صورة المرأة في الغرب الإسلامي

Abstract

The research focuses on the image of women in the Islamic West during the Almoravid and sectarian dynasties (1030–1146 AD), emphasizing their crucial roles beyond the family, in political, economic, social, and cultural spheres. In the political domain, women appeared in diverse roles: oppressed or captive victims, influential wives and advisers, spies, or heroines in political conflicts, demonstrating active participation in power and decision-making. In the economic sphere, women held various occupations, including midwives, traders, textile workers, and farmers, sometimes facing competition and resistance from men. In religious and cultural life, educated women served as teachers, writers, poets, or artists, contributing to knowledge dissemination and cultural enrichment, although their talents were sometimes criticized or undervalued. In social and family contexts, women were depicted as compassionate mothers, caring sisters, virtuous daughters, or victims of social injustices (female infanticide, rape, humiliation), while some were negatively portrayed as seductresses, illustrating the complex and diverse societal perceptions of women. The study demonstrates that women’s history is deeply intertwined with men’s, and their multiple roles are crucial for understanding the social, cultural, and political dynamics of medieval Islamic Western societies.