Introduction: When the Daughter of the Prophet (SAW) Raised Her Voice
The Messenger of Allah (SAW) had departed from this world.
Madinah, the city that had welcomed him during the Hijrah, had witnessed his final days. The community he had established now faced the responsibility of preserving everything he had taught.
But for the household of the Prophet, the days following his death brought not only grief but also profound disputes concerning leadership, authority and the rights of the Ahlulbayt (AS).
As examined in Part II, Fadak had been taken out of the possession of Sayyida Fatima al-Zahra (SA).
The estate that Prophet Muhammad (SAW) had gifted to her during his lifetime was now administered by the government of Abu Bakr.
The testimony of Imam Ali (AS) and Umm Ayman had not secured its restoration. Imam Ali (AS) had challenged the legal demand for evidence from a person already in possession of property. The Quranic question of inheritance had also been raised.
Yet Fadak remained outside her control.
Sayyida Fatima (SA) then took an extraordinary step.
She went to the mosque of her father and addressed the Muslim community.
Her words would become known as Khutbat al-Fadakiyyah — the Sermon of Fadak.
But to call it merely a speech about land would be to overlook much of its importance.
The sermon began with the oneness of Allah. It explored the purpose of creation, the mission of Prophethood, the wisdom of Islamic obligations, the authority of the Quran, the sacrifices of Imam Ali (AS), and the religious responsibility of the Ummah.
Only after establishing these foundations did Sayyida Fatima (SA) turn to the question of her own rights.
The sermon was therefore not simply a demand for the return of an estate.
It was a challenge concerning the principles upon which the Muslim community was expected to govern itself.
The daughter of the Prophet (SAW) stood before the Ummah and asked whether the teachings of her father would remain the measure of justice after his death.
1. How Was the Sermon of Fadak Preserved?
Before examining the sermon itself, it is important to understand the books through which its text has reached us.
One of the earliest surviving written versions appears in Balaghat al-Nisa, compiled by Ahmad ibn Abi Tahir Tayfur, who died in 280 AH.
The book preserves speeches and examples of eloquence attributed to prominent women, including Sayyida Fatima al-Zahra (SA).
The sermon was also preserved through the scholarly and family transmission of the descendants of Imam Ali (AS) and Sayyida Fatima (SA).
Sayyida Zainab (SA) and the preservation of her mother's words
An especially meaningful aspect of the sermon's transmission is its association with Sayyida Zainab al-Kubra (SA).
Shaykh al-Saduq, in Man La Yahduruhu al-Faqih and 'Ilal al-Shara'i, preserves portions of the sermon through narrations associated with Sayyida Zainab (SA).
This is significant because Sayyida Zainab (SA) would later become renowned for her own eloquence and courage following the tragedy of Karbala.
The preservation of the sermon through the Prophet's descendants reflects the importance attached to Sayyida Fatima's (SA) words within the household of the Ahlulbayt.
Other important sources
Shaykh Ahmad ibn Ali al-Tabarsi, in al-Ihtijaj, preserves an extended version of the sermon.
Sayyid Ibn Tawus, Ali ibn Isa al-Irbili, and other scholars transmitted portions or discussed its historical significance.
In Bihar al-Anwar, Allamah Muhammad Baqir al-Majlisi gathered material concerning Sayyida Fatima (SA), including the sermon and its surrounding events.
More recently, Allamah Nasir Makarim Shirazi, in Famous Epic Prose, organised its major arguments into seven principal themes.
Sayyid Muhammad Kadhim al-Qazwini, in Fatimah al-Zahra: From the Cradle to the Grave, offers an extensive explanation of the text.
The surviving versions differ in some wording, arrangement and length. The precise words of every passage cannot be reconstructed from a surviving contemporary transcript. Nevertheless, the sermon has remained an important part of the written religious heritage concerning Sayyida Fatima (SA).
The following examination follows its established themes and identifies the authors who preserve and explain them.
2. The Day Sayyida Fatima (SA) Entered the Mosque
The account preserved by Shaykh al-Tabarsi in al-Ihtijaj describes Sayyida Fatima (SA) preparing to address the Muslim community.
She covered herself with her veil and outer garment.
Women from her family and community accompanied her.
They walked with her toward the mosque of Prophet Muhammad (SAW).
The report describes her manner of walking as resembling that of her father.
This detail carries particular emotional meaning.
The mosque that had once witnessed the presence and preaching of the Messenger of Allah would now witness the words of his daughter.
The gathering
The mosque contained members of the Muhajirun and Ansar.
Abu Bakr was present.
A curtain was arranged, allowing Sayyida Fatima (SA) to address the assembly while maintaining her modesty.
The narration describes her beginning with a deeply emotional sigh, causing those present to weep.
She allowed the gathering to settle.
Then she began speaking.
Why the setting matters
Sayyida Fatima (SA) had already sought the return of Fadak.
But the issue was no longer confined to an exchange between a claimant and the political administration.
By speaking in the mosque, she addressed the wider community.
