Closing out the blessed month of Muharram, Parvez and Omar are back for a timely and important discussion about Muharram, the Day of Āshūrā, and the events of Karbala from a Shīʿī  perspective. This is a deep dive into Shīʿī  readings of early Muslim history and the centrality of the Ahl-al Bayt (The Household/Progeny of the Prophet Muhammedﷺ) and specifically how the events of Karbala and the venerative rites and traditions of Muharram inform Shīʿī  devotional life.  

 

About Ahmad Rashid Salim 

Ahmad Rashid Salim (احمد راشد سليم) is a doctoral candidate and instructor at the Department of Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures at the University of California, Berkeley, in the fields of Islamic studies and Persian literature. His areas of scholarship include classical Persian literature - particularly mystical poetry, translation, Sufism, Qur’an interpretation, language and power, Persian literature in Afghanistan, the Kabuli dialect, Shīʿī  - Sunni polemics, and religious thought in Afghanistan. His dissertation is titled: The Harmony of Hayrat: Words, Wonder, and Worlds in Persian Mystical Poetry and Poetics. Salim is also the founder of Aleff Institute, a premier online instruction program for the Persian language, with a special emphasis on the Kabuli dialect. He is the author of Islam Explained, a best-selling book utilized in a number of university courses throughout the United States. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Political Science with a focus on Islamic studies, and was awarded a master’s degree by the Department of Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures at the University of California, Berkeley.

A special discussion for the Haj and Eid-ul Adha season, Parvez and Omar are joined by returning guest Dr. Ali Ataie. The show dives deep into the Prophet Abraham(as) in the monotheistic scriptures/traditions, including Abraham's service of sacrifice, the innumerable blessings bestowed to Abraham and his covenant with God. The conversation then examines how the Biblical and Tanakhic traditions has been co-opted and distorted by Jewish and Christian Zionists alike as it relates to the modern state of Israel. 

The goal was to release the show a couple of days after Eid so we are sorry for the delay!

 

About Dr. Ali Ataie 

Dr. Ali Ataie is a scholar of biblical hermeneutics with field specialties in Sacred Languages, Comparative Theology, and Comparative Literature. 

He received his BS in accounting from Cal Poly State University in 2000. In 2011, he received his MA in Biblical Studies from Pacific School of Religion, and in 2016, his PhD in Cultural and Historical Studies in Religion from the Graduate Theological Union.

Dr. Ataie is a native Persian speaker. He can read and write Arabic, Hebrew, and Greek. Dr. Ataie joined the Zaytuna College faculty in 2012. 

At Zaytuna College, Dr. Ataie has taught Arabic, Creedal Theology, Comparative Theology, Sciences of the Quran, Introduction to the Qur’an, and Seminal Ancient Texts.

 

We are back to discuss the ongoing crisis in Palestine, this time focusing on the one-sided and ideologically motivated media coverage. To offer his analysis and perspective, and discuss the possible factors that may change that status quo, we are joined by The Intercept's veteran journalist Murtaza Hussain. 

About Murtaza Hussain

Brooklyn-based journalist and “Habitual line stepper” Murtaza Hussain is a political commentator for The Intercept, embodying the online publication’s dedication to “producing fearless, adversarial journalism.” 

His work focuses on human rights, foreign policy and cultural affairs. Murtaza's work has appeared in The New York Times, Al Jazeera English, Common Dreams, The Guardian, The Globe and Mail, Salon and elsewhere. His writings are also available via his Substack https://mazmhussain.substack.com/ and he is active on Twitter/X @MazMHussain

For this episode we're joined by special guest John O'Brien, Assistant Professor of Sociology at New York University Abu Dhabi and author of the new book Keeping It Halal: The Everyday Lives of Muslim American Teenage Boys. for a rousing discussion on the background, methodology, and results documented in this ethnographic study, as well as its broader implications on the discussion of Muslims in the American sphere. Check out the show at the embed below or at this link. As always, send any questions or comments to diffusedcongruence@gmail.com, or at our Facebook page.

For this episode we're joined by Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, currently running for governor in the state of Michigan. While Dr. El-Sayed's candidacy is historic for a number of reasons, including being the first Muslim to seek the state's highest office, he comes to the race with a long background in public service and a desire to further help. Listen to our conversation at the embed below or at this link. As always, send any questions or comments to diffusedcongruence@gmail.com, or at our Facebook page.

