She’s a lone figure in a world dominated by men, but Britain’s first female Sharia court judge isn’t daunted by the task ahead of her.
Instead, Dr Amra Bone believes her trailblazing path will inspire other women to follow. The former headteacher and university chaplain sits on the panel of judges at the Sharia Council at Birmingham’s Central Mosque – one of Europe’s biggest.
Its her job to rule on Islamic divorce hearings – a role traditionally reserved for bearded elders who have spent their lives studying the Quran.
Not that Dr Bone is any less qualified than her male counterparts. The 45-year-old was invited to join the panel because of her unrivalled expertise in the complex field of Islamic jurisprudence.
“My specialisms include Quranic exegesis and ethics with an emphasis on Sharia and gender,” says Dr Bone, who graduated from Birmingham University where she also completed her MA and PhD. Read more