Fatima, the Miraculous Fragrance

🌻🔆🔆🌻
🌼🔆🌼The Fadak Sermon, a Jewel of Islamic Philosophy🌼🔆
🔹 The Night of the Birth of Lady Fatima al-Zahra (SA)
📅 Date: 1404/09/20 — 20 Jumada al-Thani 1447
✨ Session: Meshkat-e Noor
🎤 Speaker: Master Ali Saei

📝 Some of the topics discussed in the session:
The eve of the birth of the Lady of all ladies 👑

The eve of the birth of the Lady of all ladies—the wayfarer to the Lote Tree of the Utmost Boundary, Fatima al-Zahra. Fragrance and rosewater spread across the earth and sky, to the sweet refrain of blessings upon Muhammad and the family of Muhammad. Fatima, mother of the earth, mother of the heavens; Fatima, mother of time and place; Fatima, mother of water and bread; Fatima, the lovely song of all creation, the dawn of the eternal morning. Fatima, mother of the sun and moon, radiance of the Throne and light upon the earth; Fatima, queen of honey, beloved lady of salt, mother of all flavour and savor; pure, clear spring of love, moth circling the place of prostration of the Messenger. Fatima, mother of hopes; Fatima, this first light of dawn in certainty, the intimate evening of the Prophet; Fatima, the finest of creation, a sacred sapling, the Cup of Kawthar, the boundless Kawthar of knowledge, a blessed night, the life-giving breath of Muhammad.

Who is Fatima, and how do we trace her lights? ✨

Lady of holiness, melody of light and the Pen, noblewoman of generosity, gracious lady of dignity, mother of creation, sovereign lady of truthfulness and martyrdom, jewel of chastity and grace, the Supreme Sign of the Originator of the heavens and the earth, radiance of divine unity, word of sincerity and consummate deliverance, queen of night and day, wise woman of creation—Fatima.

O God, who is Fatima? How can we know her? Have we managed to trace her lights? From where have we traced them—from which light-years away? We gaze upon Fatima’s vistas: from what far reaches of time do we trace her light? With what vision do we behold Fatima’s beauty and wander within the sanctuary of her knowledge?

We have not yet traced even Fatima’s blossoms. When will we reach the Fatimid tree? When will we trace its fruits and taste their flavour with our very souls? When will we attain that exalted station where we can comprehend Fatima in the present moment? We look upon Fatima’s past, yet we have not traced even the lights of that past. Our hearts have not yet opened or grown spacious enough to behold her blessed being on their inner screen.

Who is Fatima, this blessed night, this Night of Decree of God? With what vision should we behold her? With what heart should we witness her birth, with what reaches of our soul? Has the time not come for us to witness the dawn of Fatimiyyah at every moment?

When will we understand that Fatima is being renewed at every moment—through succession and continuity, in ever-different manifestations—because she is God’s immense light? God Himself has caused this light to shine upon the soul of the world. When will we attain that exalted station where we can witness all the lights and radiance of Fatima? And what would happen if we reached it?

She remains unknown; this lady is still unknown, and her worth and standing have yet to be made clear to the world. Why must we trace Fatima? Why must we know her? The answer is the same as to why we need clear sight, and why we need knowledge and wisdom. Fatima is the very heart of knowledge and wisdom; she is that clear sight. If we attain her station and come to know her, we will possess that Fatimid vision and witness the realities of all existence.

We must know Fatima, this mother of all creation. If she is the mother of all worlds, the mother of mothers, then who are those who are mothers only in name? If others are mothers, Fatima is the mother of heaven, of noble virtues, of chastity and modesty, of purity. She is the living reality of motherhood. Who can show me what a mother of life looks like? Such mothers exist, but they are rare; how many mothers are lifeless! A mother is a mother of faith. Only one who has kindled faith within herself can claim to have attained the station of being Fatima’s child. Fatima is a living mother, forever alive in her motherhood. Others are mothers only in semblance, dead to modesty—lifeless mothers, half-men and half-women; how many there are in this age!