As we get ready to close out Ramadan, we're joined by special guest Hakim Archuletta on the latest show for a lengthy and engaging discussion about his journey to Islam, as well some counsel from the 30 years he's spent working in the healing arts profession. Check out the show at the embed below or at this link. As always, send any questions or comments to diffusedcongruence@gmail.com, or at our Facebook page.

Parvez and Zaki take a break in the middle of Ramadan to celebrate fifty episodes of the podcast! Listen in for a fun and free-ranging conversation about a whole host of current events, including the tragic terror attacks in London last week, the Capitol Hill testimony of ex-FBI director James Comey, and what lies ahead for the increasingly scandal-engulfed Trump administration. Check out the show at the embed below or at this link. As always, send any questions or comments to diffusedcongruence@gmail.com, or at our Facebook page.

We're joined once again by journalist, playwright, and raconteur Wajahat Ali for our latest episode. You've probably seen Wajahat all over cable news for the past few months, offering his cogent analyses and humorous insights as he discusses the unfolding Trump administration, and we've got him for a full hour in a far-reaching discussion about President Trump's first 100 days in office, and what lessons we can take from his successes and failures, and we close out the show with a poignant discussion about the state of Muslim activism and the challenges and pitfalls for Muslim activists. Check out the show at the embed below or at this link. As always, send any questions or comments to diffusedcongruence@gmail.com, or at our Facebook page.

For this month's show, we're joined by Dr. Ihsan Bagby, professor of Islamic Law at the University of Kentucky. Listen as he shares the story of his own journey to Islam, as well as his experience working for social equality over the last several decades. Check out the show at the embed below or at this link. As always, send any questions or comments to diffusedcongruence@gmail.com, or at our Facebook page.

For our latest episode we're pleased to be joined by renowned singer and poet Baraka Blue for a fun and engaging discussion about his journey to Islam, his work in the thriving Muslims arts scene, and a special reading from his latest book, Empty & The Ocean. As always, you can check out the show at the embed below or at this link. As always, send any questions or comments to diffusedcongruence@gmail.com, or at our Facebook page.

For this month's show, we're joined once more by world renowned comedian and true force of nature Azhar Usman. With his previous appearance on our show remaining an audience favorite even two years later, we've been hoping for a return engagement, and Azhar didn't disappoint, having built up quite a backlog of things to discuss and comment on, including some thoughts on our current politics and how language is the key to the future. He also offers a window into some of the exciting projects he has coming up in the near future (including the all-new Amazon Prime series Patriot), and much more. Check out the show at the embed below or at this link. As always, send any questions or comments to diffusedcongruence@gmail.com, or at our Facebook page.

For this month's show, we're joined by Zaki Barzinji, the White House's Muslim American Community Liaison during the Barack Obama era. With last week's inauguration of President Donald J. Trump marking the end of Zaki's tenure in that position, he takes a look back at the beginnings of his interest in politics, how the Obama Administration tried to increase engagement with the American Muslim community, and what it felt like to be working in the White House on Election Night last year as the realization slowly dawned that we were looking at a Trump presidency. Check out the show at the embed below or at this link. As always, send any questions or comments to diffusedcongruence@gmail.com, or at our Facebook page.

As we wrap up 2016 at Diffused Congruence, we've once again decided to end the year on a less serious note, and are joined by lecturer and film critic Omer Mozaffar for what's becoming an annual tradition as we have a conversation about Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. The latest visit to the galaxy far, far away gave us old school Star Wars fans a lot to chew on, from an entertainment, political, and even spiritual perspective, and we spend the hour going deep and wide into this new entry in the storied franchise. To that end, we've invited. Listen to it below, or download at the link. Also, be sure to hit us up at our Facebook page to let us know how we're doing!

We had the pleasure of sitting with Dr. Ussama Makdisi, Professor of History at the University of California Berkeley for a detailed, highly enlightening and impassioned discussion of the history of the Palestinian struggle. Dr. Makdisi masterfully contextualizes what is happening right now in Palestine within the broader history of the Western colonialist, Zionist project that has dehumanized, brutalized, and ethnically cleansed the Palestinian people for over 75 years.   

