Quran Conversations

Making Meaning TaHa 40-41 David Eagleman, in his book “Incognito: The Secret Lives of the Brain,” wrote, “Instead of reality being passively  recorded  by the brain, it is actively constructed by it.” This construction is our meaning-making ability.  The meaning we give events change the way we respond to them, how we feel about our lives and those around us.  In this episode we discuss how Allah...

Season 3, Episode 11 The Gifts God Gives TaHa 38-40 Our lives often take unexpected turns; joy and loss, pain and pleasure.  We witness the birth of a child, a difficult diagnosis, the loss of a loved one.  For some the hardships are losing family in a genocide.  How do we make sense of these triumphs and tragedies? In this episode we discuss the way Allah recounts to Musa (s) the events of his ow...

Season 3, Episode 10 “Finding the Right Partner to Pursue Your Purpose” TaHa 29-37 Asking for help is not easy.  You need to trust the other person enough to rely on them and be confident enough in yourself to admit you can’t do it alone.  In this episode Dalia Mogahed and Imam Magid explore the importance of community, companionship and commitment to the greater good over one’s own credit as they...

S3:E9 “How to do Hard Things” TaHa 25-28 Have you ever been afraid to speak even when you know you must? Have you ever been weighed down by self-doubt and constriction or overwhelmed by the task at hand? In this episode, Dalia Mogahed and Samia Mubarak @quranic_ocean do a deep dive into the famous “dua of Musa” where he (s) asks Allah for His aid when commanded to go confront Pharaoh. We explore w...

Season 3, Episode 8 “How to Fortify Your Heart” TaHa 21-24 How do we fortify our hearts when we have fear, self-doubt and a loss of direction? In this episode, Dalia Mogahed is in conversation with Ustatha Samia Mubarak*, founder of @QuranicOcean, where they delve into the meanings of the signs Allah shows Musa (s). This very special discussion about hope, hardship and the power of surrender is no...

Season 3: Episode 7 “Letting Go: The Path to Miracles” TaHa: 17-20 What do you rely on to get through the day? Your car, phone or even your morning cup of coffee are things you may lean on to manage your life. What if you were told to cast all that aside? In this episode, Dalia Mogahed and Hajj Hisham Mahmoud explore the spiritual meaning of the staff of Moses (s) and how we all have the tendency...

Season 3: Episode 6 “How to hear the voice of God in your life” TaHa: 15-16 The world is not fair.  If this wasn’t obvious before, the past two years have laid bare the injustice of the current world order.  How do we cope with seeing so much cruelty without accountability?  How can we keep working for a just and compassionate world when it feels so futile to try.  In this episode, Imam Magid and...

Season 3: Episode 5 “The Purpose of Life” TaHa: 14 What is our purpose for existence? How has our Creator facilitated realizing this purpose? In this conversation, Dalia Mogahed and Imam Magid explore the profound concept of worship in Islam, emphasizing that worship (Ubudiyyah) transcends mere rituals and is central to the purpose of human existence.  You will learn:  📖The essence of ubudiyya h...

Season 3: Episode 4 “When We Hear the Voice of God” TaHa: 9-14 Sometimes we can only see the light of God when things seem dark.  Sometimes we only hear His guidance when we feel lost.  Sometimes the warmth of His nearness is only sought when life feels cold.  In this episode’s rich discussion, Imam Magid and Dalia Mogahed delve into the story of Musa (s) journey to speaking to God at the burning...

Inshirah is an Arabic word meaning “expansion.” In this spiritually invigorating episode,  Imam Magid and Dalia Mogahed discuss the ways Surat Taha expands the believing heart when read because it shines light on both Divine power and might as well as Divine proximity and mercy.   Season 3: Episode 3 “On God’s Power and Proximity” TaHa: 5-8 You will learn: 📖 The relationship between mercy and rev...

Have you ever felt like being a Muslim is to swim againstthe norm? Like you're the odd person out at work, school and in how you see the world?  In this episode Imam Magid and Dalia Mogahed discuss how the Quranis a source of healing not hardship.    Season 3: Episode 2 “The Quran as a Source of Healing not Hardship”  TaHa:2-4   You will learn:   📖What makes the Quran’s method of revelation u...

Has reading an ayah in the Quran ever stopped you dead in your tracks as if it were talking directly to you? In the first episode of season 3, Imam Magid and Dalia Mogahed are joined by Hajj Hisham Mahmoud* to discuss the opening of Surat Taha and the heart it transformed from enemy to intimate companion and eventually Commander of the Faithful in eight short verses.  S3:E1: The Surah that Melted...

