Muslim Money Talk

Meet Rehan Ahmed, founder of Halal Stocks, an Australian based FinTech on a mission to give investors an unfair advantage in the markets. Ethan shares his journey from tech to the MuslimCharity sector and how a shocking revelation led him to founding Halal Stocks. We discussed the evolution of halal investing, why you really can beat the markets, practices of the early Muslims and crucially: how to align Islamic and ethical investing. Find out more about Halal Stocks and become a lifetime member here : https://t212.halalstocks.co/This podcast is hosted by Areeb Siddiqui, the founder and CEO of Kestrl, the app that helps people to grow their wealth without compromiseFind out more about our app here: https://kestrl.io/Show Notes: 00:00 - Trailer02:48 - Growing up in Australia 05:10 - Quitting IBM to join Muslim Aid10:05 - Realising how Charities pay salaries17:17 – Lack of halal investment options in Australia20:21 – Launching Halal Stocks in 201822:43 – Value investing vs. Growth investing26:08 - Can you ever beat the market? Active vs Passive debate 32:32 - Are stocks still worth investing in?34:25 – Halal Stocks’ offering: automated portfolios, not funds36:07 – Sharia compliance vs. ethical investing: the BDS challenge38:53 - Helping Muslims escape 40 hour work weeks43:03 - Muslims building the first Market in Medina46:18 - Can Muslims really make a difference in the markets?48:23 – Why don’t Islamic Investing Standards include Ethical Screening?51:16 – Dispelling the myth: most companies aren’t involved in unethical practices53:06 – Getting LifetimeMembership at Halal Stocks!54:50 – Upcoming products: intelligent crypto, gold, and US market timing58:01 – Final advice: follow the Prophet’s example through entrepreneurship01:00:20 – Audience Q&A : the risk of entrepreneurship

In this  episode of Muslim Money Talk, Areeb Siddiqui speaks with Khizar Muhammad, a Shariah scholar and Islamic finance professional, about the often-overlooked intersection of money and marriage in Muslim communities. They explore topics such as mahr (dowry), prenups, financial expectations, marital communication, and societal shifts that are reshaping how Muslim couples approach marriage today.This podcast is hosted by Areeb Siddiqui, the founder and CEO of Kestrl, the app that helps people to grow their wealth without compromiseFind out more about our app here: https://kestrl.io/And how we help banks here: https://business.kestrl.io/Show Notes: 00:00 - Trailer 02:40 - Eid weddings & reflections on the marriage industry04:13 -  Khizar’s public speaking nerves and nikah khutbah advice05:34  - Core purpose of marriage in Islam07:21 - Decline in societal trust and rise of adversarial prenups10:47 -Khizar's Personal Journey to Islamic Studies18:34 - Communication Issues in Marital Finances29:28 - Understanding Mahar as a Gift, Not Failsafe39:25 - Prenups and Marriage Contract Conditions46:30 - Financial Rights and Responsibilities in Islam53:10 - Lessons from Afghanistan and Beyond01:07:25 - Closing Thoughts and Farewells

In this episode of Muslim Money Talk, Omar Khaliel, co-founder of the Riba Free Foundation and Muslim CEOs Collective, discusses the urgent need for ethical, long-term Muslim leadership rooted in Islamic principles. He and host Areeb Siddiqui explore wealth stewardship, the importance of servant-led leadership, and how Muslim CEOs can build generational impact by fostering a values-driven, collaborative ecosystem.This podcast is hosted by Areeb Siddiqui, the founder and CEO of Kestrl, the app that helps people to grow their wealth without compromiseFind out more about our app here: https://kestrl.io/And how we help banks here: https://business.kestrl.io/Show Notes: 00:00 - Opening04:43 – Circular economy & wealth flow in the Muslim community07:08 – Leadership, governance & building 100-year organizations12:56 – How Muslim CEOs dinners foster real impact21:33 – What is servant-led leadership in Islam?27:16 – Qur’anic leadership lessons: Talut, Khalid ibn Walid, Abu Dhar45:10 – Vision for the next decade of Muslim leadership51:22 – The untapped potential of masjids, charities & investors54:10 – Why Muslim startups struggle with funding58:29 – Final thoughts & call to action

