The Qarawiyyin Podcast

❝Do people think they will be left alone after saying ‘We believe’ without being put to the test?❞ [Qur'an 29:2] The Qarawiyyin Podcast returns with an episode on Israel's war on Gaza. These events have sent shockwaves throughout the Muslim Ummah and beyond, raising questions about how we got here and what comes next. In Episode 26, the team share their feelings regarding the past five months, examine current discourse on the Palestinian struggle, and discuss the political fallout of the assault. _ Read our publications: qarawiyyinproject.co Email us: [email protected]

Abu Hurayra (RA) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said, "Remember often the severer of pleasures [i.e. death]." There are myriad ways to reflect on death, both on our own death and that of others. How do we engage in periodic remembrance of our final abode? Why does death feel far away, and why do we shy away from discussing it? On Episode 25, the team explores the physical and spiritual realities of dying, and how we can benefit from its remembrance. — The Qarawiyyin Project aims to revive the tradition of Muslim women being at the forefront of discussing the most critical issues of our time from an Islamic perspective. We strive to empower women to be active in their communities around the world in carrying Islam as a way of life. Read our publications: qarawiyyinproject.co Subscribe to our newsletter: qarawiyyinproject.substack.com/welcome Email us: [email protected]

The strength of one's connection to Islam can waver. Attacks on our spiritual strength can come from within or without, but there are common strategies for withstanding challenges to our iman from all sides.  In Episode 24, the team sits down to discuss how we can attain spiritual resilience, especially in light of how countless women see their status in the Muslim community as undervalued and dispensable. How can we correct our mindset regarding our relationship with Allah, our own self-worth, and the authority of community leaders? Where can we turn to bolster our spiritual resilience? How do we remain connected to the Muslim community without becoming cynical? We discuss these questions and more as we consider the best ways to become resilient believers. — The Qarawiyyin Project aims to revive the tradition of Muslim women being at the forefront of discussing the most critical issues of our time from an Islamic perspective. We strive to empower women to be active in their communities around the world in carrying Islam as a way of life. Read our publications: qarawiyyinproject.co Subscribe to our newsletter: qarawiyyinproject.substack.com/welcome Email us: [email protected]

Which comes first: nation or ummah? On Ep. 23, Butheina Hamdah joins us to discuss her research on American Muslim exceptionalism. We examine the impact of American exceptionalism on the Muslim psyche, as well as how American Muslims perceive the broader ummah. As calls for an indigenous Islam in America gain traction, questions of nationalism’s compatibility with an ummatic worldview come to the fore. Butheina Hamdah is a project assistant with the Ummatics Colloquium (soon to be the Ummatics Institute). She received her M.A. in Sociology and M.A. in Political Science from the University of Toledo in Ohio. Ummatics Colloquium: ummaticscolloquium.org — The Qarawiyyin Project aims to revive the tradition of Muslim women being at the forefront of discussing the most critical issues of our time from an Islamic perspective. We strive to empower women to be active in their communities around the world in carrying Islam as a way of life. Read our publications: qarawiyyinproject.co Subscribe to our newsletter: qarawiyyinproject.substack.com/welcome Email us: [email protected]

The ummah of Islam is growing, as are efforts to spread its message. Though da'wah is often seen as an outward-facing effort, the way it is conducted has serious implications for the faith of Muslims themselves. In this episode, new TQP staff members join the podcast to share their experiences with local da'wah culture, the online scene, da'wah training, and interfaith in non-Muslim majority societies. We discuss common pitfalls and inspiring successes in the world of calling people to Islam. _ The Qarawiyyin Project aims to revive the tradition of Muslim women being at the forefront of discussing the most critical issues of our time from an Islamic perspective. We strive to empower women to be active in their communities around the world in carrying Islam as a way of life. Read our publications: qarawiyyinproject.co Subscribe to our newsletter: qarawiyyinproject.substack.com/welcome Email us: [email protected]

