Great Shia scholars, including Allamah Muhammad Taqi al-Majlisi, Allamah Muhammad Baqir al-Majlisi, and Mulla Mahdi Naraqi, have documented this tragedy based on numerous transmitted narrations. Their analyses demonstrate that Lady Fatimah al-Zahra (peace be upon her), in her defense of the guardianship of Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him), was attacked, and the injuries inflicted upon her led to her martyrdom and the martyrdom of her unborn son, Muhsin (peace be upon him). The present text recounts portions of this tragic event in accordance with these narrations.
The Naming of Muhsin (peace be upon him) by the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family)
Allamah Muhammad Taqi al-Majlisi states:
“In the dictionary al-Qamus al-Muheet by Firuzabadi, it is mentioned that Shabar, Shabir, and Mushabir were the names of the sons of Prophet Harun, and the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) named Imam al-Hasan, Imam al-Hussain, and Muhsin (peace be upon them) after the children of Harun.”
It is well-known in the traditions of Ahl al-Bayt that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) named Muhsin (peace be upon him) while he was still in the womb of Lady Fatimah (peace be upon her). The kick delivered by Umar against the door of their house caused the martyrdom of Muhsin (peace be upon him). Qunfudh, the servant of Umar, struck the Mistress of the Women with a whip upon Umar’s instruction, which led to the intentional miscarriage of her son Muhsin (peace be upon him) caused by violence and the martyrdom of Lady Fatimah (peace be upon her).
The Meaning of “the Truthful Martyr” in the Narrations and the Writings of Scholars
Commenting on the phrase “Peace be upon you, O Truthful Martyr,” Allamah writes:
“‘Truthful Martyr’ refers to the one who stands at the highest level of affirming the mission of the Master of Messengers (peace be upon him and his family), a rank possible only through infallibility. Thus, ‘Siddiqa’ signifies an infallible woman. As for her martyrdom, many consecutive narrations transmitted from the Imams of Ahl al-Bayt state that Umar, together with Qunfudh, struck her abdomen, causing the intentional miscarriage of the child whom the Messenger of God had named Muhsin.”
In another passage he adds:
“Lady Fatimah (peace be upon her) attained martyrdom seventy-five days after the martyrdom of the Messenger of God (peace be upon him and his family). Based on authentic hadiths, her martyrdom occurred at the hands of Umar ibn al-Khattab and Qunfudh.”
Lady Fatimah (peace be upon her) defended the Guardianship with her entire being.
Allamah Muhammad Baqir Majlisi states:
“Umar sent Qunfudh to force Imam Ali (peace be upon him) to leave his house. When they brought him to the door, Lady Fatimah (peace be upon her) stood there to prevent them from taking him. Qunfudh pushed the door against her and struck her side, breaking one of her ribs. The child whom the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) had named Muhsin was miscarried.
Despite these events, Lady Fatimah (peace be upon her) continued to resist. Qunfudh struck her blessed arm with a whip, causing fractures and deep wounds. Ultimately, she was martyred due to these injuries. After her martyrdom, the marks of those blows remained visible on her blessed arm.”
He further writes:
“According to many narrations and clear reports, Lady Fatimah (peace be upon her) was subjected to immense pressure. She was threatened, harmed, and beaten; the whip struck her face and head, and the sheath of a sword was used against her body. These assaults resulted in physical injuries, causing her to lose her child and to depart this world with a heart full of sorrow.”
The Binding of the Hands of Imam Ali (peace be upon him)
Allamah al-Majlisi also writes regarding the assault:
“They placed a rope around the neck of Imam Ali (peace be upon him) and dragged him toward the mosque. When they reached the door, Lady Fatimah (peace be upon her) tried to stop them. Qunfudh—or, according to another report, Umar—struck her arm with a whip, causing swelling and fractures. She still did not release Imam Ali (peace be upon him). Then they pressed the door against her abdomen so forcefully that her ribs and side were broken, and the unborn child, whom the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) had named Muhsin, was martyred.