About Dr. Ussama Makdisi

Dr. Ussama Makdisi is Professor of History and Chancellor’s Chair at the University of California Berkeley. He was previously Professor of History and the first holder of the Arab-American Educational Foundation Chair of Arab Studies at Rice University in Houston.    

For our latest episode we take a break from the headlines to present the uplifting story of Bilqis Abdul-Qaadir, her all-star collegiate basketball career and pioneering efforts for Muslim women athletes to play ball professionally while observing the Hijab. Join us as she discusses her love and dedication to basketball, her overall atheltic career, and the exciting new projects she's currently involved with. As always, you can check out the show at the embed below or at this link. As always, send any questions or comments to diffusedcongruence@gmail.com, or at our Facebook page.

This episode is as much - if not more - for us as it is for the listeners! We had to sit down to ruminate, analyze, commiserate, “unpack” and just try and make sense of the Presidential election results. In spite all of the post-election, armchair quarterbacking, and pontificating that’s out there in the ether right now, we hope that you enjoy and benefit from the conversation and the analysis we attempt to offer. As always, you can check out the show at the embed below or at this link. As always, send any questions or comments to diffusedcongruence@gmail.com, or at our Facebook page.

On our latest episode we are joined by Dr. Jonathan Brown, scholar of Hadith and Islamic Studies, and Professor at Georgetown University. Dr. Brown walks us through his journey to Islam, engages in an illuminating discussion about how Muslims have navigated their fidelity to their tradition through changing times, and explores some of the “controversies” raised by Islam’s detractors. We close out the episode with Dr. Brown sharing his support of the BDS Movement and the reasons for his impassioned critique of the Muslim Learning Initiative (MLI) program. Listen to the show via the embed below, or via iTunes or Stitcher Radio. As always, please hit "like" on our Facebook page, and send any comments or questions to DiffusedCongruence@gmail.

For our latest episode we're honored to welcome back special guest Shadi Hamid, Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution and author of the new book Islamic Exceptionalism: How the Struggle Over Islam Is Reshaping the World. Shadi brings his considerable wisdom and insight on global geopolitics to a discussion that spans both the domestic and international political situation, and we're confident you'll enjoy diving into the deep end with us. As always, you can check out the show at the embed below or at this link. As always, send any questions or comments to diffusedcongruence@gmail.com, or at our Facebook page.

We’ve hit the big 4-0! Zaki and Parvez return after a summer hiatus to ruminate on the ISNA Convention, Eid-ul-Adha and animal sacrifices, and the Presidential Election. Expect all of the “unpacking”, analysis, and fun banter you’ve come to enjoy from the show! It’s a rare occurrence for the show that the two of us just get a chance to catch up and share some reflections. We hope you enjoy these episodes as much we do recording them! Listen via the embed below, and as always, send any questions or comments to diffusedcongruence@gmail.com, or at our Facebook page.

Our guest for this episode of the show is renowned singer/songwriter Nader Khan, who tells us about his life's journey, how he ended up choosing the path that he did, and what new projects he has coming up. Also, hear Zaki discuss his trip to Washington DC for the Eid-al-Fitr reception at the White House, as well as other odds and ends. It's a breezy hour-and-change that we're confident you'll enjoy listening to, and you can check it out at the embed below or at this link. As always, send any questions or comments to diffusedcongruence@gmail.com, or at our Facebook page.

For our latest episode we're joined by Zarqa Nawaz, creator of the CBC comedy Little Mosque on the Prairie (the first sitcom to ever focus on the lives of Muslims in the west). During this breezy conversation Zarqa discusses her own entry into the creative arts, how the idea for the show came about and how it got to the air. She also talks about her engaging and very funny book Laughing All the Way to the Mosque: The Misadventures of a Muslim Woman. Listen via the embed below, and as always, send any comments or questions to us at diffusedcongruence@gmail.com or via our Facebook page!

Welcome to our special Ramadan episode of Diffused Congruence, as Parvez and Zaki are joined by guest Imam Tahir Anwar for some insight into how best to maximize one's spiritual pursuits during the month of Ramadan, and fitness trainer Rehan Jalali on how to make one's morning and evening meals as efficient and healthy as possible so you don't feel ill-effects from the long fasts. We had a great time with both of our guests, and we're confident you'll find a lot to benefit from in these interviews. Send any comments or questions to diffusedcongruence@gmail.com or via our Facebook page!

