The Ansari Podcast

The Ansari Podcast: Mahmoud Elansary and Imam Ahmed Deeb discuss Imam Ahmad's life growing up in the United States as a first generation Muslim, they discuss the cognitive dissonance felt when you're a Muslim living in America. They discuss the philosophical and theological questions that troubled Imam Ahmad growing up and how he dealt with them on a personal level. They discuss why the Imam ultimately chose Islam and was convinced by it, and why he decided to completely devote his life to Islam rather than go into medicine as he originally had planned. They discuss the false myth that religion is the cause of war, they discuss having to take a hard look at themselves and see their issues and just how much they hated their own identities, specifically Islam. They discuss what makes Islam more unique than other religions and whether they're all the same like people may believe. They talk about whether or not there is sexual harassment within the Muslim community. They discuss the lack of resources and systems put in place for Muslim women or men to speak to someone who will actually listen and take sexual harassment cases seriously. They speak about the rising issue of call out culture on these sensitive matters, but recognize that they are a cause of the lack of concern for sexual harassment within the Muslim community in the first place. Imam Ahmad Deeb highlights that we must come together to end sexual harassment rather than standing on 2 sides of an argument and budding heads with one another, while both sides of Muslims clearly don't want sexual harassment within their world and community.

The AUDIO IS FIXED*** The Ansari Podcast: Mahmoud Elansary and Omar Faison discuss Omar's journey through different religious texts, and how he eventually settled on Islam and becoming Muslim. They discuss Omar's thought process during his religious journey and reading different religious texts such as the bible, torah and more. And then how he felt when reading the Quran, and what about the Quran stood out so much that led him to converting to Islam. Why did he come to the conclusion that Islam was the truth? They discuss Jesus in the Quran ], and how Omar was able to navigate the redefining of Jesus in the Quran. They discuss the Miracle that is Prophet Muhammed PBUH and the proofs of his prophethood, where Allah speaks to him in the Quran. They discuss how Islam is the clear truth.

Audio will be fixed in 2 Weeks! On this episode of The Ansari Podcast, Mahmoud Elansary and his buddy Max Mzhen have a light discussion about the commonalities between Islam and Judaism. And how Muslims and Jews historically lived in peace together. This episode is not to be informative on historical or religious points, but instead supposed to show a rare civil conversation between a Muslim and Jewish person in today's times. 

The Ansari Podcast, Mahmoud Elansary and Artist Malik Naim discuss the dangers of a Muslim becoming Arrogant in their Islam. How every Muslim has a personal journey with Allah/God and how every Muslim and all humans commits sins. They talk about the dangers of Muslims judging each other. And why Muslim parents and immigrant parents never have the sex talk with their Muslim kids/children. They talk about  Muslims conflicting between their non Muslim friends but also wanting to get closer to Islam and Allah/God. They talk about weed, girls, drugs and alcohol and how we've struggled with it in the past and what its effect is. 

On this episode of The Ansari Podcast, Mahmoud Elansary and Mufti Muhammed Ibn Muneer discuss why is Weed haram? How about before prayer? How about Alcohol. Why is that haram, even if it's in heaven? Why can't I have sex outside of marriage? It's an act of love and not violence, so is Islam against love Is it haram to masturbate? What about without porn? Why can't Muslim women marry non-Muslim men but Muslim men can marry non-muslim women? II feel like a hypocrite, what should I do? These kinds of questions are discussed on this episode!

*SORRY ABOUT THE SOUND QUALITY, WILL BE FIXED SOON IA* The Ansari Podcast: Mahmoud Elansary and Holly Mara, 2 Muslim Americans, discuss why Holly decided to go into the film and arts industry. Especially since she is a minority in being a white American Hijabi Muslim woman. Holly speaks on the false narrative and fake bad reputation Islam has, even though when she discovered Islam it was nothing like the image she's seen in America. Holly talks about how she wants to change the way most Muslim women are represented on screen and how Muslims are represented in Hollywood in general.

The Ansari Podcast: Mahmoud Elansary and Board Member Raheela Ahmed discuss Raheela's childhood and what led her to where she is today as a Muslim woman in America. They discuss the difficulties her immigrant father went through and the obstacles she had to face to become the first hijabi elected official in Maryland. They discuss how they personally deal with "Islamophobia" and what it is like being in public office. They discuss the corruption within American politics and the issue with dark money's influence. They discuss policemen in schools. They discuss Raaheela's personal struggles with following religion and being a young Muslim in the west. As well as her personal struggles being in public office. they look back on the desires they had in highschool and how they dealt with them. 

