Ikhlas and Makkah bring on their first shaykh! And literally ask him a million questions. In this episode, we sit down with Shaykh Muhammad Mendes and talk everything from student-teacher relationships to Islamic scholarship in Africa to what he does when he’s not serving as a spiritual guide.

Guest:
Adeyinka Muhammad Mendes is the imam and scholar in residence at the Institute of Islamic Studies in Princeton, New Jersey. He is also founding director of SacredService for Human Liberation.

Episode Details:
(00:04:40) Ikhlas rants about how no one respects knowledge and the people that seek it (Makkah is one of them).
(00:16:30) Shaykh Mendes is basically a child of the entire African diaspora.
(00:23:42) We define a few terms: shaykh, imam, scholar… what do these words really mean?
(00:33:33) Shaykh Mendes talks why he studied Islam in “Black Africa” and why Black people are so extra when connecting with the divine.
(00:44:40) Makkah gets real and asks how women can balance their pursuit of knowledge with protecting themselves from shady men.
(01:01:04) That time Shaykh Mendes almost got stung by a scorpion…

Music:
Intro and Outro Music: RSPN by Blank and Kytt, CC-licensed

With more allegations of abuse, harassment and sexual misconduct emerging every day, Ikhlas and Makkah are fed up. This week, we open up about our personal experiences with sexual harassment, how we’ve coped and what gives us hope for the future.

Episode Details

(00:00:55) Content Warning: This episode includes discussion of sexual harassment, sexual assault and abuse by people in positions of power.
(00:08:30) We go back in time to recall some of our earliest encounters with sexual assault and what those experiences taught us.
(00:18:01) We share the (healthy and unhealthy) coping mechanisms we have developed to survive as women in this world.
(00:28:54) We discuss how these issues have played themselves out for us on college campuses and in the workplace.
(00:48:22) We share our hopes for the future and give shoutouts to those no longer willing to accept things the way they are.

Music
Intro and Outro Music: RSPN by Blank and Kytt, CC-licensed

Here’s a bonus segment for Episode 21: Coming to America. Dr. Ifrah Magan shares a poem she wrote about the refugee experience.

We hope you enjoy!

What does home look like, feel like? This week, we’re thinking about the temporary and the permanent, the spiritual and the physical. We delve into what it’s like to come to America as a Muslim immigrant or refugee.

Guests

Maryam Adamu, @maroadamu, is a law student and former podcast guest (Episode 5 and Episode 9). Maryam interviews her mother, Khairi Adamu.

Dr. Ifrah Magan is a storyteller, social worker, and scholar. Her research focuses on the migration paths of Somali refugees in Chicago, and how ethnic and religious identities impact their resettlement and integration. Dr. Magan has over 10 years of experience working in diverse refugee communities, and is the co-founder of the first Rohingya Cultural Center in Chicago. She is currently working on her first poetry collection.

Episode Details

(00:1:05) Ikhlas and Makkah discuss how they are processing so much news about death.
(00:15:20) Maryam Adamu interviews her mom Khairi Adamu about moving from Nigeria to the United States and trying to make a home for herself and for her children.
(00:34:58) Dr. Ifrah Magan shares her story of coming to America as a Somali refugee.
(01:01:15) We talk about race, ethnicity, religion and some unique aspects of the Somali refugee experience.

Sign up for your first (or your hundredth) 5K. On October 15, Muslimahs Endure (Ikhlas is a member!) is hosting WOW Run 5K. You can run, walk or jog it in Atlanta or virtually from anywhere in the world! Register now at wowrun5k.com with our promo code: IP15 and get 15% off.

Music
Intro and Outro Music: RSPN by Blank and Kytt, CC-licensed