In analyzing the life of the Holy Prophet (pbuh&hp) in terms of his relationship with his beloved daughter, we can extract numerous lessons about how to live a life filled with love, mercy, and compassion. Unfortunately, we may still find that some cultures see sons as being more valuable than daughters. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh&hp) illustrated the kind of blessings daughters bring when they are born, thus eradicating any notion of superiority of sons over daughters. The Holy Prophet (pbuh&hp) states in a tradition, โ€œDaughters are [like] good deeds and sons are [like] blessings, and a person gets rewarded for his good deeds while he is questioned about the blessings [he receives].โ€1 From Prophet Muhammadโ€™s interaction with his daughter, Lady Fatimah (p), we witness the ideal father-daughter relationship, mixed with unique lessons that we can apply in our daily lives.

The Blessing of Having Daughters

In the pre-Islamic period, the pagan Arabs viewed their daughters as a curse and a liability. They treated girls harshly to the extent that they would even bury them alive. God speaks to their attitude in the Quran stating, โ€œWhen the glad news of the birth of their daughter is brought to them, their faces turn gloomy and black with anger.โ€2

One of the manifestations of the Holy Prophetโ€™s being “a mercy to the worlds” was the fact that he made it clear that girls are one of the greatest blessings to their families. He states, โ€œThe blessing of children is having well-mannered daughters. Whoever has one (daughter), [through her blessing] God will protect him from the fire. The one who has two (daughters), God will grant him entrance into Paradise.โ€3

In another beautiful tradition, a man, while in the company of the Holy Prophet (pbuh&hp), received the news that he had been blessed with a child. The color of the manโ€™s face changed [in disappointment]. The Holy Prophet (pbuh&hp) asked, โ€œWhat is wrong?โ€ The man replied, โ€œ[I am fine].โ€ The Holy Prophet asked the man again to tell him what was wrong. The man replied, โ€œI left my wife in labor, and now I have received the news that she has given birth to a girl.โ€ The Holy Prophet (pbuh&hp) said, โ€œThe Earth will carry her, the sky will shade her, and God will provide for her. She is like a rose.โ€4 The Holy Prophet (pbuh&hp) explained that with a daughter come immense blessings, and she should be treated with love and compassion.

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh&hp) and Lady Fatimahโ€™s Relationship

When studying the relationship of the Holy Prophet (pbuh&hp) and his daughter, Lady Fatimah (p), we see that the Messenger of God was the most loving father figure. His love for his dear daughter can only be explained through his own words. The Holy Prophet (pbuh&hp) states, โ€œFatimah is a part of me; whatever makes her happy, makes me happy. And whatever hurts her, hurts me.โ€5

In another narration, the Holy Prophet (pbuh&hp) states, โ€œFatimah is a part of me, and she is my soul that is between my shoulders.โ€6 He loved her so much that every time he used to travel, Lady Fatimah (p) would be the last person he would visit before he left and the first one he would visit upon his return.7

Furthermore, others also noticed the love that the Messenger of God (pbuh&hp) had for Lady Fatimah(p). When Lady Fatimah (p) entered a room, the Prophet (pbuh&hp) would stand up, kiss her, and greet her with the most beautiful words, just like she did to him.8 Imam Ali (p) also states, โ€œWhenever Fatimah would enter a room the Prophet was in, he would stand up, kiss her hands, and give her his seat. And whenever the Prophet would enter a room that Fatimah was in, she would stand up, kiss his hands, and give him her seat.โ€9

This teaches us the importance of showing love and affection to our children, for then they will not only be compassionate to their parents but to others around them.

Bits of Advice:

1. Express love to our children: Demonstrating love for our children should be something that we do on a daily basis. In fact, Imam al-Sadiq (p) states in a tradition, โ€œSurely God will have mercy upon his servant due to the intensity of love that he has for his child.โ€10 And in another tradition, the Prophet considers a man who never kissed his children as amongst the โ€œpeople of the fire.โ€11

2. Fulfill our promises: It is important that we recognize how our children see us, especially at a young and impressionable age. We need to cultivate their love and have them build their trust in us. Thus, it becomes imperative to never lie to them and to fulfill our promises to them, for they see their parents as their sustainers.  Imam Ali (p) states, โ€œIf you make a promise to your children, make sure you fulfill the promise, for children see [their parents] as their sustainers.โ€12

3. Treat our children equally: Once the Holy Prophet (pbuh&hp) saw a man with two sons kiss only one of his children and not the other. He (the Prophet) asked, โ€œWhy have you not shown the same [love to your other son]?โ€13 It is vital that we treat all our children equally and not demonstrate more love to one over the other.


