The Forgotten Elite

Who counted as “elite” in Abbasid society? Not just queens and concubines, argues Reem Alrudaini, a Kuwaiti scholar who is rethinking women’s roles in Islamic historiography. Her work invites Arab societies to reconsider how gender, knowledge, and influence shaped cultural legacy—and why those narratives still matter.

by Dahlia Rahaimy | 28th Jun 2025