Podcasts about mad mamluks

Today, The Two Mikes interviewed Mr. Harry Elliff, an American expatriate now living in Southeast Asia. Mr. Elliff is a U.S. military veteran. He was badly wounded in Iraq and left the military. Now an expat, Mr. Elliff converted to Islam and is now married. He has a rather somber view of the future of the United States; indeed, he believes the republic is in its death throes. As a cause, Mr. Elliff focuses on our many unnecessary and always-lost wars, and that is a hard assertion to argue against. Mr. Elliff also presented some interesting views about America's problems from the perspective of an American living abroad. Harry's X handle: @MrHarry198Harry is a host on The Mad Mamluks podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@TheMadMamluks SPONSORS Triangle Fragrance: https://trianglefragrance.com/?sca_ref=4171318.dUndUHDKz3 Cambridge Credit: https://www.cambridge-credit.org/twomikes EMP Shield: https://www.empshield.com/?coupon=twomikes Our Gold Guy: https://www.ourgoldguy.com www.TwoMikes.us

In the post-covid world, podcasts have taken over as one of the most significant avenues in shaping culture. Muslims, like other groups, have taken advantage of this platform and have created their own niche podcasts, focusing on topics such as theology, masculinity, domestic violence, spirituality and much more.In this podcast, we are joined by Mahin Islam, founder of Sneakers and Sultans and host of The Mad Mamluks to analyze the current discourse on Muslim podcasts and what the future may look like.Timestamps:0:00 Intro3:34 The Rise of Muslim Podcasts10:16 How Influence Trickles Down to the Masses 18:40 Increasing Workflows29:09 Starting Your Own Podcast35:37 Disciplining Oneself43:11 Everything is Interconnected1:13:20 Indigenization of Muslims in the West1:21:50 Conclusion

On this livestream episode (originally done on YouTube), I talk about my personal story with AlMaghrib Institute and my interactions with Shaykh Muhammad AlShareef (May God have mercy upon him) who recently passed away suddenly at the age of 47.   I am joined as well by Mort from "MuzzyBuzz" and "The Mad Mamluks".   To support this channel you can become a Patron at www.patreon.com/sultansandsneakers I would also appreciate a 5 star review on ITunes or Spotify.  

In this very special episode of the Blood Brothers Podcast, Dilly and Aki Hussain reflect over their first year as podcasters on Eid ul-Fitr. #BloodBrothersPodcast​ #Eid​ #Anniversary​ On Friday 24th May 2019, 5Pillars in collaboration with The Mad Mamluks released the first episode of the Blood Brothers Podcast. On the day of Eid ul-Fitr, which also happens to be the one-year anniversary of the Blood Brothers Podcast, Dilly and Aki review the good, the bad, and at times the ugly highlights of 34 episodes.

In the premier episode of the Blood Brothers podcast, Dilly and Aki Hussain clash with Imran Muneer (aka SIM) from the Mad Mamluks about why Muslims in Britain are more enduring with their Islamic identity than American Muslims. #BloodBrothersPodcast​ #BritishMuslims​ #AmericanMuslims​ Also in the podcast, Dilly and Aki explain why the Blood Brothers is unique to every other Muslim podcast currently out there, and what listeners and viewers should expect in future episodes.

Parvez Ahmed is the co-founder and co-host of "DIffused Congruence: The American Muslim Experience" which is to my knowledge the longest running active Muslim podcast.  On this show, we discussed ideas around podcasting like the methodology employed to platform guests.  This topic was relevant and timely due to the other podcast that I co-host, "The Mad Mamluks" hosting Nouman Ali Khan who was accused of some illicit behavior a few years ago.  I also asked Parvez his thoughts on the group that exists in the Muslim community known as the "Akh Right".   If you are enjoying the content, please consider becoming a patron at www.patreon.com/SultansandSneakers. Every dollar helps! In addition to Patreon, please continue to support Sultans and Sneakers by following me on my various social media channels, leaving a 5 star review and letting your friends know about the show.  I have a website now as well and you can access that at:  https://sultansandsneakers.com/ You can also follow the show on our respective social media: IG:  www.instagram.com/SultansandSneakers Facebook:  www.facebook.com/SultansandSneakers Twitter: https://twitter.com/SultansNSnkrs TikTok:  @sultans_and_sneakers YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UC8nN9RSnLs08M87yEZppwaA My personal social media links: IG:  www.instagram.com/mahinthepodcaster Twitter:  https://twitter.com/MahinDaPodcastr

This bonus episode is courtesy of my co-host Mort from "The Mad Mamluks".  He was testing out Streamyard and we decided to chop it up on a variety of topics.  MuzzyBuzz (Mort's channel) doesn't have a podcast platform so I'm publishing this on my channel.  We had all the characters from "The Mad Mamluks" join in at some point on this episode as we discussed the following topics.   1. Dating Apps: 3:47 2. Mahin's and Student of knowledge's catfish stories: 13:12 3. Marriage: 17:26 3. Hizb ut-Tahrir and the Caliphate: 40:36

Dropping a special bonus episode on the podcast apps with my co-host from "The Mad Mamluks", Shaykh Amir Saeed. This show discusses the importance of networking and how it connected Shaykh Amir with an old friend after almost 20 years.   Note:  Please excuse some audio clipping near the end; tried to edit as much out as I could.   Please continue to support Sultans and Sneakers by following me on our various social media channels, leaving a 5 star review and letting your friends know about the show.  I have a website now as well and you can access that at:  https://sultansandsneakers.com/ You can also follow the show on our respective social media: IG:  www.instagram.com/SultansandSneakers Facebook:  www.facebook.com/SultansandSneakers Twitter:  @SultansNSnkrs TikTok:  @sultans_and_sneakers YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UC8nN9RSnLs08M87yEZppwaA Mahin's personal social media links: IG:  www.instagram.com/mahinthepodcaster Twitter:  @MahinDaPodcastr

The killing of George Floyd has reignited racial tensions between police and black people in America and protests have become widespread. This incident adds to a long list of racially motivated murders in America by police authorities, but is racism limited to the police and parts of the country or does it run far deeper? SIM from the Mad Mamluks joins the Talking Deen podcast to provide insight directly from America Special Guests: Jahirul and Rashel.

