Zarqa Nawaz is a Canadian writer, filmmaker, and comedian best known for creating the groundbreaking sitcom "Little Mosque on the Prairie," the world’s first television series centered on a Muslim community in the West. Premiering in 2007 on CBC, the show aired six seasons and 91 episodes, reaching audiences in over 60 countries while humorously exploring the daily lives of practicing Muslims. Nawaz further expanded her storytelling with the bestselling comedic memoir "Laughing All the Way to the Mosque," which chronicles her experiences growing up as a Muslim in Canada. Her earlier documentary, "Me and the Mosque," produced for the National Film Board of Canada in 2005, examined Muslim women’s struggles with patriarchal mosque practices and served as inspiration for her later television work.
Nawaz’s career blends humor with cultural insight, often addressing themes of faith, identity, and gender through a comedic lens. Before her success in television, she directed several short films, including "BBQ Muslims," "Death Threat," and "Fred’s Burqa," establishing her distinctive voice in satirical storytelling. A graduate of the University of Toronto with a B.Sc and Ryerson University with a B.A.A in journalism, Nawaz has become a sought-after speaker on topics such as Islam and comedy, multiculturalism, and gender dynamics in religious spaces. She resides in Regina, Saskatchewan, with her husband and four children, continuing to engage audiences through her writing and public appearances.