Short Biography of Hadrat Fatima Masouma (A.S.)

The name of this divine lady was Fatima and her nickname was Masouma. Her father was Imam Musa al-Kazim (A.S.), the seventh Imam of the Shi'ites and her mother was named Najma Khatun who was also the mother of Imam Rida (A.S.), the eighth Shi'ite Imam.

She was born on first day of the month of Zee al-Qa'adah in the year 173 A.H. in the holy city of Madinah Munawwarah. Her holy father was martyred in the Baghdad prison at the hands of the Abbasid caliph Harun al-Rashid after undergoing long term of imprisonment and tortures. After the martyrdom of her holy father she came under the care of Imam Rida (A.S.), her elder brother.

In the year 200 A.H., Imam Rida (A.S.) was forced to leave Madinah Munawwarah by the orders of Mamun, the Abbasid caliph. Imam Rida (A.S.) came alone to Marv (Khurasan) and did not accompany any of his family members.

In the year 201 A.H., Hadrat Fatimah Masouma (A.S.) accompanied by her brothers and other elders from the Ahlul Bayt (A.S.) left Madinah Munawwarah for Marv (Khurasan) to meet Imam Rida (A.S.). On their way they were welcomed and greeted by the people of the different cities and villages.

Hadrat Masouma (A.S.) like her noble aunt Hadrat Zeinab (A.S.) delivered the message of innocence of her brother Imam Rida (A.S) and revealed the evil intentions of the Abbasid caliph to the public. When the caravan reached Saveh a group of armed men who were deputed by Mamun, the Abbasid caliph, savagely attacked them and all the brothers of Hadrat Masouma (A.S.) were martyred and according to some historical reports she was poisoned and became severely ill.

Due to her ill health she was unable to continue her journey towards Khurasan and decided to go towards Qum which is near Saveh. Hadrat Masouma (A.S.) narrated while going towards Qum that her father, Imam Musa al-Kazim (A.S.) has said that city of Qum is the centre of the Shi'ites.

The inhabitants of Qum who were Shi'ites became very happy that Hadrat Masouma (A.S.) is visiting their city and they gave warm welcome to her. Musa bin Khajraj, the doyen of Ashari family in Qum took the rein of the she-camel litter in his hand in which Hadrat Masouma (A.S) was traveling and large number of people gathered around the she-camel litter. Hadrat Masouma (A.S.) entered the city of Qum on 23rd Rabi al-Awwal, in the year 201 A.H.

She then resided in the house of Musa bin Khajraj in the locality which is now called as "Maidan Mir".

She remained alive only for 17 days because she was poisoned in Saveh. But even in this condition she spent most of her time in praying and supplicating to Allah (SWT).

The place of her stay and worship in Qum is now situated in the Madrasa Sittiyah and is known as "Bait al-Nur" and is a place of ziyarah for the Shi'ites.

She passed away on 10th Rabi al-Thani, in the year 201 A.H. and she could not meet her elder brother before death. The Shi'ites in Qum greatly mourned her death and she was buried in a place called Bagh-i Babelan, which at that time was located outside the city. When the grave was ready there arose a difference that who should keep the body of Hadrat Masouma (A.S.) in the grave. It is reported that suddenly two men whose face were covered and riding the horses came to that place and performed the Salaat-e Mayyit ( the prayers for the dead person) and then one of them went in the grave and the other person gave the body of Hadrat Masouma (A.S.) to that standing person in the grave who laid her to rest in the grave.

After the burial ceremony was over both those persons without talking to anybody sat on their horse and went away.

It is said that those two holy personalities who performed the burial ceremony for Hadrat Masouma (A.S.) were Imam Rida (A.S.) and Imam Muhammad Taqi al-Jawad (A.S.). According to sacred rules the burial ceremony of an infallible has to be performed by another infallible person for example the burial ceremony of Hadrat Fatima Zahra (A.S.) was performed by Amir al-Muminin Imam Ali (A.S.).

After the burial of Hadrat Masouma (A.S.), Musa bin Khajraj built a shed over the grave made out of mat. In the year 256 A.H., Hadrat Zeinab (A.S.), the daughter of Imam Muhammad Taqi al-Jawad (A.S.) constructed a dome over the grave of her aunt Hadrat Masouma (A.S.).

Since the burial of that divine lady of Islam in Qum, the holy grave of her have become a centre of ziyarah for the lovers of the Holy Ahlul Bayt (A.S.)