Episode 2: The Two Gifts: Hajar, Zamzam and the Founding of Mecca

Having told the story of the Hijra by starting in the middle, DaliaMogahed now goes back to the beginning—to the great-grandfather many generations removed of the Prophet ﷺ, Sayyidina Ibrahim (as). Born into an idolatrous society to a father who manufactured idols, Ibrahim's fitra was clear even as a child, and his story becomes the origin that explains how we arrived at the Hijra in the first place.

This episode follows Ibrahim's unshakable conviction through his hardest tests: silencing a tyrant king with a single argument about the sun, being stripped and catapulted into an inferno that Allah commanded to become "cool and peaceful," and the surrender of walking away from his wife and infant son in a barren valley without knowing how Allah's aid would come. Alongside him stands Hajar—the Egyptian servant gifted in a Pharaoh's chamber who became the mother in whose footsteps millions still walk—whose running between Safa and Marwa Dalia unpacks as one of the most profound acts of worship we perform: striving sourced in tawakkul, effort that never causes the outcome but always precedes it.

From the gushing of Zamzam and the arrival of the Jurhum, to the rebuilding of the Kaaba by father and son, to the dua that Muhammad ﷺ would one day answer, the story finally turns dark—how a single dictator, Amr ibn Luhai, brought idolatry and its accompanying corruptions into a peninsula that had been founded on Tawhid, setting the stage for the world into which the Prophet ﷺ would be born.

Along the way: never judge a person by their family, surrender doesn't mean you stop making dua, and the danger of uncritical followership of anyone who isn't a prophet.

Episode 1: The Hijra: The Moment That Stopped and Started Time

Why do Muslims measure time from the Hijra, not the Prophet's birth, not the first revelation, but the night he left everything familiar to step into the unknown? In this episode, Dalia Mogahed takes an unconventional approach to the Seerah: she begins in the middle, with the migration itself, and the treacherous gathering of Quraysh leaders plotting to end the life of a man known never to lie, steal, or cheat.

What follows is the story of that escape, Ali (r) sleeping in the Prophet's bed beneath the green shawl, the trusts returned to the very men planning the assassination, the stillness in the cave of Thawr, the hundred-camel bounty that drew an entire peninsula, and the encounters along the road: Suraqa and the bangles of Kisra, the milk that flowed from a barren goat, Buraydah's cavalry, and two highway bandits the Prophet ‎ﷺ refused to write off.

Along the way, Dalia draws out the lessons that still speak to us today, that our tormentors are not our teachers, that a true leader is the last to drink, and that no one is ever too far gone to be lifted up.

Muslim Heritage Month Jan 5th 2025 | Fireside Chat with Dalia Mogahed.

Save Our Heroes | Dalia Mogahed"

Description:

Embark on a thought-provoking journey into the intersection of secularism, Islam, and democracy with two eminent voices, Tariq Ramadan and Dalia Mogahed. Join us as we delve deep into nuanced discussions surrounding the compatibility of religious beliefs with democratic principles, and the role of secularism in pluralistic societies. Tariq Ramadan, renowned scholar and philosopher, alongside Dalia Mogahed, an influential advocate for social justice and empowerment, engage in a compelling dialogue that challenges conventional narratives and explores new perspectives. From exploring the principles of Islamic governance to examining the dynamics of religious pluralism, this conversation offers invaluable insights into the complexities of modern governance and the quest for social harmony. Tune in as Ramadan and Mogahed navigate through the intricate terrain of religion, democracy, and secularism, offering fresh insights and inspiring reflections that resonate with audiences of all backgrounds.