Explanation of the Ziyarat of Ummul Muminin (p) — Part 4

Peace be upon you, O Mother of Fatima al-Zahra, The Lady of the Women of the Worlds

▫️❝ Those who have believed and done righteous deeds, the purest (life) is their portion, and the best of destinations. ❞

The blessed Surah al-Ra'd, 13:29

✒️ In this passage of the ziyarat of Lady Khadija al-Kubra (peace be upon her), we greet her as the mother of Lady Umm al-A'imma wa al-Abrar (the Mother of the Imams and the Righteous). In setting out the greatness and importance of this station among the stations of Lady Khadija al-Kubra (peace be upon her), it should be pointed out that Lady al-Siddiqa al-Kubra (peace be upon her), in parts of the Sermon of Glories (Khutbat al-Mufakhara), in which Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him) and the Lady of the Two Worlds (peace be upon her) introduce their sacred selves, takes pride in the station of Lady Khadija al-Kubra (peace be upon her) as her mother, and introduces herself by that station.

Among these, in the first passage of this noble sermon, when Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him) says:

❝ I am the son of Fatima, the lady of piety and God-wariness. ❞

Then Lady Fatima al-Zahra (peace be upon her) said:

❝ And I am the daughter of Khadija al-Kubra. ❞

Elsewhere in this blessed sermon, Lady al-Siddiqa al-Kubra (peace be upon her) says:

❝ I am the daughter of the righteous and believing women. ❞

Al-Fada'il, Ibn Shadhan, p. 80

🔰 One of the points worth reflecting on in this passage is that Lady al-Insiyya al-Hawra' (peace be upon her) uses the words «الصَّالِحَاتِ» (the righteous women) and «الْمُؤْمِنَات» (the believing women) in the plural form, which shows that every quality of righteousness and faith, in the absolute sense, became manifest in Lady Khadija al-Kubra (peace be upon her).

A lady to whom alone, among all women, "Tuba" was granted, and Lady Fatima al-Zahra (peace be upon her) takes pride in such a mother. A chosen mother who was worthy of carrying the seed of Lady Tuffahat al-Firdaws (the Apple of Paradise), and who guarded and kept this divine deposit in the best possible way.

❝ The root and lineage of this Ahl al-Bayt go back to Lady Khadija, may Allah the Exalted be pleased with her; for al-Hasan and al-Husayn are the children of Fatima, and Fatima is the daughter of Khadija. Ali, too, was raised in Khadija's house from childhood, and after her passing he married her daughter Fatima. Thus it becomes clear that the family of the Prophet's Ahl al-Bayt goes back to Lady Khadija, and to none other. May Allah the Exalted be pleased with her. ❞

Subul al-Huda wa al-Rashad, vol. 11, p. 160

➡️ Imam Hasan al-Askari (peace be upon him), in the salawat upon Lady al-Zahra (peace be upon her), refers to this station of Lady Khadija al-Kubra (peace be upon her):

❝ O Allah! Just as you made her the mother of the Imams of guidance, the wife of the bearer of the banner, and a noble and exalted lady before the angels of the highest realm, ❞

❝ so send blessings and mercy upon her and upon her mother, Khadija al-Kubra; ❞

❝ blessings through which you honour the station and rank of her father Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family), and brighten and gladden the eyes of her children and descendants. ❞

➡️ As the mother of Lady Umm al-A'imma wa al-Abrar, she is the wellspring of the lineage of Imamate and the vessel of the Imam, as the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) said:

❝ Indeed, your mother's womb was the vessel and abode of Imamate. ❞

Manaqib Ibn Shahr Ashub, vol. 3, p. 335

✒️ The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family), in a narration that looks to Lady Khadija al-Kubra's (peace be upon her) station as the mother of al-Zahra (peace be upon her), says about Imam al-Hasan and Imam al-Husayn (peace be upon them):

❝ O people! Shall I not guide you to those who are the best of people in grandfather and grandmother? They said: Yes, O Messenger of Allah! ❞

❝ Al-Hasan and al-Husayn; for their grandfather is Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family), and their grandmother is Khadija, daughter of Khuwaylid. ❞

Al-Amali, Shaykh al-Saduq, p. 437

✒️ Imam al-Hasan (peace be upon him), too, in a narration, takes pride in being the one who most resembles Lady Khadija (peace be upon her):

❝ I was the one among people who most resembled Khadija al-Kubra. ❞

Manaqib Ibn Shahr Ashub, vol. 4, p. 2

Therefore, in this passage of the ziyarat of Lady Khadija al-Kubra (peace be upon her), we send our salutations to her: the noble mother of the Lady of the Women of the Worlds, the trustee of the divine deposit (Tuffahat al-Firdaws), and the blessed wellspring of the lineage of Imamate and of the Fatimid sayyids.