Muslim

From sun-up to sundown, physically able Muslims will fast — abstaining not just from food but also so much as a sip of water.

When the U.S. pulled out of Afghanistan, ending a 20-year war, the abrupt departure of troops triggered a refugee crisis, with more than 76,000 Afghan refugees arriving in the U.S. afterward. Host Yasmin Bendaas meets Mangal Mohmand, who arrived as a refugee from Afghanistan 8 years ago, for more insights on the refugee experience and the process of resettling a family in America. She also speaks with Asma Khan, president of the Triangle Association of Muslim American Mothers (TAMAM), about the nonprofit’s charitable work which includes refugee resettlement.

Anisa Khalifa, a producer on the Me & My Muslim Friends team, also hosts her own podcast called Muslim in Plain Sight. The show focuses on coming of age post-9/11 and how the Muslim community became both “invisible and hypervisible.” In this bonus episode, Khalifa and co-host Khadija Khalil talk to Joshua Salaam, Muslim Chaplain at Duke University, about being Muslim in the military, anti-Black racism in our communities, and Salaam’s musical and professional career.

Muslims around the globe celebrated World Hijab Day. Students at N.C. State University honored the day by reaching out to fellow students to answer their questions about Islam.

Palestinian American guests Samia and Abdullah have navigated a politicized identity their whole lives. They join host Yasmin Bendaas to discuss their eye-opening experiences visiting the Palestinian territories, how they’ve maintained their culture and identities growing up in the U.S., and their hopes for lasting peace.

In this continuation of a conversation from the last episode, host Yasmin Bendaas explores the challenges of being a Muslim woman in today's political landscape with Durham County Commissioner Nida Allam and grassroots organizer Leila Ali of Muslim Women For. They discuss how their activism is influenced by their faith, the burden of representing the entirety of the Muslim community, and what their message is for young Muslims who also want to step into politics.

Nida Allam and Lela Ali are two trailblazing Muslim women in politics. Allam is the first Muslim woman elected to office in North Carolina as Durham County Commissioner, and she recently announced her bid for Congress (no big deal). Ali is Policy and Program Director at Muslim Women For, nurturing vibrant Muslim communities through grassroots organizing. In this episode, the first of a two-part conversation, Yasmin asks both guests about their motivations for entering politics and the challenges they face, including Islamophobia.

In the Season 2 debut, guests Abdullah Dorgham and Ahmed Amer bond with host Yasmin Bendaas over a shared confusion that comes when asked to fill out their race on forms.

In the second season of the show, host Yasmin Bendaas explores how social justice intersects with Muslim faith.

Guests Eiman Ali and Nigel Edwards discuss the Black Muslim experience in this excerpt from the first season, including their experiences of racism within the Muslim community, navigating their layered identities, and the challenges of an interracial marriage. | Hear the full discussion with Eiman and Nigel here.