The Mother of Faith and the Meaning of Living Motherhood 💎

Fatima is the mother of faith, the mother of the faithful. Whoever kindles faith has Zahra as their mother. To know Fatima is to acquire a Fatimid sensibility. Whoever knows her will witness wonders and unveil mysteries in the realm of servitude to God, become immersed in the signs of divine mercy, and behold all truths in the world of being. If only we, too, could attain that exalted station.

Fatima is a living mother. Love is not a mother’s only treasure; it is a sign of motherhood, but not its entirety—one of its many signs. Yet beware of love that is limited and unreasonable: it is destructive; it brings ruin. A mother who does not think about her child’s tomorrow is no mother. A mother looks to her child’s future—even to the future of the Hereafter. She does not fix her gaze on the present or concern herself with immediate rewards; she looks ahead, beyond the universe, toward the highest destination.

A living mother is one who raises her child in her arms for the meeting with God. Any mother who lacks this quality is a mother only in name, as if dead—worse than the lowliest creature. She buries her child in this world, this worldly grave, and sends them dead to their home in the Hereafter.

Let us not make our children’s present our only concern. The poisonous message we are given—to seize what is at hand and give no thought to tomorrow—is a call to forget the Resurrection. All the pleasures and desires of this world are only laboratory samples of pleasure, laboratory samples of beauty.

A mother is God’s vessel. Her worth is immense, her station exalted. She is God’s vessel, bringing a child from the other world into this one. Does she not? What other vessel can carry a soul from that world to this? That same mother, with those same arms, that same land of being, sends her child forth once more to the far side of existence.

A mother is a land of mysteries. From her life flows more than milk—not merely bodily, worldly milk. From a mother’s life, from her heart, flow streams of heavenly milk. By God, a mother has the capacity to bear God’s special mercies and let her children drink their fill. A mother who pours heavenly milk into her child’s soul makes that child an alchemist’s gold, the jewel of an age.

So let us never look down on a mother. A mother is God’s emissary, God’s vessel, a wing for flight to the far side of the universe. She is the mother of the faithful, the mother of the God-fearing. The deeper faith grows, the more Fatima’s motherhood is revealed; as the light of piety rises, Fatimid love reaches its summit in the hearts of the God-fearing.

Fatima is such a mother that she never abandons her children—not for a moment. She will not let go until she has brought them beyond the Lote Tree of the Boundary. Her blessed soul is an ocean of prophethood, a vast nursery for reaching the fullness of growth and perfection. Fatima, who is called “the mother of her father,” is the one whom the crowns of existence have made their own crown. How much the First Light of existence has received from Fatima! She is the Prophet’s source of pride and joy, the Beloved of God.

Mother: A Land of Ever-Repeated Births 🌱

Let us not be content with only one birth through a mother. A mother is a land of countless, continuous rebirths. The Creator of existence has placed this capacity and power within her: with a single glance, she gives birth to her child once more.

When she opens her arms, they are the embrace of the Lord’s mercy. In that embrace her child is nurtured anew, born again with particular and noble qualities. Through a mother, one can be born again to God—not in the horizontal dimension, but from the breadth of a mother’s being into the realm of earthly existence; and within the sanctuary of heaven, we are born anew in the heavens.

A mother whose nature and qualities are heavenly brings her child into the realm beyond the highest heaven, into the celestial world, and gives birth to them there. That is what a mother is. And Fatima is the mother of the celestial realm. We may call Fatima our mother, on one condition: piety, purity, holiness. We need only cleanse this heart of every impurity; then we will behold Fatima’s light within it—behold it.

Fatima’s Fragrance and the Hidden Divine Sciences 🕯

Fatimah—the fragrance of Paradise. Fatimah, this is a gracious gift to the earthly realm: Fatimah has shone upon it, veiled in the sacred form of her being. Who is Fatimah? She is that magnificent presence whose fragrance the Messenger of God would breathe whenever he longed for Paradise.

