To help reverse the sidelining of Sufi women in the recorded academic literature, the author has selected a representative sample of figures from diverse Islamic dynasties with varying backgrounds, social status, and devotional contributions. Taking a historical approach attentive to specific political contexts, readers will be introduced to the contributions of Umm Ali al-Balkhi and Fatima of Nishapur in the ninth-century Khurasan, Aisha al-Mannubiyya of the Hafsid dynasty in Ifriqya, Aisha al-Ba'uniyya of the Mamluk dynasties of Egypt and Syria, the Mughal princess Jahan Ara Begum, and the daughter of the Caliph of Sokoto, Nana Asma'u. It is argued that these ascetic and Sufi women were recognized by their male and female peers, became political leaders in their communities, and were honored as examples of sanctity and erudition. Their works influenced mystical discourse, hagiographical writings, religious language, and models of religious authority to secure legacies of Islamic orthopraxis.
The book will appeal to anyone interested in Sufism and Sufi history, as well as to those wishing to delve into the understudied topic of Muslim women's spirituality.
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Ian Richard Netton, University of Exeter, UK
"In an astonishing panorama, the author unfolds for us the experience of six women Sufi scholars and mystics in six periods of time and different places, from the ninth to the nineteenth centuries. His account shows an erudition which is thorough but lightly-worn, a sensitivity to matters of controversy about women's writing and spirituality in Islam, an acute awareness of historical and political context, and above all a passion to recover neglected women's voices. This book should be essential reading, not only for scholars of Islam, but for all those interested in mystical experience, feminist theology and religious history in general."
Paul S. Fiddes, Professor of Systematic Theology, University of Oxford, UK