Fatima Sheikh First Muslim Teacher

Fatima Sheikh : The First Muslim Teacher Of The 19th Century

Fatima Sheikh was an Indian educator and a colleague of the social reformers Jyotibha Phule and Savitribai Phule.

Fatima Sheikh is one of the first Muslim women teachers of modern India who started educating Dalit children in Phules’ school. She was the sister of Mian Usman Sheikh, in whose house Jyotiba and Savitribai Phule took up residence. 

Jyotiba and Savitribai Phule along with Fatima Sheikh, took charge of spreading education among the downtrodden communities.

They were abandoned by everyone around, the duo searched for shelter to live in and to fulfill their educational dreams for the oppressed section of the society. During their search, they came across a Muslim man Usman Sheikh, who was living in Ganj Peth of Pune. Usman Sheikh offered his home to the Phule couple and agreed to run a school in the premises. In 1848, a school was opened in the house of Usman Sheikh and her sister Fatima Shiekh.

It was no surprise that almost everyone from the upper caste of Poona was against the practices of Fatima and Savitribai, and there were even attempt to stop them by social humiliation. It was Fatima Sheikh who stood firmly and supported Savitribai’s cause in every possible manner.

Fatima Sheikh started teaching in the same school with Savitribai Phule. Savitribai and Fatima were accompanied by Saguna Bai, who later became another leader in the education movement. Usman Sheikh, the brother of Fatima Sheikh, was also inspired by the movement of Jyotiba and Savitribai Phule. According to archives from that period, it was Usman Sheikh who encouraged her sister Fatima to spread the education in the society.

When Fatima and Savitribai started going to schools which were established by Jyotiba, people from Pune itself used to harass them and abuse them. They were stone pelted and sometimes cow dung was thrown at them as it was unimaginable.

Fatima had to endure the wrath of Hindus as well as Muslims. Despite threats, she used to go door- to-door to Muslim households and explain the importance of girls education. As several writings say, she was the first Muslim woman who started educating other girls and women in 19th century. Savitribai used to mention the services of Fatima seikh with affection and concern in her letters to Jyothirao Phule as both women complemented each other. Fatima used to spent hours counselling parents who did not wish to send their girls to schools.

Although there isn’t much literature available over the lives and works of Fatima Sheikh, there have been attempts made by the government to acknowledge her role. In 2014, Fatima Sheikh’s brief profile was included in the school Urdu textbooks of Bal Bharati Maharashtra State Bureau along with the likes of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, Zakir Hussain, Abul Kalam Azad. Although some from the Maratha community objected to the same.

Fatima Sheikh is now widely regarded as the first Muslim woman teacher of the 19th century and it is a badge which Indian Muslim community wears with pride.