Aisha al-Manoubia, also known as Lalla Manoubia, was a Berber woman who rose to become the highest authority on Sufism in Tunisia. She was considered one of the four spiritual guardians of the capital city Tunis. Aisha was born in…

‘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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…