Meet the first Guinean woman to hold PhD in Arabic and Islamic Studies

Translated and edited by Basidia M Drammeh

Dr. Aminata Jallow is a leading scholar, a notable writer and a profound researcher who has accomplished the feat of being the first Guinean woman to hold a doctorate in Arabic language and Islamic studies. She was born in Mamo and raised in a family that placed great emphasis on Islamic etiquette and the principles of reading, writing and the Qur'an. Dr. Jallow joined a regular school at the age of seven and studied at Hajj Tjan Sal School in Kembili for all primary, preparatory and secondary stages. Later, she moved to Ukhuwwa Islamic School to study in the third year of supplementary secondary school.

Dr. Jallow's eagerness and diligence in seeking knowledge helped her excel in the baccalaureate degree in 2006. She then received a government scholarship to study in Morocco, where she continued her academic career at university and postgraduate studies. Dr. Jallow received her undergraduate degree with honours from the Faculty of Sharia and Law at the University of Sidi Mohammed Benin Abdallah in Fez, Morocco, in 2009. In 2012, she obtained a master's degree in Islamic studies at Dar al-Hadith al-Hassaniya in Morocco. She also received her doctorate with distinction from Dar al-Hadith al-Hassaniya in Rabat, Morocco.

Dr. Jallow is currently serving as the Deputy Director of the Chair of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO). She is a member of the Doctoral Program Committee in Arabic Language and Civilization at the General Lansana Conte University. Dr. Jallow prepares educational lessons and training courses and writes scientific articles and specialized research in Sharia and society. She was a member of the Mohammed VI Foundation of African Scholars from 2017 to 2018. Dr. Jallow is also a proficient translator at the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, translating from the Fulani language to Arabic and French in Rabat. She is fluent in Arabic, French, and English, in addition to her mother tongue.

Dr. Jallow has produced multiple research works and received numerous awards for her contributions to the field of Islamic studies throughout her career.

Credit: Ibrahim Mansare