Mourning for Zahra (pbhu)
In the middle of the night, the cry of a hopeless sorrow flew out of this house.
And then some more...
The women from the Ghorayche tribe, especially those from the Bani Hashem tribe, came out of their houses, and with hair flowing on their shoulders to show the depth of their sorrow, they began marching to Fâtemeh's house, to make their condolences to Hazratê Ali and to Fatemeh's little children, now orphans…
The men of Medina came by large groups to show their respect to Ali, and to mourn with him. Ali was sated in a corner, and Hassan and Hosseyn and Zeynab and Ommo kolssoum were crying unendingly...
The people, on seeing this sad scene began to cry. By what Fâtemeh had demanded from Ali, he announced to his friend Abuzar:" Tell these people that the funeral has been postponed…"
Finally, nightfall came. Ali, with the help of Asmâ, washed the fragile and slim body of Fâtemeh, and covered her with a shrine. When he wanted to close the shroud, he called out his children to come and see their beloved mother for the last time, and to bid farewell to her...
Some say that she was only eighteen, and some say that she was twenty eight years old when she died.
Hassan and Hosseyn, ran hopelessly and sorrowfully to touch once again the the dead body of their young mother... Gone so soon! They wanted to remain at her side and feel her presence near them. Minutes passed by, with only the sound of a tragic crying in the room. They talked lovingly and desperately to their mother, and verily, their sorrow was so deep that none can ever describe it. They said:" O Beloved Mother of Hassan! O Beloved Mother of Hosseyn! We shall feel your absence more deeply by each passing day, and also the absence of our beloved Grand father, Mohammad Mostafâ [ Peace be upon Him! ]. When you reach the realm in which he lives now, please send our love to Him...! Tell him that we are left all alone in this whole world...! "
And then, Fâtemeh's body was taken outside, and with the help of Hassan and Hosseyn, Ammâr, Yâsser, Meghdâd, Aghil, Zobeyr, Abouzar, Salmân, and some of the Bani Hashemi tribe, they left town to take Fâtemeh's body to the graveyard.
Ali, most painfully and desperately, laid down his beloved wife on the ground, and with indescribable sorrow, bid her farewell...
After finishing what was expected of him, he threw with utter desperation and love, some dust on his wife’s grave, and then looked sadly at the Prophet’s grave. He then approached his grave and began a long confidence with him, which lasted a long time...
Farideh Mahadavi-Damghani
August 2001
[ from Tir Publishing ]
