In this episode our host, Dr. Su’ad Abdul Khabeer talks with Siddeeqah Sharif Fichman an Afro-Native Muslim and community advocate and Hazel Gómez, a faith-based community organizer, about Being Muslim on Turtle Island. This deep discussion digs into questions such as What would make a Muslim a settler or indigenous to North America? How might settler thinking shape how we live as Muslims today? What are the responsibilities of Muslims, as a whole, to the indigenous inhabitants of the Americas? 

During the conversation, Hazel reads the poem “Child of the Americas” by Aurora Levins Morales (shared below) and Siddeqah introduces us to the song “Bilalian Man” by Sister Khalifah Abdul Rahman.* To the question, if Black Islam had a theme song what would it be? Hazel chose “Allah” by Khalil Ismail and Siddeeqah chose “Bilalian Man” as her Black Muslim theme song. The song excerpt in the episode is sung by Siddeeqah’s mother, Sister Sabreen Sharif and full lyrics are below. Not sure what Bilalian means? Check out this article by Precious Rasheeda Muhammad. Also be sure to check out the music of Afro-Native Muslim performing artist Maimouna Youseff (Mumu Fresh).

*Siddeeqah misspoke in the episode and this particular song is by Sister Khalifah Abdul Rahman

On the Square theme music was created by Fanatik OnBeats

Episode Guests:
Hazel Gómez graduated from Loyola University Chicago with double bachelor’s degrees in Forensic Science and Biology. Currently, she is a faith-based community organizer with Dream of Detroit, a nonprofit that combines community organizing with strategic housing and land development to build a healthy community and empower a marginalized neighborhood; a neighborhood in which she also resides with her husband and children. In addition to being an advocate for women seeking traditional Islamic education, Hazel is studying the Islamic sciences with Rabata.org's Ribaat Academic Program under the tutelage of Shaykha Tamara Gray and other female shaykhas. She also dedicates her time as an advisor and board member to various nonprofits ranging from convert care and anti-racism work to bail reform. She is an avid reader of all things about Muslims in America and is interested in the research and creation of an authentic Latino Muslim experience. You can follow her on Facebook: Hazel Gómez

Siddeeqah Sharif Fichman is the administrator for the Biophysics Research for Baltimore Teens program, an internship at Johns Hopkins University geared towards introducing scientific research to underserved youth in Baltimore City. She enjoys writing, traveling, and is an avid reader. Siddeeqah currently resides in Baltimore, MD, with her husband and three small children.

On The Square EP1 - Being Muslim on Turtle Island

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 Shabana 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

In this episode of History Speaks, I talk with Dr. Natalie Khazaal, Associate Professor in the School of Modern Languages at Georgia Tech. Drawing from her research, we explore how racism, speciesism, and cultural bias are embedded in animated films and how they shape what audiences learn about difference and belonging. We also discuss the MARS test, an original intervention Dr. Ghazaal developed, with two other colleagues, to analyze these biases in media and animation. Our conversation is framed by a larger question: how does animation reflect and reinforce societal prejudices, often without viewers even noticing? We consider how creative choices, protest, and advocacy can challenge these narratives. Ultimately, we ask: what does it mean to see - and be seen - accurately in stories meant for everyone?

History Speaks EP14 | # Oscars # Animation # Racism # Speciesism | Roshan Iqbal with Natalie Khazaal

In this episode of On The Square, guest host Tahirah Nailah Dean speaks with Dr. Aminah McBryde on the impact of singlism on the mental health of unmarried Muslims. Dr. Aminah McBryde is a recent PhD graduate in Community Health Sciences from the University of Illinois, Chicago, and holds a Master's in Public Health from the University at Buffalo in Community Health and Health Behavior. Tahirah Nailah Dean is a writer and lawyer currently living in Oakland, California.

On The Square – Episode 18 Singlism and Muslim Mental Health

In this episode of History Speaks, Dr. Roshan Iqbal speaks with Dr.
Sarra Tlili, author of Animals in the Qur’an, a groundbreaking
work—translated into Arabic—that has reshaped scholarship on Islam,
ethics, and the environment. Together, they explore her thesis that
the Qur’an is theocentric and not an anthropocentric text and what
this means for how we understand creation and ourselves. This episode
is dedicated, with Dr. Tlili’s permission, to the life and legacy of
Jane Goodall.

History Speaks EP 15 | Animals in the Qur’an | Roshan Iqbal with Sarra Tlili

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.

On The Square EP1 - Being Muslim on Turtle Island

The Maydan Podcast

Related tracks