Introduction
Fatimah was the youngest daughter of the Prophet and Khadijah. She grew up in Makkah through the years of boycott and persecution, standing by her father when others mocked him, and later migrated to Madinah, where she married her cousin Ali ibn Abi Talib and raised Hasan, Husayn and two daughters.
Her household was one of simple means. Hadith describe her grinding grain by hand until her palms were sore, and the Prophet's answer when she asked for a servant: not a servant, but a short remembrance before sleep. Her bond with her father was tender, and Aisha said she resembled him closely in manner.
The Prophet told her she would be the first of his family to follow him after his death, and that she would be a leader among the women of Paradise. She passed away within months of him.
The story
c. 605 CE
Born in Makkah, the youngest daughter of the Prophet and Khadijah (exact year varies by source).
c. 615 CE
As a young girl, removes the filth placed on her father's back as he prayed at the Ka'bah.
Read the wording
Sahih al-Bukhari 240Sahih Arabic text
… لِي مَنْعَةٌ. قَالَ فَجَعَلُوا يَضْحَكُونَ وَيُحِيلُ بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ، وَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم سَاجِدٌ لاَ يَرْفَعُ رَأْسَهُ، حَتَّى جَاءَتْهُ فَاطِمَةُ، فَطَرَحَتْ عَنْ ظَهْرِهِ، فَرَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ ثُمَّ قَالَ" اللَّهُمَّ عَلَيْكَ بِقُرَيْشٍ". ثَلاَثَ مَرَّاتٍ، فَشَقَّ عَلَيْهِمْ إِذْ دَعَا عَلَيْهِمْ ـ قَالَ وَكَانُوا يُرَوْنَ أَنَّ الدَّعْوَةَ فِي ذَلِكَ الْبَلَدِ …
“till Fatima (Prophet's daughter) came and threw that (camel's Abdominal contents) away from his back”
2 AH / 624 CE
Marries Ali ibn Abi Talib in Madinah.
3 AH / 625 CE
Washes the blood from her father's face after Uhud while Ali brings water.
Read the wording
Sahih al-Bukhari 243Sahih Arabic text
… سُفْيَانُ بْنُ عُيَيْنَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي حَازِمٍ، سَمِعَ سَهْلَ بْنَ سَعْدٍ السَّاعِدِيَّ،، وَسَأَلَهُ النَّاسُ، وَمَا بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَهُ أَحَدٌ بِأَىِّ شَىْءٍ دُووِيَ جُرْحُ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ مَا بَقِيَ أَحَدٌ أَعْلَمُ بِهِ مِنِّي، كَانَ عَلِيٌّ يَجِيءُ بِتُرْسِهِ فِيهِ مَاءٌ، وَفَاطِمَةُ تَغْسِلُ عَنْ وَجْهِهِ الدَّمَ، فَأُخِذَ حَصِيرٌ فَأُحْرِقَ فَحُشِيَ بِهِ …
“Fatima used to wash the blood off his face”
11 AH / 632 CE
Told in the Prophet's last illness that she would be the first of his family to follow him; dies a few months after him.
Read the wording
Sahih al-Bukhari 3624Sahih Arabic text
… صلى الله عليه وسلم فَسَأَلْتُهَا فَقَالَتْ أَسَرَّ إِلَىَّ" إِنَّ جِبْرِيلَ كَانَ يُعَارِضُنِي الْقُرْآنَ كُلَّ سَنَةٍ مَرَّةً، وَإِنَّهُ عَارَضَنِي الْعَامَ مَرَّتَيْنِ، وَلاَ أُرَاهُ إِلاَّ حَضَرَ أَجَلِي، وَإِنَّكِ أَوَّلُ أَهْلِ بَيْتِي لَحَاقًا بِي". فَبَكَيْتُ فَقَالَ" أَمَا تَرْضَيْنَ أَنْ تَكُونِي سَيِّدَةَ نِسَاءِ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ ـ أَوْ نِسَاءِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ". فَضَحِكْتُ …
“you will be the first of my family to follow me”
A day in their footsteps
6 small, repeatable practices from Fatimah bint Muhammad's life. Each comes with the Arabic text and English wording of its source, and links to read the full report.
Bedtime dhikr: 33 SubhanAllah, 33 Alhamdulillah, 34 Allahu Akbar
When Fatimah, worn out by the hand-mill, asked her father for a servant, he came to her and Ali at night and taught them to say these words when going to bed, saying it was better for them than a servant.
Try this today
Close the day with 33-33-34 before sleeping.
