Egypt’s 1919 revolution against British occupation is one of the most significant events of the country’s modern history. Many names emerged from this glorious uprising that Egyptians still pay tribute to until today. One of these highly-celebrated figures is Safiya Zaghloul. Daughter of one of Egypt’s first prime ministers, Mustafa Fahmy Pasha, Safiya Mustafa Fahmy had a distinctive role in Egyptian political life when women’s involvement was rare, if not almost unthinkable. Born in 1878, Safiya was the wife of Egypt’s revolutionary icon, Saad Zaghloul, leader of the 1919 revolution and leader of the nationalist Wafd Party. After marrying him, she became popularly known as Safiya Zaghloul and accompanied him in all his political activity. Due to his political transgression and untamed activism, Zaghloul was exiled by the British to Malta and later to Seychelles. As a supportive wife and a rebellious feminist, Safiya decided to continue on the same revolutionary path as her husband: she led the women’s demonstrations to demand Egypt’s independence from British occupation in 1919. “If the British have arrested Saad and his tongue, then his wife and life partner will make God and the homeland…
