Lady Fatima's Sermon to the Women of Medina
Lady Fatima’s sermon addressed to the women of Medina, also known as the "Sermon of Visitation," comprises her words of protest against the usurpation of the caliphate. Delivered during her illness, which eventually led to her martyrdom, this sermon is significant for its depiction of the state of the Muslim community following the Prophet's passing, its warnings about the future of the Islamic society, and its eloquence and rhetorical power.
In the Sermon of Visitation, Lady Fatima disavows the oath-breakers and censures the people for their blind following and betrayal of their covenant, painting a picture of their disloyalty. She addresses several key themes: analyzing the current state of affairs, predicting a grim future for the Muslim community, highlighting the characteristics of an ideal Alawi government, critiquing the intellectual weakness and discord among the people of Medina, emphasizing the public’s responsibility in countering governmental corruption, and exposing the reality of Saqifa. In her sermon, she references several Quranic verses, including verse 80 of Surah al-Ma'ida regarding the consequences of following desires, verse 96 of Surah al-A'raf, and verse 51 of Surah Al-Zumar, which rebuke those who fail to adhere to the truth, as well as verse 35 of Surah Yunus, which highlights the qualities of those worthy of leadership.
Lady Fatima’s sermon addressed to the women of the Muhajirun and Ansar has been cited in both Shia and Sunni hadith collections through various chains of transmission. This sermon has also been explained by religious scholars in works dedicated to Lady Fatima’s life and in commentaries on her speeches.
Introduction and Significance
Lady Fatima’s sermon addressed to the women of Medina, also known as the Sermon of Visitation, comprises words she delivered from her sickbed to the women who came to visit her during her final illness, which ultimately led to her martyrdom. There is no precise information about the number or identities of the visiting women. However, in Balaghat al-nisa and Ibn Abi al-Hadid’s commentary on Nahj al-Balagha, it is mentioned that several women from among the Muhajirun and Ansar came to see her. Additionally, Tarikh al-Ya'qubi notes that the Prophet’s wives and a group of women from the Quraysh were among those who visited her.
Some researchers consider Fatima Zahra’s speech to the women of Medina as possessing remarkable eloquence, rhetoric, and profound content. According to them, given Fatima's awareness of the developments in the nascent Islamic society, she employed various speech acts, such as assertive, emotional, and persuasive acts, to produce a greater impact on her audience. This text is also seen as evidence of her insight into the issues and dynamics prevailing in Medina at the time.
Makarem Shirazi, a prominent Shiite authority, describes this sermon as having a resonant and courageous tone, similar to the Sermon of Fadak, but with a more sorrowful undertone. According to him, although Fatima had suffered greatly and was bedridden due to injuries sustained during the attack on her home, she said nothing about her own condition in this sermon. Instead, she focused entirely on the usurpation of the caliphate, the cruelties done to 'Ali, and the future dangers of this significant deviation. This, he notes, reflects her selflessness and her state of contentment and submission to God.
Background of the Sermon
In her final days (after the attack on her home), Fatima fell gravely ill, and the women of the Muhajirun and Ansar came to visit her. It has been suggested that the visiting women were sent by their husbands, who felt a sense of responsibility for the unfortunate events that had befallen Fatima. By sending their wives, they sought to alleviate their guilt and appease their consciences. Additionally, some believe that political motives played a role in this visit, aiming to mend relations between the Prophet’s family and the ruling authority and to ease tensions in Medina.
Contents of the Sermon
In her sermon during the visitation, Fatima denounces the oath-breakers and rebukes the people for their blind following, painting a picture of their disloyalty. She addresses several key themes, including an analysis of the current circumstances, a prediction of a bleak future for Muslims, the characteristics of Alawi governance, intellectual weakness and divisions, the people’s responsibility in confronting governmental corruption, and a depiction of the Saqifa faction. In this sermon, she references several Quranic verses, such as verse 80 of Surah al-Ma'ida on the consequences of following desires, verse 96 of Surah al-A'raf and verse 51 of Surah al-Zumar criticizing the neglect of truth, and verse 35 of Surah Yunus on the qualities of those worthy of leadership.
Rebuking the People
At the beginning of her sermon, Fatima Zahra rebukes the Muhajirun and Ansar for being manipulated by the ruling faction and for their silence and complicity in the face of the deviation. She laments how their once ironclad resolve during the Prophet's time had faltered and weakened. Fatima likens them to broken swords and shattered spears, metaphors reflecting the intellectual weakness and disunity of the Muslim community in the face of events following the Prophet’s demise. She holds the Muhajirun and Ansar responsible for the usurpation of the caliphate, as they succumbed to the prevailing atmosphere, declaring that the disgrace of their actions would stain their legacy for all of history.
Explaining the Reasons Why 'Ali Was Excluded from the Caliphate
In the second part of her sermon, Fatima identifies the main motivation behind excluding Imam 'Ali from the caliphate as his unwavering resolve and courage on the battlefield against the enemies of Islam, the pain inflicted by his sword, his indifference to death, his anger for the sake of God, and his refusal to compromise with the enemies of God.
