Jewels of Allah

International Book Award in "Women’s Issues"

Eric Hoffer Award for "Best Culture Book"

Eric Hoffer Award for "Best Book Cover"

Eric Hoffer Award for "Best Debut Author"

Indie Book Award for "Historical Nonfiction"

Indie Book Award for "Women’s Issues"

ForeWord INDIEFAB Award for "Women's Studies"

Best Book Award for "Women's Issues"

The popular narrative about women's lives in Iran over the last forty years goes something like this:

"During the Pahlavi Monarchy, women were on an upward trajectory. In a nation on the cusp of modernity, women actively participated. They were given the right to vote and free to be in public without veils. They wore miniskirts on university campuses. Then came the Islamic Revolution in 1979, with Ayatollah Khomeini at the helm. The burgeoning freedoms for women were extinguished. The veil was required and institutions were segregated by gender. The Islamic Republic had thus achieved its goal of resurrecting the image of the traditional Muslim woman."

The problem with popular narratives is that, despite their convenient half-truths, the real story is more complicated, unexpected, and less tidy.

Inspired by author Nina Ansary's scholarly journey, Jewels of Allah is a provocative roller coaster ride that shatters the stereotypical assumptions and the often misunderstood story of women in Iran today. Highlighting many courageous female leaders and advocates throughout Iran's history, the book illuminates the unanticipated consequences of the Islamic Revolution and the unexpected twists and turns leading to a full-blown feminist movement within a post-revolutionary patriarchal society.

Jewels of Allah is dedicated to every individual oppressed by discriminatory ideology. 100% of all proceeds from the sale of the book will go to charitable organizations and institutions, with the primary recipient being the OMID Foundation, a 501(c)(3) registered organization that has been empowering disadvantaged young women in Iran for over 10 years. For more information on the OMID Foundation, please visit the omidfoundation.com.

Dr. Nina Ansary is an internationally recognized award-winning author and women's rights advocate. She is a UN Women Global Champion for Innovation and a Visiting Fellow at The London School of Economics Centre for Women, Peace & Security and has appeared on Fox News, Larry King, the BBC, and been covered in a variety of leading publications, including the The New York Times, CNN.com, Newsweek, Glamour, Teen Vogue and the Yale Journal of International Affairs. Dr. Ansary is the recipient of the 2019 Ellis Island Medal of Honor and the 2018 Trailblazer Award from Barnard College, Columbia University. She has also been recognized as one of "14 Privileged Women to Change the World" by Marie Claire, and "6 Women Who Build Bridges Not Walls" by The New York Times. Dr. Ansary holds an MA in Middle Eastern Studies and a PhD in History from Columbia University.

Dr. Ansary's previous book, Jewels of Allah: The Untold Story of Women in Iran garnered multiple awards, including the 2016 International Book Award in "Women's Issues.".