For our latest episode we're delighted to be joined by Joe Bradford, Muslim scholar, author, blogger, and entrepreneur. Joe discusses his journey to Islam and experiences studying Islamic law and legal theory in Saudi Arabia. We spent a good amount of time discussing issues related to finance and the current projects he is involved with in that field. We also discuss a recent and very interesting encounter he had with the Ted Cruz campaign! Check it out through the embed below, or via iTunes or Stitcher. As always, please hit "like" on our Facebook page, and send any comments or questions to DiffusedCongruence@gmail.com.

Well this is a first. We started out recording this bit as a brief, five minute addendum to tag onto the live show, but as tends to happen when we get together, five minutes stretched into twenty-five, and so we decided to turn it into its own little mini-episode. For this special show, Parvez and Zaki have a conversation about the recent deaths of public figures, some Muslim, some non-Muslim, and how they've resulted in a particular conversation in regards to seemliness of expressing grief or sadness in a public sphere. Give it a listen to hear our thoughts, and then hit us up at DiffusedCongruence@gmail.com, or at our Facebook page to offer your take on our takes! 

10/3/2013 - 10/3/2023

Parvez gets on mic to ruminate on 10 years of the podcast, its genesis, mission, accomplishments, pitfalls avoided, and future plans. We are immensely proud and grateful for these past 10 years but we could not have done it without you, our listeners! Thank you for your continued support, feedback, and for sharing the show. We pray that Allah blesses us with 10 more years and beyond by His Fadl and Tawfiq.

We were honored to present our very first live recording of the show a few weeks ago, and now here it is for your enjoyment. Our guest this time was poet and storyteller Mark Gonzales, who talked about his own journey to Islam, and what he's learned along the way. It was a fun and invigorating conversation that also included a Q&A with the audience at the Islamic Cultural Center of Northern California, in Oakland, CA. Many thanks to the Muslim Writers' Collective for arranging this special event. We had a blast participating, and we're confident you'll feel the same after listening. Check it out through the embed below, or via iTunes or Stitcher. As always, please hit "like" on our Facebook page, and send any comments or questions to DiffusedCongruence@gmail.com.

For our latest episode we're pleased to be joined by Dr. Meraj Mohiuddin, author of the upcoming book Revelation: The Story of Muhammad. Listen in as Dr. Mohiuddin shares how he came up with the idea for the book fifteen years ago, and his long journey bringing it to fruition. You can catch the show via the embed below, or via iTunes or Stitcher Radio. As always, please hit "like" on our Facebook page, and send any comments or questions to DiffusedCongruence@gmail.com

For this month's show we're joined by Dr. Ingrid Mattson, renowned scholar and former president of ISNA (the Islamic Society of North America), who discusses her own personal journey to Islam, and also her experience at the forefront of combatting Islamophobia and anti-Muslim sentiment during her ten years with ISNA. It's a fascinating and insightful conversation that we hope you'll enjoy listening to via the embed below. You can also listen at iTunes and Stitcher Radio. Send any comments or questions to diffusedcongruence@gmail.com or via our Facebook page!

With this election season's craziness really kicking into gear, we're very excited to be joined by Mohammad Fadel, Associate Professor of Law at University of Toronto, to help us make sense of the rampant Islamophobia being espoused by many candidates, how that may translate into the election, and what the recent death of Justice Antonin Scalia will mean for the tone and tenor of the Supreme Court moving forward. We had a blast recording this one, and we're confident you'll have as much of a blast listening to it. Listen to our conversastion via the embed below, or download at the link. Also, be sure to hit us up at our Facebook page to let us know how we're doing!

