The Islamic Mary

In many Biblical and Qur'anic stories, the protagonist isolates themselves and, at times, even go to prison. In this interview, I chat with Walaa' Qusaiy about her new book "When Only God Can See: The Faith of Muslim Political Prisoners". Walaa' discusses how faith and spirituality of Muslim prisoners merge with that of prophetic ones, and how they find inspiration and hope in their stories. The prison experience is pervasive in Muslim society and Islamic scholarship ...

Modern Qur'anic Studies often focuses on "echos" or phrases that connect particular stories, figures and prophets. In this episode, I look at the phrase "you were not there" and how it connects certain Biblical and Qur'anic figures and how it emphasizes certain parts of the stories. Specifically, it emphasizes the plotting against Joseph/Yusuf and the caretaking of Mary/Maryam. Send me a text regarding your feedback, comments and questions Subscribe to the Islamic Mary...

One of the most fascinating stories in the Qur'an is the Story of Solomon/Sulyaman and the ant. An ant see Solomon/Sulyman's army approaching and warns her tribe to take shelter to protect themselves. Solomon/Sulayman hears the ants cry which leads him to pray for God to make him grateful and live a righteous life. The story speaks to the idea of humility, gratitude and conservation. Send me a text regarding your feedback, comments and questions Subscribe to the Islamic Mary...

This month marks the 25 year anniversary of 9/11, an event that had a profound impact on global politics, religion and relations. I reflect on the anniversary and its impact on me and my career as well as go over a pew poll regarding Americans perceptions of Islam. Send me a text regarding your feedback, comments and questions Subscribe to the Islamic Mary podcast which is available on the major podcast streaming services, such as Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube. Order m...

As I write the second edition of my book "The Bible and the Qur'an: Biblical Figures in the Islamic Tradition", I came across an article by Shawkat Toorawa which tries to turn the story of Joseph/Yusuf into a play. I discuss the article, the challenges of depicting prophets and read some of the play. Send me a text regarding your feedback, comments and questions Subscribe to the Islamic Mary podcast which is available on the major podcast streaming services, such as Apple Po...