the deal. What can you say about that door, at which Malak ul-Maut seeks approval to enter? Some short hours later, that very same door, for Zahra, would be the means to torment her, The Prophet had passed, and the plotters did plot, as Saqifah became the origin of pain, The second had chosen the first as the leader, as a result of the talks held in that center. Where were the nobles at this time, those whom the Prophet had always praised? Specifically, why was Ali not present, when these talks in Saqifah were raised? The Pure Rasool had not even been buried; Bani Hashim were busy in arranging the rites, And yet the supposed companions were ever, consumed with their goals, selfishly crazed. Ali did wash the Prophets body, as only a Noor can wash another Masoom, The final messenger of Allah was buried, as his pious family and believers were in gloom, The first and best of creation was prayed, upon by his brother--his most trusted one, Sadness had overcome this Lion of Allah, as his heart was now, the Prophets true tomb. And Zahra, what can we say of her grief, for she is that perfect and precious flower, Her fathers passing, struck at her roots, and this blossom did then fold over and cower, But my friends this was only the beginning of pain, for the rose that was from a tree of Heaven, For the events to occur in the coming days, that tragedy, inched closer hour by hour. You know of the incident, that horrific attack, that occurred when the oppressors did violently seek, The hand of Ali and his promise of allegiance, to the first one, that man who was timidly weak, He let the second push forward his name, as the heir to the governance of the lands of Islam, Yet all this man did was set the conditions, for a future that was undoubtedly bleak. Do you remember that the house of Ali, the house of Zahra, had a special door? It opened up to the masjid so, if you left it--you stood on the masjids floor, Then carefully think and conjure the image, in your mind of that flaming torch, The ones who sought to burn Zahras house, brought fire through the house of Allah, for sure.

This band of men, had gathered and knocked, at the door with fiery sticks to address, The Holy members of that house, as Zahra answered their call in distress, They desired the loyalty of Imam Ali, and would not leave until it was secured, Zahra then asked if they dared burn her house, and the answer came...a resounding yes. Fatima, the Paradise and soul of Muhammad, was behind the door, replying to the call, She told the intrusive ones to leave, but the door was now lit, and pushed to the wall, Ya Zahra, how can I express your pain, when you felt the life force of Mohsin fade, Your ribs were crushed, your body forced, to feel pain that would make the strongest man fall. The killing of Mohsin, the youngest shaheed, was not merely the murder of a single son, For with his death, one third of Saadaat, were prevented from living--a deed that cant be undone, O sisters, and all mothers, whenever you feel, an inkling of pain in your stomach or side, Remember to send salaam upon Mohsin, the baby who was not born, the most innocent one. Is it true, did Taghoot really attack, the house whose sixth member was Jibraeel? Qunfudh, Mugheerah, and the second oppressor, were so harsh that they hit my Queen with zeal, From hand to arm, to chest and more, Ya Zahra, you were even pierced with that nail, Did these men of evil not realize, that you were the daughter of the Prophets seal? The agony of Zahra had only begun, as out stepped my Maula to defend his wife, But the wretched had placed a noose on his neck, as his beloved was made to endure more strife, Slapped was Zahra, and hit with a sword, was this piece of the Prophet, who had never done wrong, The most perfect woman, to ever walk this Earth, was hurt and broken, only clinging to life. The leader of the believers was dragged through the streets, and I imagine the soil of Madina wept, The idols of Quraysh brought the Imam to a masjid, planning that they would make him accept, The authority and power of the accursed first, but my Lady, the Radiant, had a different plan, Zahra, though bruised and barely able to walk, made her way towards those people, in order to intercept. Sayyida as the most flawless female in creation, was devoted, wholeheartedly, to her family, She followed Quraysh and threatened them asking, if they wished to widow her by killing Ali, Zahra declared that she would uncover her head, rip her shirt and make her way to her fathers tomb, She would cry to her Lord, of the injustice and torture, she had suffered as did Allahs wali. With the children of Light at her side, Sayyida did make her declaration known, Ali told Salman to prevent his Queen, from exposing herself or it would be shown, That Madina itself would sink into the earth, this was the power of Fatimas anger, For Zahra is she whose anger causes, the anger of Allah, the owner of the Throne. The oppressors then had no choice except, to release the most pious man on Earth, The days passed as Zahra grieved her father, and the one to whom she could not give birth, Imam Ali built Bayt al-huzn, that House of Sadness, as a place wherein, Zahra could grieve as much as she wished, but the people did not recognize her status or worth. For Zahra was that daughter of Light, and was crying not only due to physical pain, But rather the cry of Zahra was an epic, display of disapproval and utter disdain, At the state of the ummah, the nation wherein, disease had reached so many so fast, The nation betrayed, the messenger, her father, this history is not hidden, but all too plain. Can you believe that the Prophets daughter, was told to either cry at day or night? The people complained that her wailing disturbed them--imagine, they thought her pain was slight, Did they not know that the great angel himself, Jibraeel descended to console Fatima, Her pain was such that if inflicted on day, it would turn into darkness--have you seen such a sight? It is essential to note here, that our Holy Queen is, intimately connected to the Creator, Allah, Fatima is this unique one whose anger, ignited the intense fire, naarun haamiyah , Her emotions are manifested in ways that we, nimble humans can only minutely grasp, Do you understand now, why the sky turned red, and poured blood on the fated Yaum ul-Ashura?

