WOMEN'S STRATEGIC STUDIES (KETABE ZANAN)
Year:2008 | Volume:10 | Issue:39 |Papers Count:7

Fatimah’s personality is depicted as a lady having all the human virtues in Sunnite interpretive or non-interpretive narrations. The interpretive narrations show her status from a Quranic perspective which indicates her personality on the basis of divine interpretations. The non-interpretive narrations reveal other aspects of Fatimah’s personality according to narrations attributed to the Prophet. The sum of both types of narrations is that Fatimah is at the center of the household of the Prophet, has a full knowledge of religious truths, strictly defends whatever is right and the territory of Wilayay after her father’s passing away, is the most favorable person to the Prophet of Allah, and the best of all women.

The emergence of new schools of mysticism, some of which are non-religious and Sufistic, and the questions and doubts posed in the same era, require an overall explanation of the comprehensive Islamic mysticism. On the basis of the teachings and prayers of Fatimah (pbuh), the present paper both practically and academically elaborates on the meaning of the real Islamic mysticism and some of its principles. Afterwards, some of principal features and fundamental elements of mysticism, obtained from the traditions and actions of Fatimah (pbuh) as reflected in her prayers, such as being based on Shari’a, comprehensiveness, responsibility, political activities, life-construction etc. are studied according to the two dimensions of knowledge and spirituality and on the basis of rationality and justice. The present paper assumes that real mysticism which brings happiness and perfection exists only in the Shiite Islam or the Islam of the Quran and the household of the Prophet.

The more one enjoys the qualities of the Necessary Existence, the more he/she approaches the origin of the Necessary Existence and his/her existential qualities increase, because a perfect man is the collection of divine qualities and attributes. From a Quranic perspective, the role of guidance belongs to a perfect man who is devoid of  moral and spiritual deficiencies and does not oppress others. The speeches, acts, and writings of such a man are religiously authoritative. Due to his religious obligations, he will propagate religion, implement divine laws, and defend the territories of God’s religion. The holly Fatimah is an obvious example of “divine purification” who, without any personal desires and on the basis of bringing arguments and her political will, guarded religion and supported the immediate successor of the Prophet. In all her speeches, acts, and writings, she advocated religion and was benevolent to the Ummah. As a result, following her divine acts can be helpful.

The realization of man’s character and identity depends on various factors such as the possibility of being influential through active presence in social arena. Thus, social participation drew a specific attention in the revivalist movements of all divine prophets, especially the Great Prophet of Islam (pbuh). To secure women’s dignity and identity with respect to rights suitable for women’s abilities, Islam has considered duties and obligations corresponding to women’s dignity, reduced their inferiority to men and thus provided the possibility of the realization of their personal and behavioral independence. The Prophet’s mission to eradicate the Arabs’ superstitions of the Ignorance Period and to promote women to an exalted status was realized in his behavior to the holly Fatimah. However, after her passing away, there was the risk that gender dominate identity and women’s humanity be slaughtered for masculinity. As a result, a serious act was necessary to respect women’s status and to appreciate humanity. This was not possible except through the Prophet’s family and Fatimah, one who was directly educated by the Prophet himself.

Fatimah is an exemplary lady in Islam and her speeches, acts and writings are religiously authoritative and the criteria for correct action and thought. Among her speeches are her divine and rigid statements to defend Allah’s religion and the immediate successor of the Prophet, Imam Ali. These statements, as the first expression of Shiite beliefs, were confirmed and completed by the Household of the Prophet, now being part of the Shiite beliefs. In fact, the main topics referred to in her fruitful statements are the succession of the Prophet by an Imam, arguments for the Imamate of Imam Ali and other Shiite Imams, the characteristics of Imams, the philosophy of Imamate and the Imamate of the twelfth Imam. These valuable teachings depict a political belief system which shows the basics of Shiism.

According to the Islamic mysticism, woman is the master piece of the creation and the symbol of God’s agency and capability in the world of existence, with Fatimah being the best symbol of God’s agency and capability. All the manifestations of knowledge and potentialities are realized by her internal light. Thus, the central axis of the process of perfection lies in her satisfaction and love of her and the household of the Prophet. Achieving the status of unity with God and going to the right way towards God would be impossible without accepting her Wilayah. This is the secret behind Shia’s being a good model.

The speech given by Fatimah (pbuh) in the Mosque of Madinah, after the Prophet passed away and Imam Ali’s right to rule was usurped, is called the Fadak Khotbah. Fatimah’s intention behind presenting this speech, which is the sign of the oppressions against Shi’a and the mother of the Shiite Imams, is apparently regaining an orchard called Fadak inherited to her from the Prophet, but in reality her intention was clarifying many of divine truths and knowledge. This speech contains information about the unity of God, facts about the mission of the Prophet, and his attempts to invite people toward the unity of God and the implementation of Islam. This speech was recurrently narrated by the infallible Imams and by others directly connected to them and, as a result, is authoritative to us.