Fatima Al-Rashid
“When I look through a microscope, I see the same wonder my grandfather described in the Quran. Science and faith are two eyes seeing the same thing.”
Meet Fatima. She's 29, a microbiologist working on low-cost ways to purify water for refugee camps. She wears her hijab by her own decision — she chose it at 16, after studying it carefully for herself. By 14 she had memorised the Quran, all 114 surahs. She also loves heavy metal, plays the oud, and collects vintage sci-fi novels. Her lab is a Druze, two Christians, an atheist, and her; through Ramadan they still take lunch together while she fasts, sitting close, the talk moving easily between them.
- Research
- Low-cost water filtration
- Languages
- Arabic, English, basic German
- Music
- Metallica and Fairuz
- Favorite book
- The Quran and Dune
“Muslim women are oppressed and cannot make their own choices about how they dress or what they do.”
Muslim women around the world are doctors, scientists, athletes, politicians, and artists. Many choose to wear hijab as a personal expression of faith. The Quran itself encouraged seeking knowledge for both men and women. Al-Qarawiyyin in Fez, Morocco — founded in 859 CE by a Muslim woman, Fatima al-Fihri — is recognized as the oldest existing, continually operating university in the world.
SourceGuinness World Records and UNESCO — oldest existing higher-education institution (Al-Qarawiyyin).
When you see a woman in hijab, do you assume she has no choices?
That's a common assumption, and it's okay to have been shaped by media. But Fatima chose her path. Many Muslim women are leaders in their fields. The question is: whose stories are we not hearing?
Good. Now ask yourself: what other assumptions do you hold about people based on how they look? What stories are you missing?
Fatima sees no contradiction between her faith and her science. Where in your own life do people assume two things about you cannot coexist — but they actually do?
You do not need to answer. Notice what feels familiar, what remains unfamiliar, and where your own experience differs.
Understanding does not require agreement. Sometimes paying closer attention is enough for today.
Learn about a scientist you didn't expect
Research a scientist from a background different from yours — a different religion, country, or culture. Share what you learned. Knowledge has no single address.
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“The pursuit of knowledge is an obligation upon every Muslim.”
Prophetic tradition (Hadith)