Lady Fatimah al-Zahra (peace be upon her), after the horrific events and severe injustices she endured following the martyrdom of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family), fell ill and was bedridden. One day, women from the Muhajirun and Ansar came to visit her and asked, "How are you today?" She then delivered a profound and meaningful sermon about the history of Islam and the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family), along with predictions about the future hardships that Muslims would face. This sermon was delivered shortly after the famous Fadakiyyah sermon.
In this writing, by reviewing parts of her sermon, we will explore the situation of Islam after the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) from the perspective of Lady Fatimah (peace be upon her). In one part of her speech, she said: "And give glad tidings of a sharp sword, widespread chaos, and the tyranny of oppressors."
Usually, the word “glad tidings” is used to promise good news, but it is also used in Arabic rhetoric to convey warnings or threats, as seen in the Holy Qur’an. Lady Fatimah (peace be upon her) employed this rhetorical device here by using a word for promise in place of warning.
She warned the Islamic community that disobeying the command of the Prophet of God (peace be upon him and his family) and arbitrarily choosing successors would have severe consequences.
The Manifestation of Punishment After the Prophet’s Martyrdom
Mercy and humanity suddenly vanished from society, replaced by force and deceit. The benevolent politics and governance of the Noble Messenger of God (peace be upon him and his family), which flourished during his ten-year leadership in Medina, withered after his passing. Society’s course drastically changed and hastened toward a painful fate. Lady Fatimah saw that the Muslim community was pregnant with terrifying events. Violence, bloodshed, oppression, chaos, and disorder would engulf it — and indeed, that is what happened.
History after the Prophet, except for the brief rule of Amir al-Mu'minin Ali (peace be upon him), was filled with oppression and force. Disorder and turmoil repeatedly afflicted society, and people never found relief from the dark shadow of tyrannical rulers. With the fall of one oppressive regime, another rose. The beginning of these events was marked by the burning of the House of Revelation and threats to burn its inhabitants — even if the honored resident was Lady Fatimah (peace be upon her) herself. This continued through the eras of the Umayyads and Abbasids and the oppressive regimes that followed.
Only during the short governance of Amir al-Mu'minin Ali (peace be upon him) were swords unsheathed only in defense of Islam’s integrity, and people lived in peace without chaos or disorder.
Tyranny had no place in his government, and people enjoyed all their civil rights alongside their just ruler.
Continual Oppressions
The fire of oppression never fully extinguished throughout history and continued to consume many oppressed souls in later times. Burning and setting fires is an inhumane act which tyrants after the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) used to implement their evil goals. This cruel act was widely employed during Mu’awiyah’s reign. Mu’awiyah burned many homes of his political opponents — men and women alike — merely for political gain.
His son Yazid also committed atrocities, including the famous tragedy of Karbala. After the martyrdom of Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) and his loyal companions, Yazid’s forces set fire to the tents that were the shelter of women and orphaned children.
Yazid’s cruelty brought shame upon humanity. On the afternoon of Ashura, before sunset, a ruthless oppressor in the Karbala battlefield called out: “Burn the houses of the oppressors!” Shamelessly, he called the Prophet’s descendants oppressors. The soldiers of ‘Umar ibn Sa’d mercilessly set fire to the Prophet’s household tents and drove the defenseless women and children into the desert. Many young girls and women, their clothes ablaze, wandered the desert seeking refuge. May God soon punish these villains in the Hereafter and increase their torment. Amen.
This fire undoubtedly originated from the burning of Lady Fatimah’s house after the Prophet’s passing (peace be upon him and his family). These flames continued until the days of Mu’awiyah and Yazid, who in Ashura’s tragic event consumed the tents of the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them).
The dark and shameful history of the Umayyads and Abbasids is filled with oppression and crimes, many involving burning people alive. Many men, women, and children were burned in flames due to the malice and cruelty of the Umayyad and Abbasid caliphs!
All these oppressions and tragedies had been foreseen by Lady Fatimah (peace be upon her), who warned the women of Medina about some of them in her sermon. She alerted them that the days of mercy and kindness were over, and after these unjust killings, insecurity would engulf Muslim societies. Swords would no longer be drawn in defense of truth but would be used to serve the political ambitions of rulers, spreading oppression and destruction everywhere.