Those present included people who had pledged allegiance to the Prophet, defended him during battles, supported him during hardship and heard his teachings.
Her speech placed a question before them.
Were they prepared to defend the rights of his household after his passing?
Allamah Nasir Makarim Shirazi describes the sermon as a public address that exposed the religious and political consequences of the decisions made after the Prophet's death.
The setting was therefore essential to its purpose.
The grievance of the Prophet's daughter was brought before the very community that had witnessed her father's mission.
3. The Sermon Begins with Tawheed
One of the most remarkable features of Khutbat al-Fadakiyyah is that Sayyida Fatima (SA) does not begin by mentioning her confiscated property.
She begins with Allah.
In the text preserved by Shaykh al-Tabarsi, she praises Allah for His blessings, His guidance and the knowledge He has made accessible to His creation.
She speaks of the greatness of Allah, the limits of human understanding and the reality that creation cannot encompass its Creator.
The oneness of Allah
Tawheed is the foundation of Islam.
It establishes that Allah alone is the Creator, the Sustainer and the ultimate authority over existence.
The sermon explains that Allah is beyond the descriptions that human beings attempt to impose upon Him.
The senses cannot encompass Him.
Human imagination cannot fully comprehend His reality.
He is not dependent upon creation.
Rather, creation exists through His will.
Why begin a property dispute with Tawheed?
Allamah Nasir Makarim Shirazi identifies this discussion as the sermon's first major foundation.
The connection becomes clear when we consider the question of authority.
If Allah is the ultimate source of law and justice, then the decisions of human rulers must remain subject to His commands.
No political office grants authority to disregard divine obligations.
A person may possess power, but power does not independently determine truth.
The opening of the sermon therefore establishes the foundation upon which the later arguments will rest.
Justice begins with recognition of Allah's authority, not with the preferences of those who govern.
4. Why Did Allah Create the World?
The sermon also reflects on the purpose of creation.
Sayyida Fatima (SA) describes Allah as creating without dependence upon anything that existed before.
Creation did not arise because Allah needed companionship, assistance or benefit.
Allah is free from need.
The purpose of divine creation and command is connected with wisdom, the manifestation of Allah's power and the moral responsibility of human beings.
Creation and responsibility
Human beings have been granted the ability to distinguish between obedience and disobedience.
They are responsible for how they respond to guidance.
The world is therefore not a place where moral choices are without consequence.
Actions have meaning.
Justice has meaning.
Accountability has meaning.
In his commentary, Allamah Nasir Makarim Shirazi explains that the opening passages establish the philosophical foundations of the sermon before Sayyida Fatima (SA) turns to the conduct of the Muslim community.
The principle is profound.
A society that recognises Allah as its Creator must also recognise that its actions are subject to divine judgment.
This includes the actions of those exercising authority.
5. The Mission of Prophet Muhammad (SAW)
After discussing Tawheed, Sayyida Fatima (SA) turns to the mission of her father.
The sermon describes the condition of society before the Prophet's message and the transformation brought by Islam.
It recalls the prevalence of idolatry, social injustice, conflict and ignorance.
The Prophet (SAW) called people toward worship of Allah and established a community guided by revelation.
The condition of Arabia before Islam
In the sermon preserved by al-Ihtijaj, Sayyida Fatima (SA) describes the difficult circumstances in which the Arabs had lived.
The community had been divided by tribal rivalries.
Idolatry was widespread.
Many people were deprived of knowledge and security.
The Prophet's mission challenged these conditions.
He called toward Tawheed, established moral duties, defended the oppressed and taught the Quran.
The transformation required sacrifice.
The early believers endured persecution in Makkah.
They migrated.
They fought to defend the new community.
They built institutions and relationships founded upon faith.
Why remind the Muslims of their past?
Sayyida Fatima (SA) was speaking to a community that had directly benefited from the Prophet's mission.
Many present had witnessed the transition from the pre-Islamic social order to life under Islamic guidance.
By reminding them of their former condition, she also reminded them of the responsibility that accompanied their new position.
They had received guidance through Prophet Muhammad (SAW).
But would they continue to uphold the principles he had taught?
The sermon therefore uses history as a form of moral accountability.
Remembering the blessings of Islam was meant to remind the community of its responsibility to preserve them.
6. The Holy Quran: A Living Standard of Guidance
One of the central passages of the sermon concerns the Holy Quran.
Sayyida Fatima (SA) describes it as the Book of Allah, a source of clear guidance, wisdom and divine instruction.
The Quran is not presented merely as a collection of verses to be recited.
It is presented as a standard by which human conduct and judgment must be measured.
The authority of revelation
The sermon emphasises that the Quran contains obligations, prohibitions, promises, warnings and moral guidance.
It clarifies the path of obedience.
It distinguishes lawful conduct from wrongdoing.
It guides believers toward their responsibilities.
In Sayyid Muhammad Kadhim al-Qazwini's explanation, this discussion prepares the audience for the Quranic arguments that follow.
Sayyida Fatima (SA) was establishing the authority of the very Book she would later cite concerning inheritance.
