Imam Ali (a.s.) relates that one month passed after these
events, I prayed alongwith the Prophet of Allah (s.a.w.s.) and went away to my house, while I did not utter a word to him regarding the marriage. After one month the wives of the Prophet (s.a.w.s) told me, “Do you not wish that we should speak to Prophet (s.a.w.s.) to send Fatemah (s.a.) to your house”? I asked, “Would you speak to him then”? They went to the presence of the Prophet of Allah (s.a.w.s.) and Umm Ayman[84] said, “O Prophet of Allah (s.a.w.s.) ! I have come to you regarding a matter, that if Khadijah (a.s.) had been alive, she would be delighted. Ali (a.s.) befriends that he should take his wife to his home. Then let Fatemah (s.a.) be delighted by the glance of her husband and so do we be delighted by it”. The Prophet (s.a.w.s.) asked, “Then why does Ali (a.s.) himself not speak to me regarding it, I expect that he should precede”. Imam Ali (a.s.) replied, “O Prophet of Allah (s.a.w.s.) ! Modesty refrains me from speaking to you regarding this matter”. The Prophet (s.a.w.s.) said, “Who is present here”? Umm Salma replied, “I am at your service, while Zainab too, and so and so are also present”. The Prophet (s.a.w.s.) said, “Prepare a room from among the adjacent rooms for my daughter Fatemah (s.a.) and my cousin”. Umm Salma asked, “And which room”? And the Prophet replied, “Your room”.
Then the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) commanded his wives and other women to adorn Fatemah (s.a.) befitting her dignity. Umm Salma says that I went to Fatemah (s.a.) and asked, “Do you have a perfume with you”? She replied in the affirmative. Then she brought a bottle of
[84] While some say Umm Salma (a.s.).
perfume and sprinkled some upon my palms. Its scent was such splendid that I had never ever smelt something similar to it. I asked, “Where did you get this perfume from”? Fatemah (s.a.) replied, “One day Dihyah Kalbi came alongwith the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) and my father told me, O Fatemah (s.a.) ! Bring a mat for your uncle. I brought a mat and spread it on the floor, and they sat upon it. And when they arose from it, something scattered upon the floor from his clothes. My father (s.a.w.s.) told me, “Gather this”. Ali (a.s.) asked the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) as to what it was ? The Prophet (s.a.w.s.) replied, this is amber that has fallen from the wings of Jibra’eel”.[85]
Imam Ali (a.s.) continues, that then the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) told me, “Prepare food for your relatives, meat and bread shall be arranged by us, while you take care of the oil and dates”. I went and bought oil & dates and gave it to the Prophet (s.a.w.s.).He lifted his sleeves up and mixed the dates in the oil, and he sent a fleshy sheep and large quantity of bread. Then he (s.a.w.s.) told me, “You may invite anyone whom you desire”. I went to the Masjid and saw that there were many companions therein. I felt ashamed that I should invite some and leave some, therefore I called out in a loud voice, “You are invited to a feast for the bethrotal of Fatemah (s.a.)”, hearing this all of them came. I was embarrassed due to the large quantity of men and less food, but when the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) perceived my embarrassement, he said, “I shall pray to Allah (s.w.t.) to grant abundance to the food”. All the
[85] It is related that in reality it was Jibr'aeel who had come to meet the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) in the form of Dihyah Kalbi. The Prophet (s.a.w.s.) spoke to Jibra'eel while those present presumed that he was speaking to Dihyah Kalbi. While Dihyah Kalbi was a handsome man and the foster brother of the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) and was among his companions.
people ate & drank to their fill and prayed for us that Allah (s.w.t.) may grant us abundance. All of them, who were numbered more than four thousand, ate and drank to their fill, but the food did not become less. Then the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) called for some bowls, he filled the bowls with food and sent it to the house of his wives. Then he took a bowl, and filling it with food, said, “This is for Fatemah (s.a.) and her husband (a.s.)”.