The Thinking Muslim

Ertugrul is a show about the legendary father of Osman I, the founder of the Ottoman Sultanate. The show’s success in the Muslim world leaves many, especially those with liberal leanings, perplexed. Its recent airing in Pakistan has taken the country by storm. Prime Minister Imran Khan has tweeted about the show, suggesting all young Pakistani’s can gain a sense of lost history and Muslim unity. Saudi Arabia has banned the show, citing its malign influence and Egypt’s "High Fatwa Council" (Dâru'l-İftâ), published a statement that accuses Turkey of trying to create an “area of influence” for itself in the Middle East via its soft power.To discuss the show and its cultural and geopolitical impact I have invited two Muslim commentators, Dilly Hussain of 5pillars and Imran Muneer from the Mad Mamluks podcast.Please leave your comments on https://www.thinkingmuslim.com/podcast, follow us on twitter https://twitter.com/thinking_muslim,  join our Telegram channel https://t.me/thinkingmuslim and sign up to our new online course https://www.thinkingmuslim.com/courses Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death has become a part of our everyday lives. Covid-19 and its spread have brought home to us the undeniable reality that we are mortal beings and our accumulation of wealth, prestige and power will come to an end. How we think about death impacts on how we think about life. So how should death be conceptualised? How should we really remember death, beyond the occasional thoughts about it? How do we make death our partners and our guide in conditioning our present?To understand this idea, I have invited Kamal Abu Zahra – a lecturer in Islamic studies, currently completing his PhD in looking at the minority fiqh and its compatibility with classical notions of scholarship. I ask Kamal some searching questions about death and how we should see it, how we should confront its claims upon us, and how we should address it when death falls on someone close to us.Visit our website www.thinkingmuslim.com and leave a comment, follow us on Twitter @thinking_muslim and join our Telegram Channel https://t.me/thinkingmuslim Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How should we understand the ahadith related to plagues and medicines? We are often deluged with cures for a host of ailments and some argue conventional pharmaceuticals have little value in the face of these solutions from sunnah.This week on the Thinking Muslim Podcast I have invited an imam and author Iyad Hilal from California, America to explain what is the prophetic sunnah and how should we evaluate what it has to say about plagues and medicines.Iyad Hilal has authored one of the best books I have read explaining Usul al-fiqh, in a digestible way to the non-specialist reader and runs the Al-Arqam institute. His lectures, Jumma khutbahs and discussions can be found  on Youtube and I would say it’s a treasure trove of wisdom and depth.I ask him about the sunnah and its scope, the ahadeeth related to plagues and quarantines, the prophetic medicines and other such narrations and how scholars of the past view these aspects of the sunnah. We also discuss the value of conventional medicine and the current public health advice that runs contrary to our religious instincts and ceremonies, most notably the cessation of Salaatul Jummah and regular prayers in the masjids.Visit our website (www.thinkingmuslim.com), follow us on Twitter @thinking_muslim and join our Telegram Channel Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week I speak to Fadl Hejazi, a Muslim academic from India, about the crisis facing the Muslims of India. To cover its obvious failures, key Indian politicians and its RSS supporters opted to turn the country on its Muslim citizens, blaming the mounting cases on the Tablighi Jamat Ijtima (gathering) in Nizamuddin. What they dubbed  ‘Corona Jihad,’ an insidious campaign to spread the virus to Hindus. The virus, in their warped view, was another weapon used by Muslims against the majority population.Follow the programme and comment on https://www.thinkingmuslim.comFollow us on Twitter - https://twitter.com/thinking_muslim Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What is pronounced today in a post-truth world is the increase of non-experts on social media that forward their views and gain an audience upon conspiracy theories and half-baked truths. This week we invite Dr Naveed Syed from Public Health England and Dr Imran Waheed to unravel the truths behind the crisis and why so many people are susceptible to conspiracies. We look at the origins of Covid-19, the means of transmission, the herd immunity theory, flu statistics, verification of news, Facebook 'experts', annual death rates, government failures, the mental health implications, Jummah fatawa (and poor scholarship), Toby Young, 5G conspiracies and prophetic treatments.   