Sultans and Sneakers

Shaykh Abdullah Oduro is a Ghanian-American convert to Islam who graduated from the Faculty of Shariah at the Islamic University of Madinah. He is also a Senior Fellow at Yaqeen Institute and hosts the Iman Cave YouTube series for Yaqeen. In this episode of the podcast, we talked about how men should utilize fitness to overcome the distress of divorce, how embracing discomfort is critical to masculine development, and much more. To learn more about Shaykh Abdullah and engage his work, you can go to https://www.abdullahoduro.com/ Resources for "Sultans and Sneakers" Patreon: https://patreon.com/sultansandsneakers YouTube: www.youtube.com/sultansandsneakers Instagram: https://instagram.com/sultansandsneakers Twitter: https://twitter.com/SultansNSnkrs Facebook: https://facebook.com/sultansandsneakers

Imam Tom Facchine of Yaqeen Institute returns to the podcast to break down the concept of innovation in Islam. Tom talks about his studies at the Islamic University of Madinah and how his understanding evolved over the years. We specifically cover the issue of the Mawlid (the celebration of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him)'s birth) and discuss it from various angles. Tom Facchine accepted Islam in his early twenties. He holds a BA in Political Science from Vassar College (2011) and a BA in Islamic Law from the Islamic University of Madinah (2020). He also holds a chaplaincy certificate from The Chaplaincy Program conducted by the Prophet's Mosque (2019). You can find Tom on his various social media channels (Instagram, Twitter) at ImamTomFacchine and for serious inquiries, you can email him at imamtomfacchine@gmail.com Resources for "Sultans and Sneakers" Patreon: https://patreon.com/sultansandsneakers YouTube: www.youtube.com/sultansandsneakers Instagram: https://instagram.com/sultansandsneakers Twitter: https://twitter.com/SultansNSnkrs Facebook: https://facebook.com/sultansandsneakers

For the second time on the podcast, I was joined by Dr. Yasir Qadhi. Shaykh Yasir is someone who needs little introduction as he is one of the leading Muslim public intellectuals in the world. We discussed topics such as: -His motivations in studying Islam -His mindset when juggling secular studies with his aspirations for higher Islamic studies -His favorite hobbies -What he would study today if he had more bandwidth -How he's managing social media and his approach to armchair critics Resources for "Sultans and Sneakers" Patreon: https://patreon.com/sultansandsneakers YouTube: www.youtube.com/sultansandsneakers Instagram: https://instagram.com/sultansandsneakers Twitter: https://twitter.com/SultansNSnkrs Facebook: https://facebook.com/sultansandsneakers

Shaykh Hasib Noor is the Founder and Director of The Legacy Institute. He is also among the founders of Faith. Global, which is a global platform for creating faith-based community spaces. He studied Islam formally at the Islamic University of Madinah College of Islamic Law. He has a special interest in the archaelogical sites and historical landmarks related to the life events of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon Him). As a resident of the holy city of Madinah, he is well known for his walking tours that he provides to those performing Hajj and Umrah in the sacred precincts of Makkah and Madinah. In this episode of the podcast, we discussed priorities and approaches to learning Islam in the West, specifically from the viewpoint of a Muslim man who is juggling multiple priorities. You can learn more about Shaykh Hasib's work at https://legacy.institute/ Resources for "Sultans and Sneakers" Patreon: https://patreon.com/sultansandsneakers YouTube: www.youtube.com/sultansandsneakers Instagram: https://instagram.com/sultansandsneakers Twitter: https://twitter.com/SultansNSnkrs Facebook: https://facebook.com/sultansandsneakers

Shaykh Mustafa Umar is a returning guest to the podcast; he is an Islamic scholar from Southern California who is the youngest executive member of the Fiqh Council of North America. He studied Islam in India, Egypt, France, and the UK. In this episode, we talk about the first annual Men's Conference he is helping to organize in Southern California. We discuss the importance of such an event due to the challenges Muslim men are facing. The Men's Conference will be held on January 13, 2024 at the Islamic Center of Irvine. You can register for onsite or online at: https://www.facebook.com/786ICOI/ This podcast also covers topics like: -Why is masculinity always framed as toxic? -What are the marital challenges men are facing? -Why are men (and people in general) overwhelmed and what can we do to break out of this cycle? Resources for "Sultans and Sneakers" Patreon: https://patreon.com/sultansandsneakers YouTube: www.youtube.com/sultansandsneakers Instagram: https://instagram.com/sultansandsneakers Twitter: https://twitter.com/SultansNSnkrs Facebook: https://facebook.com/sultansandsneakers

