I sit down with Alexander Massad to discuss his new book "Witnessing God: Christians, Muslims, and the Comparative Theology of Missions".  Alex is a strong proponent of Evangelical and Mu...

I speak about a recent keynote address that I gave at the Pacific Northeast Virtual Exchange conference where I connect my research on the Islamic Mary or Maraym to COIL Virtual Exchange.  Growing up in the 90s, there was a strong push for...

One of the reason I have been drawn to the Islamic Mary or Maryam is the idea of a shared figure between various religious traditions and the interactions between them.  This led me to the emerging field of Interreligious Studies and to th...

As part of the slander against Maryam, her people reference her family.  They say that she comes from a noble lineage and her father was a decent man and her mother was not unchaste.  The verse connects Maryam once again to Moses/Musa...

After Maryam has her child Jesus/'Isa, she has to return to her people and face their judgement and criticism.  Maryam "carries" her child which echoes how Noah was "carried" in the ark.  Also, Maryam is attacked for her perceived sex...

When I was writing

After Maryam is told to eat, drink and be glad, she told to take a vow of silence and not speak to anyone for an entire day.  The second half of verse 19:26 sets up the themes of God being the most merciful and the themes of silence and sp...

As we are six months into 2025, we revisit the top 5 podcasts of 2024.  The Islamic Mary podcast now has over 50 episodes and a library of different interviews, reflections and commentaries.  A common theme is to give voice to overloo...

After Maryam shakes the palm tree, she is told "to eat, drink, and be glad".  This phrase connects her with other Qur'anic mothers, such as the mother of Moses/Musa, and a larger Qur'anic theme of finding joy with your family.  Muslim...

When I started writing my book

After Maryam calls out in pain and anguish, a voice calls telling her to shake a palm tree and ripe dates will fall upon her.  This is similar to other Qur'anic figures, such as Moses/Musa, who are told to act when they are in trying and d...

Happy to share the third and final installment of the 2025 ICJS Silber-Obrecht Lectures where I respond to Rachel S. Mikva's lecture "What Does it Mean to Be Huma...

Happy to share the second of the 2025 ICJS Silber-Obrecht Lectures where Rachel S. Mikva discusses "What Does it Mean to Be Human?" She touches on issues relating...

Happy to share the first of the 2025 ICJS Silber-Obrecht Lectures where Rachel S. Mikva discusses "What Does it Mean to Be Human?" She touches on issues relating ...

After Maryam laments and wishes she was dead and long forgotten, she hears a call from below.  This voice guides her on what to do next and informs her that she should not worry or be sad.  This "call" connects her to Zechariah/Zakari...

Happy to share this 2025 ICJS Silber-Obrecht Lecture Conversation Event where Rachel S. Mikva, ...

I am super excited to announce that my book

In the climax of the story, Maryam makes a remarkable statement: "I wish I had died before this and been a thing forgotten".  Qur'anic commentators understood this statement as part of the pain and suffering of the righteous and that when ...

When I started my career, I was interested in the figure of Abraham/Ibrahim and how he could be a bridge figure between Christians, Jews and Muslims.  However, as I wrote my book on

Subscribe to the Islamic Mary podcast as we explore the chapter of Mary or Maryam!  In our second season, we will examine how the chapter (sura) has a unique rhyme scheme, emerges from an era of hopelessness and desperation, and emphasizes...

In the Chapter of Mary (Maryam), Zechariah/Zakariyya foreshadows the coming of Maryam.  I sit down with Maria Barga to discuss her article "Redeeming Zachariah" which uses the Qur'an to understand the Biblical narrative and to argue that Z...

We now have reached the climax of the story where Maryam is about to give birth to her son Jesus.  However, she begins to experience pain and retreats to a trunk of a palm tree.  The Qur'an signals that relief comes after hardship and...

Join me for one of the most popular episodes of 2024 where I interview Martin Nguyen on his edited book

I sit down with Alexander Massad to discuss his new book "Witnessing God: Christians, Muslims, and the Comparative Theology of Missions".  Alex is a strong proponent of Evangelical and Mu...

Before she gives birth to Jesus/'Isa, Maryam withdraws for a second time.  The word that is used for "withdrawal" is a hapax or a word that is only used in the Chapter of Mary (Surat Maryam).  The Qur'an is highlighting that something...