 The mysteries of Islam fascinate us time and time again. This is no different from the life story of the Prophet. Who was Muhammad sallallahu alaihi wa alihi wasallam? An illiterate dozen merchant who one day stumbled upon amazing Arabic rhetoric. Or was he the creation of Allah's greatest light? Sent down to earth to pull man out of ignorance and bring them to the purest of truths. I Ali Burji am on a journey to discover the real story behind the Prophet, the real story behind our religion, the roots, the beginning, the cradle of civilization. I seek refuge with Allah from Satan, the accursed. In the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful. May the peace, mercy, and blessings of Allah be upon the Prophet and the Master of the messengers, Abu Qasim Muhammad al-Mustafa sallallahu alaihi wa alihi wasallam, and upon his family, the good, the pure, the righteous, the righteous, the wrongdoers, and may the mercy and blessings of Allah be upon their enemies, from now until the Day of Judgment, inshallah. Dear Doctor, Salam alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh. It's been a week, inshallah, and I'm really looking forward to today's session. I understand that you brought a book which you'd like to share from it with regards to the marriage of Sayyid al-Fatima, Salam ala alayhi wa alayhi wa alayhi wa alayhi. And inshallah, we'd start from the order that Allah sent to Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wa alaihi during the ma'araj. Bismillah. I seek refuge with Allah from the accursed Satan. Bismillah ar-Rahman ar-Raheem. Alhamdulillah, O Lord of the worlds, may the peace, mercy, and blessings of Allah be upon our master Muhammad and his family, the good, the righteous. May Allah bless Muhammad and his family. And may the mercy and blessings of Allah be upon their enemies, and may the peace, mercy, and blessings of Allah be upon their families. Yes, there's a small book, but it's very concise. The book is in Farsi, and it's called Gujarj al-Ahzab al-Azaz. It's like a detailed timeline or event-by-event account of the marriage of Fatima al-Zahra, alayhi salam. And the author? And the author is by Muhammad Riza Ansari. And it's very brief, but at the same time detailed enough. It focuses on all the reports and accounts and the hadith from the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa alaihi throughout the time concerning the marriage of Fatima al-Zahra, alayhi salam. It's back 80 pages, but it's, as I said, very much to the point, concentrate on all issues of concern. And inshallah, I would like to start talking about, right from the beginning as to when it was that Allah instructed the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa alaihi concerning the marriage of Fatima al-Zahra. Inshallah. So, I can't wait to be honest with you as to what the book will reveal to us today, inshallah. So, let's begin. Bismillah. Yes, Bismillah ar-Rahman ar-Rahim. It's supported that when the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa alaihi was in the ma'raj, it was during the ascension to the heavens during the course of ma'raj that Allah swt gave, if you like, the good news or the good tidings about the marriage of Fatima al-Zahra to the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa alaihi. And it says, the hadith says that the Prophet, Allah swt said to the Prophet in the course of the ma'raj that O Muhammad, I have chosen you to convey my message to the people. And I have created Al-Sudiq Al-Akbar from the same, if you like, clay, from the same clay. If you like, matter that I have created you from and he will be your wazir, your successor, your vice-jureant and the father of your two grandsons who will be the master of the youth of Paradise. And the chief of the women of the worlds, Sayyidin Sala al-Alamid I have made, decided that she will marry him. So this was the news that the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa alaihi received during ma'raj. At that time Fatima al-Zahra probably was very young, doesn't say specifically one, but you're talking about must have been a few years old. And so this was given during the ma'raj and of course the hadith continues that Was this the first incident where we have a narration or proof that the marriage between Fatima al-Zahra and Amir al-Mu'mineena was predestined was an order from Allah swt, is this the first ever event? Yes, it was in the course of the ma'raj that Allah swt declared to the Prophet that he has decided, Allah swt has decided that Fatima al-Zahra alaihi wa alaihi s-salam, ma'reze imam alaihi wa alaihi wa alaihi And this stresses out very important, again emphasizes the importance of Ahl al-Bayt al-Salam that they're not ordinary people, for Allah swt himself to predestine this marriage and also he informs Allah swt that his grandchildren will be the chiefs of the use of paradise. So from here as well, we can acquire even more proofs of recognizing the divine authority given by Allah swt to Ahl al-Bayt al-Salam, which is very important. Specifically, Allah will say that when it comes to it as far as the authority is concerned. We have it in the Qur'an various other verses that Allah specifically says that your people have authority over you are Allah and His Messenger and if you like Imam Ali and the appointed successors, divinely appointed successors of the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa alaihi So when it comes to authority, we have specific instructions. But yes, this report goes to show the stations of Ahl al-Bayt al-Salam but not only that specifically, it's very specific is that the issue of