Kafayat Oyewo-Oyelere

Rooted in Faith
To be rooted means to be grounded, firm, unshaken.

Our root is Islam.
Allah says in Sūrah Ibrāhīm (14:24):

أَلَمْ تَرَ كَيْفَ ضَرَبَ ٱللَّهُ مَثَلًۭا كَلِمَةًۭ طَيِّبَةًۭ كَشَجَرَةٍۢ طَيِّبَةٍ أَصْلُهَا ثَابِتٌۭ وَفَرْعُهَا فِى ٱلسَّمَآءِ
“Do you not see how Allah compares a good word to a good tree? Its roots are firm and its branches reach the sky.”
A believing woman is that tree, firm roots, rising branches.

Rising with Vision
Vision is not eyesight; vision is foresight. It’s seeing with the heart what the eyes cannot yet see.

Transforming the World

Not changing the Deen, but changing the dunya with the light of the Deen.

Faith is the root of every transformation. When a person is truly grounded in faith, fear reduces and vision becomes clearer. Faith gives confidence, courage, and direction. It helps you believe in possibilities that others doubt.
A woman who is rooted in faith does not only pray, she plans, she leads, she builds, and she transforms. From the home to the nation, faith-driven vision produces change. Every great reform in history began with conviction in the heart before it became action in the world.

So when a Muslim woman holds onto her faith and rises with vision, she is not just developing herself, she is shaping societies, uplifting communities, and transforming the world.

Women in Early Islam

Islam did not start with the silencing of women, it started with the support of a woman.

🕳Khadījah bint Khuwaylid (RA)

The Prophet ﷺ said about her:
“She believed in me when people rejected me, she supported me with her wealth…”
She was the financial backbone of the first da’wah.

🕳 ‘Ā’ishah (RA)
Over 2,000 hadith were narrated through her. Men came to learn Islam from her.
🕳Asmā’ bint Abī Bakr
Courage, resilience, intelligence.

🕳Nusaybah bint Ka‘b (Umm ‘Ammārah)

At the Battle of Uhud, the Prophet ﷺ pointed to her and said:
“Wherever I turned, I saw her fighting in front of me.”
Faith did not weaken them, faith positioned them with Strength and strategy.

Addressing Misconceptions

Some think Islam limits women. No. Culture limits women, islam lifts them.

The Prophet ﷺ said:

طَلَبُ العِلْمِ فَرِيضَةٌ عَلَى كُلِّ مُسْلِمٍ
“Seeking knowledge is compulsory upon every Muslim.”

He did not say ‘every man’, he said ‘every Muslim’.
Allah did not reveal one Qur’an for men and a smaller one for women.

The Power of Faith in Modern Times

Being rooted in faith means:

Modesty with confidence
Submission without inferiority
Strength with humility
Identity without apology

Examples of transformation today:
Women in da’wah
Women leading NGOs
Women sponsoring orphans
Women in politics guided by taqwā
Women in tech, business, medicine, education

Challenges & Solutions
Internal barriers:
Low self-belief
Misinterpretation of texts
Silence and shame

External barriers:
Cultural suppression
Media stereotypes
Lack of mentorship

Solution: Root + Vision.

5 Pillars of Empowered Muslim Women

1️⃣ Imān as Identity
2️⃣ Knowledge as Power
3️⃣ Economic Strength
4️⃣ Leadership with Humility
5️⃣ Sisterhood & Support

Call to Action:

Be a mentor to one young girl.
Sponsor knowledge.
Speak up with wisdom.
Lead with faith.
Support women’s initiatives.
Represent Islam boldly and beautifully.

May Allah make every woman a light in her home, a voice in her community, and a force in the world. Āmīn.