Happy New Year! Starting 2016 strong with our latest episode! We are truly honored to be joined by one of the foremost Muslim scholars in America, Dr. Umar Faruq Abd-Allah. Dr. Umar takes us on a riveting journey as he shares his personal story, with stops along the way reflecting on America, metaphysics, Islam in America and the modern world, to name just a few. Listen to the show via the embed below, or via iTunes or Stitcher Radio. As always, please hit "like" on our Facebook page, and send any comments or questions to DiffusedCongruence@gmail.com

We've had a great 2015 here at Diffused Congruence, and we wanted to wrap up the year's offerings with something a bit less serious than perhaps we're used to. With the current release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens tearing up box office records in its wake, old school Star Wars fans Parvez and Zaki decided it might be fun to spend an episode unpacking this revival of the storied franchise. To that end, we've invited lecturer and film critic Omer Mozaffar to join us for a fun conversation about this latest visit to the galaxy far, far away. Listen to it below, or download at the link. Also, be sure to hit us up at our Facebook page to let us know how we're doing!

For our latest episode we're joined by renowned author Dr. Joseph Lumbard, who served as co-editor of The Study Quran, a new translation that aims to contextualize and add commentary to the text, and features contributions by several well-known Islamic scholars. In addition to discussing the fascinating story of his own journey to Islam, Dr. Lumbard also explains why The Study Quran is so essential in today's politically-charged environment. Listen below or at DiffusedCongruence@gmail.com, and be sure to hit "like" on our Facebook page!

Continuing last month's theme about emotional problems within the American-Muslim community, we're joined by Micah Anderson, an expert on meditation and mental health, for a fascinating conversation about his own journey, as well as some best practices that we can all adopt to nurture our own emotional well-being. Listen below or at DiffusedCongruence@gmail.com, and be sure to hit "like" on our Facebook page!

This month we're joined by clinical social worker Sabeen Shaiq for a riveting conversation about the things that tend to remain unsaid in many American Muslim families. Sabeen talks about the importance of communication in relationships, how mental health challenges are manifesting in the current generation, and the work she does to help people overcome them. Listen to our chat via the embed below, or download at the link. Also, be sure to hit us up at our Facebook page to let us know how we're doing!

This episode we're joined by Hind Makki, interfaith activist, speaker, and founder of the globally-acclaimed website Side Entrance, which catalogs the "sisters' sections" of mosques all over the world. In addition to discussing her interfaith work, Hind also shares her experiences with ISNA (the Islamic Society of North America), talks about the role of feminism in Islam, plus much more. It's a fascinating conversation that we're confident you'll enjoy listening to just as much as we enjoying engaging in it. Listen below or at DiffusedCongruence@gmail.com, and be sure to hit "like" on our Facebook page!

We continue making our way through our Chicago recordings with a very special conversation about Palliative Care, a topic that is hardly discussed in the Muslim communities but can impact the lives of young and old alike within the community. Palliative care specifically deals with relieving serious health-related suffering, be it physical, psychological, social, or spiritual for patients with serious illness like cardiovascular disease, cancer, major organ failure, end-stage chronic illness, acute trauma, or extreme frailty related to old age. It includes pastoral considerations, and more broadly can have profound implications on legal matters such as Living wills and other advance directives, the necessity of families having discussions about of quality of life and long terms care, among other issues. 

About Our Guests Dr. Aziz Ansari, is a Professor of Medicine and is the Associate Chief Medical Officer for Clinical Optimization and Revenue Integrity at Loyola University Medical Center. He is a practicing and board-certified hospitalist and palliative care physician.

Omer Mozaffar serves as the Muslim Chaplain at Loyola University Chicago where he addresses theological, personal, social matters for students of all sectarian outlooks. He has received Islamic studies training both through traditional and academic sources.  Across the Muslim community, for nearly three decades, he has been giving sermons, officiating weddings, leading classes at Islamic centers.

For our latest episode, we're joined by Mokhtar Alkhanshali, the "Indiana Jones of coffee" and founder of Mocha Mill, who shares the amazing story of how your favorite caffeinated beverage originated in the Muslim world, and how its spread through the world also ends up being the story of civilization. He also shares his harrowing tale from earlier this year of being trapped in Yemen while fighting had broken out, and trying to find his way back home to the United States. It's gripping stuff, and you can hear it all at the embed below, or download via iTunes and Stitcher Radio. Feel free to send any comments or questions our way at diffusedcongruence@gmail.com, and make sure you hit "like" on our Facebook page!

