Hazrat Fatima Zahra (SA), who has been referred to as Umm Abiha, Rayhanah Al-Janah, by the Holy Prophet of Islam (PBUH) possessed outstanding human and spiritual qualities, which were derived from the masterful teachings of the Messenger of God. She inherited the divine virtues from her father and received the best teachings from him.

Being obedient and devoted to the teachings of Almighty God and His Prophet is the main cause of respect and admiration for this infallible lady.

She gently caressed her father’s cheeks even when she was quite small. When the infidels persecuted the Messenger of God she comforted him, and when his noble father was ill, she used a Yemeni robe or blanket to cover him and took care of him. In spite of her young age, due to the fact that she was an exemplar of asceticism and faith in God for the Islamic society, she was given the title “Syedah Nisa Al-Alamin” (The master of the believing women of the two worlds).

After the demise of her noble father, the Messenger of Allah, she was overwhelmed with sadness and desolation but that did not diminish her moral strength and rather demonstrated her moral strength at the times when the caliphs deviated from the teachings of that Prophet and fell prey to corruption.

The strength and courage of that lady were accompanied by denouncing the injustice committed by them and demanding her rights. The speech of Hazrat Fatima Zahra (SA) known as Fadakiyeh Sermon, introduced her as a clear defender of true Islam and emphasized the importance of following Islamic principles and not straying away from monotheism and pure Muhammadan ethics.

As rightly described by Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi, the daughter of the Messenger of God, in this sermon, the daughter of the Messenger of Allah eloquently expressed the depth of her knowledge about “monotheism, divine revelation, eschatology, prophethood, the Holy Quran, the philosophy of the Islamic ruling, and the principle of Welayah”.

“Sermon of Fadak” has been narrated in authentic Islamic sources by both great Sunni and Shiite scholars. In a part of his book, Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi writes: “When the government of the time decided to usurp the land of Fadak, Hazrat Fatima Zahra (SA), accompanied by a group of women, wore her veil and went towards the mosque, while her abaya (cloak) was stretched on the ground and her way of walking resembled that of the Messenger of God (BUH). She entered the mosque and recited her long sermon.

In the middle of her successful and captivating speech, she said: “Who is more qualified to lead the Islamic society and interpret the teachings of the Holy Qur’an? You or the members of the Prophet’s family, like my cousin Ali, who grew up in the house of the Prophet, the same place in which divine revelations descended upon the Messenger of Allah, and where the verses of the Qur’an were written down as soon as they were revealed and were immediately explained by the Prophet of God (PBUH)? The Holy Qur’an was revealed in our house and obviously, those who are in the house know better what is in it.”

Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi has analyzed the historical words of Hazrat Fatima Zahra (SA) in detail and has explained them in the form of seven messages addressed to the Islamic community, which will be summarized as follows:

1-Monotheism and belief in the oneness of God Almighty

The words of Hazrat Fatima Zahra (SA) about the principle of monotheism, the creation of the world, and issues related to eternal life in the hereafter are of profound essence; emphasizing the oneness of God Almighty, the divine attributes, Al-Asma’ al-Husna (the best names) of God, the philosophy of creation, divine blessings, and profound love for Almighty God and absolute obedience to Him, and the importance of following His prophets.

2-Explanation of the pure and true Islam of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)

Hazrat Fatima Zahra (SA) explains the meaning of the Bi’that (selection of the prophet by God Almighty for the guidance of people) of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) as follows: “Allah illuminated their darkness, removed the ambivalence from their hearts and illumined the obscurity of their sight. He rose among the people with guidance, saved them from perversion, removed their [spiritual] blindness, led them to the right faith, and called them towards the straight path.” She categorically stresses the point that her father was the last prophet of God who perfected God’s religion with perfect rules and laws that freed humanity from ignorance and superstitions.

3-The importance of the Holy Qur’an and explaining the divine decrees

Regarding the importance of the Holy Quran and the philosophy of divine decrees, Hazrat Fatima Zahra (Sa) states that the obligation of prayer is a way to get rid of arrogance. She further emphasizes that the divine law is based on two axes: revelation and rationality. He introduces Islam as a religion based on reason and logic, and that behind every Islamic decree, there is a purpose that is stated in the Holy Qur’an. She stressed that the Holy Qur’an is like a lamp and a light that illuminates the path of salvation and happiness and provides a complete plan for the perfection of man as well as for distinguishing good from bad, halal (lawful) from haram (unlawful or forbidden) and clarifying right from wrong.

4-Her revolutionary approach against the tyrannical government of the time

Hazrat Fatima Zahra (SA) also highlights her family relationship with Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and also with regard to Imam Ali (AS) she publicly and openly emphasizes that his statements are based on truth and justice. Recalling the great efforts of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) for the good of Islamic society, she said: “So that the believers are thankful to God Almighty for this great blessing and do not forget his (the Prophet’s) services for Islam, follow his footsteps, and preserve his mission after his demise.”

5-Enlighten the souls of the people and do not follow the hypocrites

Hazrat Fatima Zahra (SA) devoted a part of her sermon to talk about the hypocrites and followers of idolatry belonging to the era of ignorance. Since, immediately after the demise of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him), there was a rift among those who were around him, she advised the people to take refuge in the Holy Qur’an, warned the companions of the Messenger of God about the unfortunate consequences of forgetting the teachings of the Holy Qur’an, and also reminded them that otherwise, they would be caught in confusion and chaos.

6-Decisive answers to the usurpers of Fadak lands

Hazrat Fatima Zahra (SA) spoke about the lands of Fadak and categorically stated that those lands were a gift from the Messenger of God (peace be upon him) to her. She also decisively responded to the claims of the usurpers and those who justified the confiscation of Fadak,

She categorically reasoned out and refuted Abu Bakr’s claim who intended to usurp this property from her, and also said that the land was gifted to her to impart social assistance and help the deprived and the poor. She also expressed her fear about the deviation of Muslims from the path of Islam.

7-Her reasoning with the Ansar

In the last part of her sermon, Hazrat Fatimah Zahra (SA) mentioned the help and power of the Ansar (Muslims of Medina) who helped the Messenger of God (peace be upon him) and strongly condemned the Ansar for keeping silent against the usurpation of Fadak. She considered this fact to be the beginning of many injustices that would take place in the future and also considered things like comfort and luxury that weakened the faith of Muslims, as well as those factors that would overshadow Islamic uprisings that had taken place to establish justice in society.

Like her husband Imam Ali (AS), Hazrat Fatima Zahra (SA) was an eloquent and knowledgeable speaker, and according to analysts, her speech in Medina mosque was very similar to Imam Ali’s sermons in Nahj al-Balagha. The similarity of the characteristics shows the depth of their faith at religious and spiritual levels. In conclusion, it must be said that the Fadak Sermon was full of wisdom, which is a valuable heritage for believers because it is the support for the philosophical, spiritual, social, and political pillars of Islam.