The Thinking Muslim

You can write to Dr Aafia via her lawyer on email clive@3dc.org.uk The deadline for the first round of letters is 1/8/23 - you can still send letters after this date for future visits. Please place in the subject of the email: Thinking Muslim letter for Aafia.Clive has set up a crowdfunding page for a monthly standing order/debit for Aafia; this is to pay for a young Pakistani researcher to help on the case and to fund the trips to the US etc. Use -  https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/freeaafia/backers#startAlthough the war on terror is now a distant memory to many Americans, it’s horrible residue remains. The incarceration of Aafia Siddiqui, a brilliant academic and mother of three, has become a symbol of its excesses, of which there were many. She languishes in prison, serving an 86-year sentence for an offence that looks barely credible, the attempted murder of two US officials in Afghanistan in 2008. Her whereabouts before that date remain murky, and so does the welfare of her youngest son Suleman – who has not been seen since her detention in 2003. To help us unpick the facts, we have invited Aafias lawyer Clive Stafford Smith to shed light on what happened to Aafia and her children. Clive has helped secure the release of 86 prisoners from Guantánamo Bay and still acts for the remaining numbers. Since the early days of the War on Terror, he has worked tirelessly to force the Americans and other Western powers to adhere to the rule of law. He has sought to uncover the secret prisons and ghost prisoners that stain the reputation of powerful states – who presented their wars in benevolent terms.Please consider making a donation, however small, to The Thinking Muslim, to receive a share in the reward and to help us make a greater impact. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.thinkingmuslim.com/Donate⁠⁠Twitter: https://twitter.com/thinking_muslim Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/The-Thinking-Muslim-Podcast-105790781361490 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thinkingmuslimpodcast/ Telegram: https://t.me/thinkingmuslim Host: https://twitter.com/jalalayn Website Archive: https://www.thinkingmuslim.com#TheThinkingMuslimPodcastPlease consider making a donation, however small, to The Thinking Muslim, to receive a share in the reward and to help us make a greater impact. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.thinkingmuslim.com/Donate⁠⁠ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

France’s estimated six million strong Muslims are subject to daily inhuman treatment at the hands of a militant secular state. Islam as a faith has long been traduced and othered, exceptionalised as a religion that must be chastened by French enlightenment. It is this context that we observe with horror the recent episode of brutality. Seventeen year old Nahel Merzouk was killed at point blank range for a minor traffic infraction. His death, normally another statistic, was caught on camera and led to days of protests and rioting. To help us make sense of this tragic week, we have invited back onto The Thinking Muslim Rayan Freschi. Rayan is a legal expert and researcher for Cage International and he has recently authored a disturbing report on the French government’s policy of “systematic obstruction” of the Muslim community. He recently wrote a piece for Middle East Eye analysing these tragic events.Find us on:Twitter: https://twitter.com/thinking_muslimFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/The-Thinking-Muslim-Podcast-105790781361490Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thinkingmuslimpodcast/Telegram: https://t.me/thinkingmuslim Host: https://twitter.com/jalalaynWebsite Archive: https://www.thinkingmuslim.com#TheThinkingMuslimPodcastPlease consider making a donation, however small, to The Thinking Muslim, to receive a share in the reward and to help us make a greater impact. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.thinkingmuslim.com/Donate⁠ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Theres a growing movement in Europe and North America to reconsider where the future of Muslim communities lie. In recent years, a host of security and social concerns have brought to question just how much Muslims can maintain their commitments to Islam and leave peacefully in a society that constantly looks for opportunities to marginalise Islamic practice. The Liberal state is intent on secularising and liberalising Muslims. This has led to a call for Hijra, or migration away from the west and back to the Muslim world. Thomas Abdul Qadir is the former president of the Majlis of Istanbul Muslims, an organisation that caters for foreign Muslims living in istanbul. They organise talks and activities to foster a community. He has a masters in civilisational studies from Ibn Haldun University – and is currently pursuing traditional Islamic education.As always, you can comment your thoughts below.Find us on:Twitter: https://twitter.com/thinking_muslimFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/The-Thinking-Muslim-Podcast-105790781361490Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thinkingmuslimpodcast/Telegram: https://t.me/thinkingmuslim Host: https://twitter.com/jalalaynWebsite Archive: https://www.thinkingmuslim.com#TheThinkingMuslimPodcastThe