What happens when a father hands his bullied daughter a pair of shiny red boxing gloves and says "learn to defend yourself"? In Saudi Arabia, where women's sports were once completely banned, two fathers dared to see strength in their daughters instead of fragility – and accidentally sparked a revolution. Dr. Daisy Khan's father gave her boxing gloves that became her armor for life, while guest Lina K. AlMaeena's journalist father risked his reputation to publish press releases about his daughter's underground basketball team. For 22 years, Lina built Jeddah United in the shadows, using a commercial license loophole to train women athletes when sports were considered immoral for girls. Then Vision 2030 arrived, and everything changed overnight – women's workforce participation jumped ahead of schedule, driving became legal, and a nation transformed. Here's the contradiction: while fathers privately encouraged their daughters to be athletes, society publicly condemned women's sports as forbidden – until 70% of the population under 25 demanded change. This episode reveals how two fathers' faith in their daughters helped reshape not just individual lives, but an entire kingdom's future.

This is Wise Women with Daisy Khan – because every woman's story matters.

Connect with Dr. Daisy Khan:

Website: daisykhan.com

LinkedIn: @drdaisykhan

Podcast: Wise Women with Daisy Khan

Instagram: daisykhan.nyc

Twitter: DaisyKhan

Follow Lisa K. Almeena and Jeddah United

Website: jeddahunited.com

LinkedIn: @jeddah-united

Lina K. Almeena: Lina-K-Almaeena

Welcome to the pilot episode of Wise Women with Daisy Khan - where we uncover the forgotten stories of extraordinary women who shaped our world. What if the holiest site in Islam was founded not by a king or prophet, but by a single mother abandoned in the desert? 2.5 million people annually retrace the exact footsteps of a single mother abandoned in the desert 4,000 years ago? Meet Hagar - the Egyptian noblewoman whose desperate search for water in barren sand founded Mecca itself. Her seven runs between two hills became the sacred ritual millions still perform today. The spring that saved her son flows even now, after 4,000 years, nourishing pilgrims and believers worldwide. Here's the contradiction: men who honor Hagar's courage by retracing in her footsteps often restrict women in their own lives from walking too fast, claiming it's immodest. They celebrate her independence in ritual while questioning women's capabilities in reality.

Islamic scholar Daisy Khan reveals how one woman's refusal to surrender created a legacy transcending religious boundaries. This isn't just ancient history- it's a masterclass in leadership and the contradictions we still face.

This is Wise Women with Daisy Khan - because every woman's story matters.

Connect with Dr. Daisy Khan:

Website: daisykhan.com

LinkedIn: @drdaisykhan

Podcast: Wise Women with Daisy Khan

Instagram: daisykhan.nyc