Sayyida Fatima's (a) Concern over the Journey to the Hereafter

In His Name, the Most High

According to a tradition from Imam al-Sadiq (a), on her deathbed Fatima al-Zahra (a) made the following requests of Imam Ali (a):

(O Ali) you yourself
take charge of performing my ghusl,
conduct my funeral rites,
recite my funeral prayer (salaat al-mayyit),
lower me into my grave,
bury me,
and level the earth over me.

(Then) sit (beside my graveside) at the position of my head, facing my face,
and recite much Qur'an and make much du`a for me,
For indeed it is a time when the one who has died
is in need of familiar company from those who are living.
And I leave my children with you and I urge you to take care of them...

[From Bihar al-Anwar as quoted by Shaykh Abbas Qummi in Bayt al-Ahzan, page 177 - see http://www.shialibrary.info/books/htm1/m025/29/no2927.html]

The deep concern that Sayyida al-Zahra (a) shows for the moments after death despite her lofty status is a lesson for us never to imagine that our deeds alone will be a means for salvation from the difficult times that lie ahead of us as we make our way to the hereafter. Our only hope lies with the special favor of Allah and the intercession of the Ahlul Bayt (a).

My condolences to all the lovers of Sayyid al-Zahra (a) in these difficult days of mourning her martyrdom.

(Inspired from a lecture delivered in the Holy City of Qum during the period of mourning for the martyrdom anniversary of Sayyida Fatima (a), Jumadi al-Thani 1427, June 2006).