In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

All Praise is due to Him.

May God send His blessings upon Muhammad and his Household.

The book you are now studying is a collection about the women who have transmitted traditions in history with a short description of their biographies. Also included are some of their outstanding merits, quotes from scholars about them, who they have transmitted traditions from, and who transmitted traditions from them. It shows us the great number of women who have transmitted traditions and helped in conveying them to later generations. It is hoped this book can be a reference for further research on Muslim women.

In Islam we know there is no difference in position between men and women before God. The only difference in people's worth is based on their piety. As it is written in the Holy Qur'an:

يَا أيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنَّا خَلَقْنَاكُم مِّن ذَكَرٍ وَاُنثَی وَجَعَلْنَاكُمْ شُعُوبًا وَقَبَائِلَ لِتَعَارَفُوا إِنَّ أكْرَمَكُمْ عِندَ اللَّهِ أتْقَاكُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ خَبِيرٌ

“O people! We have created you from a male and a female and made you into nations and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, the most honorable of you with Allah is that [one] who fears Allah. Indeed, Allah is Omniscient, All-Aware”. (Surah Al-Hujurat, 49:13).

On the other hand, the best role model for women can be other women. Therefore, this collection can be used as a starting point in understanding the role of women and for a deeper investigation and discussion of how women can reach their completion in God's plan.

Furthermore, in Qur'an two women are mentioned as role models for all of mankind:

وَضَرَبَ اللَّهُ مَثَلًا لِّلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا امْرَأَتَ فِرْعَوْنَ إِذْ قَالَتْ رَبِّ ابْنِ لِي عِندَكَ بَيْتًا فِي الْجَنَّةِ وَنَجِّنِي مِن فِرْعَوْنَ وَعَمَلِهِ وَنَجِّنِي مِنَ الْقَوْمِ الظَّالِمِينَ

“And Allah has set forth an example for those who believe: the wife of Pharaoh, when she said: "My Lord! Build for me a home with You in Paradise and save me from Pharaoh and his deeds and save me from the wrong doing people”. (Surah Al-Tahrim, 66:11).

وَمَرْيَمَ ابْنَتَ عِمْرَانَ الَّتِي أَحْصَنَتْ فَرْجَهَا فَنَفَخْنَا فِيهِ مِن رُّوحِنَا وَصَدَّقَتْ بِكَلِمَاتِ رَبِّهَا وَكُتُبِهِ وَكَانَتْ مِنَ الْقَانِتِينَ

“And God Almighty has also set out the example of Mary, the daughter of ‘Imran, who guarded her chastity against sins. Then, We breathed into her through Our Spirit and Jesus was born to her and testified to the truth of the Words of her Lord and the Scriptures and she was of the obedient to Allah”. (Surah Al-Tahrim, 66:12).

There could be no better role model than the close companions of the Holy Prophet (S) and the Pure Imams ('a). These were people who were in close contact with them, learned from them, and were thus able to transmit traditions from them. The peak of these women was Lady Fatimah Zahra' ('a), the daughter of the Prophet (S).

As the Holy Prophet (S) has said, "... my daughter, Fatimah, is the best of women in both worlds (this world and the next) from the first to the last."1 Her name and biography is the first in this collection. God willing, we will be able to be among her followers for whom she will intercede on the Judgment Day.

One of the biggest difficulties involved in this translation was trying to maintain consistency in the way the many names of people and books were transliterated throughout the book due to the large number included. Because of this complexity the translation took over three years for its completion. In working on this translation every effort has been made to convey the correct meaning of the traditions from the Holy Prophet (S) and the Pure Imams ('a) which have been given as samples of narrations from these transmitters.

This is the largest collection about Shi'ah women transmitters of traditions compiled and translated. 210 women have been introduced in this book. There is a list of the 154 references used in making this compilation at the end of the book.

I would like to thank Dr. Nahla Gharavi, a friend of many years, for her work in writing this book and her suggestion for its translation. I would also like to appreciate Judith (Maryam) Tabataba'i for her efforts. My family's patience and support during this time are dearly treasured.

In the end, I ask the readers forgiveness for any lacks in this translation, and would like to invite their comments for corrections and improvements. Your prayers are deeply appreciated.

We pray for the return of our savior, Imam al-Mahdi (May God hurry his return), accompanied by the Holy Prophet Jesus Christ (May God's peace be upon him) who will establish peace and justice in the world after it has been filled with injustice and oppression.

Engr. Gail D. (Mahjubah) Babst

Tehran, Iran

Aban 15, 1389 A.H.S

November 6, 2010 AD

• 1. Amali Shaykh al-Saduq, pp. 393 and 394; Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 43, pp. 24 and 25.