Throughout Islamic history, women have had an immense impact on the establishment of religious and civic buildings. Such buildings include monuments, mosques, madrasa (schools), tombs, caravansaries, hamami (baths), and darussifa (hospitals). Princess Dayfa Khatun, regent of Aleppo, provided the city with one of its most famous monuments, the Madrasa al-Firdaws. Seljuq princess Safwat al-Mulk ordered the construction of an impressive funerary cupola. Nafisa al-Bayda, the wife of Egyptian Mamluk leaders Ali Bey al-Kabir and Murad Bey, ordered and sponsored the building of the Sabil-Kuttab, a monumental public water fountain in Cairo.
These buildings greatly enriched Islamic architecture, shaped the identity of Muslim cities and contributed to the progress of Islamic societies, as they reflected women’s needs and relationships with space, especially within urban environments. The functionality and characteristics of these buildings reflect women’s various political and social roles and daily practices in societies, from performing Islamic rituals, to education and community services.
The remarkable contributions of women from Arab and Muslim regions to the progress of Islamic architecture and urban development in history should inspire women today to participate and lead in urban management and governance. In order to truly achieve inclusive and sustainable cities, we must put women at the core of urban planning – to understand women’s needs and habits, ensure women’s safety and comfort, and recognise and celebrate women’s crucial role in the development of urbanism in the Arab and Muslim region.
Highlights
How have women been paving the way from rural to urban spaces and shaping cities from history until today in the Arab and Muslim world?
Considering Arab and Islamic architecture and traditions, how does the use of space reflect women's needs?
How different would buildings and public spaces look if women were the designers?
What more needs to be done to ensure women are participating and leading rural and urban development in the Arab and Muslim world?
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