Prominent Women From Central Arabia

Women's contributions to Arabic and Islamic society - be they cultural, religious, medical, or military - have been recorded by Muslim historians throughout the ages. No biographical dictionary of any worth was considered complete unless it mentioned prominent women, a tradition stemming from the earliest Islamic biographies which all included the female companions of the Prophet, as well as mothers of notable men. However, little has been written about the contribution of women from more recent contemporary central Arabian society. Published in association with Saudi Arabia's King Abdul Aziz Foundation for Research and Archives, Prominent Women from Central Arabia explores sources ranging from published material to manuscripts, documents, and oral history in an attempt to redress the balance. In all, the book contains 52 biographies of women who lived from the beginning of the 18th century until the death of King 'Abd al-'Aziz al-Saud in 1953. The women examined include notable poets, educators, and great donors of charitable works, amongst others. Above all, the book highlights the enormous contribution of the women of Central Arabia during the period under consideration, demonstrating that, contrary to popular misconception, their influence has in fact been highly significant.