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(
Bukhārā, the capital of the Sāmānīds, cooking (Piroti, 2010, p. 142). Women
became a center of learning, where also played decisive roles in the political
Avicenna was introduced to the works arena, including the appointment and
of Aristotle and al-Fārābī. Local dismissal of the sultan. Political
governments throughout Afghanistan marriages between rulers were common
reflected this cultural renaissance. to maintain stability in the Ġaznavīd
But among all these prominent male state. Notable examples include the
figures, only one woman is mentioned marriage of Maḥmūd Ġaznavī to the
i.e., Rabia al-Quzdari Balkhi, the first daughter of Ilak Naṣr Khan (Bayhaqī,
female poet in the Persian language. This 2007, Vol. 1, pp. 243-244).
shows that despite their presence and Women in the Ġūrīd dynasty played an
efforts, women were not given a proper important role in culture and society,
place compared to their male especially in the harems, and influenced
counterparts. Rabia Balkhi was a political affairs. Although their influence
contemporary of Rūdakī of Samarqand, was certainly less evident compared to
and according to available documents, neighboring dynasties such as the
she met him. Her life is mentioned in the Ġaznavīds and Seljūks, there are significant
Nafhat al-Auns of Maulana Jami and also instances of women’s involvement in
in the Zanaan ‘Arif, and Sheikh ‘Aṭṭār politics (Jowzjāni, 1984, Vol. 1, p. 355;
discussed her in one of his Mathnawis Khvāndamīr, 2001, Vol. 2, p. 654).
(Hedāyat, 2003, Vol. 1, p. 820). Beyond politics, women in Ghor
contributed to culture and knowledge.
3.2. Women During The Ġaznavīd
(977-1186) and Ġūrīd (1175-1215) Notable among them was Māh Mālik,
Period daughter of Sulṭān Ġiyāth al-Dīn (1163-
With the rise of the Ġaznavīds in 1164), who was an educated woman
Afghanistan, the status of women began to with an interest in history (Jowzjāni,
improve (Ibn Baṭṭūṭa, 2004, Vol. 2, p. 370). Vol. 1, p. 370).
During the Sāmānīd and Ġaznavīd 3.3. Women During the Seljūks and
periods, Khorasan gradually stabilized Khwārazmiān (1077-1231) Era
after a long period of disorder and, with The Seljūks (1037-1308), like their
the support of the court of the Baghdad Ġaznavīd counterparts, facilitated the
Caliphate, fostered cultural development. participation of upper-class women in
Sources related to the Ġaznavīd political and social affairs. Women’s
period indicate that women could learn roles during this period included political
various sciences and were intervention, strategic marriages to
knowledgeable in religious sciences, the strengthen dynastic power, and cultural
Quran and Ḥadīth, and skilled in
