The She Speaks We Hear Podcast: Recent Episodes
Sharmeen Ziauddin
This podcast is to amplify the voices of British Muslim women. Topics include news, politics and lifestyle. You will hear from successful Muslim women talking about anything and everything.
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The She Speaks We Hear Podcast is back for a brand new season!
Season 2 starts with Sharmeen Ziauddin interviewing Dr Myriam Francois, a Franco-Irish journalist, writer and filmmaker.
At the time of recording 30,000 people have been killed in Gaza, by Israel since 7 Oct, many of them women and children. Off the back of the helplessness and trauma many people are feeling globally, it was important for She Speaks We Hear to capture this sentiment. Hearing those voices that often go unheard. To kick off this season we will largely focus on the tragedy taking place in Gaza and all the consequences of it across the world, with a focus on the UK.
In this explosive episode (there are a few swearies) Myriam says it how it is - she does not hold back and articulates what a lot of people are feeling.
Sharmeen and Myriam discuss the state of democracy following the British Prime Minister's recent remarks about the Palestinian solidarity marches that call for a ceasefire in Israel and Gaza, how to beat the misinformation that is out there on social media and what you can do to support the Palestinian people.
Myriam also talks about her latest documentary Finding Alaa which you can watch on BBC iPlayer.
She can be found on @MyriamFrancoisC on X or myzfrancois on Instagram. You can visit her website at www.myriamfrancois.com.
You can find Sharmeen on @sharm33n or Instagram @sharm33nz.
Please follow She Speaks We Hear on Instagram and X to keep up to date with events and podcast episodes. Visit the website https://shespeakswehear.com/ and to get in touch email podcast@shespeakswehear.com.
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In the first episode of 2023, you can listen to a candid conversation with the She Speaks We team. Akeela, Aliya and Sharmeen talk about the pressing issues affecting Muslim women and society in general. There is discussion of Andrew Tate, how social media has shaped modern society and the polarisation of politics. Aliya shares some absolute gems about a range of topics including the significance of 2008! They also share their personal reflections on 2022 as well as some chat about Netflix and representation. All three share their 2022 book/TV recommendations. You don't want to miss this one.
You can follow the women on their personal Twitter accounts:
Akeela Ahmed
Aliya Zaidi
Sharmeen Ziauddin
Or follow She Speaks We Hear on socials:
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Most of the narrative around Afghanistan is politically charged, especially regarding women's rights. But how often do we get to hear from Afghan women themselves?
In this special episode, Sharmeen interviews Councillor Peymana Assad and Afghan women’s rights activist Sveto Muhammad Ishoq who explain what is really going on in Afghanistan.
What is everyday life like for Afghan girls and women?
Sveto, who was brought up in Afghanistan and left in 2021 when US troops left, talks about her experiences and why she is campaigning for women's rights and freedom. Peymana, also a former refugee explains the limitations of the Afghanistan Resettlement Scheme.
They also talk bout the realities of what life is like for Afghan refugees in the UK and the support they are seeking from the British government. They also talk about practical solutions and ways in which people can help.
The Taliban has recently outlawed higher education for women in most of the country — this is one episode you cannot miss.
To find out more about the march discussed in the episode go to https://marchforafghanwomenandgirls.com/
Contact Peymana Assad: @peymasad
Contact Sveto Muhammad Ishoq: @sveto_ishoq
You can find out more about She Speaks We Hear on the website: https://shespeakswehear.com/ and don't forget to sign up for the newsletter by subscribing.
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Have you ever wondered why so many women convert to Islam? This episode is an honest, spiritual conversation with Aysha Mercedes and Ameenah Shaw about their very personal journeys to Islam. Both women became Muslim in adulthood and share their experiences which led to that moment, and what has happened since. Aysha (a counsellor) and Ameenah (a natural hair product business owner) present the Sister2Sister podcast together and both also work as TV presenters at Islam Channel.
