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June 11, 2025 87 mins
Zara Kay went viral when she was wrongfully arrested and detained for seemingly no reason. She tweeted that she needed help and since becoming an Australian citizen, she got the consulate involved. It appears that the Tanzanian, Islamic cult she grew up in, was unhappy with her outspoken (contradictory to teachings) opinions on social media and seems to have paid the Tanzanian police to arrest her while visiting home during the pandemic in 2020. No formal charges were made after ransacking her home and detaining her for hours. Soon after her release, personal information and messages were leaked to the public, her family and her received multiple death threats. She now runs The Faithless Hijabi where she provides support for ex Muslims.  Click here to watch on YouTube Find Zara on social media:  IG: @zarakayk   YT: https://www.youtube.com/@ZaraKayk (The Untethered Mind) Website:  https://www.faithlesshijabi.org/ We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** 00:02:45 Zara's Strict Upbringing in Tanzania 00:06:45 Zara's Desire for More in Life 00:09:58 Strict Rules of Zara's Childhood 00:14:24 Hijab Wearing Practices in Zara's Community 00:15:54 The Influence of Islamic Culture in Tanzania 00:26:51 Zara's father changes his mind last minute about her moving out 00:28:57 Zara's New Experiences as a College Student 00:31:44 How Zara felt like breaking former rules  00:34:31 Learning about s*x from magazines 00:38:44 Zara's terrifying jump out of the comfort zone 00:41:07 Zara's face to face confrontation with a gay man 00:42:44 Zara Begins Receiving Threats for Speaking Up on Social Media 00:48:58 Why Tanzania police unexpectedly arrested Zara 00:53:42 Zara's experience with the corrupt police of Tanzania 00:57:34 CW:  Attempted SA in Tanzanian Jail 01:00:48 Zara escaped charges but couldn't leave the country 01:02:54 Zara's family got de@th threats after leaked messages 01:06:44 Tanzanian cult leaders are HOW rich?! 01:09:11 What is the "Faithless Hijabi?" 01:14:40 Precautions Zara Takes for Her Safety 01:16:06 How Zara is doing now 01:18:15 Linda, Listen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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