"KHAWATIN" AND THEIR POLITICAL, CULTURAL, RELIGIOUS AND SOCIAL ROLE IN ISLAMIC HISTORY

Document Type : Research Paper

Author

Abstract

Khatun / ghatun / ghadin meaning lady, or pure and married women (generally) and noble women such as daughters of khaghans (the great khan) and khans and high-ranking officials (specifically) has been a major title in the history of Islam and in fact been a special title vis-ب-vis men's khan to respect and upgrade women
and their ranks.
The title "khatun" has a sogdian root and before the advent of Islam was used to refer to the rulers of China and Bukhara.
Nevertheless, this title (with its own specific meaning) was also used in different parts of the Muslim World in the Islamic period. Aside from "Seyyedeh Malek Khatun" the first Shi'ah woman to come to power in Iran in 4th century A.H., khatun and other words analogous with it, like "bibi" and "seyyedeh" used to refer to Fatimah (pbuth), have had a special place in the jargon of the Twelver Shi'ah in Iran. While going through the etymology of the word khatun and its analogous word, this article examines the khatuns' political, social, religious and cultural role in various historical periods.

Keywords