Part of: Madrasah life and learning
GlossaryWhat does ustadha mean?
Ustadha (also spelled ustadhah or ustaza) is the Arabic word for a female teacher, written أستاذة. It is the feminine form of ustadh, the title for a male teacher. In many UK madrasahs children also call women teachers Apa, Aapa or Alimah.
Ustadha and ustadh: the difference
| Title | Arabic | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Ustadh (or ustaz) | أستاذ | A male teacher |
| Ustadha (or ustadhah, ustaza) | أستاذة | A female teacher |
How to spell and say it
Spellings vary because the Arabic is written in a different alphabet. You may see ustadha, ustadhah, ustaza or ustazah. They all refer to the same title. In Arabic it is roughly pronounced "oos-TAH-dha".
Other titles for women teachers in UK madrasahs
- Apa or Aapa (older sister): common in South Asian-heritage communities.
- Alimah: a woman who has studied the Islamic sciences in depth.
- Hafizah or Qariah: a woman who has memorised the Quran, or who is a trained reciter.
The male titles are explained on our page about what ustadh means.
Thanking a teacher
End of term, Eid and a child's Ameen are common times to thank a teacher. See gifts for madrasah teachers.
Questions people also ask
What does ustadha mean in Arabic?
Ustadha (أستاذة) means a female teacher.
Is ustadha the same as ustadh?
Ustadh is the male form and ustadha is the female form of the same word.
How do you spell ustadha?
Common spellings are ustadha, ustadhah, ustaza and ustazah.
Handmade to order, built to last. We make each leather madrasah bag by hand, to order, in Scottish leather. Delivered in around 14 days. £139.99 + £8.99 UK delivery.
Buy nowMore on madrasah life and learning
← The parent's guide to madrasah: the full topic guide
- Preparing your child for the first day at madrasah
- What to pack for madrasah and the mosque
- What is a madrasah?
- What is a maktab?
- What is a Qaidah?
- What is tajweed?
- What is hifz?
- Sabaq, sabqi and manzil: the hifz system explained
- What does ustadh mean?
- What is a topi?
- My child doesn't want to go to madrasah
- Child struggling with the Qaidah
- Child reading the Quran too fast
- Child forgetting what they've memorised
- No time to practise the Quran at home
- Losing the Quran habit after Ramadan
- Madressa bag checklist for the new term
- Mosque bag for Jummah and Taraweeh: what to bring
- How to choose a Quran for a child
- Madrasah in Ramadan: what changes
- Walking to madrasah: carrying a shoulder bag comfortably
- The madrasah run: a bag routine for busy car journeys