Unveiling The Skills Of A Mujadilah: An Exploration Of Women's Empowerment At Al-Mujadilah Center And Mosque At Qatar Foundation

Abstract

Qatar Foundation has unveiled the Al-Mujadilah Center and Mosque, marking a significant milestone in the country’s cultural and social landscape. This innovative center seeks to cultivate a vibrant community of women committed to personal growth, social change, and meaningful dialogue. By embracing both tradition and innovation, Al-Mujadilah serves as a symbol of empowerment and inclusivity, redefining the role of women in Qatar’s cultural narrative (Al-Mujadilah 2024). Referring to the literature from the Quran, there are certain core competencies that are essential for women to engage in negotiation and argumentation that empower them to contribute actively to societal discourses. When pronounced in Arabic as “Mujadalah”, the word signifies “pleading and arguing”, whereas when pronounced as “Mujadilah” it denotes “the women who pleaded and argued” (El-Sheikh, 2003, p. 24). While there are foundational skills for a woman to become a Mujadilah (She Who Discourses), the Al-Mujadilah Center and Mosque at Qatar Foundation offers diverse programs and events that aim to empower women through different skills (Al-Mujadilah, 2024). What are the essential debate and intercultural skills required for women to become effective mujadilahs at the Al-Mujadilah Center and Mosque at Qatar Foundation? Also, how do the programs and events at the Al-Mujadilah Center foster the development of these debate and intercultural skills in women? Adding to that, to what extent does intercultural competence enable mujadilahs to engage in meaningful societal discourse and advocate for change within and across cultural contexts? This study emphasizes the importance of the foundational skills necessary for women to become effective mujadilas through certain core competencies while also highlighting how the programs and events at Al-Mujadilah Center are manifesting specific intercultural skills to empower women. This study aims to investigate the set of intercultural skills that women acquire and develop through their engagement in the programs offered at Al-Mujadilah Center that help them become effective mujadilah. This study aims to explore how women at the Al-Mujadilah Center develop the intercultural skills necessary to become effective mujadilah, focusing on their ability to engage in constructive dialogue that transcends cultural and social boundaries. Being an effective mujadilah means navigating cultural nuances, resolving misunderstandings, and engaging in respectful dialogue across diverse backgrounds.

Date of Award	2025
Original language	American English
Awarding Institution	HBKU College of Humanities and Social Science