The Companions of Prophet Muhammad

Ali and Fatima

When the infant Muhammad was orphaned, his paternal uncle, Abu Talib took the responsibility of raising him. In the subsequent years, Muhammad would accompany Abu Talib on many of his trading missions to Syria and Yemen and spent his time learning from his uncle. When Muhammad himself was a grown man with his own family, the impoverished Abu Talib bequeathed his son Ali to Muhammad under his care.

Ali was just 5 years old at the time and the Prophet Muhammad and his wife, Khadija were parents to three daughters and a son that had died in his infancy. 5 years before the Prophet received his revelation from God, Khadija gave birth to their youngest daughter, Fatimah. Thus, both Fatimah and Ali were raised in the household of the Prophet Muhammad.

On the day that the Angel Gabriel had come spoken to the Prophet Muhammad, his wife Khadija knew that this revelation was of the same source as that which came to Moses. Ali, who was only 10 years old at the time was given an invitation to Islam. He asked that he be given some time to think about his decision. Ali returned to the Prophet a few hours later stating “God did not need to consider when he created me, thus I shall not hesitate in worshipping him”.

A few years after the revelations became public, the chiefs of the Quraysh began to ridicule and mock the Prophet Muhammad. It initiated with verbal insults but escalated to physical violence when they noticed Muhammad’s preaching had begun to sway the hearts of their fellow tribesmen. When the Prophet Muhammad would pray in the sanctified area around the Kabaa, the Quraysh would regularly dump animal organs on him while he was in prostration. Fatimah, who was still very young at the time, would stand by her father’s side and clean the waste off his back.

Ali was also inseparable from the Prophet. He followed him wherever he went and memorised the verses of the Quran as had been revealed directly to the Prophet.

In later life, Ali would say to his people “Ask me questions about the book of Allah. Because by God! There is no verse of the Quran about which I do not know whether it was revealed at night or during the day, on the ground or on the mountain”

When the Prophet’s wife, Khadija RA passed away in the same year as his beloved uncle, Abu Talib, the sorrow weighed heavy in his heart. Fatimah’s grief was also inconsolable. Realising that she was now the Prophet’s main source of comfort, she came to be called "Umm Abi-ha the mother of her father". She also provided him with solace during times of trial, difficulty and crisis.

Often the trials were too much for her. Once, during the same period, a mob heaped dust and earth upon his gracious head. As he entered his home, Fatimah wept profusely as she wiped the dust from her father's head. "Do not cry, my daughter," he said, "for God shall protect your father." 

The Prophet had a special love for Fatimah. He said: "The best women in all the world are four: the Virgin Mary, Aasiyaa the wife of Pharoah, Khadijah Mother of the Believers, and Fatimah, daughter of Muhammad." Fatimah thus acquired a place of love and esteem in the Prophet's heart that was only occupied by his wife Khadijah.

When it came time for the Prophet to migrate to Medina, it was Ali, whose appearance resembled that of the Prophet, that took his place in his bed while he and Abu Bakr began their migration. Ali risked his life knowing that Quraysh assassins had intended to take the life of the Prophet that very night. Ali then remained in Makkah a short while as an agent on behalf of the Prophet to return those items and money people had entrusted to the Prophet. When he had completed this task, Ali traversed the vast Arabian desert to migrate to Medinah. This incredible feat was made more remarkable by the fact his financial situation left him unable to find a pair of sandals for his commute.