Nassiba Muhammad Faher

A pioneering Egyptian scholar who established one of the first girls' schools in 19th century Cairo, championing women's education during a transformative era.

Nassiba Muhammad Faher (1810-1887) was a visionary educator and scholar in 19th century Egypt whose establishment of the first girls' school in Cairo marked a pivotal moment in women's educational rights. Born into an intellectual family in Alexandria, she mastered Arabic, Persian, and French while studying theology, astronomy, and mathematics under her father's tutelage. Against societal norms, she began privately tutoring girls in her home by 1832, eventually securing government support to open the Cairo Girls' School in 1840 - a groundbreaking institution that enrolled over 200 students within its first decade.

Faher's curriculum innovatively combined traditional Quranic studies with modern subjects like geography and hygiene, while her pedagogical methods emphasized critical thinking over rote memorization. She faced opposition from conservative religious scholars but gained influential allies including Khedive Ismail, who appointed her as Cairo's first female public teacher in 1863. Her 1867 publication Instructions for Young Women became a foundational text for women's education across North Africa, advocating for gender equality through accessible language and practical life skills.

Faher's legacy is preserved in the Nassiba Museum in Alexandria and the annual Nassiba Prize for educational innovation. Modern scholars like Dr. Fatma Gaber (Journal of Middle Eastern Studies) credit her with laying groundwork for 20th century feminist movements. Though overshadowed by male contemporaries like Rifa'a al-Tahtawi, her work directly inspired the first Egyptian female physicians and journalists who emerged in the early 1900s.