Muslim Archives - Infinite Women

Nurbanu Sultan

Valide Sultan of the Ottoman Empire (politically powerful mother of the sultan) in the 1500s

Safiye Sultan

Valide Sultan of the Ottoman Empire (politically powerful mother of the sultan) in the 1500s and 1600s

During the Ottoman Empire’s so-called Sultanate of Women from 1534 to 1683, the valide sultans (mother of the ruling sultan) held much more power than they had as haseki sultans (wives of the ruling sultan).

Googoosh

Iranian megastar who catapulted to stardom in Iran during the 1970s, only to be silenced by the Islamist regime that took power after the 1979 Islamic Revolution

Chand Bibi

1500s regent of India’s Bijapur Sultanate and Ahmednagar Sultanate, who defended Ahmednagar against the Mughal forces

Leila Alloush

Leila Alloush’s focus on social justice for all ethnic groups has helped give women a greater voice in the community in Victoria, Australia.

Maha Sukkar

In 2004, Maha Sukkar became the first Muslim policewoman in Victoria, Australia to wear a hijab, challenging stereotypes and setting a trailblazing example for police forces around the world.