The Heartbeat of Wanita Itu: A Conversation with Dr. Noor Amy Ismail

It began as a small majlis iqra’—a gathering of 600 women seeking something deeper. Today, Wanita Itu (that woman in Malay language) has blossomed into a movement of 13,000, a spiritual sanctuary for those seeking to live with ihsan, integrity, and impact.

While it has grown in scale, its essence remains a quiet, profound intention: to create a space where faith and purpose meet.

At the center of this “safar” (journey) is Dr. Noor Amy Ismail. Beyond her professional portfolio as a Board Director at Wahed and Honorary Advisor to the IKIM Media Centre, Amy is simply someone who believes that faith should guide every dimension of our lives—from how we lead to how we build communities.

It is her role as the visionary behind Wanita Itu that perhaps best reveals her spiritual anchor. We recently sat down with her to reflect on the journey of building a sisterhood that bridges the gap between professional excellence and spiritual grounding.

The Genesis: A Profound Intention

Wanita Itu was born in January 2025, from a very simple yet profound intention: to create a safe, inspiring, and spiritually nourishing space that acts as a remembrance.

“Spirituality and excellence in the dunya are not separate journeys,” Amy explains. “They are meant to strengthen one another.”

The Heartbeat of Sisterhood

The Ramadan movement is characterized by its weekly hosting spaces across majlis in masjids, tadarus session or reflection gathering in Klang Valley.

Although anchored in Islamic values, she emphasizes that the spirit of the space is welcoming and inclusive.

“The heartbeat of Wanita Itu is sisterhood rooted in faith,” she says. “It is primarily a space for Muslim women to deepen their relationship with Allah, but the values we stand for are universal: sincerity, growth, compassion, and purpose.”

Moments of Resonance

For her, the most powerful moments are found in the collective silence of the women attending.

“It is always when hundreds, sometimes thousands, of women sit together quietly, reflecting on the Quran,” she shares. “Those moments remind me that the hunger for spiritual nourishment among women today is very real.”

Navigating the Challenges of Organizing ‘Halaqah’

Behind every transformative gathering is a mountain of unseen effort. Scaling a movement of this size requires meticulous coordination, yet Amy views these logistical hurdles through the lens of niyyah (intention).

“The biggest challenge has honestly been balancing scale with sincerity,” she admits.

“Wanita Itu is fully community-driven. When you anchor everything in niyyah, challenges become part of the journey rather than obstacles.”

The True Impact

The “why” of the work is often found in a single conversation.

Amy recalls a participant who arrived feeling lost, only to leave feeling she had “found her way back to Allah.”

“It’s about hearts reconnecting with their purpose,” she says. “When even one person feels spiritually uplifted, every sleepless night and every logistical challenge suddenly feels worth it.”

The Ruhfar Prompt

As we approach the final stretch of Ramadan and prepare for the ‘winning season’ of Raya (Eid), Dr. Amy leaves #TheRuhfarSociety with a vital reflection:

If Ramadan changed you, how will you protect that change after Ramadan ends?

“Because the true victory of Ramadan is not how we feel on Eid day, it is who we continue to become in the months that follow,” she concludes.

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