Sheikh Jamaal Diwan on Diffused Congruence Podcast: The American Muslim Experience

Parvez and Omar are honored to be joined by Shaykh Jamaal Diwan, co-founder and Resident Scholar at The Majlis. This was a wide-ranging conversation with Shaykh Jamaal discussing his personal journey connecting with his faith, his studies at Al-Azhar University, and the principles underlying The Majlis. Beyond his personal journey the conversation touches on parenting, the challenges of nurturing a sense of community in the United States, a "cultural topography" of Southern California, and much more.
This is an excellent companion episode to Episode 131 with his wife Shaykha Muslema Purmul, co-founder and Religious Director at The Majlis.
About Shaykh Jamaal Diwan
Shaykh Jamaal Diwan was born and raised in Southern California to parents from Newfoundland and Pakistan. He accepted Islam in 2003 while at UCSD. After getting married and graduating from UCSD in Third World Studies, he and his wife moved to Egypt to study Arabic and Islamic Studies. He stayed there for the better part of the next seven years finishing an undergraduate degree in Sharia from al-Azhar. During that time he also completed two years of graduate work in Islamic Studies from the American University in Cairo. In addition to his formal studies he has also obtained ijazat (traditional licenses to transmit and teach) in various branches of Islamic Studies such as aqidah, fiqh, tazkiyah, and hadith.
Upon returning from Egypt in 2011 he has served as a religious teacher and instructor in Southern California in various capacities such as Resident Scholar, University Chaplain, and Islamic Studies teacher.
He cofounded The Majlis with his wife, Shaykha Muslema Purmul. The Majlis seeks to nurture safe community spaces where people can learn and live Islam, based on the traditional sources of understanding the faith, while acknowledging the particular challenges of the American context. It focuses its efforts on religious education, spiritual refinement, love, and service. He is a father of two, residing in Southern California with his family.
This is an unofficial channel created by a fan to create more awareness about the excellent Diffused Congruence Podcast: The American Muslim Experience. I do not own the audio interview or images.
This podcast, which explores and celebrates the many facets of the American Muslim experience, has been hosted by Parvez Ahmed and Omar Ansari since October 2013. Zaki Hasan was co-host from 2013 to 2019. This is Episode 146. It aired on February 13, 2024.
You can stream or download other episodes at: diffusedcongru...
Please donate to keep this podcast going at: / diffusedcongruence
From the Diffused Congruence’s page:
With new episodes slated to drop the first Friday of every month, the goal of our show is to highlight and focus on unique and interesting personalities from both within and without the American Muslim community, and engage them in what will hopefully be a worthwhile and invigorating conversation not only for the guests, but also for listeners.
Since its inception in 2013, Diffused Congruence: The American Muslim Experience has been dedicated to highlighting unique and interesting personalities from within the American Muslim community, and engage them in what will hopefully be a worthwhile and invigorating conversation not only for the guests, but also for listeners. We like to think of the podcast as part oral history/personal narrative and part a discussion of critical issues, with listeners feeling as though they are sitting in on a casual (and non-scripted) conversation. Our guests include scholars, thought leaders, academics, artists, actors, journalists, and activists.
Learn more about this podcast at diffusedcongruence or www.diffusedcongruence.podbean.com
Podcast questions and comments? [e-mail]