Women of the Nation Who Made History: From the Kingdoms of Nubia to the Pearl of Conscience

By: Abdulaziz Yaqoub

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Arab women have never been absent from arenas of action and influence. They stood alongside men at major turning points in history—politically, intellectually, and even on the battlefield. They were never merely a crooked shadow, but a voice, a stance, and a true partner in shaping the future and driving transformation.
Among the names engraved in history stands Hind bint Utbah, the Qurayshi woman known for her strong personality, courage, and clarity—both in the pre-Islamic era and in Islam.
She was initially known for her fierce hostility toward the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and the Muslims, especially after the deaths of her father Utbah, her son Hanzalah, and her uncle Shaybah in the Battle of Badr. But what made her a remarkable figure was not her presence in that moment of enmity, but rather her bravery in self-reflection and honesty in transformation.
After the conquest of Mecca, she declared her Islam and told the Prophet her memorable words:
“O Messenger of God, there was no household on earth I wished to see humiliated more than yours, but today, there is no household I wish to see honored more than yours.”
Hind embodied the model of a woman with the courage to acknowledge, and the strength to change—qualities sorely lacking in an age filled with pride and scarce in self-criticism and reflection.

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Just as in Arab history, Sudanese women have always been partners in raising awareness and leading struggle, from the days of ancient kingdoms to the arenas of modern politics and society.

Queen Amanirenas, ruler of the Meroë Kingdom, stood against the Roman Empire and led the resistance with bravery. It is said she sent the severed heads of Roman soldiers to Emperor Augustus in baskets made of palm leaves.

Queen Amanishakheto, who ruled the Kingdom of Kush, led her armies against Rome. She established a stable system of governance, promoted development and architecture, and ruled wisely during one of the kingdom’s most sensitive periods.

In the 20th century, Dr. Khalida Zahir and Dr. Rosie Sarkisian emerged as the first Sudanese women to graduate from Kitchener Medical School in 1952, paving the way for generations of women in medicine and science.

Sudanese women cannot be mentioned without referencing Fatima Ahmed Ibrahim, the first female Member of Parliament in Sudan and the Arab world, along with Dr. Suad Al-Fatih and others who raised their voices against dictatorship and became pioneers in the fight for women’s rights and national revival.

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As for Lulwa Al-Khater, she is a human pulse in a time of emotional drought, proving that nobility is not exclusive to the past.
The Qatari minister expressed genuine and deep compassion for Sudan’s tragedy during its darkest moments. She became a rare Arab voice amidst a heavy, confused, and defeated silence—an honest human stance in the face of cold political calculations.
In her statements, she went beyond sterile diplomacy. She carried the pain of the Sudanese people and spoke of them as human beings—not as statistics.
Such a position can only come from a living heart and a soul soaked in values of justice, mercy, and love.
For the Sudanese people, one heart that upholds the values of beauty, goodness, truth, and courage is enough—amidst millions of trembling hearts filled with fear, weakness, and betrayal; some, sadly, delight in death, destruction, and ruin.

From Hind bint Utbah, who reflected on herself and chose truth, to Amanirenas, who stood against empires, and from Khalida, Fatima, and Suad, who broke into the realms of education and politics, to Lulwa Al-Khater, who chose humanity over weapons, oppression, and tyranny—these women are golden threads in the fabric of this nation.
They are living proof that the story of women is continuous and connected, and that when a woman possesses awareness and will, she also possesses influence. She makes history, restores dignity, revives hope, and brings renewed brilliance to heroism.