Dr. Mubina Ramzan: First Kashmiri Woman in "The Muslim 500" – Building Madrasas and Ansar-un-Nisa for Girls
By Afroz Khan, New Age Islam
3 November 2025
Dr. Mubina Ramzan, first Kashmiri woman in The Muslim 500 (2018), left lectureship to establish Jamia Islamia Mahdul Muslimat for girls’ Islamic and skill education. Founded Ansar-un-Nisa (2014) to help needy women, fight social evils, and ensure inheritance rights.
Main Points:
1. First Kashmiri woman in The Muslim 500 (2018).
2. Left lectureship; started Jamia Islamia Mahdul Muslimat in 2002 for girls’ Islamic + skill education.
3. Runs three madrasa branches despite early opposition.
4. Founded Ansar-un-Nisa (2014) for widows, orphans, brides, and vocational training.
5. Fights social evils and women’s inheritance rights in Kashmir.
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In 2018, the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre (TRISSC) (an independent research institute affiliated with the Royal Aal al-Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought) published a list of 500 influential Muslim figures, commonly known as "The World's 500 Most Influential Muslims" and "The Muslim 500".
The name of Dr. Mubina Ramzan, a Muslim woman from Kashmir, was included in this list and she also became the first Kashmiri woman to be included in this list.
The journey of being included in this list was full of challenges for Mubina Ramzan. The task she undertook was not easy to accomplish but she faced every difficulty, opposition and deprivation, did not give up and made her mark as an influential woman.
Dr. Mubina Ramzan was born in 1974 in Sopore (Apple Town of Kashmir) city of Baramulla district of Kashmir. She completed her early education from Islamia High School, Sopore. After this, she obtained her graduation degree from Islamia College, Sopore.
After graduation, Dr. Mubina completed her Masters and M.Phil.
She received her MA and M.Phil degrees in Islamic Studies from the University of Kashmir.
During her M.Phil. At the University of Kashmir, she completed two dissertations on topics related to Islamic law and social evils.
She also holds a doctorate, after which she is addressed as "Doctor" (Dr.). In addition, Mubeena Ramzan also received education in Islamic sciences from Hazrat Mufti Muzaffar Hussain Qasimi, the Chief Mufti of Darul-ul-Uloom Sopore.
During her research thesis, there were drastic changes in Dr. Mubina's life. While researching social evils, she realised that just doing research is not enough, steps should also be taken to reduce these social evils.
To fight these social evils, Mubina Ramzan left her lecturership and started from a rented room in Sopore in 2002. She began her work under the aegis of the Mahdul Muslimat Educational Trust.
"It took us eight years to buy the land and build a madrasa-cum-skill school there, exclusively for girls," she said in an interview.
She explained that she faced some opposition when establishing this madrasa: "The so-called clerics opposed starting an institution like a madrasa for girls because they were concerned that a woman could run a madrasa. But Allahu Akbar, their thinking has changed now that we are successfully running three branches.”
The purpose of establishing this madrasa was to provide girls with Islamic education as well as skill training.
Detailing about it, she said, "Jamia Islamia Mahdul Muslimat is a madrasa-style girls-only institution where, in addition to religious texts, we also impart secular education. However, the main emphasis is on religious texts such as Quranic interpretation, the science of Hadith, jurisprudence, and history.
We also teach languages like Arabic, English, Urdu, and train them in computer, cutting, and designing skills to help them become capable and self-reliant."
Dr. Mubina Ramzan believes that today's situation demands a very balanced approach to women, where both men and women take care of their roles and responsibilities.
In 2013, Mubina called a meeting of around 100 women working in different fields in Sopore where she planned to start welfare work for women. To fulfil the purpose of her plan, she founded an organisation named "Ansar-un-Nissa" in 2014.
This organisation helps the needy, including prospective brides, widows, and orphans, and also establishes vocational training centres. Today, it has branches in Sopore (Baramulla), Baghat (Srinagar), and Sumbal (Bandipora).
Dr. Mubina constantly monitors the plight of women in Kashmir and works tirelessly against the atrocities and injustices they face.
In Islam, women have been given equal rights in their father's property, but even today this is ignored. Dr. Mubina works very hard to ensure this right for women and to spread awareness about it.
Dr. Mubina has made the lives of many women of Kashmir meaningful. She has introduced women to a new path of life. She has established a balance by imparting worldly education and training to women along with the teachings of Islam, Quran and Hadith.
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Afroz Khan is a teacher by profession, focusing on writings about women and Islam. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Education
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