❝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: contact@qarawiyyinproject.co ..read more

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 ..read more

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 resilie ..read more

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 ..read more

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 tradi ..read more

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 ..read more

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 ko ..read more

Iman Masmoudi joins the Qarawiyyin Podcast for a conversation on ethical fashion, production, and consumption. We discuss our role in the global capitalist economy, addressing the gruesome realities of exploitative labor and environmental degradation. As the havoc wreaked by capitalism becomes more plain to see, we grapple with where to place Islam on the spectrum of economic ideologies, as well as practical steps to disengage from unethical chains of production. Iman Masmoudi is the President of TŪNIQ, an ethical clothing brand applying holistic Islamic ethics to its “sheep to shop” manufactu ..read more

Shaykha Maryam Amir joins the Qarawiyyin Podcast for a conversation on women seeking religious knowledge: access, barriers, missteps, and successes. We discuss the challenges women commonly face when attempting to access even basic information about their deen. Shaykha Maryam dispels misconceptions regarding women reciting the Qur'an, and illustrates the power of reciting and memorizing the Word of Allah ﷻ. Shaykha Maryam Amir received her master’s in Education from UCLA and a second bachelor’s degree in Islamic Studies through Al-Azhar University. She has also studied in Egypt, memorized the ..read more

100 hijri years have passed since the abolishment of the Ottoman Caliphate, marking a milestone in the history of Islamic governance. In Episode 14, the TQP team sits down for a conversation on the concept of Khilafa, the Islamic political model, and challenges for envisioning Islamic governance in the modern period. _ 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. Rea ..read more