Why the Quran was central to Fadak
The dispute involved a ruling attributed to Prophet Muhammad (SAW) concerning Prophetic inheritance.
Sayyida Fatima's (SA) argument challenged the interpretation of that ruling by appealing directly to Quranic verses.
Her speech therefore established that revelation must remain the foundation of judgment.
A statement attributed to the Prophet could not properly be understood in a manner that contradicted his obedience to the Book of Allah.
The Quran itself declares:
أَفَلَا يَتَدَبَّرُونَ الْقُرْآنَ وَلَوْ كَانَ مِنْ عِندِ غَيْرِ اللَّهِ لَوَجَدُوا فِيهِ اخْتِلَافًا كَثِيرًا
“Do they not then reflect on the Quran? Had it been from any other than Allah, they would have found in it many a discrepancy.”
— Surah al-Nisa, 4:82; M. H. Shakir translation at Al-Islam.org
The sermon demonstrates this principle through its own method.
Rather than relying solely upon emotion, Sayyida Fatima (SA) built her argument through scriptural reasoning.
7. The Wisdom Behind Islamic Obligations
Perhaps the most frequently studied theological section of Khutbat al-Fadakiyyah concerns the purpose of religious obligations.
Shaykh al-Saduq preserves this material in 'Ilal al-Shara'i, a work devoted to explanations of the wisdom behind religious rulings.
The passage demonstrates the depth of religious teaching attributed to Sayyida Fatima (SA).
Rather than listing religious duties merely as commands, she explains the benefits and purposes associated with them.
Faith and the purification of belief
The sermon connects faith with purification from shirk, or associating partners with Allah.
True faith establishes the exclusive authority of Allah over the believer's life.
It frees the heart from worship of false powers.
Prayer and humility
Prayer is associated with removing arrogance.
This is a profound explanation of salah.
A believer stands before Allah and acknowledges dependence upon Him.
Through bowing and prostration, the individual learns that worldly position does not eliminate the need for humility.
The richest person and the poorest person stand before the same Creator.
Zakat and purification
Zakat is connected with purification of the soul and blessing in sustenance.
Giving wealth for the sake of Allah helps prevent greed from controlling the heart.
It also recognises that wealth carries responsibilities toward others.
In a sermon concerning a disputed agricultural estate, this emphasis on the moral responsibility attached to wealth is especially meaningful.
Fasting and sincerity
Fasting is connected with the strengthening of sincerity.
A person may outwardly appear to be fasting, but the inner intention remains known most fully to Allah.
The practice teaches self-control and devotion beyond public recognition.
Hajj and strengthening religion
Hajj is presented as a means of strengthening the religion.
Muslims gather from different places, backgrounds and circumstances to worship Allah.
The pilgrimage embodies unity through shared submission to Him.
Justice and harmony
Justice is associated with harmony within society.
When rights are recognised and wrongdoing is restrained, trust becomes possible.
When justice is violated, division and resentment can grow.
This teaching connects directly to the dispute over Fadak.
The sermon does not treat justice as an abstract virtue.
It places justice among the foundations required for a healthy religious community.
Other obligations
The sermon also discusses the importance of patience, maintaining family ties, honouring parents, fulfilling promises, truthful measurement, preventing bloodshed and avoiding immoral conduct.
These teachings reveal a comprehensive understanding of religion.
Islam is not limited to private worship.
It includes family life, economic transactions, community responsibilities and the protection of others.
The sermon presents religious obligations as a connected system through which faith produces moral and social order.
8. The Most Significant Passage: Obedience to the Ahlulbayt (AS) and Imamate
Among the most important statements preserved in the sermon are those concerning obedience to the Prophet's household and the purpose of Imamate.
The Arabic text includes:
وَطَاعَتَنَا نِظَامًا لِلْمِلَّةِ وَإِمَامَتَنَا أَمَانًا مِنَ الْفُرْقَةِ
The passage explains that obedience to the Ahlulbayt (AS) provides order for the religious community, while their Imamate protects it against division.
Shaykh al-Tabarsi preserves this statement in al-Ihtijaj, and Allamah Nasir Makarim Shirazi discusses it as one of the sermon’s central theological themes.
What does this passage establish?
The sermon presents the authority of the Ahlulbayt (AS) as more than a matter of personal respect.
It connects their leadership with the preservation of religious unity.
In the theological framework set out by scholars such as al-Tabarsi and Makarim Shirazi, the Imamate is an institution established by Allah through divine designation.
The Imam preserves the teachings of the Prophet, explains revelation and provides authoritative guidance.
In this understanding, the community's religious unity is not secured merely through political agreement.
It depends upon recognising the guidance appointed by Allah.
Why was this passage important after Saqifah?
Sayyida Fatima (SA) delivered the sermon in the aftermath of the Prophet's death, when political leadership had passed to Abu Bakr.
Shia works such as al-Ihtijaj and The Message identify Imam Ali (AS) as the Prophet's appointed successor and discuss the declaration at Ghadir Khumm among the evidence for his authority.
