In Good Faith

I launched The Public Forum on 12th February 2026. It’s the in-person strand of the In Good Faith podcast. This episode contains the panel’s responses to the first audience question. (00:00) Introductions(04:02) The question(05:04) Zara Mohammed(08:28) Omar Salha (12:46) Saleha Bukhari(18:03) Audience contributions(23:14) Zia Salik (28:53) My thoughts (30:38) Sohail Hanif

I came across a couple of Saad Yacoob's Substack articles in 2025, and knew straight away that I had to get him onto the show. When I then learned that his PhD was centred on the famous Muhammad Iqbal - after whom I was named - I was even more keen to do so. Our paths crossed unexpectedly in Doha and we sat down for an impromptu chat. Saad didn't disappoint. This was easily one of my favourite conversations of In Good Faith so far. In it, Saad puts forward a powerful and beautifully articulated rallying call for us all. Saad's academic bio.Saad's Instagram.Saad's Substack.(00:00) Confrontation & confidence(06:29) Critique of legal tradition(15:18) Internal vs universal relevance(21:52) Critique of mysticism & modernity(36:15) Reviving the spirit of faith(39:17) Salvific anxiety & material flourishing(46:20) How to overcome collective depression(56:10) Colonial mentality of the colonised(1:06:11) Identity, individualism & community(1:14:08) Becoming standard bearers(1:24:42) Closing couplet & reflections

Dr Sohaib Saeed gives his view on the implications of the revelation being in Arabic. Watch the full episode here.

The idea of a “Muslim community” will remain a myth for as long as its zakat remains disorganised, scattered and imbalanced… which is exactly the situation today.Drawing on my decade of experience in running a zakat institution, and my reflections on revelation and prophetic example, I propose ways forward that help make sense of what zakat is and what we need to do to unlock its immense power.(00:00) What does zakat mean?(05:58) The salat-zakat combo(18:40) Purpose of zakat (27:45) Centralisation & representation(52:10) Why zakat should be local(56:22) Welfare & admin categories (1:14:31) Soft & hard power categories (1:35:35) Revising rates & thresholds(1:47:25) Voluntary giving

On the day that Ramadan Tent Project (RTP) hosted its first event for the breaking of the fast (iftar) at Silverstone - home of the British Grand Prix - here's a flashback to my conversation with Omar Salha in May 2025 to understand more about RTP's Open Iftar initiative.Watch the full episode here.

Dr Sohaib Saeed lays out a useful approach to help make sense of revelation.Watch the full episode here.

It was an honour to host Dr Yasir Qadhi, a prolific public intellectual and someone I respect deeply for his courage to speak his mind, often in the face of much hostility.I picked his brain on several issues: sectarianism and division, whether religious labels are helpful or harmful, patriotism and emigration, theophany and salvation, as well as exclusivism, inclusivism and pluralism. Check out Dr Yasir’s Lighthouse series here.(00:00) Maturation & changing one’s mind(07:15) Sectarianism, division & hate(17:14) Relevance & diversity(24:52) Labels: harmful or helpful?(30:53) Culture, loyalty & patriotism (40:50) Ironies of emigration (hijrah)(46:33) Theophany & salvation(58:33) Non-dogmatic faith & sincere rejection(1:12:07) Insularity vs universality(1:20:33) Modern theology project

Women and young people are still often excluded or underestimated in community leadership, forcing many women to create their own institutions rather than wait for permission or support. While progress and visibility have improved, deep structural and cultural barriers remain especially around leadership design, funding, and real accountability making change slower than rhetoric suggests. Watch or listen to the full episode ⁠here⁠.

Tech developments are happening at breakneck speed... but the evolution of schooling systems seems to be moving at a snail's pace. What's happening and what can / should parents do?Watch or listen to the full episode here.

Why are Bible sales and Church attendance on the rise? Why are far-right nationalists invoking Christian beliefs and symbols? Is there a way forward for Britain that unifies its citizens and respects difference?To learn more about these questions, I spoke to James Walters, both a priest and a professor. James is founding director of the LSE Faith Centre and LSE Religion and Global Society. He is a Professor in Practice, affiliated to the Department for International Relations and an associate of the LSE Department of International Development.James studied theology at Cambridge University and writes on the interface of theology, philosophy, and political science. He has published five books, his most recent being Loving Your Neighbour in an Age of Religious Conflict (Jessica Kingsley 2019), and his next one coming later this year.He is a priest in the Church of England, an honorary canon of Chichester Cathedral in West Sussex, a member of the Academic Board of the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Examination in Theology, and a member of the governing council of Westcott House Theological College.Follow James.Find out more.(0:00) Overarching worldview(2:40) Upbringing & background(7:35) Jesus & the Trinity(12:55) Mystery of divine self-disclosure(18:25) Approaches to religious pluralism(27:32) The Church & multiculturalism(33:40) Is Britain still a Christian country?(37:02) Religious resurgence & Church revival(42:42) The problem of Christian nationalism(50:50) Does the Church have an online strategy?(55:08) Crises facing the Church(57:42) Advice for the new Archbishop (1:04:49) Mediating Gaza debates on campus(1:13:33) The tech threat to humanity(1:23:39) Upcoming projects(1:26:01) A brief sermon

In this clip, I contrast different approaches to being faithful in the work environment.Watch my full conversation with Ali and Fiyal here.

