Blood Brothers

In this special episode of the Blood Brothers Podcast, Dilly Hussain catches up with Imam Dawud Walid of CAIR-Michigan. #BloodBrothersPodcast​ #ImamDawudWalid​ #Islamicactivism​ Imam Walid explains the perimeters of Islamic activism and "enjoining good and forbidding evil" in light of the new ideological challenges facing the dawah. The imam also shares his thoughts on the growing culture of calling out scholars and Muslim public figures on social media, and how that fits into "speaking truth to power". Topics of discussion also include anti-black racism within Muslim communities and sensitivities around discussing black community issues. This episode of the Blood Brothers Podcast was in partnership with Family Break: https://familybreak.org.uk/​

In this up close episode of the Blood Brothers Podcast, Dilly and Aki Hussain host actor, director, producer and spoken word artist Ashley Chin aka Muslim Belal. #BloodBrothersPodcast​ #MuslimBelal​ #AshleyChin​ Muslim Belal shares his thoughts on the strategic importance of different types of dawah, including his specific focus on helping youth involved in gangs, crime and drugs. Belal also gives his brutally honest views on the current Muslim media industry, and how it has failed at creating and providing an alternative to mainstream media, arts and entertainment. Topics of discussion also include the Muslim Belal's upcoming film 'Faith', the ongoing rise of black prisoners converting to Islam, Muslim grime artists and scholars addressing sensitive issues relating to black communities.

In this insightful episode of the Blood Brothers Podcast, Dilly Hussain catches up with the prominent Muslim historian Adnan Rashid. #BloodBrothersPodcast​ #AdnanRashid​ #MughalEmpire​ Adnan shares his thoughts on the recent assassination of top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani by the U.S. and its implications for the region. He also discusses the current state of BJP-led India, with the rise of institutional Islamophobia and the introduction of various anti-Muslim laws like the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC). Topics of discussion also include the formation of Pakistan, India's ongoing occupation of Kashmir, the history of the Subcontinent under Mughal rule, and how Islamic the Mughal Empire was in comparison to the Ottoman Empire.

In this raw episode of the Blood Brothers Podcast, Dilly and Aki Hussain speak with the well-known hijama practitioner Abdul Hakim, better known as 'Sunnah Remedies'. #BloodBrothersPodcast​ #SunnahRemedies​ #Hijama​ Abdul Hakim explains how his interest in health and fitness led to him becoming a certified cupping therapist, specialising in sports rehabilitation and holistic and natural remedies. He also shares how he ended up treating famous athletes like the Moroccan UFC fighter Ottman Azaitar, world heavyweight boxing champion Anthony Joshua among others. Dilly and Abdul Hakim have a friendly debate about how much meat was part of the Prophet's (saw) diet and whether vegans are weird hippies.

In this special General Election episode of the Blood Brothers podcast, Dilly Hussain hosts Abdullah al Andalusi from the Muslim Debate Initiative and Dr Salman Butt, editor of Islam21C. #BloodBrothersPodcast​ #AbdullahAlAndalusi​ #DrSalmanButt​ In this lively discussion, the guests cover: Is democracy and Islam compatible? Is it permissible for Muslims to vote in secular democratic elections? Is voting an obligation, permissible, haram or kufr? Can Muslims vote for unIslamic political parties based on preventing greater harms and bringing about greater benefits? Is the issue of voting really a matter of lesser of two evils or necessity? Is Brexit good or bad for Muslims? Why should Muslims vote for Labour when their manifesto includes various unIslamic pledges? All the above and much more is discussed in this engaging episode of the Blood Brothers Podcast.

In this episode of the Blood Brothers podcast, Dilly Hussain catches up with the legendary Ustad Abdurraheem Green. #BloodBrothersPodcast​ #AbduraheemGreen​ #IERA​ The veteran da'ee reflects on his personal evolution from playing a leading role in the fiery and arguably divisive "Salafi" dawah of the 1990s to a more inclusive and tolerant approach to dawah. Ustad Green also explains how the message of all the Prophets (peace be upon them all) included both the glad tidings of Paradise and the warnings of Hellfire, stressing the importance of dawah organisations not to neglect or disproportionately focus on either. Topics of discussion also include the challenges Muslim parents face when balancing love and discipline with children, and whether white converts to Islam are privileged and ignorant of institutional racism.

In this in-depth episode of the Blood Brothers Podcast, Dilly Hussain speaks with anti-Islamophobia activist and campaigner Sahar Al-Faifi. #BloodBrothersPodcast​ #SaharAlFaifi​ #Niqab​ Sahar, who is a molecular geneticist by profession, describes the microaggressions she experiences on a daily basis while travelling as Muslim woman in niqab, besides the numerous cases of being verbally abused for the way she is dressed. She also explains why the niqab is her jihad and represents a form of resistance to the global Islamophobia industry, and why similarly the French colonialists also despised Muslim women wearing the burqa in Algeria. Topics of discussion also include why the Left is widely regarded as the natural political allies of Muslims in the West and the conflict of values that have emerged there, as well as the implications of Crown Prince Muhammed bin Salman's new "modernised" Saudi Arabia - which is Sahar's country of origin.

In this very personal and emotional episode of the Blood Brothers podcast, Dilly and Aki catch up with their childhood friend Imraz Achtar aka ‘Babz’ from Bedford. #BloodBrothersPodcast​ #ImrazAchtar​ Babz explains how the tragic death of his 20 months-old son Aakif last June had positively transformed his life, from a non-practising Muslim to someone who became committed to Islam overnight – from praying his five daily prayers, giving up haram habits, learning Arabic, making Umrah, and then fulfilling Hajj this year. The guest also describes how much time he wasted when he was not practising, as well as the problematic nature of giving up major sins and vice gradually. Topics of discussion also include Dilly and Babz reminiscing childhood memories when they got into fights, how to cope with the loss of a child, and engaging different Islamic groups and movements as a newly practising Muslim.

In this insightful episode of the Blood Brothers podcast, Dilly Hussain speaks with the Outreach Director of advocacy group CAGE and former Guantanamo Bay detainee Moazzam Begg. #BloodBrothersPodcast​ #MoazzamBegg​ #Syria​ This entire podcast is dedicated to analysing the Syrian conflict since its inception in 2011 and how the balance of power has drastically shifted from the Sunni rebels to the Assad regime. In light of the death of ISIS leader Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi earlier this month, Moazzam explains why the Syrian revolution remains a blessed struggle, and how the resistance has endured a military bombardment and betrayal from global superpowers and their regional proxies. Topics of discussion also include Moazzam’s incarceration in February 2014 over “Syria-related terrorism activities” for which he was released without charge, how the Syrian conflict has affected anti-terrorism laws in the UK, and why Muslim scholars in the West have either become silent regarding Syria or are intentionally ignoring the ongoing plight of Syrians.

In this episode of the Blood Brothers podcast, Dilly and Aki Hussain catch up with Ghulam "Esposito" Haydar from the Manchester-based outreach group the Myriad Foundation. #BloodBrothersPodcast​ #GhulamEspositoHaydar​ #MyriadFoundation​ Ghulam explains why the Myriad Foundation declined an invitation from the then Prime Minister Theresa May to attend an Eid party at Downing Street, as well as assessing some of the challenges the group may face as their national ‘Taste Ramadan’ campaign grows. Topics of discussion also include what “holding power to account” practically means, why engaging with the UK government’s controversial Prevent strategy is problematic, and the dangers of Muslim groups doing outreach and dawah projects for the sake of PR.