Abidah's work gives a voice to women. Women who are victims of polygamy, women who suffer domestic violence. She also gives a voice to an array of marginalized characters within the confines of Indonesian society. A characteristic feature of her work is a strong Islamic background. Her stories are often set in Islamic boarding school (pesantren).
Abidah El Khalieqy began to write at a young age and has enjoyed a very productive career. Her highly popular novel, Perempuan Berkalung Sorban (2001), was adapted for the silver screen and won several awards.