A very special guest for episode 30- our very own shariah scholar, Mufti Faraz Adam!Mufti Faraz shares his views on the state of Islamic Finance and weighs in on current debates. From TikTok Fatwas and productivity hacks to how to be more like the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ when doing buiness.This podcast is powered by Kestrl.Kestrl is an app that helps Muslim to grow their wealth without compromising their beliefsKestrl - The Muslim Money Apphttps://kestrl.io/00:00 – Opening03:25 – Being A Lifelong Learner04:25 – What is a Mufti?08:39 – Emotional Burdens of being a Mufti12:34 – Education and Personal Goal17:49 – Changing Hate into Love: Learning from Enemies23:36 – Why Focus on Islamic Finance?30:07 – Finding Your Why35:54 – Fatwa controversies & social media misinformation.45:14 – Is Islamic finance truly halal?51:45 – Achieving a Prophetic Level of Islamic Finance57:15 – Should Islamic Finance be used by Non-Muslims?1:02:37 – How the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ did Business1:13:13 – The 4 AM productivity rule1:18:51 – Q&A: Could a Waqf Resolve Home Financing?1:20:02 - Q&A: What Qualifications are Best for an Islamic Finance Career? 1:27:52 - Q&A: Is Sukuk Permissible? 1:33:01 – Final thoughts on the industry’s future.

This episode dives into the purpose of life through the lens of Islam, with Ishaaq reflecting on the beauty and practicality of applying the Quran in daily life. The discussion spans personal development, virality in content creation while maintaining Islamic values, and navigating the balance between deen and dunya. It concludes with impactful lessons from Islamic history, leaving listeners inspired to align their actions with their ultimate purpose.This podcast is powered by Kestrl.Kestrl is an app that helps Muslim to grow their wealth without compromising their beliefsKestrl - The Muslim Money Apphttps://kestrl.io/Show Notes: 00:00 – Introduction: The beauty of Islam and the Quran’s guidance.02:30 – How internships and early experiences shaped Ishaaq’s growth.05:12 – Pillars of growth and strategies for scaling an app like Nia.09:12 – Organic vs. paid growth strategies in Islamic startups.16:00 – Building a meaningful relationship with the Quran.21:26 – Aligning deen and dunya: Practical advice for young Muslims.27:27 – Choosing halal careers and maintaining sincerity in intentions.36:34 – Ishaaq’s journey to becoming growth lead at Nia.45:03 – Balancing gratitude, humility, and accountability.49:48 – Formula for achieving virality while staying values-aligned.59:36 – Quickfire questions: Favorite ayahs, advice for startups, and impactful hadiths.1:07:29 – Reflection on the humility of Umar ibn Khattab (RA).1:08:20 – Closing thoughts and gratitude for the conversation.

Dive into the transformative potential of zakat in alleviating world hunger and empowering communities. Explore the emotional hurdles of entrepreneurship, including one founder’s dream to launch an airline. Discover the unique challenges women face in the Islamic finance sector while juggling family and career. Reflect on societal issues like racism and the importance of identity within the Muslim community. Uncover the nuances of Islamic finance, questioning the interplay between interest and profit, and the significance of sincere intentions in business.

Yasmine El-Mehairy, a serial entrepreneur and founder of Deja Money, discusses her journey through startups, her inspiration from the Arab Spring, and her mission to empower Muslim women in finance through Deja. She shares lessons learned from her past ventures and insights on fostering financial literacy and independence among women in Saudi Arabia and beyond.This podcast is powered by Kestrl.Kestrl is an app that helps Muslim to grow their wealth without compromising their beliefsKestrl - The Muslim Money Apphttps://kestrl.io/Show Notes: 00:00 - Opening02:05 - Networking at fintech events.03:06 - How entrepreneurship began accidentally.05:56 - Founding Supermama to fill a content gap.12:34 - Early funding challenges in Egypt.17:01 - Supermama’s exit and stakeholder struggles.24:32 - Cushies: A purpose-driven venture.28:36 - Transition to UK fintech roles.34:16 - Deja Money’s origins and goals.38:38 - Cultural barriers to financial literacy.44:30 - Saudi focus: Women in the workforce.52:20 - Lessons on co-founders and networks.54:52 - Building communities with intention.58:19 - Yasmeen’s legacy and vision.

In this episode of Muslim Money Talk, Salman Hussein, co-founder of Zeed, discusses the intersection of AI, fintech, and Muslim values, explaining how personalised financial content can empower retail investors. The conversation also delves into entrepreneurship, risk-taking, and the transformative potential of AI in reshaping industries and faith-based engagement.This podcast is powered by Kestrl. Kestrl is an app that helps Muslim to grow their wealth without compromising their beliefs Kestrl - The Muslim Money App https://kestrl.io/Show Notes:00:00 – Opening03:24 – From trading to founding: the key inspiration and leap into startups.08:38 – Early challenges and successes: fundraising and building Zeed’s vision.14:40 – Innovative AI applications: financial podcasts, broker calls, and content generation.19:45 – Tackling AI challenges: hallucinations, bias, and delivering accurate personalization.26:07 – How AI is reshaping finance and its potential impact on the Muslim world.39:00 – Broader implications of AI: jobs, economics, and societal shifts.52:56 – Zeed’s rebrand announcement and its future focus on empowering institutions.