For our big twenty-fifth episode, Parvez and Zaki are honored to be joined by Dr. Ebrahim Moosa, renowned scholar and professor of Islamic Studies at University of Notre Dame, Indiana. Dr. Moosa shares his life journey with us, and also examines many of the pressing issues facing the American Muslim community today. Listen to our interesting and enriching conversation via the embed below, or download at the link. Also, be sure to hit us up at our Facebook page to let us know how we're doing!

For this week's show we're joined by actress, comedian, and commentator Maysoon Zayid, who's made a name for herself thanks to her raw political comedy and her many appearances with Keith Olbermann on his former MSNBC show. Maysoon discusses her approach to comedy, the challenges of being a practicing Muslim in this field, and how she learned to incorporate her cerebral palsy into her act. It's a breezy hour of big laughs and deep thoughts, and you can listen via the embed below, or download via iTunes and Stitcher Radio. As always, we look forward to getting your comments and questions at diffusedcongruence@gmail.com, and make sure you hit "like" on our Facebook page!

Diffused Congruence welcomes in July with a fun and funny conversation with the jokesters at satire site Islamica News! Founded in 1999, Islamica revels in combating Islamophobia through a humorous lens, while also poking fun at some of the humorous eccentricities that those of us within the Muslim community are all too familiar with. We're happy to be joined by co-founders Azher Ahmed and Mirza Baig as we discuss their earliest collaborations (including a video that Zaki had a cameo in), the company's founding, their general approach to figuring out what's funny, and sharing some of their most popular "news" stories. Download or stream the show below, or listen at iTunes (don't forget to leave us a review!). Send e-mail to DiffusedCongruence@gmail.com, and be sure to hit "like" on our Facebook page!

It's twice the Diffused Congruence this month! For this episode of the show we're joined by Haroon Moghul, PhD candidate at Columbia University and renowned commentator on Islam and public affairs, for a fun and free-flowing conversation that includes his explanation for why he doesn't mind being a "punching bag" for the anti-Muslim industry, and what Islamophobes can learn from the upcoming reboot of Star Wars. Listen via the embed below, or download via iTunes and Stitcher Radio. Feel free to send any comments or questions our way at diffusedcongruence@gmail.com, and make sure you hit "like" on our Facebook page!

This month we're honored to be joined by Dr. Sherman Jackson, professor of Religion and American Studies and Ethnicity at the University of Southern California, for our lengthiest conversation yet as he shares his personal story, going deep and wide into the amazing journey he's been on throughout his life. Listen to the show via the embed below, or via iTunes or Stitcher. As always, please hit "like" on our Facebook page, and send any comments or questions to DiffusedCongruence@gmail.com.

For this month's show we're joined by self-proclaimed "serial entrepreneur" Shahed Amanullah, founder of AltMuslim.com, Zabihah.com, Halalfire.com, and many others, for an in-depth chat on the role of Muslims in engaging with new media. With extensive experience in both the activist and policy spaces, having worked for the State Department under Secretaries Clinton and Kerry and also serving as one of the architects of the recent Haqqathon conference in Abu Dhabi, Shahed is uniquely equipped to answer some of the big questions pertaining to American Muslims taking a larger role in shaping their own narrative, and we're excited to be able to pick his brain on the subject. You can listen to the show via the embed below, or download at the link. As always, make sure to hit us up at our Facebook page to let us know how we're doing!

For this month's show we're joined by Marvel Comics' Sana Amanat. In addition to overseeing multiple fan favorite titles, Sana is also director of content and character development for the American's biggest comic book publisher, helping to spearhead the 2014 creation of Kamala Khan, a.k.a Ms. Marvel, the first female Muslim superhero to headline her own monthly title. This conversation offered us a chance to let our fanboy flags fly, and whether a fan of Marvel's comics, movies, or merchandise, we're sure you'll find a lot to glom onto on this breezy chat. Listen to it via the embed below, or download/stream at iTunes and Stitcher Radio. As always, send any comments or questions to diffusedcongruence@gmail.com, and make sure you hit "like" on our Facebook page!

We're very excited to be joined by renowned scholar Imam Zaid Shakir for this month's episode. As a founding member of Zaytuna College, the first accredited Islamic college in the United States, Imam Zaid discuss the school's history and its mission, and then shares the amazing story of his own journey to Islam, in the process helping to add yet more layers to the ongoing tapestry of the American Muslim experience that we've been weaving together ever since our very first show. It's a fascinating conversation with one of the most prominent and preeminent Muslim minds in the world, and you can listen via the embed below, or download via iTunes and Stitcher Radio. Feel free to send any comments or questions our way at diffusedcongruence@gmail.com, and make sure you hit "like" on our Facebook page!

