Gender, scholarship, and religious authority

Gender, scholarship, and religious authority

By: Dr Mohammad Akram Nadwi
Oxford

I was asked two questions, and they are answered here consecutively:

Question 1: Why do women so often get sidelined in madrasah spaces, and what can be done to ensure that their rights and contributions are respected in practice?

Answer:
The marginalisation of women within many contemporary madrasah contexts is, regrettably, a widespread phenomenon across Muslim societies. It must be noted, however, that this sidelining is not reflective of the normative teachings of Islam, but rather of cultural practices that have, over time, encroached upon the ethos of Islamic education.

Historically, women were not only active participants in religious learning but also recognised authorities. Notable examples include ʿĀʾishah bint Abī Bakr (d. 678 CE), who transmitted a vast body of Prophetic traditions and was consulted by leading Companions, and scholars such as Fatimah al-Samarqandiyyah (d. 12th century), who was esteemed as a jurist and teacher. As my work al-Muḥaddithāt demonstrates, thousands of women throughout Islamic history served as transmitters of ḥadīth, teachers, and mentors, thereby contributing directly to the preservation and dissemination of sacred knowledge.

The way to restore this balance is to provide women with proper authority, and the most authentic means to authority in Islam is through knowledge. The Qur’ān itself establishes knowledge as the basis of honour and leadership (Q. 39:9), and the Prophet ﷺ affirmed that seeking knowledge is incumbent upon every Muslim, male and female alike. When women are afforded rigorous access to religious scholarship, their voices attain the legitimacy that Islamic epistemology accords to those who are learned.

Practical implementation requires not token inclusion, but systemic reforms that open avenues for women to teach, interpret, and contribute within madrasah institutions. By reviving women’s historical role as scholars, educators, and authorities, Muslim societies can ensure that their rights and contributions are recognised and respected in practice. In this way, communities realign themselves with Islam’s intellectual tradition, where dignity and authority are derived not from gendered hierarchies, but from knowledge and piety.

Question 2: Is there an unspoken belief in some communities that women cannot serve the din as effectively as men, and how do we challenge and change that mindset?

Answer:
In some communities, there persists an unspoken, yet deeply entrenched, belief that women are inherently less capable than men in serving the dīn (religion). This perception often stems from cultural interpretations and patriarchal social structures rather than the core principles of Islam. Such attitudes overlook the historical evidence of women’s active participation in religious scholarship, jurisprudence, teaching, and community leadership. From the era of the Prophet ﷺ onwards, many eminent female scholars demonstrated profound mastery of Islamic knowledge and played essential roles in guiding the Muslim community.

Challenging and transforming this mindset requires both intellectual and structural interventions. Firstly, education serves as the principal means of empowerment. When women are granted access to rigorous religious scholarship, they acquire the authority and legitimacy to serve the dīn effectively. Secondly, communities must actively highlight and institutionalise the contributions of women in Islamic history, thereby providing tangible role models that counter entrenched stereotypes.

Furthermore, reform entails creating inclusive spaces within religious institutions where women can teach, issue guidance, and participate in decision-making processes. Such systemic changes communicate that competence in serving the dīn is determined by knowledge, character, and piety—not gender. In doing so, communities can gradually shift perceptions, aligning social practice with the Qur’ānic principle that all believers, regardless of gender, may contribute meaningfully to the preservation and propagation of the faith (Q. 33:35).

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