Overcoming Obstacles Faced By Muslim Women

A Portrait of Queen Arwa, who was a Yemeni Muslim Queen

FRP question: How did these malikas (queens) overcome the obstacles they faced to successfully lead their respective societies?

Throughout history, women have been seen unfit for positions of power. Similarly, in the Muslim world, women leaders faced barriers in regards to their gender. Despite the discrimination they faced, many Muslim women managed to be successful queens. One example is Queen Amina, who was the twenty Fourth Habe of Zazzau and was known for her deep interest in warfare; she also was well-known for building walls around conquered territories, many of which last today (“Amina of Zaria”). In Yemen, Queen Asma Al-Sulaihi and her daughter Arwa were quite

One way they were influenced by Islam is shown when they spread Islam. Arwa of Yemen was learned in the Quran and was very religious. During her reign, she sent Ismaili missionaries to Gujarat, India to help spread Islam, which also helped establish the Islamic Borah faith (“The History about Queens of Arabia Felix (The Happy Yemen”)”). Yemen was predominantly Muslim, so spreading Islam was appreciated and showed how Arwa proved how she believed in her religion. Since Arwa was religious, if she faced strong criticism, she would have remembered what she is doing is what she believes in and would live by her ideals. Roxelana started many public projects relating to Islam; these projects include the Haseki Mosque Complex in Constantinople and the Haseki Hürrem Ḥammān, which is also in Constantinople. The construction of the Haseki Mosque Complex, which included two schools and a mosque, began in the year of 1539. The construction of Haseki Hürrem Ḥammān, which was an Islamic bath, began in the year 1556. These projects helped Roxelana become known as “a patroness of public works (“Roxelana”)." Roxelana was encouraging