The newly selected man to govern, told the noblest woman that she had no claim, To the land of Fadak, that great gift which, the Prophet himself, gave his daughter by name, But Zahra knew that this gift was hers, and despite mans court she will be proven right, On That Day when Allah does call, each oppressor to come forward and be brought to shame. What exactly is the Khutbah of Fadak, and what did my Lady come forward to declare? It consists of words of Truth and Power, that should be studied--anytime and anywhere, Zahra chose a time when the masjid was full, and brought some women, her noble maids, A curtain was set, and the crowd was addressed, by the Holy Prophets daughter and only heir. And how did my Lady begin this historic, sermon that shook the very core of space? She wailed and cried before her fathers grave, as tears formed upon many a face, The people were shocked, and Zahra became silent, while waiting for their noises to cease, And then she began that speech of Haqq, that no evil or suppressor can ever erase. With Alhamdolillah the Queen began, for all that The Giver bestowed and provided, The thanks for His bounties cannot be measured, as they are undoubtedly multi-sided, Testifying tawheed and the reason for creation, Zahra told the people of the nature of Allah, He is the one who created the masses, to bring all toward obedience, as He had decided. My Lady then testified to the rank of Nubuwwah, announcing her father was Allahs slave, Muhammad, the messenger, was sent for a purpose: to cleanse hearts and shed light on what Allah gave, The given was Truth and knowledge of faith, lessons to keep one from going astray, May the Praise of Allah be upon Muhammad, whom Allah recalled to His Heavenly cave. Zahra then told the people that, Allah had given them this brilliant book, The Quran contains wisdom and leads to salvation, if only one were to take a look, Allah made belief to be the cure, the purifying means to get rid of the false, And so let us see what Zahra did say, of the Noble Quran, upon which the skies shook. Allah made salat as that exaltation, to keep the people from pride and conceit, And zakat is meant to purify the soul, and increase the rizq: it will not deplete, Fasting was prescribed as a means of devotion, and Hajj is verily the construct of Deen, Justice is indeed the harmony of the hearts, it teaches that one should never cheat. Obeying Ahlulbayt is management of the nation, and their leadership safeguards from disunity, Through jihad is the strengthening of Islam, while patience is Divine rewards opportunity, Amr bil maroof is for the good of the public, while kindness to parents safeguards from wrath, And maintaining relations with ones kin---causes longer life and multiplies the community. Qisas--that mode of retaliation, is a principle enacted for sparing blood and a soul, While fulfilling ones vows, brings one toward mercy, and that in itself is a desirable goal, For the merchant to give the correct weights and measures--this prevents the neglecting of rights, While wines have been forbidden to drink--you know they cause harm and lack of control. Avoidance of slander directed at people, and use of good speech, does protects one from curse, Abandoning theft---never do steal, this is a commandment of a Holy verse, Allah has prohibited polytheism, dont worship idols; this is the All Mightys command, For the purpose of life is to devote oneself, to His Lordship-- and be one whom He does not curse. Lady Fatima continued to say, that one should fear Allah as He should be feared, Seek to die in the state of Islam, toward good is how you should always be steered, Avoiding that which He has forbidden, is equally important for one and all, For the servants who have this taqwa and knowledge, they are the ones who are forever cheered. Next my Queen did profoundly affirm, that she is Fatima, and Muhammad is her father, She states it with conviction, pure belief and Truth, and her aim in this is not to bother, Instead, that Perfect Lady does seek,to remind the people, that she is the only one, In the entire nation who is entitled to be called: Allahs Holy Messengers daughter. Her fathers brother is her cousin Ali---no other man is privileged with this right, The townspeople before had been beasts, at that time when jahilliyah was at its height, Allah rescued the people through her father, and then indeed through her husband Ali, But the devil tricked many of them, and through this, the nation has been brought under plight. The eloquent Fatima then went on, to say that the nation did utterly betray, The legacy of her perfect father, for they banded together and went astray, The Prophet was not even been buried and yet, those ones were anxious to enact their plan,

My Queen said that Hell surrounds the unbelievers, those who have turned from the Straight Way. Zahra then said to the attentive crowd, Allahs Book is still amongst you, Its rules are clear, and commands are evident---but what are these people trying to do? They have casted the Quran aside, and have plotted against the Prophets kin, Those people have denied the Prophets daughter, her inheritance, that which to her is due. She directed her anger at that person who, claimed that the Prophets do not leave heirs, Then gave the examples of Dawood and Zakariyya--history proves that they gave shares-To their children, for this is the way, that Allah has stated in the Holy Book, And yet the oppressor believed that Fadak, was left to his authority and affairs. Fatima warned that when the Fated Day comes, That Day known as the Gathering, Allah will be the Judge, and Muhammad the claimant, for it will be The Day of Rising, Those who did wrong, will be the losers, and on That Day they cannot regret, The actions which in this world they did, for ones dunya, to the akhirah one must bring. Sayyida turned toward the Ansar, addressing them as great supporters of the nation, However, now they did not defend her, had they all forgotten her mighty station? She reminded them of the calamity, the tragedy that caused the earth to darken, The passing of her father, was that event, which eclipsed the stars and caused universal vibration. Thus she asked why they had changed---what made them confused after having believed, Zahra expressed her anger with them, for they had surely been carefully deceived, They dismissed the right of Ali, ignoring that call at the pond of Khum, My Lady knew that they would forsake her, and their betrayal, her heart perceived. Zahra then said to take it, bag it---the khilafah will be marked with Allahs wrath, Those who had clutched what is not meant for them, have been removed from the Straightest Path, And how did this Light end her powerful sermon, do you know which verse she loudly declared? It is that verse, that is so often recited, at the end of a majlis---you surely know that... Wa saya`lamu-lladheena dhalamu ayya munqalibin yanqaliboon (26:227), state the words of the Divine, The daughter of the Seal of Prophets did repeat, this ayah, for it is clearly a remarkable sign, Those who have been unjust will know, to what final place they will be turned back, The oppressors affairs and bad works will be judged, these evil acts are hardly benign. The son of Abu Quhafa then tried to insist, that the Prophet stated a different word, The Prophets are those who do not inherit nor leave heirs--this is what his ears had heard, Zahra then took the Quran as her witness, for it is the Truthful and most precise Judge, But the man and his people dismissed her case, and through this, Allahs wrath they incurred. Traditions say that it was about ninety days, after the passing of the Noble Rasool, When Fatima was set to join her father, the Kawthar on Earth would return to the Pool, The illness had struck, the pains were intense, as Zahra did cry in her finals days, Her fathers presence her heart did miss, that Light which was both soothing and cool. My Queen did spend these days in seclusion, thinking of her father with sadness and distress, Fatima called upon Bilal to recite, the Adhaan, for surely his voice had finesse, But as he began with Allaho Akbar, the tears of my Lady had no end in sight, He continued for a bit, until Zahra, was overcome with grief that her soul did confess.. The House of Sorrows, is not a merely a place, a structure or building in which Zahra cried, It is the symbol until the end of time, for how the Holiest of creation were ever denied... By the people of various times and lands, of the rights and respect that they so deserved, Every sadness and pain and tragedy to come, began in Madina--before spreading outside. Have you ever considered why we ask Allah, to curse the second one with such passion? Some people do say, that tabarra is simply, words that express dissatisfaction, The truth is much more profound than this, can your senses handle this heavy matter? Tabarra is that flame, burning inside; it is the cause and means for the momin to take action. Open and read Ziyarat ul-Ashura, and you will find that the first ones to be cursed, By Allah, are not Yazid or Shimr, but those whose stations are surely the worst,

