An Interview with Studious Muslimah founder: Marwa El-Gaby

First of all, tell us a little bit about what exactly Studious Muslimah is?

I guess the best way to describe Studious Muslimah, is that it is an educational coaching service for young female Muslim learners, which is currently UK-based.

What led you to creating Studious Muslimah?

I came up with Studious Muslimah as I felt it was the best way I feel that I can contribute to empowering young Muslimahs (Muslim females) in education, by utilising the full range of skills and experiences that I have accumulated over the years. From teaching and education qualifications and experiences in various settings, to leading young Muslimahs in charity and voluntary sectors. So, in addition to having a keen interest in how we manifest learning and study skills, there is the important element of bearing in mind our diversity and being proud of our own identity.

Why do you think there is a need for such an educational coaching service for young Muslimahs?

Many individuals go through the education system and come out the other end not understanding, realising, or feeling on convinced on what this was all about. Focusing on assessment and test scores, grades and what this can do for me career wise, is unfortunately the focus of many. I'm speaking about the learners, but also the educators and the systems that are in place. As a trained and experienced maths teacher, I am all too familiar with the number of times students lose sight of what they’re doing this all for, and getting too bogged down and lost in the details. The feeling of not being convinced or getting fulfilment in their learning journey. Because it is a journey. We never stop learning.  

So, you believe that Studious Muslimah will help in solving these problems?

Yes, and more in sha Allah (God willingly). My aim through establishing Studious Muslimah is to focus on those learning journeys and experiences of young Muslim female learners. I’m focusing on young female Muslim learners as I can truly say I have been there and done that and I understand what it can be like. I was once a young female Muslim learner myself (I still am!). Looking back, I would have really appreciated and benefited from being part of a community that Studious Muslimah is creating: that safe space to explore one’s own identity and reconcile between our learning or career and faith journeys seamlessly.

Of course. Could you have established such an initiative whilst remaining a teacher, or in education yourself?

The short answer, is no not really. There’re a lot more to teaching than the actual act of teaching. When I left teaching, I knew I wasn’t done with education as a career field. Deep down I am truly a natural educator, and I love to teach. I just knew I needed to go back to the drawing board. I went on to complete my second masters’: a masters in Education at the University of Birmingham, where I had previously trained to teach. I then worked as an academic researcher at the University of Oxford as part of a large team working on a project involving primary schools across the UK. I was under the impression that I would solve many education problems by remaining in education and academic research (that’s to say reading for a doctorate in Education). The answer I got was perhaps: “not quite”, or “not yet Marwa”. So, I decided to create an impact on educating the youth with my own initiative.

It sounds all very ambitious and wide in scope. In a nut-shell, what are you providing through Studious Muslimah? Are there any disclaimers?

Studious Muslimah is a complementary education provider which is UK-based. It is not meant to replace any form of education, nor do its aims or practices conflict with any mainstream education provision. What it doesprovide: is filling in the gap between what education providers allow learners to be socialised and educated in schools, colleges, apprenticeships, and universities, and what supplementary Islamic educators such as Madrasahs or Isocs etc. may provide for Muslim leaners to nurture their faith and identity.

It’s important that everyone understands that I am not by any means a qualified Islamic scholar. I can only share a limited set of practices which I know can help get you by. I can cover the basics to ensure that you’re not getting too bogged down in worldly matters, but that’s about it. What I am though, is a qualified educator, who has gone through their fair share of learning in the UK education system, and happens to be a practising Muslimah Alhamdulellah (praise be to God).