Fatimah (605/11–632/33)
Fatimah (605/11–632/33)
Islamic holy woman. Name variations: Fatima. Namesake of the Fatimid dynasty. Born in Mecca between 605 and 611 ce; died 632 or 633 ce; dau. of the Prophet Muhammad and Khadijah; sister of Zaynab, Umm Kulthum, and Ruqaiyah; m. 'Ali b. Abi Talib, 4th caliph of Islam; children: 2 daughters, Zaynab and Umm Kulthum; 2 sons, Hasan and Husain (the Shi'ite martyr, al-Husain b. 'Ali), and possibly a 3rd son named Muhassin who died in infancy.
Most famous and controversial woman from early Islamic history who, though honored by all Muslims as a participant in the 1st two formative decades of Islam, is especially significant to Shi'is of various sects since they trace their legitimacy to Muhammad through her and her descendants; was a courageous woman, who coped with loneliness, poverty, ill-health, and cataclysmic social change, but remained dutiful to her family and devoted to Islam. The principle source of information about Fatimah is the hadiths, or "reports."
See also Women in World History.