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WOMEN IN MEDIEVAL ISLAM I. RISE OF ISLAM A. INTRODUCTION B. MOHAMMED 570-632 1. FOUNDER OF ISLAM 2. AGE OF 25 MARRIED HIS EMPLOYER a. WEALTHY WIDOW KHADIJA 3. IN HIS COMMERCIAL TRAVELS BECAME ACQUAINTED W/BOTH CHRISTIANITY & JUDAISM 4. BUT DID NOT BECOME ENTIRELY ABSORBED IN RELIGION UNTIL 40 YRS OLD 5. OFTEN RETIRED TO CAVE FOR MEDITATION 6. IN YEAR 610 HAD VISION a. ANGEL GABRIEL APPEARED TO HIM 7. & INFORMED M HE WAS MESSENGER OF ALLAH a. ONE TRUE GOD 8. M CONTINUED TO EXPERIENCE SIMILAR VISIONS WITH RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTIONS OVER TIME 9. HE BECAME CONVINCED HE WAS PROPHET OF ALLAH a. HIS 1ST CONVERT WAS HIS WIFE 10. HOWEVER MOHAMMED'S IDEAS MET WITH GENERAL SKEPTICISM BY POPULACE 11. THIS TURNED INTO ACTIVE PERSECUTION AFTER HE DENOUNCED KAABA WORSHIP AS IDOLATRY 12. IN YEAR 622 HE FLED TO CITY OF MEDINA FOR SAFETY 13. THIS FLIGHT FROM MECCA TO MEDINA IS KNOW AS HEGIRA 14. YEAR 622 WHEN HE FLED LATER BECAME OFFICIALLY YEAR ONE FOR ARAB WORLD 15. WELCOMED IN MEDINA, MOHAMMED LAID DOWN TENETS & PRACTICES OF HIS RELIGION 16. HE DID NOT CLAIM HIS IDEAS TO BE A NEW RELIGION 17. BUT CULMINATION OF OLDER RELIGIONS OF JUDAISM & CHRISTIANITY 18. BEFORE HIS DEATH 19. MOHAMMED ACKNOWLEDGED AS SPIRITUAL & POLITICAL LEADER OF MOST OF ARABIA II. REST OF STORY A. GREAT ARAB EXPANSION & EMPIRE 1. BY MID 7TH C ALL ARABIA PENINSULA UNITED & SUBDUED TO ISLAM FAITH 2. BEGAN CONVERTING OTHERS VIA HOLY WAR 3. BY END OF 8TH C. VAST AREA CONQUERED III. RELIGION OF ISLAM A. GENERAL REMARKS 1. ISLAM = MEANS SUBMISSION TO GOD 2. A MEMBER OF ISLAM = MOSLEM OR MUSLIM a. MEANS "ONE WHO HAS MADE HIS SUBMISSION" 3. DUTIES OF MOSLEM ORGANIZED INTO "5 PILLARS OF ISLAM" B. UNITY OF GOD - 1ST PILLAR 1. THERE IS NO GOD BUT ALLAH AND MOHAMMED IS HIS PROPHET 2. INITIATION INTO FAITH CONSISTS SIMPLY OF ACCEPTANCE & REPETITION OF THESE WORDS C. DAILY PRAYER - 2ND PILLAR 1. PERFORMED 5 TIMES DAILY D. ALMSGIVING TO POOR - 3RD PILLAR 1. 1/40TH OF ONE'S INCOME TO STATE 2 E. F. G. H. I. IV. FASTING - 4TH PILLAR 1. NO FOOD, NO DRINK & ABSTINENCE FROM SEXUAL RELATIONS FROM DAWN TO DUSK DURING 30 DAYS OF HOLY MONTH OF RAMADAN PILGRIMAGE TO MECCA - 5TH PILLAR 1. HOLY VISIT TO MECCA AND KAABA MUST BE UNDERTAKEN BY EVERY MOSLEM WHO CAN AFFORD IT DURING HIS LIFETIME 2. SERVED TO GIVE MOSLEMS POWERFUL SENSE OF BROTHERHOOD & UNITY OTHER ASPECTS OF ISLAM 1. KORAN = QURAN a. HOLY BOOK OF ISLAM b. CONSIDERED TO BE WORDS OF GOD = ALLAH SPOKEN TO MOHAMMED BY ANGEL GABRIEL c. KORAN MOST IMPORTANT TEXTBOOK USED IN MOSLEM UNIVERSITY d. FINAL AUTHORITY ON THEOLOGY, LAW & SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS e. IT INCLUDES DETAILED RULES FOR FAMILY, BUSINESS & PROPERTY, JUSTICE AND POLITICS f. & TREATS LAW & MORALS AS ONE g. KORAN IS ACCEPTED BY EVERY MOSLEM BASIC BELIEFS OF ISLAM 1. FOUNDED PRIMARILY ON BASIC TEACHINGS OF JUDAISM 2. ACCEPTS OLD