Nadir Nahdi runs the popular YouTube channel BENI, where he documents contemporary Muslim life around the world. Nadir comes from a tradition of thought and debate. His father, Fuad Nahdi, was a well-known journalist and satirist, as well as a giant in the UK Muslim community and a major figure in interfaith discussions. 

Nadir talks about what he's learned from his parents, his mixed feelings about being called a social media influencer and the deeply personal journey he took to find his roots while the world watched in real time. 

If you enjoyed this episode and want to learn more, go to agakhanmuseum.org/thisbeinghuman

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kevork Mourad is an Armenian-Syrian artist who collaborates with musicians, creating visual art in front of live audiences. He has worked with some of the most celebrated performers in classical music including Yo-Yo Ma, violist Kim Kashkashian and the Los Angeles Master Chorale. He talks about growing up as an Armenian in Syria, developing his unique practice, the thrill of creating art in front of a crowd, and how war has changed the way he paints.

If you enjoyed this episode and want to learn more, go to agakhanmuseum.org/thisbeinghuman

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr. Ayesha Khanna is a global leader in artificial intelligence and an advocate for good governance in the tech sector. As the co-founder and CEO of ADDO AI, she has helped develop projects like smart cities and financial innovations.

She talks about why she believes the world should look east for models of tech governance, the ethical struggles involved in AI and what technology can teach us about humanity.

If you enjoyed this episode and want to learn more, go to agakhanmuseum.org/thisbeinghuman

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Omid Safi is a leading expert on 13th century poet Jalāl ad-Dīn Muḥammad Rūmī, who is the best-selling poet in modern day America. Omid talks about the enduring influence of Rumi, why the literary icon’s Muslim beliefs are often stripped from conversations about him, and how the Muslim community can reclaim one its most beloved figures.

If you enjoyed this episode and want to learn more, go to agakhanmuseum.org/thisbeinghuman

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr. Alaa Murabit was born in Saskatoon, but moved to Zawiya, Libya at the age of 15 to study medicine. While she was there, she witnessed the 2011 Revolution, which changed the course of her life. She dedicated herself to human rights advocacy, founding the group Voices of Libyan Women. She has since become a leading specialist in conflict resolution and security, working with the United Nations, governments and NGOs around the world.

If you enjoyed this episode and want to learn more, go to agakhanmuseum.org/thisbeinghuman

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sultan Sooud Al Qassemi is a member of the ruling family of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates, and the founder of the Barjeel Art Foundation. He talks about the personal toll of tweeting through the Arab Spring, the power of art as an agent of diplomacy, and why he opens up his home to strangers for his regular cultural 'majlis' or salons, hosting talks on art and culture.

If you enjoyed this episode and want to learn more, go to agakhanmuseum.org/thisbeinghuman

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ginella Massa is the host of Canada Tonight on CBC, making her the first national news anchor who wears a hijab in Canada. She talks about her upbringing in a Catholic Afro-Latina family, growing up as an immigrant in Toronto and how she ended up in TV news.

Visit the Aga Khan Museum's website or follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

If you enjoyed this episode and want to learn more, go to agakhanmuseum.org/thisbeinghuman

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In spring of 2020, when America was first grappling with COVID-19, Dr. Craig Considine wrote an article for NewsWeek about what the Prophet Muhammad had to say about living through a pandemic. He found a lot that still resonates today.

He talks about those lessons and others, what the current state of the world could mean for interfaith dialogue and how, as a Catholic from Boston, he became a prolific writer on Islam.

Dr. Craig Considine is a lecturer in the Department of Sociology at Rice University.

If you enjoyed this episode and want to learn more, go to agakhanmuseum.org/thisbeinghuman

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy talks about what propelled her to expose social injustices in unflinching documentaries like Saving Face and A Girl In the River. It’s a journey that took her from a childhood in Karachi, Pakistan to the offices of the New York Times, to winning two Academy Awards.

Visit the Aga Khan Museum's website or follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

If you enjoyed this episode and want to learn more, go to agakhanmuseum.org/thisbeinghuman

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wajahat Ali became one of the most high-profile Muslims in the American media following the September 11th attacks, making regular appearances on CNN, writing for The New York Times and hosting a show on Al Jazeera America. 

He talks about growing up in a Pakistani-American household, writing an acclaimed play about the American Muslim experience, and dealing with his young daughter’s cancer diagnosis.

Visit the Aga Khan Museum's website or follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

If you enjoyed this episode and want to learn more, go to agakhanmuseum.org/thisbeinghuman

Additional clips from:

Domestic Crusaders New York 2011 production production company: Gerald W. Lynch Theatre at John Jay College of Criminal Justice  director: Carla Blank actors: Deepti Gupta Domestic Crusaders London 2013 production production company: Tara-Arts director: Jatinder Verma actors: Shyam Bhatt, Taqi Nazeer

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.