Many claim that the first to advocate for women's freedom and their right to education were feminist movements. However, Islam granted women their freedom 1400 years ago. Abu Sa'id Al-Khudri (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: A woman came to the Messenger of Allah and said: “O Messenger of Allah! Only men benefit from your talks, so please fix a day for us, to teach us the knowledge which Allah has taught you.” The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) fixed a day and directed them to assemble. When they gathered, the Prophet (ﷺ) went to them and taught them what Allah had taught him. ⁽¹⁾

Islam did not stop there; it even doubled the reward for a man who educates women. Abu Musa Al-Ash'ari (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, “Three kinds of people will have a double reward: A man from the People of the Book who believes in his Prophet and (also) believes in Muhammad; a slave who discharges properly the duties towards Allah and towards his master; and a man who possesses a slave-girl and teaches her manners, educates her well, and frees her and then marries her.” ⁽²⁾

The Islamic Fiqh Council affirmed that “it is not permissible, according to Sharia, to deprive any male or female of any beneficial type of education in its two branches, as this contradicts the Sharia texts that command their education, the consensus of the Ummah throughout the ages on the obligation of their education, and the many evils resulting from this deprivation, such as the spread of ignorance, poverty, and disease, and their derivatives.” ⁽³⁾ Sheikh Hassan Al-Deddo mentioned that women are half of society, and their number increases as the Hour approaches. If they are wise and thoughtful, there is no doubt that dismissing their opinions harms society... Therefore, the Prophet (ﷺ) used to consult women. ⁽⁴⁾

Examples of Educated Women in Islam

The education of women in Islam is of a very great importance, as many women were consulted on various issues, the most famous being Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), from whom many companions and caliphs took knowledge. She had fatwas on various issues, and Al-Zarkashi wrote a book about her. ⁽⁵⁾ Similarly, Al-Shifa bint Abdullah was a writer during the pre-Islamic era and a well-known physician for treating skin diseases during the Prophet's time. ⁽⁶⁾ She became the first teacher in Islam, teaching Hafsa bint Umar reading and writing before her marriage to the Prophet (ﷺ). After their marriage, the Prophet (ﷺ) asked Al-Shifa to continue teaching and educating her. ⁽⁷⁾

Even female slaves had significant learning and cultural opportunities throughout various Islamic eras. Ibn Al-Mutarrif Al-Lughawi had a slave girl who learned Arabic grammar and language from her master and even surpassed him in it. ⁽⁸⁾ Additionally, “Shuhda the Writer,” who was originally a slave, excelled in knowledge, literature, and beautiful handwriting, and many people learned from her. ⁽⁹⁾

Fatima Al-Fihri: A Role Model

Among the glorious women who had a significant impact on their countries and Islamic civilization is Fatima Al-Fihri. She was born in the Islamic city of Kairouan, Tunisia, in the early ninth century CE. Her father, Muhammad ibn Abdullah Al-Fihri, descended from Uqba ibn Nafi Al-Fihri Al-Qurashi, the conqueror of the Maghreb al-Aqsa. Her father was a jurist and a wealthy merchant who ensured that his daughters, Fatima and her sister Mariam, were educated in literature, poetry, and various sciences, nurturing Fatima’s goal to assist students.

Fatima migrated with her family to the city of Fez, a Muslim city in Morocco. She got married there, and after the death of her father and husband, she inherited a large fortune. She used this wealth to help the needy and students of knowledge, earning the title “Umm al-Banīn” (Mother of the Children) for providing students with everything they needed to continue their education.

Al-Qarawiyyin Mosque

The city of Fez flourished and expanded, encompassing Muslims from all over the world. Fatima Al-Fihri volunteered to build a mosque for worshippers and students. Construction of Al-Qarawiyyin Mosque began in Ramadan 245 AH during the reign of Sultan Yahya ibn Idris. It is said that she fasted for 18 years until the mosque was completed, personally overseeing every single detail of its construction.

She dug a well for water for the builders and workers to drink from, and supervised the extraction of gypsum, yellow sand, and stones from the mosque's land to use in the construction. The mosque was completed and opened to worshippers in 263 AH, becoming a marvel of beauty and a symbol of Islamic architecture and civilization.

Kings and sultans continued to expand the mosque over the years. It began to receive students at the end of the Idrisid era and gradually evolved into a university under the Marinids, offering lessons in various fields such as philosophy, medicine, jurisprudence, mathematics, and astronomy. A library was established during the Marinid era, housing over 4,000 manuscripts to rival the largest libraries in the world.

Al-Qarawiyyin Mosque became a hub for students from all over the world, attracting many renowned figures throughout history, such as historian and philosopher Ibn Khaldun, jurist, physician, and mathematician Ibn Rushd, geographer Al-Idrisi, mathematician and astronomer Ibn Al-Banna, and even Pope Sylvester II, who is believed to have introduced Arabic numerals to Europe.

According to UNESCO and the Guinness World Records, Al-Qarawiyyin University is the oldest continuously operating university in the world, predating European universities by about two centuries.

Islam has emphasized the importance of women's education since its outset, presenting brilliant examples that have profoundly impacted Islam and Muslims. Fatima Al-Fihri and other great Muslim women will be honored and remembered by history.

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1. Riyad as-Salihin, agreed upon (954).
2. Riyad as-Salihin, agreed upon (1365).
3. Islamic Fiqh Council Decision No. 239 (25/1)
4. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MtwX8e5bePM
5. The Answer to What Aisha Realized About the Companions by Al-Zarkashi
6. Encyclopedia of Prophetic Medicine by Al-Asfahani
7. Futuh al-Buldan by Al-Baladhuri
8. Nafh Al-tayyib by Al-Muqri
9. Wafiyyah al- A'yan by Ibn Khallikan
10. The History of Islam and the Deaths of Celebrities and Famous People by Al-Dhahabi
11. aljazeera.net
12. doc.aljazeera