This Ramadan, the team shares reflections on the passing and usage of time, the rows of tarawīḥ, and the nature of communal worship. What does it mean to exit our private sphere of spirituality and see Ramadan as a time for ummah-wide transformation? How can we take heed of Allah's ﷻ reminders about the passing of time? _ The Qarawiyyin Project aims to revive the tradition of Muslim women being at the forefront of discussing the most critical issues of our time from an Islamic perspective. We strive to empower women to be active in their communities around the world in carrying Islam as a way of life. Read our publications: qarawiyyinproject.co Subscribe to our newsletter: qarawiyyinproject.substack.com/welcome Email us: [email protected]

Published at the beginning of this year, Usaama Al-Azami's Islam and the Arab Revolutions: The Ulama Between Democracy and Autocracy analyzes the rhetoric of religious scholars throughout the Arab Spring. Focusing on the Egyptian revolution, Al-Azami explains what defines the factions standing for or against the revolution and assesses their key figures, including Ali Gomaa, Yusuf Al-Qaradawi, and Abdullah Bin Bayyah. On Episode 20, we discuss the content of the book, the role of ulama in politics, and how to navigate their problematic stances. _ The Qarawiyyin Project aims to revive the tradition of Muslim women being at the forefront of discussing the most critical issues of our time from an Islamic perspective. We strive to empower women to be active in their communities around the world in carrying Islam as a way of life. Read our publications: qarawiyyinproject.co Subscribe to our newsletter: qarawiyyinproject.substack.com/welcome Email us: [email protected]

Facing conflicting standards and blurred lines, Muslim women often struggle to understand femininity and what Islam has to say about it. Is there an ideal we should strive or fulfill, or an archetype by which to measure ourselves? What role does culture play in defining gender? Can we be ourselves while pleasing Allah, or are our personalities up for consideration? On Episode 19, the team sits down to discuss gender norms, what fiqh rulings (don’t) say about the nature of women, feminine role models, and how to move towards a better understanding of the feminine. _ The Qarawiyyin Project aims to revive the tradition of Muslim women being at the forefront of discussing the most critical issues of our time from an Islamic perspective. We strive to empower women to be active in their communities around the world in carrying Islam as a way of life. Read our publications: qarawiyyinproject.co Subscribe to our newsletter: qarawiyyinproject.substack.com/welcome Email us: [email protected]

Following the 20-year memorial of September 11, 2001, we sit down to reflect on how this day has shaped the last two decades. Our Ummah has faced the physical, spiritual, and intellectual consequences of American imperial violence, which inspires and goads police states around the globe in their persecution of Muslims. How do we reckon with these effects, and where do we go from here? _ The Qarawiyyin Project aims to revive the tradition of Muslim women being at the forefront of discussing the most critical issues of our time from an Islamic perspective. We strive to empower women to be active in their communities around the world in carrying Islam as a way of life. Read our publications: qarawiyyinproject.co Subscribe to our newsletter: qarawiyyinproject.substack.com/welcome Email us: [email protected]

It was a dark and stormy night, and the TQP team had gathered to discuss all things storytelling: books, film, drama, romance, wizardry, tropes, representation (and whether we need it). It began on a good-humored note, with the sisters cordially chatting about their favorite genres — but it soon took a turn. The commentary got dicier and the opinions less popular. Casualties included Ertugrul and The Kite Runner. Several staunch defenses were launched in favor of anime. Contemporary Muslim fiction could scarcely get back up before getting beaten down again. Perhaps most alarmingly, an eerie koreaboo undercurrent was ever-present throughout. It remains unclear whether the hosts were participating in a challenge to see who could say “degeneracy” the most times.  How will it end? Listen to Episode 17: now on podcast platforms. _ The Qarawiyyin Project aims to revive the tradition of Muslim women being at the forefront of discussing the most critical issues of our time from an Islamic perspective, and empower women to be active in their communities around the world in carrying Islam as a way of life. Read our publications: qarawiyyinproject.co Subscribe to our newsletter: qarawiyyinproject.substack.com/welcome Email us: [email protected]