WOMEN'S LEADERSHIP IN THE ISLAMIC MODEL: A HISTORICAL REVIEW AND CONTEMPORARY RESEARCH PERSPECTIVES

Abstract

Female leadership in Islam contributes a rich and all too often ignored historical legacy that disputes commonsense notions of women's place in Muslim societies. Over the past half century, much recent scholarship has brought to our attention many examples of women in early Islamic history who excelled as political leaders, scholars, warriors and entrepreneurs. Islamic tradition has for many centuries recognized women’s leadership capacity for example, the successful businesswoman and the first supporter of Islam, Khadijah bint Khuwaylid (RA) or Aisha bint Abi Bakr (RA), a renowned scholar and political leader. From historical records we also come to know about warrior woman e.g. Nusayba bint Ka’ab (RA) who fought against Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in war as well as Shajar al-Durr, female Sultan of Egypt during 13th century who took control of the tenuous political realm. The examples demonstrate that female leadership in Islam is not something new, but is founded on early Islamic practice. This historical research investigates the application of these historical models for contemporary debates about gender, authority and religious interpretation. For example, studies in Jordan show that Muslim women leaders tend toward an 'Islamic feminist' perception, believing they should retrieve their religious heritage from patriarchal interpretations that narrow their roles. In parallel, research on educational leadership in multicultural contexts such as Canada, explores how Muslim women bring together faith based values and adaptive leadership strategies to empower their communities. Yet, women face obstacles, particularly in the context of South African ulama bodies long rooted in tradition which continue to exclude women with scholarly qualifications. The call to reread Islamic texts and history with nuance that corresponds with justice and equality is sounded in this body of research. Through the voices of Muslim women leaders past and present, it provides a framework for bringing together Islamic teachings and contemporary gender equity goals and makes the case for leadership models that are both inclusive and faithful to the Islamic tradition.

Keywords: Female Leadership in Islam, Historical Role Models, Islamic Feminism, Gender and Authority, Contemporary Muslim Women