CHOSEN AMONG WOMEN THURLKILL Mary and Fatima in Medieval Christianity and Shi`ite Islam Mary F. Thurlkill “One of the solid, important aspects of this creative coupling of Mary and Fatima is that a Christian-trained audience of various disciplines may be gently led by the author to consider Islam within their medieval worldview through her analysis of CHOSEN AMONG WOMEN a worthy comparative Muslim ideal. This comparison ups the ante in the field of comparative religion and gender in the premodern period.” —Denise Spellberg, University of Texas “Thurlkill has produced a remarkable study, a model for comparative work in the history of religions. The book is original, well-researched, and shows great erudi- tion. Thurlkill’s original acumen is brought to bear on a rich and variegated topic CHOSEN that has for too long been ignored by specialists not willing to move beyond the confines of overly determined areas of research.” —Brannon Wheeler, United States Naval Academy AMONG Chosen among Women: Mary and Fatima in Medieval Christianity and Shi`ite Islam combines historical analysis with the tools of gender studies and religious studies to compare the roles of the Virgin Mary in medieval Christianity with those of Fatima, daughter of the prophet Muhammad, in Shi`ite Islam. The book explores WOMEN the proliferation of Marian imagery in late antiquity through the writings of church fathers and in popular hagiography. It examines how Merovingian authors assimilated powerful queens and abbesses to a Marian prototype to articulate Mary and Fatima in their political significance and, at the same time, censure holy women’s public appeal. Mary Thurlkill focuses equally on the importance of Fatima in the evolu- Medieval Christianity tion of Shi`ite identity throughout the Middle East. She examines how scholars such as Muhammad Baqir al-Majlisi advertised Fatima as a symbol of the Shi`ite holy family and its glorified status in paradise, while simultaneously binding her and Shi`ite Islam as a mother to the domestic sphere and patriarchal authority. This important comparative look at feminine ideals in both Shi`ite Islam and medieval Christianity is of relevance and value in the modern world. It will be welcomed by scholars and students of Islam, comparative religion, medieval Christianity, and gender studies. MARY F. THURLKILL is assistant professor of religion at the University of Mississippi. University of Notre Dame Press Notre Dame, IN 46556 www.undpress.nd.edu Cover design by James F. Brisson MARY F. THURLKILL Thurlkill Cover.indd 1 10/6/07 1:20:39 PM Chosen among Women Chosen among Women Mary and Fatima in Medieval Christianity and Shi`ite Islam Mary F. Thurlkill University of Notre Dame Press Notre Dame, Indiana Copyright © 2007 by University of Notre Dame Notre Dame, Indiana 46566 www.undpress.nd.edu All Rights Reserved Manufactured in the United States of America Reprinted in 2010 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Thurlkill, Mary F., 1969– Chosen among women : Mary and Fatima in medieval Christianity and Shi`ite Islam / Mary F. Thurlkill. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references (p. ) and index. ISBN-13: 978-0-268-04231-8 (pbk. : alk. paper) ISBN-10: 0-268-04231-4 (pbk. : alk. paper) 1. Mary, Blessed Virgin, Saint—History of doctrines—Middle Ages, 600–1500. 2. Fatimah, d. 632 or 3. 3. Shi`ah—Doctrines—History. I. Title BT612.T48 2007 232.91—dc22 2007033025 This book is printed on recycled paper. Thurkill_FINAL.indd iv 9/26/2007 7:52:04 AM For Edmund and Geraldine Thurlkill And for my students, who always challenge and inspire Contents Acknowledgments ix Preliminary Notes xi Introduction 1 One Holy Women in Context 11 Two Holy Women in Holy Texts 27 Three Virgins and Wombs 41 Four Mothers and Families 67 Five Sacred Art and Architecture: Holy Women in Built Form 99 Conclusion 119 Appendix: Genealogies 125 Glossary of Arabic Terms 129 List of Abbreviations 133 Notes 135 Bibliography 179 Index 201 Acknowledgments When time for writing these acknowledgments approached, I noticed a sharp increase in my propensity for procrastination. I have lived with Mary and Fatima for so long, providing the fi nal touches to the manu- script feels like a death of sorts, not only the end of a research project, but also the loss of a part of myself. I fi rst met medieval Mary and Fatima when I was an undergraduate at the University of Arkansas; they fol- lowed me to Indiana University for my graduate work and to Southern Arkansas University for my fi rst academic post. They remain close by, now at the University of Mississippi, as I begin the tenure process. The Blessed Virgin and Fatima al-Zahra have remained my constants as I moved across various state lines, making new friends and leaving old ones and learning to face the challenges of life in academia. It is with profound humility and sadness that I now complete