Question:
He (the questioner) says: in the present time women follow Islam to the extent possible in their own personal lives, but they do not show much interest in conveying Islam to others. Even women who speak about religion usually avoid discussing controversial or complex religious rulings. They tend to limit themselves to general talks.
He suggests that if lectures were given about the role of female companions in Islamic history, especially about how women during the time of the Prophetﷺ showed enthusiasm for religion, it might inspire Muslim women today. He says that although some scholars have spoken about the lives of female companions, if you explain their history with authentic sources, it will motivate women in religious matters. That is the request he makes.
Answer:
Now the first thing we must understand is the practical reality behind this situation. When you say women today are not doing much daʿwah work, we must ask: what are the reasons? One major reason is that organizing daʿwah work through women involves practical challenges.
For example, suppose a lecture is organized in one town and you invite a female speaker from another town. Can she travel alone? According to Islamic guidelines she should not travel alone. Someone such as her husband, brother, or another male guardian must accompany her. That means the organizers must arrange travel for two people, accommodation for two people, and appropriate private arrangements for them.
When a male speaker comes for a lecture, it is much easier. He might stay in a mosque or a simple lodging place without any issue. But when a woman travels for a lecture, proper privacy and accommodation must be arranged. This increases the cost significantly. Many organizations find it easier and cheaper to invite male speakers. That is one practical reason.
Another issue is family responsibilities. Suppose a woman is invited to give a lecture in another town. Her husband may have his own work or business. If he closes his shop or takes leave from work just to accompany her, that may cause financial loss for him. So, he may not always be able to go with her. Without a guardian accompanying her, she cannot travel. Because of this practical limitation, many women cannot participate in daʿwah activities outside their local areas.
Even within the same town, women often have responsibilities at home. They may have children to take care of, elderly parents, or in-laws living with them. If they leave the house frequently for lectures, the household responsibilities may remain unattended. Men usually do not have these same limitations. A man may leave the house for work, travel, or religious activities while his wife manages the household. But a woman leaving frequently for outside activities may create difficulties within the family structure.
To understand the difference, think of everyday situations. If a group of men feel like drinking tea, they can easily walk into a tea shop and sit there. But do we commonly see groups of women casually going to tea shops in the same way? Not usually. Women may go out when necessary—for shopping or specific tasks—but their movement in public spaces is naturally more limited compared to men. This is a practical reality in society.
So when you look at daʿwah work, it is not only about religious motivation; it is also about practical circumstances. Women often find it difficult to move freely for such activities. Because of these factors, many women who learn religious knowledge end up using it mainly within their families rather than in large public platforms.
You also mentioned the female companions and suggested that they were very active in religious work during the time of Prophetﷺ Muhammad. But we should look carefully at history. Not all women among the companions were delivering lectures or teaching publicly. In fact, the number of women who transmitted large amounts of knowledge was relatively small.
For example, Aisha bint Abu Bakr(Mother of Believers) was one of the most knowledgeable scholars among the companions. She narrated many hadith and taught people. Umm Salama(Mother of Beleivers) narrated several hundred hadith. Hafsa bint Umar(Mother of Believers) narrated around eighty hadith. Other women such as Asma bint Abu Bakr(RA), Umm Habiba(RA), and a few others also transmitted knowledge. But if we count them, the number of women who played major roles in transmitting religious knowledge was quite small compared to the large number of male companions.
Among men there were thousands of companions who transmitted knowledge, taught others, and participated actively in public religious activities. Among women the number was much smaller—perhaps around ten well-known figures who played major roles in teaching and narration.
If we look at the overall statistics of hadith transmission, the narrations reported by female companions form only about nine percent of the total, while the remaining ninety-one percent come from male companions. This shows that even during the earliest generations, the public role of women in religious scholarship existed but was limited compared to men.
Therefore, we should not imagine that in the time of the Prophetﷺ every woman was actively giving lectures and teaching religion publicly. That was not the reality. Just as today only a small number of women participate in public religious teaching, a similar pattern existed in the past.
This does not mean women should be discouraged. If a woman has the opportunity, family support, and the necessary circumstances, she may certainly participate in teaching and daʿwah. Such women should not be prevented. But we must also understand the natural limitations and responsibilities that affect many women’s ability to participate in public activities.
So the reality is this: a small number of women have always been active in teaching religion, both in the past and today. The majority of public daʿwah work has historically been carried out by men, while women often contribute within families and smaller circles. If women are able and willing to participate more, they should be supported, but we must also recognize the practical realities that shape their participation.