The passage concerning Imamate therefore carried direct relevance to the events taking place in Madinah.
Allamah Nasir Makarim Shirazi explains the sermon as a defence of Imam Ali's (AS) rightful authority alongside the claim concerning Fadak.
The two issues were connected through the question of whether the rights established for the Prophet's household were being recognised.
Imamate as protection from division
The statement also raises an important theological point.
Political unity and religious unity are not necessarily identical.
A community may agree upon a political arrangement while still disagreeing over religious authority.
In the works of Shia theologians, the divinely appointed Imam provides continuity of guidance necessary to preserve the Prophet's teachings.
Thus, the sermon presents obedience to the Ahlulbayt (AS) as a matter connected with the structure and preservation of religion itself.
Fadak was the immediate grievance. The authority of the Ahlulbayt (AS) was part of the deeper question.
9. The Sacrifices of Imam Ali (AS)
The sermon proceeds to remind the audience of the sacrifices made during the early years of Islam.
A particular emphasis is placed on Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS).
In the account transmitted by Shaykh al-Tabarsi, Sayyida Fatima (SA) recalls how Imam Ali (AS) confronted danger while defending Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and the Muslim community.
The early struggles of Islam
The Prophet's mission faced serious opposition.
The early Muslims experienced persecution, exile and armed conflict.
Imam Ali (AS) played a distinguished role in protecting the Prophet and defending the believers.
His courage at Badr, Uhud, Khandaq and Khaybar forms an important part of Islamic history.
The sermon recalls these sacrifices in the context of the community's transformation from weakness to strength.
The contrast after the Prophet's passing
The meaning of the passage becomes especially powerful when read alongside the political events following 11 AH.
Imam Ali (AS) had defended Islam during its most difficult years.
Yet the authority that Allamah Nasir Makarim Shirazi describes as having been entrusted to him was not accepted by the new government.
In Allamah Nasir Makarim Shirazi's interpretation, Sayyida Fatima (SA) reminded the community of Imam Ali's (AS) service in order to expose the inconsistency between his sacrifices and his treatment after the Prophet's death.
The historical reminder therefore functioned as more than praise.
It challenged the community's understanding of loyalty, leadership and gratitude.
10. A Community Transformed — and a Warning Against Returning to the Past
The sermon then addresses the changes that followed the Prophet's death.
Sayyida Fatima (SA) recalls the progress made under the Prophet's guidance and warns against abandoning the principles that had established Islam.
The Quran provides an important foundation for this warning.
Surah Aal-e-Imran — 3:144
وَمَا مُحَمَّدٌ إِلَّا رَسُولٌ قَدْ خَلَتْ مِنْ قَبْلِهِ الرُّسُلُ ۚ أَفَإِن مَّاتَ أَوْ قُتِلَ انْقَلَبْتُمْ عَلَىٰ أَعْقَابِكُمْ وَمَن يَنقَلِبْ عَلَىٰ عَقِبَيْهِ فَلَن يَضُرَّ اللَّهَ شَيْئًا وَسَيَجْزِي اللَّهُ الشَّاكِرِينَ
“And Muhammad is no more than a messenger; the messengers have already passed away before him. If then he dies or is killed, will you turn back upon your heels? And whoever turns back upon his heels will by no means do harm to Allah in the least; and Allah will reward the grateful.”
— Surah Aal-e-Imran, 3:144; M. H. Shakir translation at Al-Islam.org
The verse addresses the danger of abandoning faith and responsibility after the death of the Messenger.
Why did Sayyida Fatima (SA) invoke this verse?
The Prophet's death did not remove the obligation to obey Allah.
Nor did it make the Quran's commands optional.
The Muslim community remained responsible for protecting justice, fulfilling rights and preserving the Prophet's teachings.
In the sermon, the question of turning back is connected with the conduct of the community following the Prophet's passing.
The warning is severe because the responsibility is great.
Those who had benefited from the Prophet's guidance were expected to uphold it, not abandon it when political circumstances changed.
The message beyond Fadak
Allamah Nasir Makarim Shirazi treats this portion as one of the sermon's major arguments concerning the political and religious direction of the community.
Its lesson extends beyond the immediate history.
Faithfulness is not measured only by what people declare while a leader is present.
It is also measured by what they preserve after that leader has departed.
11. Sayyida Fatima (SA) Identifies Herself Before the Ummah
At a decisive point in the sermon, Sayyida Fatima (SA) identifies herself and her relationship to the Prophet.
She reminds the audience that she is Fatima, the daughter of Muhammad (SAW).
The significance of this declaration is considerable.
The people in the mosque knew who she was.
Many had witnessed the Prophet's extraordinary affection for her.
Her identity did not need to be explained as a matter of ordinary biography.
Rather, she was reminding the audience of the responsibilities attached to that identity.
The Prophet's daughter
The Messenger of Allah (SAW) had described Sayyida Fatima (SA) as a part of himself.
His love for her was not hidden from the community.
The traditions concerning her place among the purified Ahlulbayt established her exceptional religious standing.
