Fatima and the Daughters of Muhammad

Fatima and the Daughters of Muhammad (French Fatima et les Filles de Mahomet) is a book written by Henri Lammens (Rome and Paris: Scripta Pontificii Instituti Biblici, 1912), in which he claims that Muhammad had not intended his succession to go through children of Fatima and she was not Muhammad's favourite daughter.^[1] He also claims that Muhammad's household, the Ahl al-Bayt, consisted exclusively of his wives, to the exclusion of his blood relations.^[2] Louis Massignon criticized Lammens for 'misinforming' his readers with his 'far too cynical and disparaging study' of Fatima.^[3]

According to Ibn Warraq, the book substantiates that all data concerning material favourable to Fatima, Ali and their children is subject to a searching criticism, however Lammens collected all material pertaining to anti-Ali and Fatima without considering whether something is right or wrong. He points out that a biography of the Prophet compiled by Lammens was never published by express orders from Rome, as its publication might have embarrassed the Holy See.^[4]