In Good Faith

Dr. Haroon Sidat, a research associate at Cardiff University specializing in Islamic legal history, delves into the relevance of traditional madhahib in modern times. He discusses the historical significance of the four main schools of Islamic law and questions whether their rigid adherence remains necessary. Sidat emphasizes the importance of context in applying these traditional principles creatively to address today’s challenges. He advocates for tolerance and open scholarly debate, highlighting the need for adaptable rulings that resonate with contemporary issues.

The narrative for Muslims to migrate from so-called Western countries hasn't just been growing amongst bigots and haters... it's been gathering significant momentum amongst Muslims themselves.So what defines home? What's happening to people's sense of belonging? Is it really time to leave?In this highlight clip, we hear from Azim Kidwai, CEO of Mercy Mission and Chairman of the Bradford District Community Foundation.You can watch or listen to my full conversation with Azim here.

This is Part 2 of my conversation with Professor Joel Hayward. We discussed the morality of modern warfare, including the latest indiscriminate versus precision weaponry, as well as issues of asymmetry, proportionality and diplomacy, especially in the context of Israel, Palestine and Sudan.Watch or listen to Part 1 here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4o3Nch9kc1DfsdYyqsWeMX?si=37UTgZT1QSOeMjAkgSBd7wVisit Prof Joel's website: https://joelhayward.orgFollow Prof Joel: https://www.linkedin.com/in/professor-joel-hayward-2aa2248/(0:00) Indiscriminate vs precision warfare(13:09) Asymmetry and proportionality (21:46) Thoughts on Israel and Palestine(30:52) Thoughts on Sudan (39:39) Phenomenal prophetic diplomacy(50:30) Thoughts on the problem of evil (59:38) A more human, universal approach(1:04:36) Concluding thoughts

I spoke with Mohammed Faris, one of the world's leading faith-based productivity experts, about what it actually means to be productive, achieving sincerity, the tyranny of clocks and watches, the restoration of the lunar calendar, overcoming regrets, remembering death... and a little about the future of this podcast!Mohammed is founder of The Productive Muslim Company - a faith-based training and coaching company with over a million followers online - and the author of best-selling books “The Productive Muslim: Where Faith Meets Productivity” and "The Barakah Effect: More With Less".He has delivered seminars and workshops in over 15 countries, featured on international media as well as the TEDx stage, and spoken at organisations such as Google, American Airlines, Salesforce, Accenture and the Islamic Development Bank Group. Check out Productive Muslim: https://productivemuslim.comFollow Mohammed: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mohammedfaris/(0:00) What is productivity?(2:30) Diverse experiences of productivity (7:05) Challenges of universalising language(17:53) How to know if you're productive(23:09) How to assess & increase sincerity(28:56) Letting go of outcomes(36:12) Doing what you love(40:53) Tyranny of the mechanical clock(52:58) Intentions & resolutions(56:33) Restoring the lunar calendar (1:08:57) Rethinking business productivity(1:13:40) Helping people to write books(1:16:13) Overcoming regrets(1:19:56) Remembering death(1:25:49) What makes a podcast productive?

In this engaging discussion, Professor Joel Hayward, a leading authority on the Prophet Muhammad and warfare ethics, dives into the complexities of conflict and diplomacy. He explores why war persists and contrasts it with the Prophet's balanced approach, emphasizing diplomacy over aggression. Hayward also addresses misconceptions about early Islamic battles, highlighting ethical guidelines that protected noncombatants. Finally, he reflects on the challenges of applying prophetic principles to modern warfare, including the implications of advanced weaponry on ethical conduct.

In this enlightening discussion, Mohammed Nizami, founder of the New School for Abrahamic Restoration and a scholar in theology and politics, critiques the destructive nature of neoliberalism. He highlights how market rationality dominates ethics and relationships, urging a return to covenantal values that prioritize community and moral accountability. Nizami advocates for an education system focused on character development over consumer skills, and he emphasizes sustainable stewardship of the environment. Practical steps for societal transformation are shared, urging listeners to engage in meaningful change.

I've never been a fan of MyTenNights (MTN), the charity platform that has facilitated over $100m of donations by offering timed contributions on the Night of Decree (laylatul-qadr) in the month of Ramadan. Now it seems that the person who founded it, Ismael Dainehine, isn't too much of a fan of what he built either!We spoke about his recent and very significant turning point in how he understands the purpose and contemporary reality of charitable activities, and also how the absence of a sound monetary system undermines the possibility of the very outcomes that aid is intended to achieve. Now Ismael's focus is fully on EverGive, a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve for social impact. I challenged him on various aspects of the existing operational model and we discussed what the future might hold for this new offering.Check out EverGive: https://www.evergive.comIsmael's latest thought piece: https://www.evergive.com/blog/when-money-loses-its-soul-society-rots-from-withinFollow Ismael: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ismael-dainehine-668776a7/(0:00) Headline proposition(0:27) In what way is charity broken?(15:39) More on sustainability (19:30) Addressing the root problem(34:38) Is MyTenNights shutting down?(51:09) How does EverGive work?(57:23) Why a Bitcoin-based endowment?(1:05:45) End-to-end Bitcoin aid(1:13:02) Onboarding charities (1:15:17) Spiritual & economic liberation(1:17:25) How Ismael spends his time(1:21:21) A more universal approach(1:23:29) Life lessons & reflections

In this enlightening chat, Harris Irfan, a veteran of Islamic finance and CEO of Cordoba Capital Markets, dives into the future of Bitcoin as sound money. With three decades of experience, he challenges the practicality of gold compared to Bitcoin's decentralization. Harris discusses the importance of self-custody over custodial platforms, advocates for education on Bitcoin, and explores grassroots efforts for adoption. He also critiques traditional banks and highlights the role of Bitcoin in promoting social stability and ethical finance aligned with Islamic values.

Muhammed Yesilhark, Chief Investment Officer at Noia Capital and co-founder of EverGive, dives deep into the transformative potential of Bitcoin. He discusses how its properties make it a form of sound money, essential for protecting savings and fostering societal prosperity. Yesilhark argues that the fiat system is flawed, emphasizes Bitcoin's scarcity, and its ability to reshape human behavior toward long-term thinking. He also explores the concept of separating money from the state to reduce corruption and advocates for grassroots adoption of Bitcoin as a revolutionary solution.

I sat down with the wonderful Tarek El Diwany after the recent publication of the 4th Edition of his hugely influential book: The Problem With Interest. We revisited some familiar themes of his work - namely the great harms of interest-based economies and the ills of fiat money creation - as well as his views on Bitcoin as a form of sound money. Tarek also shared his thoughts on whether there is any hope of saving ourselves from the sinking ship in which we all find ourselves. At Tarek's request, this is an audio only episode.See Tarek's website: https://theproblemwithinterest.com(0:00) Introduction(3:31) Conceptual frameworks(6:31) What is the problem with interest?(11:10) Hasn't capitalism reduced poverty?(24:50) Our broken monetary system(30:42) If Tarek were Chancellor...(41:01) Would a mass transition be painful?(44:01) The power of vested interests(49:24) Is Bitcoin the solution?(59:06) Possibilities in the meantime(1:08:01) Truth will win