The Ansari Podcast: Mahmoud Elansary and Professor Sahar Aziz discuss how the American government treated Muslims and reacted to the attack on 9/11. They talk about how the U.S government used 9/11 as an excuse to expand their power and abuse it on Muslims, knowing there would be no repercussions. They talk about how the government was able to do whatever they wanted to Muslims because Muslim Americans are weak and had no political power. Muslims were an easy target for the U.S. government. And whether the government still runs these sting operations on Muslims, also how people easily believed that Muslims were dangerous. Professor Sahar even gives examples of how these sting operations would go down. And how US agents would manipulate young Muslim Americans into becoming terrorists and/or join ISIS. They discuss Trump and the Republican base inciting hate for Muslims and Islam, and why they decided to sign the Muslim Ban. But how America sells billions of dollars to Saudi Arabia and is in its bets interest to be allies with Egypt, so Trump kept them off the Muslim ban. They also talk about how the CIA would Kidnapped and Outsource torture to Saudi Arabia and Egypt and why that is. Is Democracy and Islam Morally exclusive? Professor Sahar Aziz gives her perspective on how Muslims have been taught an over simplified and grandiose look at Islam that does not fit the reality and complexity and richness of Islamic history. Also what is Diaspora and what that Diasporas current situation is Find Out More About Professor Sahar Aziz Here: https://law.rutgers.edu/directory/view/8277 Sahar Aziz’s scholarship examines the intersections of national security, race, and civil rights with a focus on the adverse impact of national security laws and policies on racial, ethnic, and religious minorities in the U.S.  She is a recipient of the Derrick Bell award from the American Association of Law Schools and served as a nonresident fellow at the Brookings Institution-Doha. Sahar Aziz is Professor of Law, Chancellor’s Social Justice Scholar, and Middle East and Legal Studies Scholar at Rutgers University Law School.  Professor Aziz’s scholarship adopts an interdisciplinary approach to examine intersections of national security, race, and civil rights with a focus on the adverse impact of national security laws and policies on racial, ethnic, and religious minorities in the U.S.  Her research also investigates the relationship between authoritarianism, terrorism, and rule of law in Egypt.  She is the founding director of the interdisciplinary Rutgers Center for Security, Race, and Rights (csrr.rutgers.edu). She is also a faculty affiliate of the African American Studies Department at Rutgers University-Newark and a member of the Rutgers-Newark Chancellor's Commission on Diversity and Transformation.  Professor Aziz is an editor for the Arab Law Quarterly and the International Journal of Middle East Studies.  Professor Aziz teaches courses on national security, critical race theory, Islamophobia, evidence, torts, and Middle East law.

The Ansari Podcast: Mahmoud Elansary and Saad Abbasi, 2 Muslim Americans, discuss the psychology behind one of the many reasons why Muslim Americans drink alcohol. They discuss Muslim Americans wanting to fit in, Muslim Americans wanting to be cool and Muslim Americans drinking in order to be cool. They discuss how some Muslims smoke weed, party and have sex. And Mahmoud Elansary gives his own personal account and best reasons as to why he did in the past. They also discuss how America helps many Muslims become more religious and closer to God. Saad discusses how he personally become more religious in Islam in America. How Islam becomes more cultural in Muslim Countries. But for other Muslims its better to leave America. Saad Abbasi discusses what made him decide to become a practicing Muslim rather than succumbing to the desires of American society that many Muslims fall into. Saad explains how he chose his friends as Muslim friends and Non-Muslim friends only as acquaintances. Saad says he was Always interested in studying Islam, but enrolled into college. And his journey to finding an establishment and environment to promote his faith.

The Ansari Podcast: Mahmoud Elansary and 2 of his highschool/college bestfriends talk about what God and religion has menat to them historically, how they feel about God and religion now. They ponder over the creation of God and who is God, how many Gods and religions are there and how to choose. What logic and knowledge mean to God and how important they are and the analogy of a ballroom as life. The issue with cancel culture, not listening to others, and Darrel Davis' experience with KKK leaders and members.  They talk about the dangers of social media and some of the pros and cons. They talk about how corrupt governments have risen to power by using “righteousness” as the reason why they do the evil things they do and how one piece plays on that concept. And the problem of people envying one another on social media