Adil Abbuthalha is the Founder of Boycat, an app that has diverted over $200 million from companies supporting Israeli interests.

Adil studied at UC Davis, California, before starting his career in Silicon Valley, where he worked at a number of notable tech companies. 

In 2023, after the ongoing events in Palestine, he launched the boycat app that would put him on government watch lists worldwide. 

Support Boycat:

Boycat VPN: https://boycat.io/vpn/order?via=muslimfounder

Boycat Membership: https://www.boycat.io/membership

Follow Boycat:

https://www.instagram.com/boycatapp/

https://www.tiktok.com/@boycat.io

https://x.com/boycatapp

00:00 Introduction

01:46 Life Ambitions Before October 7th

04:19 How Gaza Changed Everything

06:52 The Dream That Started It All

09:08 Why Boycotting Actually Works

10:55 What Does The Boycat App Do?

12:36 Prophet Musa Inspiration

14:00 How The App Went Viral Overnight

15:03 What Is The Long-Term Vision?

18:15 Getting Fired For Building Boycat

19:40 Building For The Dunya vs Akhira 

22:20 Advice For People Wanting To Build Tech 

23:27 Lesson From The Life Of The Prophet ﷺ 

24:45 Israeli Government Tried To Buy The App

26:16 Dealing With Negativity Death Threats 

31:09 Lessons From The Past Two Years

33:53 Biggest Fear: Becoming Arrogant

34:49 How You Can Support The Boycat Movement

37:24 Final Message: Build Like A Prophet

_____________

Muslim Founder Podcast - conversations with leaders who have built successful companies and organisations. 

Our mission is to inspire Muslims to build things that empower the ummah.

_____________

Connect with Sohaib:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sohaibash/

https://www.instagram.com/sohaibashraf97

https://twitter.com/sohaibashraf97

Mohammed Paracha is a Partner and Head of Middle East at Norton Rose Fulbright, one of the world's largest law firms.

He began his career in the early 2000s and has become a pioneer of Islamic Banking.

Beyond his law career, he’s also the co-founder of Nester, a regulated Shariah-compliant investment platform in the UK.

Earlier this year, Mohammed also completed nearly 10 years of Islamic studies to become a qualified scholar.

Connect with Mohammed Paracha:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mohammed-paracha-977873b/

https://nester.com/

00:00 Introduction

01:53 Early Days of Islamic Finance in the UK

04:33 The Governor of Bank of England Story

06:40 Creating the Legal Framework for Islamic Finance

07:29 "Golden Age" of Islamic Finance

9:37 Why High Street Banks Withdrew from Islamic Finance

12:03 The Future of Islamic Banking in the UK

16:39 Paracha's Journey into Islamic Finance

22:49 Moving from Law to Investment Banking

25:24 The Birth of Nester

29:42 Fixed Returns and Sharia Compliance Debate

34:50 Branding Challenges in Islamic Finance

37:53 Biggest Shock Building a Startup

39:24 Advice for Aspiring Islamic Fintech Founders

45:25 Completing 10 Years of Islamic Studies

49:06 Applying Islamic Scholarship to Business

_____________

Muslim Founder Podcast - conversations with leaders who have built successful companies and organisations. 

Our mission is to inspire Muslims to build things that empower the ummah.

_____________

Connect with Sohaib:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sohaibash/

https://www.instagram.com/sohaibashraf97

https://twitter.com/sohaibashraf97

Thom Defilet is an entrepreneur and revert to Islam from the Netherlands.

His path to Islam began through friendships with Muslims and participation in Ramadan while still identifying as an atheist. 

He officially embraced Islam in 2022, taking the name Rayan - meaning "Gate of the fasting people" in reference to one of the eight gates of Paradise.

