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Fidda

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Fiḍḍa al-Nūbīyya (Arabic: فضة النوبیة) was the housemaid of Fatima al-Zahra (a). She was named "Fidda" by the Prophet (s). She is mentioned in hadiths concerning the birth of Imam al-Hasan (a) and Imam al-Husayn (a), the revelation of al-It'am Verse, and the martyrdom of Fatima al-Zahra (a). She could speak with verses of the Qur'an and knew alchemy. She was allegedly present in the Event of Karbala as well.

Fidda
The tomb of Fidda
The tomb of Fidda
Personal Information
Full NameFidda al-Nubiyya
EpithetFidda
Place of BirthNubiyya
Place(s) of ResidenceMedina
Burial PlaceBab al-Saghir cemetery in Damascus
Religious Information
Known forFatima al-Zahra's (a) housemaid

Lineage

Fidda was originally from Nubiyya;[1] a city in the south of Sudan[2] or south of Egypt on the eastern side of the Nile river.[3] Some people have considered her to be originally from India[4] and others held that she was the daughter of the Indian king.[5]

In the House of Fatima Zahra (a)

Fidda was Fatima al-Zahra's (a) housemaid.[6] After the revelation of the verse, "then speak to them with gentle words",[7] the Prophet (s) sent her to Fatima's (a) house and called her "Fidda" (which literally means silver).[8]

Fatima (a) divided house works between herself and Fidda—one day she took care of the house and one day Fidda took care of it.[9]

When Imam al-Hasan (a) and Imam al-Husayn (a) contracted a disease, and Ali (a) and Fatima (a) vowed to fast for three days after their recovery, Fidda accompanied them and made a similar vow. Verses 7 and 8 of Qur'an 76 were revealed in this regard.[10]

Martyrdom of Fatima al-Zahra (a)

When Imam Ali (a) called his children to say goodbye to the corpse of their mother, Fatima (a), he addressed Fidda as well: "O Umm Kulthum, O Zaynab, O Sukayna, O Fidda, O Hasan, O Husayn, come on and say goodbye to your mother [11].[12]

Husband and Children

After the martyrdom of Lady Fatima (a), Fidda served Imam Ali (a).[13] She lived for 20 years after that. She was known as a pious and righteous woman.[14] Imam Ali (a) married her to Abu Tha'laba al-Habashi from whom she had a son. After Abu Tha'laba's death, she married Abu Malik al-Ghatfani. Her son died after this marriage.[15] Fidda had children from Abu Malik. A girl called Shuhra bt. Muska bt. Fidda who allegedly exhibited some supernatural acts was Fidda's granddaughter.[16] According to some sources, her second husband complained against her to 'Umar b. Khattab, but 'Umar judged in favor of Fidda.[17]

Characteristics

Fidda talked only with verses of the Qur'an for 20 years; she answered people's questions with Quranic verses.[18] There is a long hadith in which she elaborates the condition of Fatima al-Zahra (a) since the demise of the Prophet (s) until her martyrdom.[19] Imam Ali (a) said about her: "O God! Bless us in our Fidda".[20]

According to some people, she knew alchemy.[21] Allegedly, she had learned it from Fatima al-Zahra (a).[22] The Prophet (s) had also taught her some supplications and dhikrs for solving problems.[23] The second caliph acknowledged her religious knowledge.[24]

Lion and Fidda

 
the place of Lion and Fidda in Karbala, located in one of the sub-alleys of al-Abbas Street

According to some sources, Fidda al-Nubiyya was present in Karbala. The story of the lion and Fidda is concerned with her presence there.[25] She allegedly talked with a lion. The lion wanted to prevent horses from treading the corpse of Imam al-Husayn (a).[26] However, given the evidence that horses did tread the Imam's (a) corpse,[27] the story does not seem to be reliable.

There is a place in Karbala known as Maqam Asad wa Fidda (the place of lion and Fidda Lion and Fidda).

Death

There is a mausoleum in Damascus which is attributed to Fidda. It is located in Bab al-Saghir cemetery. Her grave is near the mausoleum attributed to 'Abd Allah b. Ja'far b. Abi Talib at the western end of the cemetery. There is a small green dome on her chamber and its walls are made with black stones.[28]

In Ritual Poems

In religious and ritual poems, Fidda is referred to as the housemaid of Fatima al-Zahra (a) and as exhibiting some kiramat (wonder acts). She is said to be distinguished because of her companionship with Fatima (a).

