02/03/2018
UMMUL BANEEN (as)
Hadrat Fatima bint Hazam bin Khalid Ibn-e-Rabi'e Ibn-e-Amer Kalbi known as "Ummul Baneen" belonged to the clan of Banu Kilab, which was one of the noblest families amongst the Hashimites and famous for the bravery and valor of its warriors.
Some years after the martyrdom of Hadrat Fatima Zahra (as), Imam Ali (a.s.) expressed his desire to his brother Aqil bin Abu Talib (a.s.) to marry a women of a brave tribe. Hadrat Aqeel was a very knowledgeable in tribe genealogy and he immediately proposed the name of Hadrat Fatima bint Hazam and the marriage took place soon after.
Much earlier during 8 A.H., Imam Ali (a.s.) had been given the prediction by Rasulullah (sawa) of a brave son who would be martyred alongside with his brother Imam Hussain (a.s.) on the day of Ashura. Eversince then, Imam Ali (a.s.) had been waiting for the birth of that son which came in the person of Hadrat Abbas (a.s.).
Hadrat Ummul Baneen came to the house of Imam Ali (a.s.) knowing very well that before her the chief of the women of paradise, Hadrat Fatima Zahra (s.a.) was living in that house. She served Imam Ali (a.s.) in the same manner as Hadrat Umm Salama had served the Holy Prophet (sawa) after the demise of Hadrat Khadija (a.s.). Immediately stepping in the house, she vowed herself to act as a slave of the children of Hadrat Fatima (s.a.). Her sincerity was much respected by the children of Hadrat Fatima (s.a.) that they always gave her a high status and respect.
Hadrat Ummul Baneen was an accomplished and cultured lady, and bore Imam Ali's four sons: Abbas, Abdullah, Ja'far and Usman. The meaning of 'Ummul Baneen' is 'Mother of Sons'. All of her sons were martyred along with Imam Husain. After their martyrdom, she requested people not to call her 'Ummul Baneen' ever again. When Imam Husain (A.S.) was leaving Madinah for Iraq Hadrat Ummul Baneen asked her four sons, Hadrat Abbas (A.S.), Abdulla, Ja'far and Usman to sacrifice their lives in the sacred cause of Imam Husain (A.S.).
On 10th Muharram 61 A.H.,the day of martyrdom of Imam Husain (a.s.) and his 72 faithful companions at the battlefield of Karbala when Hadrat Umm Salamah witnessed that the earth in the bottle given to her by the Holy Prophet (sawa) had turned into blood she raised the cry of "Ya Husain" Ya Husain" and declared that Imam Husain (a.s.) has been martyred according to the prophecy foretold to her by the Holy Prophet (sawa) about the martyrdom of Imam Husain (a.s.).
Ummul Baneen conducted first ever Majlis after Imam Husain (a.s.) martyrdom: Then Ummul Baneen gathered women of Madinah in her house and all cried for the martyrdom of Imam Husain (a.s.).This was the first ever Majlis conducted after the martyrdom of Imam Husain (a.s.). Ummul Baneen had such sincerity toward the Holy Prophet's progeny that she loved Imam Hussain (a.s.) more than her own children. A feeling which was from the bottom of her heart - It was to the extent that when she received the news stating the martyrdom of her four children, she said: "Tell me about Hussain (A.S.)" and when she received the news of Imam Hussain (A.S.)'s martyrdom she said: "All of the arteries of my heart are torn. May all of my children and what ever that exists under this azure heaven be sacrificed for the sake of Imam Hussain (a.s.).
Hadrat Ummul Baneen was a great poetess and she is considered as the first Noha (lamentation poetry) reciter for the martyrdom of Imam Husain (a.s.).She used to visit regularly the famous Jannat ul-Baqi cemetery in Madinah and recite her Nohas in a very sad and pathetic voice that everybody present there used to weep bitterly as She transformed the Jannat ul-Baqi cemetery in Madinah as "the Centre of lament for Imam Husain (a.s.)".
Ummul Baneen died on 13th Jamadi Thaani year 64 A.H. and was buried in Jannat ul-Baqi cemetery in the holy city of Madinah.