Dr. Haroon Sidat is a student of knowledge in the Islamic sciences. After completing the memorization of the Qu'ran, he completed the traditional Darsi-i Nizami curriculum and then pursued his secular education in Economics and Finance along with an MA in Education. He also has a PhD in Religion and Theology. He is a Research Associate at Cardiff University in the UK. In this episode of the podcast, we talked about the mindset required to construct a Jannah-focused life. We also discussed what it means to build confidence, requirements for the laity in studying Islam, how Muslims can contribute to Western society and much more. Resources for "Sultans and Sneakers" Patreon: https://patreon.com/sultansandsneakers YouTube: www.youtube.com/sultansandsneakers Instagram: https://instagram.com/sultansandsneakers Twitter: https://twitter.com/SultansNSnkrs Facebook: https://facebook.com/sultansandsneakers

Shaykh Hamzah Maqbul is the resident scholar for Ribat, a center of Islamic education and dhikr based out of the greater Chicagoland area. He did his formal education at the University of Washington and pursued traditional Islamic studies across the Muslim world; in Syria, Egypt, Morocco, Mauritania, U.A.E., and Pakistan. He is also currently collaborating with the Imam Ghazali Institute. In this timely episode of the podcast, we discuss various points regarding his recent treatise "Mawlawi's Guide to Ghazzah". Shaykh Hamzah discusses the history of the turmoil in the Holy Land and offers pragmatic advice for Western Muslims on how to benefit their brethren in Palestine. This episode was recorded on Sunday October 22, 2023 and is releasing on Sunday October 29, 2023. To learn more about Shaykh Hamzah and his work, you can go to: https://ribat.org/ The currently 3 part treatise on Gaza can be accessed at: https://ribat.org/blog Shaykh Hamzah's audio lectures and khutbahs can be found at: https://soundcloud.com/hmaqbul Please leave a 5 star review and consider becoming a Patron at: https://www.patreon.com/sultansandsneakers

Shaykh Ismail Kamdar is the founder of Islamic Self Help and Izzah Academy. He completed the Alimiyyah Program in 2006, and a BA in Islamic Studies in 2014, specializing in Fiqh, Tafsir, and History. Currently his full time day job is as Research Operations Manager at Yaqeen Institute. He is the author of over a dozen books in the fields of Islamic Studies and personal development. Due to his work in the personal development and self-help space, I walked him through a typical week for me and asked him to audit it. The results and discussion were very eye opening for me and I hope it's beneficial for all who listen. You can learn more about Shaykh Ismail at his website, https://www.islamicselfhelp.com/ To support the channel, please consider becoming a Patron at https://www.patreon.com/sultansandsneakers Please leave a review on Apple Podcasts with a 5 star review or a 5 star review on Spotify or anywhere else you listen to podcasts.

Back on the episode for a second time is Dr. Mohamed Ghilan. He is someone who has managed to excel in both the Islamic sciences and his professional career and exemplifies a model of the "Deep Life". Mohamed has had a unique spiritual journey and is familiar with various methodologies of spirituality within Islam. For this reason, I wanted to have an open conversation about how one finds a spiritual path that works for them. You can learn more about his work at https://alandalusacademy.com/ Leave a 5 star review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. To support the channel financially, consider becoming a Patron at https://www.patreon.com/sultansandsneakers

My family and I attended the Al-Maqasid Summer Retreat from August 7, 2023 to August 13, 2023. It was one of the best experiences we have ever done together as a family. In this rare solo episode of the podcast, I share my full review. *One slight edit: In the episode I refer to Imam Ahmad Mashur Al-Haddad. The proper title he is referred to is: Habib Ahmad Mashur Al-Haddad. My apologies. You can learn more about Al-Maqasid at: https://www.almaqasid.org/ Please leave a 5 star review on Apple Podcasts! To support the channel financially, consider becoming a Patron at https://www.patreon.com/sultansandsneakers

Habeeb Quadri is the superintendent of MCCA (Muslim Community Center Academy) schools, one of the largest and long-standing Islamic schools in the country. He also serves as part-time staff at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. In this episode, we discuss how he got into his field, issues surrounding modern-day education, how Islamic schools can keep leveling up, a father's role in their children's education, the legacy his father has built in Chicago, and how Habeeb came to terms with his own mortality as a result of his cancer diagnosis a few years ago.