In this episode of Muslim Money Talk, co-founders Areeb Siddiqui and Daeng Termizi dive deep into the journey of building Kestrl, a Muslim fintech startup, from meeting during their MBAs at Cambridge to launching a full-fledged digital Islamic bank. They also explore the philosophy behind Islamic economics, Malaysia’s unique position in Islamic finance, and reflect on the spiritual and economic motivations driving their mission.This podcast is hosted by Areeb Siddiqui, the founder and CEO of Kestrl, the app that helps people to grow their wealth without compromiseFind out more about our app here: https://kestrl.io/And how we help banks here: https://business.kestrl.io/Show Notes:00:00 - Opening trailer02:38 - Intro04:08 - Childhood in Malaysia and education08:45 - Malaysia as a hub of Islamic Banking11:36- Doing the MBA at Cambridge14:18 - First meeting and the idea for Kestrl21:33 - Monzo for Muslims?23:45 - 1st funding round and feedback26:06 - Daeng's side hustles to survive30:36 - Finding the right co-founder/CTO35:17 - Hiring the in-house tech team40:53 - Going B2B SaaS42:28 - Launching the Kestrl digital bank43:37 - Should Muslims move to Malaysia?48:11 - Malays having different rights56:46 - What is the Ideal Islamic Economy?

Today we’re joined by Mohammed Shoaib, Head of Sales and Marketing at Muslim Kids TV, to discuss the urgent need for high-quality, values-aligned Muslim children’s media. They explore Shoaib’s personal journey through faith, fatherhood, and media, diving into how Islamic content creation can combat harmful mainstream narratives and influence the next generation positively.This podcast is hosted by Areeb Siddiqui, the founder and CEO of Kestrl, the app that helps people to grow their wealth without compromiseFind out more about our app here: https://kestrl.io/And how we help banks here: https://business.kestrl.io/Show Notes:00:00 - Opening trailer02:38 - Intro03:40 - Early Education & Career In Charity08:08 - Joining And Rebranding Islam Channel 11:18 - Starting the Dadhood podcast 12:12 - The Truth About Working In Muslim Organisations 17:28 - Becoming A Man: Early Marriage & Fatherhood 21:50 - Marrying A Revert24:12 - Early fatherhood Baraqa & Financial Struggles 31:14 - Growing Up Without A Father 34:33 - Problems with Mainstream Children's Media39:45 - Subtle Zionist Messaging 42:05 - The Problem With Aladdin, Zootropolis and more…45:07 - Muslim Kids TV: Creating Quality Alternatives53:31 - Is There A Production Quality Gap?55:49 - Military Brainwashing in the US 00:59:18 - Pitching New Ideas01:02:18 - The Future Of Muslim Kids TV

In this episode of Muslim Money Talk, Areeb Siddiqui speaks with Sultan Choudhury OBE about the challenges and evolution of Islamic banking in the UK and beyond. They discuss misconceptions around Islamic finance, pricing challenges, the need for stakeholder alignment, and how scale and innovation can push the industry forward.This podcast is hosted by Areeb Siddiqui, the founder and CEO of Kestrl, the app that helps people to grow their wealth without compromiseFind out more about our app here: https://kestrl.io/And how we help banks here: https://business.kestrl.io/Show Notes:00:00 - Opening trailer02:08 - Intro and becoming a shareholder in Kestrl05:39 - Early advice to Kestrl06:23 - Early education and sales experience  11:00 - Studying economics and discovering Islamic Finance15:21 - Early career and thoughts of Deloitte19:20 - Remembering parents and their influences in entrepreneurship 22:26 - Working at Charles Schwab and learning Californian Tech Culture 26:08 - Building Islamic Bank of Britain28:38 - Challenges in scaling Islamic finance in the UK  32:55 - Early Products & Launching Islamic Mortgages 35:40 - Adopting the cloud and new tech38:14 - Why do Islamic Banks have bad User Experiences?41:29 - Why are Islamic Mortgages more expensive?49:08 - Why don’t Islamic Banks want more deposits?51:10 - Why do returns track the BoE interest rate?55:36 - So is this interest by another name?56:53 - Dealing with conflicting Fatwas59:15 - Dealing with poor UX first   1:01:47 - Why Are Islamic Banks Run By Non-Muslims?1:05:55 - Do We Need A New Islamic Bank?

In this heartfelt episode of Muslim Money Talk, host Areeb Siddiqui sits down with his father and Kestrl’s CFO, Ayaz Siddiqui, for an emotional and wide-ranging conversation about immigration, financial sacrifice, growing up in post-colonial societies, surviving personal loss, and the evolution of Islamic finance in the UK. From humble beginnings in Pakistan to executive roles in global banks, Ayaz reflects on how faith, resilience, and mentorship shaped his journey — and why he ultimately chose to back his son’s fintech startup.This podcast is hosted by Areeb Siddiqui, the founder and CEO of Kestrl, the app that helps people to grow their wealth without compromise Find out more about our app here: https://kestrl.io/And how we help banks here: https://business.kestrl.io/Show Notes: 00:00 - Opening 04:35 - Childhood in Pakistan and Military Life12:11 - Zambia Years and Moving to England22:13 - Life-Changing Loss at Age 1835:11 - Breaking into London's Financial World52:30 - 9/11 and Muslim Identity Crisis1:10:09 - Mentorship and Career Evolution1:22:32 - The Birth of Kestrel Financial1:35:56 - Islamic Finance: Progress and Disappointments

