Asma bint Shihab

Who was Asma bint Shihab?

Asma Bint Shibab was the Queen of Yemen. Her full title, "al-Sayyida al-Hurrat-ul" translates to "The noble lady who is free and independent, the woman sovereign who bows to no superior authority". She was married to her cousin, the sultan and founder of the Sulayhid dynasty, Ali al-Sulayhi. Along with her husband they governed the realm of Yemen together. This allowed her name as well as her husbands to be proclaimed during the Khutba, or Friday prayer. In 1067, while on a pilgrimage to Mecca the Banu Najah clan took Asma prisoner and killed her husband. She was later rescued, returned to her realm and assisted her son, Ahmad al-Mukkaram, and daughter-in-law, Sayyida Hurra, with the management of the realm until she died.