sister-hood is an award-winning digital magazine spotlighting the diverse voices of women of Muslim heritage.

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Inspirations

Inspirations is a regular series featuring remarkable women and girls of Muslim heritage throughout history – from folklore to politics, from poetry to sport. Controversial and courageous,  creative and charismatic, these are not women who can be ignored. Through recognising the accomplishments of women and girls, we challenge the myth that women are passive creatures, and provide a source of inspiration to a new generation of women and girls.
Inspirations

Forough Farrokzhad 1935-1967

‘Perhaps because no woman before me took steps toward breaking the shackles binding women’s hands and feet, and because I am the first to do so, they have made such a controversy out of me.’ – Forough Farrokzhad Forough Farrokzhad…

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Inspirations

Hawa Abdi Dhiblawe 1947-2020

What was most important was that no person inside our place stole, fought, or killed. So long as that was true, I treated the wives and daughters of every warlord. – Hawa Abdi Hawa Abdi was a Somali physician, peace…

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Inspirations

Naziq al-Abid 1898-1959

Known as the Joan of Arc of the Arabs, Naziq al-Abid was a suffragist, humanitarian social reformer, and a pioneer for Syrian independence against both the Ottoman and French Empires. Naziq was born into a wealthy Kurdish merchant family with…

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Inspirations

Mukhlisa Bubi 1869 – 1937

The most important thing for the happiness and preservation of our nation and the most necessary thing for strengthening our religion is educating our women and adorning them with knowledge  – Mukhlisa Bubi Mukhlisa Bubi was the first woman to…

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Inspirations

Dayfa Khatun (d. 1242)

Dayfa Khatun was an Ayyubid princess, daughter of Sultan al-Adil I, who served as Regent of Aleppo during her grandson’s minority. She was a politically able ruler, engaging in the military struggles of the time and developing the city. She…

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Inspirations

Yasmin Ahmad 1958-2009

Life is never just humorous, never just tragic – Yasmin Ahmad Director and scriptwriter Yasmin Ahmad was known for her touching films and television commercials that explored multiculturalism in Malaysia. She also worked as the executive creative director at Leo…

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Inspirations

Fatima Ahmed Ibrahim 1933-2017

In parliament, we demanded complete equality for working women. In 1969 women received the same rights when it came to earnings, pension and working conditions. In addition, we also demanded that women be appointed judges of the Islamic faith. And…

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Inspirations

Zohra Begum Kazi 1912-2007

Be sincere to your noble profession – Zohra Begum Kazi Zohra Begum Kazi was the first Bengali Muslim woman to become a physician and surgeon. She established gynaecological and obstetric healthcare within the health system of Bangladesh at a time…

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Inspirations

Safiye Sultan c. 1550-1619

Wife of Sultan Murad III and mother of Mehmed III, Safiye Sultan was a powerful and ambitious consort and zalide sultan (queen mother) within the Ottoman court, who lived through the reigns of seven sultans. Named Safiye for her blonde…

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Inspirations

Nur Jahan 1577-1645

If the rosebud is opened by the breeze in the garden The key to our heart’s lock is the beloved’s smile The heart of one held captive by beauty and coquetry Knows neither roses, nor colour, nor face, nor tresses…

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Inspirations

Maryam Mirzakhani 1977-2017

The beauty of mathematics only shows itself to more patient followers – Maryam Mirzakhani Maryam Mirzakhani was an Iranian mathematician, and the first woman to be awarded the prestigious Fields Medal for her work in the field of mathematics. She…

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