Here are the meanings of some of the Arabic words used in the podcast:
Revert = Someone who has converted to Islam – the word revert is used because Muslims believe everyone is born Muslim so if you are brought up in a different faith when you become Muslim, you revert back
Noor = Light
Wudu = Ablution/cleansing ritual
Al-Fatiha = The first chapter in the Quran
Tawhid = Oneness of God
Shahada = Testifying that Allah is one and Muhammad (pbuh) is his messenger – it is what people say when they officially become Muslim
Dawah = The act of inviting or calling people to embrace Islam
Alhamdulillah= Praise be to God
Subhanallah = Glory be to God
Iman = Faith
Abaya = Long dress/cloak worn by some Muslim women
Duniya = World
Salah = Ritual prayer
Ummah = Community
Asalaamu-alaikum - Peace be unto you (equivalent to hello)
Walaikum-asalaam - And unto you peace (response to the greeting)
Link to Khalid Yaseen’s documentary
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In this episode, Sharmeen speaks to doula and perinatal wellness professional Anisah Abdullah. Anisah specialises in mindset mastery and birth trauma support for expectant and postpartum mothers. She explains what this is and how she is passionate about offering holistic personalised support, putting the power and autonomy back in the mother’s hands. As a black, Muslim veiled woman she experienced first-hand how some spaces can be unwelcoming for women like her.
This episode is by no means just for expectant mothers - we all know women around us who have given birth or are about to and this episode is a real education in what they go through from pregnancy to the ‘fourth trimester'. Expectant fathers, new dads, husbands and brothers are welcome too.
For further info and resources check out Anisah on Instagram: @inherentbirth
You can find out more about She Speaks We Hear on the website: https://shespeakswehear.com/ and don't forget to sign up for the newsletter by subscribing.
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Sharmeen speaks to Tabassum Awan about how she swapped her successful career in investment banking for her dream of sharing Kashmiri tea with the world. She explains how lack of fulfilment led her to start her own business - the Pink Tea Café. Holder of two masters' degrees, Tabassum talks about her experience on the trading floor and how her banking career helped start her business. She also talks about her local community work since the Grenfell Fire. There is a lot of tea talk and how drinking tea can bring people together! This episode is a must for budding entrepreneurs and tea lovers alike. You may hear the following Arabic words used in the podcast so here is a little translation:
Alhamdolillah - Praise be to God
Inshallah - God willing
Mashallah - What God has willed
Asalaam-alaikum - Peace be unto you
Walaikum-asalaam - And unto you peace
You can check out the Pink Tea Cafe on Instagram.
You can find out more about She Speaks We Hear on the website: https://shespeakswehear.com/ and don't forget to sign up for the newsletter by subscribing.
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In this episode, Sharmeen and Layla Hussanali aka Halal Girl About Town, a pioneer in the halal food blogging scene, talk about the ups and downs of being a blogger and influencer, being an entrepreneur, parenting and of course the conversation is dominated by food and restaurants which is Sharmeen’s favourite subject anyway. What does BW stand for and what is Layla’s favourite restaurant? Find out in this foodie special…
You can find Layla’s websites here:
https://www.halalgirlabouttown.com/
https://www.mymodestmama.com/
Or reach her on Instagram.
(Halal means permissible in Islam. In the context of food, halal means food that Muslims are allowed to eat. As there are a lot of misconceptions about halal meat – this website is a good source of information about halal food.)
You can find out more about She Speaks We Hear on the website: https://shespeakswehear.com/ and don't forget to sign up for the newsletter by subscribing.
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We hear a lot about diversity and inclusion but why is it so important and what does it really mean for employers and employees? Rukasana, a DEI practitioner, speaks to Sharmeen and breaks it down, explaining its evolution and importance in the corporate world. Rukasana currently works at Warner Bros but has done this work for large organisations such as Ernst Young and Google. You can find her on LinkedIn.
You may hear the following Arabic words used in the podcast so here is a little translation:
Alhamdolillah - Praise be to God
Inshallah - God willing
Mashallah - What God has willed
Asalaam-alaikum - Peace be unto you
Walaikum-asalaam - And unto you peace
Iftar – the meal you eat when opening a fast
You can find out more about She Speaks We Hear on the website: https://shespeakswehear.com/ and don't forget to sign up for the newsletter by subscribing.
You can also follow us on:
Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.
TW: There is some talk about domestic violence, abuse and suicide.
Sharmeen speaks exclusively to the inspiring co-founder and strategic leader of global online community Muslim Mamas aka the ‘Muslim Mumsnet’ – Nafisa Rahimi. Nafisa explains how the group started and what she went through to win the Facebook Accelerator Programme 2021 securing the funding and support of tech giant Meta to help grow the brand Muslim Mamas.
