The Thinking Muslim

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Al-Sharaa and the New Syria with Dr Diana Darke May 30, 2025

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The new Syrian government has had to deal with a bewildering array of internal and external challenges. How it deals with these will determine the future integrity and progress of the country. Today we welcome back onto the show historian Dr Diana Darke who told us previously that she will return back to the country and her house in the old city of Damascus after a period of being barred from entering. She tells us about the new Syria, its hopes and challenges.

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India vs Pakistan – Dissecting Pakistan’s Tactical Triumph with Ibrahim Moiz May 22, 2025

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The recent escalation of military hostilities between Pakistan and India resulted in some decisive tactical victories for Pakistan, despite the sheer weight of misinformation coming out of India. The downing of five Indian aircraft with the confident use of Chinese hardware would have sent a signal to India that its war readiness is in question. But did Pakistan do enough to consolidate its battlefield gains? And what of the broader regional dynamic for the country, which has been bogged down by political and economic crisis?

To help us understand the broader analysis, we have today Ibrahim Moiz, author of The True Story of the Taliban. He is a writer and researcher on Pakistan and Afghan affairs.

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The Bloodied Emirates: How the UAE Fears a Free Muslim World with Dr Andreas Krieg May 13, 2025

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The UAE has curated a string of anti-revolutionary non-state actors across the Middle East to serve the state’s deeply secular interests. Abu Dhabi has waged a war against Islamic civil society and non-state actors under the pretext of fighting “terrorism” and today acts as the primary means by which the small but effective federation of seven emirates prevents the rise of independent states in the Middle East. Behind every foiled attempt to wrestle power from Arab dictators is the UAE, which has used its petrodollars and economic prowess to curtail civil society activism. Its deep alliance with Israel and its Zionist project have given the UAE an unprecedented means to act as a spoiler in the region. Today, we explore the tentacles of this project and its impact upon the hopes of much of ordinary Arab Muslim society.

Our guest today is Dr Andreas Krieg, an associate professor at the Defence Studies Department of King's College London and a strategic risk consultant working for clients in the Middle East and beyond. He recently penned a piece which forms the backdrop of our conversation on the assertive statecraft of the UAE.

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His article: https://www.middleeasteye.net/big-story/abu-dhabi-built-axis-secessionists-across-region-how

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The Abraham Accords and the Arab Street with Dr. Tareq Al-Suwaidan (Archive) May 06, 2025

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As the Israeli war machine is in full motion, the position of the West lays bare the hollowness of its claims to observe international law. With every US-manufactured bomb dropped on Gaza, the vacuousness of its liberal world order is exposed to Muslims and the world. Yet what can we do about this situation? Lately, many governments have queued up to sign the so-called Abraham Accords with the apartheid state, and it has been concluded that the Arabs no longer care for the Palestinian cause. Today, we get a real feel for the ‘Arab street’ and what Palestine means to Muslims in the region.

Our guest this episode is Dr. Tareq Al-Suwaidan. He is the CEO and owner of Gulf Innovation Group in Kuwait and was the General Manager of Al-Resalah Satellite TV - ranked among the highest in the Middle East.

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We all know how difficult it has been for food and essential supplies to reach the beleaguered people of Gaza. This, Insha'Allah, is changing. We have partnered with a charity, Baitulmaal, because now, more than ever, there is a need not only in Gaza but also in Turkish controlled Northern Syria and in all the places we routinely talk about in this program where our ummah is subject to abject poverty. We have chosen this charity because Baitulmaal is a non-profit with people on the ground who organize well-thought-out projects and serve the most needy.

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Farhat Amin’s Funeral Prayer and Reminder - Sami Hamdi Part 2 May 03, 2025

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Innā lillāhi wa innā ilayhi rājiʿūn

"Indeed, to Allah we belong, and to Him we shall return.”

It is with great sadness that Muhammad Jalal’s wife passed away on Wednesday. She had been courageously living with cancer for over three years. She was a soul who remained obedient to her Lord to the very end and never wavered in her iman and goodness. May Allah open the doors of mercy for her and leave her good deeds and service to the ummah as sadaqah jariah for her.

يٰۤاَيَّتُهَا النَّفۡسُ الۡمُطۡمَٮِٕنَّةُ

ارۡجِعِىۡۤ اِلٰى رَبِّكِ رَاضِيَةً مَّرۡضِيَّةً ‏

Allah will say to the righteous,˺ “O tranquil soul!,

Return to your Lord, well pleased ˹with Him˺ and well pleasing ˹to Him˺.

The Prophet (saw) said:

“The most beloved people to Allah are those who are most beneficial to others.”

Farhat lived this truth. May every act of kindness and dedication to our ummah she performed count as sadaqah jāriyah for her.