This hadith holds secrets upon secrets: “I breathe the fragrance of Paradise from Fatimah.” What is fragrance? Fragrance signifies God’s special knowledge; it is a sign of hidden mysteries. The sweet scent we perceive is the voice of secrets concealed from view. We are intoxicated by its sweetness, and if we come to know its teachings, we become keepers of secrets; our journey along the path of perfection quickens. Let us not take fragrance lightly. It is the song of the unseen sciences, full of voices, melodies and harmonies. Fragrance has beauty and majesty.

If we interpret fragrance, it is wisdom-filled knowledge. When knowledge manifests as wisdom, one of its forms is that sweet fragrance we perceive. Our outward sense of smell receives one aspect of this wisdom-filled knowledge, while the inward sense of the heart receives its hidden depths.

Now let us imagine the fragrance of Paradise: it is the purest, most pristine knowledge of the All-Wise, concealed in the heart of Paradise and diffusing beyond that sanctuary. What happens when that same fragrance takes root in Fatimah’s soul? It blazes forth! In Fatimah’s company, it rises to its utmost height. There, it is nurtured in her soul and shines like a lantern. When light, when heat, touches its oil, it glows beautifully within the lantern.

Fragrance has no radiance of its own; it comes to rest in the sanctuary of her niche and, through the knowledge it bears, spreads beautifully from there—just as light shines beautifully from a lamp. Without the lamp, there would be no light, no radiance; there might be a flash, but no lasting glow. If Fatimah were not, would there be fragrance? There would not. From Fatimah’s lantern, the Prophet and Messenger Muhammad al-Mustafa (ṣ) reads the fragrance of Paradise—that is, God’s hidden mysteries. He receives those whispered confidences from God. Fragrance is the message of God’s love, God’s affection, reaching us. Who has the sense to perceive these truths? Yes, the fragrance of Paradise wells up from Fatimah’s niche and spreads outward.

An uncut diamond has no brilliance; it shines once it has been cut. Fragrance, too, is shaped in Fatimah’s soul and spreads beautifully, caressing the soul of the world. Yet fragrance does more than soothe: it carries a message, news, knowledge and wisdom. But how can we reach that fragrance?

Fatimah’s earthly element is perfumed with the fragrance of Paradise. Given all this, what fragrance does her soul possess? With what sense can we perceive the fragrance of Fatimah’s purity? Where is our celestial sense—in slumber or awake? To receive Fatimah’s fragrance, one needs a Fatimah-like sense. If this is Fatimah’s fragrance, then fragrance is a sign of noble character and worship; it is communion and supplication. This hadith holds a secret: the fragrance of Paradise can be sensed from a distance of a thousand years.

The fragrance of Paradise, and those who receive it—or are denied it 🌸

The fragrance of Paradise can be sensed from a distance of a thousand years. A thousand earthly years—but perhaps these are not earthly years at all; perhaps they are a thousand heavenly years, or a thousand years of the celestial realm. We do not know.

The meaning is that everyone ought to receive the fragrance of Paradise. If someone does not, why not? Is something wrong? Has their heart been scorched? Is their sense of smell immature, unresponsive, asleep? That is the secret: the fragrance of Paradise travels a distance of a thousand years and is received. But one who is disobedient to their parents does not receive it; they cannot perceive the fragrance of Paradise. Nor can one who severs the bonds of kinship receive it. Nor can one who, out of arrogance, drags their garment along the ground—that is, anyone who makes a spectacle of their dress, puts themselves on display and hunts for admiring eyes through their mannerisms, speech and words. No troublemaker can receive the fragrance of Paradise. And the person who flaunts their generosity—who does a good deed but then holds it over others—deprives themselves of that fragrance.

There are others, too: those who can never get enough of the world, so dominated by love of it that they cannot free themselves from its hold; grave robbers and those who exhume the dead—not necessarily to steal the shroud, but perhaps to steal the body’s limbs; those who adorn themselves with feminine traits and affect feminine mannerisms; and those who are frivolous and unrestrained. None of them can receive the fragrance of Paradise.