the marriage of Fatima al-Zahra alaihi s-salam was determined by Allah swt. Allah swt took the initiative to inform the Prophet that he will once that Fatima al-Zahra marry Imam Ali al-Salam. We don't have such specific instructions if you like for the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa alaihi or for other that, although during ma'raj of course, although the marriage of the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa alaihi to say the Khadija when it took place, if you like, again according to plans of Allah swt but the sort of instructions that we have in here and the sort of the Hadith that we previously read when the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa alaihi said, I am like you and you know, I marry you and marry my stepdurus to you except Fatima. Her marriage is in the hands of Allah swt and I am waiting his instructions in this regard. Of course, when he said that you could say, well, he's been informed, yes he's been informed but he's still waited for specific instructions as to when that should take place with specific instructions from Allah, which that did happen, which inshallah in the course of this or future episodes we will be talking about this. So this, as I said, this was the first instruction, the first informing Allah swt informing the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa alaihi during ma'raj that he once married Imam Ali al-Salam and then the Hadith continues that you are like, gives an analogy if you like. He says you are like a tree and Ali are the branches, Ali is the branches of that tree and Fatima is the leaves and Hassan and Hussein are the fruit of that tree. So they are of one nature, one specific category. Do we have any other couple in our history from all our prophets that is as unique as Fatima? No, in fact, not only we don't have, because Fatima sallallahu alaihi wa alaihi wa alaihi It's superior to, if you like, we have various Hadiths that superior to all men and women except the Prophet Imam Ali al-Salam. So not only say that Nisaal al-Alamin, but she has superiority over all other men except with the exceptions of the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa alaihi wa alaihi wa alaihi wa alaihi So not only that, in the case of marriage Fatima Zara and Imam Ali al-Salam they are the only couple in the history of mankind who are both ma'asum. We don't have other instances where we have like the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa alaihi marrying, if you like, Sayyid al-Khadija, As-salamu alayhi wa alayhi wa alayhi but she's not one of the Sayyid al-Khadija, As-salamu alayhi given her esteem position and eminent position, she's not one of the 14 ma'asum. And all other Imams have married virtuous, very pious women who gave birth to the following Imams. Of course they married the case of the Prophet and Imam Hassan and Imam Jawad they were also in wedlock with women who were evil if you like whom they killed their husbands like Imam Hassan and Imam Jawad their wives killed them and of course the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa alaihi was killed by his wives. We got that. But the only instance where the two sides are ma'asum is that of the marriage of Ma'ali and Fatimah Zara'ali. And again, all the facts point to the direction proving the uniqueness of Ahl al-Bait, yet some people deny it. Unfortunately. The uniqueness of al-Bait, of course, which we have in the Quran, but the Hadith continues that I have created you from the best Qina, if you like, the matter for creation and I've created your Shi'a from the same, if you like, this matter from the same Qina, from the, that you have a Shi'a, your Shi'a are people who, if their necks are stricken, that is, if they are killed, they would not, in your cause, this will only increase their love for you. So it wants to show the devotion of the Shi'a, if you like, for Ahl al-Bait. So in here, in this very brief Hadith, Allah swt outlines his plan that he wants specifically to marry Imam Ali, and he shows that his Shi'a are the devout Shi'a of Ahl al-Bait, are those who are, will continue for their love and devotion for Ahl al-Bait, despite all difficult circumstances. The Hadith says, continues, says, this is the, or Allah, this is the Aqbar, who is he? So the Holy Prophet, Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam, is asking Allah swt. Because he said that, I've created you, and I've created your, your wazir, and your vice-chairman, your successor, from the same Qina. And he is the Sadiq Al-Aqbar, and he will marry Fatima Al-Zahra, say that Nisa Al-Alamin, and he will, from him you will have the two grandsons. He says, this Sadiq Al-Aqbar, Aqbar, who is he? And the answer is, he is your brother Ali ibn Abi Talib. Allah swt. Now a question, we've discussed previously as well with regards to the knowledge that was entitled to Rasulullah, Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam. And that includes also certain knowledge that involved the future. Because it occurs many times in narrations, we see that either the Holy Prophet, Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam, or the Imams may ask certain things, which we may know that they know the answer. But they ask it to emphasise it to us. Is this the case as well? Yes. So the Holy Prophet obviously knows who was the Sadiq Al-Aqbar. But he's asked it so Allah swt can say it himself and emphasise it on it. As you said, we have numerous circumstances like this. When the Prophet asked Allah swt, or asked Ibrahim or Fatima Al-Zahra, Mama Ali asked the Prophet, Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam. Who