The surprising connection between Our Lady of Fatima and Islam

As we approach the 100th anniversary of the apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima, one aspect that often goes unnoticed is the subtle connection with Islam - Aleteia news service reports. The Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to the three shepherd children near the city of Fatima, Portugal, a place named after both a Muslim princess and the daughter of Mohammed.

During the 12th century, Christian armies sought to recapture cities in Spain and Portugal that were being occupied by Muslim forces. In this time period, a knight named Goncalo Hermigues and his companions captured a Muslim princess named Fatima. Some stories say that after her capture, Fatima fell in love with Goncalo and the two were soon after betrothed. Before their marriage Fatima was baptized into the Catholic faith and took the name Oureana. The Portuguese cities of Fatima and Ourem are said to be named after this Muslim princess.

What's interesting is that the Muslim princess was named after one of the daughters of Mohammed, Fatimah bint Muhammad, a woman highly revered in Islam. She was given the title, al-Zahra, "shining one," and Mohammed once said about her, "Thou shalt be the most blessed of all the women in Paradise, after Mary." (While Muslims do not hold the same beliefs about the Virgin Mary as Catholics, they still hold her with highest regard.

To read on see: http://aleteia.org/2017/05/07/the-surprising-connection-between-our-lady-of-fatima-and-islam/