Fatima (AS): The Finest Exemplar of Conduct

Allah, the Almighty, says in the Holy Qur’an:

«وَأْمُرْ أَهْلَكَ بِالصَّلَاةِ وَاصْطَبِرْ عَلَيْهَا»
“O Prophet! Enjoin prayer upon your household and remain steadfast in it.”
(Surah Taha, Verse 132)

Numerous narrations have been reported in the interpretation of this verse, all indicating that this command was specifically revealed to the Noble Prophet (PBUH) to emphasize prayer for his Ahl al-Bayt (AS). As mentioned in the tafsirs:

“Allah, the Exalted, said to His Messenger: ‘Apply this command of prayer specifically to your Ahl al-Bayt and do not include others with them, so that people may recognize the noble and exalted status of the Ahl al-Bayt in the sight of Allah. Previously, the command of prayer had been given to all people—including the Ahl al-Bayt—but this time, the Ahl al-Bayt were addressed distinctly and exclusively.’”

When this verse was revealed, the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) would come every morning at prayer time to the door of the house of Ali (AS) and Lady Fatima (AS) and say:

«السَّلامُ عَلَیْکُمْ وَ رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ»
“Peace and mercy of Allah be upon you!”

And they would respond:

«السَّلامُ عَلَیْکَ وَ رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ، یَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ!»
“Peace and mercy of Allah be upon you, O Messenger of Allah!”

Then the Prophet (PBUH) would place his hands on the two rings of the door and say:

«الصَّلَاةَ، الصَّلَاةَ! یَرْحَمُکُمُ اللَّهُ! إِنَّمَا یُرِیدُ اللَّهُ لِیُذْهِبَ عَنْکُمُ الرِّجْسَ أَهْلَ الْبَیْتِ وَ یُطَهِّرَکُمْ تَطْهِیرًا»
“Prayer! Prayer! May Allah have mercy upon you! Indeed, Allah only intends to remove all impurity from you, O Ahl al-Bayt, and purify you with a thorough purification.”
(Surah Al-Ahzab, Verse 33)

The Prophet (PBUH) continued this practice until the time of his passing.
(Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 35, p. 207 and vol. 25, p. 219; Tawil al-Ayat al-Zahira, p. 316; Wasa’il al-Shi‘a, vol. 12, p. 72)

Based on this verse and the numerous hadiths interpreting it, it becomes clear that the special divine command regarding prayer directed to Lady Zahra (AS) and the Ahl al-Bayt al-Athar (AS) was not because—Allah forbid!—they might have lacked attention to prayer. Rather, the divine purpose was to manifest their lofty status and superiority over others.

As stated in another narration, Imam al-Ridha (AS), while enumerating twelve instances of “Istifa’” (divine selection of the Ahl al-Bayt) in the Qur’an, cited this verse as the final example of their distinction and said:

«وَ مَا أَکْرَمَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ أَحَدًا مِنْ ذَرَارِیِّ الْأَنْبِیَاءِ بِمِثْلِ هَذِهِ الْکَرَامَةِ الَّتِی أَکْرَمَنَا بِهَا وَ خَصَّنَا مِنْ دُونِ جَمِیعِ أَهْلِ بَیْتِهِ»
“Allah, the Almighty and Glorious, has never honored any of the descendants of the Prophets with such distinction as He has honored us with, and singled us out above all His other Household.”
(Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 25, p. 233; Al-Amali by al-Saduq, p. 533)

In light of these discussions, it becomes evident that when Allah Almighty addressed the Ahl al-Bayt (AS) specifically in His commands, He intended to declare:

“These are the ones who truly fulfill My commands and laws. Therefore, all humanity must take their conduct and character as the model and exemplar of life, and thereby attain success and salvation.”