should I not tell you about me and about Fatimah, daughter of the Messenger of Allah (May peace be upon him). She was dearest to him of his family. When she was with me, she pulled mill-stone which affected her hand; she carried water with the water-bag which affected the upper portion of her chest: She swept the house so much so that her clothes became dusty; and she cooked food by which her clothes became black, and it harmed her. We heard that some slaves had been brought to the prophet (May peace be upon him). I said: if you go to your father and ask him for a servant, that will be sufficient for you. She came to him and found some people talking to him. She felt shy and returned. Next morning he visited us when we were in our quilt. He sat beside her head, and she took her head into the quilt out of shame from her father. He asked: What need had you with me, O family of Muhammad? She kept silence twice. I then said : I swear by Allah, I shall tell you. She pulls the mile-stone which has affected her hand; she carrys water with the water-bag which has affected the upper portion of her chest; she sweeps the house by which her clothes have become dusty, and she cooks food by which her clothes have become black. We were told that some slaves or servants had come to you. So I said to her; ask him for a servant. He then mentioned the rest of the tradition to the same effect as mentioned by al-Hakam rather more perfectly.

عَلِيٌّ لاِبْنِ أَعْبَدَ أَلاَ أُحَدِّثُكَ عَنِّي وَعَنْ فَاطِمَةَ بِنْتِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَكَانَتْ أَحَبَّ أَهْلِهِ إِلَيْهِ وَكَانَتْ عِنْدِي فَجَرَّتْ بِالرَّحَى حَتَّى أَثَّرَتْ بِيَدِهَا وَاسْتَقَتْ بِالْقِرْبَةِ حَتَّى أَثَّرَتْ فِي نَحْرِهَا وَقَمَّتِ الْبَيْتَ حَتَّى اغْبَرَّتْ ثِيَابُهَا وَأَوْقَدَتِ الْقِدْرَ حَتَّى دَكِنَتْ ثِيَابُهَا وَأَصَابَهَا مِنْ ذَلِكَ ضُرٌّ فَسَمِعْنَا أَنَّ رَقِيقًا أُتِيَ بِهِمْ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فَقُلْتُ لَوْ أَتَيْتِ أَبَاكِ فَسَأَلْتِيهِ خَادِمًا يَكْفِيكِ فَأَتَتْهُ فَوَجَدَتْ عِنْدَهُ حُدَّاثًا فَاسْتَحْيَتْ فَرَجَعَتْ فَغَدَا عَلَيْنَا وَنَحْنُ فِي لِفَاعِنَا فَجَلَسَ عِنْدَ رَأْسِهَا فَأَدْخَلَتْ رَأْسَهَا فِي اللِّفَاعِ حَيَاءً مِنْ أَبِيهَا فَقَالَ مَا كَانَ حَاجَتُكِ أَمْسِ إِلَى آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ فَسَكَتَتْ مَرَّتَيْنِ فَقُلْتُ أَنَا وَاللَّهِ أُحَدِّثُكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ هَذِهِ جَرَّتْ عِنْدِي بِالرَّحَى حَتَّى أَثَّرَتْ فِي يَدِهَا وَاسْتَقَتْ بِالْقِرْبَةِ حَتَّى أَثَّرَتْ فِي نَحْرِهَا وَكَسَحَتِ الْبَيْتَ حَتَّى اغْبَرَّتْ ثِيَابُهَا وَأَوْقَدَتِ الْقِدْرَ حَتَّى دَكِنَتْ ثِيَابُهَا وَبَلَغَنَا أَنَّهُ قَدْ أَتَاكَ رَقِيقٌ أَوْ خَدَمٌ فَقُلْتُ لَهَا سَلِيهِ خَادِمًا فَذَكَرَ مَعْنَى حَدِيثِ الْحَكَمِ وَأَتَمَّ