This month we're joined by award-winning playwright, journalist, and humorist Wajahat Ali for a far-ranging conversation that starts with a lengthy discussion about the recent tragic shooting of three Muslim college students in Chapel Hill, NC. After that, we tackle Wajahat's work on Fear, Inc., a report uncovering the Islamophobia network, as well as how his other recent projects are helping to positively shape the American Muslim narrative today. There's plenty of deep thoughts and big laughs, and you can listen to via the embed below, or you can download at the link. As always, make sure to hit us up at our Facebook page to let us know how we're doing!

Next stop in Chicagoland takes us to Skokie where Parvez and Omar had the honor of sitting with author, educator and school administrator, Habeeb Quadri. We had an in-depth conversation about his experiences growing up in Chicago, what inspired him to become an educator, and his journey from teaching inner city schools in Detroit and Chicago to serving as Principal and Superintendent of a renowned Islamic school.

It was also a great opportunity for Parvez and Habeeb, who have known each other for over 30 years to reconnect, reminisce about cutting their teeth as youth activist in the 90s with Muslim Youth of North America (MYNA) and the organization's resurgence in recent years.      About Habeeb Quadri Habeeb Quadri has served as principal of the Muslim Community Center Academy (MCCA) since 2002, where he has focused on changing school culture, financial turnaround, and transforming educational standards. He led MCCA to become one of the first Islamic parochial schools to receive national accreditation by implementing a comprehensive improvement plan that engaged stakeholders at all levels. Habeeb is on the principal advisory board and a part-time staffer at the Harvard Graduate School of Education’s Principal Center and the founder of High Quality Educational Consulting. He was one of five private school leaders to be selected for the 2019 class of nationally distinguished principals by the National Association of Elementary School Principals. He has lectured throughout the United States, Canada and abroad on Islam, society, and social problems confronting Muslim youth and the community at large, including workshops for the U.S Department of State, weekend and full-time Islamic schools, public schools and universities.  Habeeb holds an M.Ed. in Educational Leadership from Wayne State University and a B.A. in the Teaching of History at the University of Illinois at Chicago and has pursued continued advanced studies with Harvard University’s Professional Development Program.

For the first episode of 2015, Parvez and Zaki are joined by stand-up comedian Azhar Usman -- "America's Funniest Muslim" -- for a wide-ranging, free-form conversation that's as incisive and introspective as it is hilarious. Azhar covers everything from the role of satire and humor in Islam to the recent tragic terror attacks in Paris -- and that's just scratching the surface. You can listen in via the embed below, or download at the link. Also, be sure to hit us up at our Facebook page to let us know how we're doing!

This month Parvez and Zaki are pleased to be joined by actor, comedian, and writer Aasif Mandvi as he talks about his journey as a working actor to becoming The Daily Show's "Senior Foreign Looking Correspondent." He talks about how his time with Jon Stewart has made him more "Muslim-ish," what he's learned during a lifetime occupying many different cultures, and how that all led to his new book, No Land's Man. Listen via the embed below, or download at the link. Also, be sure to hit us up at our Facebook page to let us know how we're doing!

Since its launch last October, the Serial podcast has taken the country by storm. Reporter Sarah Koenig's gripping investigation into the 1999 murder of high schooler Hae Min Lee, and the subsequent conviction of her ex-boyfriend Adnan Syed for the killing -- a crime for which he maintains his innocence to this day -- has set records and spurred conversation with how it combines the intrigue of a weekly procedural with broader questions about cultural assimilation and the peculiarities of the legal system. For this episode, Parvez and Zaki are joined by Rabia Chaudry, an attorney and civil rights activist who is a family friend of Syed's, who first brought this case to Koenig's attention. Listen to our conversation to hear Rabia discuss her history with Adnan, her thoughts on what she's heard on the show thus far, as well as the other work she's engaged in. Listen via the embed below, or download at the link. Also, be sure to hit us up at our Facebook page to let us know how we're doing!