DOHA: Chairperson of Qatar Foundation Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser has attended the first day of Jadal, the annual research summit by Qatar Foundation’s Al-Mujadilah Center and Mosque for Women.
The inaugural three-day research summit – the opening of which was also attended by Vice Chairperson and CEO of Qatar Foundation HE Sheikha Hind bint Hamad al Thani – is being held at Al-Mujadilah, which opened its doors to Qatar’s and the world’s Muslim women in February 2024. It is welcoming over 100 delegates from North America, Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East, representing women from both the Global North and South.
Jadal – which means “dialogue” or “discourse” in Arabic – is gathering esteemed Muslim women scholars, researchers and practitioners from around the world to engage in discussions centred on ‘Muslim Women in Public Life’. This central topic will be explored through three main themes: Muslim Women and the Law, Women’s Lives and History, and Muslim Women’s Well-Being and Health.
“Through Jadal, we honour the Quranic concept of jadal as praised by Allah in Surat al-Mujadilah and embodied in the story of Khawla bint Tha’laba,” said Sheikha Moza.
“Khawla bint Tha’laba serves as a powerful example of a Muslim woman who engaged deeply with her religious tradition, advocating for her rights with faith and conviction.”
The story of Khawla bint Tha’laba (r.a.), who engaged in a dialogue with Prophet Mohammed (PBUH), is the inspiration behind the name of Al-Mujadilah Center and Mosque for Women. The Jadal summit draws also from this legacy and aims to foster similarly meaningful engagement.
The inaugural summit is inspired by Her Highness’ vision of fostering a Muslim society where all women are engaged, their participation and contributions acknowledged and recognized, and their concerns and perspectives shape contemporary Muslim thought and open public discourse.
Opening remarks at the summit were delivered by Dr Sohaira Z. Siddiqui, Executive Director of Al-Mujadilah, who said that the event is an “embodiment” of Al-Mujadilah’s spirit.
“For many Muslim women, current institutions, be they academia, professional spaces, or mosques, simply do not provide the type of space that Al-Mujadilah is seeking to create,” she said.
“Speaking more specifically to the women in this room, many of whom are academics, we have first-hand knowledge of the advantages of Muslim women within academia, but also the limitations that it presents.
“Academia is a male-dominated field. The study of Islam, as a discipline within universities, has only in the past few decades become more open to the participation of Muslims, but despite this, it remains uncomfortable with normative work – that is, academia is still uncomfortable with Muslims researching and writing about Islam and Muslims with the intent of impacting those very communities. Yet, the participation of Muslim women in religious scholarship and scholarship on Islam is more important now than ever before.”
Jadal is taking place from January 26-28 . For more information, a list of summit speakers, and a full agenda, visit https://almujadilah.qa/en/Jadal