Meet Youness Abidou, founder and CEO of Nester, a Sharia-compliant real estate investment platform in the UK. He shares insights on navigating the regulatory landscape, the challenges of Islamic finance, and his vision for addressing financial gaps in the Muslim community.This podcast is powered by Kestrl. Kestrl is an app that helps Muslim to grow their wealth without compromising their beliefs Kestrl - The Muslim Money App https://kestrl.io/00:00 - Coming up02:17 - Introduction and banking career 07:41 - Discovering Islamic Finance12:25 - Community demand for Islamic Finance18:29 - Meeting co-founder Mohammed Paracha.24:40 - British Muslims’ problems and Nester as a solution28:59 - Early days and teething problems 32:28 - Islamic vs Ethical branding 38:11 - How Nester works for businesses 44:51 - How Nester raises money from the crowd48:35 - Commodity Murabaha and controversy 53:17 - Getting a new license just for Nester 56:32 - Funding rounds and first transactions 59:12 - Future plans, and expansion to Saudi Arabia.1:06:07 - Thoughts on the state of Islamic finance and community needs.1:11:44 - Youness’ vision for Nester’s legacy and community impact.

Zaid Patel, owner of Highcastle Estates and host of The Muslim Pound Podcast, shares insights into property investment from a Muslim perspective. He discusses why real estate appeals to the community and explores sharia-compliant investment methods. The conversation also touches on the rent-to-rent model, the dynamics of family businesses, and the impact of community on property ventures. Patel examines the London market's current state, addressing whether buying is still a wise choice and the potential of masjids as community hubs.

Harris Irfan, a veteran in Islamic finance, offers a critical perspective on the industry's adherence to foundational principles. He discusses the need for innovation to align modern practices with prophetic economics. The conversation delves into the disconnect between demand and actual use of Islamic financial products, while promoting Bitcoin as a 'freedom currency.' Irfan also highlights fintech's potential to bridge gaps in Islamic finance and emphasizes the importance of ethical leadership and genuine risk-sharing instruments.

In today’s episode we’re flipping the script and interviewing our host Areeb Siddiqui- the founder of Kestrl: The Muslim Money App!Driven to leave the corporate world by his growing discomfort working around interest- Areeb discusses his MBA at Cambridge, inspiring stories about money from the Quran and Hadith, and why Muslims are so poor with money today.Special thanks to Ali Siddiqui (Areeb’s brother) for stepping into the host’s seat this week!This podcast is powered by Kestrl. Kestrl is an app that helps Muslim to grow their wealth without compromising their beliefs Kestrl - The Muslim Money App https://kestrl.io/Show Notes: 00:00 - Coming up 02:02 - Intro03:17 – From Physics to Finance05:57 – The need to experiment 07:14 - What you study doesn’t matter!09:21 – Deloitte grad scheme 13:30 - Islamic Finance at Deloitte15:31 – Understanding salary bands and consulting culture22:01 - Lessons from the du’a of Prophet Suleiman AS28:52 - the Cambridge MBA: Should you do it?32:57 - Finding a Co-founder and the inspiration for Kestrl36:17 - Speaking to 3000 Muslims 39:01 – Going full-time, fundraising and early business models 48:35 - Tying your camel before you invest 53:55 - Dark Days: Money struggles and becoming a dad 56:33 – B2B partnerships, profitability and the blessing of children 59:40 - Kestrl’s name and branding for Muslims 1:03:57 – Using open banking for boycotting and upcoming features 1:06:40 – A.I in Islamic finance 1:11:08 – Money lessons from the first Muslims 

Meet Kazi Shafiqur Rahman, Co-founder of SunnaMusk and Firnas Airways,  as he shares his journey from being a cleaner at an airport to becoming a successful entrepreneur and airline owner. This conversation literally has it all, the ultimate highs and horrific lows of entrepreneurship, to the importance of family in business.This podcast is powered by Kestrl. Kestrl is an app that helps Muslim to grow their wealth without compromising their beliefs Kestrl - The Muslim Money App https://kestrl.io/TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 - Coming Up 01:55 – Introduction04:48- Coming to the UK and early education09:28 – Why Aviation? Working at the airport 18:57 – Getting fired and working with family24:00 - Making money vs. Religion 26:27 - Learning how to do business 29:46 - Becoming a serial entrepreneur 35:20 - Starting Sunnamusk with brothers38:58 - Consistency, consistency, consistency!44:12 - Setting a Northstar and raising capital 48:10 - Whitechapel market and the route to Westfield 55:38 – Entering shopping malls and early success 58:47- Pitching to Westfield mall and becoming a real brand 01:06:47 – The Channel 4 documentary 01:10:47 – Leaving Sunnamusk for the Firnas Airways 01:18:19 - What happened to Firnas?01:21:20 - Lessons learned 01:26:49 – Conclusion and closing remarks