“Fātima and her daughter Zaynab in the struggle against tyranny and injustice (Fātima after the death of her father and Zaynab after Karbalā’) provide contemporary women with archetypes or models for standing firm in some of the struggles humanity faces today.
Quite clearly, both were involved with major, transformative socio-political struggles, struggles that few of us will ever have to face. But each of us must, every day without fail, make moral and ethical decisions about how we are going to behave or speak, how we are going to think or react.
In these daily struggles to be faithful to everything that is just and true and moral – our own private Karbalā’ moments – both Fātima and Zaynab offer us a template or example of standing firm, no matter what the odds. But they were also both human beings – no matter what their spiritual gifts, they were both women, wives, mothers, daughters. They understood loss and fear and grief. It is this – their humanity combined with their courage – that makes them such important role models. And they cut across religious, political, cultural and social boundaries. They are not just models of courage and truth for Muslims. Or for women. They are archetypes for everyone.”
Father. Christopher Clohessy: Catholic priest. Author of: ‘Fatima Daughter of Muhammad’ and ‘The Narratives of Zaynab bt. Ali’ (Gorgias Press)