This work investigates the historical presence and political agency of female rulers within Islamic societies, challenging the assumption that women have been absent from the exercise of power in the Muslim world. Fatima Mernissi, a prominent sociologist and feminist scholar, utilizes historical chronicles and primary source documents to reconstruct the lives of women who held authority as queens or regents. She argues that the historical erasure of these figures is a result of patriarchal historiography rather than an inherent feature of Islamic governance. The book provides a critical framework for understanding how power was negotiated and maintained by women in diverse Islamic dynasties across several centuries.

Scholars and historians frequently cite this text as a foundational contribution to the study of gender and political authority in the Islamic world. Readers often note the accessible yet rigorous nature of Mernissi's research, which balances academic inquiry with a clear, narrative-driven approach to historical recovery.