TESTAMENT a. & SUCH CONCEPTS AS (1) MONOTHEISM, (2) CREATION, (3) ANGELS, (4) DEVILS, (5) SATAN, (6) HEAVEN AND HELL (7) DAY OF JUDGMENT 3. MUSLIMS ALWAYS CALL JEWS, CHRISTIANS AND THEMSELVES AS PEOPLE OF SAME BOOK a. OT & NT HADITH 1. COLLECTION OF COMMENTS ABOUT MUHAMMAD GUIDING MUSLIM RELIGIOUS PRACTICE & JURISPRUDENCE NOT COVERED BY QURAN 2. AISHA - MUHAMMAD'S YOUNGEST WIFE a. SOURCE OF 1,210 HADITH MUSLIM WOMEN A. STATUS OF WOMEN WITHIN ISLAM 1. ISLAMIC PRINCIPLE OF HUMAN EQUALITY DID NOT EQUATE TO EQUAL TREATMENT OF WOMEN 2. ALTHOUGH KORAN INSTRUCTED MEN TO TREAT WOMEN WITH RESPECT 3. & WOMEN HAD RIGHT TO OWN & INHERIT PROPERTY 4. IN GENERAL MALE DOMINANT IN MUSLIM SOCIETY 5. POLYGYNY PERMITTED 6. ISLAM DID NOT BRING RADICAL CHANGE 7. BUT A CONTINUATION & ACCENTUATION OF LIFE-STYLES ALREADY IN PLACE 8. ARABIA LAST REMAINING REGION WHERE PATRILINEAL, PATRIARCHAL MARRIAGE NOT YET INSTITUTED AS SOLE LEGITIMATE FORM OF MARRIAGE 9. MATRILINEAL MARRIAGES COMMON PRACTICE a. WOMAN REMAINED WITH HER TRIBE AFTER MARRIAGE (1) WHERE MAN COULD VISIT OR RESIDE WITH HER (2) CHILDREN BELONGED TO MOTHER'S TRIBE 10. BOTH POLYANDROUS & POLYGAMOUS MARRIAGES PRACTICED TOO 3 11. B. BUT POLYGYNY IN MATRILINEAL CONTEXT PROBABLY ENTAILED HUSBAND'S VISITING HIS DIFFERENT WIVES WHERE THEY RESIDED WITH THEIR TRIBES 12. & SOME OF THEIR WIVES MIGHT HAVE BEEN VISITED BY DIFFERENT HUSBANDS 13. ALTHOUGH SOME SCHOOLS OF LEGAL THOUGHT PERMITTED WOMEN TO STIPULATE THAT THEIR HUSBAND COULD HAVE ONLY ONE WIFE a. OR TO SEE SEPARATION IN CERTAIN SPECIFIC CIRCUMSTANCES 14. LICENTIOUS BEHAVIOR SUCH AS ADULTERY & HOMOSEXUALITY STRINGENTLY FORBIDDEN a. ALTHOUGH SUCH PROHIBITIONS FREQUENTLY IGNORED IN PRACTICE 15. ISLAMIC CUSTOM REQUIRED WOMEN BE CLOISTERED IN THEIR HOMES 16. & PROHIBITED FROM SOCIAL CONTACTS WITH MALES OUTSIDE THEIR OWN FAMILY 17. RIGHT OF DIVORCE IN PRACTICE RESTRICTED TO HUSBAND 18. WOMEN COULD NEITHER INHERIT NOR CLAIM SHARE OF SPOILS WON ON BATTLEFIELD 19. IN SOME INSTANCES BABY GIRLS REGARDED WITH SUCH DISDAIN a. BURIED ALIVE AT BIRTH b. OR KILLED AT AGE OF 5 OR 6 c. KORAN ALLUDES TO THIS PRACTICE (1) DISAPPROVINGLY (2) IN SEVERAL PLACES AS IN AN ACCOUNT OF THE LAST JUDGMENT (3) WHEN THE BURIED INFANT SHALL BE ASKED FOR WHAT SIN SHE WAS SLAIN 20. MUHAMMAD SOUGHT TO IMPROVE TREATMENT OF WOMEN 21. WOMEN EXHORTED IN KORAN TO CLOTHE THEMSELVES CIRCUMSPECTLY 22. TAKING SPECIAL CARE TO COVER THEIR BREASTS 23. & TO DRAW THEIR VEILS CLOSE TO THEM WHEN THEY LEFT HOME 24. SUCH ADMONITIONS LED SOME MUSLIM WOMEN TO VEIL THEIR FACES IN PUBLIC & TO SECLUDE THEMSELVES WITHIN THEIR OWN PART OF HOME a. KNOWN AS HAREM 25. HAREM SYSTEM NOT NEW WITH COMING OF ISLAM a. BUT HAD ROOTS IN ANCIENT MESOPOTAMIA 26. BECAME CHARACTERISTIC PART OF ISLAMIC SOCIETY BY LATE 8TH C. 27. SECLUSION OF WOMEN IN HAREMS OR BEHIND VEILS a. PRACTICE OF POLYGAMY 28. BEATING OF DISOBEDIENT WIVES THOUGHT COMMON 29. FAR FROM BRINGING ABOUT IMPROVEMENT