Imam Tom Weekly, a Yaqeen podcast

Dr. Zara Khan, an expert in secularism and its impact on society, joins the show to analyze the history of secularism and its implications. The podcast explores the desacralization of politics, the shift in religious hierarchy, the consequences of false revelation, and how secularism has influenced our understanding of religion, ethics, and politics. It also discusses the limitations of ignorance and the role of secularism in society.

Are sexual desires an essential part of who we are? No matter how the world shifts, Islam is clear about not allowing our desires to define us. So what then about feeling same sex attraction? Doesn't that automatically mean that someone is gay? Imam Tom Facchine invites Waheed Jensen to discuss his experiences living with same sex attraction while rejecting current narratives and labels, and how we can support individuals in our communities that struggle with these feelings.

Islamic scholar and activist Ahmad Saleem discusses the prevalence of LGBTQ ideologies in public school systems, Muslim students' rights to freedom of religion, strategies for standing up to LGBTQ pressure, and the tactics used to create division among Muslim students.

Should we ally with the Left or the Right? On one hand, the Liberal party has appealed to Muslim rights as a minority group, while the Conservative party aligns with our moral values. Muslim political involvement is a fairly recent trend, and our alliances speak to more than just our personal preferences. How can we secure our rights in a secular democracy while also pushing back against policies that go against our beliefs, such as the open promotion of LGBTQ ideas in our schools? Imam Tom Facchine invites Dr. Mobeen Vaid to recount the history of Muslim political involvement and activism, as well as to discuss ways to maneuver the political landscape while staying true to our faith. 

Islam follows an objective morality defined by God that we must follow and protect no matter how the societies around us change. One of the most difficult topics to discuss that directly challenges this is the fairly new paradigm of sexuality and sexual identity. Why does Allah care about what we do in the bedroom? What’s wrong with people choosing who to love? Imam Tom Facchine and Dr. Sharif El-Tobgui discuss the history of sexuality and the sexual revolution, the Islamic view of sexuality and love, and common objections to Islamic sexuality discourse. 

Why were we created and where are we going? Any level of pondering over our existence ultimately leads to the question of believing in a higher power. In Islam, tawheed, believing in the oneness of God, can not only inform our moral actions, but is an entire worldview that shapes every facet of our lives. Sh. Mohammad Elshinawy joins Imam Tom Facchine to unpack the arguments for the existence of God, from believing in a higher power versus nothing, to the existence of one God versus multiple, and finally, the existence of Allah versus a deistic god. 

Human rights may seem like an obvious thing to advocate for. After all, we are all human and want the best for ourselves and others. But where does our notion of rights really come from? Who is the “human” of human rights? Imam Tom Facchine invites Dr. Zara Khan to discuss the history of human rights movements, the underlying assumptions of what it means to be human, as well as how human rights discourse is politicized and weaponized against Islam and Muslims. 

What is Islamic orthodoxy and why do we need it? Who gets to decide what is orthodox and how do we reconcile differences of opinion? Join our host Imam Tom Facchine and special guest Dr. Tahir Wyatt in unpacking Islamic orthodoxy, its limits, and its assumptions in the way we understand our religion, read the Qur’an, and practice our faith. Additionally, discover how Yaqeen checks papers and content for Islamic orthodoxy. 0:00 - Introduction2:50 - The Greek roots of the word “orthodox”7:14 - “Infidels” and fidelity (nasiha) 10:00 - The concept of orthodoxy is important for happiness in life21:53 - There's a lot in Islam that no one differs about23:31 - The Prophet ﷺ's final advice on dealing with differences 30:22 - What criteria make an ijtihad (interpretation) valid?32:23 - Differences of opinion among the Sahabah34:14 - What does it mean to do sajda (prostration) like a camel? 35:29 - Did the Sahabah disagree about aqeedah or just fiqh?41:43 - How much of our aqeedah is a product of history after the Companions?  43:40 - Ibn Abbas (ra)'s debate with the Khawarij, the first sect in Islam48:46 - The emergence of the Shi‘a and Murji’ah, and codifying aqeedah 52:42 - Some early written works on aqeedah56:08 - “New aqeedah” as time goes on?1:01:32 - The different contexts of Imam Ahmad and Ibn Taymiyya1:04:05 - Do the works of male scholars uphold the patriarchy?1:11:34 - The importance of scholars1:13:56 - How does Yaqeen ensure the orthodoxy of its content?#dogmadisrupted #imamtom #orthodoxy #yaqeenpodcast #yaqeen #islamicethics 

Ethics involve moral principles or what is deemed right or wrong behavior. Who decides what is ethical in our modern world? What can Islamic ethics teach us about what we know, how we conduct ourselves, and the knowledge we produce? Join Imam Tom and Dr. Ovamir Anjum, Yaqeen Institute’s editor-in-chief, to shed light on the ethics of knowledge as well as the paper publication process at Yaqeen. 

How do you know that what you believe is Islamically sound? Every belief and opinion is rooted in one particular worldview or another. Sometimes these worldviews are so ingrained in our society that they are difficult to detect, let alone challenge.Islam has better ways than other worldviews to address the issues currently facing us, from theological issues such as the ways we imagine God, to social issues such as sexuality and gender identity, to political issues and everything in between.Join Imam Tom Facchine in Dogma Disrupted as he dives deep into conversation with a subject expert each week to unravel the worldviews we live by, break the chains of the ideologies we unassumingly subscribe to, and re-center the Islamic worldview to address the most contentious issues of today.New episodes every week, starting this Sunday, inshaAllah!