Sayyida Fatima SA leaves an eternal Legacy for women and men alike in the form of the sermon she delivered more than 1400 years ago. Why are her words eternal? How are they relevant to us today? What sets her sermon apart from the countless motivational and inspirational lectures given not only over the course of human history but the ones amply available today. Here are a few points to consider:
1. Historical background – Sayyida Fatima SA delivered this sermon a mere 10 days after the death of Rasulullah SAW, her father and the Prophet of Mercy. Her immediate audience was none other than the Ummah of Rasulullah SAW. Her addressee was the self-proclaimed Khalifa who had confiscated property that was in her possession and under her ownership under the pretext of it being part of her inheritance. The Lady of Light sets out to deliver this sermon after her evidence has been rejected, her house has been attacked and her sanctity violated. She is an 18-year-old youth in era where youth aren’t given respect per se. She is a woman in an age where women are unequivocally marginalized. A young woman defending the right of the successor after the Prophet, a woman challenging the status quo where men of affluence had already cowered away from defending the truth, a woman standing against all odds. No less miraculous is the fact that her sermon has reached us today in the 21st century and lives on against all odds.
2. As relevant today as it was then – The questions raised by Sayyida Fatima SA are as relevant today as they were then. Questions that shake the rule of the tyrants and oppressors of the world even today. Questions that inspire and awaken the true human nature that conforms to the original state that it was created in. Questions that get swept under the carpet because the majority lack the courage and commitment to uphold the truth. Today more than ever we must take up and carry the banner raised by Sayyida Fatima SA and follow her example. We must not falter in presenting the truth and thus it falls upon us to first practice the truth. Let us make the first step by raising the right questions and seeking the truth.
3. Eloquent and enlightening – Its undeniably evident for anyone who studies the sermon, that its enriched with information yet concise and powerful. Sayyida Fatima SA not only portrays here knowledge of the Qur’an but also displays a deep understanding of the message of the Qur’an. She is addressing an audience who pride themselves to be the companions of Rasulullah SAW, an audience who have the Qur’an memorized and yet if you examine the content of the sermon, it proves them to be violators of all the teachings of Rasulullah SAW and the Holy Qur’an. Let us also examine ourselves under the light of this blessed sermon and right what is wrong within ourselves.
Video one: The Sermon of Fatima SA: Shattering Stereotypes!
Video Two: The Sermon of Fatima: Curiosity Inspires Learning
Video Three: The Sermon of Fatima: Topical Richness