FOR WOMEN AS IS COMMONLY CLAIMED FOR ISLAM a. RECENT RESEARCH HAS FOUND OTHERWISE 30. LIVES & MARRIAGES OF 2 OF MUHAMMAD'S WIVES a. KHADIJA & AISHA b. ENCAPSULATE KINDS OF CHANGES MARRIAGE & WOMEN EXPERIENCED IN ISLAM KHADIJA 1. MUHAMMAD'S 1ST WIFE 2. WEALTHY WIDOW BEFORE HER MARRIAGE TO M 3. EMPLOYED HIM TO OVERSEE HER CARAVAN a. TRADED BETWEEN MECCA & SYRIA 4. SHE PROPOSED TO & MARRIED HIM WHEN SHE WAS 40 & HE 25 5. SHE REMAINED HIS ONLY WIFE UNTIL HER DEATH AT ABOUT 65 6. HER WEALTH FREED HIM FROM NEED TO EARN LIVING C. 4 7. & HE WAS ABLE TO LEAD LIFE OF CONTEMPLATION AS PRELUDE TO HIS BECOMING A PROPHET 8. HER ECONOMIC INDEPENDENCE 9. HER MARRIAGE OVERTURE APPARENTLY W./O MALE GUARDIAN TO ACT AS INTERMEDIARY 10. HER MARRIAGE TO MAN MANY YRS YOUNGER THAN HERSELF 11. & HER MONOGAMOUS MARRIAGE 12. ALL REFLECT EARLIER ARABIAN PRACTICES 13. SHE BORE HIM 7 CHILDREN a. ONLY HIS 4 DAUGHTERS SURVIVED 14. SHE PRAYED IN SECRET WITH HIM 15. FIRST FOLLOWER WHEN PEOPLE AROUND MUHAMMAD CONSIDERED HIM a. LIAR & DREAMER 16. ONLY AFTER SHE DIED AT AGE OF 65 THAT HE TURNED TO OTHER WOMEN 17. EVEN DECADES LATER HIS CHILD WIFE AISHA STILL JEALOUS OF MEMORY OF THE 'TOOTHLESS OLD WOMAN' a. AS SHE CALLED HER b. & THEN AISHA WHEN ON TO SAY THAT ALLAH HAD GIVEN PROPHET A BETTER REPLACEMENT c. BUT MUHAMMAD CHIDED HER (1) HE HAS NOT GIVEN ME A BETTER ONE. SHE BELIEVED IN ME WHEN NO ONE ELSE DID. SHE CONSIDERED ME TO BE TRUTHFUL WHEN THE PEOPLE CALLED ME A LIAR. SHE HELPED ME WITH HER FORTUNE WHEN THE PEOPLE HAD LEFT ME NOTHING. ALLAH GAVE ME CHILDREN FROM HER WHILE HE GAVE ME NONE FROM OTHER WOMEN. AISHA 1. IN CONTRAST AUTONOMY & MONOGAMY CONSPICUOUSLY ABSENT IN LIVES OF WOMEN MUHAMMAD MARRIED AFTER 1ST WIFE DIED & HE LEADER OF ISLAM 2. & 1ST WIFE DIED 3. EVIDENCE OF CONTROL OF WOMEN BY MALE GUARDIANS 4. & MALE PREROGATIVE OF POLYGYNY BECAME FORMAL FEATURES OF ISLAMIC MARRIAGE 5. DAUGHTER OF ONE OF HIS FIRST FOLLOWERS a. FUTURE CALIPH ABU BAKR 6. AISHA 9 OR 10 WHEN SHE MARRIED M 7. SEVERAL MONTHS AFTER M MARRIAGE TO AISHA HE MARRIED AGAIN a. BUT TO A WIDOW 8. HE THEN FOLLOWED WITH MARRIAGE TO MORE WIDOWS a. WIDOWS OF MUSLIMS SLAIN IN SUPPORT OF ISLAM 9. ALL M WIVES ASIDE FROM HIS FIRST ONE WERE EITHER DAUGHTERS OF HIS MOST NB OFFICIALS a. OR WIDOWS OF NEW CONVERTS 10. INTERESTING THAT M'S MULTIPLY MARRIAGE PATTERN 11. IS WHEN QURANIC VERSES ENCOURAGING POLYGAMY REVEALED TO M BY GOD a. MARRY OTHER WOMEN AS MAY BE AGREEABLE TO YOU, TWO OR THREE OF FOUR 12. WOMEN FROM MEDINA OFFERED IN MARRIAGE TO M BUT FAMILIES OF WOMEN DISAPPROVED a. POINTED OUT THEY COULD NEVER PUT UP WITH CO-WIVES 13. SOON AISHA WITH HER CO-WIVES BEGAN TO OBSERVE NEW CUSTOMS OF VEILING & SECLUSION a. HISTORIAN AHMED SEES ORIGINS OF THIS AT WEDDING FEAST OF ONE OF M MARRIAGE b. GUESTS STAYED TOO LONG IN HIS WIFE'S ROOM & M ANNOYED SO THIS WHEN REVELATION CAME TO M ABOUT 5 SECLUSION FOR HIS WIVES VEILING NOT INTRODUCED INTO ARABIA BY M BUT ALREADY