Note

  1. ↑ Ḥasūn, Aʿlām al-nisāʾ al-muʾmināt, p. 696; Ibn Ḥajar al-ʿAsqalānī, al-Iṣāba, vol. 8, p. 281.
  2. ↑ Ṭurayḥī, Majmaʿ al-baḥrayn, vol. 2, p. 178.
  3. ↑ Ibn al-Wardī, Rīyāḍ al-sālikīn, vol. 4, p. 224.
  4. ↑ Mughnīya, al-Ḥusayn wa baṭalat Karbala, p. 287.
  5. ↑ Majlisī, Biḥār al-anwār, vol. 9, p. 575.
  6. ↑ Ḥasūn, Aʿlām al-nisāʾ al-muʾmināt, p. 696; Ibn Ḥajar al-ʿAsqalānī, al-Iṣāba, vol. 8, p. 281.
  7. ↑ Qur'an 17:28
  8. ↑ Ḥuwayzī, Tafsīr nūr al-thaqalayn, vol. 2, p. 157.
  9. ↑ Anṣārī, al-Mawsūʿa al-Karbala, vol. 17, p. 429.
  10. ↑ See: Ḥasūn, Aʿlām al-nisāʾ al-muʾmināt, p. 699-700..
  11. ↑ یا أُمَّ كُلْثُومٍ یا زَینَبُ یا سُكَینَةُ یا فِضَّةُ یا حَسَنُ یا حُسَینُ هَلُمُّوا تَزَوَّدُوا مِنْ أُمِّكُم
  12. ↑ Majlisī, Biḥār al-anwār, vol. 43, p. 179.
  13. ↑ Ḥasūn, Aʿlām al-nisāʾ al-muʾmināt, p. 696.
  14. ↑ Mughnīya, al-Ḥusayn wa baṭalat Karbala, p. 287.
  15. ↑ Ḥasūn, Aʿlām al-nisāʾ al-muʾmināt, p. 697.
  16. ↑ Ḥāʾirī, Taslīmat al-majālis, vol. 1, p. 529.
  17. ↑ Maghribī, Sharḥ al-akhbār, vol. 2, p. 328; Ibn Shahrāshūb, Manāqib Āl Abī Ṭālib, vol. 3, p. 183.
  18. ↑ Maḥallātī, Rayāḥīn al-Sharīʿa, vol. 2, p. 313-326.
  19. ↑ Majlisī, Biḥār al-anwār, vol. 43, p. 174-180
  20. ↑ Ṭūsī, al-Thāqib fī l-manāqib, p. 281.
  21. ↑ Anṣārī, al-Mawsūʿa al-Karbala, vol. 17, p. 428.
  22. ↑ Anṣārī, al-Mawsūʿa al-Karbala, vol. 17, p. 430.
  23. ↑ Anṣārī, al-Mawsūʿa al-Karbala, vol. 17, p. 429.
  24. ↑ Maghribī, Sharḥ al-akhbār, vol. 2, p. 328; Ibn Shahrāshūb, Manāqib Āl Abī Ṭālib, vol. 3, p. 183.
  25. ↑ Ḥurr al-ʿĀmilī, Ithbāt al-hudāt, vol. 4, p. 37.
  26. ↑ Kulaynī, al-Kāfī, vol. 1, p. 465.
  27. ↑ Mufīd, al-Irshād, vol. 2, p. 113.
  28. ↑ Qāʾidān, Amākin-i sīyāḥatī wa zīyāratī-yi Damascus, p. 47.

References

  • Ḥasūn, Muḥammad al-. Aʿlām al-nisāʾ al-muʾmināt. Beirut: Muʾassisat al-Aʿlamī, 1419 AH.
  • Ḥurr al-ʿĀmilī, Ithbāt al-hudāt, vol. 4, p. 37.
  • Ḥuwayzī, Tafsīr nūr al-thaqalayn, vol. 2, p. 157.
  • Ibn al-Wardī, Rīyāḍ al-sālikīn, vol. 4, p. 224.
  • Ibn Ḥajar al-ʿAsqalānī, Aḥmad b. ʿAlī. Al-Iṣāba fī tamyīz al-ṣaḥāba. Beirut: Dār al-Kutub al-ʿIlmīyya, 1415 AH.
  • Ibn Shahrāshūb, Muḥammad b. ʿAlī. Manāqib Āl Abī Ṭālib. Najaf: al-Maktaba al-Ḥaydarīyya, [n.d].
  • Kulaynī, Muḥammad b. Yaʿqūb al-. Al-Kāfī. Tehan: Islāmīyya, 1362 Sh.
  • Maghribī, Qāḍī Nuʿmān al-. Sharḥ al-akhbār fī faḍāʾil al-aʾimma al-aṭhār. Qom: Daftar-i Intishārāt-i Islāmī, 1414 AH.
  • Maḥallātī, Dhabīḥ Allāh. Rayāḥīn al-Sharīʿa. Tehran: Dār al-Kutub al-Islāmīyya, [n.d].
  • Majlisī, Muḥamamd Bāqir al-. Biḥār al-anwār. Beirut: Dār Iḥyāʾ al-Turāth al-ʿArabī, 1403 AH.
  • Mufīd, Muḥammad b. Muḥammad al-. Al-Irshād. Qom: Kungira-yi al-Shaykh al-Mufīd, 1413 AH.
  • Ṭurayḥī, Fakhr al-Dīn b. Muḥammad al-. Majmaʿ al-baḥrayn. Edited by Ḥusaynī Ashkūrī. Tehran: Murtaḍawī, 1375 Sh.
  • Ṭūsī, Ibn Ḥamza al-. Al-Thāqib fī l-manāqib. Qom: Anṣārīyān, 1412 AH.
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