Fa la`an allaho ummatan as-sasat asaasa-dhulmi wal jawri `alaykum ahlalbayt, Do you understand the power of this statement? These are Divine words that cannot be reversed. We ask Allah to condemn and damn those, who laid down the basis for this system of ill, That set the foundations for leading people astray--they are Taghoot and it is soon that they will... Know just how very wrong they were, in turning aside from the Ahlulbayt, This curse means that no blessings will reach, those evils ones--a vow Allah will fulfill. You have not fathomed tabarra until, you seek to denounce every type of oppression, Against man, woman, child, or any creature--you must be against all modes of suppression, Do you not know that the wali of Allah, asked for milk to be given to his ruthless assailant? These acts, the Masoom have not done out of pity, they are lessons of the most worthy expression. Rid yourself of all traits, that are of the Taghoot, distance their actions from your very being, When you see others engaging in wrong, do stop and tell them why you are disagreeing, The essence is this: stay away from all, those acts and words that will anger Allah, For if you dont, Shaytan will be, the one whom you will be constantly seeing. Thus when you remember this branch of religion, the practice and institution known as tabarra, Always keep in, your mind, the image, of the Lady of Light---the Innocent Zahra, For it is Zahra who distinguishes between, who are the oppressors and who are the right, Her broken rib, is enough to realize, the wickedness of the sons of Khattab and Abu Quhafa. And so that day arrived, when the flower was wilting, Earth would no longer, be host to the rose, Zahra did have specific intentions, that to Ameer ul-Momineen, she did only disclose, She wished to be buried in the darkness of night, and did not wish to be prayed upon by those who were unjust, Ali was not to make her grave known, and to keep it as a place that was hidden from those. On the very last day, Zahra did take time, to wash and feed her children on her own, She told Asma to call upon her, and if her Holiness did not answer, then it would be known, That she flew back to that realm, to both greet her father, and complain to him of the trials she faced, The time came when Asma, did call for her Queen, but with no answer, she knew Zahra had flown. The leaders of the youth, both Hasan and Husayn, did go near their mother and verily cried, Their pain is indescribable as the two young ones, felt they had lost, both their mother and guide, Asma did tell them, to go to the masjid, and inform her Imam, that Sayyida had left, And so the young ones, hurried to that house, of Allah, where their father was inside. Four beautiful children, my Lady did have, Hasan, Husayn, Zaynab and Umm Kulthoom, Each was a child of Light, who was born, of the noblest and most purified womb, How tragic is the loss of the most perfect mother, the one whose traits are of the Divine? These four young ones, knew that with her passing, there were only more heavy trials to loom. The two sons of Light did hurry to the masjid, and can I tell you what happened to my Maula Ali? This was the Lion of Allah who was, the bravest, most noble, and strongest wali, Yadullah always fought, with never a loss, his sword was brought down from the Heavens and yet, When my Maula did hear of Fatimas passing, his heart broke and he fell, weak as can be... Ameer ul-Momineen lost his two greatest loves, his Holiest brother and his Immaculate wife, These were only the origins of pain, for Ali was to face, many more types of strife, Returning home, my Maula did attend, to the tasks which Zahra had laid out so clear, What patience O Wajhullah did you hold, as you buried Sayyida, the Noor of your Life? A handful of the noble, the pious companions, accompanied Ali on that darkest night, To bury Zahra, that flower from Heaven, who returned to Allahs Everlasting Light, Have you read Nahj ul-Balagha and stared at those, Holy Words my Ameer did say? He began with Salaam to Rasoolullah, telling his brother of his calamity and plight. Imam Ali did recall the burial of Muhammad, and remembered the feeling of his last breath, Now the Rasool, from his station above, was watching as Ali faced Sayyidas death,

Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raaji`oon (2:156)--you know these words only all too well, From Allah we are, and to Him we return, a statement of powerful and truthful depth. The trust has been return my Maula exclaimed, Ya Rasool, my grief does have no bounds, My nights will be, sleepless until, Allah chooses for me to enter the grounds, And be with you again, reunited at last, in that house in Jannah which Allah did provide, Ya Ali you did wish to be surrounded once more, by Muhammad and Fatimas beautiful sounds. Ameer continued his speech from the heart, and did tell, his Master of what had occurred, Zahra would inform her father of the trials, she faced, as the daughter of the Holiest Word, The nation oppressed her and she spent her days, longing to be with Allahs Rasool, This world was nothing but a short life and test, as from the Holy Book we have indeed heard. Ya Ameer, with Salaam to both your loved ones, was how you concluded this painful speech, You repeated the agony and grief that you held, knowing your words to the skies would reach, Would you not do anything, to spare your Maula, of the sadness he felt on that tragic day? My friends, this is why, you must hold fast, to these lessons that this history does teach. Always remember on which side you stand, the path of Haqq or the one of batil, Remember Fatima, and grieve for her as, if you were there, and felt that cold chill, When her warmth had left this land, and dark became all, as the Noor of Zahra returned to Allah, Keep her tragedies, alive in your heart, for this is both Allahs and the Infallibles will. And as your life flows, do hold on to the fact, that Allah has promised the Day will surely come, When the son of Zahra does rise to avenge her, and to him, every evil will surely succumb, We wait for that Day, Ya Fatima, my Queen, but we must understand that even we have a role, These tasks that await us, that we must embark on...are duties that no momin can ever run from... Part 4: On Sayyida Fatima, her ziyarah, the oppressors, and the Last Day Ya Zahra we do indeed wait for your son, but before he arrives, we must make ourselves ready, Perfecting our traits, our speech and our actions, we should speak Truth with hands that are steady, But there are steps toward this path, lessons to be learned, duties that we must first understand, I believe your ziyarah, that declaration of love, is a step toward that path; that I am climbing already. Ya Fatima more than a thousand years, have passed since your body did walk on this land, There are those of us--your children, who wish to see you, with knees weak--I know we barely might stand, Until you choose to reveal your presence, to our sinful eyes, there is only one way, For us to truly feel that we have seen you--we must seek to visit, Holy Madinas sand. Whether we go by foot or by spirit, the goal is indeed both one and the same, We greet you, Ya Zahra, while confessing our love, to you whom Allah Himself did name, Your ziyarah, your visitation, is not just a task, but a letter, from the servant to the ultimate Queen, It is words from the heart, from the inner mind and soul, not only the tongue--this is surely the aim. Ziyarah is a conversation, that intimate speech, and it is only fitting that before we commence, We must ready our bodies, our thoughts and all senses; this responsibility is notably immense, For you cannot visit a Holy one so easily, you must be willing to submit body and soul, Imagine yourself before the Masoom--you should be overwhelmed with emotion, intense. Be humble in stance, or sit if you wish, keep your voice pleasant and dont act with pride, If Zahra stands to face you, could you keep you feet still, when you know your pulse is racing inside? Realize your station, before the woman who is, better than all others, from the first to the last, We are from dust, and she is of Noor, but her reply to our Salaam is never denied. We begin the ziyarah, those Holy words, words that should flow from the depths of the heart, Facing her grave, we speak to the one, whom Allah did test, before the known world did start, Allah found you patient, with the trials decreed, and we are your followers, believing in you, We believe in what your father, and your husband did bring; from these Truths we, are never apart. We then beg in weakness and ask for acceptance, Ya Zahra may we join your beloved two? We will make known, your truthfulness, and thus hope to receive good tidings from you,