In this very special episode of the Blood Brothers Podcast, Dilly and Aki Hussain reflect over their first year as podcasters on Eid ul-Fitr. #BloodBrothersPodcast #Eid #Anniversary On Friday 24th May 2019, 5Pillars in collaboration with The Mad Mamluks released the first episode of the Blood Brothers Podcast. On the day of Eid ul-Fitr, which also happens to be the one-year anniversary of the Blood Brothers Podcast, Dilly and Aki review the good, the bad, and at times the ugly highlights of 34 episodes. SUBSCRIBE, DOWNLOAD AND LISTEN TO THIS PODCAST VIA: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/News5Pillarz Watch: https://5pillarsuk.com/category/blood... Podcast audio platforms: https://themadmamluks.com/category/po... Support 5Pillars: https://5pillarsuk.com/donate

Another bonus episode lined up for the Internets..that's 2 in 3 days if you're keeping track.  For this show I sat down with my good friend Sufyan Al-Andalusi to chat about our favorite Turkish drama, Diriliş: Ertuğrul.  We also touched on a few other topics centered around family and how it's like for him navigating faith while being a religious minority in his own family.  We recorded this episode the day before Eid-ul Adha in 2019.   To learn more about Sufyan, please check out "The Mad Mamluks" episode with him.  You can access that show at https://themadmamluks.com/ep-144-under-the-spell-of-the-crescent-moon-shaykh-sufyan-al-andalusi/ Please continue to support Sultans and Sneakers by following me on our various social media channels, leaving a 5 star review and letting your friends know about the show.  Sultans and Sneakers social media links: IG:  www.instagram.com/SultansandSneakers Facebook:  www.facebook.com/SultansandSneakers Twitter:  @SultansNSnkrs TikTok:  @sultans_and_sneakers YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UC8nN9RSnLs08M87yEZppwaA Mahin's personal social media links: IG:  www.instagram.com/mahinthepodcaster Twitter:  @MahinDaPodcastr

Ertugrul is a show about the legendary father of Osman I, the founder of the Ottoman Sultanate. The show’s success in the Muslim world leaves many, especially those with liberal leanings, perplexed. Its recent airing in Pakistan has taken the country by storm. Prime Minister Imran Khan has tweeted about the show, suggesting all young Pakistani’s can gain a sense of lost history and Muslim unity. Saudi Arabia has banned the show, citing its malign influence and Egypt’s "High Fatwa Council" (Dâru'l-İftâ), published a statement that accuses Turkey of trying to create an “area of influence” for itself in the Middle East via its soft power. To discuss the show and its cultural and geopolitical impact I have invited two Muslim commentators, Dilly Hussain of 5pillars and Imran Muneer from the Mad Mamluks podcast. Please leave your comments on https://www.thinkingmuslim.com/podcast, follow us on twitter https://twitter.com/thinking_muslim, join our Telegram channel https://t.me/thinkingmuslim and sign up to our new online course https://www.thinkingmuslim.com/courses

Critical Race Theory, Oppression, Capitalism, Muslim alliances,  Islamic framework.   All this is discussed in this epic debate between Dr. Yassir Morsi and Mort from The Mad Mamluks.   Dr. Yassir Morsi's main area of research is the critical analysis of contemporary racism and Islamophobia and he is a lecturer at La Trobe University. Yassir has completed a PhD in Political Science and Islamic Studies at the University of Melbourne.   Mort is the cohost of our partnering podcast, The Mad Mamluks, and has his own YouTube channel Muzzybuzz.   Host: Tanzim   Please email us your comments, feedback, and questions at: info@boysinthecave.com, and leave a review and 5-star rating on iTunes!   Check out our website - boysinthecave.com   Follow us on: Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/boysinthecave/   Instagram – @boysinthecave   Twitter - @boysinthecave   Become a Patreon today! https://www.patreon.com/boysinthecave   -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dr. Morsi's Online Visibility: https://medium.com/@yassirmorsi   Mort's Online Visibility: https://twitter.com/morttmm/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBikic9My5Wf_9E-34ItjQw   --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This is a reaction to The Mad Mamluks, "EP 161: FACEOFF: Shaykh Yusuf Rios and SIM debate White Supremacy!": https://youtu.be/XjpsECHV8E4 Please support Ilmstitute: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ilmstitute GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/ilmstitute PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/ilmstitute Social Media: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brothersaajid Twitter: https://twitter.com/saajidlipham Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ilmstitute/ Podcast: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/ilmstitute-radio/id1448124057

