The AMI Podcast

What does solidarity look like from the stands of a football stadium? How do sport, identity, and politics intertwine in the struggle for justice and belonging? And what does it mean to grow up displaced yet deeply rooted in a homeland carried through memory and resistance? In this episode of Thinking Islam, we explore these profound questions with Dr Kholoud Al-Ajarma, anthropologist and award-winning filmmaker at the University of Edinburgh.This captivating conversation traces Dr Al-Ajarma’s personal and intellectual journey—from life in Palestinian refugee camps to becoming an acclaimed scholar of migration, identity, and activism. Drawing on her ethnographic research into pro-Palestinian solidarity among football fans in Scotland, she discusses the power and limits of public protest, the challenges of representing a cause across cultural boundaries, and what forms of hope persist amid displacement.Dr Kholoud Al-Ajarma is a social anthropologist whose work bridges scholarship and lived experience. Her award-winning films and academic research explore themes of exile, belonging, and social justice across Palestine and the diaspora. She has worked with numerous international organisations and universities, and her recent research examines how global solidarity movements express political empathy and resistance through everyday cultural practices.

In this talk, Professor Seyyed Mohaghegh Damad and Hossein Mousavi explore ʿAllāmah Ṭabāṭabāʾī’s theory of idrākāt-i iʿtibārī — or mentally-posited conceptions — and its transformative implications for Islamic legal reasoning. They discuss how human constructs of obligation, action, and morality, though mentally posited, shape Sharīʿa’s adaptability to evolving human needs. Their conversation invites listeners to consider how Islamic law distinguishes between immutable divine principles and flexible human conventions in a changing world.

Professor Abdolkarim Soroush reflects on how Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh) must continually evolve to remain relevant. He contrasts its practical and theoretical dimensions, arguing that true renewal depends on deeper engagement with theology, philosophy, and anthropology. Through thought-provoking examples—from modern bioethics to cosmic prayer—Soroush demonstrates that shifts in how we understand God, duty, and knowledge can revolutionise Islamic law itself.

In this talk, Professor Oliver Leaman cautions against overstating rationalism’s place in Islamic law. Drawing on Qurʾānic narratives like Moses and Khidr, he argues that divine wisdom often transcends human reasoning. Leaman challenges the assumption that Islam fully aligns with modern liberal rationality, urging listeners to rethink how theological humility can coexist with intellectual inquiry in today’s discourse on religion and law.

Shaykh Arif Abdul Hussain explores how the metaphysical insights of Ṣadrāian philosophy can reshape our understanding of rationality in Islamic law. He revisits the tension between reason and Sharīʿa through concepts like aṣālat al-wujūd (the principiality of existence), proposing a dynamic vision of evolving legal norms aligned with human growth and existential purpose. This episode bridges classical metaphysics and contemporary reform.

Dr Imranali Panjwani identifies a major gap in Shīʿī legal theory—the neglect of human experience in understanding legal subjects. He argues that jurisprudence must account for the intellectual, moral, and psychological dimensions of the individual (mukallaf). This episode presents a compelling call for rethinking Sharīʿa as a lived moral framework responsive to human reality.

Dr Mariam al-Attar examines how modern Muslim scholars balance revelation, reason, and science in forming ethical and legal judgments. By contrasting theological voluntarism with rational moral inquiry, she highlights how approaches to emerging issues—like AI and genetics—reflect enduring debates about divine authority and human intellect in Islamic ethics.

Dr Haidar Hobballah and Ali R. Khaki discuss the principle of sad al-dharāʾiʿ (blocking the means) and how Shīʿī legal thought approaches causal reasoning. They unpack the logic behind preventive rulings and explore their modern implications—from bioethics to environmental ethics—offering a rational framework for ethical decision-making in contemporary Islamic contexts.

Mohammad Amin Hessami reinterprets the philosophical legacy of Nāṣir al-Dīn Ṭūsī, uncovering a subtle balance between reason and revelation. Through close reading of Tajrīd al-Iʿtiqād and Akhlaq-i Nāṣirī, he reveals how Ṭūsī navigated competing rationalist and traditionalist schools. The discussion highlights how a medieval thinker’s nuanced model of harmony between intellect and faith remains deeply relevant for modern theological discourse.

Professor Mahmoud Morvarid brings philosophical precision to a core principle of Shīʿī jurisprudence: the authority (ḥujjiyyah) of certainty. Questioning traditional formulations, he argues for a more nuanced approach informed by contemporary epistemology. Listeners will encounter a rigorous exploration of how knowledge, belief, and rational justification shape accountability in Islamic legal thought.