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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  • By Name
  • By Century
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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.
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

Zainab Paiman

photo of Zainab Paiman Project Manager, GTZ Women Employment Promotion project (WEPP)

Zainab Salbi

no photo available Co-Founder, CEO of Women for Women International

Zainah Anwar

no photo available Malaysian women’s rights activist

Zakia Nizami Soman

no photo available Bharatiya Muslim Mahila Andolan (Indian Muslim Women’s Movement), Founding Member

Zarizana Abdul Aziz

photo of Zarizana Abdul Aziz Lawyer / Director, Women Living Under Muslim Laws (WLUML)

Zainab Al-Ghazali

no photo available Founder, Muslim Women’s Association; Human Rights Activist

Zaynab bint Ahmad ibn `Umar

no photo available Hadith Scholar, Lecturer

Zebunnisa

no photo available Sufi Princess of the Mughals

Zeinaba Kane

photo of Zeinaba Kane President of Women of the Rassemblement Islamique du Sénégal (RIS) / Alwahda

Zeinabou Hadari

photo of Zeinabou Hadari Permanent Secretary of the CCM (Country Coordinating Mechanism)

Zeynep Fadillioglu

no photo available First woman in Turkey to design and build a mosque

Ziba Mir-Hosseini

photo of Ziba Mir-Hosseini Scholar, Anthropologist, WISE Shura Council Member

Zilka Spahić-Šiljak

no photo available Academician Focusing on Women in Islam

Zubeida bint Jaf’ar

no photo available Influential Princess of the Abbasid Empire

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.