Mulleres na Lexicografía / Women in Lexicography

Aisha Bewley

Arabic, English

born 1948 in the United States

Aisha Bewley earned a master's degree in Near Eastern languages from the University of California at Berkeley. Her academic pursuits extended to a year at the American University in Cairo, where she engaged in a seminar on Sufism within the Department of Philosophy at Cairo University. Her expertise in Arabic and Islamic teachings was further solidified during her immersive experiences learning among Arabs in Morocco. In the early 1970s, Bewley became a disciple (murid) of Shaykh Dr. Abdalqadir as-Sufi, whose teachings she followed. Guided by his influence and inspired by Shaykh Muhammad ibn al-Habib of Meknes, she embarked on the translation of classical Islamic works from Arabic to English. Her unwavering commitment to this endeavour has resulted in making critical Islamic texts accessible to the global English-speaking Muslim community, introducing many to these texts for the first time through her translations.

Her most outstanding publication is the "Glossary of Islamic Terms" in 1988. It showcases her mastery of Arabic and serves as a valuable resource for researchers in Islamic terminology. Her greatest accomplishment was translating the Holy Qur’an to English with the support of her husband, Abdalhaqq Bewley. Both worked on the project for several years, resulting in the publication of “The Noble Quran”. Additionally, she has made significant strides in translating classical Islamic texts such as the “Tafsir of al-Qurtubi” (The Commentary of al-Qurtubi; six volumes published to date), the “Muwatta of Imam Malik” (The Foothold of Imam Malik), “Tabaqat Ibn Sa’d” (The Classes of Ibn Sa'd), and the “Risalah of Ibn Zayd al-Qayrawani” (The Epistle of Ibn Zayd al-Qayrawani). Furthermore, Aisha Bewley's authorship spans a wide range of topics, exemplified by works like “The Subatomic World in the Qur’an” (Diwan Press, 1980), “Islam: The Empowering of Women” (TaHa, 1999), and “Democratic Tyranny and the Islamic Paradigm” (Diwan Press, 2018). Her impact extends beyond writing; she has lectured at institutions like Dallas College (Cape Town), and Lady Aisha College (Cape Town). Her extensive travels, alongside her husband and family, took them to numerous countries including Nigeria, Bermuda, Germany, and Spain. During these travels, she dedicated herself to spreading knowledge about Islam and contributing to the establishment of Muslim communities, aiming to emulate the early model of Medina. In addition to these achievements, her notable publications include the translation of "Mu'awiya: Restorer of the Muslim Faith" in 2002, and "The Islamic Will: A Practical Guide for being prepared for death and writing your will according to the Shar'ia of Islamic and English Law" in 2012. A significant milestone in the history of Islamic literature in English was marked by her translation of "Tafsir al-Qurtubi" (The Commentary of al-Qurtubi) filling a void in the availability of classical tafsir literature in English. She has also authored non-translated works such as "Muslim Women: A Biographical Dictionary" (2004) and possesses numerous unpublished books, including works on “Tafsir of ibn Juzayy al-Kalbi” (The Commentary of Ibn Juzayy al-Kalbi), “Bustan al-'Arifin by Imam an-Nawawi” (The Garden of the Gnostics by Imam al-Nawawi), “The Chess Game of the Gnostics by Muhammad ibn al-Hashim at-Tilmansani”, and The “Hikam of Ibn' Ata'llah” (The Aphorisms of Ibn 'Ata'llah), among others. Her life's work remains remarkable, with her intellectual contributions standing as a testament to her dedication and continuing legacy.

• Thanks to her exceptional contributions to Islamic scholarship, Aisha Bewley was honoured as the Muslim Woman of The Year in 2023 by the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre (RISSC). This recognition underscores her immense dedication and impact within the field. • A great deal of what she has worked on has been published for free online. Students, teachers, and many reverts benefit from her resources without any charge. • The WorldCat union catalog includes her as the author or translator of “73 works in 172 publications in 3 languages and 855 library holdings.

Quelle des Photos: https://en.islamonweb.net/aisha-bewley-the-muslim-woman-of-the-year-2023 [09.12.2023] Biography: Aisha Bewley: https://murabitblog.wordpress.com/2009/11/21/biography-aisha-bewley/ [10.12.2023] Aisha Bewley, Muslim 500 Woman of the Year: https://mezquitadesevilla.com/aisha-bewley-mujer-e-muslim-500/ Getting to know Aisha Bewley: https://wisconsinmuslimjournal.org/https-iqna-ir-en-news-3481391-getting-to-know-aisha-bewley-a-muslim-convert-who-translated-quran-into-english/ [10.12.2023] Glossary of Islamic terms: https://www.scribd.com/doc/51119497/Glossary-of-Islamic-Terms-Aisha [10.12.2023][10.12.2023]

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María José Domínguez Vázquez