my time spent with their lives and legacies and introduce them to my readers. Because this study has consumed me for so many years, there are many people to thank for their continued support and encouragement. First, however, I should like to recognize the generosity of Southern Arkansas University and Ole Miss; both institutions provided summer research funds that allowed me time to write. Various colleagues and friends also made this book possible: Paul Babbitt, who counted my para- digm shifts; David Brakke and Dyan Elliot, who read early drafts; Jan and Bonnie Duke; Chris and Maren Foley; Ben Johnson; the Rasmussen clan, who protected my sanity; William Tucker; Mary Jo Weaver; and James Willis. I especially want to thank two mentors and friends, Lynda Coon and Scott Alexander. I met Lynda when I was an undergraduate, and ix x Acknowledgments she challenged my notions of history, religion, and gender. During her classes, I reexamined everything I thought I knew about myself and the world around me. She continued to offer advice—and sometimes threats—throughout my graduate career; and she provided a critical reading of the manuscript in its fi nal stages. Her comments revealed her stunningly sophisticated insights that compelled me to rewrite and revise in imitation of her own scholarship (though not always success- fully). Scott Alexander, my mentor at Indiana University, introduced me to the mysteries of the Arabic language and guided me with ques- tions and comments during hours of conversation about Shi`ism, the holy family, and comparative religion. I remain in awe of his breadth of knowledge, generous spirit, and masterful teaching. In view of Lynda and Scott’s constant encouragement, it seems disingenuous to present this work as wholly my own—I can hear their comments, opinions, and critiques blending with my analysis in conversation (and sometimes dis- agreement) about medieval hagiography, holiness, and gender. Without their voices, this book would not exist. Preliminary Notes Translations The Latin and Arabic transliterations for all extensive quotations are provided in the notes. Modern translations that I consulted are identifi ed following the appropriate citation. I have attempted to render all important Latin and Arabic terms into English. I have retained two Arabic designations that, because of their mystical bent, escape a literal translation: nur, or light, is the pre existent form of Muhammad and the Imams who resided on Allah’s throne in paradise; ahl al-bayt, or people of the house, refers to Muhammad’s family. According to Shi`ite theology, Allah awards the Prophet’s family, the ahl al-bayt, special authority and status among humanity. The appen- dix includes a glossary of Arabic terms for nonspecialists. Transliteration I have standardized as many Arabic transliterations as possible, so I do not use the macron or underdot in the body of the text. I do include all diacritical marks in the notes, following the transliteration guide ad- hered to by the International Journal of Middle East Studies. I do not include diacritics for common words and names; for example, the ahl al-bayt’s names are rendered as Muhammad, Fatima, `Ali, Hasan, and Husayn throughout the text and notes. xi xii Preliminary Notes Dates The standard Gregorian dating system is employed throughout the work. Therefore, all Islamic dates (AH) are converted to common era (CE). Introduction Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you. Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. (Luke 1.28–30) Allah has chosen you and purifi ed you and chosen you above women of all peoples. (Qur’an 3.42) According to both Christianity and Islam, the angel Gabriel delivered the above pronouncements to Mary, informing her that she would give birth to a son even though she was a virgin. Mary obeyed God’s will and bore the Christians’ God-Man and the Muslims’ great prophet, `Isa / Jesus. Shi`ite tradition relates that Gabriel repeated the same Qur’anic pro- nouncement to another favored woman, Fatima, the prophet Muham- mad’s daughter, also known as Maryam al-kubra, or Mary the Greater.1 For Shi`ites God chose both women for a sublime purpose, mothers of an exalted progeny; yet Fatima, as Maryam al-kubra, surpasses Mary in both purity and divine favor. Mary and Fatima afford scholars of medieval Christianity, Islam, and gender studies an opportunity to examine feminine imagery in sacred tra- ditions. Christian authors elevated Mary as Christ’s mother, and Shi`ite authors recognized Fatima’s offspring as their community’s infallible 1 2 Chosen among Women leaders (called Imams). Both religions asserted the holy women’s won- drous bodies and deeds without compromising their more conservative feminine ideals. As Mary and Fatima performed miracles, rewarded the pious, and punished the heretical, they also remained submissive, chaste, and immaculate.