For more information visit The Thinking Muslim Website to see our latest courses and projects and follow us on Twitter @thinking_muslim Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Since the Coronavirus lockdown became a daily feature of our lives, a number of commentators have speculated about the future of economic liberalism. Many on the left and some Muslims have concluded this period will presage the end to capitalism and the dawn of a new economic order.Such claims may fail to live up to proper scrutiny, instead we may be witnessing the acceleration of America’s position as the global hegemon and with it, the fragmentation of the American led liberal world order.My guest today, Riaz Hasan, is a writer and community organiser, I discuss the political and economic ramifications of this crisis. We look at the economic impact of the crisis, the decline of the liberal democratic world, the move to embrace the Chinese model of capitalism and whether a realistic and well-thought through Islamic model currently exists to meet the challenges of the 21st century.Follow the programme on Twitter @thinking_muslimhttps://twitter.com/thinking_muslimPlease also fill in our survey of Muslim attitudes here: https://thinkingmuslim.wufoo.com/forms/m1yro00q0cfrl91/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As we hunker down and wait in anticipation for a Covid-19 breakthrough, we inevitably begin to think about our mortality and whether we have within us the ability to deal with this crisis. In the coming weeks we are going to explore the Covid-19 crisis and its implication upon us. Today I invite back onto the show, Dr Shadee Elmasry, an imam and Islamic scholar from the United States.We look at 1) the 'cancellation' of jummah and the madahibs, 2) Is this a punishment from Allah, 3) Are we martyrs (shaheed) if we die, 4) if we get it then is it Allah's will, 5) How did early Muslim's deal with communicable diseases?, 6) trusting experts and human nature 7) WhatsApp disinformation, 8) stockpiling, 9) responsibility to others, 10) how a believer should spend their time? The Muslim community has faced a series of questions in the past week and I put them to Dr ElMasry.Follow the programme on Twitter @thinking_muslimhttps://twitter.com/thinking_muslim Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dr Ovamir Anjum argues for a new wave of thinking on Islam's thought as an alternative to the contemporary decaying world order. He discusses the concept of the Caliphate, its significance in Islamic thought, and the challenges faced by failing nation states in the Muslim world. The podcast explores the feasibility of a modern Caliphate, challenges to nationalism, and the diversity of the historical Caliphate. Dr Anjum also shares his thoughts on a subject and invites critique and feedback as he prepares to write a book on the topic.

What is a man, what makes a man and what is masculinity? Dr Shadee Elmasry takes a look at toxic masculinity and Islam's response. Dr Shadee in this debate, stands out for his dedication to a nuanced and intelligent look at how revelation informs the Muslim conception of masculinity. How did the Allah and His Messenger's (saw) practice nurture an Islamic vision of masculinity?Follow the programme on Twitter @thinking_muslimhttps://twitter.com/thinking_muslimJoin the Thinking Muslim Course - visit thinkingmuslim.eventbrite.co.ukEmail the programme using the email thinkingmuslim@pm.me Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week I speak to Dr Asher Siddiqui, an engineer from Delhi who has been at the epicentre of the  protests at Delhi’s Jamia Millia University.During the past two weeks, India has been rocked by countrywide demonstrations spontaneously driven by largely young Muslim’s energised by their mutual dislike for a new citizenship law designed to relegate Muslim’s as second class citizens. The law, the Citizenship Amendment Act, enables the state to fast track the citizenship of migrants but significantly omits Muslim’s. The fear is this is another step in dismantling the rights of Muslims of India.Follow the programme on Twitter @thinking_muslimhttps://twitter.com/thinking_muslimJoin the Thinking Muslim Course - visit thinkingmuslim.eventbrite.co.ukEmail the programme using the email thinkingmuslim@pm.me Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.