"What does Islam say about music?" is perhaps one of the top 10 questions Muslims ask every day. This episode seeks to lay down some basic ground work, important scholarly references, and ultimately a straightforward answer. Enjoy!

This particular episode was a suggestion from a listener. Diplomacy is a large, large topic and this episode in no way, shape, or form answers all the questions. Rather, it is meant to be a conversation starter. Enjoy!

We all know the common complaint that Islam looks bad and is misrepresented. It doesn't help that it seems often times the worst elements of our community are those speaking on our behalf. If we ever hope for the Islam to make sense to us and to our children, it must be made to look good. Easier said than done, but at least we can lay out some final principles as we conclude this series within the Podcast.

We frequently hear the statement that Islam is valid for all time, place, and circumstance. Yet, the key underlying question associated with that statement is do we actually understand Islam at all? How can we ensure that our understanding is correct? More importantly, how can we pass it on if we don't understand it? In this episode I want to look at some of the keys we need to unlock the code of our intellectual heritage.

This was a hard episode for me to put together. There is so much back-and-forth today about issues of gender relations, how Islam treats women, inherit inequality of the Sharia towards women, etc. While this is not traditionally a first principle jurists speak of, I believe strongly that we need to include to help weed out practices that are not compatible with our belief system. Hopefully this will be just a beginning to a longer conversation.

Muslims talk about charity a lot, but mostly in the context of the community in need of charitable help. As a first principle, however, charity is more than financial assistance, it is a state of being aimed at helping people in need. In this episode I explore this concept hoping that we can all be more charitable and giving of our selves.

While I covered models of coexistence previously on this podcast, here I take several steps back  to consider the concept of coexistence from a principle point of view. If we can understand that we all have more in common than we think, the ability to coexist not only becomes easy, but the only natural option.

The Hajj pilgrimage is the largest communal devotional act Muslims preform.  While it is the trip of a lifetime, the blessings surrounding it are not limited to those on the actual pilgrimage. This episodes highlights the importance of the first ten days of Dhul Hijja and offers advice on how we can maximize the great rewards laying in wait.

This episode is a brief commentary on َQuran 45:23. It explores the power of the lower self and how only by turning to God can we dig ourselves out of the hole we so often find ourselves.

Why are some people passionate about issues that we might not care about? Why are some people willing to fight one another, indeed go to war against one another based on differing ideas? This episode provides a brief sketch on the power of perspective and time in flaming conflict, or quelling it.