EXISTED AMONG SOME CLASSES 15. PARTICULARLY IN TOWNS IN SYRIA & PALESTINE 16. IN THOSE AREAS AS IN ARABIA CONNECTED W/SOCIAL STATUS a. AS WAS ITS USED AMONG (1) GREEKS, ROMANS, JEWS & ASSYRIANS b. ALL WHO PRACTICED VEILING TO SOME DEGREE 17. VEILING IS NOWHERE EXPLICITLY PRESCRIBED IN QURAN 18. THROUGHOUT MUHAMMAD'S LIFETIME VEILING LIKE SECLUSION OBSERVED ONLY BY HIS WIVES 19. VEILING, MEANT SHE BECAME WIFE OF M 20. M WIVES NOT HIS CONCUBINES DONNED VEIL WHEN BECAME HIS WIFE 21. M TOOK TURNS VISITING HIS WIVES 22. DIED IN HIS FAVORITE WIFE'S ROOM AISHA a. WHERE HE WAS BURIED b. NOW 2ND MOST SACRED SPOT IN ISLAM AFTER KAABA 23. ONLY WIFE HE FELT SO RELAXED HE RECEIVED REVELATIONS IN HER PRESENCE 24. AFTER HIS DEATH IN 632 AISHA AND OTHER WIDOWS LIVED TOGETHER AS a. MOTHERS OF THE FAITHFUL 25. AFTER HER FATHER REIGNED FOR 2 YEARS HE DIED 26. AISHA NOW BECAME RESPECTED AUTHORITY ON WHAT MOHAMMED HAD DONE OR SAID IN CERTAIN SITUATIONS a. HIS SUNNA 27. SHE MUCH IN DEMAND 28. WOMEN ASKED HER FOR HER ADVICE ON QUESTIONS OF a. CLOTHING, COSMETICS IN RELATION TO RELIGIOUS LAW 29. EVEN RESPECTED MEN CONSULTED HER ON QUESTIONS OF RELIGION & WAY LIFE WAS TO BE LED 30. AS SHE CLOSEST TO PROPHET 31. SHE HAD GOOD KNOWLEDGE OF ANCIENT ARABIC POETRY & GENEALOGY 32. SHE LAID DOWN FUNDAMENTAL RULES OF ARAB-ISLAMIC ETHICS 33. SHE DIED IN 678 AT AGE 64 FATIMA 1. KHADIJA & MUHAMMAD'S DAUGHTER a. HIS YOUNGEST DAUGHTER 2. SOME RIVALRY BETWEEN AISHA & FATIMA 3. MOHAMMED FORBADE FATIMA'S HUSBAND (HIS COUSIN) TO TAKE 2ND WIFE a. SAYING WHAT CAUSED PAIN TO HIS DAUGHTER GRIEVED HIM AS WELL 4. FATIMA ESPECIALLY CLOSE TO MUHAMMAD a. AS ONLY HER CHILDREN DID NOT DIE PREMATURELY b. HIS OTHER CHILDREN'S CHILDREN DID 5. HER SONS HASAN & HUSAYN 6. AS MOTHER OF PROPHET'S GRANDSONS 7. FATIMA NB IN LATER ISLAMIC HISTORY a. ESPECIALLY FOR SHITES 8. FATIMA PRACTICALLY DEIFIED BY SOME BRANCHES OF SHITES a. GIVEN NAME OF BRILLIANT ONE 9. AS THEY HAD RIGHT TO Supreme POWER 10. SHE DIED AT AGE 28, A FEW MONTHS AFTER DEATH OF HER FATHER MOHAMMED 11. AN ENTIRE DYNASTY = FATIMIDS a. INITIALLY RULING IN NORTH AFRICA FROM 909 b. & THEN IN EGYPT & SYRIA UP TO 1171 14. D. 6 E. V. AFTER MOHAMMED'S DEATH CHANGES IN MARRIAGE & FAMILY 1. UMAR'S REIGN 634-44 IS REGARDED AS PERIOD WHEN MANY OF MAJOR INSTITUTIONS OF ISLAM ORIGINATED 2. HE WAS HARSH TOWARD WOMEN IN BOTH PRIVATE & PUBLIC LIFE 3. STONING AS PUNISHMENT FOR ADULTERY INAUGURATED BY HIM 4. UMAR WAS ILL-TEMPERED WITH HIS WIVES & PHYSICALLY ASSAULTED THEM 5. HE SOUGHT TO CONFINE WOMEN TO THEIR HOMES 6. & TO PREVENT THEIR ATTENDING PRAYERS AT MOSQUES 7. UNSUCCESSFUL IN THIS LAST ATTEMPT HE INSTITUTED SEGREGATED PRAYERS 8. HIS SUCCESSOR REVOKED SOME OF UMAR'S RESTRICTIONS AGAINST WOMEN 9. BUT TIDE WAS MOVING IN DIRECTION OF RESTRICTIVE LIFE FOR WOMEN 10. AS ARAB CONQUEST CARRIED ISLAM TO LANDS BEYOND ARABIA 11. ISLAM CAME IN CONTACT WITH SOCIETIES MORE RESTRICTIVE TOWARD WOMEN a. & MORE