In this episode, we read the autobiography of doctor Qanta Ahmed, an American-born doctor and Muslim who traveled to Saudi Arabia and tried to make sense of the culture and navigate Sharia law. The book is In the Land of Invisible Women: A Female Doctor's Journey in the Saudi Kingdom. Ahmed's time in Saudi Arabia spans late 90s and early 2000s, and she was living there during the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

Once she arrived in the country, Ahmed bought her first hijab and other full veils and worked to integrate herself into her surroundings. She even took a pilgrimage to Mecca one year. Ahmed is shocked by what she finds in the Saudi Arabia but also oddly comforted by some of the daily rituals and the journey to Mecca. Though she never completely accepts with the rules, she finds peace and tenderness in the people and places.

We learned so much while reading and discussing this book, and we hope you do, too!