Begum Rokeya: The Woman Who Dreamed of Freedom — and Gave Muslim Girls a Voice

Introduction: A Voice Before Its Time

In an era where most women were imprisoned behind the purdah and Muslim girls were often denied even the basic right to read, Begum Rokeya dared to dream. She not only dreamed for herself — she dreamed for a generation. A writer, educator, and reformer, she carved her name in history not by holding power, but by empowering the powerless.

Born in 1880 in British India, in what is now Bangladesh, Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain rose against rigid customs and colonial norms to champion education for Muslim women. Her mission was revolutionary: to liberate minds in an age when even books were forbidden to half the population.

She wrote fearlessly, spoke courageously, and founded schools for girls that survive to this day — a testament to her belief that Islam and modern education could coexist to build a just society.

Early Life: A Girl Taught in Secret

Rokeya was born into an aristocratic yet conservative Muslim family in Rangpur. Her father was educated in Arabic and Persian, but believed English and Bengali were unsuitable for Muslim girls, fearing they would adopt foreign, ‘immoral’ ways.

But Rokeya was no ordinary child. Encouraged by her elder brother, she secretly learned to read and write in Bengali and English — forbidden knowledge that would soon become her most powerful weapon.

Her exposure to progressive ideas stirred a storm in her soul. She began to question the customs that held women hostage in the name of tradition and religion. Why must a girl be denied the right to learn, think, and lead? This question would define her entire life.

Marriage to a Believer in Change

At 16, she married Khan Bahadur Sakhawat Hossain, a liberal Muslim civil servant who supported her dreams. Unlike most men of his time, her husband encouraged her writings and vision. He provided her the space, safety, and moral support to develop as a thinker and activist.

It was during this period that she wrote some of her most influential essays and stories — including the visionary feminist utopia titled “Sultana’s Dream”, published in 1905.

Sultana’s Dream: A Feminist Utopia Ahead of Its Time

In “Sultana’s Dream”, Begum Rokeya imagined a world where women ruled the land and men were confined behind veils. This satirical inversion highlighted the absurdity of gender inequality. The utopia she described was peaceful, clean, technologically advanced, and governed by rationality and compassion — all because women were in charge.

Published in an English magazine, the story shocked the intellectual elite and attracted both praise and outrage. It remains one of the earliest examples of feminist science fiction, decades ahead of its time.

Through fiction, Rokeya showed the world that change begins in the imagination — and must be followed by action.

Founding the Sakhawat Memorial Girls’ School

In 1909, tragedy struck. Rokeya's husband passed away — but not before urging her to start a school for Muslim girls. Honoring his wish, she founded the Sakhawat Memorial Girls’ School in Kolkata with just five students.

The opposition was fierce. Religious conservatives accused her of corrupting girls. Her family disowned her. She was threatened, insulted, and defamed. But Rokeya stood firm.

She expanded the school year by year, admitting girls from diverse backgrounds, teaching them not only the Quran and Arabic but also Bengali, English, mathematics, hygiene, and science. Her goal was simple but radical: educate the girl, and you empower the future mother, worker, citizen, and leader.

Championing Women's Rights in Islam

Begum Rokeya was not anti-Islam — she was against the misuse of Islam to suppress women. In her essays like “Oborodhbashini” (The Secluded Ones), she exposed how cultural practices like purdah had been distorted to deny women their rightful place in society.

She argued that true Islam values knowledge, and the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) himself emphasized learning for both men and women.

She once wrote:

“If women are kept uneducated, the entire nation remains uneducated.”

This approach gave her moral authority. She wasn't borrowing ideas from the West — she was reclaiming the forgotten rights of Muslim women from within their own tradition.

Death and Immortal Legacy

Begum Rokeya passed away on December 9, 1932 — the same day she had founded her school, exactly 23 years earlier. But her mission did not die with her.

The Sakhawat Memorial School still operates in Kolkata, educating thousands of girls each year.

Her works are studied in universities across South Asia.

December 9 is observed as Rokeya Day in Bangladesh in her honor.

She is celebrated as a national icon, feminist pioneer, and educational visionary.

Conclusion: A Lamp That Still Burns

In a world where many fought for political independence, Begum Rokeya fought for something even more radical — the independence of the mind.

She envisioned a world where a girl with a book could be stronger than a man with a sword. Where a society's greatness was measured not by its wealth, but by how it treated its women.

Begum Rokeya was not just a woman ahead of her time — she was a woman who changed her time.