In this episode I had the pleasure to speak to Bareerah Ghani, where explore the layers of a writer's journey. From the intersections of immigration and identity to the nuances of what it takes to have your stories published in magazines. We also talk about our MFA experiences and what got from them. Bareerah Ghani is a Canadian-Pakistani writer, r…

Hajera is a writer, a creative writing teacher, and an editor. She makes craft accessible and the writing process seem less daunting. Whenever I feel like my writing is not working, I check out her Instagram page. In our conversation, we dive into topics ranging from her writing routine, questions she get asked by students, MFA programs, the editin…

Rakaya is an award-winning poet, facilitator, event producer, and writer who explores themes of faith identity, and culture. She holds a master's degree in creative writing. You can watch her performances on YouTube (linked below). Rakaya has been commissioned by organizations like the BBC, Facebook, and Instagram. In our conversation, we dive into…

Every aspiring writer will question whether they should self-publish their book or go through the traditional publishing route. In this episode, I speak to the poet F.S. Yousaf, who has experienced both self-publishing and traditional publishing, as he shares the advantages and disadvantages of both worlds. We also delve into the world of poetry, d…

The stories we read during our childhood, the places we visit, and the challenges we overcome are all the bedrock of our upbringing; they shape our adulthood. In this episode, I speak to Jasmine Bager about her experience as a Saudi journalist, her upbringing, education, and writing on arts and culture. During our conversation, we uncover the inspi…

We underestimate the power of words, even though they’re the bedrock of change. In this episode I speak to Zainab Iqbal about her experience as a Muslim journalist, and how she uses her words to tell stories that gets overlooked by the mainstream media. Zainab is a powerful voice, who puts her Muslim Identity before every word she writes. We spoke …

We often take our bodies for granted. In this episode, I had the pleasure to speak with my friend Navid, who is a personal trainer, motivational speaker, and positive human being. In our conversation we covered his body-building journey, the car accident that changed his perspective on coaching methods, how to prepare and enjoy Ramadan, and more. 🔗…

We're always wondering what to do next, or whether we are in the right career path or not. Rafiul Prodhan is one of those people that has done it all. From corporate, running his own company, to real estate. He's not afraid to start something new and takes pleasure in the learning process. Rafiul is a friend, and someone I admire. In our conversati…

In this episode, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Husam Kaid, who is an accomplished activist, and avid reader. We started our conversation by discussing the impact of childhood television shows and how they shaped our upbringing in Yemen. He also shared his reading and note-taking strategies, and his favorite books. I found our conversation…

Ali is a Polyglot, who writes and speaks three languages including Arabic, English, and French, and he’s learning German. He is a bachelor's degree student in Applied Languages & International Business who is on a continuous mission to better himself. “His curiosity and a cup of coffee are the driving forces.” Ali is also the founder of the Manager…

My guest in this episode is Priyanka Taslim. She is a teacher by day and a writer by night. She began as a fantasy writer before writing young adult romance fiction. In the podcast, we talk about her experience as a young writer, and her emphasis on writing Bangladeshi characters, which she didn’t grow up reading. She has a strong sense of stories,…

My guest in this episode is Abdulrahman Bindamnan. He moved to the United States from Yemen in 2016, after winning an international scholarship through The Hadhramout Foundation. He arrived here with the goal to start university, without a word of English. He attended the University of Miami, where he got a BA in Psychology and Religion, which we t…

My guest in this episode is Sajidah, better known as S.K. Ali. She’s a fiction author. Her book, Saints and Misfits was the 2018 William C Morris Award finalist and was featured in multiple lists of Best Teen Novels of 2017. Her book Love from A to Z, which we talk about on the podcast, was on several 2019 YA lists, including Kirkus and Entertainme…

My guest in this episode is Ilyas Mao, an acapella singer, songwriter, composer, and producer. Our conversation took us back to Somalia, where Ilyas was born, to Pakistan, where he spent a few years before moving to Canada. We spoke about artists in the Muslim community, and the needed support. How he discovered his talent and transitioned from mak…

Hazawi. حazawi. Stories In Hazawi Podcast, I will be interviewing Muslim writers, poets, filmmakers, and other creatives to reveal the story behind their craft. I’m interested in exploring the artist's journey, process, and challenges. ~~~ I’ll also be posting articles about my own writing process and current projects on www.moethewriter.com. On th…