In this third episode of Murmurstations, we explore the intersections of spirituality and speculative fiction with Saad Omar Khan, focusing on his short story, The Zones of Heaven and Earth.

Saad discusses the importance of representing diverse voices in a genre often dominated by Western narratives, reflecting on his own journey as a Muslim writer in a secular environment.

We delve into themes of migration, climate change, and the tension between tradition and adaptation. Saad shares his hopes for a more inclusive future in literature, emphasizing the importance of nuanced portrayals of faith and identity.

Join us for a thought-provoking discussion on storytelling and representation.

Extra Notes:

Correction: In Saad's bio, we say "Best Canadian Fiction 2025" when we mean to say "Best Canadian Stories 2025".

Correction: At the 21:50 mark, Saad mentions Safir "travelling to Mars" when he means to say "the Moon."

The anthology of Palestinian science fiction Saad refers to is Palestine +100: Stories From A Century After The Nakba.

Read The Zones of Heaven and Earth (Augur 6.1)

https://augursociety.org/the-zones-of-heaven-and-earth/

Follow Saad Omar Khan

https://www.saadomarkhan.com/

https://twitter.com/sokonline

https://www.instagram.com/s.omar.khan/

Follow the Augur Literary Society:

⁠⁠⁠https://augursociety.org/⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/augursociety/⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/augursociety⁠⁠⁠

Host and Producer:

Sonia Urlando

Special Thanks To:

Kerry C. Byrne

Lorna Antoniazzi

Martine Nguyen

Lois L.K. Chan

Cindy Ly

Eugénie Szwalek

Madeleine Vigneron

Helena Ramsaroop

Lily H Artwork by: Moccha ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/mochii.mocha⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://twitter.com/Mocchadraws ⁠⁠Music: By By River, by Lobo Lobo

Attribution: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/

Accessed by: http://freemusicarchive.org/