At first glance, Asra Nomani does not appear to be a powerful figure. In truth, she looks like any other well-dressed, busy, young American woman. But Tuesday evening as part of the UD Distinguished Speakers Series, Nomani revealed why she has risen to the ranks of notable Muslim feminists.

Nomani's mission is to create a place for the female voice to be heard in Islam. She struggles to reveal the true religion of Islam, one she knows is inherently warm and inviting.

Born into a conservative Muslim household in Bombay, India, Nomani came to the U.S. at the age of 4. As a Muslim child, Nomani recognized that her religion drew clear boundaries between men and women. Only the men and boys could enter through the front door in the mosque; only they could pray in the building or lead prayer.

Nomani, who became a writer for Harper's Magazine and the Wall Street Journal, noted the events of 9/11 as a turning point in her life. After the tragedy, she traveled to Pakistan to help establish understanding between the Western and Middle Eastern worlds. As she slipped into this conservative Islamic world, Nomani witnessed offensive and contradictory interpretations of Islam, but was leery of taking action.

When Daniel Pearl, a friend and colleague of Nomani's, was kidnapped and killed by terrorists, Nomani recognized more clearly the problems she saw in Islam. The actions of the kidnappers, especially their use of a mosque as a 'safe haven' for depositing the grizzly photos of Pearl's killing, were a personal assault on the Islam she knew.

'Confronted with the darkness accompanying religion being used as a vehicle of violence, I had a personal realization of my faith identity,' she said. 'I couldn't run from my identity. But my faith was not the interpretation of Islam that Danny's killers practiced.'

Fear of condemnation soon accompanied her sorrow when Nomani discovered she was pregnant. Unmarried and spurned by her boyfriend, she returned to the U.S. with a deep sense of guilt. But in her pregnancy, Nomani discovered the love she believes is at the heart of Islam.

'Instead of disowning me, my father sent me an e-mail with only three words: 'I love you,'' she said. 'That really is the deepest form of religion'unconditional love.'

Her son's birth prompted Nomani to undertake a religious pilgrimage to Mecca with her family. It served as an awakening, giving her strength to challenge the patriarchal interpretation of Islam.

Returning to her mosque in the U.S., Nomani entered through the front doors and took her place next to the men to pray. This simple act of defiance angered the males; she was ultimately put on trial, but remained undeterred.

Nomani challenged those preachers who promoted a patriarchal ideology that was contrary to the Quran. On the doors of the mosque, she posted a document arguing for the rights of Islamic women based on the 99 names for Allah. She also organized a mixed gender prayer service where a female was the prayer leader, the first time a woman led men in prayer.

Nomani's struggles have not gone unrewarded. Barriers between men and women are slowly being removed. Women can now give lectures and sit on governing boards. The attempts at reform are global as well: in Morocco, 50 women were recently ordained as Imams to other women.

Nomani believes the challenge for Muslims today is to take on Islamophobic bashing and patriarchal stereotypes. The pressure to remove puritanical institutions from Islam is another historical arc of change and reform. The future of Islam lies in recognizing the dignity of women and the value they have in the Muslim community.

'This is an effort for the world,' she said. 'When we push back against conservative interpretations, we win but the world wins as well. I am confident that we will win.'