WHY DID FATIMA OPEN THE DOOR NOT ALI (A.S) OR THE SERVANT OR BANI-HASHIM?!

[Rajaee]

At the time of the invasion, there were others at home beside Lady Fatima (s.a) including Imam Ali (a.s), "Fidda" the Lady's servant, and some of Bani-Hashim. Why didn't they open the door instead of the Lady?!

 

Origins

According to most historical accounts, Imam Ali (a.s), "Fidda" Lady Fatima's servant, and some of Bani-Hashim were present at home during the invasion. Why should Lady Fatima, as the praised daughter of Rasulullah and the “mistress of all women of the worlds” that possesses even higher spiritual status than Lady Maryam (s.a)[1], open the door to be disrespected and beaten by the invaders?!

 

Introduction

First, we must familiarize ourselves with the circumstances surrounding that ominous day. Then, by breaking down the issue into smaller, more manageable questions, we can systematically investigate and answer each one, ultimately drawing a comprehensive conclusion.

The invasion is said to have occurred around a week or so after the demise of the noble prophet of Islam.[2] A lot happened during these few days that made Imam Ali (a.s) and Lady Fatima (s.a) certain that there wouldn’t be any help from the people to support his rightful claim. They refused to swear allegiance to Ali (a.s) and there weren’t even 40 people willing to fight for him[3] to the point he complained to his late brother, “Ja’far Ibn Abu-Talib”[4]. On top of that, the Imam (a.s) was foretold about the invasion and instructed by Rasulullah (s.a.w.s) that in the case of not having supporters, he must remain patient during the crisis of successorship.[5] On the other hand, It was only a matter of time until the false leadership invaded the house of revelation to subdue Imam Ali (a.s) and take allegiance from him since they knew their caliphate would not be justified until the true claimant of successorship, Ali (a.s), had given up his rightful claim. Therefore, we can conclude that Ahlulbayt (a.s) were certain about what would happen, so they decided to make the usurpation of Imamate costly for the invaders through the resistance which was embodied by the Lady's presence behind the door.

 

Different Scenarios

On the day of the invasion, different scenarios were possible:

1.    Imam Ali (a.s) opens the door;

2.    Fidda the servant opens the door;

3.    One of the Bani-Hashim who were at home opens the door;

4.    Lady Fatima (s.a) opens the door.

Here we analyze each scenario to see why the 4^th one was chosen and the Lady herself opened the door:

 

Scenario 1: Imam Ali opens the door

This scenario is exactly what the invaders wanted to happen! Because in that situation, he would either swear allegiance willingly or resist and try to stop them. The first option would legitimize their false claim on the successorship of Rasulullah (s.a.w.s) so the Imam would never do that! In case of the second option, however, they would easily attack the Imam, capture him, and force him to swear allegiance. The Imam’s resistance wouldn’t also stop them from pursuing their distorted dream since they could easily brand him as a traitor to the caliphate who had stood against the rightful successor (!) of Rasulullah (s.a.w.s).[6]

 

Scenario 2: Fidda the servant opens the door

Just like in the previous scenario, had the servant opened the door, the invaders would have simply thrown her away, and gotten into the house to capture Imam Ali (a.s). A mere servant had no power to stop them nor could she do it. The self-claimed agents of the so-called caliph had a direct order to enter the house at all costs. Beating a servant, even killing her was a small cost they would be more than willing to pay for their agenda!

 

Scenario 3: One of the Bani-Hashim opens the door

The scenario of a Bani-Hashim member opening the door highlights our limited understanding of the actual events. The invasion occurred in three phases. The final wave, which targeted Ahlulbayt (a.s.), was preceded by two earlier attacks. Before the third and most devastating wave which led to Fatima’s (s.a) martyrdom, few Bani-Hashim individuals were present in the Lady’s small house but had fled during the initial two invasions, leaving only Ahlulbayt (a.s) inside.

Therefore, we can conclude that:

·      Since the Lady’s house was so small, only a limited number of Bani-Hashim were present in the house.

·      All of them fled the house before the third invasion so no one was there to open the door.

·      Had any member remained in the house to open the door, it still would not have been enough to stop the attacker.

 

Scenario 4: Lady Fatima (s.a) opens the door

Thus far, we have come to understand that the invaders were determined to coerce Ali (a.s) into recognizing the legitimacy of their false caliphate, particularly on their third attempt, after two prior efforts had been rebuffed by him. They were willing to dismiss anyone who opposed them and were prepared to pay any price. For them, collateral damage—even the death of a maid or a member of Bani-Hashim—was deemed acceptable. The only thing that seemed to give them pause was the prospect of causing harm or suffering to Lady Fatima (s.a). The memories of Rasulullah’s (s.a.w.s) words about Fatima (s.a) were still vivid in the minds of the Muslims, [7] and her significant status was well-remembered. [8]

It was this consideration that rendered their first two attempts unsuccessful, as Fatima’s (s.a) home is known as the house of revelation—one of the holiest places in Islam.[9] In fact, one of their greatest fears was how to confront Fatima (s.a) during their invasion. However, Fatima (s.a) stepped forward to meet them, and their act of invading her home and disrespecting her became the most costly and tragic decision they made in their pursuit of the caliphate.

 

Question: What’s the point in making the usurpation costly for the invaders?

When a false claimant makes a bold and costly move, everyone will always remember that, and becomes undeniable. In the pursuit of the caliphate, the invaders went to the extreme by attacking the Lady’s house. Consequently, in seeking legitimacy they couldn’t make empty excuses that Ali (a.s) withdrew from his claim or no one else was willing nor qualified so we stepped in to save the Islamic nation after Rasulullah (s.a.w.s) because the people had witnessed what they did to Zahra (s.a) to quench their thirst for power. They crossed all the redlines and destroyed the bridges behind them. The invasion was an irreversible act that made any white-washing act futile.

 

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[1] Ma’ani al-Akhbar, Sadooq, p. 107 à https://B2n.ir/e54523

[2] In another narrative, the invasion is said to happen around 50 days after Rasulullah (s.a.w.s) which has found some credibility among scholars too. Considering this narrative, the argument presented here is even more tangible, since, 50 days presents more time for Ahlulbayt to realize they need to come up with a strategy for an invasion which is going to happen sooner or later!

[3] Nuri, Mustadrak al-Wasa’il, vol. 11, p. 74 à https://B2n.ir/w72918

[4] Sh. Al-Mufid, Al-Ikhtisas, sect. 2, p. 274 à https://B2n.ir/x57725

[5] Kulayni, al-Kafi, vol. 1, p. 281 à https://B2n.ir/p94094

[6] Adopted from Ameli, Ma’asaat az-Zahra, Sect. 1, Ch. 7 “What if Ali answered?”

[7] Shaykh as-Sadooq, al-Amali, p. 165

[8] Shaykh al-Kulayni, al-Kafi, vol. 1, p. 459

[9] Jame’ah al-Kabirah supplicatio