1. Makarim al-akhlaq, p. 219.
2. The Holy Quran 16:58, from the Muhammad Sarwar translation of the Quran.
3. Bihar al-anwar, vol. 101, p. 91.
4. Makarim al-akhlaq, p. 219.
5. Ayan al-Shia, vol. 1, p. 307.
6. Bihar al-anwar, vol. 43, p. 54.
7. Ayan al-Shia, vol. 1, p. 307.
8. Ayan al-Shia, vol. 1, p. 307.
9. Ayan al-Shia, vol. 1, p. 307.
10. Al-kafi, vol. 6, p. 50.
11. Al-kafi, vol. 6, p. 50.
12. Al-kafi, vol. 6, p. 50.
13. Wasail al-Shia, vol. 21, p. 487.

1. ุฑูˆูŠ ุนู† ุงู„ู†ุจูŠ ุตู„ู‰ ุงู„ู„ู‡ ุนู„ูŠู‡ ูˆุงู„ู‡ ุฃู†ู‘ู‡ ู‚ุงู„ “ุงู„ุจู†ุงุช ุญุณู†ุงุช ูˆุงู„ุจู†ูˆู† ู†ุนู…ุฉุŒ ูุงู„ุญุณู†ุงุช ูŠุซุงุจ ุนู„ูŠู‡ุง ูˆุงู„ู†ุนู…ุฉ ูŠุณุฃู„ ุนู†ู‡ุง”.
2. (ูˆูŽุฅูุฐูŽุง ุจูุดูู‘ุฑูŽ ุฃูŽุญูŽุฏูู‡ูู… ุจูุงู„ู’ุฃูู†ุซูŽู‰ูฐ ุธูŽู„ู‘ูŽ ูˆูŽุฌู’ู‡ูู‡ู ู…ูุณู’ูˆูŽุฏู‘ู‹ุง ูˆูŽู‡ููˆูŽ ูƒูŽุธููŠู…ูŒ)
3. ุฑูˆูŠ ุนู† ุงู„ู†ุจูŠ ุตู„ู‰ ุงู„ู„ู‡ ุนู„ูŠู‡ ูˆุงู„ู‡ ุฃู†ู‡ ู‚ุงู„ “ู†ุนู… ุงู„ูˆู„ุฏ ุงู„ุจู†ุงุช ุงู„ู…ุฎุฏุฑุงุช ู…ู† ูƒุงู†ุช ุนู†ุฏู‡ ูˆุงุญุฏุฉ ุฌุนู„ู‡ุง ุงู„ู„ู‡ ุณุชุฑุง ู…ู† ุงู„ู†ุงุฑุŒ ูˆู…ู† ูƒุงู†ุช ุนู†ุฏู‡ ุงุซู†ุชุงู† ุฃุฏุฎู„ู‡ ุงู„ู„ู‡ ุจู‡ุง ุงู„ุฌู†ุฉ”.
4. ุฑูˆูŠ ุฃู†ู‘ู‡ ุฃุชู‰ ุฑุฌู„ูŒ ุงู„ู†ุจูŠู‘ูŽ ุตู„ู‰ ุงู„ู„ู‡ ุนู„ูŠู‡ ูˆุขู„ู‡ ูˆุนู†ุฏู‡ ุฑุฌู„ ูุฃุฎุจุฑู‡ ุจู…ูˆู„ูˆุฏ ูุชุบูŠุฑ ู„ูˆู† ุงู„ุฑุฌู„ุŒ ูู‚ุงู„ ุงู„ู†ุจูŠ ุตู„ู‰ ุงู„ู„ู‡ ุนู„ูŠู‡ ูˆุขู„ู‡ ,ู…ุงู„ูƒุŸ ูู‚ุงู„] ุงู„ุฑุฌู„[ ุฎูŠุฑุŒ ู‚ุงู„ ]ุงู„ู†ุจูŠ ุตู„ู‰ ุงู„ู„ู‡ ุนู„ูŠู‡ ูˆุงู„ู‡[
