Motherhood and Mothers in Islamic Societies: Concept and Functions in Medieval and Contemporary Times

This paper focuses on several aspects related to motherhood and the role of mothers in two historical periods of the history of Islam: pre-modern Arab societies, with a special focus on what is known in the West as the Middle Ages, and the Nahḍa or Arab Renaissance (end of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th). The Nahḍa brought about new ideas about motherhood, and they represent a tremendous change in the role of women as mothers, especially as women now begin to speak for themselves about motherhood. Mostly through a series of texts, the comparison focuses on what remains and what has changed in the role of women in Arab and Muslim family and societies throughout history.