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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Sa’diyya Shaikh

photo of Sa’diyya Shaikh

Known For: Senior Lecturer of Islamic Studies and Feminist Theory at the University of Cape Town
Country: South Africa

About

Dr. Sa’diyya Shaikh is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Cape Town. Dr. Shaikh’s research and teaching are focused in the area of Islamic Studies with a twin focus on Sufism and feminism. She has previously published on issues of Muslim women and gender violence; feminist approaches to hadith and Quranic exegesis; contraception and abortion in Islam; theoretical reflections on Islam and feminism; Sufism, gender and Islamic law; and “Engaged Sufism”. Currently she is completing a manuscript on gender and sexuality in the works of a 13th century Sufi thinker, Ibn Arabi.

In collaboration with the Department of Psychology at the University of Stellenbosch and an NGO, *Positive Muslims*, Dr Shaikh has initiated and is co-directing a research project that focuses on sexuality, marriage, HIV/Aids and reproductive choices amongst South African Muslim women.

More Information

A Tafsir of Praxis:  Gender, Marital Violence, and Resistance in a South African Muslim Community

Family Planning, Contraception, and Abortion in Islam: Undertaking Khilafah

Veiling, Secularism and Islamism: Gender Constructions in France and Iran

Knowledge, Women and Gender in the Hadith: A Feminist Interpretation

Transforming Feminism: Islam, Women and Gender Justice

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This search feature will enable you to find Muslim women alphabetically by their first names. Many Muslim names have alternative spellings once rendered into English so if you cannot find the name you are looking for, please try the general search tab where you can enter keywords of your choice.
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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.