In Good Faith

⏰ Enrol now for a condensed, live online version of Transform My Prayer starting Sunday 3rd August. Four 60-minute sessions to help you fix your mindset, fix your words, fix your movements and fix your life! Visit https://tinyurl.com/tmplite and join 300+ others who’ve already signed up.In this episode of In Good Faith, Taimur is back… and this time we’re discussing some of his burning prayer questions. Specifically we talk about how to overcome the feeling of prayer as a burden, the symbolism of ablution (wudhu) and the deep significance of the words we say in the sitting position of the prayer… all with lots of practical tips and exercises you can start implementing today.(0:00) Why is prayer obligatory?(4:20) Transcending the feeling of obligation(7:44) Noticing our initial mindset(11:50) Gratitude, cycles and repetitions(17:11) Remembering our constant need(21:32) Living in wonder(27:24) The symbolism of ablution (wudhu) (32:27) Washing ourselves in public!(36:40) Prayer as a natural activity(39:26) Mentioning Abraham when sitting(43:49) What are we asking for when we sit?(50:36) Ending powerfully and purposefully

For as long as I’ve known him, Dr Sohaib Saeed has been deeply immersed in all aspects of the study of the Qur’an. This was the first time I got to have a focused 1:1 discussion with him on challenging questions relating to the interpretation and contextualisation of revelation. I hope you enjoy and benefit from the conversation.After a BA and MSc in philosophy (Edinburgh), Dr Sohaib graduated from Al-Azhar (Faculty of Theology, Cairo) in Tafsīr and Quranic Sciences. He then completed his PhD at SOAS, University of London, under the supervision of the renowned Quran translator M.A.S. Abdel Haleem; the book based on his thesis is forthcoming from Edinburgh University Press: Explaining the Qur’an Through the Qur’an.Dr. Sohaib is well known for his translations of classical works of tafsīr. The first volume of The Great Exegesis by Imam Razi was a recipient of the Sheikh Hamad Award for Translation in 2018, further volumes will follow from Ibn ‘Ashur Centre. He has also written for academic journals and collections including the Journal of Qur’anic Studies, the Encyclopaedia of the Qur’an (Brill Online) and The Handbook of Qur’anic Hermeneutics (De Gruyter).Since 2016, he has been the senior tafsīr consultant for Bayyinah Institute, which now benefits from the broader team at Ibn ‘Ashur Centre. In 2021, he took on a key responsibility at Quran.Foundation, overseeing content and quality at the major website Quran.com and its sister site QuranReflect.Follow Dr Sohaib: https://x.com/tafsirdoctorLearn more about the Ibn Ashur Centre here: https://www.ibnashur.comCheck out Qur'an in a Year here: https://quran.com/calendar(0:00) Trailer and Introduction(1:46) Barriers to understanding revelation(14:52) Is revelation the only source of truth?(21:27) Contextualisation and reflection(29:53) Five lenses to ponder the Qur'an(58:15) Qur'anic education for children (1:02:43) Is the Qur'an clear?(1:11:53) Having vision and a sense of priority(1:18:10) Is Arabic superior to other languages?(1:28:34) Is transliteration damaging?(1:44:52) Qur'an in a Year and future plans

Omar Salha, Founder of Ramadan Tent Project and PhD scholar, explores the vital roles of soft power and cultural diplomacy. He shares insights on integrating Muslims in British society, highlighting the importance of belonging and representation. Omar discusses the evolution of his organization into a structured festival fostering community understanding. He emphasizes grassroots initiatives, the celebration of Ramadan, and the challenges of fundraising, all while advocating for authentic engagement across diverse communities.

Zara Mohammed, the first woman and youngest Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Britain, shares her journey as a prominent community leader. She discusses the burdens of leadership and the emotional toll it takes. Zara emphasizes the need for active political engagement among Muslims and reflects on the importance of building alliances. With a focus on women in leadership, she highlights challenges young leaders face and the significance of community support for effective representation. Her future plans hint at continued advocacy for Muslim voices in politics.

In this insightful discussion, Arfah Farooq, co-founder of Muslim Tech Fest, shares her journey of creating a thriving tech community for Muslims. She explores how AI impacts both personal and professional life, emphasizing the balance of human connection amid technological advancement. Arfah also opens up about her experiences as a mother navigating ADHD, stressing the importance of emotional regulation and self-awareness. Additionally, she discusses the challenges of parenting in the digital age and the need for creative outlets for children.