Now let us ask who can receive Fatimah’s fragrance, find its trace and grasp her greatness. It is the person who is sincere, honest and pure in heart, devoted to worship and servitude, walking the path of purity and committed to noble virtues—to the night prayer, worship, and intimate communion with God. Such a person reaches Fatimah’s hidden mysteries. The purer and more deeply aware we become, the more active the sense of our heart becomes. Fragrance is a messenger bearing hidden mysteries. It tells their story and reveals their secrets; it does not merely delight the senses, but awakens the spirit and the heart. It is the very essence of knowledge and wisdom.

Everything in this world has its own fragrance—from flowers to the heart, from deeds to thoughts: everything has a fragrance. A true knower of Fatimah is one whose mother is Zahra, and whose field of flourishing is Zahra’s garden. One flower in that garden is Zahra’s word.

Fatimid Wisdom and the Ruin of False Philosophies 📚

Whoever loves Fatima also loves her words. Their place of return is the sermons of Fatima: they read them to revive the soul and hasten in worship and service to God. Who is Fatima? How can we know her? Fatima is a being before whom all the world’s scholars bow; before Fatimid wisdom, they lay their heads in the dust. By God, if the philosophers of the world knew Fatima, the spirit of their wisdom would take flight, soaring to new heights.
In these few words, Fatima al-Zahra has sketched for us the beginning and end of the world’s reality. From its lowest reaches to its highest, she has explained to us the secret of perfection. If we follow this path, we will attain the highest realm of servitude to God. What a short and easy path it is: it begins with the word of sincerity, is interpreted, and becomes a pledge in the heart; then its meaning shines through reflection. This is the secret of perfection, the secret of arrival, the secret of serving God. Philosophers of the world, listen to Fatima’s words—this brief saying, this single phrase: The Most High Lord brought things into being anew; He created a thing from no thing. There was absolute nothingness, and by His unbounded will, the Most High Lord brought things into being anew, bringing them forth from nothing. This is the secret, the beginning and the end. As for those philosophers who seek to discover how the beginning came about: with this phrase of God’s, I swear by God’s divinity that it demolishes the whole of Eastern and Western philosophy. I swear by God’s divinity, and I will show how Fatima demolishes it with this phrase.
She throws all their principles into disarray. In the brief passage I mentioned, Fatima al-Zahra has, I swear by God, portrayed the vast workings of creation—yes, truly portrayed them. Anyone who searches through Eastern and Western philosophy will come to see the secret in Fatima’s words. This is the path to salvation; this is the first and last philosophy. Philosophy must be learned from Fatima’s school, whose power brought things into existence.
And by His will, He brought them forth. What does Fatima do? The very secrets that have filled thousands upon thousands of pages, yet offer no way forward or remedy, are all laid bare by Fatima in these few passages. By God, through Fatima, the world’s philosophy, East and West, will shine; it will be cleansed and clarified. Fatimid wisdom is a philosophical awakening for the whole world. It rescues philosophy, mired in a swamp. With these words, one can escape drowning in the swamp of fragmented philosophies. Let the light of Fatimid wisdom shine upon any Fatimid perspective, and it will reveal its true nature, showing what is false and what is true. These few passages point the way for philosophers who, in the wilderness, seek to discover the truth
If Islam has a philosophy, the Fadak Sermon is its jewel. In our previous sessions, we spoke of the secrets in Fatima’s words and came to the passage «لاتصیبیت لحکته».