MISOGYNIST 12. UNDER THE ABBASID SOCIETY a. POLYGAMY, CONCUBINAGE & SECLUSION ALL PRACTICED 13. CONQUESTS HAD BROUGHT ENORMOUS WEALTH & SLAVES TO MUSLIM CENTERS IN ARABIA 14. MAJORITY OF SLAVES WOMEN & CHILDREN a. MANY OF WHOM HAD BEEN DEPENDENTS OR MEMBERS OF HAREM OF DEFEATED PERSIAN ELITES BEFORE THEIR CAPTURE 15. WHEREAS M HAD 1 CONCUBINE & COULD NOT AFFORD A SLAVE OR SERVANT 16. HIS FAVORITE WIFE'S AISHA'S BROTHER IN LAW LEFT 1000 SLAVES & 1000 CONCUBINES WHEN HE DIED IN 656 17. THUS PRACTICES & ATTITUDES OF PERSIAN NOBILITY ADOPTED BY MUSLIM NOBLES ISLAM WOMEN IN POLITICS A. GENERAL REMARKS 1. ROLE OF WOMEN IN MEDIEVAL ISLAM VARIED SUBSTANTIALLY 2. SOME PLAYED ACTIVE PART IN POLITICS a. INCLUDED SCHEMING TO DETERMINE SUCCESSION TO CALIPHATE 3. WIFE OF UMMAYAD CALIPH AL WALID I (705-715) a. INTERFERED IN POLITICAL AFFAIRS TO PROMOTE JUSTICE b. & ENCOURAGED HER HUSBAND TO BUILD LARGE MOSQUES c. HER ROLE EXTENSIVE ENOUGH TO PROMPT GOVERNOR OF IRAQ TO WARN AL-WALID ABOUT HER INFLUENCE B. KHAYZURAN 1. ONE OF GREATEST OF ABBASID CALIPHS HARUM AL-RASHID (786809) 2. APPARENTLY OWED HIS POSITION TO HIS FABULOUSLY WEALTHY MOTHER = KHAYZURAN 3. FORMER SLAVE 4. SHE BITTERLY OPPOSED ANOTHER SON, AL-HADI (785-786) a. & MAY EVEN HAVE HAD HIM ASSASSINATED C. ZUBAYDAH 1. HARUN'S WIFE 2. CONTRIBUTED MONEY TO BUILD AQUEDUCT IN MECCA 3. TOOK INTEREST IN URBAN DEVELOPMENT & SHE & OTHER 4. ARISTOCRATIC MUSLIM WOMEN BETWEEN 10-13TH CENTURIES a. PROMINENT PATRONESSES OF b. HOSPITALS (1) SCHOOLS 7 5. D. OTHER REMARKS RE POLITICAL ROLE OF WOMEN a. WIVES OF RULERS ALSO DE FACTO RULERS OF EGYPT IN 1020'S, LATE 1040'S & 1250'S 6. WOMEN WARRIORS TOO a. FIRST DECADES OF ISLAM NOT UNUSUAL FOR WOMEN TO TAKE PART IN BATTLES b. AISHA DID - FAMOUS BATTLE OF CAMEL 7. HAREM POLITICS a. BECAME PART OF ISLAMIC PRACTICE 8. JEALOUSY & INTRIGUE IN HAREM BECAME COMMONPLACE 9. AS WOMEN ENGAGED IN INTRIGUES TO ADVANCE FORTUNES OF THEIR CHILDREN 10. POISON ACTIVE AGENT IN MANY STORIES OF HAREM LIFE 11. BASED ON PRINCIPLE THAT WOMEN WERE CHATTEL 12. SALE OF WOMEN AS CONCUBINES OR SLAVES BECAME NB ECONOMIC PART OF LIFE FORGOTTEN QUEENS OF ISLAM 1. IDEA OF WOMEN GOVERNING ISLAMIC NATION UNTIL RECENTLY NOT POSSIBLE 2. NOW SCHOLARS KNOW AT LEAST 16 ISLAMIC QUEENS IN OWN RIGHT 3. SCHOLARS HAVE AGREED ON 2 CONDITIONS ESSENTIAL FOR QUEENS IN OWN RIGHT a. COIN MINTED BEARING HER LIKENESS b. HER NAME AS HEAD OF STATE PROCLAIMED IN THE KHUTBA AT FRIDAY SERVICE IN MOSQUE (1) PUBLIC RECOGNITION (a) ESPECIALLY SIGNIFICANT (2) AS ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF ANY ISLAMIC WOMAN IN ANY CONTEXT WAS & STILL IS EXTRAORDINARY 4. NO TEMPLATE FOR THESE ISLAMIC QUEENS 5. THEIR KINGDOMS RANGED FROM MONGOLIA TO EGYPT a. FROM INDIA TO INDONESIA b. FROM EARLY DAYS OF ISLAM TO BENAZIR BHUTTO'S ELECTION AS PRIME MINISTER IN 1988 6. DEPENDING ON WHERE THEIR KINGDOMS WERE THEIR TITLES WERE a. SULTANA b. MALIKA c. SITT d. KHATUN 7. SOME OF THEM RODE TO POWER ON COATTAILS OF a. REIGNING FATHERS OR HUSBANDS b. OR SERVED AS REGENTS FOR THEIR SONS 8. WHATEVER THEIR BACKGROUNDS & AVENUES TO POWER a. 3 FACTORS SEEM TO UNITE THESE ISLAMIC QUEENS 9. 