Iranian Journal of Medical Ethics and History of Medicine

Women are the epitome of affection and are therefore suited for the caregiver role by nature. In Prophet Muhammad’s era, women entered one of the toughest and perhaps most masculine areas of social life, that is, the battlefield. Prophet Muhammad permitted and endorsed the presence of women in battles, and appointed troops of women to accompany him to war for the purpose of providing nursing and medical care. The importance of this issue lies in recognition of the role of Muslim women in social arenas such as battlefields. This study aims to: a) investigate the medical role and performance of women during wartime in Prophet Muhammad’s era, and b) describe the medical function of women in the Prophet’s battles while introducing some who have been active in this domain.

This was an analytic/descriptive study conducted by collecting note cards from library resources. Our findings showed that women had a significant presence in battles during the early stages of Islam, and as historical evidence confirms, they appeared in the caregiver role by the permission of Prophet Muhammad. Moreover, women’s presence was not due to a shortage of men in the battlefield, but rather because of their abilities in the field of medicine and healthcare, where they succeeded in offering a remarkable performance.