The Page That Could Not Be Touched
Fatima bint al-Khattab was sister of Umar ibn al-Khattab رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُHazrat Umar ibn al-Khattabرَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُSecond Caliph; al-Farooq, who expanded the Islamic state and wife of Sa’id ibn Zayd رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُHazrat Sa'id ibn Zaydرَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُOne of the ten promised Paradise; an early convert whose home led to Umar's Islam, both early Muslims. As Umar رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُHazrat Umar ibn al-Khattabرَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُSecond Caliph; al-Farooq, who expanded the Islamic state set out sword in hand to kill the Prophet ﷺ, he was told his own sister and brother-in-law had embraced Islam. He stormed into their house to find them and Khabbab رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُHazrat Khabbab ibn al-Arattرَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُAmong the earliest and most cruelly tortured Muslims; a blacksmith of Makkah reading from a page of Surah Ta-Ha. He struck Sa’id رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُHazrat Sa'id ibn Zaydرَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُOne of the ten promised Paradise; an early convert whose home led to Umar's Islam, and when Fatima rose between them he struck her too so that her face bled. 1 Hayatus Sahaba · Vol 1 · pp. 307–309 — Kandhlawi — Umar strikes Sa'id and Fatima; her face bleeds. 2 Al-Farooq · pp. 41–43 — Shibli Nomani — the scene of Umar's storming in upon Fatima and Sa'id.
The Words That Turned Him
Bleeding, Fatima declared aloud: “I bear witness that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is His Messenger.” The sight stilled Umar رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُHazrat Umar ibn al-Khattabرَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُSecond Caliph; al-Farooq, who expanded the Islamic state’s fury. He asked to see the page; she refused, saying only the pure may touch the words of Allah — and bade him bathe. He washed, took the page, and read; and the verses opened his heart. So came Umar رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُHazrat Umar ibn al-Khattabرَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُSecond Caliph; al-Farooq, who expanded the Islamic state to Islam, and Fatima’s house with him. 3 Stories of the Sahabah · pp. 20–21 — Zakariyya Kandhlawi — Fatima refuses Umar the page until he washes; the verses move him to Islam.
Life Timeline
Born in Makkah
Sister of Umar; wife of Sa'id ibn Zayd.
Among the early Muslims, tortured for her faith
Umar bursts in to kill her and is moved to Islam
References
- Hayatus Sahaba — Kandhlawi — Umar strikes Fatima, her face bleeds; she declares the Shahada; he asks for the page of Surah Ta-Ha Vol 1 · pp. 307–309
- Al-Farooq — Shibli Nomani — Fatima and Sa'id reciting the Qur'an; Umar's anger turning to faith at her words pp. 41–43
- Stories of the Sahabah — Zakariyya Kandhlawi — Umar's conversion at Fatima's house pp. 20–21