Sit with this
Could 33, 33 and 34 be the last words you say before sleep tonight?
Source
Sahih al-Bukhari 3705Sahih … إِلَيْنَا، وَقَدْ أَخَذْنَا مَضَاجِعَنَا، فَذَهَبْتُ لأَقُومَ فَقَالَ" عَلَى مَكَانِكُمَا". فَقَعَدَ بَيْنَنَا حَتَّى وَجَدْتُ بَرْدَ قَدَمَيْهِ عَلَى صَدْرِي وَقَالَ" أَلاَ أُعَلِّمُكُمَا خَيْرًا مِمَّا سَأَلْتُمَانِي إِذَا أَخَذْتُمَا مَضَاجِعَكُمَا تُكَبِّرَا أَرْبَعًا وَثَلاَثِينَ، وَتُسَبِّحَا ثَلاَثًا وَثَلاَثِينَ، وَتَحْمَدَا ثَلاَثَةً وَثَلاَثِينَ، فَهْوَ خَيْرٌ لَكُمَا مِنْ …
“Allahu-Akbar' thirty-four times, and 'Subhan Allah thirty-three times, and 'Al hamdu-li l-lah thirty-three times”
Patient, hands-on household work
Fatimah did the heavy domestic tasks herself, grinding grain by hand until it hurt, and when a servant was not given she accepted the Prophet's counsel and did not complain further.
Try this today
Treat household work as worship and accept limits with contentment.
Sit with this
Can the hardest chore of your day become an act of worship?
Source
Sahih al-Bukhari 3705Sahih سَمِعْتُ ابْنَ أَبِي لَيْلَى، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيٌّ، أَنَّ فَاطِمَةَ، عَلَيْهَا السَّلاَمُ شَكَتْ مَا تَلْقَى مِنْ أَثَرِ الرَّحَا، فَأَتَى النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم سَبْىٌ، فَانْطَلَقَتْ فَلَمْ تَجِدْهُ، فَوَجَدَتْ عَائِشَةَ، فَأَخْبَرَتْهَا، فَلَمَّا جَاءَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَخْبَرَتْهُ عَائِشَةُ بِمَجِيءِ فَاطِمَةَ، فَجَاءَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِلَيْنَا، وَقَدْ …
“Fatima complained of the suffering caused to her by the hand mill”
Warm greetings between parent and child
Aisha described how Fatimah and the Prophet rose for one another, kissed, and seated each other in their own places. Aisha added that she had seen no one closer to him in manner and bearing.
Try this today
Stand up, embrace and honour your parents when you meet them.
Sit with this
How do you greet your parents when you see them?
Source
Jami at-Tirmidhi 3872Sahih … فَقَبَّلَهَا وَأَجْلَسَهَا فِي مَجْلِسِهِ وَكَانَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِذَا دَخَلَ عَلَيْهَا قَامَتْ مِنْ مَجْلِسِهَا فَقَبَّلَتْهُ وَأَجْلَسَتْهُ فِي مَجْلِسِهَا فَلَمَّا مَرِضَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم دَخَلَتْ فَاطِمَةُ فَأَكَبَّتْ عَلَيْهِ فَقَبَّلَتْهُ ثُمَّ رَفَعَتْ رَأْسَهَا فَبَكَتْ ثُمَّ أَكَبَّتْ عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ رَفَعَتْ رَأْسَهَا فَضَحِكَتْ فَقُلْتُ إِنْ كُنْتُ …
“he would stand to her and kiss her, and he would sit her in his sitting place”
Standing by the Prophet in hardship
As a girl she cleared filth from her father's back while he prostrated at the Ka'bah, and in Madinah she washed his face after he was wounded at Uhud.
Try this today
Show up for family in hard moments, quietly and practically.
Sit with this
Who in your family needs you to simply show up this week?