In this episode of the podcast, I had the privilege of chatting with Dr. Salah Sharief, who is an entrepreneur, academic, and student of the Islamic sciences. He is the Founder and CEO of Kalaam Halal Audio and the Founder of Wordsmiths Editing. Currently, he is residing in Cairo, Egypt where he is continuing his pursuit of Islamic studies. We discussed several topics including productivity, time management, his relationship with Shaykh Akram Nadwi, the challenges of pursuing sacred knowledge in a social media age, and where the best place to live for a Muslim right now is. The timing of this release is coinciding with one of his most anticipated projects; his written adaptation of Shaykh Yasir Qadhi's Seerah series. Currently the book is available in the UK at https://www.kubepublishing.com/collections/2023/products/the-sirah-of-the-prophet Resources for "Sultans and Sneakers" Patreon: https://patreon.com/sultansandsneakers YouTube: www.youtube.com/sultansandsneakers Instagram: https://instagram.com/sultansandsneakers Twitter: https://twitter.com/SultansNSnkrs Facebook: https://facebook.com/sultansandsneakers

Shaykh Ismail Alqadi is a Qari (professional reciter of the Qu'ran) from Amman, Jordan. He learned the various sciences related to the recitation of the Qu'ran from several teachers and has an ijazah and sanad in the ten different narrations of the Qu'ran. He also has a degree in Islamic studies majoring in Fiqh and Usul. In this podcast, Shaykh Ismail introduces the topic of maqamat, which refers to a system of melodic modes used to recite the Qu'ran. He walks us through examples of maqamat and the context that best suits their usage. We also discuss how he developed his own style and his foray into the singing of nasheeds (Islamic songs). For more information on maqamat, Shaykh Ibrahim Bakeer is a great resource. He gives a great overview in this interview with Nouman Ali Khan which can be found at: https://youtu.be/IhKCWeHpwlk Resources for "Sultans and Sneakers" Patreon: https://patreon.com/sultansandsneakers YouTube: www.youtube.com/sultansandsneakers Instagram: https://instagram.com/sultansandsneakers Twitter: https://twitter.com/SultansNSnkrs Facebook: https://facebook.com/sultansandsneakers

Mawlana Saaleh Baseer is a brilliant young scholar of Hanafi law and Mughal history from the Bay Area. After completing his memorization of the Qu'ran, he received his Alim degree from Darul Uloom Azaadville in South Africa. Afterwards he went on to pursue a Bachelor's degree from Columbia University where he majored in History. Most recently he has completed a Master's from the University of Chicago and is wrapping up his studies at Darul Qasim College where he has trained to be a mufti(scholar qualified to give legal rulings). Mawlana Saaleh has been able to disperse his passion of Mughal history to others in America, particularly those of South-Asian descent. In this episode, he walks us through his life story, his pursuit of Islamic knowledge and how he came across the Mughal Empire. We also cover other topics such as the importance of mentorship and having the right teachers to progress one's education. Resources for "Sultans and Sneakers" Patreon: https://patreon.com/sultansandsneakers YouTube: www.youtube.com/sultansandsneakers Instagram: https://instagram.com/sultansandsneakers Twitter: https://twitter.com/SultansNSnkrs Facebook: https://facebook.com/sultansandsneakers

On this episode of the podcast, I bring back Shaykh Umair Haseeb to talk all things Ramadan. What do we do if we don't prep at all? How do we navigate Ramadan when we're struggling with sins? How do sages of today approach Ramadan? Shaykh Umair is a graduate of Al-Qayrawayin University in Fes, Morocco and is currently serving as Director of Religious Affairs for Ta'leef Collective. (Re-released with improved audio on 3/26/2023, Original Release: 3/20/2023) Resources for "Sultans and Sneakers" Patreon: https://patreon.com/sultansandsneakers YouTube: www.youtube.com/sultansandsneakers Instagram: https://instagram.com/sultansandsneakers Twitter: https://twitter.com/SultansNSnkrs Facebook: https://facebook.com/sultansandsneakers

