Scholar: Lady Fatima Embodies the Quranic Concept of ‘Kawthar’
Speaking to IQNA, Hojat-ol-Islam Morteza Daneshmand, a researcher at the Islamic Sciences and Culture Academy in Qom, explained that the Quranic term Kawthar — mentioned in Surah al-Kawthar — refers to “the source of abundant good.”
He said, “More than twenty interpretations have been offered for Kawthar, but given its contrast with abtar and the consoling tone of the Surah toward the Prophet (PBUH), the clearest instance of Kawthar is Lady Fatima al-Zahra (SA).”
Daneshmand noted that linguistically, Kawthar is linked to the idea of constant flow and giving: “The word refers to something whose nature is abundance. Like a spring that flows and gives life, Fatima (SA) was a source of spiritual, intellectual, and moral vitality.”
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He contrasted Kawthar with takathur — the worldly pursuit of accumulation — explaining that while Kawthar produces growth and generosity, takathur leads to waste and greed. “A person blessed with Kawthar makes the best use of even limited means,” he said.
Turning to Lady Fatima’s social and intellectual roles, Daneshmand described her as “a model of multidimensional leadership.” While her familial roles as daughter, wife, and mother are well known, he emphasized that “she also played profound intellectual, social, and political roles that have yet to be fully studied.”
Daneshmand added that Fatima (SA) was also “a perceptive interpreter of the Quran,” able to uncover its hidden layers and apply them to the social realities of her time.
He cited her sermon in which she questioned the denial of her inheritance: “O son of Abu Quhafah! Has God commanded that you inherit from your father while I am denied inheritance from mine? Have you deliberately abandoned the Book of God?”
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He further described her as “a great critic of social decline,” who spoke out both against the ruling system and the complacency of the people. “Her legacy,” he concluded, “is the living expression of the Prophet’s (PBUH) saying: ‘My daughter Fatima is the leader of the women of the worlds.’”
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