Tom Verde on India’s iconic Muslim queens

Beyond the Taj: The Story of India’s Minorities

As salamu alaykum,

Many Muslim women have carved out their place in the crowded landscape of Indian history. One of them was Razia Sultan, the only female queen of the Delhi Sultanate, who broke the rules of pardah, who defied the will of an established elite to cater to the people. Another was Nur Jahan, a patron of the arts, a visionary of fashion and architecture, and a talented politician. Who were these women, and what can we learn from their stories?

Journalist and author Tom Verde joins us to talk about the palace intrigue, political rebellion, and powerful legacies of these iconic Muslim queens, drawing on the stories found in his recently published book Queens of Islam.

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In solidarity,
Indian American Muslim Council