Thinking Muslim Podcast Episode 100 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Many Muslims living in the West have become aware that the ideas of tolerance, individualism, liberal multiculturalism and freedom of religion – all liberal notions — have their limits when it comes to our community. A series of tensions, from depictions of the Messenger (saw) in offensive cartoons and the teaching of sexual practices at odds with our faith in schools, has brought into focus how there remains an incompatibility between the ever-increasing demands of the liberal state and the Muslim community. To help us understand these tensions, Imam Tom Facchine, an imam and convert to Islam helps us understand the liberal state. He finished his BA in Political Science and was granted the opportunity to study at the Islamic University of Madinah from 2015-2020, where he obtained his BA from the Faculty of Shariah. Imam Tom is the Research Director of Islam and Society at the Yaqeen Institute for Islamic Research. He is also a resident scholar and imam of Utica Masjid (New York state).Please consider making a donation, however small, to The Thinking Muslim, to receive a share in the reward and to help us make a greater impact. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.thinkingmuslim.com/Donate⁠⁠Join our Telegram group here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://t.me/thinkingmuslim ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow us on Twitter here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/jalalayn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://twitter.com/thinking_muslim⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website Archive: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thinkingmuslim.com⁠ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The issue of the caliphate has recently made a resurgence within Muslim discourse. For nearly 100 years the Muslim ummah has been without a caliphate, and many have come to the view that the world of empires is behind us, and we now must embrace the era of nation-states. Yet the issue remains a live one, Islam and Muslims have remained tortured by our lack of ability to resolve some of the most intractable problems we face – leading to the suggestion that establishing a post-nation state brings together our resources, people and potential. Dr. Uthman Badar has been thinking about the concerns of the caliphate. He is the lead editor at the Ummatics Institute. He received his Ph.D. in Philosophy from Western Sydney University in 2023, where he currently teaches. He is also an active Muslim community member in Sydney, Australia, with over two decades of engagement in grassroots activism and da’wah.Please consider making a donation, however small, to The Thinking Muslim, to receive a share in the reward and to help us make a greater impact. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.thinkingmuslim.com/Donate⁠Join our Telegram group here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://t.me/thinkingmuslim ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow us on Twitter here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/jalalayn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://twitter.com/thinking_muslim⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website Archive: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thinkingmuslim.com⁠ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For twenty years, the United States fought an unwinnable and ultimately self-defeating war in Afghanistan – only to withdraw in a humiliating way in 2021. The conflict ended what many saw to be a colonial enterprise. We explore that war, where it leaves Afghanistan, the region's geopolitics, Afghanistans relationship with Pakistan and the role of the Taliban. Many see the austere Islamic group as classic freedom fighters, defeating the world's strongest and only superpower. But have they ultimately disappointed many in their time in government.? The country suffers from poverty and near famine. Who is to blame for this terrible situation? Ahmed-Waleed Kakar is no stranger to the country. Of Afghan descent, he is an analyst specialising in Afghan political history and the founder and editor-in-chief of The Afghan Eye @AFGHANEYE : an independent media platform offering English-language analysis of Afghan affairs.Please consider making a donation, however small, to The Thinking Muslim, to receive a share in the reward and to help us make a greater impact. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.thinkingmuslim.com/DonateJoin our Telegram group here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://t.me/thinkingmuslim ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow us on Twitter here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/jalalayn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://twitter.com/thinking_muslim⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website Archive: ⁠⁠⁠⁠thinkingmuslim.com⁠ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we explore the issues Farhat Amin raises in her new book ‘Smart Teenage Muslimah, an inspirational guide for Muslim Girls’. Farhat is concerned with Muslim girls' challenges in the West and how society impacts their sense of identity and self. Farhat Amin