Through a discussion of the various ways in which Muslim women in West Africa express their piety, in both public and private spheres, this entry explores the meaning of being a pious woman and the difficulties that are encountered by women on their way to becoming “appropriately” pious.
Although Islam offers guidelines to believers seeking to behave in a pious manner, individuals interpret and negotiate these behaviors in a variety of ways. Thus, while there are many parallels and similarities to be found in the ways Muslim women of differen…