Stories of The Awliya, Purifying the heart, Storytelling, Worshiping Allah, Nature of Humans, Tawba.   We touch on all of this with Michael Sugich.   Michael Sugich has studied Sufi doctrine and practice with spiritual masters across the Arab and Islamic world. He has been a professional writer and communications advisor for forty years and has written three books, including Signs on the Horizons and also his latest book release is Hearts Turn: Sinners, Seekers, Saints & The Road to Redemption. He is the co-founder of a successful public relations practice and has advised corporate leaders, senior religious figures and politicians.   Hosts : Tanzim & Peter Gould     Please email us your comments, feedback, and questions at: info@boysinthecave.com, and leave a review and 5-star rating on iTunes!   Check out our website - boysinthecave.com   Follow us on: Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/boysinthecave/   Instagram – @boysinthecave   Twitter - @boysinthecave   Become a Patreon today! https://www.patreon.com/boysinthecave   -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Buy Michael Sugich's Book 'Hearts Turn'.  https://www.amazon.com/Hearts-Turn-Sinners-Seekers-Redemption/dp/0989364003 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  Shownotes   Michael Sugich:                00:00 If you understand that you're supposed to be in Tawba, that this is the, this is part of your nature, is this, this sense of turning. Um, it's, it's an essential part of any kind of spiritual life you have to be in Tawba. It's it turning, it's not the, the repentance, you know, uh, this idea of repentance is like, you know, repent, you know, of all of your sins. Yes. Ideally you would be great if you could stop doing all the stuff that is keeping you back. But that isn't how things work. It's a constant process. And if you can accept that and, and the, the way that you, you achieve that is through remembering our law, returning to our law. Remember Allah, uh, you know, uh, Illah be Dhikri, Lahita, Atman Qulub. If the remembrance of Allah makes the heart peaceful. So if you remember Allah constantly, that's your tool for getting out. You know, Islam is Islam. When you die, you don't have Islam anymore as, as a practical tool that's, that's done. Islam is for your life. So use it. It's a, it's like a tool box. And if you don't use the tools, you won't build anything. But the, and the, the primary tools are remembering them. Tanzim:                              01:41 [inaudible] welcome back to another episode of boys in the cave. My name is tanzim your solo cohost. Actually, sorry, not solo cohost was meant to be, but Alhamdullilah we actually have a very special, um, cohost with us. So Peter, Gould for you guys who've checked out our previous episodes. Peter, we actually interviewed him, designer, um, runs a firm, does his amazing stuff. So he's actually joining me in the cave today, but humble la. In terms of our special guests, we have Michael [inaudible]. So Michael Souk CGH has studied a Sufi doctrine and practice with the spiritual masters across the Arab and Islamic world. He has been a professional writer and communications advisor for 40 years and has written three books including signs of the horizons and also his latest book release his heart turn sinners seekers, saints and the road to redemption. He's the cofounder of successful public relations practice and has advised corporate leaders, senior religious figures and politicians. So asalamu walaykum Peter Gould and Michael Sugich and welcom to boys in the cave. [inaudible] anytime. Alhamdullilah, I know you've, I think you landed about two days ago here in Sydney. So would this be your first time in Sydney, Australia or have you personally I've never been here before. Paula. And what's been your experience so far? Michael Sugich:                03:01 It's lovely. It's very relaxed. Uh, I enjoy it very much. It, it has a, there's a certain, it looks a little bit, if you look at the street level and it looks like America, then you start looking at the houses and the architecture and it's different. So it's a kind of an interesting mix of uh, uh, styles. I feel very comfortable here. Some all of the weather too. It's great. Tanzim:                              03:27 Yeah. It's um, yeah. I want to actually ask you about the weather cause it's a bit unique compared to, um, wherever we've tried. Maybe I think you, you said you went to UK previously. UK is a lot different to here. Michael Sugich:                03:39 Yeah, very much, very much. I um, the UK is a kind of second home for me, so I'm very used to it. But the weather systems there are very, it's very, in the winter it's very dark and closed in. What's beautiful about Sydney so far in my experience is the skies stunning. You know, it's huge. You've got this vast sky and you, it's, it's beautiful. It's really, really beautiful. Peter Gould:                     04:10 You, you were welcomed with a really beautiful big sunset, you know, the whole sky, which is pretty unique. I mean, we don't see that often. So it was, it was waiting for you? I think Tanzim:                              04:21 subhanAllah. Um, I know you, um, you actually had a invent last night. It was in regards to your book release. I assumed that was the main reason why you came to Sydney, also to check out the views and common boys in cave. But, uh, how was your experience so far in terms of the book release, your book launch and how have you, how have, um, so you promoted at [inaudible] avenue or is it specifically, Michael Sugich:                04:48 yes, we, we, we did the, uh, reading here and, um, the response has been very positive. I, I won't know. You'll have to talk to some of the people that were there. But generally speaking, uh, worldwide, the response has been very strong. Um, I'm pleasantly surprised because when you write something, um, you, even though you may think it's good, you don't know what other people will think of it. So it was, um, it was a nice surprise to get such a strong response. And also in terms of sales, the book is selling very quickly. So that's, that's a nice, that's a sign that people are interested in that they like it. Peter Gould:                     05:35 My friend at, um, who runs the Bookstore Zaytuna college and a in Berkeley was just saying that yeah, it's been really popular there and uh, I guess people are resonating with it, but it's um, it's great that we have you in here in Australia sharing it with us. Hello. Tanzim:                              05:51 Hamdulillah even, um, your previous Booker's boys and Cape were affiliated with the Mad Mamluks. Uh, Mahin from the Mad Mamluks, he's a cohost there. He actually was promoting like your previous book, the signs of the horizons. He loved it alot so alhamdullilah, getting that our reception, cause it's a bit unique, I feel that people don't interact enough on a personal spiritual level with, you know, people of, um, within the spiritual path. And I think it's something that's really lacking, especially in the west, like especially me growing up, you're kind of exposed to a specific type of Islam and then it gets sort of normalized to that. But then people are sort of yearning, especially living in like a materialistic world. We're yearning for that sort of spiritual, I don't know, I don't know what to call it, like a cleansing or something of that. So, um, do you feel that that is the case with, especially with Muslims, um, living in the west, what has been your sort of, Michael Sugich:                06:43 well, I think that what's unusual about the two books that I've written so far is that they revolve around storytelling. And storytelling is something that is, is in, uh, intrinsic to, um, Islamic, um, teaching. Uh, but it's something that's been lost in the modern era. Uh, the, the tradition of the TBA cart or hagiographies of the saints is something very old and ancient in Islam. But, uh, recently there has been very little, uh, storytelling. And if you look at the Koran, the Koran is, is, is a series of stories, um, arranged in a, in a almost fragmented fashion or seemingly fragmented fashion, but they're stories. And this is one of the most effective ways of, of putting across a message of, of, of, of teaching. So, uh, what I tried to do is revive this and revive it and tell the stories of some of these people in my own experiences and so on. So both books, um, have followed that kind of format of being short in short, specific individual stories of, um, uh, various people from various walks of life. And in the case of signs on the horizons, it was the story, my story, um, of stories of encounters with these men of God and women and people, you know, very extraordinary people that I've been able to meet along the way. Tanzim:                              08:36 [inaudible] and that's interesting you mentioned storytelling in particular because I think especially I think even with you, I'm Peter Good. You know that you know with your work you've been bothered with bombarded with information, um, and you don't know how to kind of process it. Whereas when you talk about storytelling, I'm sure you to do through your design work as well. Um, you try to tell a story and people are more receptive towards, they tend to remember stories more easily. And I think it's interesting, it's like you're trying to revive that nature of story storytelling in general because even me growing up in Sydney, Australia, when you're getting older, we're not as in touch with the Dean and you analyze some of the stories that you were told when you were younger. You realized that had such deep meanings to it. It was something you probably didn't pick up of Itin pickup, sorry, like when I was younger. Tanzim:                              09:29 But it's like what you're trying to do with your own books in particular, you actually met because for me, you know, you hear about Musa Alayhi Salaam and his stories and the profound effect on me, but you actually met those people in general. But what makes the people that you've met more different to just say your typical kind of person that wants to heal who lives in the west and goes to work from the offset. When you met them, the was there sort of, um, you can automatically tell they're a very deep spiritual guy. Like did you have to engage with them more in order to gather, you know, their personality? Michael Sugich:                10:06 Well, the book doesn't, isn't organized in that way. Sometimes you, you meet someone who has an impact on you and you only meet them for a few seconds, a minute, you know, very brief encounters that you have in other cases in the book. Um, uh, there were people that I had very long relations with, you know, that over a period of many years. And so each encounter is different. But one of the things that, um, I think, uh, one of the qualities that these people share is that they're extremely humble and, uh, they're, they, they're very beautiful character and many of them, I mean, one of the sections in Thai signs on the horizons, for example, [inaudible] it really involves, um, people, um, appearances, people who have one appearance, but they're actually there, but they're actually something else. I mean, they could look like ordinary people, but they have extraordinary inner qualities. Michael Sugich:                11:13 And I think the common thread of the people who have, um, who are saintly, let's say within our tradition, the Muslim tradition, is that they, their ego is, is extinguished. They don't have an ego. And it's very hard to imagine that if you haven't met someone like that because you think, well, how can you not have an ego? And when you meet these people, one of the things that you find is that the, they're extremely kind and humble and, uh, almost, uh, invisible in s in some senses. And they just, they don't get angry. They don't get frustrated. They don't have anxieties in the way that ordinary neurotic people have because their egos are gone or a faced. And this is through spiritual practice and that sort of thing. So that, that, that is, that's something that if, if you have the opportunity ever to meet someone like that, you, you're very fortunate. Michael Sugich:                12:21 There's a, um, there's a, um, a story of one of the saints of Islam, uh, who had a dream of the prophet Mohammed and they sent out to us and he said, Yarra Sula, what is the best thing you can do in this world? And the prophet, and they sent her to send him, said in the dream to sit with a friend of God, a saint for as long as it takes to milk a goat or cook an egg, you know? So the impact of these people is very, very profound. So when you meet them, they make an impression on you. It's almost like being irradiated in a way. So, um, that, that's really what signs in the horizon was, was to try to let people know that these people in our tradition still very much exist, but they're more or less invisible because they're so humble. Michael Sugich:                13:18 They don't really want to be known. Um, and if you, if you only know them by your intention and by the purity of your intention and your need to be, to, to meet them. Uh, the other book is really is more about the, the, um, the, the journeys of people from many different walks of life to, um, uh, to a recognition of the reality of the spiritual reality of Islam. Um, and, uh, and, and to, to the reality of is, uh, of, of faith. And so it, it signs, uh, excuse me, hearts turn is really a, consists of a series of stories of people from you who are from, they could be work. Some of them were criminals, some of them were ordinary people, some of them were our artists and intellectuals who have made a journey to faith. And so there are really interesting stories because