Differences
As mentioned, examining the history of rulers such as Muawiya, Yazid, Harun, Mutawakkil, and Ma'mun is filled with stories of tyranny that bring a flush of shame to the human brow. Nevertheless, they also bore the title of Islamic government. The scope of these injustices continued in subsequent governments to the extent that today many infidels have become alienated from Islam. They are unaware that what they have heard about Islam and Muslims is the result of the improper behavior of worldly rulers and has no connection to the honorable Messenger of God, peace be upon him and his pure household, or his purified family, peace be upon them.
The history of the life of the Messenger of God, peace be upon him and his family, and also of the Commander of the Faithful, peace be upon him, has even been written by some non-Muslims. Even they acknowledge the fact that there is a world of difference between the Messenger of God and the Commander of the Faithful, peace be upon both of them and their family, and the other Islamic caliphs — a difference as vast as the earth and sky.
By investigating the history of the governance of these two noble figures, one never encounters a political murder. It never happened that someone was killed for not accepting Islam. However, there are many narrations that someone called the Commander of the Faithful, peace be upon him, a disbeliever and expressed this openly before him while he was the ruler of a vast and powerful Islamic government. Yet, the Commander never resorted to killing or imprisoning him, nor did he allow anyone to harm him; rather, he guided him with good manners.
In the ten-year governance of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him and his family, there is also no report of a political killing or political imprisonment. Some enemies of Islam, who seek to fabricate objections and lies about the Prophet, peace be upon him and his family, have never spoken of political prisoners or killings during his rule. This is despite the fact that the governments of the Prophet and the Commander of the Faithful, peace be upon both of them, were accompanied by many wars and sabotage efforts and had many enemies.
Political asylum: a dilemma in Islamic societies
Killing, imprisonment, and political asylum are common issues in our time, and nearly all countries are affected by them more or less. Unfortunately, among them, the number of political refugees in Islamic countries is higher than in many others — something unprecedented during the governments of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him and his family, and the Commander of the Faithful, peace be upon him, which they ought to have emulated. Throughout the government of the Prophet, peace be upon him and his family, no Christian, Jew, or polytheist ever fled from him, nor during the government of the Commander of the Faithful. On the contrary, many non-Muslims from various regions sought refuge in the Islamic government of the Prophet, peace be upon him and his family. God says in the Qur’an to His Prophet, peace be upon him and his family:
"And if any one of the polytheists seeks your protection, then grant him protection so that he may hear the words of Allah; then deliver him to his place of safety. That is because they are a people who do not know." (Quran 9:6)
In this verse, God commands His Prophet to grant refuge to any polytheist who seeks it, so that this may be an opportunity for them to hear the words of revelation and possibly believe. In any case, whether they convert to Islam or remain in their faith, as long as they intend to stay with you, provide them with security and peace. It is notable that this verse concerns refugees who seek refuge with the Prophet, peace be upon him and his family, not those who flee from Islamic lands to lands of disbelief.
In the illustrious history of the governments of the Prophet, peace be upon him and his family, and the Commander of the Faithful, peace be upon him, there is no record of anyone fleeing and becoming homeless in other countries. This important feature of the true Islamic governments deserves to be publicized and introduced to the world.
Proper and accurate introduction of Islam is a religious obligation, sometimes individual (wajib ‘ayn) and sometimes communal (wajib kifayah). One of the valuable aspects and hallmarks of their success is the absence of political prisoners or refugees and the avoidance of political killings. Today, there are many pure souls and awakened consciences around the world who are unaware of the true Islam. If it is correctly promoted and its truths reach the people of the world, it will immediately transform the world.
The way out and salvation from today’s tension-filled world is to embrace the true teachings of Islam. Many economic problems, oppression and discrimination, increasing numbers of physical and mental illnesses, and various social, economic, and political disorders will gradually be eliminated from society under the spread and implementation of the true Islamic laws. We hope that God Almighty grants us this success.
And may God’s blessings be upon our Master and Prophet Muhammad and his pure family.