Do check out her podcast Not Another Mum Pod and the Muslim Mamas Facebook page too – if you want to get in touch with Muslim Mamas you can go to their website.
You may hear the following Arabic words used in the podcast so here is a little translation:
Alhamdolillah - Praise be to God
Inshallah - God willing
Mashallah - What God has willed
Asalaam-alaikum - Peace be unto you
Walaikum-asalaam - And unto you peace
You can find out more about She Speaks We Hear on the website: https://shespeakswehear.com/ and don't forget to sign up for the newsletter by subscribing.
You can also follow us on
Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this empowering episode, Sharmeen speaks to entrepreneur Khalila Lister about her journey into Islam and how she found her voice again. They talk about her business, her niqab (face veil) and how her family reacted when she became Muslim at 19-years-old. It’s not a long episode but it packs a punch. Listen to her incredible story now.
You can watch Khalilah’s TED talk that she talks about here and follow her on her socials @powerofvoiceacademy
You can find out more about She Speaks We Hear on the website: https://shespeakswehear.com/ and don't forget to sign up for the newsletter by subscribing.
You can also follow us on:
Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.
This episode is a bit controversial! Sharmeen speaks to poet, writer, and educator Suhaiymah Manzoor-Khan about her work. They talk about her experience at Cambridge University as a woman of colour and the impact of Islamophobia and how she thinks it motivates policy-making and new laws. They also discuss how she became a spoken word poet and about her recently published book “Tangled in Terror – Uprooting Islamophobia” which is available now on Pluto Press.
You can read more about Suhaiymah and her work on her website suhaiymah.com and you can find her on Instagram and Twitter as @thebrownhijabi. Here is a link to Suhaiymah’s performance in the poetry slam she mentions in the episode.
You may hear the following Arabic words used in the podcast so here is a little translation:
Alhamdolillah - Praise be to God
Inshallah - God willing
Mashallah - What God has willed
Asalaam-alaikum - Peace be unto you
Walaikum-asalaam - And unto you peace
You can find out more about She Speaks We Hear on the website: https://shespeakswehear.com/ and don't forget to sign up for the newsletter by subscribing.
You can also follow us on:
Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.
This episode is slightly different because it's a candid discussion between Sharmeen Ziauddin – Editor-in-chief and Aliya Zaidi – Head of Content Strategy of SSWH. They give their views about some of the major issues of the day – the war on Ukraine and refugees, Islamophobia in India, Muslim Women's Day, The Oscars and of course the upcoming month of Ramadan — so definitely a mixed bag!
As promised here are the links to the women they shouted out:
Areej Abu Ali - Founder of Women in Tech SEO
Humaira Ahmed – SSWH’s new social media co-ordinator and book blogger - Bookish Connections
You can find out more about She Speaks We Hear on the website: https://shespeakswehear.com/ and don't forget to sign up for the newsletter by subscribing.
You can also follow us on
Produced by Sharmeen Ziauddin
Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.
No expletives in this episode but there is some discussion about sex workers and suicide bombers.
In this episode Sabbiyah talks to Sharmeen about life as a BBC reporter. They talk about what makes a good journalist, representing Bradford and the North as a communities reporter and what it's really like working for the BBC. You can find Sabbiyah on Twitter @sabbiyahpervez
Please subscribe and follow this podcast to be updated with the newest episodes. You can find out more about She Speaks We Hear on the website: https://shespeakswehear.com/ and don't forget to sign up for our newsletter by subscribing.
You can also follow us on Twitter and Instagram
Produced by Sharmeen Ziauddin
Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.
TW: There is a detailed discussion about the loss of a child, infertility, and trauma.
No swearing but the word p*ki is used when talking about racism and immigration.
This deep and heartfelt episode with Tazeena Dhunna, an transformational life coach and media trainer, discusses grief, spirituality, gratitude and trauma. Tazeen shares her journey from being a successful trader and financial journalist to deliberately changing her career path to doing something that feeds her soul.
There is also a discussion about the impact of immigration on those who emigrated to the UK in the 60s and 70s as well as the charity Tazeen started called Humanity’s Heart. She also talks about Sufism – the mystical and spiritual side of Islam that led her to where she is now.
You can find out more about her from her website Tazeen.tv and also by joining her Facebook group.
