Introduction. Games of succession: patriarchy, power, gender; Part I. Sacred Sources of Authority: The Quran and the Hadith: 1. Queen of Sheba and the mighty throne; 2. Aisha Bint Abu Bakr: battle of the camel, battle for succession; Part II. Medieval Queens: Dynasty and Descent: 3. Sayyida Hurra Queen Arwa of Yemen: 'the little Queen of Sheba'; 4. Razia Sultan of India: 'Queen of the world Bilqis-I Jihan'; Part III. Contemporary Queens: Institutionalization of Succession and Leadership: 5. Benazir Bhutto: a queen 'without parallel'; 6. Megawati Sukarnoputri: 'Limbuk becomes Queen'; Conclusion. Patriarchal paradox?
A cross-cultural and ethno-historical perspective exploring the lives and legacies of several Muslim women rulers from medieval to modern times.
Shahla Haeri is Associate Professor of Anthropology and a former director of the Women's Studies Program at Boston University. She is the author of the pioneering ethnographic book Law of Desire: Temporary Marriage in Shī'ī Iran (1989, 2014) on the unique Shi'a practice of temporary marriage in Iran and No Shame for the Sun: Lives of Professional Pakistani Women (2002). She is the producer and director of a video documentary on Iranian women presidential contenders entitled Mrs. President: Women and Political Leadership in Iran (2002). Haeri is the recipient of many grants and postdoctoral fellowships.
'Most women rulers in Islamic states succeeded their fathers or
husbands, and Shahla Haeri shows that they cultivated an image as
tolerant and caring 'mothers' of their nations. Her fascinating and
original study concludes that an emerging generation of female
politicians may represent a more democratic and inclusive force in
Muslim societies, precisely because their very identity is a
challenge to military and theocratic establishments.' Adam Kuper,
British Academy
'Haeri harvests decades of work on women political leaders in the
Islamic world, from the Queen of Sheba in the 10th century B.C.E.
to the contemporary Pakistani Benazir Bhutto and Indonesian
Megawati Sukarnoputri. By performing fine-tuned ethnographic and
historical research, Haeri brilliantly answers the question of why
only in modern times have religious/political establishments begun
to apply the suspect hadith against accepting a woman as ruler.'
Mary Elaine Hegland, Santa Clara University, California
'The written history of the Muslim world is still typically told in
a manner that sidelines the experience of Muslim women. In
this beautifully written and important book, Shahla Haeri corrects
that imbalance, creating the finest book I have ever read on
women leaders across the Muslim-majority world. This is a
'must read' for everyone interested in Islam and gender today and
across the span of history.' Robert W. Hefner, Boston University,
Massachusetts
'This pioneering book offers a riveting account of women who have
achieved political power across a range of Muslim majority cultures
and down the centuries. Today the issue of women and power is a
highly contested one in Muslim majority countries - as indeed
elsewhere. Offering a sustained, reasoned and well-grounded
overview and analysis of the topic and its underpinnings, this book
constitutes an invaluable resource.' Leila Ahmed, Harvard
University, Massachusetts
'The Unforgettable Queens of Islam presents a fascinating set of
comparative biographies of Muslim women leaders … engaging and
thought-provoking.' R. A. Miller, Choice
'I thoroughly enjoyed each story, learning how these very different
women acquired and maintained their power and authority, and what
their gender brought to their challenges and opportunities … For
those interested in the relationship between religion and politics,
and the nature of gender and authority in the modern world, this
book is a great place to start! …fascinating and timely …' Diane C.
Perlov, California Science Center
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