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• 12 Jumada I 1446

The Lady Fatimah al-Zahraa Virtues
Part 5 - Her Dowry

The representative of the Religious Authority says, "Reducing dowries is a prophetic manner, and the dowry of the Master of worldwide ladies, Fatimah al-Zahraa (P), was five hundred dirhams and intercession for the sinners of her father’s nation on the Day of Judgment" only and nothing else.
When Fatimah reached marital age, many distinguished and interested candidates of the Muhajireen and Ansar approached the Prophet (P), asking for her hand. The Prophet (P) rejected them by stating, "I am waiting for heaven's command in this matter." Thus, Gabriel descended to the Prophet (P) and said: "O Messenger of Allah, marry the light from the light, Fatimah (P) to Ali (P). All of a sudden, Imam Ali (P) visited the Prophet Muhammad (P), and while he was reviewing and listing his contribution to Islam and the community (e.g., his precedence, his struggle, and his defense of Islam), he lowered his head. The Prophet (P) replied to Ali: "Have you not known me to mention a previous like this? Perhaps you have found me proposing to my daughter Fatimah (P). Imam Ali said: Yes, O Messenger of Allah. The Prophet said: Why did not you let me know before this? He replied, "Modesty prevented me, O Messenger of God!" So the Prophet (P), in a glance, stood up; he entered upon his daughter Fatimah and said, “O my daughter, Ali ibn Abi Talib, I know of his kinship, his precedence, his virtue, and his struggle in Islam. I have asked my Lord to marry you to the best of His creation and the most beloved to Him. Today, he has mentioned something about you, so what do you say, my daughter?”
She remained silent [shyness] and did not turn her face away nor see the dislike on her face. Then the Prophet (P) stood up and said, “Allahu Akbar!” Her silence was her contentment. Then, he (P) came to Ali (P) and said, “What do you have as a dowry?” Ali said, “O Messenger of Allah, as nothing hidden from you, I own a sword, a camel, and a shield.” The Prophet (P) said, you will need the sword to defend Islam, and you will need the camel to maintain your life, but the shield doesn't look like a brave one such as you really need it, so sell it for five hundred dirhams and offer them as a dowry. Imam Ali (P) left, and on his way, he faced a Bedouin who was looking for a shield, so he asked, “Will you sell the shield, Ali?” He said, “Yes, the messenger of Allah ordered me to sell it for five hundred dirhams.” So the Bedouin gave him his purse in which he said, “As long as the Prophet asked you that, here you go take whatever you want, and the shield is yours too". Ali (P) returned to the Messenger of Allah (P) with money, and the shield was in his hand. He told him the story of the Bedouin. The Prophet (P) said, “O Ali, that man was Gabriel, and the money was relieved from Allah." The Prophet stood up and poured the dirhams into the hands of his daughter Fatima (P), saying, “O my daughter, this is the dowry from Ali (P).” Lady Fatimah (P) raised her head and said, “I am satisfied with Ali as a husband, but I want my dowry from the Most High.” Gabriel descended and said, “O Messenger of Allah, Allah sends you peace and honors you and says, ‘Your daughter Fatima (P) wants to intercede for the sinners of your followers, so give it to her.’” The Prophet (P) informed her and she was happy with that. It was narrated by the Messenger of Allah (P): “If Ali had not been created, there would have been no match for Fatimah.”

Lessons:
First, the Prophet (P) wanted to reduce dowries, reject manifestations of corruption in marriage, including exaggeration in dowries, and facilitate marriage. He also wanted to strengthen the religious and moral foundations of marriage, as in his saying (P): “If a well-mannered young man with piety approaches you asking for your daughter's hand, surly, marry him."
Second, Lady Fatimah's (P) enjoyment and happiness were something beyond money, jewelry, and goods. Her ambition was the lofty soul, great personality and spirituality, and the majesty of status, and she asked her father (P) to pray to Allah Almighty to grant her this great place of intercession on the Day of judgment.
We ask Allah Almighty to grant us the intercession of the Prophet, his daughter, and his blessed and purified progeny (peace and blessing upon all of them).
Our Lord! Bless Fatimah, her father, her husband, her children, and the secrets stored within her, as many as your knowledge has enumerated and your book has encompassed.