By identifying herself, Sayyida Fatima (SA) reminded the people that their treatment of her could not be separated from their obligations toward her father.
The Verse of Purification
The Quran declares:
إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنكُمُ الرِّجْسَ أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَيُطَهِّرَكُمْ تَطْهِيرًا
“Allah only desires to keep away the uncleanness from you, O people of the House, and to purify you a thorough purifying.”
— Surah al-Ahzab, 33:33; M. H. Shakir translation at Al-Islam.org
Shaykh al-Saduq in 'Ilal al-Shara'i and Shaykh Ahmad al-Tabarsi in al-Ihtijaj discuss this verse in relation to the Ahlulbayt (AS), including Sayyida Fatima (SA).
The moral significance
A society may publicly honour a person while failing to respect the rights of that person's family.
The sermon challenges such a contradiction.
Honouring Prophet Muhammad (SAW) required more than remembering his words.
It required obedience to the principles he had established.
And those principles included justice toward his daughter.
12. The Quranic Case Against the Denial of Inheritance
After establishing the authority of Allah, the Quran and the Prophet's mission, Sayyida Fatima (SA) turns directly to the denial of her property rights.
This portion is among the most forceful arguments preserved in Khutbat al-Fadakiyyah.
She addresses Abu Bakr and challenges the treatment of the Prophet's estate.
The legal question had already been introduced in the dispute over Fadak.
Now, before the Muslim community, she presents her Quranic evidence.
The inheritance of Prophet Sulayman (AS)
The Quran states:
وَوَرِثَ سُلَيْمَانُ دَاوُودَ
“And Sulayman inherited Dawood.”
— Surah al-Naml, 27:16; M. H. Shakir translation at Al-Islam.org
The verse establishes that inheritance is mentioned in connection with two prophets.
Sayyida Fatima (SA) invokes it in opposition to the interpretation that prophets categorically leave no inheritable property.
The prayer of Prophet Zakariya (AS)
The Quran also records the prayer of Zakariya (AS):
فَهَبْ لِي مِن لَدُنكَ وَلِيًّا يَرِثُنِي وَيَرِثُ مِنْ آلِ يَعْقُوبَ وَاجْعَلْهُ رَبِّ رَضِيًّا
“Therefore grant me from Thyself an heir, who should inherit from me and inherit from the children of Yaqub, and make him, my Lord, one in whom Thou art well pleased.”
— Surah Maryam, 19:5–6; M. H. Shakir translation at Al-Islam.org
The verse again uses the language of inheritance in connection with a prophet.
Why these verses matter
The argument concerns the relationship between the reported prohibition of Prophetic inheritance and the wording of the Quran.
Sayyida Fatima (SA) challenges the claim that the Messenger of Allah would establish a ruling contradicting Allah's Book.
Allamah Sayyid Sa'eed Akhtar Rizvi develops this reasoning extensively in his work Fadak, examining the Quranic examples alongside the reported hadith.
The general rights of children
The sermon also invokes the Quranic laws governing the inheritance of children and close relatives.
Surah al-Nisa, verse 11, establishes shares for children and specifies the shares of daughters in different family circumstances. Read the relevant verse in M. H. Shakir's translation at Al-Islam.org.
Surah al-Anfal, verse 75, affirms the rights of blood relatives:
وَأُولُو الْأَرْحَامِ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلَىٰ بِبَعْضٍ فِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ
“And blood relations are nearer to each other in the Book of Allah.”
— Surah al-Anfal, 8:75; M. H. Shakir translation at Al-Islam.org
Sayyida Fatima (SA) challenges the assumption that ordinary believers may inherit from their parents while the Prophet's daughter is excluded.
She questions whether any Quranic exception had removed her from the general law.
The force of the argument is direct.
If Allah has established inheritance rights, upon what authority can those rights be denied?
13. Why Did She Argue About Inheritance if Fadak Was Already a Gift?
This question was addressed in Part II, but it becomes especially important when studying the sermon itself.
The original claim concerned a gift made during the Prophet's lifetime.
Shaykh Ja'far Subhani and Allamah Sayyid Sa'eed Akhtar Rizvi identify this as a completed hibah.
However, once the new administration refused to recognise that gift and treated Fadak as property associated with the Prophet's remaining estate, the question of inheritance became relevant.
Sayyida Fatima's (SA) argument therefore operated on two levels.
First, the estate belonged to her through the lifetime gift.
Second, even if the administration treated it as property left by the Prophet, the Quranic law of inheritance could not simply be ignored.
The inheritance argument did not mean that she abandoned her original claim.
It challenged the alternative legal treatment imposed upon the estate.
The structure of her reasoning
This distinction reveals the intellectual strength of the case.
Rather than relying on one argument alone, the dispute presented multiple questions:
- Was the gift valid?
- Had possession been completed?
- Why was the burden of proof placed on the existing possessor?
- What weight should be given to the witnesses?
- Could the inheritance hadith be understood as overriding the Quranic examples of Prophetic inheritance?
The sermon addresses the final questions within a wider theological framework.