addresses the challenges Muslim women and girls face in Western societies through her engagements. Her writings delve into the unfiltered realities, tackling pressing topics such as the shifting dynamics of the Muslim marriage scene, the objectification of hijab, and the unforeseen impact of modern feminism on women's well-being. Her meticulous research and insightful analysis offer a fresh Islamic perspective on these topics, encouraging readers to question long-held assumptions and engage in meaningful dialogue.Find out more about Farhat Amin's work and sign up for her newsletter at https://smartmuslima.comPurchase Smart Teenage Muslimah from Amazon here: https://amzn.to/42D20SVPlease consider making a donation, however small, to The Thinking Muslim, to receive a share in the reward and to help us make a greater impact. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.thinkingmuslim.com/Donate⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join our Telegram group here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://t.me/thinkingmuslim ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow us on Twitter here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/jalalayn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://twitter.com/thinking_muslim⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website Archive: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thinkingmuslim.com⁠ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We often see people claim an action to be kufr (disbelief), for example, neglecting prayer, or they designate a use of language to be a term of disbelief. This leads to questioning a person's iman. A politician endorses a reprehensible act, or a Muslim academic calls for the reform of Islam – these are all discussed as attributes of kufr. So what is disbelief and what is belief, and does every act of disbelief take a person outside of Islam? We take a deep dive into this often misunderstood area and reflect on the differences within classical Islam. Iyad Hilal is a khateeb at many masajid in California, he has formally studied usal al fiqh – Islamic legal theory and is the author of the book studies in usul al-fiqh.Please consider making a donation, however small, to The Thinking Muslim, to receive a share in the reward and to help us make a greater impact. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.thinkingmuslim.com/Donate⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join our Telegram group here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://t.me/thinkingmuslim ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow us on Twitter here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/jalalayn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://twitter.com/thinking_muslim⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website Archive: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thinkingmuslim.com⁠ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There has been an uptick in the number of people converting to Islam recently. This was very noticeable in Ramadan, when it just seemed every day, a young man was becoming Muslim. Imam Ashraf, who leads a congregation in the inner-city London borough of Lewisham, discusses why so many British youngsters are turning to Islam. His Mosque saw over 60 conversions in Ramadan alone. I ask him about the influence of Andrew Tate upon many young men coming to Islam. Imam Ashraf Dabous is an imam at Lewisham Mosque in London. He studied at the Islamic University of Madinah. He also studied privately under various Shuyukh – studying Hanbali and Hanafi Fiqh and other Sciences. And he recently graduated from Goldsmiths University with an MSc in CBT therapy and is a qualified councilor.Please consider making a donation, however small, to The Thinking Muslim, to receive a share in the reward and to help us make a greater impact. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.thinkingmuslim.com/Donate⁠⁠⁠⁠Join our Telegram group here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://t.me/thinkingmuslim ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow us on Twitter here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/jalalayn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://twitter.com/thinking_muslim⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website Archive: ⁠⁠⁠⁠thinkingmuslim.com⁠ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Inspiration from Sami Hamdi. How do we contextualise the current state of the Ummah? And how do we interact with politics?Excerpt from 'Raving in Riyadh - The New Saudi Arabia' with Sami Hamdi Please consider making a donation, however small, to The Thinking Muslim, to receive a share in the reward and to help us make a greater impact. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.thinkingmuslim.com/Donate⁠⁠⁠Join our Telegram group here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://t.me/thinkingmuslim ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow us on Twitter here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/jalalayn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://twitter.com/thinking_muslim⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website Archive: ⁠⁠⁠thinkingmuslim.com⁠ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.