Muslim Money Talk

We went on TV to talk about a pretty simple problem: millions of Muslims want an alternative to conventional banking, but very few are actually using the Islamic options that exist today. Areeb joined Fintech.TV to explain why — and what Kestrl is building to change it. 📱 DOWNLOAD KESTRLKestrl helps Muslims spend, save and grow their money without compromising their values.Get the watermelon-themed debit card, access Sharia-compliant financial products, earn Sharia-compliant rewards and use ethical screening tools designed around your values.Download Kestrl: https://kestrl.io/Timestamps00:00 – Why Kestrl Went on TV00:17 – The “Revolut for the Muslim World”00:32 – Building a “Monzo for Muslims”01:45 – The Fintech.TV Interview Begins01:56 – What Is Kestrl?02:40 – What’s Wrong With Existing Islamic Banks?03:04 – 96% Want an Alternative, Only 3% Use One03:41 – How Kestrl Is Trying to Fix the Problem04:31 – Why Kestrl Partnered With Maybank05:28 – Why Muslims Are Skeptical of Islamic Finance06:03 – Building Trust Through the Community06:58 – Funding and Kestrl’s Expansion Plans07:35 – What’s Next: Savings, Investments, Pensions & Insurance08:19 – Is the West Catching Up With Islamic Fintech?09:04 – End of the Interview09:20 – Download Kestrl & Outro The interview covers Kestrl’s Maybank partnership, grassroots growth strategy, expansion beyond the UK and future Sharia-compliant products including savings, investments, pensions and insurance. #Kestrl #islamicfinance #islamicbanking #muslimfinance #halalfinance #islamicfintech #fintech #MuslimMoney #shariafinance #FintechTV #maybank #muslimbusiness #ukmuslims #halalinvesting #MuslimMoneyTalk

Can the taxman get more than your children inherit? What happens if you die without a will? Islamic wills solicitor Haroon Rashid answers the questions families often put off for too long.📱 DOWNLOAD KESTRLKestrl helps Muslims spend, save and grow their money without compromising their values. