OnGuard - For the Ummah, For the Truth

In this special episode of OnGuard, Hamza Andreas Tzortzis sits with the world-renowned Mauritanian scholar Shaykh Dr Mostafa al-Shaybani for a deeply personal conversation on da‘wah, sincerity, fame, the Qur’an, family, and the crisis of Muslim online influence.

Hamza asks the Shaykh to advise him directly — as someone involved in leadership, public da‘wah, online work, and mentoring others — on how Muslim speakers, activists, influencers and students should protect themselves from ego, ostentation, fame, algorithm-chasing and losing sight of the real purpose of calling people to Allāh.

The Shaykh’s answer is a powerful reminder: before public da‘wah must come private worship; before chasing followers must come sincerity; and before trying to “win” arguments must come a heart shaped by the Qur’an.

This is essential viewing for anyone involved in da‘wah, Islamic content, community work, teaching, activism, or public Muslim discourse.

Chapters:

00:00 Hamza asks for sincere mentorship
02:44 Private worship and the weight of da‘wah
06:37 Why are you calling people to Allāh?
08:10 The Qur’an is guidance, not just barakah
12:10 Surah al-Baqarah and reshaping the Muslim mind
17:18 Tadabbur: the Qur’an as transformation
21:22 Reading sīrah as Qur’anic guidance
22:40 Your da‘wah starts at home
24:47 Fame: the enemy of the da‘i
29:40 Basīrah, hikmah and long-term da‘wah
36:10 Qur’an, marriage and the da‘i’s inner life
42:29 Let the Qur’an choose your da‘wah priorities
44:11 Followers, hearts and success from Allāh
46:38 Hamza’s journey back to the Qur’an

Subscribe to Islam21c for more conversations on faith, family, da‘wah, politics, society and the challenges facing Muslims today.

Share this episode with anyone involved in da‘wah, Islamic content, community leadership or Muslim public discourse.

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What happens when Muslim men and women are separated from their fitrah, their roles, their families — and each other?

In this OnGuard podcast, Shaykh Shaqur Rehman joins us for a deep discussion on the Power of a Muslim Woman, the role of motherhood and wifehood in Islamic civilisation, the crisis facing Muslim families, and how modern society has reshaped the way men and women see themselves.

This is not just a discussion about feminism, university, marriage, or gender roles. It is about the heart of the Muslim home, the future of the Ummah, and the urgent need to rebuild men, women, families, and communities upon submission to Allāh.

We discuss how colonialism, liberal modernity, materialism, online discourse, broken family structures, and schooling from a young age have shaped Muslim men and women — and what it takes to undo that damage through tarbiyah, leadership, sisterhood, brotherhood, haya, family, and community.

Chapters:
00:00 Reclaiming the Power of a Muslim Woman
12:06 How the Muslim family was hijacked
20:38 Real Islamic masculinity and male leadership
34:04 How society reprogrammed men and women
49:11 Muslim women, media and da’wah
01:00:10 Motherhood, wifehood and the path to Jannah
01:06:17 University, apostasy and protecting the dīn
01:22:38 Rebuilding families, tribes and communities

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What happens when you know Islam is true… but still feel empty inside?

In this powerful episode of OnGuard, Hamza Tzortzis speaks to Imran Hussein about anxiety, intrusive thoughts, depression, nihilism, and the search for meaning in a world full of distractions.

Imran shares his deeply personal journey through an existential crisis, describing the moment life seemed to lose its meaning — and how turning back to Allah transformed darkness into clarity. But this is not just a story about “mental health”. It is a conversation about iman, purpose, knowledge, the heart, and why intellectual certainty alone is not always enough to keep a person grounded.

Why do so many Muslims feel spiritually disconnected despite believing in Islam?
How should we understand anxiety, OCD, intrusive thoughts and depression through an Islamic lens?
What does it mean to seek help without shame?
And how can we hold on to hope when everything feels dark?

This episode is for anyone who has ever felt lost, numb, anxious, overwhelmed, or distant from Allah — and for anyone trying to support someone who is.

This podcast is part of our broader anti-suicide campaign, Hold On.
Hold on to life. Hold on to hope. Hold on to the mercy of Allāh.

Subscribe to Islam21c for more conversations on Islam, society, belief, family, mental health, and the challenges facing Muslims today.

