The Islamic Mary

After Maryam has her child Jesus/'Isa, she has to return to her people and face their judgement and criticism.  Maryam "carries" her child which echoes how Noah was "carried" in the ark.  Also, Maryam is attacked for her perceived sexual immorality which is similar to other figures in the life of the Prophet Muhammad, such as his wife 'Aisha.  The slander, accusations, and criticism eventually lead to ...

When I was writing The Islamic Mary, I became further interested in the field of Christian and Muslim dialogue and its relevancy today and in the future.  This led me to various books published on the topic, such as Amir Hussain's new book One God and Two Religions: Christians and Muslims as Neighbors.  Amir's book is unique in that it speaks about Christians and Muslim worshipping the same God and living next to each oth...

After Maryam is told to eat, drink and be glad, she told to take a vow of silence and not speak to anyone for an entire day.  The second half of verse 19:26 sets up the themes of God being the most merciful and the themes of silence and speech.  Maryam's silence leads to the speech of Jesus/'Isa.  

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As we are six months into 2025, we revisit the top 5 podcasts of 2024.  The Islamic Mary podcast now has over 50 episodes and a library of different interviews, reflections and commentaries.  A common theme is to give voice to overlooked figures and shed light on groundbreaking research.  

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After Maryam shakes the palm tree, she is told "to eat, drink, and be glad".  This phrase connects her with other Qur'anic mothers, such as the mother of Moses/Musa, and a larger Qur'anic theme of finding joy with your family.  Muslims frequently make a prayer that God should bestow upon them spouses and children who bring happiness to their heart.  

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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 en...

After Maryam calls out in pain and anguish, a voice calls telling her to shake a palm tree and ripe dates will fall upon her.  This is similar to other Qur'anic figures, such as Moses/Musa, who are told to act when they are in trying and difficult situation, such as when he was in front of the Red Sea.  The lesson is to act rather than allow the pain and sorrow overtake you.  

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Happy to share the third and final installment of the 2025 ICJS Silber-Obrecht Lectures where I respond to Rachel S. Mikva's lecture "What Does it Mean to Be Human?" I do a retelling of the Islamic creation story with an emphasis on the body, repentance and redemption.  Super impressed with ICJS and their work of spreading religious literacy and interreligious and interfaith cooperation.  You can check out the videos...

Happy to share the second of the 2025 ICJS Silber-Obrecht Lectures where Rachel S. Mikva discusses "What Does it Mean to Be Human?" She touches on issues relating to AI, climate change and abortion. I respond to her presentation in lecture number 3.  Super impressed with ICJS and their work of spreading religious literacy and interreligious and interfaith cooperation.  You can check out the videos of the lectures on the I...

Happy to share the first of the 2025 ICJS Silber-Obrecht Lectures where Rachel S. Mikva discusses "What Does it Mean to Be Human?" She touches on issues relating to AI, climate change and abortion. I respond to her presentation in lecture number 3.  Super impressed with ICJS and their work of spreading religious literacy and interreligious and interfaith cooperation.  You can check out the videos of the lectures on the IC...

After Maryam laments and wishes she was dead and long forgotten, she hears a call from below.  This voice guides her on what to do next and informs her that she should not worry or be sad.  This "call" connects her to Zechariah/Zakariyya as well as Moses/Musa who discussed later in the chapter.  The verse further connects Maryam to the Mother of Moses/Musa who is also instructed to trust god and not worry about her child....

Happy to share this 2025 ICJS Silber-Obrecht Lecture Conversation Event where Rachel S. Mikva, Heather Miller Rubens and myself sit down and discuss "What Does it Mean to Be Human?" We discuss issues related to scripture, AI and climate change and attempt to excavate the influence of religion on society. Super impressed with ICJS and their work of spreading religious literacy and interreligious and interfaith cooperation....

I am super excited to announce that my book The Islamic Mary: Maryam Through the Centuries is now available for pre-order!  This book has been several years in the making so it is surreal to reach this milestone.  In this episode, I read the book's introduction and speak about its personal origins.  I also outline the content of the book such as Maryam in the Qur'an, prophetic reports (hadith), theology, mysticism, art an...

In the climax of the story, Maryam makes a remarkable statement: "I wish I had died before this and been a thing forgotten".  Qur'anic commentators understood this statement as part of the pain and suffering of the righteous and that when trials became too difficult believers would some times wish that they did not exist.  The statement also connects with the larger theme of life and death which is found within the Q...

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 h...

Subscribe to the Islamic Mary podcast as we explore the chapter of Mary or Maryam!  In our second season, we will examine how the chapter (sura) has a unique rhyme scheme, emerges from an era of hopelessness and desperation, and emphasizes the themes of love and mercy.  Over 20 episodes have been published along with various interviews that relate to the chapter and Maryam in general.  

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In the Chapter of Mary (Maryam), Zechariah/Zakariyya foreshadows the coming of Maryam.  I sit down with Maria Barga to discuss her article "Redeeming Zachariah" which uses the Qur'an to understand the Biblical narrative and to argue that Zachariah should be seen more in a positive light.  Along the way, we discuss issues related to silence, suffering and divine questioning.  

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We now have reached the climax of the story where Maryam is about to give birth to her son Jesus.  However, she begins to experience pain and retreats to a trunk of a palm tree.  The Qur'an signals that relief comes after hardship and that the image of the palm tree is unique to Maryam.  

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Join me for one of the most popular episodes of 2024 where I interview Martin Nguyen on his edited book "An American Muslim Guide to the Art and Life of Preaching" by Sohaib Sultan.  We discuss how the book was conceived, how he worked with Sohaib on the book before he passed away, and the work's major lessons and takeaways.  Along the way, we discuss the ideas of friendship, community and legacy.  

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