Sisters in space

I wrote about a video game featuring a muslim woman as a responsible leader in my last input, “muslim women on Mars (المريخ)”. If you haven’t read that input yet, I recommend you check it out. It inspired me to write the input you are about to read. Real events this time. Indeed, let’s get right to it…

Anousheh Ansari, an Iranian-American entreprenaur, became the first female muslim to go into space. An article published on the newssite Iranwire describes it this way…


“In spring of 2006, the Federal Space Agency of the Russian Federation (FSA) announced that Anousheh Ansari was going to travel to the International Space Station aboard a Soyuz spacecraft, making her the first female space tourist, a term she disapproves of.

“I don’t like the term ‘space tourism’ or ‘space tourist’ because I feel that it doesn’t do justice to what we do as ‘spaceflight participants’ or explorers,” she said in an interview with the European Space Agency in 2007. “A ‘tourist’ is someone who decides to go somewhere, buys a ticket, takes their camera, packs a bag and goes. For this experience, I had to train for six months in Star City, perform physical and mental training, learn all the systems of the space station and the Soyuz rocket.”

Ansari trained as a backup for Daisuke Enomoto, a Japanese businessman, for the flight to the International Space Station. On August 21, 2006, Enomoto was medically disqualified from flying the Soyuz TMA-9 mission. The next day Ansari was elevated to the prime crew.”

Mashallah. Mashallah indeed. Training as a backup, then the prime candidate is removed on the notion that he is not physically qualified, which put our muslim sister in the position of space travel. It immediately made me think of the following aya…

سورة الرحمن ٣٣
يَٰمَعۡشَرَ ٱلۡجِنِّ وَٱلۡإِنسِ إِنِ ٱسۡتَطَعۡتُمۡ أَن تَنفُذُواْ مِنۡ أَقۡطَارِ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ فَٱنفُذُواْۚ لَا تَنفُذُونَ إِلَّا بِسُلۡطَٰنٖ

Surah Ar-Rahmaan 55:33
O ye assembly of Jinns and men! If it be ye can pass beyond the zones of the heavens and the earth, pass ye! not without authority shall ye be able to pass!

“A few days before her flight, she was asked in an interview whether she considered herself a role model for Iranian women and women in general. “I hope to inspire everyone—especially young people, women, and young girls all over the world, and in Middle Eastern countries that do not provide women with the same opportunities as men—to not give up their dreams and to pursue them.””

In 2022, Sara Sabry, an Egyptian engineer and trained astronaut, became the first Arab woman to go into space. An article published on CEO Magazine states…

“The 30-year-old Egyptian engineer and fully trained astronaut was chosen from thousands of applicants”

One among thousands. Read it slowly. One – among – thousands. Mashallah indeed. Sara Sabry herself states on her website…

“As an Egyptian woman, I have always been told that engineering would be “too hard” for me, that I would never have any opportunities in my country if I chose to pursue the biomedical field, that being interested in the space field is a waste of time. My mission in life is to help others who have been told the same negative comments be able to take this energy, internalize it, and use it to drive them forward.”

So beautiful and inspiring achievements. Alhamdulillah endless times. There are even more sisters I would like to cover but I will save some for next time. (In the meantime, feel free to check out the source links at the bottom of this input to read the full articles I’ve quoted). How encouraging and inspiring it is to see these things, such beautiful accomplishments by muslims, sisters, who sometimes may face challenges with acknowledgment in different situations because they happen to be women. Biggest respect. I hope that it inspires you too. In the end, and this is something important for all to remember… it’s not about what you are… it’s about who you are.

سورة الأنعام ٥٠
قُلۡ هَلۡ يَسۡتَوِي ٱلۡأَعۡمَىٰ وَٱلۡبَصِيرُۚ أَفَلَا تَتَفَكَّرُونَ

Surah Al-An’aam 6:50
Say: “can the blind be held equal to the seeing?” Will ye then consider not?

May you all have a truly beautiful day inshallah and make sure not to miss the next update.
I hope that you found this to be an interesting and inspiring input indeed.

The best of times to you all inshallah.
Peace, happiness, and stay faithful.




References:
Iranian Influential Women: Anousheh Ansari (1966-Present)
(Retrieved on March 1st, 2024)

Interview with Anousheh Ansari, the First Female Space Tourist
(Retrieved on March 1st, 2024)

Meet the first African woman in space
(Retrieved on March 1st, 2024)

ASTROSARASABRY (website)
(Retrieved on March 1st, 2024)