Concealed behind his half-brother al-Husayn, elusive and enigmatic, as though reluctant to draw attention to himself, Abu al-Fadl al-'Abbas would eventually be propelled into pre-eminence by history, revered by millions as 'the water bearer', 'the father of excellence', and 'the moon of the Hashemites'. A silently valiant man who rarely speaks although, when necessary, is the first to do so, Abu al-Fadl named by 'Ali his father for his lion-like ferocity, would be for al-Husayn a diplomat and negotiator, the carrier of the standard and an archetype of selflessness, the intrepid outrider for water, and the last man standing. His unflagging support for his half-brother is iconic, no less so than his stance as the anti-model for those who betrayed al-Husayn's cause.
The only child of Muhammad to survive him, Fatima was from early times taken up by Shi'a Islam, for whose adherents she is the virgin mother, the heavenly intercessor with untold power before God's throne, and the grieving mother of al-Husayn, the Shi'a's most important martyr.
The story of Muhammad's granddaughter Zaynab.
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