قصص النساء في القرآن

Review by Meagan Dashcund

The Short 

Tales of Women in the Qur’an is a wonderfully animated Islamic TV series in Modern Standard Arabic (Fusha) about the powerful and inspirational women throughout the Qur’an. You can find many of the episodes on YouTube or the sequel, Marvelous Stories from the Qur’an, on Amazon Prime.

The Long 

This show is for anyone who wants to listen to Qur’anic stories, advance their Arabic skills, or loves cartoons! The series opens on the Judge, the main storyteller, as he determines what to do with a thief in the market. We then meet Salma, a young woman and daughter of the Judge, who disguises herself as a man to join the police force. She is caught by the local chief of police during her training and brought in front of her father. When confronted about her actions, she claims that she wants to be the son that her father would be proud of. She shares her envy of the strength of men in battle. However, her father challenges this belief asking, “Can we imagine life without women?” He then shares the story of Eve, the mother of all and origin of life. 

To watch or not to watch? 

A definite watch! You can find the series online both with and without subtitles in Arabic or English. While the Arabic is very formal, it is such an enjoyable watch and helps listening comprehension for any introductory Arabic students. You can also find Marvelous Stories from the Qur’an, Tales of Humans in the Qur’an, and even Tales of Animals in the Qur’an!