Matrilineal, Matriarchal, and Matrifocal Islam

Around the world, Islamic cultures have developed distinctive matrilineal, matrifocal, matrilocal, or matriarchal natures as a result of how they have been practised by integrated and indigenised Muslim communities. In matrilineal descent systems, in contrast to the more common mosaic of patrilineal patterns, children belong to the mother’s ancestry group. Matrilineal Muslims therefore follow a so...