Sharjah: The great women of Islam invite themselves in contemporary art in the United Arab Emirates

According to The National, an English -speaking daily newspaper to the United Arab Emirates, a major work celebrating sixteen women who have marked Islamic history is unveiled this Sunday at the House of Wisdom in Sharjah. Located in one of the seven emirates of the United Arab Emirates and recognized as the cultural capital of the Arab world, Sharjah welcomes this project carried by the Barjeel Foundation, a flagship institution of modern and contemporary Arab art.

Entitled “A wonderful world”, the canvas of Afifa Aleiby revives unknown historical figures: Fatima Al Fihriya, which founded the Al Quaraouiyine University in Fez in the 9th century, today the oldest in the world still in activity; The Queen Amina of the 16th century, a warrior sovereign of Zazzau (current Nigeria), famous for its urban fortifications; or Dayfa Khatun, regent of Aleppo (1236-1242), which protected the autonomy of the city during periods of troubles and had several major buildings of which are Madrasa al Firdaws.

The work also puts in the spotlight Zubaydah Bint Ja’far (11th century), Princess Abbasside who had the Pilgrims Route between Baghdad and Mecca, and Razia Sultana, first woman to direct the sultanate of Delhi (1236-1240 ). The pioneers of medicine are represented by Rufaida Al Aslamia, first nurse and surgeon of Islam, and Al Shifa ‘Bint Abdullah, renowned healer of the Prophet’s time.

“Our ambition was to offer young women a more complete image of their history, with models with which to identify”explains to The National Suheyla Takesh, director of the Barjeel Foundation. To do this, Aleiby carried out meticulous work on period costumes, illustrating the geographic and temporal diversity of these personalities, from Andalusia to India.

This artistic project responds to the painting “The scientists of Islam” of the Syrian painter Mahmoud Hammad who, in 1988, only represented male thinkers of the Islamic Golden Age. “These women have shaped our culture”underlines Aleiby in the columns of the Emirati daily life. “Far from the clichés, they built infrastructure, led battles and made up of poetry.” The two works will be presented together at the Sharjah Islamic Civilization Museum after Ramadan, visual dialogue between past and present.

This artistic command reflects a broader movement to reassess the role of women in Islamic history. By juxtaposing these paintings, the Barjeel Foundation does not only correct a historical omission: it offers a new reading of the Islamic Golden Age, where intellectual excellence and leadership were not the prerogative of men. This approach particularly resonates in the current context of debates on the place of women in contemporary Muslim societies.