What does it mean to act with nobility in the face of certain loss? In
this episode of History Speaks, host Roshan Iqbal speaks with Dr.
Cyrus Ali Zargar, Al-Ghazali Distinguished Professor of Islamic
Studies at the University of Central Florida, about his powerful new
book The Ethics of Karbala. Whether you’re familiar with Karbala or
learning about it for the first time, this episode invites you to
reflect on the enduring power of principled resistance.

History Speaks - Episode 9- Karbala and Nobility

Dr. Aminah Al-Deen speaks with  the late Dr. Mukhtar Curtis, a pioneer if Islamic movements in Philadelphia, together with Dr. Sherman Jackson

BAMI Dr. Mukhtar Curtis and Dr. Sherman Jackson

Dr. Besheer Mohamed and family speak with Dr. Aminah Al Deen about their journey into Islam and across the globe for the BAMI Project.

BAMI Besheer Mohamed and Family with Dr. Aminah Al Deen

Dr. Aminah Al Deen speaks with Baqiyah Adam 

BAMI Dr. Aminah Al Deen with Baqiyah Adam

In this episode of History Speaks, I talk with Dr. Shabana Mir,
Associate Professor of Anthropology at American Islamic College and
author of the award-winning book Muslim American Women on Campus.
Drawing from rich ethnographic research, Dr. Mir explores how Muslim
women navigate elite U.S. university spaces while negotiating the
pressures of visibility, belonging, and religious identity. We discuss
everything from drinking culture and modesty to dating, politics, and
what it means to be unapologetically Muslim in a space that often
demands compromise. Our conversation is framed by a larger question:
what does it mean to belong when your presence is always marked? And
what can a win like Zohran Mamdani’s tell us about shifting narratives
in American public life?

History Speaks EP10 | Between Worlds: Muslim Women and Campus Life: Roshan Iqbal with Sahabana Mir

When I started writing my book The Islamic Mary: Maryam Through the Centuries, I was drawn to the Qur'anic chapter of Mary or Surat Maryam.  As I started to research the chapter, I came across the work of Shawkat Toorawa who focuses on the sound, rhyme and rhythm of the Qur'an and points out some of Surat Maryam's unique qualities and characteristics.  I was thus excited to see that he has come out with a new book entitled The Devotional Qur'an which translates key chapters and verses that are used in Muslim daily life.  I sit down with Shawkat to discuss his spiritual biography, academic background and new book.  

Subscribe to A Common Word podcast which is available on the major podcast streaming services, such as Apple Podcasts and Spotify

Order my book “The Islamic Mary: Maryam Through the Centuries”

Visit the Maydan website for more podcasts, blogs and videos.

Visit my website to learn more about my bio, research, and blogs.

Join my listserve to be updated about my research, speaking and publications, especially my forthcoming book on the Islamic Mary.

Thanks for listening to A Common Word Podcast!

A Common Word | Episode 6 - Younus Mirza with Shawkat Toorawa

In this episode, Dr. Roshan Iqbal speaks with Dr. Saba Fatima,
Professor of Philosophy at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville,
about her new book, A Brief Guide to Shia Islam: Beliefs, Practices,
and Exemplars. Together, they explore the core tenets, rich
traditions, and influential figures of Shi'a Islam in a conversation
designed to be accessible and engaging. This episode offers a warm and
informative introduction for students and curious listeners alike,
inviting deeper understanding and appreciation of one of Islam’s major
traditions.

History Speaks EP 11 | A Brief Guide to Shi'a Islam: Roshan Iqbal with Saba Fatima

In this episode of History Speaks, Dr. Roshan Iqbal speaks with Dr.
Elliot Bazzano, Associate Professor at Le Moyne College, about
Islamophobia, the election of Zohran Mamdani, and what his success
means for U.S. Muslims. Together, they unpack the roots and impact of
Islamophobia, tracing how it shapes both public perception and
everyday Muslim life. Their conversation situates Mamdani’s rise
within a broader history, one shaped by the quiet labor of parents,
elders, and countless famous and not-famous Muslim figures who have
sustained their communities with resilience and care. They end by
reflecting on why Mamdani’s achievement holds such symbolic and
personal significance for Muslims across the United States.


