The Prophet's daughter
Fatima (a), the daughter of the Prophet (s) and Khadija (a), the wife of Ali (a) and the mother of the Imams, is for the Shia one of the Fourteen Infallibles and the mistress of the women of the worlds. She stood beside the Prophet at the Mubahila, and the verses of Purification, Love and Feeding were revealed about her household. He called her a part of himself and said that her anger was God's anger.
After Saqifa
When her father died she rejected the caliphate settled at Saqifa and never gave it her allegiance. She claimed the estate of Fadak, delivered the sermon in the mosque that bears its name, and when men came to her house to force Ali (a) to swear allegiance she was struck and injured at the door. Bedridden by grief and her wounds, she asked to be buried in secret so that those who had wronged her could not pray over her.
Martyrdom and burial
According to the report the Shia hold most reliable, transmitted from Imam al-Sadiq (a), she died on 3 Jumada al-Thani 11 AH. Ali (a) washed her with the help of Asma bint Umays and buried her at night with Hasan, Husayn, Salman, Abu Dhar, Miqdad and Ammar among the few present. Three places are named as her possible grave — her house, the space between the Prophet's tomb and his pulpit, and al-Baqi — and its concealment is read as her last protest. The Fatimiyya days are a season of mourning second only to Muharram.
Written for Shia Online Community. Dates and facts are checked against the references listed under Research & books; where the tradition records more than one date, all are given.