you, you end up, um, seeing these people in the, in their transitional, you know, as they transition from being, uh, one of the, one of the stories is involves a gangster. Michael Sugich:                14:47 He was a, a heavy east London racketeer and he became a Muslim. How did, how did he get to that? He knew he was nearly beaten to death and he saw friends die. So it was the confrontation with death. Another story involved, um, a young man who was a student who was from a Brachman Hindu Bryman family and, uh, he became a Muslim after he had to, to oversee the, the burial of his, uh, his, his uncle, uh, in Benares. So, um, uh, and it sent him on a kind of a spiritual search because he was, again, confronted with death. And there were, you know, many different stories as a story of, uh, of a man who started as a Jew became a, um, a, an angle, an Anglo Catholic, then a beatnik fought with the Fidel Castro in Cuba, uh, ended up, you know, as a kind of degenerate hippy in a, in Tangier and learned his Islam through his hash connection. Michael Sugich:                16:05 So, you know, all these strange, interesting stories, um, kind of show you how the heart changes. And the point of that book is to show that [inaudible] that, that the nature of the human nature, the nature of, of people is that they're constantly turning, that the spiritually, that this idea that if you, if you sin, you're going to go to hell is not true. You see, I mean, if you sin and you die sinning, maybe you will, who knows? But the prophet Mohammed Array Serato Sonam said, if you did not sin, he was talking to his community. He said, if you did not sin, God would destroy you and replace you with the people who sinned so that they could turn to God asked for forgiveness and he would forgive them. So that's the nature of the, that's human nature to do something wrong. Everybody sins, even saints, Saint Sin, but the sins of a saint are different than the sins of an ordinary person because a saint, his sin, an ordinary person, sin would be a from something gross doing something wrong. Michael Sugich:                17:26 The sin of a saint is forgetting God for a second. That's a sin for a saint. So everyone, everyone, their heart is constantly turning. You do some of the Prophet Mohammed and I said to Sadam, he said, I make Toba or I repent 70 times a day. This was the prophet Mohammed. So people in nowadays, people think of themselves as being sinners or then they're unworthy and that I've done all these things wrong. I mean, if you're living in the modern society, of course you're going to do things wrong. You get upset, you do something, you, you, you have a passion that you follow and then you feel bad about it and so on and so forth. But that's the he, that's human nature and that's the way you're, you're created to sin. And then to then to have the heart turn. And so it's a dynamic. You're constantly, constantly turning. And as you do that in that process, then you become purified and then in the heart becomes pure. So you have people who have done very terrible things. And this is true historically as well. People who were, you know, very bad people who became great, great saintly people, um, through this process. So this is what the book is about and it's a lot, many, many stories about people like that. Criminals, thieves, and also artists and intellectuals and people who've gone have, have really sort of made a journey to faith. Tanzim:                              19:11 So I think that made my heart turn. I don't know that you hit it, but that was definitely a vetting a, I think even, um, the, the um, would be apparently not on the dean, but then when he becomes a Mathy, he'll be on the straight path. So I think that's four, I think from memory as well. So they go, it relates back to you that, you know, great people were, you know, seen as I one time. It's about making the hot hot turn in that aspect. So it's definitely a lot of things that people can, uh, take away from what you said because a lot of people, you know, especially in the world that they live in, you know, bombarded with, you know, her arm around them, especially in the west. So it's not easy to get around it. So they feel sometimes, what are you quoting a negative state of mind thinking that they won't be able to turn to the straight path or they feel that they won't be able to really connect with the low, even feel shy, like to connect as they've seen so much. So what kind of advice, because you've interacted with people who have been in their path, what kind of advice would you give, um, to those people? Cause we have a young audience as well listening into boys in the cave. So it'd be really good to, um, get your insights about that. Michael Sugich:                20:20 Well, it's, you, first of all, I would say two to a younger audiences. You don't ever think that by doing something bad that you're doomed to perdition because that's not the case at all. You have a chance of, of changing. Of course, if you don't want to change, if you're happy with the way you are and then go for it, do whatever you want. There's a, in, in, in the Koran it says La Crafty. There is no, um, uh, compulsion in the religion. You, you have, you absolutely have the freedom to send yourself to hell if you want. There's isn't, there's no compulsion, but you have the, the ability to change up until the moment that you die. And this, the, there are many stories about people who, who transform just before they die, you know, in old age. Um, and so when you're young and you're doing something wrong and you know it's wrong and you don't feel good about it, you can change. Michael Sugich:                21:26 And the PR the, the Prophet said that if you, if you repent, it is as if you haven't done anything wrong. In other words, if you do change, you say, I'm not going to do this anymore and you stop. It's as if you never did it in the first place. So this, this Chi, this understanding is very important because young people today, young Muslims especially because they've been influenced by, you know, a kind of doctrine or theology that is very rigid in on and, uh, you know, uh, on unforgiving, um, they, they feel that if they did something wrong, that's it. They're going to go to hell. And that's not true. It's absolutely not true. And anyone who tells you otherwise is, is, is misguided. Um, because the whole point is that everyone sins, everyone all the time daily, but the sins become more and more refined. Michael Sugich:                22:37 So you know, you're doing something really bad, right? Like a major sin or something. If you stop doing it, it's as if you, if you never did it, if you really stopped doing, and also, um, sometimes you, you do something and then you'll backslide and you'll do it again. So then you, you change again. You repent, you turn to God again and say, Whoa, I'm sorry. I'm, I'll, I'll change again. So you, it's a constant process until, um, uh, in, until you stop doing these things. And that's, this is the nature of, that's the nature of the is human nature. Human nature is that you do things wrong. And that's how you learn. So you, you, you air and then you, you repent. Now if you think that you don't have to, that's another problem. You see what I mean? Cause if you want to live a, a balanced and a happy life, you, you really don't want to hurt other people do or, you know, cheat, steal, do whatever it is that, that, that you're doing that hurts people. Michael Sugich:                23:48 Um, and so, uh, I mean one of the, one of the stories in the book [inaudible] involves, uh, a guy who was a womanizer. And He, at one point in his life, he went to hell, to figurative hell. He was in a state of being in hell. And one of the things that happened to him is that all the women that he'd had is a one night stand came through in from the wall toward him. It was like a horror. And he realized how he'd hurt them. Do you see what I mean? And, and so he, he stopped doing that. That was a very terrible thing because he saw how he, how much he hurts someone doing that. So th but this, if he hadn't done it, he wouldn't have changed. Do you see what I mean? Well, the, the man who, there was a man, one of the stories is about someone who was a gangster and he was fueled on rage. Michael Sugich:                24:52 And he, he loved to be, he loved to be in a brawl. And he's, he said that the reason he liked fighting was because he was so insecure that the only time he ever, ever felt secure was when he was in the middle of a brawl, beating someone up or getting beaten. It w it made him feel, it made him feel whole in a way. And then he read, when he came to Islam, he read the Hadith of the prophet and I said to send [inaudible] where one of the Sahaba came to the prophet and he, he said, give me counsel. And the Prophet said, do not be angry. And the Sahaba asked him again, give me more counsel. He said, do not be angry. And he kept repeating, do not be angry. And this man, uh, when he heard this, he said, it changed my life because he couldn't imagine not being angry. Michael Sugich:                25:51 His whole life was fueled by rage and the anger and being offended by things. And so what happened was that when he would do after he became a Muslim was he would go out with the intention that he would not get angry. So he'd go out and someone would insult him or something like that and he, instead of beating the guy, he would, he would make himself not angry. And so you, it's when you, when you see, when you kind of see all the various permutations of how people change, it's really very moving because you see, you see how the heart is so malleable and so soft and able to change. Um, if it's right, be guided, if, if it, if there's guidance there. So that's, that's what the second book is about. Tanzim:                              26:49 Those were amazing insights. I feel like he's already taught us like, hello, what the book is, but like he was, but just, it's like he's read the whole book in front of us. But because of the vibe that you give in regards to certain people, I think a lot of people can resonate with it. Especially because like for example, you're giving these examples of people coming to the straight path at the same time we, I think what we tend to do is look everything, not me. I tend to look at everything on more of a surface level, like seeing all disguise, doing the wrong thing, this and that. But it's about seeing it a bit more deeper. Seeing that they can come back to the faith and be, you know, a practicing really good, you know, most of them are a good person and we don't tend to do that or I don't tend to do that. We tend to be be a bit more unforgiving. Maybe it's the way Islam was preached to us when we're younger and I feel like you're actually changing that narrative. So humble. Um, I might actually have to wrap it up there because you got an event tonight, but I'm, I don't want to keep you waiting too long, but with any final thoughts you wanted to, um, tell our listeners in particular regards to your book. It could be anything in general, like a lot of takeaways by it. Michael Sugich:                28:04 No, it's, I think it, it's, it's a fun read. There's a, there's a lot in it that's not heavy. There's a lot in it that that's, that's, that's funny and, and light and there's some great stories in it and I think people would really enjoy, and you can learn a lot because I've included some of the ancient stories. I've mixed them with contemporary stories and the, there are many different, you know, many, I think there, there are stories that will resonate with we're very big audience, not just not just criminals or excrement or something. It's, it, it really, um, I think it's w it would be worth having a look at anyway. It's available here at the center. Peter Gould:                     28:52 Yeah. Music online as well. You can buy online. Lots of places Michael Sugich:                28:56 available on kindle as well. So we're online. Peter Gould:                     29:00 Yeah. And I'll just add to that the, yeah, I mean lots of different people from walks of life that have come across the book that I've talked to about have said the same thing and different stories resonate with different people. So I think it's a good gift as well for people that are kind of, um, well it just, everyone will take something from it and some of them are very, very moving as well and others are more lighthearted. So, um, I think this is a very welcome addition to, um, you know, we might be going to classes or and doing, you know, really getting going into some heavy books and you know, very deep things. But this has the depth and the message and, and the lessons are deep, but the way you read it is, is um, easy and fun and um, you know, just something will, I think everyone will enjoy checking it out. Tanzim:                              29:44 Yeah, definitely. We'll definitely put the links to your book in our show notes so then people can check it out in shaa Allah but jazakAllah khaiyran for coming on boys in the cave was really inspiring. Talk is very unique because it's about getting the message across about stories, about, you know, people turning back to the straight path. It's not something I've done to regularly on the show, but yeah, it does. [inaudible] for coming on boys in the cave. Thank you. So for our listeners, thank you for giving us your attention. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to email info@boysinthecave.com or find us on Facebook and you can follow a journey through Instagram. Please leave a five star rating on iTunes. That greatly helps us. So for my special guest, Michael Sugich, myself, and my special cohost, Peter Gould. This is Tanzim signing you off. Assalamu Alaykum.  

