Scholars Highlight Sayyida Fatima’s (peace be upon her) Enduring Influence on Faith, Scholarship, and Modern Muslim Identity

Scholars Highlight Sayyida Fatima’s (peace be upon her) Enduring Influence on Faith, Scholarship, and Modern Muslim Identity
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Two prominent scholars from the United States and Nigeria say the life and legacy of Lady Fatima al-Zahra (SA) continue to offer powerful moral, spiritual, and intellectual guidance for Muslims worldwide, emphasizing her relevance not only in theology and history but also in contemporary discourse on women’s authority, social ethics, and role models.

More details in the following report:

Alyssa Gabbay, assistant professor of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, told IQNA that Lady Fatima’s devotion, steadfastness, and moral courage make her an enduring figure of inspiration. Gabbay, whose research focuses on early Islamic history and the pivotal role of Fatima in Islamic thought, said her life reflects “patience under suffering” as well as the duty to “speak out against injustice when it is necessary.”

Gabbay noted that Lady Fatima’s famous Sermon of Fadak remains a landmark example of women’s public moral authority in early Islam. She said its inclusion in major Shi‘i hadith compilations, and its continued study today, demonstrates her long-standing influence on Islamic intellectual traditions across centuries.
She added that both Sunni and Shia sources affirm shared values surrounding Fatima’s devotion, piety, and wisdom, pointing to examples such as Ottoman endowments and the writings of the poet Amir Khusraw.

In Nigeria, religious scholar Ahmad Thani Harith emphasized Lady Fatima’s spiritual stature through Quranic references, including the Verse of Purification (33:33), the Verse of Affection (42:23), and the Verse of Mubahala (3:61). He argued these verses highlight her infallible purity, closeness to the Prophet (PBUH), and unmatched virtue.
Harith described the Prophet’s reverence for his daughter as evidence of her elevated position, noting that she was not only a daughter, wife, and mother but a socially active and intellectually influential figure who delivered major political and religious speeches.

Both scholars stressed that Lady Fatima’s example holds urgent relevance for the modern world. Gabbay highlighted her humility, spiritual strength, and steadfastness, while Harith argued that today’s societies—facing a shortage of meaningful role models—should study her life systematically, including through academic curricula.

They agreed that Lady Fatima’s (peace be upon her) character, combining compassion, spiritual authority, and principled activism, continues to speak across sectarian boundaries and remains a unifying model for Muslims globally.