Our most sincere friendship, our most faithful following, is for you, Sayyida, and we are aware, That this love, this connection, this bond that cannot break, does purify us--we believe this is true. In the ziyarah we extend our salaam, as we say: As salaamu alayki ya binta Rasoolillah, We greet her Holiness in nine different ways, as the daughter of Mustafa, the Chosen One of Allah, The daughter of, the most sincere servant, or call her the daughter of the Prophet of Truth, She is indeed the one, from whom all blessings spread, Al-Kawthar, she is that most blessed Sayyida. We present this peace to Sayyida, by her title, expressing that verily she is The Queen, As we gather the strength to address her with, As salaamu alayki ya sayyidata nisaa il-aalameen, Minal awwaleena wal akhireen--the Chief of all women of all worlds from first to last, Our Lady is the one whom Allah did choose, as the only woman among the purest fourteen. The next salaam is for Zahra--as the wife of Ali, that wali who is the second best of creation, And next as the mother of Hasan and Husayn, the leaders of the youth of Heavens nation, Zahra is called the Truthful Shaheeda, and she is both Raadhiyatul Mardhiyya, She is also the Distinctly Wise, and a Heavenly beauty shaped in a humans formation. Peace be upon Sayyida who is God-Fearing, she is also the Purest and most Holy, This Lady did speak to the greatest of angels, remember Jibraeel did console her, slowly. But Ya Zahra, you are also the one, who was denied and wrongfully oppressed, You were subjected to violence and agony; the criminals who harmed you were of the most lowly. We next greet the Holy with her loftiest name, Ya Fatimatu binta rasoolillah, we bear witness and testify, That you departed this world as a Proof of Allah, and we state that the one who did satisfy... You, did also satisfy your father, and the one who opposed you indeed opposed him too, The one who hurt you, did hurt the Rasool, and who loved you, did prove his love for the Most High. We stand and do call Allah as our witness, and all Prophets and Angels to hear our hearts shout, That the one who loves you, is a friend of ours, and your enemy is our enemy, there is no doubt, Ana ya maulaati, biki wa bi-abeeki wa baliki wa baneeki wal a-immati min wuldiki, Muqinun, wa bi wilaayatihim muminun, wa li-taaatihim multazimun; this heated passion will never fade out. I am with you, my most Noble Lady, and with your father, your husband and with every Imam, Those children of yours--I am faithful to their authority, as if I did place my hand in their palm, Obedience to them is a duty that I have taken, upon myself as your lover and a follower of Truth, I ask the All Merciful to send blessings upon you, and your family, Ya Batool, who makes my soul calm. You are the Pure Tahira, Truthful Siddiqa, Infallible Masooma and God-fearing Taqiyya, The Agreeing Radhiyya, the Satisfied Mardhiyya, the Upright Rasheeda, and Wisest Zakiyya, Is there a limit to the qualities you hold, those mirrored reflections of the Divine? Ya Zahra you own all these and much more, you are the one and only, Holy Naqiyya. And yet, my Queen, you are also the one, whose name brings tears, as the oppressed Madhlooma, There were those who denied you, your rights and your status; you are the unjustly treated Maqhoora, Your house was burned, your ribs were crushed, your husband was wronged and your children were killed, My Lady, you are the flesh and blood of the Prophet, yet your rights were seized, you are Al-Maghsooba. You are the chief of women, the beloved of Mustafa,the soul of Murtadha, and what else can be said? There is no one more covered with the quality of prophethood, than you my Lady, you are thus so ahead, Ya Allah, do send your blessings on Fatima, without any limit or measure that is known, This is the ziyarah of the Lady of Light, seek and love her, and by her Radiance be led. My Lady, your true resting place is unknown; traditions tell us the possibilities are three, The first is that famous graveyard which is known, to the masses as the Holy Jannat ul-Baqi, Next is your house, in which you breathed last, the one to which, the greatest angels descend, And the third is that garden of Paradise between, the minbar and grave of the final Nabi. Much time has gone by, since that day in which, the oppressors did destroy your erected shrine, Those enemies of your family, and of all Bani Hashim, did seek to erase traces of your historic line,

But Allahs Plan is more powerful than, those who want to destroy names of Haqq, For with or without a large covered tomb, your essence and name remain purely Divine. Do the oppressors not know, that while they tear down shrines, or seek to constantly break apart, Every visible sign of the Holiest Ones, their plan actually failed, before it did start? Earthly wealth they may have, with supporters far and wide, but they do not see the truth of the matter, Gold, money, and jewels, they do not lack, but we are the rich, for love of Haqq fills our heart. And what can we say, Ya Zahra of these hearts; the momin is forever in remembrance of you, There is only one nation, that stands with the Truth; this is not merely my personal view, For the ones who denied you, are indeed those misled, those who are cursed, having strayed from the Path, Their numbers are many, but we are the strong, as we hold Deen so close, that Deen Perfect and True. Every fadha-il of your family is yours, your merits are countless, you are the ultimate Divine link, And the masa-ib, the tragedies of your Holy family, those weights you do hold, they make my heart sink, Ya Sayyida, do you know that I cry when I hear, your merits, just as in those moments when I recall your trials? It pains me to know that people denied your perfection, for every breath you did take was sheer beauty, I do think. Dear friend do you know, there is a hadith, that will make you shiver and raise the hairs on your back? It begins that one day, Imam as-Sadiq was traveling, from Madina to Makkah, on a specific track, The Imam and his friends reached a placed called Usfan, and one companion confessed to the Imam that he, Was feeling ever scared and frightful due to, this mountain before them that was ever so black. The Imam related, that this mountain is called, Kamad, and it indeed overlooks a valley of Hell, Where the killers of his father, Imam al-Husayn, do reside-- for now it is the place where they stay and do dwell, The foul-smelling liquids of Jahannam do flow, beneath it, as does that intense raging fire, Next hear what my Imam did say to his friend, it gives a lesson, that all should understand well. My Maula said that, when he passes this mountain, the first two oppressors seek refuge with him, He looks at the killers, the oppressors at Karbala, then speaks back to those two, with a voice ever so grim, Saying verily you did establish the foundations, of that which they did, as you showed us no mercy, You usurped our rights--and the Imam then prayed: Ya Allah never have mercy, upon either of them. Maula told his companion, that sometimes he climbs, this mountain and hears the son of Khattab, Begging for mercy, indeed speaking so much, saying he did tawbah, as he cries and does sob, But the Imam, this Hujjatallah does know, that the usurper is just trying to seek out a way, To be relieved from that fire, which he built himself, by his dunya full of evil and treacherous jobs. The Imam then calls out, remain condemned where you are, and do not even try to speak to me, The companion asked my Maula who else was with him, in that terrifying place that the Imam could see, The fifth son of Fatima, replied with assertion, that this place is the home of every single tyrant, Firaun, Nimrud, Ibn Muljim and more, all who opposed truth and helped he who is our enemy. Do you know what station the oppressors do hold, or do you make excuses, saying they were okay? Or have you not realized that Zahra was sent, as a mercy upon Mercy, the greatest guide toward The Way? Do you know that we are told, to never insult dogs--with the names of those two--for the dog did no wrong? I was najis and lowly, as you made me, Allah, but I never harmed Fatima, the dog will say on That Day. That Day is indeed very far from our present, in the way time is perceived, by these minds of ours, But we know of some details, those preserved for us by, the historians, through the Masoom and their powers, It begins way back, in the time of Adam, when that first man asked Allah about the Lighted Fatima, The All Mighty did say, that she is the one who does sever, My Mercy from My enemies, on those last hours. Other glimpses emerged, during the Meraj, when Allah told his Rasool that there were trials to come, The Habeeb of Allah, would be tested with affliction, his family would be slaughtered, none remaining but one... That one will be the Avenger, His final shining Light, and the seeker of justice and peace for all, Al-Mahdi the last ray, of the Glorious Zahra, will seek and achieve vengeance, for all wrongs that were done. Let us skip past that future and look toward the end, the Rising: a day that no soul can deny, Each one will stand, with his or her leaders, righteous or evil, you cannot even try, To escape the fate that awaits you That Day, for there is a Promise that the All Mighty has made, Each will be judged on his or her actions, that final judgment to which, you can give no reply. But before that court begins its session, do you know what marvelous acts will occur? Allah will send 70,000 angels, and seven domes of light to shine upon her... Holy resting place, that Queen of all Queens, as Israfeel will bring her three garments of Light,

