`Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) reported: On one occasion all the wives of the Prophet (PBUH) were with him when his daughter, Fatimah (May Allah be pleased with her) who walked after the style of his father, came there. He (PBUH) welcomed her saying, "Welcome, O my daughter", and made her sit on his right side, or on his left side and then whispered something to her at which she wept bitterly. When he perceived her grief, he talked secretly to her again and she smiled (with happiness). I said to her: "Messenger of Allah (PBUH) chose you from amongst all his wives to speak secretly to you and yet you cried." When he left, I asked her, "What did Messenger of Allah (PBUH) say to you?" She said, "I will not divulge the secret of Messenger of Allah (PBUH)." When Messenger of Allah (PBUH) passed away, I said to her: "I adjure you by the right I have in respect of you to tell me what Messenger of Allah (PBUH) had told you." She said: "Now (when Messenger of Allah (PBUH) has died), I will tell you. When he whispered to me the first time, he told me, `Jibril (Gabriel) used to listen to my recitation of the Quran and then recite it back to me once or twice a year, and this time he has done it twice; and so I perceive that my death is approaching. Then be mindful of your duty to Allah and be patient and steadfast, for I shall be an excellent predecessor for you. On this I wept as you saw. When he perceived my distress he talked to me secretly the second time and said, `O Fatimah, are you not pleased that you will be the chief among the believing women or of this Ummah? This made me smile as you saw."[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
Commentary:
This Hadith, too, has an implication for keeping a secret and concealing it from people. Moreover, we learn that one can spontaneously weep over hearing a sorrowful occurrence and also that we should be patient in distress. The Hadith also teaches us not to feel proud upon receiving a blessing. Above all, the excellence of Fatimah (May Allah be pleased with her) and the advisability of reading the Qur'an are brought into our focus.
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