Fidda: Difference between revisions

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

Fidda was [[Fatima al-Zahra]]'s (a) housemaid. After the revelation of the [[verse]], "then speak to them with gentle words",<ref>Qur'an 17:28</ref> the [[Prophet (s)]] sent her to Fatima's (a) house and called her "Fidda" (which literally means silver).

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.

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

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 bt. al-Imam 'Ali (a)|Umm Kulthum]], O [[Zaynab bt. 'Ali (a)|Zaynab]], O Sukayna, O Fidda, O Hasan, O Husayn, come on and say goodbye to your mother {{enote|{{ia|یا أُمَّ كُلْثُومٍ یا زَینَبُ یا سُكَینَةُ یا فِضَّةُ یا حَسَنُ یا حُسَینُ هَلُمُّوا تَزَوَّدُوا مِنْ أُمِّكُم}}}}.

After the [[martyrdom]] of Lady Fatima (a), Fidda served Imam 'Ali (a). She lived for 20 years after that. She was known as a pious and righteous woman. 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. Fidda had children from Abu Malik. A girl called Shuhra bt. Muska bt. Fidda who allegedly exhibited some supernatural acts was Fidda's granddaughter. According to some sources, her second husband complained against her to [['Umar b. Khattab]], but 'Umar judged in favor of Fidda.

Fidda talked only with [[verse]]s of the [[Qur'an]] for 20 years; she answered people's questions with Quranic verses. 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. Imam 'Ali (a) said about her: "O God! Bless us in our Fidda".

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

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

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.

* The material for this article is mainly taken from [http://fa.wikishia.net/view/فضه_نوبیه {{ia|فضه نوبیه}}] in Farsi Wikishia.