Saying O Fatima, daughter of Muhammad, rise toward your place...and thus she will stir... She will adorn herself with the Lighted clothing, including that hijab sent from the Divine, A female camel will be brought for her, with a muzzle made of fresh pearls, ever so fine, She will ride it toward that unknown plane, where the Rising and Judgment is to take place, 70,000 angels, with flags of Subhan, will accompany her Holiness, all in a line. And thousands of Hoor ul-ayn, those Heavenly maids, will greet her and don jewels as she arrives, Jibraeel will lead the camel, upon which Zahra sits, that camel which is unique, do you realize... That outside the camel will be the Mercy of Allah, while inside is His forgiveness, forever and true, Allah told this camel to be, and it was; it was created for Sayyida, one must recognize. Minbars of Light will be erected for the Prophets, our Rasool will be highest and deliver a speech, Then minbars will be raised for all the Successors, and our Ameer will follow, his words no doubt will reach... All of creation, who will listen to these sermons, of the greatest two, those who are of the First Light, After this, Lighted minbars will hold the children of the Prophets, as Hasan and Husayn will also stand to preach. The time will come when Jibraeel will call, Where is Fatima bint Muhammad, and then she will rise, Allah will ask to whom honor belongs, on this day; the reply will be: to You, Allah, the All Mighty, the Wise, Jibraeel will then make an announcement; every Prophet, successor, and Truthful one will surely hear, He will tell all in the gathering to lower their heads, as Fatima is coming, and they must cast down their eyes. On that beautiful camel, with a saddle of coral, the Radiant Zahra, will make known her presence, Hundreds of thousands of angels will surround her, on their wings she will move toward Heavens entrance, In a moment, Sayyida will look to her side, and Allah will ask for what reason she is waiting, Her answer will be, she wished her rank would be known, on this day, as she is of the purest essence. The Creator and Rabb, Allah will proclaim, O Daughter of My Loved One, go back and look for, All those who loved you, while taking their hands, to personally lead them to Paradises Door, Zahra will pick her Shia, every single good seed, and lead them to the Gate, where they will look to the side, Allah will say that you have been granted shafa, you may enter Jannah; there is no need to wait more. But the Shia will reply that we wished our status, would be known at this time, and Allah will call out, My loved ones, go back and find each one who loved you, for the love of Fatima, that did never fade out, Those who provided you food or drink, or helped you, in any way, in the name of her love, Grab them and head toward the Gate, O Shia; you will have gained the power of shafa, no doubt. That time during Judgement will also arise, when Allah will tell Zahra that she is the Judge, Over those who oppressed her, and all of her family, all those against whom, she does hold a grudge, The killers of her sons, will be given their sentence; they will wish they had not taken those ill rulers as friends, Zahras Judgement will stand, and with Allah as her witness, these rulings are cemented, they will never budge. The youngest shaheed, the innocent Mohsin, his killers will be lashed with whips of the hottest Fire, While the one who oppressed, my Maula Ali, will be cast down in a well, where his screams will raise higher, These oppressors will try to plead to Allah, asking for forgiveness and redemption on That Day, But the All Mighty had promised that the enemies of Fatima, would live in Hell, for they were the hyprocrites, the liars. O brothers and sisters, on That Day will you wait, for that moment when Zahra will present her deep sorrow, With the name of Hasan, the shirt of Husayn, and the arms of Abbas, dont you wish it was tomorrow? When Zahra will ask Allah, for that which He vowed, she will save all those who shed tears for her sons, Shafa will be granted, to all those who cried, for the greatest tragedy, that the universe does know... Part 5: On Sayyida Fatima, Imam Husayn, Imam Mahdi, and our responsibilities Imagine that you bring yourself to that Holy door, the door of Zahra, to present a gift of love, She is so kind, so gracious and pure, that acceptance is assured, but have you thought of... Whom that Holy One would hand this gift to, who is that soul whom she longs for the most, Her madhloom son, Al-Husayn, Sayyid ash-Shuhada, is the one whom my Queen does always think of. The Husayn of Fatima is that single soul, whose final sujood was surrounded by spears, The reason we have Deen, and how we know of Allah, is due to his sacrifice, for he had no fears,

