Leila Ahmed’s A Quiet Revolution is both an important and thought-provoking look at the rising visibility of veiling amongst Muslim women. What lies within is a history of the veil and it’s political meanings from the mid-twentieth century to the present. Ahmed consciously confronts some of her own preconceptions about what this phenomenon means, how wearing hijab rose to prominence amongst Muslim women in mid-century Egypt, and the ways in which this movement traveled and developed in the United States. (No comments)

Over the last couple of months, controversy has erupted over a growing movement that argues it is a woman’s Islamic duty to be sexually available and satisfying to her husband. The group calls itself “The Obedient Wives Club,” and it continues to gain traction in south-east Asia and aims to expand to areas of Muslim settlement in the West. (No comments)

Shahzad Iqbal is Manager of Finance for the Kashf Foundation, a Pakistani organization offering microfinance products to women. Clients have received over $200 million in microloans over the last fourteen years. Kashf has been the recipient of a number of accolades, most recently the Global Leadership Award from Vital Voices. Their work was featured in New York Times bestseller Half the Sky. In this third interview I conducted during the 2010 Skoll World Forum, I spoke to Iqbal about Kashf's history, future, and how gender is an important consideration in his work. (1 comment)

Sakena Yacoobi is the founder and director of the Afghan Institute of Learning, a social venture in Afghanistan, which aims to bring education to women and girls. Operating since 1995, the organization has served over 7.1 million Afghans. Yacoobi has been the recipient of numerous awards, including the Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship and the Gleitsman International Activist Award. I spoke with her at the 2010 Skoll Word Forum on her work and its impact. (3 comments)

Connie Duckworth has created a compelling model of social business for others to emulate. She is the founder and CEO of ARZU STUDIO HOPE, a textile enterprise operating in Afghanistan and selling to markets worldwide. To date, the organization employs over 600 weavers and provides services to several thousand people in Afghanistan. I sat down with her recently during the 2010 Skoll World Forum at the University of Oxford. (2 comments)

Muslim American communities have undertaken many efforts to add nuance to the public’s impression of Muslims. The Brooklyn Arts Museum held their Muslim Voices series last summer, and Boston recently held a Muslim Film Festival, and Altmuslimah itself has established a regular photographic campaign. For good reason, much of the energy in these projects is used to show the beauty and diversity of Muslims; however, there is definitely room to show the messiness within the Muslim community, and Michael Muhammad Knight is one writer filling this gap. (22 comments)

The role of women cannot be underestimated in interethnic crisis occurring between Uighurs and Han Chinese in western China. They are protesters, leaders, and they reflect the unique development of Uighur society. And more broadly, these personalities have emerged from social and political marginalization. (No comments)

Paula Lerner has been reaching out to the women of Afghanistan ever since the overthrow of the Taliban in 2002. As a photographer and activist, she has seen the unique challenges and triumphs of women's rights activists there. I asked her about her involvement in Afghan women's development, as well as her views on the recent Sitara Achakzai murder and the dangers Afghan women face when advocating for broader rights. (No comments)

Dalia Mogahed, Executive Director of the Gallup Center for Muslim Studies, helped oversee the largest surveys of the Muslim world, co-authoring Who Speaks for Islam: What a Billion Muslims Really Think in the process. Now, Barack Obama has tapped her to join his Faith Advisory Council. Here, we speak to Mogahed about her new position of influence. (6 comments)

The spirit and the letter of Islamic law prohibit acts of relationship violence. Are we willing to hold our brothers, fathers, and sons accountable for domestic violence at work, at home, and at the mosque? (2 comments)