Marriage to Hazrat Fatimah (ra)

The marriage between Hazrat Ali (ra) and Hazrat Fatimah (ra) took place in 2 AH. Hazrat Ali (ra) requested the Holy Prophet (sa) for her hand in marriage, to which he happily agreed. Hazrat Anas (ra) narrates that both Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) and Hazrat Umar (ra) had asked for Hazrat Fatimah’s (ra) hand in marriage, but the Holy Prophet (sa) remained silent on the matter and did not give them an answer.

Hazrat Ali (ra) narrates:

“I went to the Holy Prophet (sa) and requested if he would give Hazrat Fatimah’sra hand in marriage to me. The Holy Prophet (sa) asked, ‘Do you have anything to give for the mehr [dowry given by the husband to the wife]?’ I said, ‘I have a horse and chainmail’. The Holy Prophet (sa) said, ‘You will require your horse, but you can sell your chainmail.’ Thus I sold my chain mail for 480 dirhams to arrange for my mehr.”

People often think that they can set the haq mehr as they please and will worry about paying it later, whereas the Holy Prophet (sa) has ordered to make provisions for the haq mehr. This means that this is a right of the wife and should be given immediately.

Some people write to me saying that their wife has made a demand asking for the haq mehr, even though they were living happily together. If they make this request, then this is their right and should be given immediately. Failing to do so can then lead to quarrels. Also, some people claim that this [i.e. haq mehr] is something that should be settled during divorce settlements, whereas this has no link with divorce.

Nonetheless, there is a narration which states that Hazrat Ali (ra) sold his chainmail to Hazrat Uthman (ra). Hazrat Uthman (ra) gave the money for the chainmail and then gave the chainmail back to him. Hazrat Ali (ra) states, “I took the amount to the Holy Prophet (sa) and presented it to him. The Holy Prophet (sa) took a handful of the money and gave it to Bilalra and said, ‘Buy some fragrance with it.’ He then instructed others to prepare the trousseau for Hazrat Fatimah (ra). Hence, they prepared a charpoy, a leather pillow which was filled with sheaths of the date palm.” All this was prepared for her wedding.

In one narration, it is stated that when the marriage of Hazrat Fatimah (ra) was settled with Hazrat Ali (ra), the Holy Prophet (sa) said, “My Lord had already commanded me to do this [i.e. regarding the marriage]”. Once the marriage had taken place, the Holy Prophet (sa) said to Hazrat Ali (ra), “When Fatimah (ra) arrives, do not say anything to her until I arrive.” Hazrat Fatimah (ra) came with Hazrat Umm-e-Aimanra and sat to one side of the house. Hazrat Ali (ra) says that he also sat to one side. After this, the Holy Prophet (sa) arrived and asked, “Where is my brother?” Hazrat Umm-e-Aimanra asked, “Your brother? And you gave your daughter in marriage to him?” The Holy Prophet (sa) replied, “Yes.” (This is a relation in which marriage is permissible because Hazrat Ali (ra) was not his actual brother.) The Holy Prophet (sa) then entered the house and requested Hazrat Fatimah (ra) to bring him some water. She stood up and brought a bowl of water that was in the house. The Holy Prophet (sa) rinsed his mouth with the water and said to Hazrat Fatimah (ra) to come forward. She moved forward; the Holy Prophet (sa) then sprinkled some water over her head and recited the following prayer:

اَللّٰهُمَّ‭ ‬اِنِّي‭ ‬اُعِيْذُهَا‭ ‬بِكَ‭ ‬وَذُرِّيَّتَهَا‭ ‬مِنَ‭ ‬الشَّيْطَانِ‭ ‬الرَّجِيْمِ ‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ Meaning, “O Allah! I seek Your refuge for her and her progeny from Satan the Accursed.” The Holy Prophet (sa) then asked her to turn around. When she turned around, the Holy Prophet (sa) sprinkled water between her shoulders and then did the same to Hazrat Ali (ra). The Holy Prophet (sa) then said to Hazrat Ali (ra), “Now go to your wife with the name of Allah and His blessings.”

In another narration, Hazrat Ali (ra) stated that the Holy Prophet (sa) performed ablution in a bowl and then sprinkled the water on Hazrat Fatimah (ra) and Hazrat Ali (ra). He then offered the following prayer:

اَللّٰهُمَّ‭ ‬بَارِكْ‭ ‬فِيْهِمَا‭ ‬وَبَارِكْ‭ ‬لَهُمَا‭ ‬فِيْ‭ ‬شَمْلِهِمَا‬‬‬‬‬‬

“O Allah! Bestow blessings on both of them and bless this union.”

Hazrat Aisha (ra) and Hazrat Umm-e-Salmah (ra) narrate, “The Holy Prophet (sa) instructed us to prepare Hazrat Fatimah (ra) for her wedding and also for us to take her to Hazrat Ali (ra). Thus, we turned our attention to the arrangements of the house; we coated [the walls] with soft mud from the outskirts of Batha [name of a place near Mecca], then filled two pillows with date palm sheaths, carding it with our hands. We then placed dates and raisins to eat as well as sweet water to drink. We took a stick and fixed it on one side of the room so that clothes could be hung from it as well as water skins. We did not witness a better wedding than Hazrat Fatimah’s. The walima consisted of dates, barely, cheese and hais.” Hais is a dish prepared from dates, clarified butter and cheese etc.

Hazrat Asma (ra) bint Umais narrates, “At that time, we did not witness a better wedding than this one.”

(Sharh Zurqani ala al-Mawahib al-Laduniyyah, Vol. 2, pp. 357-267, Dhikr Tazwij Ali bi Fatimah, Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 1996) (Sunan Ibn Majah, Kitab al-Nikah, Bab al-Walimah, Hadith 1911) (Tarikh al-Khamis, Vol. 2, p. 77, al-Waqi‘ min Awwal Hijratihsa ila Wafatih, Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 2009) (Ibn Saad, Al-Tabaqat al-Kubra, Vol. 8 [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, 1990], 19) (Lughat al-Hadith, Vol. 1, p. 172, Kitab al-Haa)