PT 616 - Karina Bashir on Psychedelics, Islam, and Human Rights

In this engaging episode of the Psychedelics Today podcast, host Joe Moore sits down with Karina Bashir, an attorney working at the intersection of law, business ethics, and psychedelics.

Karina, of counsel with Antithesis Law and an active member of the psychedelic community, shares her unique journey from human rights advocacy into the evolving field of psychedelic law. The conversation explores her presentation at Harvard on psychedelics and monotheistic religions, and her efforts to bridge the gap between Islamic communities and psychedelic-assisted healing.

She discusses the legal frameworks she navigates to support clients in the psychedelic ecosystem, the spiritual depth of Sufism, and the expansive tradition of Islamic philosophy and mysticism.

If you’re intrigued by the intersections of religion, law, and psychedelic healing, this episode offers deep insights and hopeful perspectives.

00:00 – Introduction and Guest Welcome 00:19 – Meeting at the Psychedelic Safety Institute 01:04 – Karina's Legal Work and Background 04:03 – Human Rights and Migration Work 07:30 – Psychedelics as a Human Rights Issue 18:01 – Legal Challenges in the Psychedelic Space 23:03 – Islam and Psychedelics 28:15 – The Fatwa Process and Islamic Scholars 28:57 – Building Momentum in the Muslim Community 29:08 – Islamic Law and Psychedelics 29:30 – Engaging Muslim Scholars and Community 33:45 – Sufism and Islamic Mysticism 35:09 – Access to Psychedelic Medicine for Muslims 36:49 – Positive Responses and Growing Interest 39:17 – Sufism's Rich Traditions and Practices 40:51 – Intersection of Sufism and Psychedelics 44:14 – Islamic Cosmology and Psychedelic Experiences 51:26 – Concluding Thoughts and Future Directions Attorney, Ethics Advocate, and Program Director at North Star Project

Karina Bashir is an accomplished attorney and thought leader working at the intersection of law, ethics, and psychedelics to support a new paradigm of care and equity. She serves as Of Counsel with Antithesis Law, PC, advising clients on corporate formation, risk mitigation, compliance, and ethical best practices. As Program Director at the North Star Project, she advocates for values-driven growth in the psychedelic field through the development of dynamic ethical guidelines. Karina also sits on the Board of Directors of the Psychedelic Bar Association and serves as a steward of its Religious Use Committee.

Her work also bridges Islamic thought and psychedelic healing, exploring how spiritual traditions—particularly Sufism—can inform modern approaches to wellness and therapeutic care. She is passionate about increasing access and cultural understanding within Muslim communities engaging with psychedelics.

A Fulbright and Gates Cambridge Scholar, Karina holds a JD from UC Berkeley, an MPhil in International Relations from the University of Cambridge, and a BA from the University of Michigan.