The meaning of Sayyidah Fāṭimah's title 'Umm Abīhā'

Question

ﺍﻟﺴَّــﻼَﻡ ﻋَﻠَﻴــْﻜُم وَرَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ ﻭَﺑَﺮَﻛـَـﺎتُهُ

Is the title 'Umme Abeeha' a title of Hazrat Bibi Fatimah tuz Zahra RadiyAllahu Taa'la Anha.

— Qadri Abdul Basit Shaikh, Sharjah, UAE

Answer

وعليكم السلام ورحمة الله وبركاته

The title of “Umm ‘Abīhā” is one which belongs to the Chieftess of Women in Paradise, Sayyidah Fāṭimah, may Allāh Almighty be pleased with her. ‘Imām ‘Ibn Ḥajar al-`Asqalānī, in al-‘Iṣābah fī Tamyīz al-Ṣaḥābah, writes:

فاطمة الزهراء: بنت إمام المتقين رسول الله: محمد بن عبد الله بن عبد المطلب بن هاشم، الهاشمية صلى الله على أبيها وآله وسلم ورضي عنها كانت تكنى أم أبيها

“Fātimah al-Zahrā’: Daughter of the Master of the Pious, the Messenger of Allāh, Muḥammad bin `Abd Allāh bin `Abd al-Muṭṭalib bin Hisham, the Hashemite – may Allāh send blessing upon her father and his progeny and be pleased with her, is titled ‘Umm ‘Abīhā’.”

[al-‘Iṣābah fī Tamyīz al-Ṣaḥābah, Fāṭimah al-Zahrā’]

‘Imām Ṭabrānī, in al-Mu`jam al-Kabīr, also writes:

كانت فاطمة بنت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم تكنى أم أبيها

“Fāṭimah bint Rasūl Allāh, may Allāh send blessing upon him and salutation, was titled ‘Umm ‘Abīhā’.”

[al-Mu`jam al-Kabīr: 1096]

Although this title of hers is mentioned, the meaning may be unclear as “Umm ‘Abīhā” literally means, “Mother of her Father.” This may perhaps be a title of hers as a form of endearment due to the love and affection she had for her Noble Father, upon whom be blessings and salutations, and due to the high regard granted to her by her Noble Father. It is also possible that this title means, “the mother selected exclusively by her father,” as she was the one whose blessed womb was granted the exclusivity of carrying forth the noble progeny of her father contrary to the norm which says that the son carries on the bloodline of the father, and Allāh knows best.

Faqīr Sayyid `Abdul Ṣamad al-Qādirī · (may he be pardoned) · Jumādā al-'Ākhirah 9, 1446 AH