Ya Husayn we do call, as tears roll down our cheeks, but have ever considered the greatest truth of that day? Haqq was held high, and batil was shunned; we hold this lesson close, even after hundreds of years. Why is Ashura like no other day? It is not only due to the tragedy and the trial, Every single act, every good deed we know, is by the sadaqah of that day, do think for a while, And recognize that this sacrifice, this Dhibhin Adheem (37:107), is the sustainer of Truth until the worlds end, Ya Husayn, your remembrance, is the prayer of Zahra, could any action ever be, even more worthwhile? Husayn, the love of Muhammad and Ali, and Fatima and Hasan, was the last of those five, This Light, this Divine one, was to be the savior, of the Deen of Allah, as on the Path he did strive, The hypocrites, those evil ones, who asked for his hand, did they not know of Husayns position and rank? They knew of his relation to the Habeeb of Allah, yet their goal was to not, allow my Maula to survive. And yet they did fail, for the shuhada are not dead, Allah does tend to their every want and need, Holy blood was spilled, unspeakable pain was endured, but Husayn stills stands as the foundation of creed, The second son of Fatima, is that base, that support, which Deen rests on, and cannot exist without, By rejecting the immoral, the unjust and the corrupt, it is no wonder that Husayn is the Greatest Shaheed. My Lady Zahra, it did sadden you to know, that you Holiest four would not be there for Husayn, The last of Ahlul-Kisa, the youngest at Mubahela, your beloved son would alone, face the most severe pain, And so you asked, for those to remember your son, a nation of souls whose hearts were so pure, They would love your great love, your oppressed son of Truth, and shed tears at his tragedy, that occurred on that plain. Remembrance of Karbala, brings tears to the momins eyes, and what are these tears, but the powerful keys, Not only to salvation and the threshold of Jannah, but the ones that open, the souls heartfelt pleas, The tear is that gift, which you give to Sayyida, it is mere water but more valuable than all the worlds treasures, For the tears please my Lady, and in turn, the Creator; the dhikr of Husayn--the All Forgiving marks and sees. But remembrance and aza of Husayn is more than tears, we must have marifah, recognition, do you see? To know that Husayn stood for Truth to reform the Ummah, this is the essence of the momin, the devotee, The evil ones on that day, did not recognize Truth, and do you see how their rank is among the worst of creation? If you desire to view marifah, at its peak, and with action, then look no further than Karbala, to Hurr, who became free. Hurr is the reflection of the love of Fatima, for he could say nothing to Husayn about the noblest mother, The respect that Hurr had, the thoughts he did hold, in his mind for Zahra, placed him apart from the others, Hurr became free, indeed became a true shaheed, not upon death, but when he submitted to Truth, He awoke to a world of beauty, with a Maula like Husayn, and submitted to Allah, a submission like no other. What is the lesson in Hurrs sacrifice? Do you know that you too can feel this fulfilled? You must destroy your weak nafs, let the lower self die, and do this before you physically die or are killed, To be shaheed, is to be witness to Truth, to leave all else but Haqq, to be aware of what is right, Submit before the Master, of your Time, like Hurr did, and strive toward the path that Allah has Willed. And who is your Master, my Master, the Owner, the one who is guarding this time and this space? He is that final son, the Avenger, Al-Muntaqim, the one who has Light from Holy Sayyidas face, Have you understood, that to be a Husayni, in the truest sense, you must yearn for Al-Mahdi? To love Zahra, and to mourn for Husayn, is the legacy of the twelfth Imam, that we must all embrace. Ya Maula, Ya Sahib al-asri waz-Zaman, the name of Fatima does calm your waiting heart, As you cry for your father, that Greatest Shaheed, the pain that you feel is one that we cannot chart, So what can we do? We can cling to your love, the love of your family, the very best of creation, Muwaddah is the blood, that flows through our veins, that gives life, and speaks love, it is a beauty, an art. If muwaddah begins in the heart and its beat, then my heart beats Fatima, the Noble Lady of Light, And with every breath I inhale, Ya Husayn is taken in, the very name gives my body strong power and might, Then what I do I exhale, it is Ya Mahdi, dear ones, that one for whom the entire universe does wait, Hal min nasirin is still heard by our ears, and we must answer Labbayk, to the son of Husayn, day and night.

But what does this mean? How can we be helpers, when the Imam himself is the Proof of Allah? The point is that aza and remembrance of Ahlulbayt, is not ritual, but revolution, to destroy the Nafsul Ammara (12:53), That lower self, which does love this world, and leads one toward evil, needs to be overthrown, To achieve this, we must work with the self that calls to Allah, the conscience known as, Nafsul Lawwama (75:2). The greatest level of the Husayni consciousness, that state when you are ready to become shaheed, Is when the tears of marifah do flow from your eyes, the tears that reform you, causing only good deeds, If you have strength, and do purify yourself, then this stage will greet you as that satisfied, tranquil soul, In the legacy of Al-Husayn, reach for Nafsul Mutma-inna (89:27), that contented place where, you have left every need. You must still exist in this world, no doubt, but be pleased with your Lord, and He shall be pleased with you too, Strive on the path, leave your desires behind, and you shall see that blessings are showered upon you, Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raaji`oon (2:156), ridhan bi qadaa-ihi wa tasleeman li amrih, We are from Allah, and to Him is our return, we are pleased with His will and carry out His command, so true. And what are these commands? How must we follow? Islam, dear momin, is the path of Yaqeen, True Islam requires, the curtains to be lifted, eyes to opened, so all realities can be seen, Break your ego and wake up, dont be dead in this world, as the tasks before us are important and many, Seek knowledge, gain awareness, act upon that, and repeat; these are the steps required in this Deen. Amr bil maroof, enjoining that which is good, is among the most simple acts to behold, And nahi an il-munkar, forbidding that which is evil, cannot be forgotten, it must indeed be told, To every young one, and the elders alike, as Husaynis it is our duty to adhere to these tasks, We are the carriers of the flag of Islam, we should be stronger than iron, and more brilliant than gold. To be, for our Maula, a Salman or a Fizza, first open the Quran and learn the Divine word, Heed its many lessons, breath in its great Noor, and slowly but surely you will move yourself toward, The amaal that are required to be on the Path, wajibaat, helping others, spreading Haqq and much more, Obeying laws, learning fiqh, being kind, and knowing rights, follow the principles which you have read or have heard. Pay attention to your words, dont lose focus in the year, improvement is not only for Ramadhan and Muharram, Remember that good deeds, begin in your soul, then flow out to your limbs, and they do indeed stem from... The intention you have, that inclination to do good, to be righteous and noble, like the ansar of the Masoom, Have sincerity, ikhlas, in your actions and self, and moral traits, that akhlaq, which from your lighted heart does come. Patience, and tawakkul are required to step, on the Path, because the momin is surely always tested, When worried, use tawassul, Quran, and all dua, and you will find yourself saying Alhamdolillah while rested, Stating Bismillah before beginning any task, is a trait of the momin, Imam Al-Askari did so state, And with this, pay attention to each dhikr, each tasbeeh, and your thoughts will be luminous, your body, lightchested. Can I tell you that secret, to training your nafs? You must think back to the traits of Allah, the Most High, Asma ul-husna are those qualities, we should bring into ourselves, be true like As-Sadiq, and aim for the sky, Be aware like Al-Khabeer, and generous as Al-Kareem, as Shia these names should shine like Noor from our bodies, Take one single step, each day that you live, and leave sin while you seek to reform--sincerely try. The one who has understood his self is the winner, for he has then surely come to know his Creator, This knowledge is sacred, it is the very purpose of life, awakening the soul--what achievement could be greater? But the task does not end with the change in oneself, for our responsibility is to the Ummah, those true lovers of Zahra, Spiritual growth, and progress is for all--we must take our friends on this journey, sooner rather than later. Do you feel the beauty in this cultivation of the soul, tazkiyyatun-nafs is the topic of the hour, To be a sincere, supporter of Al-Qaem, you must rise to be better, revealing your inner power, Al-Mahdi will come, about this there is no doubt, but can you even show your face, to that Holiest Light? You must be willing to walk, on a path of patience and virtue, and InshaAllah, blessings upon you will shower.

