The Blessed Necklace of Hazrat Fatima Zahra (AS)
Jabir
Ansari has reported: After performing the afternoon Prayer, the Holy
Prophet (SAWA) sat in the altar of the mosque, speaking to people. At
this time, an old Arab wearing threadbare clothes and unable to stand on
his feet entered the mosque. Seeing him, the Holy Prophet (SAWA)
consoled him and asked after his health. The old man said, “O Allah’s
Messenger! I am hungry; I need food. I am naked; clothe me; I am
indigent; give me something.”
The Holy Prophet (SAWA) said, “I have nothing to give you. But the one
who shows you to a benefactor is like one who has done the good. Go to
the house of one who loves Allah and the Prophet (SAWA) and Allah and
Prophet(SAWA) love her too; one who prefers Allah to herself. Go to
Fatimah’s house, which is in the neighborhood. O Bilal! Guide this man
to there.” The old man went with Bilal. The old man stood near the door
and in a loud voice and said, Peace be upon you O Household of the
Prophet (SAWA)! You are the seal of the Divine mission; unto you the
angels turn from the presence of the Lord of the world.
Lady
Fatimah (A.S.) answered from within the house, “Blessings and peace of
Allah be upon you. May I know who you are and what you need?” The old
man softly and gently said, “I am an old Arab. I am hungry and I do not
have clothes and I am helpless. I went to your beloved father, Allah’s
Messenger (SAWA), and he sent me here.”
It had been three days
she and her family had anything to eat. It was three days since hunger
had struck her home. It was three days since water was the only food for
them but for Fatimah(AS) it was not a matter of hesitation or doubt.
She had nothing but a small sheepskin which she used as a carpet and
bedding for her beloved sons. She gathered it up and with an apology
presented it to the old man, saying, “I hope Allah will give you better
than this.” But the old man did not take it saying, “O daughter of the
Prophet(SAWA)! What can I do with this? I am hungry!” Fatimah(A.S.),
looking astonished, glanced around the small house so that she could
find something else. Suddenly she remembered the necklace that her
cousin (Hamzah’s daughter) had given her. She quickly unfastened it and
gave it to the old man; saying, “Sell it and I hope Allah will solve
your Problem!” The old man took the necklace, blessed her and returned
to the Prophet(SAWA). The Prophet(SAWA), upon hearing from the old man
what had happened, said with tears in his eyes, “By all means your
problems will be solved because the doyenne of the world women has
blessed you with it.”
Ammar ibn Yasir, who had been watching,
moved closer to the Prophet (SAWA), saying, “O Allah’s Messenger! Will
you give me permission to buy this necklace?” The Prophet (SAWA) said,
“Ammar, whoever buys this necklace will be saved from Hellfire.” Ammar
turned to the old man and asked,
“How much will you sell this
necklace for?” The old man replied, “I need money to buy clothes and
food, and money for my journey so that I can go to my city. I will sell
it for that much money.”
Ammar who had sold his share of booty
from the Battle of Khaybar and had a little money said, “I will give you
20 dinars and 200 dirhams for this necklace.” The old man’s eyes shone
with happiness. He said, “You are a generous man.” Ammar gave to him
what he had promised.
The old man came to the Holy Prophet
(SAWA) who asked him, “Are you satisfied now?” The man said, “Yes, may
my parents be your ransom!” The Holy Prophet (SAWA) said, “So give a
reward to Fatimah (AS) for what she has done for you.” The old man
raised his hand in prayer saying, “O Allah! Bless Fatimah(AS) with what
no one has so far seen or heard about!” Allah’s Messenger said Amen to
the old man’s prayer, turned to his companions and said, “Allah has
granted this to Fatimah (AS) in this world: I am her father and no one
in the world is like me. Ali(AS) is her husband and had he not been
there, there would be no suitable spouse for her. Hasan (AS) and
Husayn(AS) are her sons who are the leaders of the youths of Paradise.”
The
Holy Prophet(SAWA), who was sitting with Miqdad, Ammar and Salman,
said, “Should I say more about Fatimah(AS)?” They said, “Yes, Allah’s
Messenger!” So he said, “Gabriel came to me saying:
‘When the soul of Fatimah (AS) is grasped and she is buried in her
grave, two angels will ask her: Who is your Lord? She will say: Allah is
my Lord. When she is asked who is your friend she will say: The one who
is near my grave, Ali ibn Abu-Talib(AS).’ Be aware that Allah has
assigned a group of angels to protect her from above as well as from the
right and left sides. They are with her in her lifetime and her grave,
constantly saluting her, her father, her husband, and her children. So
whoever visits my grave after my death has indeed visited me in my
lifetime; whoever visits Fatimah(AS) has indeed visited me; whoever
visits Ali ibn Abu-Talib(AS) has indeed visited Fatimah(AS); whoever
visits Hasan(AS) and Husayn(AS) has indeed visited Ali(AS); and whoever
visits the offspring of Hasan(AS) and Husayn(AS) has indeed visited the
two Imams.”
Hearing this, Ammar took the necklace, perfumed it with scent, put it in
an expensive cloth, called his slave and said, “Take this to the
Prophet (SAWA) and after this you will belong to him.” The slave took
the necklace to the Prophet (SAWA) and told him what Ammar had said. The
Holy Prophet (SAWA)said, “Give my regards to Fatimah (AS), give her the
necklace and tell her that you are now in her custody.” Fatimah(AS)
took the necklace in surprise and told the slave, “You are free in the
way of Allah.” The slave started laughing and said, “I am surprised at
the blessings of this necklace. It has satisfied a hungry person,
clothed a naked person, fulfilled the needs of another, freed a slave
and in the end returned to its owner.” (Bisharat al-Mustafa: 137)
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