Connect with Thom:

https://www.youtube.com/@thomdefilet

https://www.instagram.com/thomdefilet

00:00 Introduction

00:44 How the nightclub conversion story went viral

02:17 Growing up in the Netherlands and early life struggles

04:44 Seeking purpose and self-development journey

06:25 Perception of Islam before conversion

08:42  Why more people are converting to Islam in the West

13:39 Advice for encouraging people toward Islam

19:43 The biggest shock of accepting Islam

21:53 Moving to Dubai as a Muslim

23:19 Balancing luxury and faith in Dubai

28:13 First Umrah experience

31:59 Learning Arabic and building relationship with Quran

37:34 Daily routine and prioritizing Islamic practices

40:37 Business ventures and entrepreneurship journey

44:27 Advice for young Muslims entering business

_____________

Muslim Founder Podcast - conversations with leaders who have built successful companies and organisations. 

Our mission is to inspire Muslims to build things that empower the ummah.

_____________

Connect with Sohaib:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sohaibash/

https://www.instagram.com/sohaibashraf97

https://twitter.com/sohaibashraf97

Shinaz is the founder of Niyyah, an Islamic education app that is transforming how Muslims connect with the Quran.

He studied at the London School of Economics before launching his career in consulting and subsequently transitioning into the venture capital world.

In 2023, he founded Niyyah, which now has over 70,000 users across 170 countries and has raised over $2m from investors.

Download the Niyyah App:

https://www.niyyah.app/

Connect with Shinaz:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/shinaznavas/

00:00 - Introduction

01:21 - Growing up in India and moving to the UK

05:26 - From consulting to venture capital

07:54 - Leaving VC to build Niyyah

08:43 - What Niyyah does

12:03 - Handling criticism about tech and Islam

14:37 - Balancing purpose and profit

16:55 - Why most investors are non-Muslims

20:26 - Why Muslim consumer apps struggle

24:17 - Finding product-market fit

28:11 - Opportunities in Muslim tech

32:26 - Skills needed as a founder

37:23 - Future plans with AI

42:33 - Advice for connecting with the Quran

44:37 - Do you need to learn Arabic?

_____________

Muslim Founder Podcast - conversations with leaders who have built successful companies and organisations. 

Our mission is to inspire Muslims to build things that empower the ummah.

_____________

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sohaibash/

https://www.instagram.com/sohaibashraf97

Hasan Kubba is a business coach and co-author of "The Unfair Advantage." 

He studied economics at SOAS University before building his career in marketing, startups and entrepreneurship.

His book hit #1 on Amazon's bestseller list across multiple categories and is now featured in multiple MBA programs across leading universities. 

He now helps entrepreneurs and creators become bestselling published authors by securing them book deals, with a 100% success rate, working with the likes of Ali Abdaal.

Connect with Hassan:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/startuphasan/

https://www.amazon.com/The-Unfair-Advantage/dp/1788167546

00:00 - Introduction

01:26 - Hassan's Iraqi Heritage & Journey to London

02:29 - Why He Dropped Out of Medicine for Economics

05:10 - Discovering The 4-Hour Work Week & Starting His Business

07:20 - Meeting His Co-Author Ash Ali (Just Eat's First Marketing Director)

12:25 - The MILES Framework: Your Unfair Advantages Audit

19:09 - Why Your Postcode Determines Your Success

22:37 - Status: The Most Powerful Unfair Advantage

26:23 - From Consultant to Coach: The Mindset Shift

32:46 - How to Actually Get a Traditional Book Deal

36:58 - Becoming Ali Abdaal's First Business Coach

40:23 - The Biggest Mistakes Entrepreneurs Make

47:35 - Why Book Deals Are Like VC Funding

54:26 - Personal Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

59:52 - How to Get a TEDx Talk (It's Easier Than You Think)

_____________

Muslim Founder Podcast - conversations with leaders who have built successful companies and organisations. 

Our mission is to inspire Muslims to build things that empower the ummah.

_____________

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sohaibash/

https://www.instagram.com/sohaibashraf97

Mohammed Faris is the founder of The Productive Muslim and author of the book "The Barakah Effect." 

In the mid-2000s, he started the Productive Muslim blog, becoming a pioneer in bridging Islamic spirituality, productivity and personal development. 

Beyond his writing and speaking career, he's developed frameworks like the "Barakah Culture", which frames spiritual growth alongside worldly achievement. 