In the first episode of the Blood Brothers podcast, Dilly and Aki Hussain clash with Imran Muneer (aka SIM) from the Mad Mamluks about why Muslims in Britain are more enduring with their Islamic identity than American Muslims. Also in the podcast, Dilly and Aki explain why the Blood Brothers is unique to every other Muslim podcast currently out there, and what listeners and viewers should expect in future episodes. Please support us: Patreon.com/themadmamluks    

Ramy Youssef, Normalisation, Intention of the Show, Perspectives, One's Religiosity, Reality of the Ummah.   We touch on all of this with our guest Tareq Tamr with special cohost Mahin Islam from The Mad Mamluks.   Tareq Tamr is a medical student from Canada who is active with youth work in the Muslim community. He is also active on social media discussing issues within the Muslim community.   Hosts : Tanzim & Mahin   Please email us your comments, feedback, and questions at: info@boysinthecave.com, and leave a review and 5-star rating on iTunes!   Check out our website - boysinthecave.com   Follow us on: Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/boysinthecave/   Instagram – @boysinthecave   Twitter - @boysinthecave   Become a Patreon today! https://www.patreon.com/boysinthecave   -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tareq Tamr's Online Visibility https://www.facebook.com/tareqtamr1 https://www.instagram.com/ibnabitareq/ https://twitter.com/ibnabitareq -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  

The Mad Mamluks from America invite Tanzim & Josh onto their podcast to make a special announcement!