ู‚ู„ุŒ ู‚ุงู„: ุฎุฑุฌุช ูˆุงู„ู…ุฑุฃุฉ ุชู…ุฎุถ ูุฃุฎุจุฑุช ุฃู†ู‡ุง ูˆู„ุฏุช ุฌุงุฑูŠุฉุŒ ูู‚ุงู„ ู„ู‡ ุงู„ู†ุจูŠ ุตู„ู‰ ุงู„ู„ู‡ ุนู„ูŠู‡ ูˆุขู„ู‡โ€ุงู„ุฃุฑุถ ุชู‚ู„ู‡ุงุŒ ูˆุงู„ุณู…ุงุก ุชุธู„ู‡ุงุŒ ูˆุงู„ู„ู‡ ูŠุฑุฒู‚ู‡ุงุŒ ูˆู‡ูŠ ุฑูŠุญุงู†ุฉ ุชุดู…ู‡ุง.โ€
5. ุฑูˆูŠ ุนู† ุงู„ู†ุจูŠ ุตู„ู‰ ุงู„ู„ู‡ ุนู„ูŠู‡ ูˆุงู„ู‡ ุฃู†ู‘ู‡ ู‚ุงู„ “ูุงุทูู…ูŽุฉ ุจูŽุถู’ุนูŽุฉูŒ ู…ูู†ู‘ูŠ ูŠูŽุณูุฑู‘ู†ููŠ ู…ูŽุง ูŠูŽุณูุฑู‘ู‡ุง ูˆูŽูŠูุบู’ุถูุจูู†ูŠ ู…ูŽุง ูŠูุบู’ุถูุจูู‡ุง”
6. ุฑูˆูŠ ุนู† ุงู„ู†ุจูŠ ุตู„ู‰ ุงู„ู„ู‡ ุนู„ูŠู‡ ูˆุงู„ู‡ ุฃู†ู‘ู‡ ู‚ุงู„ ” ูุงุทูู…ูŽุฉ ุจูŽุถู’ุนูŽุฉูŒ ู…ูู†ู‘ูŠ ูˆูŽู‡ููŠูŽ ู‚ูŽู„ู’ุจููŠู’ ูˆูŽู‡ููŠูŽ ุฑูˆูุญููŠ ุงู„ุชูŠ ุจูŽูŠู’ู†ูŽ ุฌูŽู†ู’ุจููŠู‘”
7. ุฑูˆูŠ ุฃู†ู‘ ุงู„ู†ุจูŠู‘ูŽ ุตู„ู‰ ุงู„ู„ู‡ ุนู„ูŠู‡ ูˆุงู„ู‡ ูƒุงู† ุฅุฐุง ุณุงูุฑ ูƒุงู† ุขุฎุฑ ุงู„ู†ุงุณ ุนู‡ุฏุง ุจู‡ ูุงุทู…ุฉ ูˆุฅุฐุง ู‚ุฏู… ู…ู† ุณูุฑ ูƒุงู† ุฃูˆู„ ุงู„ู†ุงุณ ุจู‡ ุนู‡ุฏุง ูุงุทู…ุฉ.
8. ุฑูˆูŠ ุฃู† ุงู„ู†ุจูŠู‘ูŽ ุตู„ู‰ ุงู„ู„ู‡ ุนู„ูŠู‡ ูˆุงู„ู‡ ุฅุฐุง ุฏุฎู„ุช ุนู„ูŠู‡ ]ูุงุทู…ุฉ ุนู„ูŠู‡ุง ุงู„ุณู„ุงู…[ ู‚ุงู… ุฅู„ูŠู‡ุง ูู‚ุจู„ู‡ุง ูˆุฑุญุจ ุจู‡ุง ูƒู…ุง ูƒุงู†ุช ุชุตู†ุน ู‡ูŠ ุจู‡.
