Hazrat Fatima Zahra (PBUH) an example for humanity

Perceptive, mystic eyes might see other things, of course, but even an ordinary worldly look reveals the great personality of Hazrat Fatima Zahra (PBUH), daughter of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), in her 18-year life, which was full of important events. She was the manifestation of the loftiest Islamic ideas about women, an epitome of concepts such as motherhood, wifehood, being the lady of the house and raising children.

In performing her religious duties, she followed the principle of doing good, and did it diligently. In so doing, she participated in an arena that was supposed to determine the fate of the Islamic Ummah, which constituted a spectacular presence with her stormy sermons.

It’s the comprehensive roadmap for women’s identity in Islam: Being a good mother and a good wife, fighting in the way of God, being the lady and manager of the house, and being pious and worshiping Allah, all at the same time. And from a theological point of view, she showed that women can achieve the lofty position of infallibility.

Many instances of her life are extraordinary lessons for us. For example, Imam Hassan (PBUH), her holy son, says, “On Friday night, my mother was awake until dawn, praying. Whenever I listened, I heard that she was praying for others. In the morning, I said, ‘Mother, you were praying for others, but you did not pray for yourself.’ She answered, ‘Son, first others, then us.’”

The above is a lightly edited excerpt of a speech delivered by Ayatollah Khamenei on February 3, 2021, on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Hazrat Fatima Zahra (PBUH).