Sources
Sahih al-Bukhari 240Sahih … مَنْعَةٌ. قَالَ فَجَعَلُوا يَضْحَكُونَ وَيُحِيلُ بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ، وَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم سَاجِدٌ لاَ يَرْفَعُ رَأْسَهُ، حَتَّى جَاءَتْهُ فَاطِمَةُ، فَطَرَحَتْ عَنْ ظَهْرِهِ، فَرَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ ثُمَّ قَالَ" اللَّهُمَّ عَلَيْكَ بِقُرَيْشٍ". ثَلاَثَ مَرَّاتٍ، فَشَقَّ عَلَيْهِمْ إِذْ دَعَا عَلَيْهِمْ ـ قَالَ وَكَانُوا يُرَوْنَ أَنَّ الدَّعْوَةَ فِي ذَلِكَ الْبَلَدِ …
“Fatima (Prophet's daughter) came and threw that (camel's Abdominal contents) away from his back”
Sahih al-Bukhari 243Sahih … سُفْيَانُ بْنُ عُيَيْنَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي حَازِمٍ، سَمِعَ سَهْلَ بْنَ سَعْدٍ السَّاعِدِيَّ،، وَسَأَلَهُ النَّاسُ، وَمَا بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَهُ أَحَدٌ بِأَىِّ شَىْءٍ دُووِيَ جُرْحُ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ مَا بَقِيَ أَحَدٌ أَعْلَمُ بِهِ مِنِّي، كَانَ عَلِيٌّ يَجِيءُ بِتُرْسِهِ فِيهِ مَاءٌ، وَفَاطِمَةُ تَغْسِلُ عَنْ وَجْهِهِ الدَّمَ، فَأُخِذَ حَصِيرٌ فَأُحْرِقَ فَحُشِيَ بِهِ …
“Fatima used to wash the blood off his face”
Keeping a confidence
When Aisha pressed her to reveal what the Prophet had whispered to her in his illness, Fatimah refused to disclose it while he lived, and only spoke after he had passed away.
Try this today
Guard what is entrusted to you.
Sit with this
What has someone trusted you with that you must keep to yourself?
Source
Sahih al-Bukhari 3624Sahih … فَسَأَلْتُهَا عَمَّا قَالَ. فَقَالَتْ مَا كُنْتُ لأُفْشِيَ سِرَّ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم حَتَّى قُبِضَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَسَأَلْتُهَا فَقَالَتْ أَسَرَّ إِلَىَّ" إِنَّ جِبْرِيلَ كَانَ يُعَارِضُنِي الْقُرْآنَ كُلَّ سَنَةٍ مَرَّةً، وَإِنَّهُ عَارَضَنِي الْعَامَ مَرَّتَيْنِ، وَلاَ أُرَاهُ إِلاَّ حَضَرَ أَجَلِي، وَإِنَّكِ أَوَّلُ أَهْلِ بَيْتِي لَحَاقًا بِي". …
“I would never disclose the secret of Allah's Messenger”
The night prayer invitation
The Prophet once came to her and Ali at night and asked whether they would pray. The hadith shows the Prophet encouraging his own family toward the night prayer.
Try this today
Invite your household to the night prayer, even briefly.
Sit with this
Could you invite your household to pray even two rak'ahs tonight?
Source
Sahih al-Bukhari 1127Sahih … صلى الله عليه وسلم طَرَقَهُ وَفَاطِمَةَ بِنْتَ النَّبِيِّ ـ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ ـ لَيْلَةً فَقَالَ" أَلاَ تُصَلِّيَانِ". فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، أَنْفُسُنَا بِيَدِ اللَّهِ، فَإِذَا شَاءَ أَنْ يَبْعَثَنَا بَعَثَنَا. فَانْصَرَفَ حِينَ قُلْنَا ذَلِكَ وَلَمْ يَرْجِعْ إِلَىَّ شَيْئًا. ثُمَّ سَمِعْتُهُ وَهْوَ مُوَلٍّ يَضْرِبُ فَخِذَهُ وَهْوَ يَقُولُ"وَكَانَ الإِنْسَانُ أَكْثَرَ شَىْءٍ …
“Won't you pray (at night)?”
Virtues
The Prophet told her she would be chief of the believing women (or of the women of Paradise).
“the chief of the believing women”
Arabic text
… صلى الله عليه وسلم فَسَأَلْتُهَا فَقَالَتْ أَسَرَّ إِلَىَّ" إِنَّ جِبْرِيلَ كَانَ يُعَارِضُنِي الْقُرْآنَ كُلَّ سَنَةٍ مَرَّةً، وَإِنَّهُ عَارَضَنِي الْعَامَ مَرَّتَيْنِ، وَلاَ أُرَاهُ إِلاَّ حَضَرَ أَجَلِي، وَإِنَّكِ أَوَّلُ أَهْلِ بَيْتِي لَحَاقًا بِي". فَبَكَيْتُ فَقَالَ" أَمَا تَرْضَيْنَ أَنْ تَكُونِي سَيِّدَةَ نِسَاءِ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ ـ أَوْ نِسَاءِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ". فَضَحِكْتُ …
Sahih al-Bukhari 3624Sahih
The Prophet said Fatimah is a part of him, and whoever angers her angers him.
