AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): It was in the fifth year, or the end of the fourth year of Hegira, that the Archangel Gabriel, appeared before our Prophet [Peace be upon Him!] and announced to him: "O Mohammad! God has sent thee His Greetings, and He orders thee to keep thyself away from Lady Khadijeh for forty days!" Our Prophet, even though he had a great affection for his wife, in order to obey God Almighty, submitted himself to this ordeal.
So, for forty days, our Prophet spent his days in fasting, and his nights in deep meditation and prayers. Until the Archangel Gabriel came down to Earth once again and said to him: "O Mohammad! God sends His supreme Greetings to thee! He orders thee to be prepared for His precious gift, and His best wishes."
And then the Archangel Gabriel provided a meal for him, and said: "O Mohammad! Thou should eat from this meal.,. "
After our Prophet broke his fast by eating from the Heavenly plate that the Archangel Gabriel had offered him, he received the order to go home to his dear wife. After this event, the Archangel Gabriel came down to our Prophet, and told him: "God has given His solemn Oath to Himself that this very night, a child shall be conceived from thee and thy wife. "
Ladye Khadijeh, after having married our Prophet, had been suddenly left alone and ignored most cruelly by other women from her tribe, named "Ghoraysh ". The women of her tribe didn't approve of her marriage with our Prophet, so, when she got pregnant, the unborn baby in her womb, became her sole friend in her isolation and solitude…
One day, when Khadijeh was talking with the baby in her womb, our Prophet entered the house, unexpectedly and asked her most curiously with whom she had been talking during his absence? She told him what was happening... Our Prophet said to her: 'the Archangel Gabriel has told me about my beloved daughter.
My race would be coming forth from the womb of this very daughter. There will be religious leaders who shall come to this world, from this lineage, and after the ending of the Revelations to me, these descendants of mine, shall be my rightful successors..."
So, Khadijeh spent her days of pregnancy in this manner, and finally, the happy day in which her beloved daughter was destined to be born, arrived. Our Prophet sent messages to the Ghoraysh women, so that they would come and help his beloved wife for the delivery of the child. But unfortunately none came to help Khadijeh. They sent words that: "Why wouldn't she listen to us when we told her not to get married to you? Why did she get married to a poor man like you…?!"
But God The Merciful, was aware of the condition of Khadijeh, and he wouldn't leave her alone… He sent some of his intimate to help her out...
Just as Khadijeh was beginning to deliver her baby, she suddenly saw four women who entered unexpectedly into her private room, They were envelopped by a Heavenly Light that filled the room…
They were none others than : Sara, Abraham's wife, Assieh, Mozahem’s daughter [and the Pharao’s wife], Mary, Imran’s daughter, and finally Safoura, Joshua's daughter… With the gracious help that they procured, she could deliver her baby safely into the world.
The baby, as soon as she opened her beautiful eyes in the world, began talking. She said: "I testify to the Mission of my holy father bestowed upon him by The Merciful God, My father is the Prophet of God, and he is the last Prophet, My husband is the patron of great men, and my two sons, are the heralds of our Religion…"
The Angels brought the joyous news of Fâtemeh’s birth to Heavens, and because of her birth there appeared a brilliant light in the sky, and it lighted everywhere! Never had the Angels of Heavens seen such a beautiful and bright light in Heavens!
This holy baby had nine names: Fâtemeh, Sedigheh, Mobarakeh, Tahereh, Zakieh, Razieh, Marzieh, Mohadesseh, and finally Zahrâ…
* By Farideh Mahadavi-Damghani. August 2001. [from Tir Publishing ]
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