Connect with Mohammed Faris:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mohammedfaris/

https://x.com/MohammedAFaris

https://productivemuslim.com/

https://barakaheffectbook.com/

00:00 - Introduction 

02:07 - What is Barakah? (The Secret to True Productivity)

08:04 - Why Hustle Culture is Destroying Your Soul

12:56 - Your First Steps to Attaining Barakah.

15:40 - How to Invite Barakah Into Your Daily Life

18:50 - Habits That Kill Your Barakah.

20:56 - The Prophet's ﷺ Daily Routine 

25:45 - How to Apply This in the Modern World

27:42 - Why Morning Hours Have Special Power

29:20 - Building Your Tahajjud Practice (Step-by-Step)

31:37 - The Islamic Art of Time Management

35:53 - Gardener vs Carpenter: Two Approaches to Life

39:07 - Breaking Free From Dunya Attachment

42:02 - The 3 Levels of Intention (Niyyah)

45:32 - Setting Goals the Islamic Way

51:23 - Final piece of advice

_____________

Muslim Founder Podcast - conversations with leaders who have built successful companies and organisations. 

Our mission is to inspire Muslims to build things that empower the ummah.

_____________

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sohaibash/

https://www.instagram.com/sohaibashraf97

Ibrahim Khan is the co-founder of Islamic Finance Guru and Cur8 Capital, a shariah-compliant investment platform.

He studied PPE at Oxford University before starting his career as a corporate lawyer, where he gained experience working in private funds.

In 2019, after running IFG as a blog, he decided to leave his corporate career to go full-time on the company. 

Since then, IFG now educates millions of muslims every year, and its sister company, Cur8 Capital, manages over $120m for over 2,500 Muslims across the world 

Connect with Ibrahim Khan:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mibrahimkhan/

https://www.youtube.com/@IFGuru

https://cur8.capital/

-----

00:00 - Introduction 

02:02 - How did you know you wanted go into Islamic Finance? 

04:55 - What skillset should you acquire to go into Islamic Finance?

07:25 - How important are Islamic qualifications for this field?

09:51 - What does a TRUE Islamic Finance system look like? 

12:15 - What are the missing pieces of Islamic Economics?

15:30 - What are the key gaps still missing in Islamic Finance?

18:02 - What’s the importance of payment infrastructure?

22:30 - Why is insurance ignored?

23:59 - Why are there so many failed Islamic Finance startups?

26:57 - Is there a talent problem with Islamic startups?

28:24 - What’s the IFG/Cur8 story?

32:07 - Why did you raise Venture Capital funding?

35:47 - What do most founders get wrong when building startups?

38:26 - What gets Ibrahim excited about founders?

41:25 - Is there a conflict of interest in building an Islamic company?

43:51 - Is there a Quran verse you reflect upon a lot?

47:42 - Ibrahim's startup advice for Sohaib

49:55 - How can Sohaib improve as a person?

51:30 - Sohaib’s best and worst moments at IFG

_____________

Muslim Founder Podcast - conversations with leaders who have built successful companies and organisations. 

Our mission is to inspire Muslims to build things that empower the ummah.

----------

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sohaibash/

https://www.instagram.com/sohaibashraf97

Abdul Rahman Abbas is a medical doctor and the founder of Pillars, a prayer app used by over a million Muslims worldwide.

More recently, he's launched Jibreel, the "Duolingo for Fiqh" - teaching Islamic knowledge through bite-sized lessons.

Abdul Rahman is also a pioneer of the Muslim tech community and is known for his "building in public" approach.

He’s now left medicine to focus full-time on his tech ventures.

Connect with Abdul Rahman:

https://x.com/asabbas98

https://www.thepillarsapp.com/

https://jibreel.app/

_____________

Muslim Founder Podcast - conversations with leaders who have built successful companies and organisations. 

Our mission is to inspire Muslims to build things that empower the ummah.