In this bonus episode, Dalia Mogahed shares her inspiration for creating this podcast, as well as her journey of healing through the study of Surah Yusuf.  She discusses the main lessons from the Surah as a bookend and prequel all in one.   You will learn:  📖 How our family of origin shapes our self-worth 📖 The power of drawing parallels between the stories in the Quran and our own lives. 📖 The...

In this culminating episode on Surat Yusuf, Imam Magid and Dalia Mogahed discuss the final ayas of the surah and draw out the overarching themes and lessons of this epic story.   You will learn:  📖 The power of clarity in dawa 📖 How dawa is a means to deepen one’s own faith 📖 How to never give up on our children 📖 Reconciling Divine help and human effort  --- If you’re enjoying this podcast, p...

When was the last time you stopped to admire a tree or flower in awe, or watched the sun rise and reflected on Allah’s mercy?  In this episode, Dalia Mogahed and Imam Mohamed Magid explore the themes of vulnerability before God, making God the center of  life’s orbit and balancing Trust in Him and awareness of one’s fragility. They discuss the importance of noticing the miracles all around us, as...

Educating others about Islam can be one of the mostrewarding acts of worship we can engage in.  But how do we approach itwith courage and confidence rather than compromise and people-pleasing?   In this episode, Dalia Mogahed and ImamMagid delve explore how Surat Yusuf teaches us about dawah (inviting) people toGod, as well as how this very Surah is proof of Muhammed’s (s)prophethood.    You will...

How do you tell the story of your life? Are you the victim of circumstances, the self reliant survivor, or the receiver of God’s infinite bounty in different forms?  In this emotional episode we discuss the culmination of the story of Yusuf (s) when he reunites with his father and embraces him, when his brothers prostrate to him and his dream as a child is realized. You will learn:  📖 The biggest...

When’s the last time you heard some good news? How did it feel to receive it?  And were you ever in a situation where everyone around you doubted you, but you stayed certain of your viewpoint? Were you proved right in the end? In this episode, we open a conversation about the moment when the shirt of Yusuf (s) is brought to his father, Yaqub (s), the truth is brought to light, and Yacub (s) regain...

Have you ever been asked to forgive someone who hurt you deeply? If you forgave them, how did it make you feel to show forbearance? If not, what was missing in the request for forgiveness.  Have you ever asked for forgiveness? In this episode, we do a deep dive into the process of healing and grace as modeled in the story of Yusuf (s) and his brothers.  You will learn: 📖 One of the most difficult...

How should we grieve? Is there an expiration date, or one right way to feel our sorrow?  Is “getting over it” the healthy option? How should we treat a grieving family member? Are there spiritual benefits to grieving?  In this episode of Quran Conversations, Imam Muhammad Majid and I explore how Yaqub (s) models grieving and parenting children who have committed a grievous act of transgression.   ...

Have you ever had to earn back trust after losing it? How did you do this? Have you ever restored trust in someone after it was lost? What are the building blocks of rebuilding trust after betrayal in a relationship? In the first episode of season 2, Imam Magid and I discuss Yusuf’s (s) brothers’ stark difference in tone and content when they are hoping to regain credibility with their father comp...

Is it ever OK to deceive? What would it feel like to get someone who wronged us to acknowledge their harm? What is the first priority when supporting a victim of abuse? In this episode (20) of Quran Conversations, Imam Muhammad Majid and I delve further into the story of Prophet Yusuf, focusing on the themes of deception, justice, and forgiveness. We explore Yusuf's strategic actions to keep his b...

How do we balance relying on God and taking the means? How do we work for the best outcome while not worrying? And what is the responsibility to maintain relations with a family member who has abused us? In this episode (19) we tackle some of the most perplexing questions we face in our families as parents, siblings and children. (12:67-69) You will learn: 📖How to take the means and rely on God...

How do we respond when our loved ones must leave our side?  Do we let them go and trust in Allah, or attempt to control them in an effort to feel secure?  In this episode (episode 18) we discuss the impossible task of striking the balance between keeping our children safe by restricting them and trusting Allah and letting them grow even if it means they leave our side.  (12:62-66) You will learn:...

It is one thing to be God-conscious in times of hardship, but what do you do when life takes a turn for the better? What happens when tragedy and trauma is transformed into triumph? Is it a chance for cruelty or clemency?  In this episode (episode 17), we discuss a major inflection point in the story of Yusuf (as) when he is put in authority in the land, in charge of the foodstores in a time of dr...