She earned her Ph.D. from the University of California at Berkeley in Near Eastern Studies. Her primary research interests include biographical literature of the Prophet Muhammad; early modern Ottoman history; progressive Islam; Quranic studies; Sufism; and women and gender issues in Islam. Her translated works include an Arabic translation of Principles of Sufism: The Risalah of ‘Abd al-Karim al-Qushayri and the Malay translation of Principles of Sufism. Her published works also include Muslim Women Throughout the World: An Annotated Bibliography and Sufi Women of Damascus. Ms. Schlegell was recipient of the Inaugural Kahn Teaching Award for Excellence by an assistant professor in May of 2000.