Meet Ibrahim, a Palestinian born med school drop out who went on to build one of the UK’s largest crypto empires in both mining and trading.Ibrahim shares his journey with us, why and how Muslims should be investing into crypto, as well as what Muslims should be focussing their skillsets on today.This podcast is hosted by Areeb Siddiqui, the founder and CEO of Kestrl, the app that helps people to grow their wealth without compromise Find out more about our app here: https://kestrl.io/And how we help banks here: https://business.kestrl.io/Show Notes: 00:00 - Opening 02:15 - Entering venture capital03:54 - Dubai vs Riyadh for muslim entrepreneurs 05:29 - From medicine to bitcoin trading07:10 - Can money still be made in cryptocurrencies?08:22- Turning 2k into 12k through arbitrage trading 09:47- Definition: What exactly is cryptocurrency?12:01- Similarities between Qu’ran memorisation and the blockchain13:52- Why the early passion for bitcoin?16:03- Launching the UK’s first bitcoin mining company 17:20- Having God level accountability17:52- Early money/success impact to ego?19:06- Definition: What is crypto mining?21:32- Is crypto a scam?23:38- How to buy and sell crypto ?25:10- Keeping your crypto investment safe26:18 - Using stable coins to send money27:36 - Decentralised financial services: Islamic insurance and regulations29:38 - Revolutionising Islamic Finance?30:39 - Mainstream vs Meme coins32:45 - Bitcoin = Gold? Ethereum = Oil?34:29 - Can it really be a currency?35:30 - Will bitcoin hit $1m USD?37:00 - Is bitcoin shariah compliant?38:51 - Breaking for Maghreb prayers39:28 - Backing muslim founders with Niyyah Capital41:55 - How to increase your Rizq?44:29 - What keeps Muslims poor?46:28 - Wahi: Memorising Hadiths through an app48:37 - Favorite stories about wealth in the Qu’ran

Meet Shahid Munir, founder of Minted and Minted Edge, as he shares his journey from a family-run corner shop to leading fintech ventures in gold investment and Islamic banking solutions. They dive deep into entrepreneurship, ethical finance, why Muslims love gold, and how to tackle being “debanked” in today’s world.This podcast is hosted by Areeb Siddiqui, the founder and CEO of Kestrl, the app that helps people to grow their wealth without compromise Find out more about our app here: https://kestrl.io/And how we help banks here: https://business.kestrl.io/Show Notes: 00:00 - Trailer/Introduction 03:20 -  Childhood inspirations and origins 06:43 -  Moving to Investment Banking 09:21 - Industry experience before entrepreneurship11:17- The Dark Side of Investment Banking 13:53 -  Early interest in computing 15:46 - Childhood attempts at entrepreneurship 17:38 - Scaling first business in telephone systems 26:00 - Minted: Making Gold Accessible 32:07 - Why is Gold important to Muslims?34:55 - Could a gold backed debit card work?40:00 - Minted Edge: Protecting charities from Debanking47:25 - Dubai vs UK for Entrepreneurs50:31 - Making FX payments more efficient 55:23 - The biggest financial problem for Muslims today59:38 - Advice to Muslim founders

Meet Sagheer Malik, Chief Commercial Officer of Offa Finance, proving shariah compliant buy to let and bridge financing solutions.He discusses the regulatory challenges surrounding UK Islamic Home Financing, along with the criticisms that have come his way from other practitioners! Sagheer also discusses the UK Muslim children’s adoption crisis and draws parallels between it and Islamic finance.This podcast is hosted by Areeb Siddiqui, the founder and CEO of Kestrl, the app that helps people to grow their wealth without compromise Find out more about our app here: https://kestrl.io/And how we help banks here: https://business.kestrl.io/Show Notes: 00:00 - Trailer 02:31 – The UK’s child adoption crisis 12:03 – Early career at Islamic Bank of Britain16:37 - Being mentored by strong Muslims17:39 - Being poor and Muslim 19:50 - Remembering the late Azhar Khan23:22- Launching the UK’s first Islamic Bank 28:15- Mistakes made at the Bank 32:56- Why the name Offa?35:42- How Offa fixes UK Islamic Mortgages41:10 - Why are 2 lawyers often needed?43:10 - Are some companies more authentically shariah compliant?50:10 - Confusion amongst the general public 56:35 - Regulated vs. Unregulated Schemes: Stamp Duty, CGT and Variable Rents1:07:50 - Offa’s future product offering as1:11:48 - Should everyone buy property?1:16:50 - The Story of Abdurrahman RA and charitable giving