Quick Answer:
Detailed Answer:
The first step in the formation of a human being is when he or she starts out as an embryo; due to the importance of this first stage in our existence, Islam has given various advice in order that this first step be made under the most ideal of conditions. When we look at the complete life of Fatimah Zahra (‘a), we see that she was an exceptional figure in the history of man and she was without any peer. It is best at this point if we narrated the words of the Prophet (ṣ) in regards to this shining personality:
1- Ibn ‘Abbās has narrated that: The Prophet (ṣ) would kiss Fatimah (‘a) often and one day ‘Āishah said: Why do you kiss Fatimah so often? The Prophet (ṣ) replied: The reason is that when the Mi‘rāj took place, the Angel Gabriel took me to heaven and he gave me to eat from all the fruits of paradise. Fatimah was conceived from the effects of these fruits. So whenever I long for those fruits of paradise, I kiss Fatimah and I smell the fragrance of all those fruits which I ate on that night.[1]
2- Some traditions have specifically mentioned the apple as being the fruit that the Prophet (ṣ) ate in his journey; the book Dhakhā’ir al-Uqbā has narrated a tradition from a group of the companions that the Prophet (ṣ) said: Gabriel brought me an apple from paradise and I ate it and Fatimah was conceived from the effects of that apple.[2]
3- In another tradition, the fruit has been mentioned as being a quince; this same fruit has been mentioned in Mustadrak al-Ṣaḥīḥayn from Sa‘ad ibn Mālik who narrated this from the Prophet (ṣ).[3]
4- In another tradition, the fruit has been introduced as something unknown to the people of this world; it has been described as something extremely beautiful and pleasant smelling. Suyūṭī has narrated the following report from the Prophet (ṣ): They took me to paradise on the night of the Mi‘rāj and I stood in front of one of the trees of paradise. There was no tree more beautiful, whose leaves were whiter, or whose fruits were more pleasant smelling; I took one of the fruits of this tree and I ate it. This fruit was then transformed within me in the form of seed within my loins. Afterwards, when I had descended to earth, I slept with Khadījah and Fatimah was conceived. So whenever I yearn for the smell of paradise, I smell Fatimah.[4]
In reality, the first tradition that we mentioned explains all of these other traditions for it mentioned that the Prophet (ṣ) ate from all the fruits of paradise and Fatimah (‘a) was conceived from the essence of all of these fruits. In addition, paradise is so different from the world that we live in that words are not capable of describing its true reality and whatever is explained is only an aspect of its reality. In any case, this is a characteristic which is not found in anyone else in history and it is a great point of distinction over all of the women of this world. Fatimah (‘a) is a woman of paradise, her character framed from paradise, her heart and essence from paradise, and her words and manner of speech that of paradise.[5]
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