Listen as the Safina Society team is joined by the Mad Mamluks on a special collaboration episode to discuss a variety of topics: A. What is known by necessity (Part 1) B. The history of both podcasts (Part 1 & 2) C. Muslim Communities (Part 2) D. Marriage (Part 2) Listen to part 2: https://soundcloud.com/safina-society/madmamluks2?in=safina-society/sets/the-safina-society-podcast

Listen as the Safina Society team is joined by the Mad Mamluks on a special collaboration episode to discuss a variety of topics: A. What is known by necessity (Part 1) B. The history of both podcasts (Part 1 & 2) C. Muslim Communities (Part 2) D. Marriage (Part 2) Listen to part 1: https://soundcloud.com/safina-society/madmamluks1?in=safina-society/sets/the-safina-society-podcast

The Mad Mamluks team joins me for a coffee to discuss their experiences as Muslim podcasters. We go through Karim's five fun questions to get a more personal side of the MM team followed by their reflections and sharing of profound themes from their 2017 guests. Support the Mad Mamluks today! http://themadmamluks.com/ Support this Podcast Today! www.patreon.com/coffeewithkarim Get personal support today. www.noorhumanconsulting.com/

Omer Mozaffar sits down with The Mad Mamluks for an exclusive conversation to break down what transpired in the ongoing predatory abuse saga and responds to allegations against him.  Hosts: Shaykh Amir Saeed  SIM Mahin Islam ======================= Omer Mozaffar is the Muslim Chaplain at Loyola University. He addresses theological, personal, social matters for students of all sectarian outlooks. During the school year, he also runs classes on Scripture, Student Life, and other matters.   ======================= E-mail us your comments, feedback and questions at: TheMadMamluks@gmail.com Follow us on Twitter: @TheMadMamluks Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/themadmamluks View pictures of our guests and studio on Instagram: TheMadMamluks

In this episode I speak to SIM, Mort, and Mahin, of the Mad Mamluks podcast. They've been podcasting for around a year and a half and I wanted them to tell the story of their journey as content creators. We talk about: What motivated SIM to start the show, their views on the quality of production required to get the attention of a Muslim audience, their strategies for growing the podcast and where their main growth comes from, how they present themselves to the world in a Muslim community that is not used to open and frank discussion on controversial issues, how they deal with criticism and haters and how they differentiate between the two, the people who support their show and how they can best support them, and how they plan to make the show sustainable over the long-term.  You can find the Mad Mamluks on:  Their website - themadmamluks.com Twitter - @themadmamluks Facebook - @themadmamluks Full show notes are available at Becoming the Alpha Muslim: http://becomingthealphamuslim.com/becoming-muslim-content-creator 

Mahin and SIM have a casual conversation with Dr. Jonathan Brown. We talk to him about Turkey, the Rohingya, the Adnan Syed case, 9/11 conspiracy theories, call out culture, reparations for slavery and the recent Mad Mamluks controversy. Hosts: Mahin and SIM =============================== Jonathan A.C. Brown is an American scholar of Islamic studies. Since 2012, he has been an associate professor at Georgetown University's Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service. In 2014, he was appointed Chair of Islamic Civilization. He is the editor in chief of the Oxford Encyclopedia of Islam and Law. He has authored several books including Misquoting Muhammad: The Challenges and Choices of Interpreting the Prophet’s Legacy, Hadith: Muhammad's Legacy in the Medieval and Modern World, and The Canonization of al-Bukhari and Muslim. He has also published articles in the fields of Hadith, Islamic law, Salafism, Sufism, and Arabic language. @JonathanACBrown www.facebook.com/jonathanacbrown ================================== E-mail us your comments, feedback and questions at: TheMadMamluks@gmail.com Follow us on Twitter: @TheMadMamluks Facebook: www.facebook.com/themadmamluks Instagram: TheMadMamluks

For those of you who don't know, Shaykh Amir Saeed is a Seeker of Sacred Knowledge and the co-founder of the Mad Mamluks podcast.  He also has a great sense of humor and is a talented impersonator. Here's a short clip of Shaykh Amir doing his best impersonation of me.  I thought it was hilarious, so I decided to publish it.  Shaykh Amir graciously gave me permission to mention his name. May Allah raise his rank. Ameen. What do you think of his impersonation? Let me know in the comments. Let me know in the comments. By the way... The Mad Mamluks are raising money to pay for Shaikh Amir's son Dihya's leukemia treatment. I announced it to my email list and Facebook page during Ramadan. After going back and forth with doctors for a few months ago 3-year-old Dihyah was diagnosed with leukemia. Since then he has been undergoing chemotherapy and multiple hospital visits. Help Commander Dhihya by raising funds for medical expenses. After I sent out my announcements you all donated several thousand dollars, Alhamdulillah. Jazakumullahu khairan. Haven't donated yet? Would you like to? Clink on this link to donate to Dihya's medical fund.

