“A Gift from the Wedding Night”

In the days leading up to the martyrdom of Lady Fatimah al-Zahra (peace be upon her), the Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali (peace be upon him), noticed a small box beside her bed. He asked, “What is this?”

Lady Fatimah (peace be upon her) replied, “Inside this box is a piece of green silk. Wrapped in it is a white scroll with a few lines written on it.”

Imam Ali (peace be upon him) asked, “What does it say?”

The daughter of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) answered:

“On the night of my wedding, I was sitting in my prayer corner when a poor woman came and asked for clothing. I had two dresses: one was new, which I was wearing that night, and the other was old. I gave her the new one.

The next morning, my father came to visit us. He asked, ‘Why didn’t you wear your new dress?’

I replied, ‘Didn’t you say that whatever one gives in charity remains with them in the hereafter? So, I gave the new dress to someone in need.’

He said, ‘If you had worn the new dress and given the old one to the poor woman, it would have been better for your husband, and the needy woman would still have had something to wear.’

I said, ‘Father, I was only following your example. When my mother Khadijah (peace be upon her) married you and gave all her wealth in your hands, you spent it all in the way of God-until the day came when a beggar asked for clothing, and you gave him your own garment. No one is more generous than you!’

My father began to weep and embraced me. Then he said, ‘Gabriel has just descended. He conveys greetings from God and says: Tell Fatimah to ask for whatever she desires, for I love her.’

I replied, ‘O Father! The sweetness of being in His service has occupied me so completely that I have no desire to ask for anything. I only long to meet my generous Lord in the Abode of Peace.’

My father raised his hands in prayer and told me to do the same. He then prayed: ‘O Allah, forgive my nation!’

Gabriel descended again and said: ‘God says: I have forgiven those from your nation who love Fatimah, her husband, and her children.