Al-Muhaddithat: the women scholars in Islam

Al-Muhaddithat is an English translation and adaptation to the pre-amble (muqaddimah) of a biographical dictionary of the women scholars of ḥadīth written in Arabic. At the time of its publication (2007), the 43-volume work was yet to be published such that Al-Muhaddithat provides a bibliographical roadmap for the later work. Within its 314 pages, Al-Muhaddithat comprises a preface, introduction, ten chapters, reference list and indexes. The author cautioned that the book should not be misused towards ungrounded feminism; rather, it should contribute to understanding women’s roles, rights and responsibilities towards upholding Islam, highlighting the lawfulness of women transmitting ḥadīth. This review briefly describes the book content with a focus on several early chapters. These chapters discuss types, occasions and venues for ḥadīth learning and teachers of the women ḥadīth learners. With numerous women ḥadīth narrators from all levels (as-Sahabah, at-Tabiʿun, tabiʿ at-tabiʿin) being described, the book opens new dimensions to non-expert readers who may have limited exposure to the muhaddithat. The book is also highly beneficial for those seeking specific information, given its encyclopaedic features.