Guest Info/Bio: This week we kick off our series on religious pluralism with the incredible Sumbul bol Ali-Karmali! Sumbul grew up in Southern California in an ethnically Asian Family. She earned her undergraduate degree in English, with Distinction, from Stanford University. After working as an editor in a publishing company, she attended law school and graduated with her J.D. from the University of California Davis. She practiced corporate law in San Francisco for several years. Although always a practicing Muslim, Sumbul began the formal study of Islam when she attended the University of London’s School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS). She graduated from SOAS with her L.L.M. in Islamic Law, with Distinction. She has taught Islamic law as a teaching assistant at the University of London, worked as a research associate at the Centre of Islamic and Middle Eastern Law in London, and lectured on Islam and Islamic law. She has had many articles published, both in mainstream news publications and legal journals. Her first book, an accessible yet scholarly, anecdote-filled introduction to Islam and Islamic law written for the lay reader, was published by White Cloud Press in September of 2008 and is called The Muslim Next Door: the Qur’an, the Media, and that Veil Thing. Sumbul is currently spending her time on speaking engagements, radio and television interviews, writing, raising her two children, and volunteering her time to various causes. She serves on the board of trustees of a nonprofit educational institution that teaches multicultural education and environmental education to children and youth. She also serves on the steering committee of Women in Islamic Spirituality and Equality (WISE), an initiative dedicated to mobilizing a movement for social justice. Guest (Selected) Published Works: “The Muslim Next Door: The Qur’an, the Media, and That Veil Thing” and “Growing Up Muslim: Understanding the Beliefs and Practices of Islam.” Guest Links: www.themuslimnextdoor.com Special Music by: Birdtalker www.birdtalkermusic.com Twitter: @birdtalkermusic Instagram: @birdtalkermusic Facebook: @birdtalkermusic Enjoy the songs? Songs featured on this episode were: “Want, Heavy, Just This, & Blue Healer” from the Just This E.P. and the single “My Lover.” You can find Birdtalker’s music on iTunes, Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube, Pandora, and anywhere good music is sold. The Deconstructionist’s Podcast is mixed and edited by Nicholas Rowe at National Audio Preservation Society: A full service recording studio and creative habitat, located in Heath, Ohio. Find them on Facebook and Twitter or visit their website for more information. www.nationalaudiopreservationsociety.weebly.com www.facebook.com/nationalaudiopreservationsociety Twitter: @napsrecording Donation: If you’re digging what we’re doing here consider making a small donation. Maintaining a podcast isn’t cheap and every dollar donated helps us to keep this thing going. Money donated goes to helping to purchase research materials, maintenance of the website, storage of episodes, etc. Click the link below to donate: Htps://squareup.com/store/thedeconstructionists Brand new unisex T-Shirts now available! Pint glasses available now in 3 cool packages! https://squareup.com/store/thedeconstructionists Find us on social media! If you enjoy our show consider leaving us a nice 5 star review on iTunes. It helps new people find us! www.thedeconstructionists.com Twitter: @deconstructcast Facebook: deconstructionistsanonymous Instagram: deconstructionistspodcast