In Egypt, the formal/official Islamic educational system is embodied in al-Azhar University and is organized as a pyramid from al-Azhar on down. The standard for judging one's authority is how deeply one is involved in the Islamic knowledge system of the orthodox al-Azhar in accepted and legitimate ways. In other words, to give authority to their discourses, individuals as agents have to recognize and enter the Egyptian authority system that is the official Islamic educational system. Personal charisma, pedigree and lineage of a reputable 'ulama family are relatively less important. These attributes assume importance only for the person who already has the official Islamic educational background. It is significant here that social capital such as academic background, public profile and academic career required to attain Islamic authority in Egypt are acquired, not inherent. Additionally, the way to obtain these types of social capital has had no gender gaps in the system since 1961, when al-Azhar University began admitting female students. The 'ulama have traditionally rejected Islamic discourses propagated by people who have no formal Islamic educational background, especially if they were women. Thus, women have been at a higher risk of being cut off from the arena of Islamic discourses than their male counterparts. To prevent this from happening, women have sought ways to gain acceptance for their Islamic discourses foremost among them recognized Islamic education. Under such circumstances, how do women become religious authoritiest In this paper, based on cultural anthropological fieldwork, I will focus on the work and daily activities of two female preachers (da'iyah) and the participants in their classes (dars) in Cairo and its suburbs. I will present a ethnographic picture of the everyday life of these women and their students. The two female preachers handle Islamic discourses well because of their higher Islamic legal literacy and, in trying to obtain an accepted voice, they consciously stress their academic background. They have also entered the arena of Islamic discourses in a conscious attempt to deconstruct or re-write gender norms and concepts. As part of their ongoing struggle, they aim to acquire authority and authenticity. I will analyze their various activity and strategies to acquire religious authorities based on the concepts of 'authority,', 'authenticity' and 'legal literacy.'