Excerpt from 'Fatima Bint Asad (a)':
The lofty and superior personality of Fatima Bint Asad (a) – a woman who strove in the cause of God – can be considered from two angles: her roles as a guardian for the Holy Prophet (s) and in raising her son, Imam Ali (a). This paper studies some of her traits of character such as her devotion to God, wilayah, and jihad, as well as her presence in the cultural, political, and social arenas. A study of her life results in an understanding of her steadfastness in safeguarding and disseminating Islamic values, her existential and ideological nearness to the Prophet Muhammad (s) and Imam Ali (a), and her deep insight, wisdom, and piety.
The lofty character of Fatima Bint Asad (a) is known analytically and comprehensively for two reasons:
a. She was an exemplary woman in early Islam and a shining example of faith, struggle in the way of God, and insight and forbearance in the ideological, political, and social arenas.
b. She was an influential and competent mother who played a vital role in both her family and society. She was the mother of Imam Ali (a) who was a source of truthfulness, wisdom, and gnosis and the embodiment of justice and rationality. She was also a role model for all worshippers and mystics.
People have always been - and still are - in need of and eager for such eternal role models for mankind who went beyond time, place, and language and played a dynamic and decisive role in history.