“Women are increasingly participating in Qur’anic sciences and concepts,” he said at the 16th international conference on women Qur’an scholars in Tehran.

During his speech, Salehi traced the historical journey of women in Islamic scholarship, highlighting three distinct periods since the advent of Islam.

He remarked, “In the first period, during the early years of Prophethood, women were fully engaged in Qur’anic sciences.” He elaborated that this initial phase was characterized by the robust involvement of women in Islamic knowledge.

Citing historical accounts, Salehi pointed out that women constituted a significant portion of the Prophet Muhammad’s companions, stating, “According to one-seventh of the Prophet’s companions, women played a crucial role.”

However, he noted that the second period saw a decline in women’s participation in Qur’anic studies, coinciding with a broader decline in Islamic civilization.

The minister asserted that the past few decades have marked a resurgence of women’s involvement, akin to the early days of Islam. Salehi emphasized that the path taken by women Qur’an scholars today is a continuation of the legacy established by the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), Iran Daily reported.

Reflecting on the historical trajectory, Salehi stated that there was a time when women were not considered a secondary gender in Islamic education and understanding. “This enlightened era in Islamic history contrasts sharply with periods when women’s roles in scholarly pursuits diminished,” he commented.

Salehi lamented that women were often confined to harems, further isolating them from the academic and scholarly community. However, he expressed optimism about the current third period, which is marked by the visible presence and contributions of women in Islamic sciences across the Islamic world, particularly in Iran.