9. ุฑูˆูŠ ุฃู† ุงู„ู†ุจูŠู‘ูŽ ุตู„ู‰ ุงู„ู„ู‡ ุนู„ูŠู‡ ูˆุงู„ู‡ ูƒุงู† ุฅุฐุง ุฏุฎู„ุช ุนู„ูŠู‡ ]ูุงุทู…ุฉ ุนู„ูŠู‡ุง ุงู„ุณู„ุงู… [ ู‚ุงู… ุฅู„ูŠู‡ุง ูุงุฎุฐ ุจูŠุฏู‡ุง ูู‚ุจู„ู‡ุง ูˆุฃุฌู„ุณู‡ุง ููŠ ู…ุฌู„ุณู‡ ูˆูƒุงู†ุช ุฅุฐุง ุฏุฎู„ ุนู„ูŠู‡ุง ู‚ุงู…ุช ุฅู„ูŠู‡ ูุฃุฎุฐุช ุจูŠุฏู‡ ูู‚ุจู„ุชู‡ ูˆุฃุฌู„ุณุชู‡ ููŠ ู…ุฌู„ุณู‡ุง.
10. ุฑูˆูŠ ุนู† ุฅุจูŠ ุนุจุฏ ุงู„ู„ู‡ ]ุงู„ุตุงุฏู‚ ุนู„ูŠู‡ ุงู„ุณู„ุงู…[ ุฃู†ู‘ู‡ ู‚ุงู„ ” ุฅู† ุงู„ู„ู‡ ู„ูŠุฑุญู… ุงู„ุนุจุฏ ู„ุดุฏุฉ ุญุจู‡ ู„ูˆู„ุฏู‡”.
11. ุฑูˆูŠ ุนู† ุฃุจูŠ ุนุจุฏ ุงู„ู„ู‡ ุนู„ูŠู‡ ุงู„ุณู„ุงู… ู‚ุงู„: ุฌุงุก ุฑุฌู„ ุฅู„ู‰ ุงู„ู†ุจูŠ ุตู„ู‰ ุงู„ู„ู‡ ุนู„ูŠู‡ ูˆุขู„ู‡ ูู‚ุงู„: ู…ุง ู‚ุจู„ุช ุตุจูŠุง ู‚ุทุŒ ูู„ู…ุง ูˆู„ู‰ ู‚ุงู„ ุฑุณูˆู„ ุงู„ู„ู‡: ู‡ุฐุง ุฑุฌู„ ุนู†ุฏูŠ ุฃู†ู‡ ู…ู† ุฃู‡ู„ ุงู„ู†ุงุฑ.
12. ุนู† ูƒู„ูŠุจ ุงู„ุตูŠุฏุงูˆูŠ ู‚ุงู„: ู‚ุงู„ ู„ูŠ ุฃุจูˆ ุงู„ุญุณู† ุนู„ูŠู‡ ุงู„ุณู„ุงู… “ุฅุฐุง ูˆุนุฏุชู… ุงู„ุตุจูŠุงู† ูููˆุง ู„ู‡ู… ูุฅู†ู‡ู… ูŠุฑูˆู† ุฃู†ูƒู… ุงู„ุฐูŠู† ุชุฑุฒู‚ูˆู†ู‡ู…”.
13. ู†ุธุฑ ุฑุณูˆู„ ุงู„ู„ู‡ (ุตู„ู‰ ุงู„ู„ู‡ ุนู„ูŠู‡ ูˆุขู„ู‡) ุฅู„ู‰ ุฑุฌู„ ู„ู‡ ุงุจู†ุงู† ูู‚ุจู„ ุฃุญุฏู‡ู…ุง ูˆุชุฑูƒ ุงู„ุขุฎุฑุŒ ูู‚ุงู„ ู„ู‡ ุงู„ู†ุจูŠ (ุตู„ู‰ ุงู„ู„ู‡ ุนู„ูŠู‡ ูˆุขู„ู‡) “ูู‡ู„ุง ูˆุงุณูŠุช ุจูŠู†ู‡ู…ุง”.

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