Martyrdom of Bibi Fatima Recalled in Kanpur

Dr.Mazhar Naqvi

Like rest of the world, Kanpur also commemorated the martyrdom of Hazrat Fatima Zahra with great solemnity and reverence during ‘Ayyam-e-Fatima’. The series of majalis and processions held in various parts of the city concluded with a well-attended majlis addressed by eminent Zakir-E-Ahlebait Maulana Aijaz Hasnain of Varanasi. Organized by President of Hussaini Federation, Mr. Israr Hussain Zaidi at Bagh Wali Masjid in Patkapur, devotees from all over city attended the majlis. They listed to Maulana Aijaz with rapt attention when he described the uniqueness of the lady of the light and her contribution to Islam. He specifically mentioned that while her father the Holy Prophet offered himself as role model for Muslims, it was Bibi Fatima who exhibited as to how a Muslim woman should pass her life the way Allah wants.”Without Fatima, the mission of the Prophet would have remained incomplete. Moreover, her husband, sons and daughters all served Islam whenever situation demanded. They offered sacrifice and faced persecution for the sake of Islam and tried to protect true tenets of Islam against hostile and barbaric regimes”. Devotees cried and wailed when Maulana narrated as to how a bunch of ruffians at the instance of the ruling regime had raided the house of Bibi, burnt the door of her house and injured her. How they had dragged Maula Ali out of her house and caused the martyrdom of Mohsin in her holy womb. Maulana said “ companions of Prophet stopped showing respect to his daughter and son-in-law, did not offer her seat in Durbar when she lodged claim for ‘fidak’   and raised objection over her wailing over the departure of her father from the world”. He also prayed for reconstruction of her shrine that was demolished in Saudi Arabia around 1925.

On the first day of Ayyam, the city women converged in large number at Nawabganj Badi Karbala and took pout a Tabut procession in memory of Bibi. They also resorted to thunderous Matam to the mournful tunes of Nauhas.Zakira Ahlebait Mohtarma Darakshan Begum addressed the gathering and urged the women to follow the path shown by Bibi through her deeds and actions.

The second day witnessed a majlis organized by Anjuman Raza-e-Islam at Azakhana Ale Fatima in Chota Phatak. Maulana Jawed Jaunpuri addressed the majlis and dealt with the qualities of Bibi and her persecution that left the devotees in tears. Nauhakhwani was performed by Janab Salmi and Sharad Sahib. Anjuman Panjatni, Anjuman Rizviya, Anjuman Jafaria, Anjuman Moin ul Momneen, Anjuman Mohammadi and Anjuman Aza-e-Hussain also organized programs to commemorate Bibi’s martyrdom.

In all programs, Zakirs exhorted people to create more awareness about her life and circumstances leading to her martyrdom. They were of the view that such an effort would save Islam from baseless allegations leveled by scholars of other religions from time to time on it and highlight its gender equity approach.(References available on request. Photo Courtesy Google images)