The Transit Lounge with Mohamad Zaoud

There are few Muslims who can say they had a seat at the President's table, and Dalia Mogahed is one of those rare few. An Egyptian American at the forefront of Muslim Activism for over a decade, Dalia's journey has seen her lecturing at colleges, training law enforcement and eventually, advising the Obama Administration. We trace Dalia's life from a normal Egyptian American childhood to the banality of corporate life up until an event that radically changed the fabric of American society: 9/11. We dig deeper to uncover an inspiring mix of spirituality, hope, desperation and wisdom that drive Dalia to navigating the perplexing maze that is the life of an American Muslim.

The Transit Lounge chronicles the journeys of people who’ve had a considerable impact on the Muslim world. In season 1, we hear from successful entrepreneurs, academics, scholars and politicians. Hosted by Mohamad Zaoud, each episode explores the highs and lows of our guests, and tackles the question of our time - what does it take to find balance when living a contemporary Muslim life.

Mohamad Zaoud is a brand enthusiast and consults businesses and NGOs on brand & growth strategies. He’s currently the Manager of Digital Growth – EMEA, and formerly Head of Marketing MENA, at Al Jazeera Media Network where he’s worked on flagship brands including Al Jazeera and AJ+.

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Support The Transit Lounge with Mohamad Zaoud

Haroon Meer grew up in the tail end of Apartheid South Africa, but his future was far from bleak. After almost two decades in information security (and playing a lot of pool!), Haroon founded Thinkst, a start-up responsible for bringing Canary to the world, a cyber-security honeypot used by some of the biggest tech giants in the world including Slack and Etsy. In this interview we reflect on Haroon’s journey that saw him consulting NATO, sleeping on the Quantico base, and everything in between. What does it take to become an authority in one field? Haroon’s experience draws us closer to answering that question.

The Transit Lounge chronicles the journeys of people who’ve had a considerable impact on the Muslim world. In season 1, we hear from successful entrepreneurs, academics, scholars and politicians. Hosted by Mohamad Zaoud, each episode explores the highs and lows of our guests, and tackles the question of our time - what does it take to find balance when living a contemporary Muslim life.

Mohamad Zaoud is a brand enthusiast and consults businesses and NGOs on brand & growth strategies. He’s currently the Manager of Digital Growth – EMEA, and formerly Head of Marketing MENA, at Al Jazeera Media Network where he’s worked on flagship brands including Al Jazeera and AJ+.

Support The Transit Lounge with Mohamad Zaoud

To say Professor John Esposito is an accomplished academic would be an understatement. He's Professor of Islamic studies at the esteemed Georgetown University, has published 60 books (yes, within one lifetime) and is a senior member of the UN Alliance of Civilisations. To make this seem all the stranger, we discover Professor Esposito spent a decade of his life away from his family becoming a Priest (from the impressionable age of 14 no less!). From here, a web of coincidences, hard work and an ingredient we only later discover, take John Esposito from a 14-year old boy to a global authority on Islam. This interview is a bit of an emotional rollercoaster; with lots of laughter, some tears and an abundance of wisdom. Join us as we reflect on the Professor’s life and gain insights into the task ahead for the Muslims in Western contexts.

Support The Transit Lounge with Mohamad Zaoud

The Transit Lounge chronicles the journeys of people who’ve had a considerable impact on the Muslim world. In season 1, we hear from successful entrepreneurs, academics, scholars and politicians. Hosted by Mohamad Zaoud, each episode explores the highs and lows of our guests, and tackles the question of our time - what does it take to find balance when living a contemporary Muslim life.

Mohamad Zaoud is a brand enthusiast and consults businesses and NGOs on brand & growth strategies. He’s currently the Manager of Digital Growth – EMEA, and formerly Head of Marketing MENA, at Al Jazeera Media Network where he’s worked on flagship brands including Al Jazeera and AJ+.

Support The Transit Lounge with Mohamad Zaoud