The Forgotten Queens Of Islam
When Benazir Bhutto became prime minister of Pakistan in 1988, many claimed that it was a blasphemous assault on Islamic tradition since no Muslim state, critics alleged, had ever been governed by a woman. But Fatima Mernissi examined fifteen centuries of Islamic history and discovered that the critics were wrong. Recovering the stories of fifteen Islamic queens, this remarkable exploration tells how they ascended the throne, how they governed and exercised their power, and how their...
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In this extraordinary and powerful book, now available in paperback, Fatima Mernissi, one of the most original and distinctive voices in the Islamic world, uncovers a hidden history of women leaders of Islamic states stretching back over fifteen centuries.
Introduction: Was Benazir Bhutto the First?1Pt. IQueens and Courtesans1How Does One Say 'Queen' in Islam?92The Caliph and the Queen263The jawari or Revolution in the Harem374Khayzuran: Courtesan or Head of State?51Pt. IISovereignty in Islam5The Criteria of Sovereignty in Islam716Fifteen Queens88Pt. IIIThe Arab Queens7The Shiite Dynasty of Yemen1158The Little Queens of Sheba1399The Lady of Cairo159Conclusion: The Medina Democracy179Notes190Index220
