BRIDGING THE IVORY TOWER & THE STREETS 🕌

BRIDGING THE IVORY TOWER & THE STREETS 🕌 | Muslim Chaplain at Columbia University, Ebad

What does it actually look like to lead a spiritual community inside the Ivy League? In this powerful episode of Rising in the West, we sit down with Ebad Rahman, Muslim Chaplain at Columbia University to talk about faith, service, and showing up for students in the heart of NYC.

From organizing massive Eid prayers to advocating for students behind the scenes, we get real about the highs, the lows, and the spiritual weight of this work.

In this episode, we dive into:
✨ The journey from memorizing the Quran at 15 to earning a PhD
✨ What it really feels like to fight imposter syndrome
✨ Why every student needs to know the history right outside their door (including Malcolm X’s final speech at Barnard in 1965)
✨ The danger of staying inside the "Ivory Tower" and why we must stay connected to the streets
✨ Spiritual survival tips for the "always-on" student life

Ebad's Instagram

⏱️ Timestamps:
0:00 - Introduction
02:15 - Memorizing the Quran to an Ivy League PhD
08:40 - Behind the Scenes: Muslim Life at Columbia
14:10 - Battling Imposter Syndrome & Finding Mentors
21:05 - Local History: Malcolm X’s Final Speech at Barnard (1965)
27:35 - The Ivory Tower vs. The Streets: Using Knowledge Against Oppression
35:50 - Spiritual Self-Care: Finding Peace Through Dhikr

"You are more than your grades, you are more than your degrees... You are a human being. You are a soul."

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