'O God, carry us in the ships of Thy deliverance, give us to enjoy the pleasure of whispered prayer to Thee, make us drink at the pools of Thy love, let us taste the sweetness of Thy affection and nearness, allow us to struggle in Thee, preoccupy us with obeying Thee, and purify our intentions in devoting works to Thee, for we exist through Thee and belong to Thee, and we have no one to mediate with Thee but Thee!' Imam Sajjad ('A); Sahifa al-Sajjadiyya

Thursday 20 May 2010

'Fatima' and the ism 'al-Fatiru'

Shaykh Muhammad Khalfan, The Sacred Effusion

In different traditions we are told that Allah derived the name Fatima (a) from His Name Faatir al-samawati wa al-ardh (6:79) (The Cleaver of the heavens and the earth). The name al-Fatiru comes from the word fatr which means to “cleave”. Here it means one who cleaves and breaks non-existence and brings about existence. In conclusion, as some scholars have written in their works, it means ‘The Originator’.

Observe the following traditions:
In a lengthy tradition, where the Ahl al-Kisa’ (a) were present, the Holy Prophet at one point addresses Hadhrat Fatima (a) saying:
...And He derived for you O Fatima a name from His Names, for He is al-Fatiru (the Originator), and you are Fatima. (Allama Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar v. 37, p. 47)

Almighty Allah in a conversation with prophet Adam (a) introduces the light of Fatima (a) as follows:
...and this is Fatima while I am the Fatir al-samawati wa al-ardh (Originator of the heavens and the earth), Fatimu a’da’i min Rahmati yawma fasli qada’i (the Severer of My enemies from My mercy on the day of My judgment), and Fatimu awliya’i ‘amma ya’tarihim wa yashinuhum (the Relinquisher of affliction and disgrace from those near to me). So I derived for her a name from My Name.

In a supplication taught by Angel Jibra’il (a) to Prophet Adam (a) we read as follows:
O praised one, I swear by the station of Muhammad, O Exalted One, I swear by the station of Ali, O Originator, I swear by the station of Fatima (a)... (Allama Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar v.44, p.245)

Readers must understand that this tradition does not speak simply of the method of derivation that we commonly know. Fatima (a) plays a fundamental role in the creation and origination of the heavens and the earth. She unites with the Muhammadan Light which is the first Divine Creation, from which proceeds every good.
Other traditions also indicate that they - the Ahl al-Bayt (a) - are the intermediaries (wasaa’it) between Allah and the creation. For example, in one of his brilliant messages, our 12th Holy Imam (a) is reported to have said:
We are the actions of our Lord, and the creation thereafter are our actions. (Allama Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar v.53, p. 178)

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