Chapters:
00:00 Intro
01:08 Introducing Imran Hussein and the Hold On campaign
02:36 Losing meaning: the questions that would not go away
06:37 Anxiety, derealisation, and the search for answers
11:53 The desperate du’a and the Qur’an moment
16:07 From relief to da’wah
18:15 When anxiety returned: why knowledge alone is not enough
25:47 Understanding anxiety, doubts, and obsessive cycles
30:23 Practical and spiritual tools for anxiety
37:42 Getting help, letting thoughts pass, and prophetic guidance
48:17 Reframing anxiety as a test from Allāh
52:12 Grief, hope, and never despairing of Allah’s mercy
55:49 How family, friends, and brotherhood can help
01:03:27 Hold on to hope and Allah’s mercy
01:05:16 Final reflections

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The world is changing — fast.

From escalating global conflicts to shifting political powers, it feels like history is unfolding in front of us. But here’s the real question:

Are we actually understanding what’s happening?

In this episode of OnGuard, Hamza Tzortzis sits down with Shaykh Dr Haitham al-Haddad to unpack a perspective many Muslims are missing. Because if we misunderstand the nature of this world — its purpose, its struggles, its conflicts — then everything else starts to feel confusing.

This isn’t just about geopolitics.
It’s about how a Muslim should see the world.

And if we get that wrong… the consequences are bigger than we think.

🧠 What you’ll learn in this episode:
Why confusion about world events is increasing
The Islamic framework for understanding conflict and change
What most people misunderstand about the nature of this life
Why clarity starts with the right foundations
How Muslims should respond in times of global uncertainty

📌 Watch till the end:

Because the final insight reframes everything — and gives you a completely different way of looking at what’s happening right now.

Chapters:
0:00 The World Is Changing
0:25 Why Most People Misunderstand What’s Happening
2:10 A Rapidly Changing World & Competing Powers
5:05 Why Muslims Feel Confused Today
8:30 Different Reactions: Agreement, Doubt & Conflict
12:15 The Missing Foundation in Understanding Reality
16:40 This Life Is a Test — Not What You Think
21:10 Why Conflict Is Part of the Design of Life
26:05 The Danger of Expecting Comfort & Stability
31:20 Islamic Framework vs Modern Worldview
36:45 How Muslims Should Interpret Global Events
42:10 Where the Ummah Is Getting It Wrong
47:30 Reframing Success, Struggle & Change
53:15 Intellectual & Spiritual Confusion Explained
58:40 The Consequences of Getting This Wrong
1:04:10 What Needs to Change in the Muslim Mindset
1:09:30 Real Change Starts With This
1:14:50 Practical Takeaways for Muslims Today
1:19:30 Final Reflections — Understanding the World Properly

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What does it really mean to speak about the power of a Muslim woman in a world already saturated with assumptions about gender, autonomy, success, and value?

In this thought-provoking OnGuard conversation, Hamza Tzortzis is joined by Imam Tom Facchine (Yaqeen Institute) for a wide-ranging discussion sparked by Islam21c’s Power of a Muslim Woman campaign. But this is not the conversation many might expect.

Together, they explore:

• Why modern society subtly reshaped how we think about women and “empowerment”
• The quiet pressure many women feel to justify or even apologise for following their fitrah and divine guidance
• How homemaking, motherhood, and femininity became culturally devalued
• The liberal assumptions that influence how all of us — men and women — see the world
• Why debates around feminism often miss the deeper questions entirely
• The "crisis of Islamic scholarship" that leads to many sisters not getting the support they deserve
• And more

This episode isn’t about slogans or culture-war soundbites. It’s about stepping back and asking:

❓ Who defines value?
❓ What counts as power?
❓ And why do so many feel conflicted about answers Islam has long provided?

Whether you’re navigating these questions personally, as a parent, or simply trying to understand the world we inhabit, this discussion offers clarity, nuance, and reflection.

For more information about the Power of a Muslim Woman campaign and to sign up for updates, visit https://pomw.org

Chapters:
00:00 — Intro
03:57 — Why this conversation can’t be avoided
07:04 — How “empowerment” gets defined
10:45 — You’re swimming in liberal waters
14:21 — Why feminism feels persuasive
18:08 — Feminism vs Islam: different starting points
22:17 — Who actually defines value?
26:31 — Homemaking and cultural status
30:43 — “Pretend I’m a sister…”
34:55 — The pressure to justify choices
39:14 — When Islam is reframed in liberal terms
43:36 — Masculinity, femininity, and discomfort
48:00 — Strength vs stereotype
51:51 — The quiet belittling of homemaking
56:09 — The apology trap
1:00:13 — The crisis of Islamic scholarship
1:04:38 — Authority, trust, and confusion
1:09:01 — Internal tensions within Muslim spaces
1:13:43 — Disagreement without defensiveness
1:18:35 — Confidence without apology
1:23:47 — Noticing the water we’re swimming in
1:29:13 — Imagine I’m a sister…
Support the show
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