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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Tahany el-Gebali

“We just have to take what’s given to us and fight for more … That’s how you get what you really deserve you, have to fight for it.”

Egypt Today: Two Steps Forward

Known For: Egypt's First Female Judge
Dates: 1369 Hijri
1950 CE
Country: Egypt

About

When Tahani Al Gebali, a prominent Egyptian lawyer, was appointed in January 2003 to be the country’s first-ever female judge, she herself hailed it as a landmark for Egyptian women. Until recently a member of the Nasserist Party, El-Gebali has spent her career as a lawyer. Graduating from Cairo University’s Faculty of Law in 1973, she later earned a diploma in Islamic Shari’a, or Islamic law, and was the first woman elected to the board of the Lawyer’s Syndicate in 1989, being re-elected in the following round of elections.
In 1992, she was the first woman elected to the Permanent Bureau of the Union of Arab Lawyers. She is also a legal expert at the UN, an international commercial arbitrator and a lecturer at the Arab Institute for Human Rights in Tunis.

Sources

Al-Ahram: Women on the Bench

Videos

Bab El Shams Highlights Guest Tahani El Gebali

More Information

Who’s Who Among Arab Women

Tahany El-Gebali discusses democracy, equality and universal human rights

Tahani El-Gebali discusses her role as Egypt’s first female Supreme Constitutional Judge

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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.