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Is it permissible to bestow the title "Princess of the Board" upon a woman serving as the chairperson of the board of directors in a school, especially when there are qualified men present? What examples from the era of the Prophet or the Companions support or refute this? In the absence of such examples, who is responsible for this designation? What is the role of the "Amir" (leader) and his responsibilities in decision-making and conflict resolution, and how is he appointed? And what is the validity of some people's claim that they are agents of God?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

Women are prohibited from holding public offices such as presidency, ministry, and judiciary, based on the saying of Allah Almighty, "Never will succeed a people who entrust their affairs to a woman." This is also due to a woman's inherent weakness and common impediments, and the obligation to avoid unlawful mixing. As for her heading the board of directors of a company or a school, there appears to be no prohibition, provided care is taken not to fall into any Sharia-forbidden act. Some scholars have permitted women to hold a ministerial position if it pertains specifically to women's affairs, such that it does not necessitate mixing with men. As for the chairman of the board of directors, he is not considered a ruler; his vote merely serves as a tie-breaker in the board.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

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