1ST a. POLITICAL INSTABILITY OF SOME DEGREE (1) CONTRIBUTED TO RISE OF EACH RULER (2) SINCE ONLY IN TIMES OF STRUGGLE & CONFLICT WOULD ISLAMIC PATRIARCHY BREAK DOWN TO PERMIT WOMAN PUBLIC ROLE 10. 2ND a. ALL THESE QUEENS PROVED TO BE CAPABLE ADMINISTRATORS WHO RULED WELL (1) WITHOUT EXCEPTION 11. 3RD a. & MOST TRAGIC FACTOR IS MEMORY OF THESE EFFICIENT BELOVED QUEENS HAS BEEN DELETED FROM ISLAMIC HISTORY b. DENYING CENTURIES OF ISLAMIC WOMEN FEMALE ROLE MODELS 8 VI. QUEENS OF NOTE A. TURKAN KUTLUGH KHATUN 1. RULED KIRMAN, PERSIAN PROVINCE a. 1257-1282 2. DAUGHTER OF NEWLY CONVERTED ISLAMIC KING a. WHO EARNED HIS POWER THROUGH MILITARY MIGHT & STRONG ALLIANCE TO HULAGU, HEAD OF MONGOL DYNASTY 3. MARRIED HER COUSIN a. HIS DEATH LED TO HER ASSUMPTION OF POWER IN KIRMAN b. ON BASIS OF HEIR, HER SON UNDERAGE 4. SHE AS ADEPT AS HER FATHER IN FORGING LINKS WITH OTHER POWERFUL PEOPLE 5. BROUGHT PROSPERITY TO KIRMAN 6. UNUSUALLY HIGH DEGREE OF STABILITY HER YEARS AS RULER 7. THRONE SECURE UNTIL END OF HER REIGN B. SULTANA RADIYYA OR RAZIYYAT, QUEEN OF INDIA 1. MEMBER OF POWERFUL TURKISH FACTION OF FORMER SLAVES CALLED MAMLUKS 2. INHERITED THRONE OF DELHI FROM HER FATHER A FORMER SLAVE a. 1236 3. HER FATHER SELECTED HER AS HEIR DESPITE FACT SHE HAD 2 HALF BROTHERS a. FATHER SAID MY SONS ARE INCAPABLE OF LEADING 4. UNLIKE MANY QUEENS SHE SINGLE AT TIME OF HER ASCENSION 5. FIRST ACT AS QUEEN TO HAVE COINS MINTED BEARING FOLLOWING INSCRIPTION a. PILLAR OF WOMEN, QUEEN OF TIMES, SULTANA .... 6. UNLIKE TURKAN KHATUN RADIYYA'S POSITION CHALLENGED IMMEDIATELY BY HER HALF-BROTHER 7. HER RESPONSE REVEALED HER COURAGE, WISDOM & POPULARITY 8. CHOOSING PARTICULARLY BUSY PUBLIC PLACE SHE APPEALED TO HER PEOPLE & HER ARMY IN PERSON 9. WEARING GARB OF VICTIM OF INJUSTICE 10. CALLING ON THEM FOR SUPPORT AGAINST THE BROTHER WHO a. KILLED HIS BROTHER AND...NOW WANTS TO KILL ME. 11. SHE RECAPTURED HER POWER HAD HER BROTHER EXECUTED & REIGN FOR 4 YEARS 12. CAPABLE ADMINISTRATOR WHO LISTENED TO HER PEOPLE 13. TO QUOTE PERSIAN HISTORIAN WHO MET HER PERSONALLY 14. SULTAN RAZIYYAT WAS A GRETA SOVEREIGN AND SAGACIOUS, JUST, BENEFICENT, THE PATRON OF THE LEARNED, A DISPENSER OF JUSTICE, THE CHERISHER OF HER SUBJECTS, AND OF WARLIKE TALENT, AND WAS ENDOWED WITH ALL THE ADMIRABLE ATTRIBUTES AND QUALIFICATIONS NECESSARY FOR KINGS 15. SHE WAS UNVEILED RODE HORSES a. LIKE MEN ARMED WITH BOW AND QUIVER b. & LED MILITARY EXCURSIONS 16. LOVE HER DOWNFALL a. SHE SUSPECTED OF FAVORING SLAVE OVER ALL OTHERS b. ALTHOUGH ISLAM PREVALENT IN INDIA AT TIME c. CASTE SYSTEM STILL PRESENT d. PEOPLE SAW SLAVE TOUCHING HER (1) ESPECIALLY REPUGNANT TO RELIGIOUS LEADERS (2) & OTHER POWERFUL PEOPLE 17. ARMED REBELLION FOLLOWED 18. SHE CAPTURED IN