You may hear some guests use the following Arabic words so here is a little translation:
Duniya: World
Alhamdolillah - Praise be to God
Inshallah - God willing
Mashallah - What God has willed
Asalaam-alaikum - Peace be unto you
Walaikum-asalaam - And unto you peace
You can find out more about She Speaks We Hear on the website: https://shespeakswehear.com/ and don't forget to sign up for our newsletter by subscribing.
You can also follow SSWH on Twitter and Instagram
Produced by Sharmeen Ziauddin
Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this episode, Sharmeen speaks to writer and podcaster Tasneem Abdur-Rashid. They talk about her debut rom-com book, Finding Mr Perfectly Fine, and about the podcast she co-hosts. There is talk about marriage and how difficult it can be to find a partner which forms the inspiration for her novel. Tasneem gives her tips on how to get published if you are an aspiring writer and we talk about some controversial guests she has interviewed on her podcast.
You can find Tasneem on Instagram: @tasneemarashid and @notanothermumpod where you can keep up to date with her book which will be published by Zaffre/Bonnier in summer 2022.
You may hear some guests use the following Arabic words so here is a little translation:
Alhamdolillah - Praise be to God
Inshallah - God willing
Mashallah - What God has willed
Asalaam-alaikum - Peace be unto you
Walaikum-asalaam - And unto you peace
You can Find out more about She Speaks We Hear on the website: https://shespeakswehear.com/ and don't forget to sign up for our newsletter by subscribing.
You can also follow us on Twitter and Instagram
Produced by Sharmeen Ziauddin
Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.
Warning: There is a tiny bit of swearing in this episode.
In this episode, Sharmeen interviews the first hijab-wearing Sudanese female comedian on TV, Ola Labib, about her double life as a pharmacist by day and comedian by night. Ola tells us why she became a comedian and what her journey into stand-up was like. She talks about her Sudanese family, what they think of her new job and what it is like being a visible Muslim on the comedy circuit. Ola has toured with well-known comedians and has had many TV appearances. You can find out more about her here:
https://www.utcartistmanagement.co.uk/artist/ola-labib/ or follow her on Instagram: @theolalabib
Find out more about She Speaks We Hear on the website: https://shespeakswehear.com/
Follow us on Twitter and Instagram
Produced by Sharmeen Ziauddin
Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.
In the first episode of 2022, we speak to Julie Siddiqi MBE about activism and what drives her to keep going, the importance of interfaith work, problems with traditional feminism and the difficulties Muslim women face when calling out issues in their communities. So nothing too heavy then!
You can reach Julie on Instagram - @Julie.Siddiqi
You can Find out more about She Speaks We Hear on the website:
https://shespeakswehear.com/
Follow us on Twitter and Instagram
Produced by Sharmeen Ziauddin
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In this episode, we speak to life and relationship coach Aamna Khokhar of leafcoaching.com. Aamna is also the resident life coach for She Speaks We Hear and has done several workshops with us in the past.
She explains the difference between coaching and therapy, how to find a good coach and how relationship coaching can help couples achieve better understanding.
You can find out more from the website leafcoaching.com or on Instagram @leaf_coaching .
For more information about SSWH go to the website: https://shespeakswehear.com/
Follow us on Twitter and Instagram
Produced by Sharmeen Ziauddin
Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this episode, Sharmeen speaks to inspiring PE teacher and ex-professional sportswoman Dana Abdulkarim. Not only was Dana the first Muslim hijabi to play for England (rounders) but also the first hijabi to become a PE teacher!
Dana, who is from Yorkshire, goes deep into her experiences of racism whilst growing up and playing sport, being the only Muslim in the village and shares her thoughts about racism in cricket.
Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.
We speak to the incredibly honest influencer and paediatrician, Dr Kiran Rahim, about going through burnout and working in the NHS through the pandemic. We also talk about mental health, tips for working mothers to avoid burnout and self-worth.
You can find Kiran on Instagram @themunchingmedic
Find out more on our website: https://shespeakswehear.com/
Produced by Sharmeen Ziauddin
Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.
Welcome to the first episode of the podcast. In this episode, you’ll hear from the core team – Sharmeen, Akeela and Aliya and also find out what SSWH is all about.
There is some chat about social media, feminism, the police, and how some children’s programmes are not what they seem..
You can find out more on our website: https://shespeakswehear.com/
Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.