is this and who is that? And this is all for our sake. They know that this hadith will be reported, will be narrated by generations, different people and so on. It will reach in a thousand years' time, or 1500 years' time, or 2000 years' time. For the benefit, if he had remained quiet and not asked the question, and if we had just read that hadith where Allah swt said to him, then it will be vague who was the Sadiq Al-Aqbar. And 2000 years later, people would start saying, oh maybe it was someone else. But specifically the Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam says, who is this Sadiq Al-Aqbar? So this becomes part of the narration. And the reply comes from your brother, Amir al-Mumineen, Ali ibn al-Talib. Can I just say, so yeah, we've got that, and we have that in numerous circumstances, in numerous scenarios if you like, and inshallah we'll continue to see that in the course of this subject. Then the Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam says, he describes, I saw a huge hole, and it was decorated with pearls and jewelry, and the floor was floored by gold, and there was a big image. You mean like a painting? A painting or picture, and the question is, oh Muhammad, do you know who this is? And the Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam immediately says, yes, he's Ali ibn al-Talib. So in paradise, whatever that hole was, the picture of Ali ibn al-Talib is there. Of course there are other narrations where the Malaika request that we are missing Ali ibn al-Talib. And we have cases like this. And it was here that when he says, this is Ali ibn al-Talib, Allah says, marry Fatima to Ali. Very clear, very clear. And appoint him as your successor. So this is the final, if you like, sentence of the Hadith. Marry Fatima to Ali and appoint him, appoint Ali as your successor. So also one could argue that marriage to Fatima to Zahra, and success is she go hand to hand. That only the success of the Holy Prophet could marry the daughter. Well, at least this is what we have. It says that marry him, whether they go hand to hand or not. I wouldn't like to get into that. But at least there is one, Allah SWT instructed the Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam, and of course he goes on, after this ma'raj, he goes on to say, I have been instructed by Allah SWT to appoint Ali ibn al-Talib. The same we'll see that he says, I have been instructed by Allah SWT to marry Fatima to Ali. It happens that they go hand to hand, that's beside the point. But we have specific instructions from Allah SWT concerning the marriage of Fatima to Zahra, and we have specific instructions from Allah SWT to the Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam to appoint Ali ibn al-Talib to be his successor. So the appointment of Imam Ali ibn al-Talib is not something that people decide. The appointment of Imam Ali ibn al-Talib comes from Allah SWT. Even the Prophet himself didn't decide. And of course we have the example of Prophet Moses al-Nabiyin ibn al-Talib. He said, a point, I ask, he makes a request to Allah SWT appoint a wazir for me. Harun al-Akhid. He asked, Allah, he doesn't appoint Harun as his successor and his wazir and vice-jurent. He asked Allah SWT to make that appointment. Allah SWT gives him that appointment. So it isn't even in the control in the hands of the Prophet himself. Be it Prophet Moses al-Nabiyin ibn al-Talib or Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam. Question though, it might be, it's irrelevant with our topic. But once you mentioned the Nabi Moses al-Nabiyin ibn Harun, where you mentioned that Nabi Moses al-Nabiyin asked Allah SWT to appoint someone, basically he asked Allah SWT to appoint his brother as his successor, correct? And we believe in Asma that every prophet and Imam is born with Asma. He doesn't acquire it during his lifetime. So Harun was maasum from birth, correct? So would that not mean that Nabi Moses al-Nabiyin knew that he would be his successor? Okay, again, that's another thing he knew. But he still wanted to make the point. So we're coming back to what we said. Exactly. That again, even he knows, he's going to ask. He wanted to make the point that Prophet Moses al-Nabiyin made a request to Allah SWT to make Harun his successor, his vijir and his wazir. And then Allah gave him the permission. The case from Allah SWT, it is not, even it's not in the authority of the prophet to appoint his successor or to appoint his wazir. We see it in the case of, Exactly. We see it in the case of Prophet Moses al-Nabiyin and his wazir. He makes the request. He says, can you appoint, I make a request to Allah SWT to appoint my brother Harun as my wazir, my vijir and my supporter, my helper. And Allah grants him that. He must make a request. He doesn't have the authority for him to do that. The same applies to the Prophet SAW. And Prophet SAW says on numerous extensions that I have been instructed by Allah SWT. And in here, in this hadith, the Prophet SAW says that in the Mi'raj, finally Allah SWT says, Marifatumatuh Ali al-Islam and appoint Ali as your successor. When the reports is to come to Prophet SAW, that so and so has approached your father and he wants your hand in marriage. And then the news was coming in, XYZ and so on. He says, Marifatumatuh Ali al-Islam says, Praise be to Allah SWT, who chose my father as his messenger. He says, how come these people want to become my husband, whereas they have spent years, they have spent many years being infidels or being polytheists, worshipping idols. And whereas my husband should be one who is Masumah.