14. The Response of Abu Bakr
The longer versions of the sermon preserve a response attributed to Abu Bakr.
In the text transmitted by Shaykh al-Tabarsi and discussed by Sayyid Muhammad Kadhim al-Qazwini, Abu Bakr acknowledges Sayyida Fatima's (SA) distinguished position and speaks respectfully of her knowledge and relationship to the Prophet.
He nevertheless maintains the legal position adopted by the government.
The response invokes the reported instruction concerning the property left by prophets and appeals to the collective acceptance of his political authority.
What was the central disagreement?
Sayyida Fatima (SA) had invoked the Quran.
Abu Bakr relied upon the reported Prophetic statement and the authority exercised by the new administration.
The disagreement therefore remained unresolved.
Sayyida Fatima's (SA) reply
The transmitted sermon describes Sayyida Fatima (SA) challenging the suggestion that her father could have acted contrary to the Quran.
She affirms that Prophet Muhammad (SAW) followed Allah's Book.
She returns to the verses concerning inheritance and rejects the interpretation used to deny her right.
This is a significant feature of the exchange.
She does not treat the Quran as secondary to the political decision.
She treats it as the decisive standard by which the decision must be evaluated.
The disagreement thus becomes a question of scriptural authority.
15. The Appeal to the Ansar
One of the most emotional sections of Khutbat al-Fadakiyyah is Sayyida Fatima's (SA) direct appeal to the Ansar.
The Ansar were the people of Madinah who had welcomed Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and supported the Muslim community after the Hijrah.
They had defended Islam during its earliest and most difficult years.
They possessed a distinguished place in the history of the Prophet's mission.
Yet Sayyida Fatima (SA) now questioned their silence.
Why address the Ansar?
The sermon recalls their military courage and devotion.
It reminds them that they had once responded when Islam was threatened.
They had sacrificed resources, endured hardship and supported the Prophet.
Why, then, were they failing to respond to the grievance of his daughter?
In al-Ihtijaj, the appeal emphasises their ability to provide assistance.
The issue was not simply that they lacked power.
Rather, the sermon challenges their willingness to use the resources and influence they possessed.
The responsibility of witnesses
The Ansar had witnessed the establishment of Islam.
They knew the Prophet's family.
They had heard his teachings.
The sermon therefore presents their silence as a matter of moral responsibility.
A person who knows that an injustice has occurred is not necessarily free from responsibility merely because they did not personally initiate it.
The question becomes whether they are willing to oppose it.
The warning of the Quran
Sayyida Fatima (SA) again invokes the Quranic warning against turning back after the Prophet's death, in Surah Aal-e-Imran 3:144, quoted above with its Arabic text and M. H. Shakir translation.
The passage is especially meaningful in the context of her appeal.
The death of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) did not end the obligation to defend what he had established.
The community's loyalty would now be measured through its actions.
Those who had once defended the Messenger of Allah were being asked why they would not defend the rights of his daughter.
16. The Sermon as an Argument Against Silence
The appeal to the Ansar introduces one of the sermon's most enduring themes.
Silence is not always neutrality.
When a right is challenged, remaining silent may allow the decision to stand.
The sermon does not merely criticise those who exercised political power.
It questions the wider community that permitted the grievance to continue.
Knowledge creates responsibility
The people present had received guidance through the Prophet.
They knew the importance of justice.
They knew the status of his household.
Sayyida Fatima (SA) therefore addressed them as people with religious knowledge and moral responsibility.
Her argument was not that every individual possessed equal political authority.
It was that those who possessed the ability to act had an obligation to consider whether they were protecting justice.
Why this remains relevant
Allamah Nasir Makarim Shirazi presents the sermon as a warning to communities that become comfortable with wrongdoing when confronting it is difficult.
Its message extends beyond the historical event.
Religion requires integrity when principles become inconvenient.
A community cannot claim to value justice while refusing to consider the rights of those who have been wronged.
17. Sayyida Fatima's (SA) Final Warning
As the sermon approaches its conclusion, the transmitted text becomes increasingly solemn.
Sayyida Fatima (SA) reminds the gathering that all human actions are witnessed by Allah.
Political authority is temporary.
Human decisions will be subject to divine judgment.
She invokes the accountability of the Hereafter and warns against treating a disputed ruling as though worldly power can make it just.
The final authority belongs to Allah
This conclusion returns the sermon to its beginning.
It opened with Tawheed and the greatness of the Creator.
It ends by reminding the audience that Allah remains the ultimate Judge.
No position of authority can remove accountability.
No social agreement can turn injustice into righteousness.
And no earthly power can prevent the final judgment of Allah.
The Quranic expression of patience
The sermon also invokes the Quranic language associated with Prophet Ya'qub (AS):
فَصَبْرٌ جَمِيلٌ وَاللَّهُ الْمُسْتَعَانُ عَلَىٰ مَا تَصِفُونَ
“So patience is most fitting, and Allah is He Whose help is sought against what you describe.”
— Surah Yusuf, 12:18; M. H. Shakir translation at Al-Islam.org
This is not a declaration that the grievance was unimportant.
