Birth and Demise

The exact date of her birth is not recorded in the books of history and biographies. However, according to my research, I place her birth somewhere between the years 51 to 53 A.H. I reached this conclusion after studying a number of sources. Amongst that which lends support to this opinion:

Sayyidina Hassan radiya Llahu ‘anhu passed away in the year 49 A.H. Sayyidina Hussain then acted in accordance with the bequest of his brother and married (his widow) Umm Ishaq bint Talhah ibn ‘Ubaidullah al Taymi[1]. Thus, after completing her ‘Iddah (waiting period), Sayyidina Hussain radiya Llahu ‘anhu married her in the year 50 or 51 A.H.
The sources differ concerning the date of her demise. They are three different opinions in this regard:

- She passed away in 110 A.H at the age of 70.[2]
- She passed away in 117 A.H exceeding the age of 70.
- Those who did not specify an exact date but mentioned a number of possible dates.[3] Ibn ‘Asakir, for example, in Tarikh Dimashq when mentioning the demise of Muhammad ibn ‘Ali al Baqir says:

It has been said that he passed away in 114 A.H, or 116 A.H, or 117 A.H, or 118 A.H.

Sayyidah Fatimah bint Hussain rahimaha Llah lived until his demise making the date of her demise one of these dates or sometime thereafter.

Ibn Hibban has mentioned that she was close to 90 years of age when she passed away.[4] Ibn Hajar quoted this from him in al Tahdhib but did not comment on it.[5]

Analysis: The sources which put her demise at 110 A.H are far from correct—as our respected reader would have surmised—especially when all the sources say she passed away at the age of 70 or more. Thus, if we were to assume that her age at demise was 70, and her date of birth—as I have calculated—somewhere between 51-53 A.H, then the date of her demise —at the earliest—would be 120 A.H.

As for those sources that put her demise at 117 A.H, these are more accurate as they are closer to the age 70.

The case of Sayyidah Fatimah bint Hussain rahimaha Llah with Dahhak is well known, when she complained about him to Yazid ibn ‘Abdul Malik[6]. Yazid ibn ‘Abdul Malik passed away in 105 A.H or 106 A.H.[7] Sayyidah Fatimah bint Hussain rahimaha Llah lived until the era of Yazid ibn ‘Abdul Malik and at that time she had not yet reached old age, because if that were the case then Dahhak would not have sought her hand in marriage.

She was [in all probability] 50 or 55 years old at that time. The incident between Sayyidah Fatimah bint Hussain rahimaha Llah and Dahhak most probably took place in the beginning of Yazid ibn ‘Abdul Malik’s Caliphate, i.e. 101 A.H.

A person may object to this reasoning saying that one would still be desirous of marrying the Ahlul Bayt though they may be aged or not strikingly beautiful; however, this will still hold no weight before our other assessments which is confirmed by the books of history and other sources as well.

Ibn ‘Asakir stated:

Fatimah bint Hussain passed away during the Caliphate of Hisham ibn ‘Abdul Malik.[8]

The Caliphate of Hisham ibn ‘Abdul Malik was from 105 A.H-125 A.H. this supports what I have explained previously.

NEXT⇒ Anecdotes relating to the character of Sayyidah Fatimah bint Hussain

[1] See the desire of the Ahlul Bayt to wed pious spouses

[2] Amongst them is Ibn Hibban: Tabaqat al Atqiya’, Al Yafi’i: Mir’at al Jinan. Both these references were mentioned by ‘Umar Rida Kahalah in A’lam al Nisa’, 4/47.

[3] Amongst them is Ibn ‘Asakir: Tarikh Dimashq, 20/74. His biography of Fatimah bint Hussain rahimaha Llah is more detailed than all other authors.

[4] Al Thiqat,5/301.

[5] Tahdhib al Tahdhib, 12/443.

[6] The incident will be quoted in detail later on in the book.

[7] Ansab al Ashraf, 8/243.

[8] Tarikh Dimashq, 74/15.