ImanWire Podcast

Dr. Rania Awaad joins the ImanWire Podcast to discuss mental health and the history of the Maristans throughout the Muslim world. Ahead of their time, these institutions of healing provided an integrated system of care treating the mind, body and soul. Rooted in the foundations of the religion itself, their innovative approach provide a model for reimagining and revitalizing health care today. Rania Awaad, M.D. is the Co-Founder and President of Maristan, a nonprofit reviving the Islamic legacy of holistic healing through spiritually and culturally congruent clinical care, education, and training. She is also a Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Stanford University and Director of the Stanford Muslim Mental Health & Islamic Psychology Lab. Dr. Awaad is a nationally recognized speaker, award-winning teacher, researcher, and author in both the Islamic and medical sciences. She holds traditional certifications (ijaza) in Qur’an, Islamic Law, and other Islamic sciences. CHAPTERS: 0:00 - Introduction 2:09 - Human Psychology in the Qur'an and Sunnah 4:06 - Mental Health and the Objectives of the Shariah 5:02 - Majnun in the Hadith: A Treatable Condition 8:52 - Ahead of Its Time: Maristans as a Place of Healing 15:15 - A Shared Ethos Across Time and Space 17:02 - Sustainability Through Awqaf 18:27 - Holistic Healing Rooted in the Religion 19:58 - Caring for the Poor: A Central Spiritual Motivation 22:11 - The Bio-Psycho-Social-Spiritual Framework 24:19 - Customized Sound Therapy and Engaging the Five Senses 27:26 - Talk Therapy 29:01 - Fitrah Alignment: Healing Through Architecture 35:53 -Ihsaan in Practice: The Responsibility of the Provider 39:26 - The Caregiver is the Mirror to the Patient 41:58 - Why Did Mental Illness Become Stigmatized? 47:03 - Colonization of the Mind 50:26 - Shifting Trends: Islamic Psychology and Contemporary Psychiatry 54:34 - Implementing the Maristan Model Today

Shaykh Mokhtar Maghraoui describes the difference between Salah and the Christian definition of the word 'Prayer' and how we as Muslims must understand the incredible distinction. CHAPTERS: 0:00 - Introduction 1:58 - Importance of Salah 9:24 - Salah as Enlightenment 18:03 - Believers' Success 20:32 - Attaining Focus in Prayer 28:03 - Distractions During Salah 33:15 - Salah Reflects Life 35:42 - Daily Impact of Prayer 39:13 - Immediate Self-Improvement 41:05 - Understanding Through Similarity 42:40 - Dua for Purpose

Dr. Shadee Elmasry from NBIC and Safina Society joins the ImanWire Podcast for a trip down memory lane with Moutasem and Ghuydar and a roundtable discussion on building spiritual communities. CHAPTERS: 0:00 - Introduction 2:26 - New York Vs New Jersey 5:38 - Building Intentional Community 10:13 - Fear of Communal Dhikr 14:22 - No More Secret Invites 18:31 - Spiritual Transformations in the Circles of Dhikr 22:54 - Qasidahs Are the Lessons for the Layman 24:56 - Drivers of Muslim Culture 31:00 - The Decline of Salafi Dawah 34:46 - Teenage Souls 40:38 - Spiritual Guides 45:35 - Right and Left Extremes and Influencers 52:16 - Waves of New Muslims 54:05 - Ibadah Over 'Ilm 55:23 - Spiritual Diets and Dinner Invitations 59:21 - Remembering Muhammad Shareef 1:01:14 -Differing Positions and Character 1:04:01 - The Saintly Worker

Shaykh Mokhtar defines the root of the word 'Salah' and what it means to connect our hearts to Allah ﷻ through the act of prayer. CHAPTERS: 0:00 - Introduction 9:43 - Significance of Salah in Daily Life 19:15 - Salah's Role in Islamic Faith 27:00 - Spiritual Impact of Neglecting Salah 45:40 - Prophet Muhammad's Final Teachings: Salah and Compassion 50:33 - Divine Support for the Patient Believers

The relationship between God and the Messenger of God ﷺ was rooted in love, and the experience of knowing Allah through the door of love caused our Prophet ﷺ to be the beloved of God. How can we connect with the Beloved of God ﷺ? Ustadha Zaynab Ansari from Tayseer Seminary returns to the Imanwire podcast to discuss how to find Prophetic love amidst the challenges of the modern age. CHAPTERS: 0:00 - Introduction 2:19 - How Can We Embody Love of the Prophet? 4:59 - Physical Distance, Spiritual Proximity 12:33 - Finding Love Through Books and People 18:40 - The Roadblock of Reductionism 22:15 - Problematizing the Age of Aisha 26:09 - The Prophet ﷺ and Male Authority 32:09 - Finding the Feminine in the Prophetic Story 39:15 - Connecting to the Prophet ﷺ as a Woman 40:57 - Role of Aesthetics in Cultivating Prophetic Love

