Yemen's Queen Arwa!

Picture this: a queen rules for over seven decades, wielding both political and spiritual authority in a time when women were often relegated to the shadows. Sounds like a feminist utopia?

But by cherry-picking powerful women from the past, is it possible that we create distortions, perpetuating a ‘rose-tinted patriarchy’?

Let me offer an example from 12th Century Yemen.

Sayyida Hurra Queen Arwa ruled for 71 years - first as Queen consort, then regent, then finally queen in her own right for 54 years. Her sovereignty is unique in that she held both political and spiritual authority simultaneously. How was this possible? Should we revise our priors?

The following account comes Shahla Haeri’s tremendous book, “The Unforgettable Queens of Islam”.