BATTLE WITH GOVERNOR'S TROOPS 19. BUT HE FELL IN LOVE WITH HER, MARRIED HER & MARCHED ON CITY OF DELHI 20. TO RECLAIM THRONE FOR HER 21. ATTEMPT UNSUCCESSFUL 9 22. C. D. E. F. & SHE SUFFERED LONELY DEATH a. PURPORTEDLY MURDERED BY GREEDY PEASANT WHO PLUNDERED HER BODY FOR HER JEWELED GARMENTS OTHER REMARKS 1. BOTH OF THESE QUEENS & SOME 12 OTHERS a. TURKS, MONGOLS, INDONESIANS & ASIANS b. THESE CULTURE MORE RECEPTIVE TO FEMALE RULERS 2. NOT CASE IN ARAB COUNTRIES 3. ONE REASONS IS THAT MOHAMMED ONCE REMARKED a. NO PEOPLE WHO PLACE A WOMAN OVER THEIR AFFAIRS WILL PROSPER 4. SO FAR HISTORIANS KNOWN OF ONLY 2 WOMEN WHO HAVE FEATURED IN THE KHUTBA IN AN ARABIC MOSQUE 5. 2 WOMEN WHO RULED IN YEMEN a. ASMA BINT SHIBAB AL-SULAYHIYYA b. ARWA BINT AHMAD AL-SULAYHIYYA ASMA 1. AFTER ALI, ASMA'S HUSBAND UNIFIED YEMEN 2. & WON IT FOR THE SUNNI SECT 3. WHEN HE ASCENDED THRONE HE ACKNOWLEDGE HIS WIFE ASMA AS HIS EQUAL 4. BY COMMANDING THAT THE KHUTBA BE SAID IN HER NAME AS WELL AS HIS 5. & ALLOWED HER TO PARTICIPATE UNVEILED IN COUNCILS OF STATE 6. HE WAS SAID THAT ALI CONSULATED ASMA WHENEVER HE HAD SIGNIFICANT DECISION TO MAKE 7. THEIR SON RAISED WITH IDEA THAT WIFE IS FORCE THAT IT WOULD BE ABSURD TO LEAVE TO STAGNATE IN SHADOW OF HAREM 8. THEN WHEN ON PILGRIMAGE TO MECCA IN 1066 KING POISONED BY PRINCE WHOSE FATHER ALI HAD EXECUTED & SON FULFILLING HIS VENDETTA 9. ASMA CAPTURED & IMPRISONED FOR YEAR a. WHEN RESCUED BY HER SON b. DURING RESCUE SON DISABLED c. SO SHE RULED UNTIL HER DEATH IN 1087 ARWA 1. ALI'S NIECE 2. RECOGNIZED SINCE CHILDHOOD BY ALI AS ONLY PERSON CAPABLE OF ASSURING CONTINUITY OF DYNASTY IN CASE SOMETHING SHOULD HAPPEN TO ALI & ASMA 3. SHE EDUCATED AS QUEEN WOULD BE 4. GRADUALLY GIVEN GREATER RESPONSIBILITIES 5. RAISED WITH & MARRIED TO HER COUSIN a. DISABLED SON OF ALI & ASMA b. CONTINUING TRADITION OF NAMING REGAL COUPLE IN KHUTBA WHEN ASMA DIED IN 1087 6. DURING HER 50 YEAR REIGN a. PATRON OF ARTS, ARCHITECTURE, ENGINEERING & EDUCATION 7. SHE SURVIVED POWER STRUGGLES 8. AFTER DEATH OF HER HUSBAND SHE MARRIED AGAIN TO PRESERVE HER KINGDOM 9. BUT SHE CONTINUED TO RULE WITHOUT ANY HUSBAND/SCREEN 10. SUCCESSFULLY DEFENDED HER KINGDOM POLITICALLY& MILITARILY IN HER LATER YEARS 11. PERHAPS MOST NOTABLE ACCOMPLISHMENT a. HER ACCEPTANCE AS SPIRITUAL LEADER b. LED TO SPREAD OF SHI'ISM THROUGHOUT ASIA CULTURAL & INTELLECTUAL PURSUITS OF WOMEN 10 1. G. H. MUSLIM WOMEN PARTICIPATED IN WIDE RANGE OF CULTURAL & INTELLECTUAL PURSUITS 2. PROVIDED SALONS IN WHICH SCHOLARS, POETS & OTHER EDUCATED PEOPLE COULD GATHER a. DURING UMAYYAD CALIPHATE b. PROMINENT AMONG SUCH WOMEN (1) MUHAMMAD'S GREAT GRANDDAUGHTER, SUKAINA 3. AS IN PRE-ISLAMIC SOCIETY SOME WOMEN CONTINUED TO WRITE POETRY 4. FEMALE PROFESSIONALS SANG ELEGIES AT FUNERALS 5. THROUGHOUT UMMAYAD PERIOD WOMEN STUDIED BOTH LAW & THEOLOGY 6. IN CALIPHATE OF CORDOBA WOMEN TAUGHT IN SCHOOLS TOO 7. FEMALE SCHOLARS PROMINENT IN TOWNS OF MUSLIM SPAIN 