Lady Fatima - Perfect Pattern of Muslim Womanhood

By: Ainee Haaj

(Fatimah by Dr. Mohammad Iqbal, the Poet of the east)

Mary is hallowed in one line alone,
That she bore Jesus; Fatima in three, (*)

For that she was the sweet delight of him
Who came a mercy to all living things,

Leader of former as of latter saints,
Who breathed new spirit into this dead world

And brought to birth the age of a New Law.
His lady she, whose regal diadem

God's words adorn Hath there come any time,
The chosen one, resolver of all knots

And hard perplexities, the Lion of God,
An emperor whose place was a hut,

Accoutered with one sword, one coat of mail.
And she his mother, upon whom revolves

Love's compasses, the leader of Love's train,
That single candle in the corridor

Of sanctity resplendent, guardian
Of the integrity of that best race

Of all God's peoples; who, that the fierce flame
Of war and hatred might extinguished be

Trod underfoot the crown and royal ring
His mother too, the lord of all earth's saints

And strong right arm of every freeborn man,
Hussein, the passion in the song of life,

Teacher of freedom to God's chosen few.
The character, the essential purity

Of holy children from the mothers come.
She was the harvest of the well-sown field

Of self-surrender, to all mothers she
The perfect pattern, Fatima the chaste.

Her heart so grieved, because one came in need,
She stripped her cloak and sold it to a Jew;

Though creatures all, of light alike and fire,
Obeyed her bidding, yet she sank her will

In her good consort's pleasure. Fortitude
And meekness were her schooling; while her lips

Chanted the Book, she ground the homely mill.
No pillow needed she to catch her tears,

But wept contrition's offering of pearls
Upon the skirt of prayer; which Gabriel stooped

To gather, as they glistened i the dust,
And rained like dew upon the Throne of God.

God's Law a fetter of locks about my feet
To guard secure the Prophet's high behest,

Else had I surely gone about her tomb
And fallen prostrate, worshipping her dust.
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Notes
(*) Fatima (as) was the daughter of the Holy Prophet Mohammad (saww), the wife of Imam Ali (as), and the mother of Imam Hasan (as) and Imam Hussein (as).

END