Lady Fatima a Light of Perseverance, Faith that Still Radiates Today: American Professor
In a conversation with IQNA, Mary Thurlkill, Professor of Religion at the University of Mississippi, reflects on her research and personal engagement with the life and legacy of Lady Fatima al-Zahra (SA), describing her as “a fierce protector of her family, an advocate for justice, and a faithful submitter to God.”
Thurlkill, a specialist in comparative religion and gender studies, is the author of Chosen Among Women: Mary and Fatima in Medieval Christianity and Shiʿite Islam (University of Notre Dame Press, 2007).
The book examines how each figure became a symbol of holiness, moral authority, and communal identity, revealing both parallels and differences in how Christian and Shia communities imagined sacred womanhood.
Speaking to IQNA, Thurlkill shared how her engagement with Islamic sources deepened her admiration for Fatima al-Zahra (SA). “When I first started learning about Fatima,” she said, “I was most impressed by her resilience — as daughter, wife, and mother.”
The following is the full text of IQNA’s conversation with Dr. Thurlkill.
IQNA: As someone outside the Islamic tradition, what aspect of Fatima’s character moved or impressed you most?
Thurlkill: When I first started learning about Fatima, I was most impressed, I think, by her resilience as both daughter, wife, and mother, and the intimate insight that the Hadith and the histories provide us.
That's one of the things that I love about Islamic history and tradition: it gives us an honest understanding of life and how difficult it can sometimes be. And reading about Fatima, she had struggles, and it seems in almost every aspect of her life, whether it be as the daughter of the beloved Prophet or a mother. She got up every day and did it. She was very resilient. And I loved that about Hadith as well because we didn't just get this idealized image of who she must have been, but we get to see her suffering and her joys and her struggles and then eventually her reward. So that was my introduction to Fatima, and that's what made her very dear to me.
IQNA: What lessons do you think Lady Fatima’s life offers modern women — Muslim or non-Muslim — who are navigating issues of faith, family, and moral integrity in today’s world?
Thurlkill: Fatima al-Zahra provides an example of great perseverance; she continues to "radiate light," even in the most difficult of circumstances. Islamic tradition — uniquely, I think, compared with early Christian tradition — allows us to see the struggles she (and the early umma) faced, instead of just an idealized portrayal of holiness.
In the midst of everything, she loved her family and remained faithful. It's impossible to go a day in this world without encountering suffering, but-- as Fatima, we can still radiate light. Of course, men as well as women can be inspired by her example.
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IQNA: In your view, how can the study of figures like Mary and Fatima help bridge understanding between Christians and Muslims — and perhaps between Western academia and Islamic scholarship?
Thurlkill: I think it's human nature to think "comparatively" — meaning, as I learn about the world around me, I make sense of it through my own experiences and cultural "origin."
For the Western world, the Virgin Mary has symbolized different religious and ethical priorities throughout history — everything from sexual purity to maternal compassion.
When Western readers compare those 'meanings' with other figures — like Fatima — I think it suggests the shared ethical foundations of Christianity and Islam.
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IQNA: Some Muslim readers feel that Western studies of Islamic sacred personalities can be detached or overly critical. How do you think academic scholarship can show reverence without compromising objectivity?
Thurlkill: This is such an important question; as a teacher of "comparative religion," I try to emphasize two points in the classroom. First, I think we as human beings can find wisdom in most world traditions, especially through the lives of great teachers, prophets, and saints.
I usually reference Quran 49.13 here; God creates nations and tribes so that we can know one another. Our diversity is not a mistake. Second, a little humility goes a long way.
There's a Catholic teaching in the Nostra Aetate that says that no system or tradition is perfect, but people themselves must strive for perfection together.
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IQNA: If you were to revisit the topic today, with what you’ve learned since 2007, is there anything you would revise, expand, or reframe about your portrayal of Lady Fatima (SA)? And did your understanding of Lady Fatima (SA) evolve through the process of researching and writing this book?
Thurlkill: If I were to revisit the topic today, I would focus more on Muslims' rituals and commemorations; i.e., how Muslims have celebrated Fatima's life, both historically and today.
In 2007, as a young scholar, I had little money for international travel and my primary sources were paper copies in libraries. Today, I can visit online chatrooms and scholarly discussions about Fatima and her family; and, travel is a little easier (Turkey, Egypt, Joran).
Visiting beautiful historic mosques and speaking with men and women who venerate the Ahl al-Bayt has taught me so much.
IQNA: If you were to summarize Lady Fatima al-Zahra (SA) in a few words — not as a scholar, but as a human being encountering her legacy — how would you describe her?
Thurlkill: I would describe Fatima as a fierce protector of her family, an advocate for justice, and a faithful submitter to God — even when all these things were difficult to do.
