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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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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Abida Mahmood

photo of Abida Mahmood Administrator and teacher trainer at the Qurban & Surraya Educational Trust

Abida Malik

photo of Abida Malik Senior Vice President, Behbud Association of Pakistan

Abidah Al-Madaniyyah

no photo available Hadith Scholar

Adela Khanum

no photo available Kurdish Tribal Leader

Adrianna Rose Kaplan Marcusan

photo of Adrianna Rose Kaplan Marcusan Director and Chair, Knowledge Transfer at the Department of Social Anthropology (Universitat Autònoma of Barcelona)

Afra Jalabi

photo of Afra Jalabi Columnist for the Saudi daily Al Yaum, Shura Council Member

Aisha Rafea

photo of Aisha Rafea Co-leader, The Egyptian Society for Spiritual and Cultural Research (ESSCR), Shura Council Member

Aisha bint Abu Bakr

no photo available Extensive knowledge of Islam and Islamic jurisprudence; hadith transmitter; social and military leader of the Muslim community

Aisha H.L Al-Adawiya

photo of Aisha H.L  Al-Adawiya Founder and President of Women In Islam Inc.

Aisha Lee Shaheed

no photo available Writer/researcher, networker for Women Living Under Muslim Laws

Aishah bint Muhammad

no photo available 14th century hadith scholar

Aishah Schwartz

photo of Aishah Schwartz Founder and Director of Muslimah Writers Alliance (MWA)

Aishah Shahidah Simmons

photo of Aishah Shahidah Simmons President / Documentary Filmmaker / Lecturer, AfroLez® Productions, LLC

Akanke Abdul-Khalliq

photo of Akanke Abdul-Khalliq Communications Specialist

Alaa Nasief

photo of Alaa Nasief Founder and General Manager of Hadara

Dr. Amal Abdullah Juma Al Qubaisi

no photo available Member, Federal National Council

Amal Mahmoud Fayed

photo of Amal Mahmoud Fayed Secretary General, Forum for Women in Development

Amat al-Wahid

no photo available Early Master of Qur’an

Ameena Begum

no photo available Sufi Religious Figure and Poet

Amel Azouz

photo of Amel Azouz Member, Women’s Office of the Islamic Party, Ennahdha; English Instructor

Amina Zuberi

photo of Amina Zuberi Chairlady, Tangana Women Development Group

Amina Wadud

photo of Amina Wadud Islamic Scholar and Consultant

Aminah McCloud

photo of Aminah McCloud Director, Islamic World Studies Program and Professor at DePaul University

Aminah Assilmi

no photo available Director of the International Union of Muslim Women

Amrah bint Abdur-Rahman

no photo available Jurist, a Mufti, and Hadith specialist

Anbreen Ajaib

no photo available Program Manager Women’s Rights, Bedari

Anissa Naqrachi

photo of Anissa Naqrachi President and Founder, Nour Association for Solidarity with Rural Women

Anjum Babukhan

photo of Anjum Babukhan Director of Education, Glendale Academy

Anjum Malik

photo of Anjum Malik CEO of the Alhambra US Chamber of Commerce

Anousheh Ansari

photo of Anousheh Ansari First Female Muslim in Space

Arifa Nazle

photo of Arifa Nazle Manager of Communications, Shirkat Gah Women’s Resource Centre

Asha A. Samad

photo of Asha A. Samad Professor and Human Rights Specialist, City University of New York

Asli Sancar

photo of Asli Sancar Author

Asma Afsaruddin

photo of Asma Afsaruddin Professor, Indiana University, Shura Council Member

Asma Jamil Sadiq

photo of Asma Jamil Sadiq Director of Child Development at the Beth Israel Medical Center/Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at the Albert Einstein School

Asma Siddiki

no photo available Associate Dean for Development at the Dubai School of Government

Asma Barlas

photo of Asma Barlas Qu’ranic and Islamic research, studies on women and gender in Islam, and Comparative and International and Politics

Asmaa Mahfouz

photo of Asmaa Mahfouz Political Activist

Asmal Mooneera

no photo available Consultant and Activist, Social uplifting

Assia Djebar

photo of Assia Djebar Writer, Filmmaker

Atiqa Odho

photo of Atiqa Odho Media personality, CEO of Odho Productions and Odho Cosmetics

Atiya Fatima Khan

photo of Atiya Fatima Khan Well-known producer, director, researcher, and writer for the Pakistani advertising and television industry

Ayesha Mattu

photo of Ayesha Mattu Writer, Photographer, Philanthropy Consultant, and Board Member of the Muslim Women's Fund

Ayisha Amatu Rahim Jeffries

photo of Ayisha Amatu Rahim Jeffries Vice President of Global Affairs and Senior Policy Advisor on Gender Equity, President of the African-American Islamic Institute

Aylin Aykan

photo of Aylin Aykan Pianist and Composer

Aylin Yurdacan

photo of Aylin Yurdacan Member, TURKKAD

Ayse Önal

no photo available Journalist

Ayse Jale Mekis Diker

photo of Ayse Jale Mekis Diker Chairwoman and Managing Director, D&A Dis Ticaret A.S.; President, Ankara Soroptimist Club; President, TSKF Project Commission

Aysenur Bilgi Solak

photo of Aysenur Bilgi Solak Politician; Sociologist

Aziza Ahmed

photo of Aziza Ahmed Assistant Professor of Law, Northeastern University School of Law

Azizah Kahera

photo of Azizah Kahera Chief Operation Officer, Azizah Magazine

Azza Kamel Maghur

photo of Azza Kamel Maghur Director of Appropriate Comunication Techniques for Development (ACT) and Founder of Women Research Centre

Azza Karam

photo of Azza Karam Senior Culture Advisor, United Nations Population Fund

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.