Famous Women in Islamic History

1
Famous Women in Islamic History
2
Muslim Women in History

• Scholars and Muhaddithat
• Worshippers and Mystics
• Orators and Preachers
• Warriors
• Benefactors
• Women of General Excellence
• Poetesses and Women of Eloquence
• Many Women of Political Acumen

3
Some Generalizations About Women in the Prophetic
Age

• Critical Consciousness
• Counselors
• Women and the Hijaab
• Women at Work
• Facility of Movement
• Women and Dynamic Participation
• Rich, Mature, Helpful, Honorable Lives
• Knowledgeable

4
KHADIJAH THE ARCHETYPE

• Family and Character
• Wealth and Status
• The First of the Believers
• Esteemed Counselor

5
Famous Companion Women

• Sumayya - first martyr of Islam
• Umm Aiman Barakah
• Umm Salamah
• Fatima
• Samra bint Nuhayk al Asadiyya - market inspector
• Ash Shifa bint Abdullah - skilled in medicine
  public administration - Umar appoints her wali of
  administration of the marketplace
• Too many!

6
WARRIOR WOMEN

• Took part in battles by carrying water, nursing
  wounded, some also fought!
• Safiyya bint Abdul Muttalib, ras saw aunt killed
  a spy with a tent pole
• Khaibar Umayyah bint Qais the women of Banu
  Ghifaar
• The Yarmuk contingent
• Azdah bint al Harith Heroine of Battle of
  Maisaan - banners made out of headscarves to
  reinforce the army!
• THE BLACK KNIGHT Khawlah bint al-Azwar

7
Nusaibah bint Kab al-Ansariyah

• Al-Aqabah
• The Battle of Uhud
• The Prophets Praise - I did not turn right or
  left in the Battle of Uhud but that I saw her
  fighting near me.
• Her Wounds
• Later Events Ridwaan Yamaamah

8
Muslim Women and Hadith

• Women An Essential Element From the Beginning to
  the End
• Bearing the Light of Aishah
• Transmitters of Hadith Scholars of Hadith
• Transmitters Raawiyaat
• From the Prophetic Period till the Compilations
• Scholars Muhaddithaat
• From the Compilations till the modern age

9
Aishah The Greatest Woman of Her Age

• Aishahs Breadth
• Aishah the Scholar of Law
• Aishah the Giver of Fatwaas Independent
  Rulings
• Transmitter of Hadith Among The Six Transmitters
  of 1000 (Aishah 2210)
• Aishah as Educator and Public Speaker
• Aishah Teacher of a Nation
• The Seven Fuqahaa of Madinah Maalik
• Aishah Unmatched in Eloquence and Oratory
• Whenever we Companions of the Prophet encountered
  any difficulty in the matter of any hadith we
  referred it to Aishah and found that she had
  definite knowledge about it. (Abu Musa al-Ash'ar)

10
Women of Power

• The number of women who were politically
  prominent are well over a hundred Umayyads,
  Abbasids, Turks, Persians, Mongols, Indians, and
  others.
• Shajar ad-Durr - Sultana est control over Egypt,
  led resistance against 7th Crusade, captures
  leader St. Louis
• Shaghab - ruled Abbasid empire for a time, helped
  public audiences, governors and judges reported
  to her
• Radiyah Begum - ruled Delhi took firm control of
  the govt., did justice, led her armies and was
  famed for fair dealing.
• Two Rulers in Modern Times Sakandar Begum took
  authority in the principality of Bhopal in
  Central India- Great pilgrimage 1863 daughter
  ruled until 1901
• Contemporary times

11
Al Udar al-Karimah Shihaab ad Din Salaah

• Died 762 H / 1360 CE - VICEGERENT QUEEN OF YAMAN
• Lordly Lady of Piety, Goodness, Sharp
  Intelligence, Decisive Resolve, Calm Forbearance,
  Supreme Political Acumen
• Patroness of Scholars and Upright Men of
  Religious Piety
• Champion of the Poor and Needy She would go
  secretly from house to house of the poor, seeking
  to learn their needs and giving them Generous
  Gifts
• She built great schools and mosques in Zabid,
  Taizz, and throughout the land
• In the 14 Months of Her Sons Absence (Jihad to
  protect the Egypt)
• She Established Internal Security in Yaman
• She Established Administrative Order
• She Established JUSTICE throughout the land
• She Did Remarkable Good by way of Charity

