By: Seyyed Ali Shahbaz

 

“O women of Medina! Do not call me Omm al-Baneen,

“Do not address me as the mother of valiant lions anymore;

“I had some sons, because of whom I was called Omm al-Baneen;

“But now there is no son left for me and I have lost all of them.”

Today, we pay our homage to a noble mother, whose elegy in memory of her valiant sons who achieved martyrdom in combat has remained fresh despite the passing of a millennium, three centuries and three score years.

Who was she? What is her significance in history? How did she lose her sons, whom she calls brave lions?

Interesting questions that warrant accurate answers, especially since we are commemorating the anniversary of her departure from the mortal world today on the 13th of Jamadi al-Akher   

She was born in the Bani Kulabiyya clan noted for the integrity, honesty and bravery of its members. Her father was Hezaam bin Khaled bin Rabi’ah – one of the celebrated Arab chiefs, known for his valour and truthfulness. 

Because of the family’s reverence for the Ahl al-Bayt or Blessed Household of Prophet Muhammad (SAWA), the name given to her was ‘Fatema’ in honour of the Immaculate Daughter of the Almighty’s Last and Greatest Messenger, Hazrat Fatema Zahra (SA). 

Her virtues do not end here and have remained immortal. She left the mortal world in 69 AH (688 AD) at the age of 64 and was laid to rest in the sacred Jannat al-Baqie Cemetery – sacrilegiously demolished by the Godless Wahhabi cult in 1926 AD. 

She had the honour of marriage to the Prophet’s cousin, son-in-law and Divinely-Designated Vicegerent – the widower Imam Ali ibn Abi Taleb (AS).

Her supreme merit was not just being the mother of four of the Imam’s sons, especially Abu’l-Fazl al-Abbas (AS) the Standard-Bearer of the immortal epic of Karbala, but the fact that these valiant lions achieved glorious martyrdom in heroic combat while defending Islam and the person of the Prophet’s grandson, Imam Husain (AS).

Out of respect for the Noblest Lady of all times – Hazrat Fatema az-Zahra (SA) – her sons never addressed Imam Hasan (AS) and Imam Husain (AS) as brothers, but respectively called them “Ya Seyyedi” (O my Lord) and “Ya Mowlayi” (O my Master).  

Imam Ali (AS) had married this pious God-fearing lady several years after the martyrdom of his Infallible Wife, keeping in mind the words of his Father-in-Law the Prophet that a brave and sincere son would be born to him through a different spouse, and would serve in Karbala as a loyal lieutenant to Imam Husain (AS).

The Imam expressed his desire to his elder brother Aqeel (AS) to marry in a clan noted for its bravery and loyalty. Aqeel who was very knowledgeable in the genealogy of Arab tribes, suggested he marry a girl of the al-Kulabiyya clan.

When Aqeel’s proposal on behalf of Imam Ali (AS), was conveyed to the al-Kulabiyya family, they were overjoyed at the prospect of giving their daughter Fatema bint Hezaam to the Prophet’s widowed son-in-law. However, the father politely asked for some time to seek the opinions of both his daughter and her mother, Shamamah bint Soheil. When Hezaam asked them their opinion, his daughter related the strange dream (mentioned at the beginning of this column) she had the night before, saying: 

Thus Fatema bint Hezaam, who would eventually become known as “Omm al-Baneen” (mother of several sons), stepped into the house of Imam Ali (AS), knowing very well that this was the house of the Leader of the Ladies of Paradise, Hazrat Fatema az-Zahra (SA). She requested the Imam not to call her by her proper name, out of respect for the Prophet’s Immaculate Daughter. 

She loyally served Imam Ali (AS) in the same manner as Hazrat Omm-e-Salama had served Prophet Muhammad (SAWA) after the passing away of the Mother of all True Believers, Omm al-Momeneen, Hazrat Khadija (SA). 

The Prophet’s grandchildren – Imam Hasan (AS), Imam Husain (AS), Hazrat Zainab (SA) and Omm Kolsoum (SA) – respected her for her sincerity.

She was an accomplished and cultured lady, and became the mother of Hazrat Abbas (AS), Abdullah, Ja’far and Usman. The prominent one was Hazrat Abbas, who was born on 4th Sha’ban, 26 AH in Medina, and was extremely handsome, to the extent that he was called “Qamar Bani Hashem” (Moon of the Hashemite Clan). 

When the usurper Omayyad regime forced Imam Husain (AS) to leave Medina, she bade her four sons to defend the Imam to the last drop of their blood. On hearing of the tragedy of Karbala, Omm al-Baneen gathered the women of Medina in her house and all lamented on the martyrdom of Imam Husain (AS).This was the first ever Majlis al-Aza conducted after the tragedy of Karbala.

Informed of the martyrdom of all her four sons in Karbala, she said: “Tell me about Husain (AS),” and when told that he was also martyred, she said: “All the arteries of my heart are torn. May all of your children and whatever that exists under this azure heaven be sacrificed for the sake of Imam Husain (AS).” 

She is among the first ones to compose elegies on the tragedy of Karbala. Among her elegies is the one that reads: 

“O the one who saw Abbas attacking like his father the cowardly enemies! 

“I was informed that my son Abbas was hit with a mace on his head while his arms had been already cut off. 

“O my son, Abbas! If your arms were not cut off and you had a sword in your hand, no one would dare to approach you.”