" HAIDER - AE - KARRAR "

Nikah ( Imam Ali {as} ) [ L7 ]

When Fatima grew up , two old companions- first one then the other - asked her father for her hand in marriage. But he turned away from them in disgust & said :
" This matter of marriage of Fatima , my daughter , is in hands of ALLAH himself , & he alone will select spouse for her " .
The strangest case was the proposal of Abdul Rahman Ibn awf . A rich man who , by the customs of Age of ignorance, looked at everything through the viewing window of materialism, he visualised a heavy dowry as a sign of the women's personal status & the superior position of the husband . He came to see the prophet, saying : " if you will give Fatima to me in marriage, I will make her a dower of one hinder camels with loads of precious material from Egypt with 1000 dinars in gold !"
The prophet was so displeased with this meaningless proposal that he took a handful of gravel & threw it towards Abdul Rahman & said : " you thought that I was a servant of money & wealth that you are expressing pride in your money & wealth !"

Indeed , in lady Fatima's marriage proposal Islamic examples must be defined, the customs of ignorance suppressed, & the standard of Islamic values made clear .

Sometime later , some companions met Imam Ali (as) & mentioned to him his close kinship to prophet Muhammad (saw) , his great jihad for Islam & his support to the Prophet Muhammad (saw) in all his battles & situations . They asked him to propose to Fatima (s.a) and win the honour of the prophet's affinity. Imam Ali (as) went to the prophet hesitatingly because of shyness . He came to Prophet lowering his sight to the ground. The prophet asked him,
What do you want , my brother ?
Imam Ali (as) was silent for a while out of shyness & then said , " O messenger of ALLAH , I remembered Fatima ".
The prophet Muhammad (saw) answered smilingly while delight appeared on his face , " Welcome ALLAH has ordered to marry my daughter to you ".
{ Prophet Muhammad (saw) has said in his regards, an angel came to me from ALLAH & said , " ALLAH sends his greetings unto you & has said , I have wedded your daughter Fatima in the heavens to Ali Ibn abi talib ; you too therefore we'd Fatima to Ali Ibn abi talib " . }

Imam Ali's heart was filled with delight for the honour that ALLAH granted him . He was the prophet's cousin & then he was going to be his son in law . It has been mentioned in some tafsirs that this verse ,
" & He it is who has created man from the water , then he made for him blood relationship & marriage relationship, & your lord is powerful ". 25:24 concerned Imam Ali (as) .
It is mentioned in the narratives that prophet Muhammad (saw) said : " If Ali didn't exist , there would be no mate for Fatima " . This prophetic attitude, connected to providence , divine inspiration & will , draws our attention & makes us stop to ponder a little . It raises very critical & significant questions. Why didn't prophet Muhammad (saw) leaves the matter of Lady Fatima (sa) marriage to herself ?

Why was lady Fatima's (sa) marriage so distinguished by these characteristics? There must be a divine secret & wisdom related to this marriage & connected with this critical human relationship between Lady Fatima (sa) , the daughter of the messenger of ALLAH & Ali Ibn Abi talib , his cousin , " brother & self " , as the messenger of ALLAH used to refer to Imam Ali (as ) .
Imam Ali (as) was raised by holy Prophet from infancy . He lived with the messenger of ALLAH & lady Khadija (sa) . He was brought up in the shade of divine inspiration & graduated from the prophetic school . While still a boy , he was the first male believer in the mission & message of Holy prophet Muhammad (saw) . It was this unique relationship that Imam Ali (as) described in these words :
" You know that due to my close relationship & y special rank I enjoyed with the messenger of ALLAH , I have a distinguished position with him . He took me in his lap when I was a baby . He often kept me embraced to his heart . We used to be so close to each other that I felt warmth of his body & smelled the fragrance of this odour . When I was a baby , he fed me from his mouth , chewing hard bits for me . He never found me lying & making a mistake ".
Imam Ali (as ) was the one Prophet Muhammad (saw) praised before Lady Fatima (sa) saying : " I asked my Lord to marry to be the best of his creatures ."
& he said to Imam Ali (as) : "aren't you satisfied that you are holding, in respect to me , the rank of Haroon to Musa (as) except that there is no prophet after me ?".
Similarly, he asked Lady Fatima (sa) : " aren't you satisfied that you are the believing women  ?" So both of them were the most loved by Prophet Muhammad (saw) & the closest of people to him .
On another occasion , he said to her , ' O Fatima, don't you know that ALLAH observed the people of earth & then he chose your father from among them & sent him a messenger & once another he observed & then he chose your husband & revealed to me so that I married him ( to my daughter ) & took him my guardian?'

On third occasion he said to her , 'he ( Imam Ali ) is the first of my companions in being Muslim , the most of them in knowledge & the great of them in prudence .'
All high qualities, ideals & values were available in Imam Ali (as) & therefore, ALLAH had chosen him a husband for the daughter of prophet Muhammad (saw) .

Lady Fatima (sa) was married to Imam Ali (as) by the prophet(saw) one year after his migration to Medina . Although it is true , this marriage is a divine marriage, however lady Fatima's (sa) character & in general women in rights in Islam for choosing their own husbands provided that prophet Muhammad (saw) not proceed to this act without having his daughter's word in this matter . It is true that the marriage was heavenly & must take place because of height status of lady Fatima (sa) & to demonstrate the respect & freedom of women in choosing their husbands, it was necessary that the prophet of Islam should not go ahead in this matter without the consent of lady Fatima (sa) .

This ceremony took place for the establishment of a family , by which an important part of Islam'a history was changed & by which the pure successors of the prophet would all come into existence. The prophet executed such a program that his enemies became jealous & his friends became proud !

" So exalt the name of your lord , the most great , then I swear by the setting of the stars & indeed , it is an oath -if you could know -[most great] .
                            ~ Surah Al-Waqia 56:74

Lady Fatima (sa) was not just a wife to Imam Ali (as ) . He looked upon her as a friend who was famili with his pain & his great wishes . She was his endless refuge , the one who listened to his secrets . She was the only companion of his loneliness .
" Every time I look at Fatima (sa ) , my worries & sadness would disappear " .
~ Imam Ali (as )