The intention of this paper is to show the contents of Sūyum Bīka, a journal for women, published by Tatar intellectuals from 1913 to 1917 in Kazan. After the Russian Revolution in 1905, many Russian Muslim reformist-intellectuals published periodicals to encourage new ideas, and in particular the "new method (uṣūl-i jadīd)" of teaching. Sūyum Bīka was one of those periodicals, but noticeably this was the only Tatar periodical for female readers. And unlike most contemporary Muslim periodicals, which were short-lived, Sūyum Bīka remained in publication for four years.
Its editorial staff were Ya'qūb Khalīlī (1878-1937), the chief editor-publisher, and two women, Asmā' Khalīlīya and Fakhr al-Banāt Sulaymānīya. The journal took its name from a queen of the Kazan khanate who was "famous for her patriotism". The first issue of Sūyum Bīka was published on 27 October 1913 in Kazan, and thereafter, an issue was published every other week almost without fail. On the first page of issues 1-1 through to 1-19, the editors described the publication as "An illustrated journal on literature, law, economics, morals and ethics, and domestic affairs, published for women every other week". On founding the journal, they had two chief aims: to discuss the situations and roles of women in society; and to enlighten women on good ways of nursing and educating their children.
In this journal we can find many articles, novels, and poems by female writers. The journal Sūyum Bīka therefore gives us invaluable information to analyze the activities of Tatar reformists, and especially of Tatar female intellectuals.