Diffused Congruence: The American Muslim Experience

Episode 15: <i>The Daily Show</i>'s Aasif Mandvi on His New Book

This month Parvez and Zaki are pleased to be joined by actor, comedian, and writer Aasif Mandvi as he talks about his journey as a working actor to becoming The Daily Show's "Senior Foreign Looking Correspondent." He talks about how his time with Jon Stewart has made him more "Muslim-ish," what he's learned during a lifetime occupying many different cultures, and how that all led to his new book, No Land's Man. Listen via the embed below, or download at the link. Also, be sure to hit us up at our Facebook page to let us know how we're doing!

Episode 14: <i>Serial</i>'s Rabia Chaudry

Since its launch last October, the Serial podcast has taken the country by storm. Reporter Sarah Koenig's gripping investigation into the 1999 murder of high schooler Hae Min Lee, and the subsequent conviction of her ex-boyfriend Adnan Syed for the killing -- a crime for which he maintains his innocence to this day -- has set records and spurred conversation with how it combines the intrigue of a weekly procedural with broader questions about cultural assimilation and the peculiarities of the legal system. For this episode, Parvez and Zaki are joined by Rabia Chaudry, an attorney and civil rights activist who is a family friend of Syed's, who first brought this case to Koenig's attention. Listen to our conversation to hear Rabia discuss her history with Adnan, her thoughts on what she's heard on the show thus far, as well as the other work she's engaged in. Listen via the embed below, or download at the link. Also, be sure to hit us up at our Facebook page to let us know how we're doing!

Episode 13: Our Lunch With Dean Obeidallah

We start off episode thirteen with highlights from Zaki's roundtable interview with Daily Show host Jon Stewart on his feature directing debut, the based-on-true-events Iranian prison drama Rosewater. After that, listen to Parvez and Zaki's lunchtime conversation with comedian and political commentator Dean Obeidallah as we cover a whole host of topics, including his time at Saturday Night Live, what drew him to comedy, and the portrayal of Muslims in media post-9/11. You can download or stream the show below, or listen at iTunes (don't forget to leave us a review!) and Stitcher Radio. As always, feel free to send any comments or questions our way at diffusedcongruence@gmail.com or via our Facebook page!

Episode 11: Ayesha Mattu and Ali Eteraz

For this episode of the show, Parvez and Zaki shine a spotlight on Muslim authors who've successfully broken through into the mainstream. First, we chat with Ayesha Mattu, co-editor of Love, Inshallah and its new sequel Salaam, Love about how the two books came about, what the reactions have been, and what she's learned from her audience. After that, we have a conversation with Ali Eteraz, author of Children of Dust and the upcoming Falsipedies and Fibsiennes. You can download or stream below, and also listen at iTunes (don't forget to leave us a review!) and Stitcher Radio. Feel free to send any comments or questions our way at diffusedcongruence@gmail.com or via our Facebook page!

Episode 10: Shadi Hamid

For this month's show we're joined by Shadi Hamid of the Brookings Institute and author of Temptations of Power: Islamists and Illiberal Democracy in a New Middle East for a far-ranging conversation on the foreign policy events that have been playing out in the Middle East over the last few years, including the Arab Spring, the rise of ISIS, and the escalation of conflict between Gaza and Israel this past month. Whether you're a policy wonk or just have a mind to learn more about what's been going on lately, this is a conversation you're certain to enjoy. As always, download or stream below, and listen at iTunes and Stitcher Radio. Send any comments or questions to diffusedcongruence@gmail.com or via our Facebook page!

Episode 9: Mustafa Davis

For this episode, we're joined by famed photographer and filmmaker Mustafa Davis, co-founder of Ta'leef Collective, about his road to Islam, and what he views as the role of Muslim-Americans artists. As usual, download or stream the show below, and also listen at iTunes (don't forget to leave us a review!) and Stitcher Radio. Feel free to send any comments or questions our way at diffusedcongruence@gmail.com or via our Facebook page!

Episode 5: Muneer Fareed

For episode five of the show, we had an in-depth chat with with Islamic scholar Dr. Muneer Fareed on a variety of topics, including the distinctions between secular and spiritual scholarship, what he learned during his time as an imam in Detroit, and his work with ISNA (the Islamic Society of North America), the ALIM Program, and more. You can download or stream the show below, as well as via iTunes (don't forget to leave us a review!). Send any questions and concerns our way at diffusedcongruence@gmail.com.

Episode 3: Kamran Pasha

It's the first Friday of the month, and that means it's time for a new Diffused Congruence podcast! Our special guest for this episode of the show is Hollywood writer-producer Kamran Pasha, who's spent more than ten years working in the film industry on projects such as Sleeper Cell on Showtime and Kings on NBC, and also authored the acclaimed novels Mother of the Believers: A Novel of the Birth of Islam and Shadow of the Swords: An Epic Novel of the Crusades. With the depth and breadth of his experience as one of the few Muslim writers in Hollywood, Kamran discusses the importance of Muslim engagement in non-traditional fields such as media production, and also shares some of the life lessons he's picked up during his time in the Hollywood trenches. You can download or stream the show below, as well as via iTunes (don't forget to leave us a review!). Send any questions and concerns our way at diffusedcongruence@gmail.com.

Episode 2: Zahra Billoo

For our second episode, hosts Parvez Ahmed and Zaki Hasan are joined by Zahra Billoo, executive director of the San Francisco-Bay Area chapter of CAIR (Council on American-Islamic Relations), for an in-depth conversation on the goals, history, and criticisms of the venerable civil rights organization (it marks its second decade next year), and her own efforts to bridge interfaith understanding both before and after becoming a part of it. You can download or stream the show below, as well as via iTunes (don't forget to leave us a review!). Also, many thanks for all the feedback and comments on episode 1! Please keep them coming! You can send any questions and concerns our way at diffusedcongruence@gmail.com.

Episode 1: Usama Canon

Welcome to Diffused Congruence, an all new podcast celebrating the many facets of the American Muslim experience. With new episodes slated to drop the first Friday of every month, the goal of our show is to highlight and focus on unique and interesting personalities from both within and without the American Muslim community, and engage them in what will hopefully be a worthwhile and invigorating conversation not only for the guests, but also for listeners. For the first episode, hosts Parvez Ahmed and Zaki Hasan are joined by Usama Canon, founding director of the San Francisco Bay Area-based Ta'leef Collective, as he discusses his journey to Islam, the challenges facing young people in the 21st century, and what T'aleef is all about. You can stream or download the episode below. Please send all questions and comments to DiffusedCongruence@gmail.com.