About This Book:
This book is an English translation of the first part of a massive 40-volume (Arabic) lexicon of women scholars of the Prophet Muhammad's sayings and activities. During the early years of Islam, these women were exceedingly intelligent and revered. They possessed a strong social presence and authority. Women traveled extensively for many years to obtain religious knowledge. They also often visited prominent mosques and educational institutions in the Islamic world. This book offers documentation such as class registrations and certifications from women that permitted males to teach religion. It also provides praise and adoration for these female professors from recognized religious academics.
One chapter in the book provides an overview and includes maps illustrating how these women's learning centers spread and finally diminished. This material is critical for understanding women's roles in Islamic culture, what they have accomplished in the past, and what they can do in the future. Until recently, this knowledge had been dispersed and was not publicly understood. Akram's dictionary makes it easy for academics and scholars to investigate, comprehend, and evaluate this significant history.
