ABSTRACT
In Chapter 6, we explore women’s involvement and leadership in Sufism through examples of how Sufi women throughout history have sought to actualize the classical principles of insan al-kamil (perfected human) and walaya (friendship with God). We provide a brief historical overview of Sufi women in each distinctive period. This overview demonstrates that while institutions and literature about Sufism tended to amplify men’s voices, women actively participated in Sufi culture and practice. Historical examples of Sufi female personalities help to illustrate both the continuity of tradition and the inevitability of change as reflected in contemporary contexts.
