Part One — Section One
Peace be upon you, O Mother of the Believers.
The Prophet has a greater claim on the believers than their own selves, and his wives are their mothers.
Surah al-Ahzab, verse 6
In language, "Umm" (mother) means the root, foundation, and essence of everything, as stated in Qamus-e Quran:
أُمّ: mother — the root and foundation of anything to which other things are attached; the greatest of things.
Qamus-e Quran, vol. 1, p. 113
In describing the boundless station of Lady Khadijah al-Kubra (peace be upon her), it suffices to know that she is the noble mother of Lady "Umm Abiha," "Umm al-A'immah wal-Abrar," Fatimah al-Zahra (peace be upon her). Thus, in this passage of the ziyarat of Lady Khadijah (peace be upon her), we greet her with the title "Umm al-Mu'minin" (Mother of the Believers) — that sacred threshold from which the lights of Imamate have sprung forth and spread throughout the manifold world.
Concerning Lady Fatimah al-Zahra's (peace be upon her) closeness to her noble mother, a narration states:
Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: When Khadijah — may God be pleased with her — passed away, Fatimah (peace be upon her) took refuge with the Messenger of God (peace be upon him and his family) and circled around him, saying:
O Father, where is my mother?
Then Gabriel (peace be upon him) descended and said to him: Your Lord commands you to convey His greetings to Fatimah and to tell her:
Your mother is in a house of jewels, its domes of gold and its pillars of red ruby, dwelling beside Asiyah and Mary daughter of Imran.
Amali of al-Tusi, p. 175
Lady Khadijah al-Kubra (peace be upon her) was the most excellent and noble among the wives of the Messenger of God (peace be upon him and his family). The word "azwaj" (wives), being in plural form, refers to her in the most complete and perfect sense — meaning every quality of being the Messenger of God's wife manifested fully in her. Thus, in the commentary on verse 74 of Surah al-Furqan:
And those who say: Our Lord, grant us from our spouses and offspring the comfort of our eyes, and make us leaders for the righteous.
it is stated:
The Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) said: I asked Gabriel (peace be upon him), "O Gabriel, who are 'our wives'?" He said, "Khadijah." I said, "And who are 'our offspring'?" He said, "Fatimah."
Tafsir Furat al-Kufi, p. 295
What draws attention in this verse and narration is: firstly, that "azwajina" (our wives), though in the plural form, is interpreted in this narration as Lady Khadijah al-Kubra (peace be upon her); and secondly, that "dhurriyyatina" (our offspring), which refers to the Prophet's progeny, is interpreted as Lady Fatimah al-Zahra (peace be upon her). This shows that the progeny of the Messenger of God (peace be upon him and his family) spread forth from the blessed womb of Lady Khadijah al-Kubra (peace be upon her). As the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family), addressing Lady Zahra (peace be upon her) about Khadijah, said in a hadith:
Indeed, your mother's womb was a vessel for the Imamate.
Manaqib Ibn Shahrashub, vol. 3, p. 335
💠 Consequently, Lady Khadijah al-Kubra (peace be upon her), the noble mother of Lady Fatimah al-Zahra (peace be upon her), is the very lady from whose blessed womb the progeny of the Messenger of God (peace be upon him and his family) spread forth. She is "Umm al-Mu'minin," and it is by this very title that we greet her in her ziyarat.
To be continued...