By Syed Khalique Ahmed*
Can a Muslim woman become a mufti—a qualified Islamic scholar authorized to issue fatwas (legal opinions) and guide the community in matters of Sharia? Can she shape Islamic jurisprudence, or lead educational assemblies attended by both men and women?
For many, both Muslim and non-Muslim, the answers to these questions are clouded by misconception. A pervasive myth suggests that Islam restricts women from religious education, a notion that even highly educated Muslims sometimes struggle to debunk due to a lack of accessible, comprehensive literature on the subject.
This misconception stems from a glaring modern invisibility. Today, the significant contributions of Muslim women to Islamic jurisprudence are rarely visible in the contemporary world. Yet, this stands in stark contrast to the early centuries of Islam, where women were remarkably active in both temporal and religious spheres. Historically, there were no bans on women acquiring Islamic knowledge, no restrictions on their propagating it, and no hesitation among men to learn from female scholars.
Enter Dr. Raziul Islam Nadwi, a prominent Islamic scholar, national secretary of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH), and secretary of the JIH Sharia Council. In his comprehensive 680-page book, Tazkira-e-Faqeehaat (Biographical Account of Female Islamic Jurists), Nadwi dismantles the prevailing myths surrounding women in Islam. Drawing on meticulous historical references, Quranic teachings, and the traditions of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), he argues that Islam not only grants women the freedom to acquire religious and worldly knowledge but actively encourages them to disseminate it—whether through traditional assemblies or modern platforms.
The primary purpose of the book, as Nadwi explains, is to inspire women to pursue Islamic jurisprudence, equipping them with the foundational knowledge to contribute to the field. He emphasizes that Islam does not discriminate in the pursuit of knowledge, permitting both sexes to reach the highest echelons of any discipline. To substantiate this, he cites the Prophet’s famous injunction: “Seeking knowledge is incumbent on every Muslim.” Nadwi points out that the term “Muslim” is inherently inclusive, making this divine command equally applicable to men and women.
Furthermore, the Prophet actively facilitated this learning. At the request of women, he held separate gatherings to address their specific questions, providing a comfortable environment where they could inquire freely without the hesitation often felt in mixed company.
This prophetic encouragement sparked an educational renaissance among Muslim women—who, prior to Islam, were largely denied the right to read and write. Many developed expertise in calligraphy and became Hafizas (memorizers of the Quran). In a notable example of this empowerment, the Prophet encouraged his wife, Hazrat Hafsa bint Umar, to learn writing from her companion, Shifa bint Abdullah. Consequently, women mastered various branches of Islamic learning, including Quranic recitation, Tafsir (exegesis), literature, poetry, and even the medical sciences of the era.
The historical footprint of these women is staggering. Citing the renowned scholar Allama Ibn Qayyim, Dr. Nadwi notes that out of 130 Prophet companions whose fatwas are recorded in Islamic history, 22 were women. If compiled, the legal opinions of these early female scholars would fill multiple volumes. This is a monumental achievement, especially considering that while Europe was languishing in the Dark Ages, the Muslim world was experiencing a profound era of enlightenment. The fact that modern biographers and historians have largely neglected this glorious legacy remains a puzzle that demands scholarly attention. Dr. Nadwi’s effort to unearth this buried treasure and present it to the modern world is, therefore, a monumental achievement.
Ibn Qayyim identifies the Prophet’s wives, Hazrat Ayesha bint Abi Bakr and Hazrat Umme Salma, as the premier scholars of jurisprudence among both men and women. The other 20 leading female jurists include Hazrat Hafsa bint Umar, Hazrat Umme Habiba, Hazrat Laila bint Qanif as-saqfiya, Hazrat Asma bint Abi Bakr, Hazrat Umme Shareek, Hazrat Haula bint Tuwait al-Asadia, Hazrat Umme Darda-ul-Kubra, Hazrat Atika bint Zaid, Hazrat Sahla bint Suhail, Ummul Momineen Hazrat Juwairiya, Ummul Momineen Hazrat Maimooma, Hazrat Fatima (the Prophet’s daughter), Hazrat Fatima bint Qais, Hazrat Umme Saleem, Hazrat Zainab bint Abi Salma, Hazrat Umm Ayman al-Habashiyya, Hazrat Umme Yusuf al-Habashiyya, and Hazrat Ghamidiya.
Hazrat Ayesha’s intellectual stature was unparalleled. She is credited with narrating over 2,210 Ahadith (prophetic traditions), transmitting a vast repository of the Prophet’s teachings. Her mastery of the Quran was so profound that even senior companions, including Caliph Hazrat Umar, would seek her clarification on complex verses. She also taught a large circle of male disciples, illustrating how early Muslim women actively shaped the religious understanding of the entire community.
Despite these monumental contributions, traditional biographers and compilers of Islamic reference works have shown a puzzling indifference to recording women’s roles in the development of jurisprudence. Entire volumes could have been dedicated to their legacy. Why was this omitted? Did historians not deem it worthy of preservation? This historical oversight has inadvertently cast a shadow over Islam, falsely implying that women are barred from advanced religious study. It is a historical injustice that modern scholars must investigate and rectify to present the true, egalitarian perspective of Islamic history.
Fortunately, recent decades have seen a revival of interest. Scholars have begun compiling the works of female scholars, though many remain confined to Arabic texts, such as Hafiz Ibn Hajar’s Al-Asaba. More recently, Dr. Muhammad Akram Nadwi’s seminal Al-Wafāʾ bi-Asmāʾ al-Nisāʾ highlighted women’s roles in narrating Ahdith. Building on this momentum, Dr. Raziul Islam Nadwi’s Tazkira-e-Faqeehaat uniquely focuses on women’s contributions specifically to fiqh (jurisprudence) from the Prophetic era to the present day.
The book employs a rigorous, systematic methodology. Rather than a haphazard collection, Nadwi organizes the biographies chronologically, highlighting prominent female jurists from each century. While space constraints prevent the inclusion of every single woman scholar, the focus remains on those who made the most significant intellectual impacts, making it an invaluable resource for both academics and general readers.
The book also bridges the past and present by featuring contemporary female scholars, including Dr. Farida Khanam, Zeenat Kausar, and Dr. Farhat Hashmi from India, as well as Jameela Shaukat from Pakistan.
If there is one area for expansion, it is the inclusion of self-taught scholars. While the book excellently covers those with formal seminary or academic training, it could be enriched by recognizing women in India and Pakistan who have acquired profound Islamic knowledge through self-study. These women are making equally valuable, and sometimes groundbreaking, contributions to Islamic scholarship. Including them would have provided even broader encouragement and recognition, though it is understandable that spatial limitations may have restricted this wider spectrum.
Ultimately, Tazkira-e-Faqeehaat is an exemplary and deeply motivating work. By resurrecting the forgotten legacy of female muftis and jurists, Dr. Raziul Islam Nadwi has not only corrected the historical record but also illuminated a path for future generations. It is a vital read for scholars and ordinary readers alike, proving that the pursuit of knowledge in Islam has always been, and must remain, a shared divine mandate for both men and women.
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*Senior journalist, formerly with Indian Express. A version of this article was first published in India Tomorrow
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