Al-hurra or al hurra () was an

Arabic Arabic (, , or , ) is a Central Semitic languages, Central Semitic language of the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family spoken primarily in the Arab world. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) assigns lang ...

title historically often given to, or used to refer to, women who exercised power or had a position of power or high status. In a

harem A harem is a domestic space that is reserved for the women of the house in a Muslim family. A harem may house a man's wife or wives, their pre-pubescent male children, unmarried daughters, female domestic Domestic worker, servants, and other un ...

, the title al-hurra was often used to refer to a legal wife of aristocratic birth, to distinguish her status from that of the

concubine Concubinage is an interpersonal relationship, interpersonal and Intimate relationship, sexual relationship between two people in which the couple does not want to, or cannot, enter into a full marriage. Concubinage and marriage are often regarde ...

bought at the

slave Slavery is the ownership of a person as property, especially in regards to their labour. Slavery typically involves compulsory work, with the slave's location of work and residence dictated by the party that holds them in bondage. Enslavemen ...

market, who was referred to as '' jarya'',Mernissi, Fatima; Mary Jo Lakeland (2003). The forgotten queens of Islam. Oxford University Press. . and used to describe a Muslim aristocratic woman who was "free" in the sense that she was not a slave; it is related to the style '' Sayyida'' (Mistress or lady), the feminine word of ''

sayyid ''Sayyid'' is an honorific title of Hasanid and Husaynid lineage, recognized as descendants of the Islamic prophet Muhammad through his daughter Fatima and Ali's sons Hasan ibn Ali, Hasan and Husayn ibn Ali, Husayn. The title may also refer ...

'' (Master or Lord). However, while the title Al-hurra was given to women as an alternative to the titles '' malika'' (Queen), '' Sultana'' (female sultan) and ''Sitt'', (Lady), there was no exact male equivalent to the title of al-hurra. The title Al-hurra was often granted to women who wielded political power, but did not necessarily mean they were sovereigns:

Alam al-Malika Alam al-Malika () (died 1130), was the chief adviser and ''de facto'' prime minister of the Najahid dynasty of Zubayd in Yemen in 1111–1123, and its ruler in 1123–1130. She was the slave singer, or '' jarya'', to King Mansur ibn Najah of Zubay ...

and

Sayyida al Hurra Lalla Aisha bint Ali ibn Rashid al-Alami (), also referred to as Sayyida al-Hurra (, ), was a Moroccan privateer (of Andalusian origin) who governed the city of Tétouan from 1515 or 1519 to 1542. As the wife of Moroccan king Abu al-Abbas Ahmad ...

, for example, bore this title. Both had political offices; not as sovereigns, but as political adviser and governor respectively.

Noted title holders

Asma bint Shihab Asma Bint Shihab al-Sulayhiyya (; died 1087) was the queen and co-ruler of Yemen in co-regency with her cousin and spouse, Ali al-Sulayhi, and later her son Ahmad al-Mukkaram, and daughter-in-law, Arwa al-Sulayhi, from 1047 until 1087. Her full ...

Arwa al-Sulayhi Arwa al-Sulayhi (), () was a long-reigning ruler of Yemen, firstly as the co-ruler of her first two husbands and then as sole ruler, from 1067 until her death in 1138. She was the last of the rulers of the Sulayhid dynasty, Sulayhid Dynasty and ...

* Aixa *

References

* Mernissi, Fatima; Mary Jo Lakeland (2003). The forgotten queens of Islam. Oxford University Press. . {{DEFAULTSORT:hurra Islamic honorifics Women monarchs Arabic words and phrases Heads of state Royal titles Noble titles of women Titles of national or ethnic leadership