Fatimah bint Muhammad

Fatimah bint Muhammad (605-632 CE), known as az-Zahra (the Radiant), was the youngest daughter of the Prophet Muhammad and Khadijah bint Khuwaylid. She is regarded as the leader of the women of Paradise, as stated by the Prophet himself. She grew up witnessing the early struggles of Islam, including the persecution of her father by the Quraysh and the difficult years of the boycott in the valley of Abu Talib.

Fatimah married Ali ibn Abi Talib in 2 AH (624 CE), and from their union came Hasan and Husain, the beloved grandsons of the Prophet, as well as Zaynab and Umm Kulthum. Despite the option of a more materially comfortable life, Fatimah and Ali lived in simplicity and poverty. She was known for her devotion to prayer and her tireless work in the household. The Prophet taught her the tasbih of Fatimah (33 SubhanAllah, 33 Alhamdulillah, 34 Allahu Akbar) as a means of sustenance better than a servant.

The Prophet said of Fatimah, 'Fatimah is a part of me. Whoever angers her, angers me.' He also said she was the leader of the women of Paradise and the most beloved of people to him. She was deeply grieved by the Prophet's death and passed away approximately six months after him in 11 AH (632 CE), making her the first of his family to join him. Through her sons Hasan and Husain, all of the Prophet's descendants (the sharifs and sayyids) trace their lineage.