ABSTRACT
Some Muslim women’s circles emphasize that it is a Muslim’s duty to defend Islam and it is the duty of good mothers and sisters to remember that this was particularly important for a Muslim man’s honour. Sumayya’s story became popular (and still is) among Muslim women and they often narrate the story to their children. During the battle of Uhud Nasibah bint Kahf Yazidi stopped distributing water to the Muslim fighters and armed herself with a sword to shield the Prophet from fierce attacks. Today, new Muslim heroines have flanked Sumayya and Nasiba. These new heroines are the female Palestinian suicide bombers such as Wafa Idris and Dareen Abu Aisheh. Palestinian women tended to exalt the courage and faith that these women had shown in giving up their own lives. Yet non-Palestinian women saw these female suicide bombers as controversial. Today, some Muslim women refer to these stories to challenge the honour and the Islamic identity of their male relatives.
