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

Category

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

Baya Mahieddine 1931-1998

When I paint, I am in another world. I forget everything. My painting is not the reflection of the exterior world, but of my own inner world. – Baya Mahieddine Baya, an avant garde artist who inspired Picasso, was born…

Continue reading
Inspirations

Mah Laqa Bai 1768-1824

Cups of crimson wine are circling in rounds of dance If the beloved is glimpsed this party abounds in dance God has made this believed peerless in my view Everything before my eyes resounds in dance – Ma Laqa Bai…

Continue reading
Inspirations

Roxelana c. 1503-1558

This week there has occurred in this city a most extraordinary event, one absolutely unprecedented in the history of the Sultans. The Grand Signior Suleiman has taken himself as his Empress a slave woman from Russia. There is great talk…

Continue reading
Inspirations

Raziya Sultan 1205-1240

With a royal blow, she tore away the veil; She showed her face’s sun from behind the screen. The lioness showed so much force that brave men bent low before her. — Amir Khusrau Raziya Sultan was the Sultan of…

Continue reading
Inspirations

Zaynab Fawwaz (d. 1914)

There is no community in which the rays of civilisation have shone forth – in whatever era this may be – where women did not have the greater hand and the greater due, as is perfectly obvious to anyone who…

Continue reading
Inspirations

Nabawiyya Musa 1890-1951

Men claim they have superior intelligence, saying there have been more men of genius than women. They forget that only when people use their gifts do they develop. That is why poor men who have spent their lives as cooks…

Continue reading
Inspirations

Tazeen Ahmad 1971-2019

You need courage to do vulnerability. But research shows the rewards are huge: compassion, self-respect, assertiveness, laughter, deeper connections, less isolation, oh, and inner peace – Tazeen Ahmad Farah Tazeen Ahmad was a journalist, presenter and writer, and one of…

Continue reading
Inspirations

Hawa Jibril 1920-2011

We are the ones who raised the flag on high God gave it to us, and we were the agents But we will lose it if we do not stand up in its defence. Awake, Sisters! A long struggle awaits…

Continue reading
Inspirations

Sattareh Farman Farmaian 1921-2012

Human beings are like parts of a body, created from the same essence. When one part is hurt and in pain, the others cannot remain in peace and be quiet. – Motto of the Tehran School of Social Work, 1958-1979…

Continue reading
Inspirations

Queen Amina of Hausaland c. 1533-1610

Strange things have happened in the history of the seven Hausa States, and most strange of these is the extent of the possessions which God gave to Aminatu, daughter of the ruler of Zazzau. She waged war in the Hausa…

Continue reading
Inspirations

Padishah Khatun ?-1294

I am that woman whose works are good. Under my veil is kingly power. – Padishah Khatun Padishah Khatun was the sixth sovereign of the Kutlugh-Khanid dynasty of Mongols, and the ruler of Kerman. She was the first non-Mongol woman…

Continue reading

sister-hood is currently on hiatus whilst we work on our relaunch. The site will still be available for your reading pleasure.

We'd like to thank all of our readers and contributors for their support over the years and look forward to coming back bigger, better and stronger.

Sign up to our mailing list for all future updates here.