Hear from Arfah Farooq, Founder of Muslim Tech Fest, about a small change that can make a big difference when it comes to one issue that concerns all parents nowadays: screen time! Watch or listen to my full conversation with Arfah here.

Like me, Dr Mamnun Khan has a big issue with how we understand basic terms such as "Muslim"... but we differ on the best practical way forward. Much of this discussion was dedicated to hashing out questions of identity, not just in terms of how we see ourselves, but also how we see and relate to others. Dr Mamnun is the author of Being British Muslims: Beyond Ethnocentric Religion and Identity Politics, and a Fellow at Equi think tank. He explores the topics of identity, Islam, and the social integration of Muslims in contemporary Britain. His work critically examines the challenges and opportunities faced by British Muslims, advocating for a balanced God-centred approach that transcends ethnocentrism and ideological extremes. In his spare time, Mamnun advises a number of UK organisations on projects and strategy. He has over 20 years of experience in corporate management and strategy in the science and tech sector. Follow Dr MamnunCheck out his website(0:00) Core observations and background(6:47) Being “Muslim” - form vs substance(14:32) The problem with Islamophobia (18:45) Translation vs transliteration (30:09) Inclusive vs exclusive language (39:23) Monotheism vs Islam(50:04) Revelation, morality and accountability (59:00) A summary of the key ideas (1:04:38) How to increase religious literacy (1:06:35) Mamnun’s current projects

Watch my full conversation with Dr Bilal Hassam here.

A top clinical psychologist who speaks about the importance of putting God at the centre of discussions around mental health? That’s an unusual mix nowadays and it’s what got me interested in speaking with Dr Roger McFillin, who has over two decades of experience in his field but who is also rebelling against much of what is practised within it. He’s on a determined mission to expose the harsh truths about the mental health industry that others avoid or overlook, and his Radically Genuine podcast is a hard-hitting exploration of what it really takes to overcome life's toughest challenges, free from the constraints of traditional therapy-speak. More recently he’s been writing and speaking about the deliberate and dark attempts by powerful proponents of the transhuman agenda to rob us of our connection with God and, in the process, dehumanise us completely. Follow Dr Roger’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@RadicallyGenuineRead Dr Roger’s Substack: https://drmcfillin.substack.com/(00:00) - Connecting God and mental health(13:10) - Different ways of experiencing God (17:54) - What’s the meaning of life?(26:06) - Programming and human compliance(36:03) - The illegitimacy of psychiatry(41:38) - How to respond to mental illness(46:22) - Cities damage, nature heals (52:41)- Is Roger’s work gaining momentum?(58:01) - Echo chambers and division (1:00:38) - Awakening is on the way (1:05:27) - Advice on smartphone usage (1:08:44) - What is 5D living?(1:13:28) - The dark transhuman agenda(1:14:43) - Striving in God’s cause 

I reflect briefly on the usage of the terms "Islam" and "Muslim" in revelation. The way in which these terms are understood has significant implications for how believers see themselves and how their public narratives are shaped. This is a short clip from Episode 1 of In Good Faith.You can watch or listen to the full episode here.

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

In this conversation, I sat down with Dr Wajid Akhter to reflect on his first year as Secretary-General of the Muslim Council of Britain. It was a sobering - and at times shocking - exchange. His verdict: Muslims are facing multiple, urgent, interconnected crises, yet they are not responding with the speed, coordination or seriousness the moment demands.We touched on a whole host of issues: from mental health problems and youth disengagement to health inequalities, political powerlessness and institutional inertia... not to mention Gaza and grooming gangs. So what is the solution? What is MCB doing about it? Is it being sufficiently backed by the very community it exists to serve and represent?In addition to his voluntary MCB role, Dr Wajid Akhter works as a GP. He is the founder of Charity Week, as well as a founding member of the British Islamic Medical Association (BIMA) and the Faculty of Medical Leadership and Management. His passions include history, public speaking and travelling. Find out more about the MCB: https://mcb.org.uk(0:00) Muslim crisis and lack of urgency(6:23) What the problems are(12:17) Are Muslim problems Muslim-specific?(19:34) What are the positives?(22:05) Why there is failure despite potential(26:30) What is MCB doing about this?(36:44) Changing culture at the MCB(38:41) Mental health challenges and solutions(47:52) The MCB sustainability problem(59:05) The need for proactive ambition(1:06:41) Has MCB become powerless?(1:11:04) Is power the right objective?(1:14:18) Summary and the way forward

Most people feel trapped because they let past decisions, social expectations and fear define their future, instead of first identifying their true ideal. Real alignment begins when you strip away constraints, clarify what you would pursue if success were guaranteed and time were limited, and then move towards that vision gradually and intentionally.You can watch my full conversation on this topic here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7A5NbXQ947NL8jvh0uefwl?si=EG2gGyxESqSO5aNGun7J7w

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