
The author sets out to understand the rise of the phenomenon of Al-Huda in Pakistan, the reasons why middle and upper class women engage with this school's ideology and the impact its emergence is having on the wider society in Pakistan. As a woman of Pakistani origin who also has a sound foundation in Pakistani social history, Ahmad was able to engage with members and students of Al-Huda in ways that a cultural outsider would be excluded from doing, given the particular nature and orientation of this organization. Through her engagement, she gained unparalleled insights into not only the structure of the organization and its myriad educational programmes, but also substantive views of its teachings, the image of women it celebrates and the resultant effects of this organization on the wider Pakistani society.