Characteristics of 'Ali’s Governance
In a part of her sermon, Fatima describes the kind of governance the people would have experienced if 'Ali had become their leader. Such a government would have been characterized by the separation of truth from falsehood, the prevention of tyranny by the remnants of the polytheists, the ruler’s compassion and genuine concern for the well-being of Muslims, and guidance without the use of violence. It would have quenched the thirst for justice from the fountain of truth, reflected the ruler's detachment from worldly possessions, distinguished the truthful from the deceitful, and brought blessings to the Islamic society through adherence to piety and divine guidance.
Characterizing the Usurping Rulers
Lady Fatima, in the next part of her speech, expresses her astonishment at the actions of the Muslims. She questions why they turned to false friends, chose unworthy leaders, and committed so much injustice and tyranny. Some suggest that her intention might have been to challenge the people's reasoning for abandoning a strong and trustworthy figure like Imam 'Ali and the Ahl al-Bayt in favor of others. As she puts it, the people left the "head" and clung to the "tail," following the ignorant while forsaking the learned. They mistook their wrongdoing for righteousness. Fatima regarded them as corrupt individuals who perceived their own corruption as virtuous.
Predicting a Turbulent Future
The final part of Fatima's speech in this gathering is a warning about the consequences of wrong choices. She cautions the people about sharp swords, the rule of oppressive and bloodthirsty tyrants, widespread chaos, and a despotic government that would squander the wealth of the Muslims and scatter their communities. According to Makarem Shirazi, Fatima's remarks may allude to the rule of the Umayyad and Abbasid dynasties, figures such as Hajjaj b. Yusuf, and events like the tragedy of Harra.
The Reaction of the Muhajirun and Ansar to Fatima's Words
According to Suwayd b. Ghafla, after the women relayed Fatima's words to their husbands, a group of men came to her to apologize. They claimed that since they had pledged allegiance to Abu Bakr, they were religiously bound and could not break their pledge, excusing themselves from supporting the Ahl al-Bayt. Upon hearing their words, Fatima responded: "Leave me and do not speak to me, for your apology is insincere. You have no excuse for failing to defend the truth and will bear responsibility for the calamities that would unfold in the future."
Sources of the Sermon
Lady Fatima’s sermon delivered to the women of the Muhajirun and Ansar has been narrated by both infallible Imams and non-infallible transmitters in the works of Shia and Sunni scholars. This sermon has been transmitted through multiple chains, including:
Al-Shaykh al-Saduq, in his book Ma'ani al-akhbar, transmits it through two chains: one from Imam 'Ali and the other from 'Abd Allah b. al-Hasan b. al-Hasan, who heard it from his mother Fatima, the daughter of Imam al-Husayn.
Al-Tabari, in Dala'il al-Imama, narrates it from Imam al-Sadiq through his grandfather, Imam al-Sajjad.
Ibn Tayfur and Ibn Abi al-Hadid, Sunni scholars, include this sermon in their works Balaghat al-nisa and Sharh Nahj al-Balagha, respectively, quoting it from 'Atiyya al-Kufi.
Ahmad b. 'Ali al-Tabarsi, in his book al-Ihtijaj, narrates the sermon from Suwayd b. Ghafla. 'Allama al-Hilli describes Suwayd as a companion and supporter of Imam 'Ali. Allama al-Majlisi also includes the sermon in Bihar al-anwar, citing al-Ihtijaj. Hussein-Ali Montazeri, a commentator on this sermon, notes that Suwayd b. Ghafla embraced Islam during the Prophet’s lifetime and was a devout believer. Both Shia and Sunni scholars of rijal have verified his reliability.
Commentaries
Lady Fatima’s sermon to the women of Medina has been discussed both as an independent text and within the context of books about her life and commentaries on her sermons.
Malaki-yi Islam: sharh-i khutbi-yi Fadakiyya wa khutbi-yi hadrat-i Zahra salam Allah 'Alayha dar jam'-i zanan-i Madina (The Queen of Islam: a commentary on Fadakiyya sermon and Lady Zahra’s sermon among the women of Medina) by Mirza Khalil Kamarei.
Ranjnami-yi kawthar-i afarinish: sharh-i khutbi-yi duwum, 'ayadat-i zanan-i Muhajir wa Ansar az hadrat-i Zahran by Seyed Mojtaba Borhani.
Sharh-i khutbi-yi hadrat-i Zahra, salam Allah 'alayha, wa majarayi Fadak (A commentary on the sermon of Lady Zahra, peace be upon her, and the event of Fadak) by Hussein-Ali Montazeri (a commentary on Fadakiyya and Visitation sermons)
Zahra bartarin banuyi jahan (Zahra the most virtuous lady in the world) by Naser Makarem Shirazi (a commentary on Fadakiyya and Visitation sermons within a historiography of Lady Fatima’s life from birth to the Prophet’s demise and beyond)
Sira wa simayi rayhani-yi payambar by Ali Karami Faridani (a commentary on Lady Zahra’s sermons within an account of her life and virtues in 22 sections)