Hidden Female Figures in Islamic History

 Hidden Female Figures in Islamic History

Have you heard of Nusayba bint Ka'ab?

The female warrior who courageously defended the Prophet (S) in several battles.

The one whom the Prophet (S) said about her at Uhud, "Whenever I looked to the right or left, I saw her fighting in front of me."

The one whom the Prophet (S) asked, "From where can anyone get courage like you, O Umm Umarah (her nickname)?"

Have you ever heard of Rufayda bint Sa'ad?

Also known as Rufayda al-Aslamiyyah, who was the first female nurse in Islamic history.

The Prophet (S) ordered the wounded and dying to be sent specifically to her tent during battles.

Learning medical knowledge from her father, she became an expert in the medical field, and began training other women companions to become nurses as well.

She was known as a kind, empathetic healer, as well as a compassionate social worker who took care of orphans, the handicapped and the poor.

Have you ever heard of Um Mihjaan?

The cleaner of the masjid, who beautified and maintained the Prophet (S)'s blessed mosque.

The one whom the Prophet (S) was upset when she passed away, because nobody had informed him of it.

"Why did you not inform me?'' he asked his companions.

He then asked to see her grave, and prayed his own individual Salat ul Janaazah over her.

Isn't it amazing that a woman was entrusted to take care of the masjid of Rasulallah (S), yet today several Muslim societies won't even let women into the masjid?

Have you ever heard of Umm Sa'd Jamilah bint As'ad Ansariyyah?

A noble teacher of Islam.

It is reported that Dawud ibn Husayn, a companion of the Prophet (S), used to take Qur'anic lessons from her.

According to ibn Athir, Umm Sa'd had memorized the Qur'an and used to give regular lessons.

Have you ever heard of the female companion who owned her own farm?

She employed many men to work under her, she was their boss, and they tended to her crops.

Have you ever heard that many female companions were businesswomen?

Like the wife of Abdullah ibn Masud, who was the main breadwinner of her family, making handicrafts by her own hand and selling her goods in the marketplace.

Have you heard that Aisha bint Abu Bakr was actually considered a "Muftiyah" meaning a female Mufti?

Did you know that title could even exist for women?

Men and women would come from all over the Islamic world to consult her about the Shariah, and she would perform ijtihad and issue fatawa.

There are several times where she even corrected the fatawa of other sahaba, since she was privy to a lot of ahadith that others had not heard because of her close relationship with the Prophet (S).

Have you ever heard of Umm al-Darda?

A prominent female scholar and jurist of Islam in the 7th century who would teach her lessons in the male section of the masjid.

Her class was attended by men and women, Imams, jurists, and Hadith scholars.

Have you ever heard of the numerous women scholars who played a pivotal role in the lives of many of the ulama we look up to?

The female scholar Nafisa bint al-Hasan taught hadith to Imam ash-Shafi'i.

Ibn Hajar mentioned that he studied under 53 women scholars.

Ibn Asakir al-Dimashqi took hadith from 80 female narrators of hadith.

Have you ever heard of Fatima al-Fihri?

The educated Muslim woman who founded the world's very first university,

The University of al-Qarawiyyin, which still stands today as one of the most prominent institutions of Islamic learning.

These are just a few of the hidden female figures of our Islamic history.

And have you ever heard of Firdaos aljannah Amasa Abdul Salaam?

The Muslim lawyer who refused to remove her hijab during her Call to Bar in Abuja, Nigeria on the 13th December 2017.

She read Law at UnIlorin, did very well at the Law School, Abuja, but was denied call to bar, and decided to fight the injustice. By so doing she laid down her carrier to fight the age long religious injustice that has permeated the legal education in Nigeria.

The whole of the Nigerian Muslims stood by her to fight the injustice. We are still on it, and in shaa Allah we shall be victorious. Aamiin.

Women who exercised the rights that Islam had granted her, untainted by the patriarchy and cultures that stifle women today._

Learn about their names. Share their names.

Rewrite their names into the books of history.