“Fatima is a part of me”
Arabic text
أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " فَاطِمَةُ بَضْعَةٌ مِنِّي، فَمَنْ أَغْضَبَهَا أَغْضَبَنِي".
Sahih al-Bukhari 3714Sahih
Aisha saw no one resembling the Prophet in manner and bearing more than Fatimah.
“I have not seen anyone closer in conduct, way, and manners to that of the Messenger of Allah”
Arabic text
… رَأَيْتُ أَحَدًا أَشْبَهَ سَمْتًا وَدَلاًّ وَهَدْيًا بِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ فِي قِيَامِهَا وَقُعُودِهَا مِنْ فَاطِمَةَ بِنْتِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم. قَالَتْ وَكَانَتْ إِذَا دَخَلَتْ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَامَ إِلَيْهَا فَقَبَّلَهَا وَأَجْلَسَهَا فِي مَجْلِسِهِ وَكَانَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِذَا دَخَلَ عَلَيْهَا قَامَتْ مِنْ مَجْلِسِهَا فَقَبَّلَتْهُ …
Jami at-Tirmidhi 3872Sahih
Sayings and moments
Asked what the Prophet had whispered to her, she said she would not reveal the Prophet's secret.
“I would never disclose the secret of Allah's Messenger”
Arabic text
… فَسَأَلْتُهَا عَمَّا قَالَ. فَقَالَتْ مَا كُنْتُ لأُفْشِيَ سِرَّ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم حَتَّى قُبِضَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَسَأَلْتُهَا فَقَالَتْ أَسَرَّ إِلَىَّ" إِنَّ جِبْرِيلَ كَانَ يُعَارِضُنِي الْقُرْآنَ كُلَّ سَنَةٍ مَرَّةً، وَإِنَّهُ عَارَضَنِي الْعَامَ مَرَّتَيْنِ، وَلاَ أُرَاهُ إِلاَّ حَضَرَ أَجَلِي، وَإِنَّكِ أَوَّلُ أَهْلِ بَيْتِي لَحَاقًا بِي". …
Sahih al-Bukhari 3624Sahih
Words on this page
- Dhikrذكر
- Remembrance of Allah, especially by repeating short phrases of praise and glorification.
- Hadithحديث
- A report of what the Prophet ﷺ said, did or approved, passed down through a chain of narrators.
- Jannahالجنة
- Paradise, the Garden promised to the believers.
- Ka'bahالكعبة
- The cube-shaped House of Allah at the centre of the Sacred Mosque in Makkah, which Muslims face in prayer.
- Madinahالمدينة
- The city, formerly Yathrib, to which the Prophet ﷺ migrated and where the first Muslim community was built.
- Makkahمكة
- The city of the Ka'bah, where the Prophet ﷺ was born and revelation began.
- Tahajjudتهجد
- Voluntary prayer at night after waking from sleep, especially in the last third of the night.
- Takbirتكبير
- Saying "Allahu akbar", Allah is the greatest.
- Tasbihتسبيح
- Glorifying Allah by saying "SubhanAllah" (glory be to Allah); also used for counted dhikr.
- Uhudأحد
- The mountain outside Madinah where the Muslims fought Quraysh in 3 AH, and where Hamzah and many others were martyred.
Related companions
- علي بن أبي طالبAli ibn Abi TalibCousin and son-in-law of the Prophet, among the first to believe, and fourth caliph; remembered for knowledge…
- عائشة بنت أبي بكرAisha bint Abi BakrWife of the Prophet and daughter of Abu Bakr, a leading scholar of the first generation who asked, learned an…
- خديجة بنت خويلدKhadijah bint KhuwaylidKhadijah bint Khuwaylid, the first Mother of the Believers: her steadying support of the Prophet and her loya…
- أم كلثوم بنت محمدUmm Kulthum bint MuhammadUmm Kulthum bint Muhammad, the Prophet's third daughter: her migration, her marriage to Uthman and the Prophe…
Sources and review
- Fatima - Wikipedia (dates and family) (opens in a new tab)
- Hadith texts via the open Hadith API mirroring sunnah.com numbering (opens in a new tab)
Hadith numbers follow sunnah.com. Each report links to sunnah.com, and, where the numbering matches, to al-Hadees or HadithUnlocked as well. Quran verses link to quran.com, Tafsir Ibn Kathir and Tanzil. The Arabic is taken from the hadith editions and trimmed around the quoted words, so read the full report at the source before relying on it. Grades are the ones those editions give.
This page is pending scholar review. It was compiled from public sources, and its citations were last checked on 7 October 2026. If you notice a mistake or a missing source, please tell us.