Yoginder Sikand on “unveiling the hidden history of women ulema”

Yoginder Sikand has an informative book review of a pioneering book written in Urdu (yes, Urdu; for a change, something enlightening on gender relations will be translated in the other direction) on women scholars.

Sikand is a treasure, btw. He’s being churning out illuminating studies of Sufism and Islam in India based on hard to find primary sources for many years.

Book review: unveiling the hidden history of women ulema | TwoCircles.net

Books in English and Urdu on Muslim history rarely, if ever, mention the role and contribution of numerous remarkable Muslim women scholars. Yet, as the author of this fascinating monograph, the late Qazi Athar Mubarakpuri (1916-1996), points out, early Muslim history records many such women, several of whose names are mentioned in contemporary Arab chronicles. Indeed, he asserts, many of these texts had separate chapters devoted to such women. Some early Arab Muslim writers even penned separate books dealing with women scholars.

There’s a lot more. Read it if you want to live.