The Women of Makkah By Shahd Fulath Khan
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he first person to ever inhabit the holy city of Makkah was a woman. We know her as Hajar, may Allah be pleased with her. Since then, women have been central to shaping the Islamic city across the years. Unfortunately, the history of women is often disregarded due to the patriarchal system that puts women on the margins. While women have made countless incredible contributions to the development of the Islamic city of Makkah, few are remembered today. In addition to this forgotten history, women have also disproportionately been the subjects of oppression and violence, especially during pre-Islamic periods. Newborn girls would be buried alive out of shame and fear, a sin so grave that it was denounced several times in the Holy Book. But the story has a bright side. Women have transformed the course of Makkah’s growth by opening Quran schools, investing in Islamic education, and serving the visitors of Allah from all corners of the world. More recently, new efforts are being made by Makkah’s municipality to include more women in leadership positions in the Islamic city.
woman was Zayd Ibn Thabit’s mother, Al-Nawar Bint Malik. She was pregnant with Zayd (may Allah be pleased with them both) when she worked on the covering of the Ka’ba using threads from Arabian fabrics brought from what we now know as Yemen. Second was the mother of Omar Ibn Al-Hakam, who worked on a cloth large enough to cover the entire Ka’ba. The third woman was Nateela Bint Janib, who was the mother of Abbas bin Abdul-Muttalib from the Quraysh family. She was the first to include silk in the fabric covering the Ka’ba. When her son Abbas was of a young age, he went missing. She promised that if she found him, she would take the responsibility of clothing the Ka’ba. When she eventually found him, she kept her word and completed the financing of the cloth. Covering the Ka’ba was expensive, as it involved importing goods from the far lands of Yemen to Makkah. Since there was a great honor in this responsibility, the family of Quraysh kept this task within their family for many generations.
Within the Holy Mosque, women have held various positions from cleaners to pilgrim leaders. The role of guiding pilgrims is an entrusted role and a responsibility that is often There is no shortage of feminine presence to Makkah’s landscape. Umm Al-Qura, the mother of cities, is one of the commonly used nicknames of Makkah. Mount Al-Rahmah, Mount Al-Safa, and Mount Al-Marwa are all landmarks in the city that mark important events in Islamic history. In Arabic, the names of these mountains are considered feminine words. The choice in naming the city as a ‘mother’ of cities is significant as it symbolizes the city’s powerful position using a strong female figure: mothers. Even at the linguistic level, the city holds much respect for women and celebrates their roles in shaping the city. 1
Makkah’s iconic and holiest place is undeniably Masjid Al-Haram, housing the Ka’ba. The Ka’ba was built by Prophet Ibrahim and his son Ismail peace be upon them, and has been frequently cared for by local residents every year for pilgrimage. Across history, there were 3 women that undertook the expensive task of clothing the Ka’ba. The first 10 | THE MUSLIM VOICE | SPRING 2021