Ibn A’bud said, ‘Ali said to me “May I not narrate you about me and Fathimah daughter of the Apostle of Allaah ﷺ? She was most favorite to him of his family.” I said “Yes”. He said “She pulled the grinding stone with her hand so much that it affected her hand, she carried water in a water bag so much so that it affected the upper portion of her chest, she swept the house so much so that her clothes became dirty. The Prophet ﷺ acquired some slaves”. So I said “Would that you go to your father and ask him for a slave. She then came to him and found some people with him talking to him. She therefore returned. Next day she came again. He asked (her), what was your need? But she kept silence. So I said, I inform you, Apostle of Allaah ﷺ. She pulled grinding stone so much that it affected her hand, she carried water bag so much so that it affected the upper portion of her chest. When the slaves were brought to you I asked her to come to you and to ask you for a slave to save her from the exertion she is suffering.” He said “Fear Allaah, Fathimah and perform the duty of your Lord and do the work of your family.” When you go to bed say “Glory be to Allaah” thirty three times, “Praise be to Allaah” thirty three times, “Allaah is Most Great” thirty four times. This is hundred times. That will be better for you than a servant. She said “I am pleased with Allaah, Most High and with his Apostle ﷺ.”

لِي عَلِيٌّ ؓ أَلاَ أُحَدِّثُكَ عَنِّي وَعَنْ فَاطِمَةَ بِنْتِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَكَانَتْ مِنْ أَحَبِّ أَهْلِهِ إِلَيْهِ قُلْتُ بَلَى قَالَ إِنَّهَا جَرَّتْ بِالرَّحَى حَتَّى أَثَّرَ فِي يَدِهَا وَاسْتَقَتْ بِالْقِرْبَةِ حَتَّى أَثَّرَ فِي نَحْرِهَا وَكَنَسَتِ الْبَيْتَ حَتَّى اغْبَرَّتْ ثِيَابُهَا فَأَتَى النَّبِيَّ ﷺ خَدَمٌ فَقُلْتُ لَوْ أَتَيْتِ أَبَاكِ فَسَأَلْتِيهِ خَادِمًا فَأَتَتْهُ فَوَجَدَتْ عِنْدَهُ حُدَّاثًا فَرَجَعَتْ فَأَتَاهَا مِنَ الْغَدِ فَقَالَ مَا كَانَ حَاجَتُكِ فَسَكَتَتْ فَقُلْتُ أَنَا أُحَدِّثُكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ جَرَّتْ بِالرَّحَى حَتَّى أَثَّرَتْ فِي يَدِهَا وَحَمَلَتْ بِالْقِرْبَةِ حَتَّى أَثَّرَتْ فِي نَحْرِهَا فَلَمَّا أَنْ جَاءَكَ الْخَدَمُ أَمَرْتُهَا أَنْ تَأْتِيَكَ فَتَسْتَخْدِمَكَ خَادِمًا يَقِيهَا حَرَّ مَا هِيَ فِيهِ قَالَ اتَّقِي اللَّهَ يَا فَاطِمَةُ وَأَدِّي فَرِيضَةَ رَبِّكِ وَاعْمَلِي عَمَلَ أَهْلِكِ فَإِذَا أَخَذْتِ مَضْجَعَكِ فَسَبِّحِي ثَلاَثًا وَثَلاَثِينَ وَاحْمَدِي ثَلاَثًا وَثَلاَثِينَ وَكَبِّرِي أَرْبَعًا وَثَلاَثِينَ فَتِلْكَ مِائَةٌ فَهِيَ خَيْرٌ لَكِ مِنْ خَادِمٍ قَالَتْ رَضِيتُ عَنِ اللَّهِ ﷻ وَعَنْ رَسُولِهِ ﷺ