~ Apply discount code IQBAL20 for 20% off all artwork on https://muslimplicity.com ~My conversation with Dr Bilal Hassam was pretty wild, very insightful and lots of fun. We talked about what it means and what it takes to build a faith-based civilisation in the build up to the 22nd century, covering a vast array of topics in the process. This episode is packed with stories and gems of wisdom - not least from Bilal's unique experience of reenacting the 200 mile prophetic migration (hijrah) from Mecca to Medina in 2024. Bilal is Founder of The Muslim Agency and Creative Director at Muslimplicity. He offers bespoke consultation for leaders working in and alongside the Muslim community. Bilal left medicine years ago to turn his attention to a range of roles as business development consultant, senior executive, as well as creative and communications lead across the media industry, charity sector and faith/multi-faith spaces. He is also a freelance writer, having contributed to the Guardian, Independent, Metro, Al Jazeera and more.Check out: https://www.themuslimagency.comFollow Bilal:https://www.instagram.com/bilalhassam/?hl=enhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/bilalhassam/(0:00) Teaser(1:17) Introduction(2:58) Building faith-based civilisation(12:19) Faith, culture… and dance!(16:45) History, ethics and aesthetics (20:12) Rules, limits and judgementalism(28:28) Objective truth and spiritual ascent(40:36) Psychedelics, physics and the unseen(44:50) The singularity, God’s oneness and scripture(59:07) Simplicity, sincerity and humility (1:05:25) Reenacting the prophetic migration (hijrah)(1:31:45) Art, sustainability and leadership (1:42:22) Conclusion and discount code!

Dr Sahira Dar is a portfolio GP in Glasgow working in both the NHS and private sector. She is also President of the British Islamic Medical Association (BIMA). Dr Sahira and I sat down ahead of the BIMA Conference on Saturday 28th June to discuss the organisation's work as well as challenges and opportunities for the future. She also talked about her work as Founder of Vibrant Scottish Mosques and a recent conference she organised to celebrate and raise the profile of women leading the way in scholarship, community leadership, and faith-based activism.Get your tickets to the BIMA Conference: https://britishima.org/event/bima-national-conference-2025/Check out job opportunities at BIMA: https://britishima.org/who-we-are/careers/Connect with Dr Sahira: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sahira-dar-59801453/Follow BIMA: https://www.linkedin.com/company/britishima/(0:00) Vibrant Scottish Mosques and female leadership(7:30) Mosque inclusion: has anything changed?(13:39) Dr Sahira's BIMA journey(15:05) What does BIMA do?(22:45) Do Muslim staff in the NHS feel welcome?(30:54) BIMA's unique training and advocacy work(42:36) Theory of change and impacting wider society(59:22) Hiring a CEO(1:01:05) The BIMA Conference 2025(1:02:56) How is AI being used in the NHS?(1:05:22) Top priorities for BIMA (1:08:15) Top leadership lessons(1:09:37) How Dr Sahira would like to be remembered(1:11:23) Concluding thoughts

Join Ali Siddiqui, a corporate law professional, and Fiyal Malik, who works in financial services, as they explore the quest for God-given purpose. They discuss how to align intentions with a higher calling, escape the constraints of societal expectations, and find balance between professional ambitions and spiritual growth. The conversation delves into transcending compartmentalization, the evolving nature of purpose throughout life stages, and integrating faith into everyday work. Together, they inspire listeners to pursue authentic fulfillment.

It was a pleasure catching up with scholar and social scientist Dr Haroon Sidat. Our conversation focused particularly on the past, present and future of religious scholarship and leadership. Haroon also shared many stories from his personal journey, including encounters with those who have inspired him and those who have threatened his life!(0:00) The importance of humour(2:02) Haroon’s early intellectual journey(6:57) Challenging the notion of “Islamic Studies”(27:04) The state of contemporary scholarship (44:30) Haroon invites your questions!(49:15) How to - and how not to - use hadith(55:51) Have Darul Ulum seminaries changed?(59:40) Scholarly spaces and a culture of respect(1:07:41) Advice to budding scholars (1:20:49) Is it time for a 5th school of law (madhab)?(1:38:17) Cambridge Muslim College(1:43:33) Haroon’s future plans and ambitionsABOUT HAROON:Haroon holds two undergraduate degrees, a Masters degree and a PGCE. In 2019, he completed the prestigious Jameel PhD scholarship in Philosophy, Religion, and Theology at Cardiff University, in which his topic of study was the education, formation and training of Muslim religious leadership in Britain. He is currently a research associate and scholar at the university's Centre for the Study of Islam in the UK. Haroon has long served as an imam and teacher at a number of mosques and local community organisations in the North of England. Learn from Haroon: https://hujjahacademy.comCardiff University profile: https://profiles.cardiff.ac.uk/staff/sidatheLinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-haroon-sidat-00515943/

Taimur just left with his mum for his first ever Hajj, the major pilgrimage to Mecca. A few days ago we sat down to see how his preparations were coming along and what he was hoping to get out of it all. I shared some reflections based on my own trips as well as, of course, from revelation itself - especially Chapter 2 (The Cow) and Chapter 22 (Pilgrimage). (0:00) Will Taimur shave his head?(1:43) Anticipation and preparations (6:25) Connect, cultivate, control, conquer(13:02) Iqbal's experience and memories(20:06) Substance, patience and sacred dress code(28:25) Why can't "non-Muslims" visit the holy sites?(36:18) The blessing of livestock; food waste(38:54) More inner dimensions(43:02 ) Abrahamic leadership and devotion(53:19) Ordering our priorities around revelation(1:00:50) Why would God care about footwear?(1:06:55) Wishing Taimur well