In this episode of the Becoming the Alpha Muslim podcast I welcome Nour Goda, founder and editor-in-chief of the Between Arabs Project, which is a website and podcast that brings together Arabs of all faiths and Muslims of all ethnicities to discuss social issues that plague our communities. What I like about Nour's work and that of her colleagues at the Between Arabs Project, is its ability to take on difficult, polarizing conversations on relevant issues in the Muslim community in a constructive way. Nour was gracious enough to invite me on her show soon after I launched Becoming the Alpha Muslim, and we recorded one of her best, if not the best, episodes. So, it's high time I returned the favor. Show Notes What are the essential differences between Western and Eastern Muslims? The relationship between race and religious identity. The myth of freedom of religion in secular societies. What's changed for Muslims living in Trump's America? Trump as the continuation of endless imperialism and capitalist domination. Better relationships with non-Muslims at the grass roots level. The Islamophobia/victimhood narrative and hate-crime hoaxes by Muslims. "Breaking stereotypes" and "pushing boundaries."  Neo-orientalist fetishization of the Muslim woman. Trump's recent airstrike on Syria The Muslim armchair quarterback - overnight PhDs in political science and foreign policy Forget the politics for a second, are the innocent Muslims safe? What's a more productive way for Muslims to channel their outrage, instead of pontificating on social media? Intellectual empathy, the principle of charity, and husn adh-dhann. Listen more than you speak, ask more questions than you give opinions. "Allah does not change the condition of a people until they change that which is within themselves." WTF is Critical Race Theory? How race, power, and law work to maintain "white supremacy." The apex fallacy - do homeless white people have white supremacy too? Is racial discrimination systemic or a reaction to life experiences? Racial stereotypes - Ego Trip's Big Book of Racism. Why should Muslims support Black Lives Matter (BLM?) Getting back to the agenda of civil rights. Opportunistic Muslim support of BLM not based on an Islamic paradigm. A branding problem - the linguistic meaning of "black lives matter" vs. "Black Lives Matter" the organization. The BLM organization, funded and led by radical liberals, feminists, and homosexuals - "Herstory," promoting LGBTQ, destroying the nuclear family. The communal obligation of Muslims to invite people to Islam. Secularism is not and has never been "live and let live." Black-on-Black crime - why doesn't BLM care about this? The subversion of movements for social change and the illusion of political protest. Hotep vs. BLM - Hotep is a movement of self-improvement, self-reliance, self-accountability, and refusing to be victims. Shoutout to Uncle Hotep, @handymayhem on Twitter. The two-pronged strategy of working to improve yourself and working to improve the system. "You ain't ready to revolt against s***" - Killer Mike. Older Muslim women finding it difficult to get married. The marriage marketplace - men age like wine, women age like milk. The Prophetic model of marriage. How Feminism is destroying Muslim women's ability to find a husband. The practical considerations of male-female attraction are human, not culture, and cannot be ignored. Recipe for disaster - expecting a religious Muslim man in his 20s who has little-to-no experience with the opposite sex to marry an older woman. How some Muslim women are "settling" just so they can have kids or marrying outside the faith. How "I'm a strong, independent Muslim woman who don't need no man" is BS. "The Wall" - the point of no-return for a Muslim woman. What's wrong with marrying young? Don't make the halal so difficult that Muslims are forced into haram. Marrying young needs enlightened, forward-thinking Muslim parents. The current generation of Muslims is part of the global Islamic awakening. Nour Goda's own experience as a divorcee trying to get re-married. Marrying up - Nabeel Azeez's experience is not the norm. The late 20s and early 30s are the new mid-20s when it comes to marriage in our times - education and parental pressure causing the delay. Men and women with a "past" finding a partner willing to give them a chance. Muslim women as victims of the sexualization of women in American culture. Religious, virgin Muslim men who have no game or social skills with the opposite gender being brow-beating by the Muslim community to marry women who have previous sexual experience. The nature of the male-female dynamic - how women's nature to let men lead has been beaten out of them by Feminism. She wants to be your wife, not your mother - seduction, passion, romance, etc. Men are not taught how to be men anymore - one of the motivations behind Becoming the Alpha Muslim. Criticizing Feminism does not mean we are against women's rights. Feminism has serious problems with respect to how it views men and masculinity. Masculinity is attractive and should be appreciated. P***y-whipped Muslim husbands are not a good look. An Alpha woman is a beta wife with the right man. Manosphere/Red-pill dating/relationship advice has a lot of overlap with Islam - shoutout to Pat Stedman, friend of Becoming the Alpha Muslim. The Between Arab Project's upcoming work. Live event at Connecticut College on April 14th, 2017 - details here. Short hiatus from publishing new content for the past 4-5 months because of Nour's work commitments. More content will be published on the Between Arabs Youtube channel - subscribe here. How Feminism enslaves, not liberates, women. Nour has written about this - Did Western. How work-life balance is important for women and stay-at-home moms are looked down on. How Feminism and Capitalism work hand-in-hand - the Corporate Overlords can't have 50% of the population not consuming. The paradox of female happiness - the more liberation and equality women get, the more miserable they become. One-in-four women have mental health issues and are on antidepressants. Feminism encourages women to act against their fitrah (natural disposition.) Allah prescribed different roles and responsibilities for men and women because as our Creator, He knows best how we ought to live so we can be happy. Becoming the Alpha Muslim is not a misogynist website Encouragement and support from female readers who, like Nour, have noticed the dysfunctional gender dynamics being promoted among Western Muslim communities. This extended episode is a gift to my female readers, to thank them for their support. On Western Muslims attempting to silence others and prevent difficult, yet necessary, conversations from happening. How Nour/Between Arabs Project and the Mad Mamluks podcast take criticism from the community for associating with me. On intellectual honesty, open discussion, exposing yourselves to ideas you disagree with or find offensive, and the spiritual growth that happens as a result. Nour's journey through being an atheist and finding her way back to Islam, and how her faith is much stronger than it ever was. Related reading: Interview with an Ex-ex-Muslim. If you enjoyed the episode... Please leave me a rating and review on iTunes.

The idea for this episode came to mind while I was listening to the Mad Mamluks - shoutout to Mahim, SIM, Sheikh Amir, and Mort. A few weeks ago they had a psychologist on a few weeks ago, who is a relationship consultant. The topic of dead bedrooms came up. It was a good discussion and there was some good advice given. However, I felt like they didn't really nail the issue. The problem is, we tend to neglect the fact that the female has her own sexuality and sexual arousal. We tend to think of lust and desire as something solely male, as opposed to male and female. When that happens we look at sex a certain away. The other thing (and it's morally a good thing) is that most religiously observant Muslims don't have sexual experience outside of marriage. So, when we're talking about sexuality I think it's important for us to understand it as it is, and only then apply our moral framework to it. In order to do that, I decided to invite a dating and relationship coach - Patrick Stedman. Pat and I follow each other on Twitter and I am a reader of his blog, which is where I got the idea to have him on. He got into relationship coaching because he had a poor track record interacting with women until he took the time to learn the skills he needed. His work paid off - his own romantic life improved considerably and he's helped a lot of men improve their own. He's married now, and his skill-set carries over to the relationship he has with his wife. This is great for us because he's relatable and he understands the relationship dynamics in a marriage. Topics Covered Marriage is dating on hard mode What are Frame and Frame Control? Pre-selection, one of the 3 pillars of attraction Married men letting themselves go Transactional thinking with regard to sex The two problems with transactional sex Is a relationship like a car? Do you have to keep filling up the gas tank? The top 3 things to understand about women when it comes to sex Don't overcommunicate The hypergamous nature of women How to signal your desire A side-discussion on business strategy Lifting weights helps with Presence The importance of confidence Pat's #1 seduction special move Using dominant body language Show Notes  Complete show notes are available on my website. Read: How to re-ignite your sex life Show Me Some Love Please subscribe and leave me a rating and review on iTunes.