ʿAli bin Abi Talib ؓ said to me: “O son of A’bud, do you know what the rights of the food are?” I said: “What are its rights, O son of Abu Talib?” He said: “To say: in the Name of Allah; O Allah, bless for us what You have provided for us. Do you know how to express gratitude when you have finished eating?” I said: “What is gratitude for it?” He said: “To say: Praise be to Allah Who has fed us and given us to drink.” Then he said: “Shall I not tell you about me and Fatimah ؓ ? She was the daughter of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and she was one of the dearest of his family to him, and she was my wife. She worked with the millstone until the millstone left marks on her hand, and she brought water with a bucket until the bucket left marks on her chest. She took care of the house until her garment became dusty and she lit a fire under the pot until her garment became dirty, and she suffered hardship because of that. Some female captives (or servants) were brought to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and I said to her: “Go to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and ask him for a servant to relieve you of the hardship you are in.” So she went to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and she found some servants with him. Then she came back and did not ask him for one. (And he narrated the hadeeth - And he [the Messenger of Allah ﷺ] said: ʿShall I not tell you of something that is better for you than a servant? When you go to your bed, glorify Allah thirty three times, praise Him thirty three times, and magnify Him thirty four times.” She stuck her head out and said: “I am content with Allah and His Messenger,” twice. (And he narrated a hadeeth like that of Ibn ‘Ulayyah from al-Jurairi or similar to it.)

تَقُولُ بِسْمِ اللهِ اللهُمَّ بَارِكْ لَنَا فِيمَا رَزَقْتَنَا قَالَ وَتَدْرِي مَا شُكْرُهُ إِذَا فَرَغْتَ؟ قَالَ قُلْتُ وَمَا شُكْرُهُ؟ قَالَ تَقُولُ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي أَطْعَمَنَا وَسَقَانَا ثُمَّ قَالَ أَلا أُخْبِرُكَ عَنِّي وَعَنْ فَاطِمَةَ كَانَتِ ابْنَةَ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ وَكَانَتْ مِنْ أَكْرَمِ أَهْلِهِ عَلَيْهِ وَكَانَتْ زَوْجَتِي فَجَرَتْ بِالرَّحَى حَتَّى أَثَّرَ الرَّحَى بِيَدِهَا وَأَسْقَتْ بِالْقِرْبَةِ حَتَّى أَثَّرَتِ الْقِرْبَةُ بِنَحْرِهَا وَقَمَّتِ الْبَيْتَ حَتَّى اغْبَرَّتْ ثِيَابُهَا وَأَوْقَدَتْ تَحْتَ الْقِدْرِ حَتَّى دَنِسَتْ ثِيَابُهَا فَأَصَابَهَا مِنْ ذَلِكَ ضَرَرٌ فَقُدِمَ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ بِسَبْيٍ أَوْ خَدَمٍ قَالَ فَقُلْتُ لَهَا انْطَلِقِي إِلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ فَاسْأَلِيهِ خَادِمًا يَقِيكِ حَرَّ مَا أَنْتِ فِيهِ فَانْطَلَقَتِ الَى رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ فَوَجَدَتْ عِنْدَهُ خَدَمًا أَوْ خُدَّامًا فَرَجَعَتْ وَلَمْ تَسْأَلْهُ فَذَكَرَ الْحَدِيثَ فَقَالَ أَلا أَدُلُّكِ عَلَى مَا هُوَ خَيْرٌ لَكِ مِنْخَادِمٍ؟ إِذَا أَوَيْتِ إِلَى فِرَاشِكِ سَبِّحِي ثَلاثًا وَثَلاثِينَ وَاحْمَدِي ثَلاثًا وَثَلاثِينَ وَكَبِّرِي أَرْبَعًا وَثَلاثِينَ قَالَ فَأَخْرَجَتْ رَأْسَهَا فَقَالَتْ رَضِيتُ عَنِ اللهِ وَرَسُولِهِ مَرَّتَيْنِ فَذَكَرَ مِثْلَ حَدِيثِ ابْنِ عُلَيَّةَ عَنِ الْجُرَيْرِيِّ أَوْ نَحْوَهُ