Hadrat Masouma's (A.S.) Superiority in Knowledge and Virtue

On the first of Dhi al-Qa’dah in 173 AH, the city of Madinah was enlightened by the birth of Hadrat Fatima Ma’soomah (A.S.)¹. She was born to Imam Musa ibn Ja’far (A.S.) and her mother, Najmah.

Hadrat Fatima Masouma (A.S.) was the second and last child of Najmah, after her older brother, Imam Ali ibn Moosa al-Rida (A.S.). As a matter of fact, after Imam Rida (A.S.), she has the highest status and position amongst the children of Imam Moosa al-Kadhim (A.S.).²

One year after Imam Rida (A.S.) was forcibly taken to Khurasan (in year 201 AH) by the orders of Ma’moon, Hadrat Masouma (A.S.), along with her brothers and some of her relatives, left Madinah for Marw in order to visit her brother, Imam Rida (A.S.).

On their way, when they reached the city of Saweh, they were attacked by the enemies of Ahl al-Bait. After a serious struggle, many of her relatives were martyred, and she was poisoned by a woman in Saweh.³

Grief over the loss of her relatives and the effects of the poison put Hadrat Masouma (A.S.) into a severe illness. She asked her companions to take her to the city of Qum, for she had heard her father say, “Qum is the center of our Shiites.”

When she arrived in Qum, the people of the city welcomed her. Moosa ibn Khazraj, who was amongst the great people of Qum, respectfully invited her to his house.

17 days later, on the 10th of Rabi’ al-Thani of the year 201 AH, after 28 years of sufferance and difficulty, Hadrat Ma’soomah (A.S.) no longer could endure her sickness and the effects of the poison. She left this world with a broken heart, while she had not been able to see her brother. She was buried in Qum and her shrine became the beauty of this city since then.

From amongst the narrators, we come across to narrators who happen to be women. One of these virtuous women is Hadrat Ma’soomah (A.S.), who has narrated many Hadiths from Lady Fatima (A.S.) and the other Infallibles (PBUT). As a matter of fact, because of her prominence, both Shia and Sunni narrators have considered the Hadith narrated by her as authentic.

The Hadiths narrated about Hadrat Ma’soomah (A.S.) reveal her superiority in knowledge and virtue⁶. From the point of view of Ahl al-Bait (PBUT), Hadrat Ma’soomah possesses a high status. In regards to her particular status, Imam Rida (A.S.) has said:

“One who visits the shrine of Ma’soomah (A.S.) in Qum is like one who has visited my shrine.”⁷

As this Hadith illustrates, not only the Ziarat of Hadrat Ma’soomah is stated to be similar to doing the Ziarat of an Infallible Imam, but also she has been given the title of a Ma’soomah (infallible woman) by an Imam. Considering the fact that an infallible does not exaggerate, one can come to this conclusion that Hadrat Ma’soomah owns some sort of infallibility.

Also in regards to her particular status, Imam Sadiq (A.S.) has said:

“… A lady from my children, named Fatima daughter of Musa, will pass away there (Qum), which all our Shiites will enter paradise with her intercession”.⁸

Imam Sadiq (A.S.) said this Hadith at a time when neither Hadrat Ma’soomah (A.S.) nor her father was born yet, and this expresses her high status.

One of her virtues is that she has a special script for Ziarat dictated by an Infallible Imam. She is the only women after Lady Fatima (A.S.) - who is the most superior lady in the two worlds - to have a script for Ziarat dictated by an Infallible Imam.⁹

Now on the occasion of her demise let us go over on a phrase from her Ziarat:
“O Fatima! Intercede for me in heaven, as you have an outstanding position from Allah [SWT] for intercession.”

* Selection taken from “The Generous Lady of Ahl al Bait”, by Ali Akbar Mahdipour, and some other sources

1- No other days or months has been narrated regarding her birthday, but two have been mentioned for the year she was born:
a)173 AH (according to Mustadrak al-Saqifah) b) 183 AH (according to Nuzhat al-Abrar - Lawaqih al-Anwar)
Considering the date of martyrdom of Imam Moosa ibn Ja’far (A.S.), the first date seems more likely to be true.
2- Tawarikh al-Nabi Wal’al, p. 65
3- Wasilah al-Ma’soomiah, by Mirza Aboutalib Byouk, p. 68; Al-Hayat al-Siasiah lel Imam al-Rida (A.S.), by Ja’far Mortaza Ameli, p. 428
4- Nothing else has been narrated for the year of her martyrdom; however, 3 have been narrated for the day and month:
a) 10th of Rabi’ al-Thani (according to Nuzhat al-Abrar and Lavaqih al-Anwar) (which coincides with the 40th day after the martyrdom of Imam Rida (A.S.))
b) 12th of Rabi’ al-Thani (according to Mustadrak al-Saqifah)
c) 8th of Sha’ban (according to Hayat al-Sitt)
The first one seems more likely to be true
5- Kashf al-Le’ali, Salih ibn Arandas Helli
6- Nasikh al-Tawarikh, vol. 3, p. 68; Mustadrak Wasael al-Shia, vol. 10, p. 368
7- Al-Naqd, p. 196; Majalis al-Mu’minin, vol. 1, p. 83; Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 60, p. 216
8- Allamah Majlisi has narrated this Ziarat from Imam Rida (A.S.) in his valuable book of “Tuhfah al-Za’ir” in addition to Bihar al-Anwar. He has stated in the introduction of Tuhfah al-Za’ir that he had only narrated the Ziarat which were proved to be authentic in that book.