Suffering of Fatema Zahra (s.a) -- Attack on her house

One day after the demise of holy prophet (SAW) , Umer Ibn al-Khattab (LA) came to the house of Imam Ali (AS). Talha and Zubair and some of the immigrants were also in the house. Umar cried out: "By God, either you come out to render the oath of allegiance, or I will set the house on fire."

Al-Zubair came out with his sword drawn. As he stumbled (upon something), the sword fell from his hand so they jumped over him and seized him."

Then Umar (LA) told those people who had gathered around him to collect wood. They all collected and Umar (LA) himself lifted (the wood) and went to the House of Imam Ali (AS), Lady Fatima (SA) and their two sons (peace be upon them) and arranged wood all around the house and said in a voice loud enough to make Ali (peace be upon him) and Lady Fatima (peace be upon her) hear: “By God, O Ali come out and pay allegiance to the Caliph of the Prophet of Allah, otherwise we will burn your house.”

Lady Fatima (peace be upon her) said: “O Umar, what do you have to do with us?” He replied, “Open the door or otherwise we will burn your house.” Lady Fatima (peace be upon her) said: “O Umar, are you not afraid of Allah and are you entering our house?” Umar refused to return. He asked fire to be brought and set the door on fire, then he pushed it and entered. Lady Fatima (peace be upon her) came in front and screamed loudly: “O father, O Prophet of Allah.

Umar (LA) raised his sword with the shield and hit her on the side. She screamed, “O father.” He then lifted a whip and hit her on the hand and she cried: “O Prophet of Allah, Abu Bakr and Umar behaved very badly after you.” Ali (peace be upon him) rushed, held him by his neck and pushed him away and Umar fell down and hurt his neck and nose. Ali (peace be upon him) intended to kill him…”

Imam Ali (AS) refrained from raising his sword against the attackers as per the will of Prophet Muhammad who had taken a promise from Ali (AS) to remain patient if he does not get enough sincere supporters for his cause.

The Apology from the Shaykahyn

A few days later both Umar and Abu Bakr visited Fatima Zahra (SA) at her house. She refused to see them. Ali (A.S.) persuaded her at least to listen to what they had to say. A curtain was draped in the middle of the courtyard inside the walls of her house. She sat on one side of the curtain with her back to it, the visitors being on the other side. She asked tersely as to the reason of their visit. They both said that they had come to apologize for their wrongdoings and excesses. She refused to acknowledge the apology. Instead, the following dialogue ensued between them.

Fatima: If I remind you of some of the sayings of my father, would you confirm them?

Abu Bakr: Yes.

Fatima: Do you remember that my father had said - Fatima is a piece of me, whoever hurts her actually hurts me and whoever hates her actually he hates me?

Abu Bakr: Yes, I remember.

Fatima: So, now I say that you have shown enmity towards me, you have hurt me; get out of my house; I have nothing more to say to you.Thus ended this meeting.

Historians have reported that Fatima Zahra (SA) was never reconciled to Abu Bakr and Umar and she strictly asked Imam Ali (AS) never ever to call those two to her funeral.

Fatima Zahra (SA) did not survive more than ninety day after the demise of her father, Prophet Mohammad (P.B.U.H). Before her demise she bequeathed the following as her will to Imam 'Ali:

1. O ` Ali, you will personally perform my funeral rites.

2. Those who have displeased my should not be allowed to attend my funeral.

3. My corpse should be carried to the graveyard at right.

It is reported that when Imam Ali (AS) was washing the remains of Fatima Zahra (A.S.) at one point he screamed and wept. Later, his cousin, Abdullah ibn Abbas, asked him about it. Imam Ali (AS) explained that the door that was kicked in on her actually broke her ribs. Out of her pride, though, Fatima Zahra (A.S.) never disclosed her full injuries to anyone. That was what he discovered when bathing her remains.