Elliott Bazzano is an Associate Professor in the Department of
Religious Studies at Le Moyne College, where he teaches courses on
Islam and comparative religion. Professor Bazzano’s research focuses
on the interplay of Qur’anic interpretation, polemics, and mysticism
as well as identity and pedagogy in religious studies scholarship. He
co-edited Varieties of American Sufism (SUNY Press, 2020) with Marcia
Hermansen. His article “Normative Readings of the Qur’an: From the
Premodern Middle East to the Modern West,” appears in The Journal of
the American Academy of Religion (2016) and “Muslim in the Classroom:
Pedagogical Reflections on Disclosing Religious Identity” in Teaching
Theology in Religion (2016). Bazzano published two articles in
Religion Compass (2015) on Syrian polymath Ibn Taymiyya, “Ibn Taymiyya
Radical Polymath, Part I: Scholarly Perceptions” and “Ibn Taymiyya,
Radical Polymath, Part II: Intellectual Contributions.” He has
authored a book chapter, “Research Methods and Problems,” in The
Bloomsbury Companion to Islamic Studies (2013, 2015), and has
forthcoming chapters on Qur’an interpretation, dating, and Islamic
dietary guidelines Islam in Five Minutes (Bloomsbury, 2024). Bazzano
serves at co-chair on the Steering Committee for the Study of Islam
Section in the American Academy of Religion. In addition to finding
inspiration in the mystical percolations of the Sufis, including
coffee (pun intended), he finds his deepest wonder and joy in the
miracle of his two daughters who offer him limitless possibilities for
contemplating the mysteries of the universe.

History Speaks EP 12 | Islamophobia, Zohran Mamdani, & US Muslims | Roshan Iqbal with Elliot Bazzano

When I started my career, I was interested in the figure of Abraham/Ibrahim and how he could be a bridge figure between Christians, Jews and Muslims.  However, as I wrote my book on "The Bible and the Qur'an: Biblical Figures in the Islamic Tradition," I became more interested in the figure of Mary and how she could bring Christians and Muslims together.  This led me to the work of Rita George-Tvrtkovic, especially her book "Christian, Muslims and Mary" and subsequent articles. I sit down with Rita to learn about her innovative scholarship, institutional roles and recent academic interests.  

Subscribe to A Common Word podcast which is available on the major podcast streaming services, such as Apple Podcasts and Spotify

Order my book “The Islamic Mary: Maryam Through the Centuries”

Visit the Maydan website for more podcasts, blogs and videos.

Visit my website to learn more about my bio, research, and blogs.

Join my listserve to be updated about my research, speaking and publications, especially my forthcoming book on the Islamic Mary.

Thanks for listening to A Common Word Podcast!

A Common Word | EP 7- Younus Mirza with Rita George-Tvrtkovic

In this episode of History Speaks, Dr. Roshan Iqbal speaks with Dr. Younus Mirza, founding director of the Barzinji Institute for Global Virtual Learning at Shenandoah University, about his recent book The Islamic Mary. Together, they explore Maryam/Mary in the Qur’an, Hadith, Sufi thought, and the broader Muslim imagination. The conversation concludes by highlighting how significant Maryam/Mary is, how often her legacy is overlooked, and how much untapped potential it holds for Muslim spirituality and interfaith dialogue.

History Speaks EP 13 | Maryam/Mary in the Qur'an | Roshan Iqbal with Younus Mirza

Maydan is an online publication of Ali Vural Ak Center for Global Islamic Studies at George Mason University, offering expert analysis on a wide variety of issues in the field of Islamic Studies for academic and public audiences alike.

History Speaks EP 11 | A Brief Guide to Shi'a Islam: Roshan Iqbal with Saba Fatima

The Maydan Podcast