Muslim Women: Past and Present

Recommend a Muslim Woman

Throughout the ages, from the earliest days of Islam to contemporary times today, Muslim women have been and continue to be active leaders in their communities and countries across the world. This directory is a growing archive of leading Muslim women scholars, activists, writers, politicians, artists, religious and spiritual leaders, civil society leaders and more. Please contribute to this archive by suggesting Muslim women to be featured through our recommendation form.

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Ausma Khan

“Acknowledging that Muslim girls are just like their American counterparts, they enjoy popular music, they watch, roughly, the same TV shows but we're saying to girls, think about things that take you back to the Koran or take you back to the principles of Islamic faith.”

– Ausma Khan

Known For: Editor-in-chief of Muslim Girl magazine
Country: United States

About

Ausma Khan is the editor in chief of Muslim Girl magazine, a bi-monthly publication that is the first magazine to target young Muslim women. She describes Muslim Girl as an opportunity to reshape the conversation about Muslim women in North America.1

Despite the overall positive reception of Muslim Girl, certain aspects of the magazine have been criticized as being too Western with critics saying that all the women and girls depicted should be wearing headscarves or looser clothing.2  Interestingly, one of ideas behind the magazine is to emphasize the diversity of practice among American Muslim communities which include women who do and do not wear headscarves.3

A longtime community activist and an accomplished Muslim women, Ausma been featured in publications around the world including Asharq al Awsat, the Organization of Islamic Conference Journal, Arabian Woman, Al Ahram Shabab, the India Times, Kristeligt Dagblad, Agence France-Presse and the International Herald Tribune. She also is a contributor to an anthology entitled Her Mother’s Ashes 2 and writes for Muslim Girl.4

In addition to advocacy and writing, she has taught international human rights law at Northwestern University and human rights and business law at York University. She received a PhD in international human rights law from Osgoode Hall Law School, where her research specialization was humanitarian intervention and war crimes in the Balkans. Ausma completed her LLB at the University of Ottawa and practiced immigration law in Toronto.5

Ausma left her teaching position at Northwestern University to become editor-in-chief at Muslim Girl.6

 

[1] Women’s Leadership and Activism in the Muslim World: A Daylong Public Symposium and Community Event - Biographies.
[2] NPR: ‘Muslim Girl’ Magazine Marks One Year in Print (Transcript).
[3] Teens Not Terrorists: Muslim Girls Get a Voice in Muslim Girl Magazine.
[4] Women’s Leadership and Activism in the Muslim World: A Daylong Public Symposium and Community Event - Biographies.
[5] ibid.
[6] Teens Not Terrorists: Muslim Girls Get a Voice in Muslim Girl Magazine.

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This search feature will enable you to find Muslim women chronologically by the Common Era century. We are actively building the archive of Muslim women leaders from the past, as well as from today, and we would welcome your recommendations of women to feature. Please complete our “Recommend Muslim Women” form and check the site again in the near future as we actively expand this section of the portal with your suggestions.
This search feature will enable you to find Muslim women by their Country. We are actively building the archive of Muslim women leaders from the past, as well as from today, and we would welcome your recommendations of women to feature. Please complete our “Recommend Muslim Women” form and check the site again in the near future as we actively expand this section of the portal with your suggestions.
This search feature will enable you to find Muslim women leaders by entering the keyword(s) of your choice. If you cannot find a particular woman that you are looking for, please let us know by completing our “Recommend Muslim Women” form and check the site again in the near future as we actively expand this section of the portal with your suggestions.