This Great Lady was the only daughter of the Holy Prophet (saww) and Hazrat Khadijah. She was born in Makkah on Friday, 20th Jamdi-ul-Akhar in the 5th year after the declaration of Prophethood (615 AD).
She was married to the great personality, the First Imam, Imam Ali (as). The marriage ceremony took place on Friday, 1st Zilhajj 2 AH.
As a daughter, she loved her parents very much. As a wife, she was very devoted. As a mother, she cared for and brought up wonderful children that they have left marks on the face of the world.
On Fasting She Said:
Imam Sadiq (as) says on the authority of his forefathers that J. Zahra (as) had said that: "The man who is observing a fast would not gain anything, when his tongue, ears, and limbs are not safe from sin."
House hold affairs:
In the whole world, there was only one house that was free from impurities and that house was of Imam Ali (as) and Hadrat Zahra (as). She being the leader of all the women of the world, she was the torchbearer of the ideals and character of woman hood. Hadrat Zahra (as) never used to take household duties as a chore for a woman. In the performance of domestic duties, she had faced many obstacles and hardships.
The Infallible daughter of the Holy Prophet (saww) was conscious of her responsibilities and aware that a wife could shape the direction of her husband's activities. Her thinking was that the home is the place of refuge. A place of peace for a man, when he comes back tired from his struggles and dealings with the outside world. A place to re-strengthen his energy and also to gain in him fresh confidence and determination, so that he could be able to tackle his duties.
Imam Musa al-Kadhim (as) says: "The crusade of a woman is to have concern and regard for the husband."
Extracts of Hadrat Zahra's (as) Sermon
Praise be to Allah, I am thankful to Him for the capabilities that He has given me.
I bear witness that there is no God but Allah who is without a parallel and no one is His partner. This is a call, the essence of which is love and purity. That Allah who cannot be seen with our eyes; our tongue is unable to state His praise. He created all without any earlier precedent.
I bear witness that my father, Messenger of Allah was the slave of Allah and His messenger. He was chosen before he was sent. He was awarded this position before his coming into being.
'O servants of Allah, you are responsible to His "Orders and Prohibitions". His religion and His Revelation. You are, the representative of Allah! and a preacher from His side! And the protector of Allah's right is in your midst [Ali] He who protected the one who brought the testament of Allah to you.
Whatever I am telling, its beginning and its end is the same. I do not indulge into contradictory talk. Whatever, I am telling is stark truth. I do not practise any wrong.
When Allah chose from the dwell of messengers His Messenger (saww), He selected for him the honored place of chosen ones. No sooner than it was done, the discord and envy that was in the hearts, manifested amongst you. The veil of religion was turned up. Those who have lost the correct path, started opening their mouths.
Unknown persons started to show off. Slogans in the interest of falsity were raised, and a conspiracy spread in the society. The Devil came out of his hole and called you to his side, because he found you waiting for his call and be fooled. He invited you to stay and ignited the fire of anger, the reflection of which became apparent on your face.
This was the reason that you marked somebody's camel apart from your own, and you entered into somebody's river side. You started searching for what was not yours. Finally you started usurping the Government when not many days had passed since the demise of the Prophet (saww). Our woes and wounds were still bleeding, and even the Prophet (saww) was not buried, that you advanced an excuse saying that "A mischief has been averted".
Can there be any greater mischief than the one that has overtaken you. Yes of course hell has taken them in its folds. This action was not expected from you, What are you doing? Where are you going? When the book of Allah is present in your midst everything in that is glittering and all its signs are fully clear as a Crystal. Its prohibition are apparent and clear, and all orders graphically clear, but you have put them behind your back. Have you turned your face from them? Or you are aiming at something else? Alas! it's to be highly regretted that tyrants have adopted dirty ways, instead of taking up a Qur'anic path. You have suddenly flared up the fire of mischief, and fanned its flames. You have assented to the talk of the Satan, who was misleading you. You have started to extinguish the light of the Religion of Allah and started obliterating the traditions of the Prophet (saww), and in the pretext of the froth of fermenting milk, you have silently sipped it all. You were bent on confining the family and progeny of the Prophet (saww) in a corner. We preferred to observe patience, but with sword hanging on our neck and a spear waiting to make a thrust in our chest.
How wonderful it is that you think that the Almighty Allah has not granted us the right of inheritance, and that we will not get the inheritance of the Prophet (saww). Are you following the rules of the Age of illiteracy. For believers, no decision is better than the decision of Allah.
Are you ignorant of these problems? Yes, you are fully aware of them. The fact is clear as a sun. You know that I am the daughter of the Prophet (saww).
O' Muslim brethren! Is my inheritance going to be snatched by force? O' son of Qahafa answer me, does Qur'an say that you get your fathers' inheritance and I should not get my fathers' inheritance. Have you purposely disowned the Book of Allah; and have cast it behind your back. Whereas Qur'an says: Sulaiman got his father's (inheritance); Dawood got his fathers'. Regarding Yahya bin Zakariyya He said, "O' Allah: grant me a son, who could be my Successor and of the progeny of Yaqoob." Have you formed an idea that I will not get my parents inheritance?
Did Allah, reveal a special verse for you, striking out my father from its purview, or you say two persons professing the same religion did not have the right to inherit each other's (property). Is mine and my father's religion not one? Or do you treat an average follower of Qur'an better than my father and cousin. If it is that case, take my inheritance like a saddled camel waiting to be taken advantage of. Ride it. But bear in mind that I will meet you on the day of rising and will put up my demand.
What an excellent day it would be when Allah will adorn the seat of Justice and Muhammed Mustafa (saww) would be a plaintiff.