Nothing Good Happens in Wazirabad on Wednesday is a darkly funny novel about daily life during wartime. The action is not about the war itself; it's about the interpersonal relationships of a rich cast of characters living in a small town. It is the debut novel of Jamaluddin Aram, an Afghan writer currently living in Toronto. The Museum wishes to thank The Hilary and Galen Weston Foundation for their generous support of This Being Human.

FURTHER RESOURCES:

You can find links on where to buy Nothing Good Happens in Wazirabad on Wednesday here: https://www.simonandschuster.ca/books/Nothing-Good-Happens-in-Wazirabad-on-Wednesday/Jamaluddin-Aram/9781668009871

Watch Buzkashi Boys, a short film Jamaluddin worked on that was nominated for an Academy Award:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2sYUtzxRBQ

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the award-winning podcast, King of the World, Shahjehan Khan reflects on his history with music, addiction and identity in post-9/11 America. He talks to AR about his time with the seminal Muslim punk band The Kominas, mental health, his attempt to find himself in Pakistan, and where he stands today, as an ageing punk rocker whose acting and producing career is starting to take off.

The Museum wishes to thank The Hilary and Galen Weston Foundation for their generous support of This Being Human.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Zakir Hussain’s name is practically synonymous with the tablas. His work ranges from classical Indian compositions to Hollywood film scores, to collaborations with rockstars like George Harrison and Van Morrison. His latest albums are Shakti’s "This Moment,” and “As We Speak” – a collaboration with Béla Fleck and Edgar Meyer.

Zakir Hussain talks to AR about what he continues to learn about his craft at the age of 72; his father Alla Rakha, who introduced tablas to the West; his mother’s crucial role in his career; and what prevented him from becoming a rock drummer.

The Museum wishes to thank The Hilary and Galen Weston Foundation for their generous support of This Being Human.

FURTHER RESOURCES:

You can see Zakir Hussain’s upcoming tour dates with Shakti and Béla Fleck here:

https://zakirhussain.com/tour/

Watch a performance from As We Speak here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTsE_8JNhqE

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

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr. Deqo Mohamed spent her teen years coordinating with NGOs, teaching, and arranging breakfast for thousands of displaced people. That's because her mother, Dr. Hawa Abdi, was the founder of a sanctuary in Somalia called Hope Village. At its peak, the village provided health care, education and more to 90,000 people. It earned Dr. Habdi a nomination for a Nobel Peace Prize.

In this episode, Dr. Deqo Mohamed speaks candidly about growing up in Hope Village, sharing her mom with thousands of others, and how she and her sister are carrying on the family legacy.

The Museum wishes to thank The Hilary and Galen Weston Foundation for their generous support of This Being Human.

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

FURTHER READING:

Read more about Hope Village and the Dr. Hawa Abdi Foundation here:
www.dhaf.org

Read more about the Hagarla Institute here:
hagarlainstitute.org

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Nazeem Hussain is an Australian comedian and creator of the TV shows, "Legally Brown" and "Orange is the New Brown." He talks to AR about growing up in Melbourne as a Muslim/Sri Lankan child of a single mom, writing his first children's book, "Hy-Larious Hyena!" and how he ended up hosting a Christmas special.

Nazeem's most recent comedy special is called "Hussain in the Membrane."

The Museum wishes to thank The Hilary and Galen Weston Foundation for their generous support of This Being Human.

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

FURTHER RESOURCES: 

Watch Hussain in the Membrane: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6idjFQoYZM 

See Nazeem’s Instagram: 

https://www.instagram.com/nazeemhussain/ 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Murad Subay is a street artist from Yemen. His campaigns such as “Faces of War,” “Ruin” and “Color the Walls of Your Street” reflect his experiences living through revolution and war. He talks to AR about what drives him to paint, his mixed feelings about being called the “Yemeni Banksy,” and about collaborating with the public on his work.

The Museum wishes to thank The Hilary and Galen Weston Foundation for their generous support of This Being Human.

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

FURTHER RESOURCES:

You can see Murad’s campaign on his website:

https://muradsubay.com/

And his Instagram page:

https://www.instagram.com/muradsubay/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The heavy metal band Voice of Baceprot was formed by three middle schoolers in a small town in Indonesia. Over the years, they built an international following that includes rock legends like Tom Morello from Rage Against the Machine, Flea from Red Hot Chili Peppers and Slash from Guns N' Roses. They joined AR from a studio in Jakarta, where they were at work on their debut album, to talk about their upbringing, falling in love with rock music, and how they overcame their families' skepticism about their musical careers.

Songs included in this episode:
"PMS" and "God, Allow Me [Please] To Play Music" by Voice of Baceprot, courtesy of Voice of Baceprot and 12Wired
"Forever In Love" by Imade Seputra.

FURTHER RESOURCES:

Go to Voice of Baceprot’s website for videos, tour dates and news about the band: https://www.voiceofbaceprot.com

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

The Museum wishes to thank The Hilary and Galen Weston Foundation for their generous support of This Being Human.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How exactly did Jalaluddin Rumi, a 13th-Century Persian mystic, become one of the most popular poets in the modern English-speaking world? Coleman Barks played a major role. Barks' free verse interpretations of Rumi have at times been the top-selling poetry books in America. Now 86 years old, Barks joins AR to talk about how he was given a mission to bring Rumi's words to the masses, which turned into a lifelong pursuit. He also talks about how his interest lately has shifted from Rumi to Rumi's teacher, Shams Tabrizi.

FURTHER RESOURCES:

In this episode, Coleman reads from Soul Fury: Rumi and Shams Tabriz on Friendship

If you’re looking for somewhere to start with Coleman’s work, we recommend The Essential Rumi and Delicious Laughter.

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

The Museum wishes to thank The Hilary and Galen Weston Foundation for their generous support of This Being Human.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Abbas Rattani is the co-founder of MIPSTERZ, an arts collective that has been a vital part of the conversation around Muslim identity in contemporary, urban America. He talks about what it means to be a Muslim hipster, the group's first viral video, and their recent work in Muslim Futurism.

FURTHER RESOURCES:

Watch the collective’s Somewhere In America video: https://www.mipsterz.com/somewhere

See some pieces from ALHAMDU, their exhibit on Muslim Futurism: https://www.mipsterz.com/alhamdu

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

The Museum wishes to thank The Hilary and Galen Weston Foundation for their generous support of This Being Human.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.