The Thinking Muslim

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.

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/DonateFrom its first moments, Islam was linked to a state-building process, and the shari’ah explicitly addresses rules that can only be discharged by a government, such as the rules of hudud or apostasy. Imam Ghazali even linked the collection of zakat and the marriage contract contingent on having an Islamic government. For the long duration of Islamic history, Muslims in most Muslim lands have lived under Islamic caliphates and empires. However, how much of this is less to do with religion and more with the circumstances early Muslims found themselves in? Is Islam wedded to its ‘founding moment’ –politics fused with a spiritual foundation?In this episode, we comprehensively examine Islam and politics with Dr Yasir Qadhi. We explore Muslim engagement in politics in the West, its pitfalls, and the vexed issue of politicians that embrace and celebrate socially liberal positions. We also consider the issue of reviving the caliphate, its obligation and its priority.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.

From the war in Yemen to raves in Riyadh, political analyst Sami Hamdi analyses the ‘modern’ Saudi Arabia as a regional power. Many see the country to be a staunch ally, even stooge of the United States, yet others hail its recent strategic turn under Muhammad Bin Salman as a sign that at last the country is looking to forge an independent path. From moon sighting to Hajj, the country remains at the centre of Muslim religious life, yet we can’t but observe with horror the activities of its crown prince and de facto leader and his vanity infrastructure projects such as NEOM. So how do we analyse the country and its future. Sami Hamdi is the Managing Director of the International Interest, a global risk and intelligence company. He advises governments on the geopolitical dynamics of Europe and the MENA region and has significant expertise in advising companies on commercial issues related to volatile political environments and their implications on market entry, market expansion, and managing of stakeholders. Sami is also featured as a commentator for Aljazeera (Arabic and English), Sky News, BBC, TRT World, and other outlets.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.

Paul Williams of Blogging Theology talks to Muhammad Jalal about his ten most influential books, why he recommends them and the importance of reading. Titles mentioned in order of rank: 1. The Meaning of the Holy Qur'an by Abdullah Yusuf Ali2. Islam and the Destiny of Man by Charles Le Gai Eaton3. The Book of Hadith: Sayings of the Prophet Muhammad from the Mishkat Al Masabih selected by Charles Le Gai Eaton 4. Encountering Mystery: Religious Experience in a Secular Age by Dale C. Allison Jr.5. Ibn Taymiyya on Reason and Revelation by Carl Sharif El-Tobgui6. Muhammad: His Life Based on the Earliest Teachings by Martin Lings7. Misquoting Muhammad by Jonathan A.C. Brown 8. The Oxford Book of English Verse edited by Christopher Ricks 9. Critique of Pure Reason by Immanuel Kant 10. The Making of a Salafi Muslim Woman by Anabel IngeThis Ramadan 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.