Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

2. Hadhrath Fatima Zahra (sa) died 6 months after her father (saaws), Hadhrath Abu Bakr died two and a half years later and Hadhrath Umar in 24 Hijri. Despite their later deaths how is it that they attained burial sites next to the Prophet (saaws) and not Hadhrath Fatima (as)? Did she request that she be buried away from her father? If so, why? Or did the Muslims prevent her burial?

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Burial of Hadrat Fatema (r.a.)

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Your question: There is no evidence that Hadrat Fatema bint Rasool Allah (r.a.) requested that she wanted to be buried next to the Prophet (saws), nor did the muslims prevent her burial. She was buried in the muslim graveyard in the ‘Baqi’, where most of the muslims who died were buried in those days.

The place where the Messenger of Allah (saws) died and is presently buried is actually the house of Hadrat Aisha. Hadrat Abu Bakr and Hadrat Umar both requested and were granted permission by Hadrat Aisha to be buried there, as it was her house. That is how Hadrat Abu Bakr and Hadrat Umar came to be buried next to the Prophet (saws).

Hadrat Fatema (r.a.) neither asked to be buried near her father, nor away; thus she was buried like the other believers in the muslim graveyard of the ‘Baqi’.

Whatever happened during those times is in the knowledge of Allah Alone. Allah will not hold us accountable for the deeds of these people, nor ask us about them on the Day of Judgment. We will be asked about our deeds and what did we do for the cause of Islam.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Baqarah verse 134: They were a people who passed away. They shall receive the reward of what they earned, and you shall have the reward of what you will earn. And you will not be questioned as to what they did.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother in Islam,

Burhan