Abul Qasim Qushayri relates in his book from some others that Fizzah, the maid of Sayyedah Zahra (s.a.), lost her way in the desert while going for the Hajj Pilgrimage. A man named Abdullah Mubarak, who was also left behind says, that I saw a woman alone in the desert. I was riding upon a Camel and went towards her, and whatever I asked her, she replied to me in the words of the Qur’an. Their conversation being as follows :
Abdullah : Who are you ?
Fizzah : And say : Peace (be upon you), for they shall soon know. (Surah al Zukhruf : 89)
I saluted her and asked :
Abdullah : What are your doing here ?
Fizzah : And whomsoever Allah guides, then him none shall beguile. (Surah al Zumur : 37).
I realized that she had lost her way.
Abdullah : Are you from among the genie or human ?
Fizzah : O children of Adam, be your adorned. (Surah al A’araf : 31).
I perceived that she was a human.
Abdullah : From where do you come ?
Fizzah : Who are called to from a place far off. (Surah al Fusselat : 44)
I realized that she had come from a far off place.
Abdullah : Where do you intend going ?
Fizzah : And for Allah, is incumbent upon mankind, the pilgrimage to the House. (Surah Ale Imran : 97)
I perceived that she was intending to go to Makkah.
Abdullah : Since what time did you part away from your caravan?
Fizzah : And indeed created We the heavens and the earth and what is between them, in six days. (Surah al Qaf : 38)
I realized that she lost her caravan since six days.
Abdullah : Do you want food ?
Fizzah : We made them not (such) bodies not eating the food. (Surah al Ambiya : 8)
I realized that she wanted to eat.
Abdullah : Hasten and walk fast.
Fizzah : Imposes not Allah, any soul but to its (individual) ability. (Surah al Baqarah : 286) I perceived that she was tired and could not travel further.
Abdullah : Mount upon the Camel behind my back.
Fizzah : Had there been in (the heavens and the earth) (other) Deities except Allah, they both had been in disorder. (Surah al Ambiya : 22)
I realised that she was embarrassed to sit behind me and thus I made her ride alone and walked. When she mounted, she said :
Fizzah : Hallowed is He Who subjected this unto us. (Surah al Zukhruf : 13) When we reached the caravan I asked,
Abdullah : Is there anyone in the caravan from among your relatives ?
Fizzah : O Dawood ! Verily We have appointed you a Vicegerent in the earth. (Surah al Saad : 26) And Muhammad (s.a.w.s.) is not but an Apostle. (Surah Ale Imran : 144) O Yahya ! Hold thou the book fast. (Surah al Maryam : 12) O Moosa ! Verily I am Allah. (Surah al Qasas : 30)
I realized that in the caravan there were men by the names of Dawood, Muhammad, Yahya and Moosa who were related to her, thus I called out their names. Four youth came out of the caravan and went towards her, I asked her,
Abdullah : Who are these men in relation to you ?
Fizzah : Wealth and children are the adornment of the life of this world. (Surah al Kahf : 45)
I perceived that they were her sons. When they came upto her, she said,
Fizzah : O my father ! Employ him, verily the best of those whom you can employ is the strong (man) the trusted (one). (Surah al Qasas : 26)
I realized that she wanted them to give me some recompense. They gave me some wealth. Then she said,
Fizzah : And verily Allah gives manifold increase to whosoever He wills. (Surah al Baqarah : 261)
I perceived that she wanted them to give me more, thus they gave me more wealth. I asked them as to who she was and they said that she was Fizzah, the maid of Sayyedah Zahra (s.a.). It was twenty years that she spoke nothing but the Qur’an.[74]
[74]Her
previous name was Maymoonah and she was a Nubian princess, while Nuba is a city in Sudan (at present). She left the life of ease & comfort to serve the Prophet of Allah (s.a.w.s.) and his Ahlulbait (a.s.). When she came to the Prophet (s.a.w.s.), he asked her name and she replied that it was Maymoonah, the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) told her, "From today your name shall be Fizzah (Silver)" so that she may not be embarrased by her dark color, for color & beauty are not a criterion for judging a person's faith. This proves her excellent merits and high status near Allah (s.w.t.), the Prophet of Allah (s.a.w.s.) and his Ahlulbait (a.s.). The Prophet (s.a.w.s.) then sent her to his daughter Fatemah (s.a.) with instructions that, "O Fatemah ! Let Fizzah do the household work for one day and the other day you should perform all the work". All throughout her life Sayyedah Fatemah (s.a.) followed this advice of the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) and even during the days of her illness, performed all the tasks of the house each alternate day. Fizzah most obedienty and graciously served the Ahlulbait (a.s.) such that she herself was sometimes considered as the ‘one of the household'. She learnt many Islamic Sciences in the house of Ahlulbait (a.s.) that she spoke for forty (or twenty) years in no other language but that of the Qur'an. After the death of Fatemah (s.a.) she remained at the house of Imam Ali (a.s.) looking after and caring for his children Imam Hasan (a.s.), Imam Husain (a.s.), Sayyedah Zainab (s.a.) and Sayyedah Umm Kulsum (s.a.). She even accompanied Imam Husain (a.s.) at Karbala and bore all the sufferings alongwith Sayyedah Zainab (s.a.) but did not leave her side even for a single moment. She is buried in the Bab al Sagheer Cemetery in Syria and people throng from far and near for her Ziyarah. Allah (s.w.t.)'s Mercy and Blessings be upon her !