Imam Khomeini's view about

Nobility and virtue of Hadrat Zahra (a)

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Nobility and virtue of Hadrat Zahra (a)

After the death of her father, Fatimah, upon whom be peace, lived for seventy-five days. She was in this world, but grief overtook her. Gabriel, the Trusted Spirit, came to her regularly to console her and tell her of future events.

I do not consider myself adequate for the task of speaking about Hadrat Fatimah (`a), so I will content myself with reciting a sound narration, which can be found in the noble al-Kafi. This narration quotes Hadrat Sadiq (`a )as saying: " After the death of her father, Fatimah, upon whom be peace, lived for seventy-five days. She was in this world, but grief overtook her. Gabriel, the Trusted Spirit, came to her regularly to console her and tell her of future events."[1]

So, according to this, in these seventy five days she had contact with Gabriel on many occasions. I do not think that such a thing has happened for anyone else other than the great prophets of the highest rank that in seventy five days Gabriel, the Trusted Spirit, would come and spoke about the events that were to happen to her offspring in the future. Imam `Ali wrote down what Gabriel said. He was the scribe of these revelations just as he had been the scribe of the revelations the Noble Messenger had received. With the death of the Holy Messenger, those revelations which brought divine laws, ended. He was the scribe of the revelations to Hadrat Fatimah during these seventy five days. Gabriel's appearing to someone should not be taken as a trivial affair. One should not imagine that Gabriel would appear to just anyone. The necessary relationship has to exist between the spirit of that person to whom Gabriel would appear and Gabriel's station as the paramount spirit. Whether we believe that it is the greatness of the spirit of the saint or prophet that brings Gabriel down to this lower station, or that it is God who sends him to make such revelations, whether we side with the experts in their views or those who interpret the literal meaning in theirs, it still remains that unless the necessary relationship exists between the spirit of that person to whom Gabriel would appear and Gabriel, the paramount spirit, then it would be impossible for such a thing to happen. The relationship existed between Gabriel, the paramount spirit, and the prophets of the highest rank such as the prophet Muhammad (s), Moses, Jesus and Abraham. It did not exist with just anyone, and after these prophets it did not exist with anyone else. Indeed, I have not heard of Gabriel descending to even the Imams as he did to the prophets. As far as I know, it was only to Hadrat Fatimah Zahra', upon whom be peace, that Gabriel appeared repeatedly during the period of these seventy five days, revealing future events which would happen to her offspring....


Sahifeh, vol. 20, Page. 4-5
[1] Usoul al-Kafi, vol. 1, p. 457, hadith 1