Salaam alaikum, and thank you for your question.

 

I must preface this question with a disclaimer that I am not a scholar. I have briefly studied under a well-known shaykh, and I did pursue Islamic studies at a graduate level, but I am not qualified enough to call myself an expert in either traditional or secular Islamic knowledge. Therefore, I don’t have personal experience in searching for a job as an Islamic scholar.

 

It is difficult to say exactly what the likelihood is of a woman getting a job with a degree in Islamic studies because there are many factors at play.

 

First, it depends on what kind of Islamic studies you specialized in. Did you study Islam in the traditional sense, with a shaykh or shaykha, where you learned tafsir, fiqh, etc.?

 

Or did you get a degree in Islamic studies from a secular university, which follows rigorous academic procedures but may lack the devotional aspects of traditional study?

 

If you have a degree in Islamic studies from a secular university, it is likely that you would find a job within academia, perhaps teaching Islamic studies or doing research.

 

If you have a degree in traditional Islamic studies, you may become a resident ustadha/shaykha for a mosque or Islamic organization, or you could become a teacher.

 

Second, it also depends on where you are located. In countries or areas where there aren’t a lot of Muslims, job prospects may be limited. In places where there is a large Muslim population, the demand for Islamic knowledge is higher, so there may be more jobs available.

 

One field that may be of interest to you where you could utilize your knowledge is chaplaincy. Chaplains serve as religious and spiritual counselors to people in a variety of settings (e.g. hospitals, universities, prisons, the military, and many others).

 

In a position like this, you would be able to use your Islamic knowledge in a very holistic way. You may be called upon to give religious advice, lead people in worship, help people make big life decisions, or simply be there for people in times of crisis and vulnerability.

 

Rather than merely knowing about Islam, chaplaincy jobs require one to actively live out their Islam. As institutions realize how valuable chaplaincy work is, and as the Muslim population in the West grows, there is an increasing need for Muslim chaplains (especially Muslim women chaplains). It may be something worth looking into, insha’Allah.