So this is a first for The Mad Mamluks, we're huge MMA fans and wanted to share our passion for the sport with our listeners.  We synced up with UFC fighter Ricardo Lamas who was training in Miami at the time. He graciously offered his time to talk to us three weeks before his UFC 199 fight on June 4th 2016. Ricardo Lamas is an American mixed martial artist who currently fights as a Featherweight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship organization. He trains with local powerhouse MMA Masters in Miami, Florida and Team Top Notch in Villa Park, Illinois. In December 2013, Lamas was awarded his black belt in Brazilian Jiu-jitsu under 2007 World Nogi Jiu Jitsu champion and owner of MMA Masters Daniel Valverde. He is #5 in the official UFC featherweight rankings. TOP NOTCH MMA GYM Address: 226 W Stone Rd, Villa Park, IL 60181 Phone:(630) 202-4906 www.topnotchmma.com

The Mad Mamluks sit down with Dr. Jerry Hionis, a professor of economics at Widener University. We discussed the inspiration he finds in Dune Novels and his passion for the guitar.  We talk about concepts regarding Islamic economic theory and an analysis of the recent exit of the UK from the European Union. Dr. Hionis holds a Ph.D from Temple University. His primary research areas include: Conflict theory with an emphasis on civil conflicts and Warlord-like competition Islamic economic and financial theory The economic and market structure of the comic book entertainment industry. He is a contributing writer to Muslim Money Guide. www.muslimmoneyguide.com Http://www.muslimmoneyguide.com/author/jerryhionis/ His personal website is: http://jerryhionis.weebly.com/ Twitter: @JerryHionis

Shaykh Hamzah Maqbul talks to The Mad Mamluks about Islamic Relief USA, Zakat and his journey in seeking knowledge. Shaykh Hamzah Maqbul is originally from the West Coast and currently resides in the Chicagoland area. He holds a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry and Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations from the University of Washington in Seattle. After graduation Shaykh Hamzah went on to pursue traditional Islamic studies, which took him to a number of countries, including Syria and Egypt where he studied the Arabic language, Morocco, Mauritania, and UAE, where he studied the madhab of Imam Malik, grammar, usul al-hadith, and the two renditions of the qira’ah of Imam Nafi’, Warsh and Qalun, and finally Pakistan where he had the opportunity to study tafsir, usul al-hadith, hadith, ‘ilm al-rijal and Hanafi fiqh. All of these studies culminated in him receiving an ijazat al-tadris, literally meaning “a license to teach” which is the equivalent in Pakistani Islamic seminaries to a MA in Arabic and Islamic studies, as well as an unbroken chain of transmission by which to narrate the hadith of such books as the Muwatta of Imam Malik, the Sihah al-Sittah (Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi, Nasa’i and Ibn Majah), and the Sharh Ma’ani al-Athar of Imam al-Tahawi. Currently Shaykh Hamzah is employed full time at Islamic Relief where he is involved in their fundraising efforts. http://www.islamic-relief.org/ Twitter: @HamzahMaqbul SoundCloud: Hamzah wald Maqbul

Mad Mamluks talk to Sheikh Omer about Islamic Center of Wheaton (ICW) and it's relationship with a city that is known as the Evangelical Christian capital of America. We also discuss with him the controversy surrounding the Wheaton College professor who wore a Hijab to protest the rising Islamophobic atmosphere in the world. Sh. Omer Haqqani was raised in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia for the earlier part of his life.  While living there he memorized most of the Quran while attending regular school.  He moved to the United States along with his family when he was in 7th grade and finished the memorization when he was in 8th grade.  While attending high school at Glenbard East he felt that with so many Muslim Students in the school there should be a club/organization for them to meet and get to know each other hence Glenbard East High School MSA was co-founded by him.  After graduating High School and while attending college he was active in giving khutbahs on various University campuses and some Masajid.  Soon an opportunity presented itself to him to travel and further his knowledge about Islam.  He attended University of Damascus in Damascus, Syria where he was enrolled in an advance Arabic language program.  In addition to that he sat and benefited among several of the well known Scholars in Damascus such as Sh. Noor ud deen Itr and Sh. Ramadan Bouti.  He also traveled to Jordan, Lebanon, and back to Saudi Arabia in pursuit of knowledge.  In the end he settled down by attending the renowned institute of Darul Uloom Nadwatul Ulema in Lucknow, India and graduated from there with a degree in Shariah.  Since his return to the United States in 2007 he has been working as an IT professional for some of the major corporations here in downtown Chicago while volunteering at most of the major masajids in the Chicago-land area.  He regularly delivers Jummah khutbahs and conducts other  talks/programs at Downtown Islamic Center, Islamic community center of Desplaines, Islamic Center of Wheaton, Islamic Foundation, Masjid al Jummah, and Masjid al Huda. He is Married and is blessed with two Sons.  He can be reached at Omerhaqqani@icwonline.org  

The Mad Mamluks talk to Dr. Kamran Riaz about Darul Qasim Institute's effort to bring Muslim professionals towards Islamic Sciences.  We also discuss some of the challenges of American Muslims today. Dr. Kamran Riaz has a uniquely indigenous background in Islamic studies. Before high school, he completed memorization of the Qur’an at the Institute of Islamic Education in Illinois. He graduated from University of Illinois in Chicago with dual degrees in Economics and Middle Eastern History. He studies and teaches Islamic Studies classes at Darul Qasim, an institute for classical Islamic knowledge in Illinois, and also leads taraweeh prayers and conducts classes at the Downtown Islamic Center. He obtained a doctorate of medicine degree from UIC College of Medicine, and completed his ophthalmology training at Northwestern University and University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (Dallas).  His commentary of Imam al-Ghazali’s treatise “Concerning Divine Wisdom in the Creation of Man." is soon to be published.  He works and resides in the western suburbs of Chicago with his wife and daughter. kamran.riaz@darulqasim.org https://darulqasim.org

Omer Zaman (affectionately known as O.Z) is a close friend of The Mad Mamluks. He is a volunteer for MUHSEN (Muslims Understanding and Helping Special Education Needs) and organization dedicated to help create awareness for Muslim brothers and sisters with special needs across the United States. Brother Omer has come on to help promote MUHSEN’s mission, and to encourage others to get involved with MUHSEN to help recognize and assist the people with special needs within their communities. Brother Omer was diagnosed with a rare form of Muscular Dystrophy (Miyoshi Myopathy) in 2002, which has ultimately bound him to a wheelchair. Since his diagnosis, brother Omer has faced a number of challenges, physically, psychologically, and spiritually. We invited brother Omer to  share his story, and potentially help others who may have special needs, and may need someone to relate to or even speak to. Muhsen is an organization founded by Sheikh Omar Suleiman that works to promote awareness in Muslim communities for those living with a disability. Muhsen strives in creating a better understanding of Disabilities in our communities and building a better future for these “Special” People of Jannah, Inshaa'Allah where they are welcomed and all their needs are addressed as they are accepted by all. Their next event: Autism Speaks Walk with MUHSEN May 14, 2016 @ 8:00 am - 12:00 pm UTC+0 Soldier Field Please like their Facebook page and follow for updates on events and programs, etc. Make dua for the success of this organization and if you’d like to be a part of it, please email Info@muhsen.org Sh. Omar Suleiman – Founder – TX Mufti Hussain Kamani – Advisor – IL Joohi Tahir – Executive Director – IL Rafeeq Ahmed – Advisory Board Member – TX Dilshad D. Ali – Advisory Board Member – VA Saadia Z, Yunus – Advisory Board Member – NY Rana Ottallah – Advisory Board Member – LA