_____________

00:00 - Introduction 

01:36 - Balancing medicine with entrepreneurship

06:12 - Pillars app origins

11:54 - Building your business in public 

14:26 - Why did you decide to go full-time in building?

15:35 - Pillars, specialities, and long-term commitment

18:36 - What is the Jibreel app?

22:07 - Which school of thought are you building for?

25:39 - Balancing Islamic tech with scholars' input

29:02 - Why Muslims should pay for Islamic Knowledge

32:47 - Why Muslims don't want to build for Muslim consumers  

35:42 - The need for role models in Muslim businesses

37:25 - Advice for wanting to build something whilst in a Corporate job?

39:25 - Is entrepreneurship a privileged game?

44:23 - Muslims applying for tech accelerators

46:42 - Why should Muslims build companies?

----------

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sohaibash/

https://www.instagram.com/sohaibashraf97

Iqbal Nasim is the former CEO of NZF, the National Zakat Foundation.

He studied economics at Cambridge University before starting his career in investment banking, which he left to join NZF.

Under his leadership, NZF transformed how Muslims distribute their zakat, emphasising local impact and institutional development.

He’s now the founder of Transform My Prayer, a program which helps muslims spiritually connect with their salah. 

The Last Day Leadership program, which helps muslims find meaning and purpose in their life.

And the In Good Faith Podcast, which helps people lead a God-centred life.

Connect with Iqbal Nasim

https://www.iqbalnasim.com/

https://www.youtube.com/@IqbalNasim

https://www.linkedin.com/in/iqbalnasim/

(Also, apologies for my voice, I was very ill whilst recording this episode.)

_____________

Muslim Founder Podcast - conversations with leaders who have built successful companies and organisations. 

Our mission is to inspire Muslims to build things that empower the ummah.

_____________

00:00 - Introduction

01:35 - Leaving $1m Investment Banking Career.

04:12 - What do Muslims get wrong about Zakat?

12:51 - Leaving NZF after 10 years.

15:14 - Framework for finding the highest impact work in our lives.

18:53 - The 3-year death experiment to find our purpose.

22:25 - How to transform our prayer.

32:52 - The biggest mindset problem in our community.

39:55 - Advising Sohaib on his next career steps.

44:02 - What is the biggest problem in our community that needs tackling?

45:35 - How to find money whilst pursuing our purpose in life? 

46:18 - What keeps Iqbal up at night?

----------

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sohaibash/

https://www.instagram.com/sohaibashraf97

Dr. Salah Sharief is an entrepreneur, a student of knowledge, and the founder of Chaptrs, the first audiobook platform for Muslims.

He studied law at university, completing his Bachelor's, Master's, and PhD, before spending four years in Egypt studying Islamic knowledge. 

His first business, Wordsmiths Press, was in translation and editing for Islamic publishers.

This expertise also led him to develop Sheikh Yasir Qadhi's renowned Seerah series into a comprehensive book.

Connect with Dr Salah:

https://www.getchaptrs.com/

https://www.facebook.com/salahshariefpage/

https://www.instagram.com/drsalahsharief/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-salah-sharief-12b823137/

_____________

Muslim Founder Podcast - conversations with leaders who have built successful companies and organisations. 

Our mission is to inspire Muslims to build things that empower the ummah.

_____________

00:00 - Introduction

01:30 - Wanting to be an actor

03:05 - Pursuing Academia

05:43 - Starting his first business 

10:20 - Why students of knowledge stay poor 

12:18 - Why did you pursue islamic knowledge?

13:12 - How students can be financially stable

16:03 - How scholars are financially enslaved

17:53 - Quality of people becoming scholars

19:06 - Producing Yasir Qadhi Seerah Book.

23:23 - Biggest challenge of producing the Seerah Book.

28:03 - Building audio books for Muslims 

32:15 - Why not just use audible?

33:33 - How do you produce the audio books?

35:33 - The impact of Chaptrs

39:18 - Advice for building a company.  

42:05 - Perseverance 

42:50 - Dr Salah’s Ted Talk 

----------

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sohaibash/

https://www.instagram.com/sohaibashraf97