Women in Islam Timeline

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Sitt al-Mulk

Sitt al-Mulk, daughter of the Fatimid caliph al-Aziz, becomes the regent for Ali az-Zahir, the seventh Fatimid Caliph, in 1021. 

Although she only governed for two years, she was able to engage in diplomatic affairs with the Byzantine Empire and reorganize administrative affairs. She un-did some laws her brother, Caliph al-Hakim, had passed, re-allowing music, wine and jewelry. 

Sitt al-Mulk was also known for being tolerant towards Christians and Jews.

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image source: deadfeminists

In 859, Fatima al-Fihri creates the University of al-Qarawiyyin, in Fez, Morocco. Using her inheritance from her father, she founded a mosque. It eventually became an educational establishment, and the first institution to grant educational degrees.

To this day, it is considered the oldest existing and continually operating university in the world.

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The mausoleum of Bibi Pāk Dāman (بی بی پاکدامن) in Lahore, Pakistan is believed to hold the graves of six women from the Prophet Muhammad’s household, including Bibi Ruqayyah bint ‘Ali, the daughter of ‘Ali ibn Abu Talib. The five other women are believed to be Ruqayyah’s sisters-in-law and the daughters of her late husband.

There are different stories that would explain their presence in Pakistan; a common one is said to start on ‘Ali death bed.

He is said to have instructed his daughters to proselytize Islam in different regions and asked Ruqayyah to go to what is now known as Pakistan.

She experienced great success in her mission and converted masses of lower-caste Hindus. This change in society upset the Hindu ruler, as well as the Umayyad Caliphate, which had territories in the area. They are believed to have sent an army led by Muhammad bin Qasim, with the intent on killing Bibi Ruqayyah bint ‘Ali and her community. However, he was defeated; he converted to Islam during his capture and turned against the Caliphate.

Due to increased risk of assassination, she arrived in Lahore in 707, where she was once again threatened: the Hindu Raj sent an army with his son at its command. However, Ruqayyah was successful at converting him, defeating the Umayyad Caliphate and the Hindu power once again.

Bibi Ruqayyah bint ‘Ali’s success story in spreading Islam helps giving legitimacy to the idea that Islam has roots in Pakistan and the Indian subcontinent, rather than being imposed on the population by foreign powers.

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Khadijah

Khadijah was a wealthy trader in the city of Mecca in the late sixth century. She married twice and became a widow. After hearing about Mohammed’s reputation as a trader, she decided to send him on a trading expedition in Syria. Upon his success, she sent one of her friends to approach him and see whether he would consider marrying her.

Muhammad, although interested, said that he would not be able to ask for her hand, given his status. Upon hearing the news, Khadijah decided to ask him to marry her, which he accepted. Thus, she became the first wife of Prophet Muhammad around 595. She is believed to have been 40 at the time, although some scholars have argued that she was 28.

When her husband started to hear revelations, he came to her and she comforted him, believing in the message he was receiving. Her cousin, Waraqah ibn Nawfal, a Christian, also made him feel more secure about his revelations, as the Prophet was showing signs he was waiting for.

Although Khadijah might not have had such an important role in spreading Islam per se, her influence on the start of Islam is undeniable. It can be argued that if she had not believed in her husband’s revelation, he might not have believed them. Her support and confidence in him surely had a great impact. Khadijah became the first Muslim and helped the Prophet gain in confidence to preach to the public. It is unlikely that Islam would have become the religion it is today without her.

She was also Fatimah’s mother, the wife of ‘Ali; both of whom became important figures for Muslims.

Khadijah’s death in 619, as well as Muhammad’s uncle, Abu Talib, led to a turn in the history of Islam: it left the Prophet without much support and forced him to exile in Medina in 622. This moment, known as hijra, marks the first year of the Muslim calendar.

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In Malaysia, where the state is secular but the official religion is Islam, and where Islam is very intertwined with politics, Zainah Anwar, an activist and a Muslim Feminist, has headed the civil society organization Sisters in Islam for two decades and now is a member of its board of directors, after developing it from a small organization into an NGO with a global reach, and a powerful voice in international forums.

In 1987, what began as an innovative movement of a group of women lawyers and a journalist seeking to tackle problems Muslim women envisaged with the courts, was consolidated in 1990 as Sisters in Islam. The organization sought to contest laws and policies formulated in the name of Islam, that are discriminatory against women. It later expanded its mandate to confront issues in democracy, human rights and constitutionalism

Appalled at what was presented in the ceramahs (speech in which a candidate running for elections presents his program, in attempt to gain the constituency’s adherence), the sisters instrumentalized their own delicate reading and meticulous interpretation of the Quran to challenge existing interpretations that disadvantaged women’s status. This discovery of the feminist lens of the Quran has deemed them to be criticized heavily by the Malaysian Islamic Party.

Ex: On polygamy, the Quran specifies "If you cannot treat them the same, then marry just the one”

Anwar has thus set the building block in the public space for dialogue and debate, and for the empowerment of women, by offering them a space to voice their contestation to the rights given to them under Syariah Law (Sharia law).