8. SOME LECTURED AT UNIVERSITIES OF CORDOBA & VALENCIA 9. ABBASIDS EMPLOYED WOMEN TO SPY AGAINST BYZANTINES IN GUISE OF MERCHANTS, PHYSICIANS & TRAVELERS a. WHICH SUGGESTS THEY UNDERTOOK SUCH ACTIVITIES IN THEIR OWN SOCIETY TOO REPRESSION INSTANCES 1. DURING ABBASID CALIPHATE PUBLIC APPEARANCES & CLOTHING OF WOMEN INCREASINGLY REGULATED BY GOVERNMENT DECREE 2. AROUND 1030 WOMEN BANNED FROM PUBLIC CEREMONIES 3. IN 12TH C SEVILLE DECENT WOMEN PROHIBITED FROM DRESSING LIKE PROSTITUTES a. & FROM PARTY MAKING AMONG THEMSELVES (1) EVEN WITH THEIR HUSBANDS' PERMISSION 4. SOME OF THESE REGULATIONS INTENDED TO STRESS FEMALE MODESTY 5. IN SEVILLE WOMEN COULD NOT RUN HOSTELS BECAUSE OF POSSIBILITY OF SEXUAL IMPROPRIETIES 6. WOMEN COULD NOT ENTER CHRISTIAN CHURCHES BECAUSE PRIESTS HAD REPUTATIONS AS FORNICATORS & SODOMITES 7. IN MARKETS THEY COULD DEAL ONLY WITH MERCHANTS OF GOOD REPUTATION 8. WOMEN PROHIBITED FROM SITTING BY RIVERBANK IN SUMMER IN PRESENCE OF MEN 9. ALTHOUGH SUCH REGULATIONS PATRONIZING a. SUGGESTS CONCERN FOR PROTECTION OF WOMEN IN ISLAMIC SOCIETY WOMEN & RELIGION 1. WOMEN ALSO ACTIVE IN SUFI MOVEMENT 2. SUFISM IS MYSTICAL TRADITION OF ISLAM 3. IN MOST WORLD RELIGIONS INDIVIDUAL WOMEN AND/OR FEMININE CONCEPTS MORE PROMINENT IN MYSTICAL THAN IN ORTHODOX TRADITION a. SOMEWHAT SAME CASE IN SUFISM AS WELL 4. SUFIS SEEK UNION WITH GOD 5. THEY EMPHASIZE LEADING SIMPLE & SELF-DISCIPLINED LIFE DEVOTED TO GOD a. WHICH ALMOST ANYONE WHO IS WILLING CAN FOLLOW 6. ONE OF FOREMOST SUFI SAINTS a. IMPOVERISHED FREED SLAVE WOMEN RABIAH B. 714 OR 717 7. NAFISA C 762-823 a. REVERED TODAY IN EGYPT AS SAINT b. SHE GREAT GRANDDAUGHTER OF MOHAMMED'S GRANDSON HASAN c. THEN WENT TO EGYPT WITH HER HUSBAND 8. FAMED FOR HER THEOLOGICAL KNOWLEDGE,STRICT ASCETICISM & CHARITY TO POOR 9. SHE MADE 30 PILGRIMAGES 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 11 SUFI MOVEMENTS BEGAN TO ARISE IN VARIOUS PARTS OF MUSLIM EMPIRE DURING 8TH C. EVENTUALLY DEVELOPING INTO PARTICULAR SCHOOLS CLAIMING DESCENT FROM INDIVIDUAL SUFI MASTERS a. MANY OF WHICH STILL EXIST TODAY SOME OF THESE SUFI MASTERS MARRIED BUT LARGE NUMBERS CHOSE CELIBACY IN BELIEF CLOSER TO GOD MONASTERIES & CONVENTS ESTABLISHED TO SUPPORT SPIRITUAL LIFE IN THIS ENVIRONMENT FREED THEM FROM DOMESTIC & SOCIAL OBLIGATIONS MANY WOMEN ROSE TO PROMINENCE AS SPIRITUAL GUIDES a. & RENOWN FOR THEIR DEVOTION AS WITH THEIR MALE COUNTERPARTS SOME OF THESE WOMEN VENERATED AS SAINTS BOTH BEFORE & AFTER THEIR DEATHS PROBABLY IN INDIA CULT OF FEMALE SAINTS FLOURISHED MOST WHOLE SERIES OF MINIATURES FROM MOGUL PERIOD DEPICT FEMALE HERMITS JAHAN-ARA a. ELDEST DAUGHTER OF EMPEROR SHAH JAHAN b. SAINT FRO MOGUL INDIA c. BOOK ABOUT HER INITIATION AS MYSTIC BEARS WITNESS TO THE PROFUNDITY OF HER FAITH & MYSTICAL UNDERSTANDING PILGRIMAGES TO & WORSHIP AT TOMBS OF SAINTS, MALE & FEMALE a. REMAINS INTEGRAL PART OF ISLAM TO THIS DAY b. POPULAR FORM OF DEVOTION AMONG MUSLIM WOMEN