SILENT FUNERAL OF THE PROPHET'S DAUGHTER

In the darkness of the jet-black night, when eyes were asleep and voices were silent, a Heavenly procession left Ali's house while carrying the Messenger of Allah's daughter to her final abode.
This was on the night of the third (3rd) of Jamadi Al-Thani (the second), 11 A.H.
The heartbreaking procession moved towards an unknown location followed by a small number of devoted ones. They were Ali , Hasan, Husain, Zainab and Um Kulthum... Abu Dhar, Ammar, Miqdad, and Salman were following them. Where are the thousands who inhabited Medina?
One asks, and the answer came: Fatima (A.S) requested that they may not be present at her funeral! The family and their friends hurry to bury Fatima…then they rush back to their own homes so that no one would know where Fatima was buried!
At sunrise people gathered to participate in Fatima's funeral, but they were informed that the darling of Allah's Messenger (P.B.U.H.) had been secretly buried during the night.
Meanwhile, Ali (AS) made the shapes of four fresh graves in Baqi' so as to conceal the location where Fatima was buried. When the people entered the graveyard, they were confused as to which spot was actually Hazrat Fatima Zahra's grave; the people turned towards each other and with feelings of guilt said:
"Our Prophet (P.B.U.H.) has not left behind but one daughter, yet she has died and was buried without our participation in the funeral or the prayer rituals. We do not even realize the place where she has been buried!"
Noticing that a revolt might be ignited because of the emotional atmosphere this event created, the governing party announced:
"Select a group of Muslim women and ask them to dig these graves so that we may find Fatima and perform prayers on her."
Yes! They attempted to execute the plan, violating Fatima's will and causing Ali's (AS) attempts to hide the grave to lie vainly.
Have they forgotten Ali's sharp sword and his well-known courage!!
Did they really think that Ali would remain indifferent to their outrageous actions up to the point of letting them dig Fatima's grave?
Imam Ali (A.S) did not fight back after the Prophet's (PBUH) death because he considered the Muslim's unity and overall interests. Yet, this did not mean that he would ignore their villainous crimes against Fatima even after her death. In other words, Ali (A.S) was asked by the Prophet (P.B.U.H.) to have patience, but only to a certain extent; when Ali (P.B.U.H.) received the news of the about-to-be-executed plot, he put on his fighting gear and rushed towards Baqi'.
A man from among the people called out:
"This is Ali Ibn Abu Talib leveling his sword and saying:
'If anyone moves even a mere stone from these graves, I shall strike even the "back of the last follower of the unjust.”
People, who realized Ali's seriousness, took his threats with complete belief that he would do just as he said if anyone were to oppose him.
Yet, a man from the governing ones addressed Ali (A.S) by saying:
"What is the matter, Abu Al-Hasan? By Allah, we shall dig her grave out and perform prayers on her."
Ali (A.S) then grabbed the man by his clothes shook him and threw him to the ground and said;
“Son of the Sawada! I have abandoned my right to prevent people from forsaking their faith, but as regards Fatima’s grave, by Him in whose hand is my soul if you and your followers attempt to do anything to it, I will irrigate the ground with your blood!"
At this, Abu Bakr said;
'Abu Al-Hasan, I ask you by the right of Allah's Messenger and by Him who is above the Throne: leave him alone and we will not do anything, which you would not approve of.

Imam Ja'far as Sadiq (AS) Advice to Ibne Sayyaba

Ibne Sayyaba, a resident of Kufa in Iraq, was a young man whose father had died. The tragedy of the death of his father, coupled with poverty and unemployment, was destroying the soul of the sensitive man. One day while sitting in his house, he heard a knock at the door. He was a friend of his father. After offering his condolences, he said:

"Did your father leave anything for you?"

"No"

"Then take this thousand Dirham; try to turn it into a capital, and meet your expense from its profit".

Saying these words he went away. Ibne Sayyaba, happy as he was, went to his mother and showing the money told her the story. The same day, he used the money in purchasing some merchandise and opening a shop; and set his heart to it. He made a rapid progress. Soon after he realised that not only he had met his household expenses from the profit, but also the capital had increased to a great extent. Now he thought of performing Hajj Pilgrimage, and approached his mother for her advice. She said, "First you should repay the thousand Dirham which has brought such prosperity to us, and then you may go to Makkah for Hajj."

He went to see the friend of his father, and placing a purse of one thousand Dirham before him, said, "Please accept your money back." The man thought that Ibne Sayyaba was returning the same money because it was not sufficient for any trade. So he said:

"If the amount is insufficient I can increase it."

"Good God, it was not insufficient. It has brought great prosperity to us and since I am now quite well off financially, I have come to repay your money, and to express my thanks to you, particularly when I have decided to go on pilgrimage to Makkah.

He came to his home and packed his luggage for Makkah.

After performance of the Hajj pilgrimage, he came to Medina and went to see Imam Jaffar as Sadiq (AS) along with other pilgrims. There was a huge crowd in the house of the Imam Jaffar as Sadiq (AS). Being young he chose to sit at the far end of the gathering, and from there watched the people coming and going; and heard their questions and the answers given by the Imam Jaffar as Sadiq (AS). When the house became nearly empty, Imam Jaffar as Sadiq (AS) pointed to him and said:

"What can I do for you?"

"I am Abdur Rehman, son of Sayyaba, of Kufa (from the tribe of Bijilly)."

"How is your father?" asked Imam Jaffar as Sadiq (AS)

"He died"

"Ah! Ah! May Almighty Allah (SWT) have His mercy upon him. Did he leave anything for you?"

"No, he didn't"

"Then how could you perform Hajj Pilgrimage?"

"After the death of my father we were in distress. On one side his death and on the other side poverty and unemployment, were crushing us extremely. Then one day a friend of my father gave me one thousand Dirham and advised me to invest the amount in business. I followed his advice and from its profit I came to perform Hajj Pilgrimage".

Before he could finish his story, Imam Jaffar as Sadiq (AS) said, "Tell me what did you do about the money of your father's friend?"

I refunded the amount on the advice of my mother before coming out for Hajj Pilgrimage".

"Very good. Do you like me to give you an advice?"

"May I be your ransom; of course"

Imam Jaffar as Sadiq (AS) said, "Be truthful and righteous. A truthful and righteous man is a partner in the wealth of others".