is the leader of the women of Paradise, with the sole exception of Mary daughter of ʿImrān. (1)

ʿAlī ibn Hāshim ibn al-Barīd transmitted—from Kathīr al-Nawwāʾ—from ʿImrān ibn Ḥuṣayn—that the Prophet ﷺ visited Fāṭimah while she was ill and said, “How do you feel?” She replied, “I am in pain, and what makes it worse is that I have no food to eat.” He said, “My dear daughter, are you not pleased that you are the leader of the women of all worlds?” She asked, “And where does that leave Mary?” He answered, “She is the leader of the women of her own world, while you are the leader of the women of your world. (2) By Allah, I have married you to a man who is a leader in this world and the Hereafter.”

Abū al-ʿAbbās al-Sarrāj related this ḥadīth from Muḥammad ibn al-Ṣabbāḥ, from ʿAlī. Kathīr is weak, and the link between him and ʿImrān is missing.

ʿIlbāʾ ibn Aḥmar, from ʿIkrimah, from Ibn ʿAbbās, reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “The best women of Paradise are Khadījah bint Khuwaylid, Fāṭimah bint Muḥammad, Mary, and Āsiyah.” (3)

Abū Jaʿfar al-Rāzī also narrated, from Thābit, from Anas, a similar statement from the Prophet ﷺ, with the wording: “The best women of all the worlds are four.”

Maʿmar, from Qatādah, from Anas—traced back to the Prophet—reported: “Sufficient for you among the women of the worlds are four…” the ḥadīth continues.

al-Tirmidhī declared this narration sound; his wording is: “Sufficient for you among the women of the worlds are Mary, Khadījah, Āsiyah daughter of Muzāḥim, and Fāṭimah daughter of Muḥammad ﷺ.” (4)