Hänifä Mälikova-Abayeva

Hanifa Malikova (; ; May 5, 1856 – May 2, 1929) was one of the first Muslim women in the Caucasus to receive secular education. she worked at the Russian-Muslim girls' school in Baku and became the first principal of the Empress Alexandra Russian Muslim Boarding School for Girls.

Biography Hanifa Abaeva was born on May 5, 1856, in Nalchik, in the North Caucasus. Her ethnicity was Balkar and she was the daughter of Aslanbeg Abaev, an officer of Imperial army. She received her education at the St. Nina School from 1862 to 1872. At that time, it was a rare for Muslim girls to receive education in a Christian country.

In 1872, "Kafkaz" newspaper published a list of girls who graduated from the St. Nina School, and Abaeva's name was among them. Upon seeing the name of the Muslim woman on the list, an Azerbaijani journalist and intellectual, Hasan bey Zardabi decided to go to Tbilisi to meet her. Hasan bey's first meeting with Hanifa Abaeva left a positive impression on him. Following this acquaintance, they married in Tbilisi and later moved to Baku. In 1881, Hanifa Melikova and Hasan bey Zardabi established a free school in their home in Zardab where they provided education and knowledge to people.

Hanifa Malikova died on May 2, 1929.