Our Lady of Fatima has a Muslim connection

According to Wikipedia, “Fatimah bint Muhammad was the youngest daughter of the Islamic Nabi (Prophet) Muhammad and (wife) Khadijah, and therefore, one of the members of Muhammad’s Bayt (household). She was the wife of ‘Ali bin Abi Talib, cousin of the Prophet.” The Shiite Muslims claim Ali was the last caliph successor of the Prophet. The Sunni Muslims disagree and claim it was Abu Bakr.

Because Muhammad loved her so much many Muslims felt privileged and proud to be called by the name Fatimah. A story is told that a Spaniard had married a Muslim called Fatimah and gave the name Fatima to the town in the village of Cova da Iria in Portugal. It should also be noted the Muslims had governed Spain and Portugal for 800 years.

So when the Blessed Virgin’s apparitions to the three children of the village became famous and approved by the Church She also came to be known as Our Lady of Fatima. Actually the full name of the Prophet’s daughter was Syeda (Lady) Fatimah bint Muhammad.

Why would the Blessed Virgin Mary be called Our Lady of Fatima, a Muslim name? We do not know. There are positive and negative speculations but are not reliable and historical. But it is a fact that the Holy Qur’an shows many more chapters than our New Testament on Mary as a pure and chaste woman and mother of Isa (Jesus) who is “the Spirit of God”. Muhammad is also reported to have said that Fatimah was the most highly favored by Allah “after Mariam”. In the meantime we have to pray and believe that nothing happens in the history of salvation without a reason.

In the next Shalom I will narrate a legend that Our Lady of Lourdes has also a Muslim connection.