Have you made the connection yet between Zahra and her son, that shining and perfect fourteenth Light? Zahra is his Holiest mother indeed, but there other fine statements that give some insight, Mention the name of Fatima, and surely you will find, what affect it does have on our final Imam, Her beautiful name, gives peace to his soul, so seek her, through him, during dua day or night. Throughout the year, there are those certain days, when the believer feels more connected to Deen, Ashura is the most passion filled day, and along with it, the Fortieth, the commemoration of Arbaeen, The birth days of each Masoom are remembered, as well as the days when they left from this Earth, Laylat ul-Qadr, every Eid, and other days of worship, they are all important to the sincere momineen. One day of great joy is that day of the ninth, that Eid which is elevated above all the rest, It is that day of happiness for Ahlulbayt, Eidullah al-Akbar, when Mukhtar met success, May my soul be sacrificed for the smile of my Imam, upon hearing the news that Mukhtar did bring, This Eid is that day, when the Dua of Fatima, was accepted by Allah, it is a day ever so blessed. But can I tell you which day, is of the utmost importance, that day that links together every great act? It is Friday, the weekly Eid, the day of gathering for all, when surely you may find, the masjid to be packed, However, I am not speaking of every Friday: last week, or last month, or of the years past, There is one Friday that awaits us, awaits all of creation, it is not just a sentiment--but an understood fact. Friday is that Eid, a day of joy for the believers, they indeed gather together and pray, The mustahab acts for this day are countless, each can worship in his or her way, Give sadaqa, attend Juma prayer, recite Quran and Ziyarah, and be helpful to those in need, Meet your brothers and sisters, catch up on affairs, these are all good acts for this most blessed day. But to whom does this special day really belong? It is he who is the owner of space and time, Creation could not exist without him, the Earth would implode while bells of Qiyamah would chime, He is that son, that perfect Noor from Noor, the last in the chain of the Holy Fourteen, Imam Al-Mahdi, the final son of Zahra, is the one toward whom, your soul and body should climb. When the day of Ashura does fall on a Friday, and my Maula is given Allahs command, He will reveal his presence to all the worlds people, and the pious ones will gather before him and stand, To submit their love, their desire for Haqq, their passion to do good and rid the world of wrong, The Imam, the remainder of Allah on Earth, will rise and start his mission, from the Kaabas Holy land. But hear, listen carefully, that if you do wish, to be the support for your noble leader, your Imam, You cannot leave every task for him to attend to, you must pave the way for him, to lead you, by his palm, What does this entail, and how must you act? Adhere to the principles laid forth by our Deen, Every good act, embark on, and every ill one, do leave: such is the calling of the Truth, our Islam. Brothers and sisters, the old and the young, each have duties in degrees and with measure, Whatever is possible, that is in your capacity, do that for the love of Allah and His Pleasure, Recite dua and act, be useful to all, and give a smile of sadaqah to your fellow momineen, And InshaAllah, that son, the Awaited Savior of all, will reveal to you bits, of the Divine Treasure. The Treasure is that closeness, true muwaddah in spirit, the Imam will bring the believers toward Allah, Has your mind now internalized, the essence of the matter, that this closeness is based on the love of Zahra? The most true lover, is that one who has left, all else and submitted to the will of the Divine, And the Pleasure of Allah, is of course only achieved, when Sayyida is pleased with your amaal and ibadah. How Grand is Allah, the King of all Kings, who does remember us, much more than we remember Him? Our acts are unholy, while sins stain our souls, yet the Merciful forgives and brings us all in... To that abode where they are no needs, beyond wants and desires, we let go and sink into the Glory of Allah, How blessed are we, to have a Lord of such Compassion, that Lord who desires to see his servants win. How do we win and what paths are to open? I am not speaking of dunya, but of the worlds to come, That barzakh and the akhirah, they are beyond our minds limits, but we should at least, leave this world with some... Gifts, those amaal, that will help in the next world, dont you wish to be prepared, as you leave this Earth of play? For that world of reality, your self that exists there, is based on actions in dunya, the full and total sum. To achieve the ranks and climb the ladders of akhirah, awareness is required in this stage of ones life, Recognize Allah, submit to His Truth, through the Holy Ones He created, and fight through every strife, Any pain you endure, or problems you encounter, are rewarded by The Giver, so do release your fears, And crush the Shaytan, both inside and out, use the powers within you, cut evil with muwaddahs knife.

Have you considered how you want to leave this world? Take the name of the Holy and fear not your death, For it is actually your true birth, into that world without bounds; die here and then awake with your real first breath, Ya Zahra, I believe that death can be easy, if I place my weak hand in your Lighted hand of strength, Will you lead me toward the unknown, that existence that is beyond? I promise that your rank, I will never forget. For without knowledge of you, a person is lost; one who forsakes you, loses both Nubuwwah and Imamah, My mind tells me, that such a a person is one, who has no understanding, of the Divine concept of Wilayah, I desire to depart, from this world as a human, not a beast without thought or whose actions have no meaning, And so marifah is needed, patience is required, and action is necessary, I believe in this Ya Zahra. My Queen, I have taken some lessons to heart, it is your Noor that surely inspires and does teach, We must adhere to the Muhammadi, Divine laws and codes, and be keepers of the Alawi eloquence and speech, The Hasani patience and forebearance is needed, in times where strategy is the most important matter, And the Husayni bravery and sacrificing nature, is one that every generation must spread and truly preach. The Abidi worship of my Imam as-Sajjad, shows the believers exactly how to approach dua and pray, While the Baqiri achievements, are the very reasons why, we know what the Holy Ones did write and did say, The Jafari grand school did spread knowledge of Deen, and also every science, related to earth or sky, And the Kadhimi restraint, taught that even when suppressed, Haqq can be shared, there is always a way. The Radhawi rational arguments, those means for debate, are the standard for approaching anyone who does question, And the Taqawi generosity is such that it reaches, all people in need; for charity is that greatest expression, My tenth Holy Imam, and his Naqawi purity, is an example for all, willing to tread on the path, To remember your end, keep your grave before your eyes, this was my Maulas, ever noble suggestion. What is to say of the Askari awe, the one who prayed for rain, as the skies released their shower, The result of sincere dua, and the reality of miracles, are shown by my Imam, he has such great power, Finally we return, to that Holy leader of the people, the greatest patient one, who is awaiting that call, All of these traits, these characteristics of the Holy, surround Zahra, as she is the Noor that does tower. Ya Sayyida you are that Noor, the center, the axis that Allah did place for a reason, The one who denies you is surely of the wicked, for he did indeed commit the worst treason, You are the inspiration for every soul, who seeks justice, resists cruelty, and looks toward Allah, Your character, your life, your every word and action, are guidelines for us, in every day, every season. And here is the climax, dear brothers and sisters, remember that Zahra does watch your every act, Do you think the Most Holy, only visits in the majlis, when we narrate how her loved ones were brutally attacked? No, this is far from the truth of the matter, Sayyida is present at all times and does note, Who is following the ways of her family, and who sins while claiming to follow this Deen, exact. Your weddings, your funerals, and in every gathering, where the people do flock together to sit, While in school or at work, in your home, and at rest, every occasion is a chance to commit, To make that pact, with Sayyida and her son, that you will follow the Deen of their Holiest Father, You will strive, with every fiber of your self, and if faced with troubles, you will surely not quit. Deen in all aspects, the love and the action, should be the fire that drives your very inner being, If you have granted your soul, that true peace of Islam, the submission to Allah, then you are in fact freeing, Yourself from every worldly pain or problem, for you know the Most Gracious will sure aid you, The bounties and blessings will flow toward you like fountains; it is the sadaqah of Al-Kawthar you will be seeing. Ya Zahra, Ya Kawthar, Allah has kept us from truly knowing you, for He knows that our souls are only too weak, To handle the truth of your nature and station; for our human intellect has a limited peak, Out of all the Masoom, Ya Zahra you were given, the least time on this land, that we call Earth, I believe, that you are too pure for this soil, stepped on by oppressors, those who aim to deceit. Like a flower you bloomed, from a Holiest seed, one that originated in the highest Heaven, Then Allah sent you, to be born on this sphere, forever to be known as the best of women, You were created from the Subhan of Allah, as your Noor did exist from the earliest times, It is that Noor that links Nubuwwah and Imamah: of your father, your husband and your sons, those eleven. My Queen, I have read a hadith wherein, it states that no Prophets prophecy was complete, Until he confessed and admitted your charity; those blessings which, would never deplete,