We ask Allah (SWT) to envelop her in mercy, to forgive her sins, to make her grave a garden from the gardens of Paradise, and to reunite her with her loved ones in Jannat al-Firdaws, the highest level of Paradise.

"Allahumma ighfir laha, warhamha, wa 'afiha, wa'fu 'anha."

"O Allah, forgive her, have mercy on her, grant her peace, and pardon her."

May her soul find rest, and may we all find strength in the legacy she left behind.

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Farhat Amin’s Funeral Prayer and Reminder - Dr Sohail Hanif Part 1 May 02, 2025

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Innā lillāhi wa innā ilayhi rājiʿūn

"Indeed, to Allah we belong, and to Him we shall return.”

يٰۤاَيَّتُهَا النَّفۡسُ الۡمُطۡمَٮِٕنَّةُ

ارۡجِعِىۡۤ اِلٰى رَبِّكِ رَاضِيَةً مَّرۡضِيَّةً ‏

Allah will say to the righteous,˺ “O tranquil soul!,

Return to your Lord, well pleased ˹with Him˺ and well pleasing ˹to Him˺.

The Prophet (saw) said:

“The most beloved people to Allah are those who are most beneficial to others.”

Farhat lived this truth. May every act of kindness and dedication to our ummah she performed count as sadaqah jāriyah for her.

"Allahumma ighfir laha, warhamha, wa 'afiha, wa'fu 'anha."

"O Allah, forgive her, have mercy on her, grant her peace, and pardon her."

May her soul find rest, and may we all find strength in the legacy she left behind.

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Iman Boost - 2 years with Sami Hamdi Apr 28, 2025

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Sami Hamdi first came on The Thinking Muslim two years ago on the 28 April 2023. To mark the two years we have brought together some of his choice moments that remind us of our need to fuse faith with thinking and activism.

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Australia Elections: Paying a Price for Supporting Genocide with Senator Fatima Payman Apr 18, 2025

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The Australian government has announced a general election, including elections to its lower house. Its Labour government has grown tired in office and, particularly important for Muslims, has colluded to enable a genocide in Gaza. In both the UK and America, Muslim and conscientious voices worked together to hold the government to account for what has been the worst crime in decades. Will Australia’s Muslim community build upon its newfound resilience and unity and work with allies to punish those responsible for Gaza at the ballot box.

Today, we have a very special guest. Senator Fatima Payman is a Senator in the Australian upper house for Western Australia. In June 2024, she was the first in her party since 1988 to cross the floor over a vote on Palestine’s statehood. By July, she resigned over the government’s policy on genocide—having been suspended by PM Anthony Albanese. Although Fatima is not up for re-election this time, these coming elections may be another extremely important test for Muslims in the West and their commitment to their ummah and justice.

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When the Heart Cries: Where Is Allah's Help? Dr Kamal Abu Zahra Apr 15, 2025

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It is easy to feel a sense of gloom. The world has come together against us. Some, particularly those who are not tested like the Palestinians, may even have doubts about their Islam – impacting their basic Iman. Some call for compromise with the perpetrators or, worse still, call for normalisation. We explore the concepts and emotions that form the backbone of what it is to be a believer.

Our guest this week is Dr Kamal Abu Zahra is a lecturer in Islamic studies and in Islamic law who has an expertise in the contemporary fiqh.

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Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction

02:20 When will Allah’s help come

09:10 Is it a weakness to ask?

12:00 What is the help Allah?

14:00 Types of victory

16:56 Why does Allah hold back help?

20:12 What are the conditions?

22:30 Are we being punished?

28:40 Gazan iman

32:50 Our ability to act

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Manufacturing a Monster: Britain, America and Israeli Violence with Professor Avi Shlaim Apr 08, 2025

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The genocide in Gaza has opened up a new world of intellectual exploration for so many of us who have been for too long ignorant of the details. Many of us have had to deconstruct our worldviews and start again, looking at the world through a more critical lens. The impunity with which Israel pursues its ends is genuinely bewildering. How is it that most Western politicians remain uncritical allies of a regime that is eradicating a people from its land through multiple means, including the systematic use of violence?

I met with the eminent Jewish historian Avi Shlaim at the Oxford Middle East Centre. Professor Shlaim has recently authored an uncompromising book on the intent of the Israeli state and her Western backers. Titled Genocide in Gaza, Israel’s long war on the Palestinians - it is probably one of the most lucid historical books I have read on the topic in a while. Today, we want to dip into that history to truly understand the genocidal intent that is sewn into the intellectual fabric of Zionism. In particular, I want to understand the key roles of Britain and America in feeding this settler colonial project and their shared goals.

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