The child was miscarried at that moment, and Lady Fatimah (peace be upon her) passed away due to that blow. According to another narration, al-Mughira ibn Shubah and Umar struck her abdomen, resulting in the martyrdom of her child. Imam Ali (peace be upon him) was then dragged to the mosque while the oppressors followed behind him, and none came to his aid.”
Both al-Majlisi the First and al-Majlisi the Second have repeatedly written that Lady Fatimah al-Zahra and Muhsin (peace be upon them) were murdered by the wicked, dark-hearted oppressors. They have employed terms such as “martyrdom,” “martyr,” and “killing” to uncover the depth of this tragedy.
The Martyrdom of Muhsin (peace be upon him) During the Assault
Mulla Muhammad Mahdi Naraqi writes:
“They bound the hands of the Lion of God and placed a rope around his neck. When they brought him to the door, the Mistress of the Women, exhausted in body and broken in spirit, clung to the arm of the Commander of the Faithful and declared, ‘I will not allow you to take my cousin to the mosque in this manner, O Umar.’
Umar then struck her arm with a whip, causing swelling and fractures. Still she did not release Imam Ali (peace be upon him). They pushed her into the narrow space between the door and the wall and squeezed the door against her abdomen, breaking her side. The child in her womb, whom the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) had named Muhsin, was martyred and miscarried at that moment. The Lady of All Women cried out in pain and fell to the ground. The heavens cried out in warning, and the earth raised its call for protection.”
Reports from Sunni Sources on the Assault on the House of Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him)
Naraqi writes in another work:
“Al-Tabari in his History, Ibn Abi al-Hadid in his Sharh Nahj al-Balagha, Baladhuri, Waqidi, Atham al-Kufi, Ibn Hanzaba in Ghurar, Ibn Abd Rabih in al-Aqd, the author of Anfas al-Jawahir and Mahasin, Muhammad al-Shahristani in al-Milal wa al-Nihal, and many others—who are among the most reliable Sunni scholars—all narrate, with varying wording and additional details, that after the caliphate of Abu Bakr was established, Abu Bakr ordered Umar and Khalid ibn al-Walid to bring Ali, Abbas, and Zubair by force if they refused to come voluntarily.
Abu Bakr then proceeded to the house of Fatimah with a group of selected migrants and helpers, accompanied by a large crowd. At that time, Imam Ali, al-Hasan, al-Hussain, Abbas (peace be upon them), Zubair, members of Bani Hashim, Salman, Miqdad, and many others were inside. They gathered piles of firewood at the door, and Umar shouted, ‘Come out, or I will burn the house.’
Lady Fatimah (peace be upon her) came behind the door and called out, ‘O Umar, will you burn the house in which Ali and the two grandsons, along with members of Bani Hashim, reside?’ Umar replied, ‘By God, if they do not come out, I will burn it and all who are inside.’
Khalid stood at the door, and the crowd surrounded the house. Umar broke the door and crushed Lady Fatimah (peace be upon her) between the door and the wall, leading to the intentional miscarriage of her son Muhsin (peace be upon him).
They then entered, seized Ali and Zubair with great force, and dragged them out. The people followed behind, filling the streets of Madinah with crowds.
The Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him) declared, ‘I am the servant of God and the brother of His Messenger. Where are you taking me, and why are you dragging me in this state?’
Lady Fatimah (peace be upon her) stood at her chamber door, surrounded by the women of Bani Hashim, and cried out, ‘O Abu Bakr, how swiftly you have emboldened people against the Household of the Messenger of God! You have violated the sanctity of the Family of Prophethood. I swear that I will not speak to you again until I depart this world.’”
The Necessity of Preserving Historical Truth and Re-examining Authentic Narrations
The martyrdom of Lady Fatimah al-Zahra (peace be upon her) and Muhsin (peace be upon him) is a documented and integral part of early Islamic history after the passing of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family). Reports from Shia scholars—and even accounts in Sunni sources—affirm that Lady Fatimah (peace be upon her), in her defense of the guardianship, stood firmly and ultimately attained martyrdom due to the injuries inflicted during the assault.