Before the existence of the world we know, when only Noor was present, in the highest realms, Each Nabi, and even the angels did learn, to praise Allah, while your Noor they did greet. Ya Zahra you are the model of strength, and the power that comes from Prophetic knowledge, You resisted the tyrants, without any fears; you embodied truth, and piety to the edge, We should always seek your Holy Light, as our torch for guidance in this world of darkness, That Light is now carried by your final son, the one to whom, we make our heartfelt pledge. Ya Maula, Ya Imam Sahib al-Asri waz-Zaman, in the name of your Holiest Mother we call you, Grant us your nearness, with sacred knowledge that shows, we are your supporters, ever so true, May Allah hasten your rising, as we set the conditions, for your system, a society guided by justice, We need strength and brotherhood, to achieve these goals, so please be the hand, that does guide us through. That guidance we need, for we have much to learn, we must release our egos, to achieve true unity, Brothers, sisters, the youth and the old, move past your differences, and see that you are a community, You are indeed, we are essentially, the children of the Holy Ones, who have been given this great role, Living in this time, Ghaybat al-kubra, is a blessing and we cannot underestimate this opportunity. And so what must we do--we must seek to be worthy, for Zahra to address us as her daughter or son, To serve Allah, by following Ahlulbayt, should not be a task, but a heartbeat for everyone, The driving force behind every action, the reason we are alive and indeed put on this Earth, Is to prove that we have not forgotten our essence, we are aware of the roots from which we have come. Allah wished to be known and created the Perfect Ones, as the means to reach His Divine and Holy Presence, How simple is this life, and its purpose if we look: life is ibadah, then submission in its essence, Ya Fatima, you teach me this foundation of Deen, as your life, every moment was in service of Allah, May my heart become your Fadak, Ya Sayyida Zahra, a ground where your love spreads, that love so intense. Ya Zahra, in the way that we perform ziyarah, on behalf of our loved ones, and all momineen, These words are a gift, to you, from us all, your Shia InshaAllah, if you accept us my Queen, We are sinners and imperfect, but your love fills our hearts, this is the raw truth that we can declare, So please hear our call, aid us in our tasks, and keep that flame lit, for you and your Holy thirteen. Ya Maulaati Ya Fatima, these are words that my heart indeed needed to say, I thank Allah, Ar-Rahman Ar-Raheem, for verily he keeps me on this Straight Way, With your guidance, and your Holy Light, I pray that my ink never ceases to flow, For the thoughts that my mind, does still behold, are waiting to be written, each day by day. My dua is that, in this world or the next, I can present these words to you in tears, If you grant me your nearness, and accept my love, then how could I ever have any fears? Every love, and every good deed, my entire existence, is linked to you, For you, I love, every lover of yours: my family, my friends, and all other peers. And what I can say of those whom are close, the most beloved that are my family, I thank Allah for the blessing of my parents, the kind noble souls who named me Fatima Ali, Ya Fatima, how can I express to you, the honor that I hold in carrying your name? Each time that my name is called or is written, it is actually your Noor which I hear and do see. And what of all other loved ones and friends, whom I cherish so greatly and truly admire? Their thoughts, theirs words, and their love for you, do keep this flame lit, this burning fire-That exists in my soul, for that flame was indeed, sparked by this uncontrollable passion to write, Ya Sayyida, do know that these loved ones, are forever in my heart, as they always inspire. These words are the bare minimum of what can be said, by my limited human intellect, For your status, your rank, your life and all else, can be described as nothing, but only Perfect, My small mind can only grasp so much, and my tongue does have no real power, So Ya Zahra, I ask that your forgive me for failing, to give you the proper love and respect. These are mere glimpses of your Radiance, one thousand lines that are incomplete, My desire is to know more, of your Holiest essence, InshaAllah when Allah wills that we meet, Until then my Queen, and owner of my heart, my task is so clear--I must strive for the best, Ya Fatima, I am your lowly servant, may I be sacrificed for, the dust beneath your Holy feet. ~Alhamdolillahi-lladhi hadaana li hadha, wa ma kunna li nahtadiya laula an hadaan-Allah. All Praise is for Allah who has guided us to this, and we would never have found the way had Allah not guided us. [7:43]~

-Fatima Ali August-December 2011 Ramadhan-Muharram 1432/1433

*Primary references include the following: Al-Quran Al-Kareem Nahjul Balagha Bihar ul-Anwar compiled by Allamah Muhammad Baqir Majlisi Kamil az-Ziyaraat compiled by Ibn Qulawayh Al-Qummi Fatima the Gracious by Abu Muhammad Ordoni Ayatollah Wahid Khorasani lecture series Fatimah Zahra (Youtube user altigerrrr) Sayyid Ahmad Bader El-Deen lecture series The Fatimiyah Nights, Sayyid Shouhadaaa (AS) Center for Islamic research, (www.facebook.com/sayyid.shouhadaa)