Shaykh Mokhtar Maghraoui describes how the world around us is affected by what is inside of us, at both a micro and macro level, and how the worth of a civilization is by the existence of one's 'akhlaq.' CHAPTERS: 0:00 - Opening Du'a by Shaykh 1:25 - Inner World Reflection 1:48 - Tazkiyah Significance 1:54 - Civilization Value 10:55 - Truthful Poet's Wisdom 14:42 - Tazkiyah Focus on Allah 18:20 - Heart's Spiritual Progression 23:40 - Character in Islam 27:50 - Value of Good Companionship 34:08 - Salah's Spiritual Importance 37:40 - Benefits of Regular Salah 39:50 - Consequences of Neglecting Salah 43:25 - Salah's Influence on Morality

Dealing with a narcissist can be an unpleasant experience, whether it is in our family, workplace or community. How does narcissism connect with the Islamic discourse on the nafs and self-purification? Aaatifa Shareef, a professional licensed counselor and instructor at Qalam Institute, bridges the fields of modern psychology and Islamic knowledge to discuss how we can manage our relationships with narcissists who can make our lives very difficult. CHAPTERS: 0:00 - Narcissist-in-Chief and the Nafs 13:03 - Diagnosis and the Balance of Psychology and Islamic Knowledge 21:34 - A Strong Sense of Self vs. Self-Admiration 32:26 - Dealing With Problematic Family Members 35:26 - Severing Ties 37:13 - Ihsaan, Birr & Boundaries 42:22 - Only Human: Not Letting It Affect Us 52:39 - Drawing Attention to Narcissism in a Loving Way 57:33 - Finding a Support System 1:01:29 - Respecting the Elderly vs. Questioning the Family 1:04:21 - Institutional Leadership 1:12:22 - Getting Cut Off 1:15:58 - Self-Care Regimen

"I must never be the defender of my nafs, or thinking that I have nothing to change and others must change. I must always begin with the premise, that I have everything to change." Shaykh Mokhtar Maghroaui continues the conversation of the addiction of the nafs and how to begin taking the steps to changing them. CHAPTERS: 0:00 - Introduction 03:09 - Homecoming Journey 05:46 - Facing Bankruptcy 10:23 - Embracing Emptiness 15:30 - Achieving Ultimate Freedom 17:59 - Understanding the Cup Analogy 22:12 - Exploring Khalifa Concept 27:50 - Spiritual Cleansing Beliefs 37:40 - Anwar: Divine Illumination 40:10 - Experiencing Allah's Light 44:40 - Self-Reflection on Faults 51:39 - Angelic Intervention Story 55:43 - Divine Support for the Devout 56:48 - Embracing Rectification 57:40 - Intermission Break

As people worldwide struggle to cope today with the negative impact of man-made environmental degradation, the crucial step to a solution is understanding our place in the created world and its connection with our Creator. Dr. Amir Abdelzaher joins the podcast to discuss an Islamic vision for spiritual ecology, connecting theology with environmental ethics. CHAPTERS: 0:00 - Introduction 2:34 - Challenging Definitions: What Is the Environment? 7:53 - The Creation of Allah: How We Value the Environment 17:39 - The Environment in Worship of Allah 21:08 - The Environment as a Sign: The Contingency Argument for God 29:02 - Environmental Literacy: Deducing the Attributes of Allah 32:39 - A Witness for or Against Us? 35:19 - Reverence and Glorification: Resonating With the Environment 43:24 - Environmental Sensitivity 44:56 - Where the Environment Stands Today 50:30 - Representing the Divine: The Command of Abu Bakr and Its Principles 55:29 - Man Vs Nature: Who Takes Priority? 1:01:14 - Concrete Jungles and Reconnecting With the Environment

Addiction overpowers us even when knowing its harm. In this episode Shaykh Mokhtar Maghraoui teaches how to have the will, the desire, and the resolve to change and begin removing habits that cause addiction in the heart. CHAPTERS: 0:00 - Introduction to Addiction and Purification 1:52 - Willpower and Change Initiation 15:35 - Self-Reflection and Negative Traits Acknowledgment 18:50 - Realization of Self in Addiction Recovery 24:15 - Al-Qawi: Embracing Inner Strength 29:35 - Al-Matin: Cultivating Resilience in Sobriety 33:15 - Al-Aziz: Achieving Dignity in Addiction Battle 37:40 - Qalb's Role in Overcoming Addiction 40:50 - Ego's Influence on Addiction Journey