12
Famous Women Benefactors in Islam

• Mosque endowments, Great School Builders,
  Stipulations and Trusts
• Turkaan Khatuun 487 / 1094, wife of Malik Shah
• Radiyah Begum of the Dehli Sultanate
• Nur Jehan Jehangir - The Coinage, Helping the
  People, Hindu Reform
• Saint of Fez Fatimah al-Fihriyah d. 265/ 880
• Her Family and Inheritance, The Qarawiyiin Mosque
  Project
• Al Andalus mosque in Fez built by sister
• Banafshaa ar-Rumiyah d. 399 / 1008
• Restorer of a City Renovating Baghdad
• Her Own School and Endowment, Her Special Zakat
  al-Fitr

13
Zubaidah bt Ja'far b al-Mansur d. 216/831

• Wealthiest and most powerful woman in the world
  of her time.
• Wife of Harun ar-Rashid
• Benefactor of political acumen and standing.
• Noble woman. Great wealth. Generosity.
  Munificence.
• Great Intellect and profound opinions.
• Eloquent master of Arabic
• Builder of cities and Civilization
• Makkahs Water Supply
• The Pilgrimage Route
• Patroness of Writers, Poets, and Physicians -
  even Christians, the poor the needy, religious
  scholars and men of piety

14
Famous Women of Knowledge in Islam

• Law and General Islamic Sciences
• The Legacy of the Prophets Wives and Companions
• Rabi'ah Bint Mu'awwad - great scholar of fiqh,
  taught ntellectual scholars of Madina
• Umm 'Atiyyah - sahabah and learned scholars among
  the tabi'een used to come to her to learn various
  aspects of Islamic jurisprudence, narrated many
  ahadith.
• A'isha bint Sa'd bint ibn Abi Waqqas - daughter
  of great Sahabi. She was very learned in Islamic
  sciences to the point that Imam Malik, Hakim ibn
  Utaybah and Ayyub as Sakhtiyani, the famous
  jurists and scholars of ahadith were her pupils.
• Sayyida Nafisa Granddaughter of Hasan - A large
  number of pupils came to her from different
  places to learn from her. Imam Shafi'i was one of
  her pupils.
• Fatima bint Qays - discussed a juristic point
  with 'Umar and 'A'isha. Imam Nawawi said, "She
  was one of those who migrated in the early days,
  and possessed great intellect and excellence.
• Hafsa bint Sirin - sister of M. Sirin. Memorized
  Quran at 12, read 1/2 Quran each night. Prayed
  and fasted incessantly.

15
Famous Muslim Women Poetess

• Walladah bint Mustakfi (c. 1001-1080 C.E.) -
  daughter of the caliph of Cordoba in Islamic
  Spain. Cordoba was a tolerant, multicultural
  society, famous for its many libraries and
  sophisticated literary life, in which women were
  often scholars. After her father's death,
  Walladah inherited enough wealth to guarantee her
  independence. She was well known as a poet and
  hosted literary gatherings for both men and
  women.
• Nana Asmau, Maryam bint Sh. Uthman dan Fodio -
  poems and compendiums on legal commentaries

16
Rabia al Adawiya al Qadsiyya

• Named rabia 4th girl, orphan, slavery, freed,
  known as Rabia of Basra
• Retreated to desert for life of worship
• Led a life of poverty and rejected rich marriage
  offers
• Many famous ppl came to learn from her including
  Hasan al Basri
• Rabi'a is probably best known for her emphasis on
  unselfish love for Allah (swt) loving Allah
  (swt) only for His sake, and not for fear of
  punishment or desire of reward. She prayed
• "O Allah! If I worship You for fear of Hell, burn
  me in Hell, and if I worship You in hope of
  Paradise, exclude me from Paradise. But if I
  worship You for Your Own sake, grudge me not Your
  everlasting Beauty. "

17
The Critical Consciousness of the Companion Women

• What made them amazing?
• Women are the full sisters of men
• Full Social and Political Participation
• Work in and outside the Home
• Social Contributions
• Social and Societal Maturity
• Education Obtained Ijazas, attended study
  circles, taught others, est. institutions

18
Quranic Women

• Hawwa - not to blame
• Maryam - Quranic ideal
• Bilqis - queen of sheeba - consulted advisors,
  ruled her kingdom, passes judgements, leads her
  ppl to Islam
• Asiyaa wife of Firawn, saves Musa
• Wife of Aziz, Ibrahim, Lut
• Response to women - Mujadilah

19
Contemporary Heroines

• Zaynab al Ghazali - Return of the Pharoah
• Maryum Jameelah -prolific author, corresponded
  with Maududi
• Khadijah Haffajee
• Shahina Siddiqui
• Ingrid Mattson
• Maha Genaidi
• ...

20
Conclusions

• Finding the balance
• Searching Out the Real Picture
• Our Need of a Definitive View
• Himaar Miskeen ) - moral for Muslim women of
  today