Acknowledgments

I have accumulated countless debts as this project evolved from an idea into a book. I'd like to acknowledge just a few here with apologies for my omissions. Years ago, a conversation with Khaled Abou El Fadl about female jurists in early Islam sparked my interest, leading me to the world of women’s haditb transmission. I conducted my first research on muhadditbas at SUNY-Binghamton under the exacting guidance of Akbar Muhammad, whose passion for Muslim social history was infectious and inspiring. At Princeton, Hossein Modarressi’s patient mentoring, profound knowledge, and insightful comments on drafts of my dissertation have enriched the project and contributed to my growth as a scholar in critical ways. I also owe a special debt to Michael Cook. His meticulous review of the dissertation and subsequently the book manuscript has been invaluable. More importantly, his exemplary scholarship and his encouragement and support of my work have been formative throughout my career.

Colleagues and friends contributed to the project in many ways. Qasim Zaman, Issam Eido, and Martin Nguyen read selected chapters and provided valuable comments. Racha el Omari was always willing to help with many, sundry questions on Arabic translation and transliteration. My conversations with Shahab Ahmed have helped me hone a number of key points. Hanna Siurua’s careful copyediting saved me from many errors and helped improve the work. Intisar Rabb provided thoughtful feedback on the introduction as well as on some central themes in the book, and her friendship over the years has provided comfort, humor, and inspiration.

My parents, Fatima and Zafar Sayeed, and my siblings, Sarah, Nadiyah, Mujahid, Salihah, and Muhasin, have supported me and made themselves available whenever I needed them. My mother especially has