By offering Malaysian women opportunities and spreading knowledge through educational programmes, Sisters in Islam have made it very clear that matters concerning Muslim women are "not the monopoly of religious scholars. Everyone has the right to speak".

Sisters in Islam has been a leading voice in demanding amendments to Islamic Family Law, promoting necessarily equality and justice for women, examining necessary liberties in Islam, defending the right to guardianship for women, touching on matters of dress and modesty, women as judges, as well as on matters of apostasy and religious freedom.

The Sisters have emphasized the multiplicity of interpretations of Islam, and through careful research and debate with authorities locally and internationally, have examined the diversity of interpretations to assess "which opinions we want to follow and codify".

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Muslim women have always been part of the Islamicate culture, but their role was limited to be within the cultural productions rather than being cultural producers. After some legal reforms in the late 19th Century in the Ottoman Empire, women began to be more active participants in the public sphere. This development led women to enter different realms such as literature:

Fatma Aliye (born in 1862, died in 1913 in Constantinople) is the first female Ottoman novelist, also known to be an intellectual and a feminist. She is the daughter of a historian and jurist man named Ahmet Cevdet Pasha. She grew up in an upper-class family which gave her access to quality education. She was fluent in both French and Arabic.

Fatma’s first novel is called “Dreams and Reality” (1891). She collaborated with Ahmet Mithat for the story. They shared the writing as he wrote the parts about the male character and she wrote about the woman character. The book was unfortunately not published under her name.

Fatma Aliye succeeded in publishing her first book under her name called “Muhadarat” in 1892, in which she argues against the idea that women cannot forget their first love. Later on, she became a columnist in women’s magazines in Constantinople. 

In 1897, she founded the “Society supporting Women of the Ottoman Empire” and had an active role in the Ottoman civil society. Her fluency in French made her translate several novels from French.

Her influence and the importance of her work is greatly remembered in Turkey. Because she is a pioneer in female literature, there are two streets in Turkey that have her name in Istanbul and Ankara.

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Kosem Sultan was the last and perhaps most influential female ruler of the Ottoman Empire. She had such an effect during her tenure as leader, that after her death noblemen in her country vowed to never give a woman such power again.

She was born as Anastasia, a slave from Bosnia who was chosen by Sultan Ahmed as someone to trust, and later received the Turkish name ‘Mahpeyker’ meaning ‘moon-like face’ in Persian. She is believed to have been highly intelligent, beautiful and particularly manipulative. Ahmed gave her the name ‘Kosem’, meaning ‘sheep leading the herd’ and many even believe she was responsible for his (Ahmed’s) murder.

Kosem fought alongside her sons for the majority of her lifetime and became an extremely powerful ruler, acting as a regent who dethroned and imprisoned many of the opposition to her rule.

Kosem was eventually murdered by her daughter-in-law, Turhan Hatice Sultan as revenge for Kosem’s murdered son Ibrahim (who she killed herself).

Kosem’s legacy is one of no mercy for political enemies, yet also one who cared for the poor people who asked her for help. Her death brought the end of an influential period for women in Topkaki Palace. 

She can be remembered as being a stronger and more radical politician than many women in history and was seen as a forceful figure dressed in a female kaftan.

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“Undefined” by Kelly Izdhihar Crosby

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Fatima

Fatima was the youngest and most beloved daughter of Prophet Muhammad and Khadijah. She is famous for her astonishingly divine and humane character, second only to the Prophets.  Fatima was only 5 years old when her father was chosen as the last Prophet of Allah, and she readily accepted Islam at such a young age. Her tremendous love for her father is highlighted in many instances, for example when the Prophet was mistreated and abused by the Quraysh tribe, she was determined to stand by him and not give in to fear.  The closeness of the relationship between Fatima and the Prophet is evident through the Prophet’s words, “he who harms her, harms me”.  Fatima is also revered for how she stepped up to take care of her father after the death of her mother, Khadijah. For this reason, she was often called “Umm Abiiha” (the mother of her father).  Fatima is held in extremely high regard by all Muslims, but especially by Shias because she was the wife of Ali, the first Imam, and mother of Hasan and Husayn, the second and third Imams.

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Aisha

Aisha was the third and youngest wife of Prophet Muhammad, and daughter of Abu Bakr, the first Caliph of Islam and the Prophet’s dear companion.  Aisha played an integral role in the spread of Islam, during and after the Prophet’s lifetime. She was blessed with an excellent memory, which she used to spread knowledge about the Quran, and teach Muslims about the practices of the Prophet long after his death.  Aisha’s importance in Islam is highlighted by the fact that she was often present when the Prophet received revelations from Allah. In fact, many ayats of the Quran were revealed to the Prophet because of Aisha. For example, when she was accused of adultery by the hypocrites, Allah revealed verses 11-21 of Surah an Nur in her defense.  Aisha is undoubtedly a leading figure in Islamic history, due to the important influence she had on the development of Islamic society and the spread of Islam.  During the Prophet’s lifetime, Aisha devoted her time to learning his teachings and memorizing the revelations sent to him; many of the Prophet’s teachings can be traced back to Aisha. She died at the age of 66 on 13th July, 678.