Dr. Yakoob Ahmed is an Ottoman historian with a specialization in late Ottomon history. He received his Ph.D. from the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) at the University of London and he currently teaches at Istanbul University in Turkiye. I had a chance to sit down with Dr. Yakoob after I attended a weekend seminar he did in Chicago on Ottoman history. We discussed his origin story, his identity as a "Londoner", how he developed empathy for others, and biases that Western academics operate from..amongst other things. Resources for "Sultans and Sneakers" Patreon: https://patreon.com/sultansandsneakers YouTube: www.youtube.com/sultansandsneakers Instagram: https://instagram.com/sultansandsneakers Twitter: https://twitter.com/SultansNSnkrs Facebook: https://facebook.com/sultansandsneakers

In this episode, I bring back my good friend Nabeel Azeez who's a Dubai based copywriter to talk about his latest project, "40 Hadith on Masculinity: How to be a Good Man". We discuss how he went about commissioning the project and tackled a few examples of things related to masculinity that content creators struggle with. We also discussed his foray into boxing and the "MuslimMan" brand he is cultivating. To purchase the book you can go to https://muslimman.com/book Resources for "Sultans and Sneakers" Patreon: https://patreon.com/sultansandsneakers YouTube: www.youtube.com/sultansandsneakers Instagram: https://instagram.com/sultansandsneakers Twitter: https://twitter.com/SultansNSnkrs Facebook: https://facebook.com/sultansandsneakers

Jumha Aburezeq is an active entrepreneur, philanthropist, and founder of StoopidFit. To date, he's helped over 1000 people across the world gain freedom with their body, mind and food with his trademark 3 Phase Fat Loss System. To connect with Jumha and learn more about his programming, go to: https://stoopidfit.com/ Resources for "Sultans and Sneakers" Patreon: https://patreon.com/sultansandsneakers YouTube: www.youtube.com/sultansandsneakers Instagram: https://instagram.com/sultansandsneakers Twitter: https://twitter.com/SultansNSnkrs Facebook: https://facebook.com/sultansandsneakers

John Kiser is a former international technology broker and author. He wrote "Commander of the Faithful: The Life and Times of Emir Abd el-Kader, A Story of True Jihad". I had the chance to discuss the character of Emir Abd el-Kader with John and we talked about the lessons that people today can take away from his life. Currently, John enjoys raising pigs on his farm in Virginia (hence the title of the show). To learn more about John and his works, please go to www.johnwkiser.com His previous books include "Communist Entreprenuers: Unknown Innovators in the Global Economy", "Stefan Zweig: Death of a Modern Man" and "Monks of Tibhirine: Faith, Love and Terror in Algeria". Link to "Commander of the Faithful" on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Commander-Faithful-Life-Times-el-Kader/dp/0982324669/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3N9YPQLVEI4JR&keywords=john+w+kiser&qid=1675649707&sprefix=john+w+kiser%2Caps%2C286&sr=8-1 Resources for "Sultans and Sneakers" Patreon: https://patreon.com/sultansandsneakers YouTube: www.youtube.com/sultansandsneakers Instagram: https://instagram.com/sultansandsneakers Twitter: https://twitter.com/SultansNSnkrs Facebook: https://facebook.com/sultansandsneakers

Shaykh Umer Khan is a rare individual who has excelled in both corporate America as well as Islamic studies. Up until recently, he was the VP of Information Technology and Security at SpaceX, where he reported directly to Elon Musk. He recently left to become Chief Information and Security Officer at another firm. While progressing through his corporate career, Shaykh Umer decided to pursue his Islamic studies passion and has completed study of the Arabic language, memorization of the Qu'ran, two Alim programs and received his Ifta license from Darul Ilm Birmingham, granting him the traditional title of 'Mufti'. In this episode, I pick his brain about how he approached his career and how he was able to manage his time to effectively add the second full-time job of Islamic scholar to his already full plate. For more details on his Islamic studies bio, please check out https://www.shaykhx.com/ Resources for 'Sultans and Sneakers' Patreon: https://patreon.com/sultansandsneakers YouTube: www.youtube.com/sultansandsneakers Instagram: https://instagram.com/sultansandsneakers Twitter: https://twitter.com/SultansNSnkrs Facebook: https://facebook.com/sultansandsneakers