In Good Faith

The last verse (110) of Chapter 18 (The Cave) of the Quran forces us to think about the true nature of our relationship with God.
Do we yearn to encounter the divine, or do we shy away from the inevitable meeting?
In this highlight clip, Azim Kidwai - CEO of Mercy Mission and Chairman of the Bradford District Community Foundation - reminds us that In the end, all earthly bonds will fall away, and what remains is only one relationship: the servant and the Master.
You can watch or listen to my full conversation with Azim here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1S9XVonWlSun3h4yVdxQaB?si=RY2OebPUQ3WYJae_tHPCdQ

In this conversation, I sat down with Dr Wajid Akhter to reflect on his first year as Secretary-General of the Muslim Council of Britain. It was a sobering - and at times shocking - exchange. His verdict: Muslims are facing multiple, urgent, interconnected crises, yet they are not responding with the speed, coordination or seriousness the moment demands.
We touched on a whole host of issues: from mental health problems and youth disengagement to health inequalities, political powerlessness and institutional inertia... not to mention Gaza and grooming gangs. So what is the solution? What is MCB doing about it? Is it being sufficiently backed by the very community it exists to serve and represent?

In addition to his voluntary MCB role, Dr Wajid Akhter works as a GP. He is the founder of Charity Week, as well as a founding member of the British Islamic Medical Association (BIMA) and the Faculty of Medical Leadership and Management. His passions include history, public speaking and travelling.
Find out more about the MCB: https://mcb.org.uk

(0:00) Muslim crisis and lack of urgency
(6:23) What the problems are
(12:17) Are Muslim problems Muslim-specific?
(19:34) What are the positives?
(22:05) Why there is failure despite potential
(26:30) What is MCB doing about this?
(36:44) Changing culture at the MCB
(38:41) Mental health challenges and solutions
(47:52) The MCB sustainability problem
(59:05) The need for proactive ambition
(1:06:41) Has MCB become powerless?
(1:11:04) Is power the right objective?
(1:14:18) Summary and the way forward

Most people feel trapped because they let past decisions, social expectations and fear define their future, instead of first identifying their true ideal.
Real alignment begins when you strip away constraints, clarify what you would pursue if success were guaranteed and time were limited, and then move towards that vision gradually and intentionally.

You can watch my full conversation on this topic here:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/7A5NbXQ947NL8jvh0uefwl?si=EG2gGyxESqSO5aNGun7J7w

Muslim legal tradition ended up crystallising in four schools of law: Hanafi, Shafi'i, Maliki and Hanbali.
But does it need to be this way forever more?
Some insist that no change is needed and that for a person to adhere unquestioningly to one of them is vital.
Others claim that these schools remain invaluable in theory but they need radical revision in practice.
Still others that they should all be done away with and something else needs to take their place if we are to confront seriously the significant challenges of the day.
Whatever one's view, it seems clear that the contemporary situation is very messy and that it confuses most people who want to do the right thing.
In this highlight clip, we hear from Dr Haroon Sidat, currently a research associate and scholar at Cardiff University's Centre for the Study of Islam in the UK.
You can watch my full conversation with Dr Haroon here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2cXNE9qEKZaOkBe5E0i6iX?si=s5W9spoqTeeyFZUjAjPqYw

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: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1S9XVonWlSun3h4yVdxQaB?si=RY2OebPUQ3WYJae_tHPCdQ