Qahwa is proud to host Professor of African Religious Thought and Democracy Oludamini Ogunnaike for an evening filled with poetry and reflection!

Hosted by 2020 D.C. Poet Laureate Marjan Naderi, listen to live excerpts and commentary from Dr. Ogunnaike's recent publication "The Book of Clouds", an original collection of Sufi Poetry. Also featured are elevating performances by Marjan Naderi, poet Joseph LMS Green, musician Mojib Ghaznawi and an assortment of local talent!

Doors open at 6:30; Event starts at 7. Registration will be required due to limited capacity inside of Qahwa.

Limited spots are available for open mic poets, spoken word and storytellers! Grab a ticket while you can!

Copies of the Book of Clouds will also be available to purchase for attendees!

Schedule:

6:30 - Doors Open

7:00 - Mojib Ghaznawi

7:10 - Dr. Oludamini Ogunnaike

8:00 - Marjan Naderi

8:15 - Joseph LMS Green

8:30 - Open Mic

8:45 - Maghrib Prayer

9:00 - Open Mic Cont.

9:30 - Closing

About Oludamini Ogunnaike

Oludamini Ogunnaike is an assistant professor of religious studies at the University of Virginia. His research interests include the philosophical dimensions of postcolonial, colonial, and precolonial Islamic and indigenous religious traditions of West and North Africa. He has taught courses on Islam, Islamic philosophy, spirituality, art, and African diasporic religions.

About Marjan Naderi

Marjan Naderi is an Afghan-American poet and the 2020 D.C. Youth Poet Laureate. Her powerful words and captivating performances have garnered attention and acclaim, making her a rising voice in the world of poetry.

She has performed at numerous venues; including The Kennedy Center, The Lincoln Center, and Madison Square Garden. Beyond her laureateship, Marjan continues to be a force in the poetry scene. She has been published by The National YoungArts Foundation, The Quarry: A Split This Rock Poetry Database, and more.

About Mojib Ghaznawi

Mojib Ghaznawi grew up in a family of musicians, two of his brothers are professional Afghan musicians. Thanks to them, he has been playing the flute for over 15 years, and professionally since 2019. Mojib is classically trained in Western classical music and jazz. Mojib has a BA in International Affairs with a music minor from GWU and a Master in Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School. He has toured with Al Firdaus Ensemble in Spain and the Netherlands playing Arabic classical and flamenco music.

About the Book of Clouds:

The Book of Clouds is a collection of English-language Sufi poetry. This compilation of ghazals, quatrains, and qasidas praises and describes Divine love, loss, insight, gratitude, and mystery, bringing the forms, themes, and images of classical Islamicate poetry into English verse. Seeking to demonstrate the unique power of this tradition of thinking and speaking lyrically: to sing what can not be said but must be expressed, these poems attempt to express many of the insights and teachings of the Sufi tradition in one of the main forms of its expression: moving lyrical poetry. Sufism is concerned with forms of knowledge and realization that exceed prosaic description, and thus its main linguistic expressions have been and continue to be literary and poetic.

The Book of Clouds

with Oludamini Ogunnaike