The Rise of The Muslim Female Entrepreneur
However, a new crop of female Muslim entrepreneurs is defying this stereotype while cashing in on the rapidly growing market for Muslim-focused consumer goods.
Take Sabah Nazir, who started her company Islamic Moments in 2004, designing and producing mainstream greeting cards.
In 2011 she had an epiphany when she realized the market was not catering for the modern Muslim consumer, and decided to redesign all her products "around the Muslim market”.
The company now has a portfolio of more than 300 Islamic design-led products from greeting cards to notebooks, and its products are sold in over 20 countries.
"I was determined to create a platform where we became that aspirational lifestyle brand for young Muslim consumers to meet their lifestyle and aspirations in accordance with their faith,” she says.
Buoyant market
According to a report by Thomson Reuters, Muslim consumer spending on food and lifestyle products and services was estimated at $1.8 trillion (£1.5tn) globally in 2014 and is projected to reach $2.6tn in 2020.
And in the UK, around three million Muslim consumers contribute about £21bn a year to the economy.
Major brands such as Mango and DKNY have begun to adapt to this audience by introducing more modest clothing ranges, but it has also inspired a raft of new start-ups from within the Muslim community – many of them formed by women.
Tahir Mirza is co-founder of the Muslim Lifestyle Expo 2016, a showcase for Muslim-friendly brands being held this weekend in Manchester.
He says that 60% of the 130 exhibitors taking part will be female entrepreneurs, showcasing everything from luxury prayer mats and Islamic toys, to fashion, accessories and cosmetics.
"The stereotype of Muslim women stuck in the kitchen and carrying out household chores are long gone,” he says.
"According to our research, women represent 50% of the [Muslim] start-up business community and this figure is set to grow further over the next few years.”
Source: Halal Focus
