Living Islam with Purpose: A Conversation with Humera Khan
Fri Jul 18 2025
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In this powerful and heart-opening episode of Rahma with Rose, I sit down with Humera Khan, a London-based community leader, educator, and faith-based activist who has spent decades merging social justice and spirituality into an embodied path. Humera opens up about her journey from cultural Islam as a young woman to recognizing activism, motherhood, and community-building as deeply spiritual practices, challenging traditional notions of spirituality as quiet withdrawal from society.
She candidly reflects on how patriarchal and authoritarian interpretations of Islam have constrained the richness of lived faith, offering a critical yet compassionate critique of shame-based approaches that remain far too common in Muslim communities. With grace and wisdom, Humera shares the personal tools that have helped her stay grounded through adversity, confront gender injustice in religious spaces, and embrace her “enoughness” as a British Muslim woman.
Humera Khan is a freelance Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion consultant and trustee of the London-based An-Nisa Society, a pioneering Muslim women's organisation she co-founded. For over four decades, she has worked at the intersection of community development, policy, and social justice, focusing on the needs of Muslim families. Humera has led and developed projects in Islamic counselling, supplementary education, youth engagement, and sexual health—most notably through her Cycle of Life book series. She has contributed to national conversations through governmental advisory roles and interfaith dialogue, and continues to write and speak on issues such as identity, gender, Islamophobia, and family welfare.
Connect with Humera through An-Nisa Society: www.an-nisasociety.org
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Find out more about Rose's work here: https://lnk.bio/dr.rose.aslan
Website: https://compassionflow.com
Support Rahma with Rose so I can keep producing more episodes here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2197727/supporters/new
Music credits: Vocals: Zeynep Dilara Aslan; Ney/drum: Elif Önal; Tanbur: Katherine Hreib; Rebap: Hatice Gülbahar Hepsev
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Send us a text In this powerful and heart-opening episode of Rahma with Rose, I sit down with Humera Khan, a London-based community leader, educator, and faith-based activist who has spent decades merging social justice and spirituality into an embodied path. Humera opens up about her journey from cultural Islam as a young woman to recognizing activism, motherhood, and community-building as deeply spiritual practices, challenging traditional notions of spirituality as quiet withdrawal from society. She candidly reflects on how patriarchal and authoritarian interpretations of Islam have constrained the richness of lived faith, offering a critical yet compassionate critique of shame-based approaches that remain far too common in Muslim communities. With grace and wisdom, Humera shares the personal tools that have helped her stay grounded through adversity, confront gender injustice in religious spaces, and embrace her “enoughness” as a British Muslim woman. Humera Khan is a freelance Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion consultant and trustee of the London-based An-Nisa Society, a pioneering Muslim women's organisation she co-founded. For over four decades, she has worked at the intersection of community development, policy, and social justice, focusing on the needs of Muslim families. Humera has led and developed projects in Islamic counselling, supplementary education, youth engagement, and sexual health—most notably through her Cycle of Life book series. She has contributed to national conversations through governmental advisory roles and interfaith dialogue, and continues to write and speak on issues such as identity, gender, Islamophobia, and family welfare. Connect with Humera through An-Nisa Society: www.an-nisasociety.org Support the show Find out more about Rose's work here: https://lnk.bio/dr.rose.aslan Website: https://compassionflow.com Support Rahma with Rose so I can keep producing more episodes here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2197727/supporters/new Music credits: Vocals: Zeynep Dilara Aslan; Ney/drum: Elif Önal; Tanbur: Katherine Hreib; Rebap: Hatice Gülbahar Hepsev