It is an expression of reliance upon Allah when worldly means have failed to secure justice.
The distinction is important.
Patience does not necessarily mean accepting wrongdoing as lawful.
It may mean remaining steadfast, preserving one's principles and entrusting the final judgment to Allah.
18. Why Fadak Was Never Only About Land
By the time the sermon concludes, the listener has heard a wide-ranging account of Islamic belief and social responsibility.
Sayyida Fatima (SA) has discussed Tawheed.
She has explained the wisdom of creation.
She has recalled the mission of Prophet Muhammad (SAW).
She has described the purposes of worship.
She has affirmed the authority of the Quran.
She has connected obedience to the Ahlulbayt (AS) with the order of the religious community.
She has defended the significance of Imamate.
She has recalled Imam Ali's (AS) sacrifices.
She has challenged the denial of inheritance.
And she has called upon the Ansar to recognise their responsibility.
This is why Allamah Nasir Makarim Shirazi identifies seven major themes within the sermon rather than treating it as a single property complaint.
Fadak as a test of justice
Fadak provided the immediate occasion for the dispute.
But the sermon explored whether the community continued to recognise the principles established by the Prophet.
The property issue became a test of wider religious responsibilities.
Fadak and authority
The sermon also reveals a close relationship between questions of ownership and questions of leadership.
The government had assumed authority over the estate.
Sayyida Fatima (SA) challenged whether that authority had been exercised in accordance with the Quran.
The discussion of Imamate placed the dispute within the wider question of the Ahlulbayt's (AS) rightful leadership.
Fadak and the dignity of women
The sermon provides a significant example of a woman presenting a complex religious and legal argument before a public gathering.
Sayyida Fatima (SA) did not speak merely as a grieving daughter.
She spoke as a person of knowledge, conviction and spiritual authority.
Her argument drew upon theology, Quranic exegesis, legal reasoning and the history of the Muslim community.
In this sense, Khutbat al-Fadakiyyah occupies a distinguished place in the history of Muslim women's religious scholarship and public speech.
19. The Intellectual Legacy of Khutbat al-Fadakiyyah
The sermon has continued to attract the attention of theologians, jurists, historians and scholars of Arabic literature.
Its lasting significance is not dependent upon one isolated passage.
It brings together multiple dimensions of religious teaching.
A theological text
Its opening passages discuss Tawheed, creation and the attributes of Allah.
A guide to Islamic ethics
Its explanation of prayer, fasting, zakat, Hajj, justice and family responsibilities demonstrates the moral purposes of religious law.
A statement concerning Imamate
Its discussion of obedience to the Ahlulbayt (AS) connects religious leadership with the preservation of communal unity.
A Quranic legal argument
Its appeal to the inheritance of Sulayman (AS), the prayer of Zakariya (AS) and the general laws of inheritance demonstrates the use of revelation in defending rights.
A historical testimony
Its account of the Prophet's mission and the sacrifices of Imam Ali (AS) situates the dispute within the formation of the Muslim community.
A warning to society
Its appeal to the Ansar challenges the failure to defend justice despite having the knowledge and ability to act.
A declaration of accountability
Its conclusion reminds the audience that every action will ultimately be judged by Allah.
These dimensions explain why the sermon has remained relevant across centuries.
It is not simply a record of an unresolved claim.
It is a text through which the religious, legal and moral arguments of Sayyida Fatima al-Zahra (SA) have been preserved.
20. What Happened After the Sermon?
The sermon did not result in the lasting restoration of Fadak during Sayyida Fatima's (SA) lifetime.
The estate remained under the administration of the caliphal government.
But the dispute did not disappear.
The records of Sayyida Fatima's (SA) subsequent life preserve her continued displeasure concerning the decisions made after her father's death.
Her final months would become inseparable from the wider history of the grievances suffered by the Ahlulbayt (AS).
The circumstances of her passing, the reports concerning her anger, and her burial at night occupy a central place in Fatimiyah remembrance.
Those subjects require careful examination through their own historical sources.
They form the subject of Part IV of this series.
For now, it is important to recognise what the sermon accomplished.
It preserved an objection.
It established the principles upon which that objection rested.
And it placed the question of the rights of the Prophet's household before the conscience of the Muslim community.
The estate remained outside her possession.
But the arguments she presented would continue to be remembered long after the original political circumstances had passed.
21. Lessons from the Sermon of Sayyida Fatima (SA)
Khutbat al-Fadakiyyah contains lessons that extend far beyond its historical setting.
Justice must remain grounded in divine law
The sermon begins with Allah and repeatedly returns to the Quran.
It teaches that power cannot replace revelation as the foundation of religious judgment.
Worship should transform character
Prayer should teach humility.
Fasting should strengthen sincerity.
Zakat should encourage purification and generosity.
Justice should create harmony.
Religious duties are not disconnected rituals; they are intended to shape the believer's moral life.
Religious authority carries responsibility
The discussion of Imamate emphasises the importance of guidance and the preservation of the Prophet's teachings.
