Aisha Taymur, Gamila El Alaily, Doria Shafik, Celine Axelos, Joyce Mansour, anc Sabrina Mahfouz, are only six of an abundance of Egyptian female writers who have inspired generations with their powerful poetry. These six outstanding women poets see work as a boundless form of expression, inviting readers into their worlds, to understand their struggles, and victories. Aisha Taymur Aisha Taymur was one of Egypt’s most distinguished poets, novelists, and social activists. Born in 1840 into a family of Kurdish origins and literary roots, Taymur was a symbol of the women liberation movement since the Ottoman rule. She was well-versed in the Holy Quran and Islamic Jurisprudence, and also wrote poetry in Arabic, Turkish and Persian. Taymur employed traditional poetic devices in her poetry — she wrote about women defying societal expectations, especially during nineteenth century Egypt, the concept of love towards others, as well as love in religion. Her writings about how love reflects a deep connection to God, which has led many to consider her as a Sufi poet. She wrote many poems that discussed women’s relationship with the veil; in one of her most famous religious poems ‘Be…