Establishing Wisdom and Awakening Through Obedience 📖

He created nothing except that He established its wisdom. As we explained, wisdom is the very artistry of wisdom itself; wisdom is the fruit of sincerity, the mark of purity and the sign of cleanliness. Its dwelling place is within the sanctuary of the human being—the pure heart. This wisdom surges forth from one’s limbs and members, and through sincerity it attains to miracle. The perfection of sincerity is the summit of wisdom, which encompasses the soul of the wise person. The need of the soul and of the world is precisely this establishment of wisdom. If wisdom is taken away from anything that exists, it becomes destructive—even if it be knowledge. Knowledge without wisdom is ruinous; the expansion of knowledge without wisdom is acceleration toward destruction. Through sincerity we must cleanse the arteries of our being of sediment so that this light of wisdom may set in motion within our souls. And the words of Fatima reach this passage:
wa tanbīhan ʿalā ṭāʿatih. The outward meaning of her words is that He created the world in order to awaken them to obedience to Him. Should creatures worship God out of mere habit? What does He do? He says He created them to awaken them to obedience to Him. The means of worship is awakening—that they may mount upon obedience to the Lord Most High, so that what may happen? Does the Lord need their obedience? No, He certainly does not. Allah, glorified and exalted, began creation; He created beings while at the moment of their creation He was independent of their obedience and secure from their disobedience—for the disobedience of no disobedient one harms Him, and their obedience profits Him nothing. So why does He awaken them to His worship? Worship is not born of need. Obedience is itself a self-moving elixir. The one who benefits is the obedient one; God, the One obeyed, benefits not. The one who benefits is the obedient one himself. The outward form of worship is obedience; its inner reality is awakening—the secret of unfolding. Awakening means a new life, a new transformation within my being. Through obedience to Him I am transformed; I find new experiences of life. Obedience means following the technology of divine evolution—the path of progress and acceleration toward God. The words of Fatima are miracle-working. Had I seen this very phrase elsewhere, I would not have found these meanings; my heart would not have softened. Had this outward form of speech reached me from another, it would have been dry. But the words of Fatima are alive; they work miracles, they unfold. Her words have soul, fragrance, purity, freshness. By God, her words are a key—this outward form opens, like a key that opens gates.

Awakening: the software of the soul and obedience without contamination 🌌

Awakening, too, through obedience to God reaches a higher awakening. God, through creation, shed light upon obedience to Him; He granted awareness through obedience to Him. This obedience, which is awakening, is true life. Without obedience, life is nothing but sleep and lethargy. Absolute obedience is luminosity; obedience means passing through all darknesses. Obedience to Him means pure awakening. I want to awaken, that all the energy of my being be released—its path is obedience to God. I am asleep, in a nightmare; I must come out of this nightmare and sleep—its path is obedience to God. The Lord Most High created us to awaken us—that is, to bring into effect within our being another life, another creation. Awakening is like blossoming, like emergence, like manifestation. Awakening is like the splitting open of a seed, like a seed coming to full bloom. Our speech is within the speech of Fatima.
What is the path of launching the software and hardware of the soul? Awakening is the launching of the software of servitude. Obedience means: I want to activate the computer of servitude, the computer of mysteries, the love of God. God introduces all creatures to obedience to Him—not only the human being but every particle of this world. Particles that have outstripped human beings on the path of obedience… Awakening is the injection of awareness; it is being positioned upon the Beautiful Names; it is being illumined by knowledge and wisdom; it is being lit by the light of God, being made beautiful by His beauty, being glorified by His glory. Acting upon God’s command means being transformed into God’s will and desire—a station most exalted, beyond imagination and conception. If through obedience to Him we become awakened, what do we become? Our servitude awakens. If beauty in this world were to awaken, what would happen? If pleasure in this world were to awaken, what would occur? When a human being attains awakening, he reaches beyond humanity; when an angel attains it, he reaches beyond angelhood. Whatever and whoever attains awakening reaches a station beyond.
Drowsiness is the sign of misuse of choice. Because of the privilege of choice, one who is in drowsiness and sleep is not in obedience to God. Obedience is not falling into hardship; rather, it is plunging into the mercy of God. Obedience is the rising of the gem of God’s servitude—not the bearing of pain and difficulty. Obedience is the performance of the act He wills—that is, being launched into the will of God, being launched into the devotion of God. Obedience as awakening means becoming transformed into God’s mighty industry—an industry without drowsiness, a pure industry without waste, without any contamination.