Knowledge must be accompanied by courage
Sayyida Fatima (SA) possessed the knowledge to present her argument.
She also demonstrated the courage to speak publicly when she believed a right had been denied.
Silence can have consequences
Her appeal to the Ansar reminds believers that responsibility does not always end with personal innocence.
The ability to oppose wrongdoing creates a moral question about whether one should act.
Patience does not erase injustice
The sermon's concluding appeal to Allah demonstrates reliance upon divine judgment.
It does not transform the disputed decision into an accepted right.
The rights of the Ahlulbayt (AS) are inseparable from the Prophet's teachings
Throughout the sermon, Sayyida Fatima (SA) connects the position of the Prophet's family with the Quran and the mission of Prophet Muhammad (SAW).
The sermon presents loyalty to the Prophet as including recognition of the authority and rights established for his Ahlulbayt (AS).
Conclusion: The Voice That History Could Not Silence
The Sermon of Fadak stands among the most remarkable addresses attributed to Sayyida Fatima al-Zahra (SA).
Its immediate occasion was the loss of Fadak.
But its subject was far greater.
Before a gathering of the Muslim community, the daughter of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) spoke of Allah, creation, revelation, worship, justice, Prophethood, Imamate and the rights of the Ahlulbayt (AS).
She challenged the interpretation used to deny her property.
She presented Quranic evidence.
She recalled the sacrifices made in establishing Islam.
And she questioned the silence of those who had once defended her father.
Her words demonstrate that the defence of justice need not be separated from devotion to Allah.
Indeed, the sermon presents justice as part of that devotion.
Its historical importance lies not merely in the fact that a woman addressed the Muslim community.
It lies in the depth of the religious argument she presented and the principles she demanded that the community recognise.
Fadak was the reason she stood before the Ummah. But the Quran, justice and the rights of the Ahlulbayt (AS) were the foundations of her message.
The land was not restored to her during her lifetime.
Yet her objection was preserved.
Her words were transmitted through generations.
And the sermon became part of the religious heritage of those who continued to recognise the rights of the Prophet's household.
In the history of Fadak, Sayyida Fatima (SA) is remembered as al-Siddiqa al-Tahira, the daughter of the Messenger of Allah, who defended a right through knowledge, courage and the Book of Allah.
The next chapter will explore the consequences of that protest: the reports concerning her anger, her final days, her burial at night and Imam Ali's (AS) later words about Fadak.
السلام عليكِ يا فاطمة الزهراء سيدة نساء العالمين
Peace be upon Sayyida Fatima al-Zahra (SA), the Lady of the Women of the Worlds.
Historical Sources and References
- Shaykh Ahmad ibn Ali al-Tabarsi, al-Ihtijaj — the setting of the sermon, its Quranic arguments, the appeal to the Ansar and the exchange with Abu Bakr. Digital text
- Shaykh al-Saduq, 'Ilal al-Shara'i — the explanation of the purposes of prayer, fasting, zakat, Hajj, justice, obedience and Imamate.
- Shaykh al-Saduq, Man La Yahduruhu al-Faqih — portions of the sermon transmitted through the scholarly tradition associated with Sayyida Zainab (SA).
- Ibn Abi Tahir Tayfur, Balaghat al-Nisa — one of the earliest surviving written collections preserving the sermon. Digital Arabic edition
- Allamah Muhammad Baqir al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar — reports concerning Sayyida Fatima (SA), her position within the Ahlulbayt (AS), and events after the Prophet's passing.
- Allamah Nasir Makarim Shirazi, Famous Epic Prose — commentary organising the sermon around its major theological and social themes. Read online
- Sayyid Muhammad Kadhim al-Qazwini, Fatimah al-Zahra: From the Cradle to the Grave, Chapter 18 — the sermon and its historical, legal and theological arguments. Read online
- Tahir Ridha Jaffer, The Sermon of Fadak — a translation, discussion of early sources and examination of the sermon's significance. Read online
- The Holy Quran, M. H. Shakir translation on Al-Islam.org: Surah al-Nisa 4:82 and 4:11; Surah Aal-e-Imran 3:144; Surah al-Ahzab 33:33; Surah al-Naml 27:16; Surah Maryam 19:5–6; Surah al-Anfal 8:75; Surah Yusuf 12:18. Arabic text, English translation and verse links are placed beside the relevant discussion above.
Editorial Source Note
- Textual transmission: The sermon survives through medieval compilations rather than a contemporary transcript. Its wording and arrangement differ among preserved versions.
- Commentary: Explanations of the sermon’s seven themes are attributed to Allamah Nasir Makarim Shirazi; the legal and historical discussion is attributed to the named works above.
- Quranic translations: Each cited verse is linked to M. H. Shakir’s translation on Al-Islam.org, with the Arabic and English text shown at the relevant point.
Continue Reading
Part IV — The Final Days of Sayyida Fatima al-Zahra (SA)
The reports concerning Sayyida Fatima's (SA) final days, her displeasure, her burial at night, and Imam Ali's (AS) later words about Fadak.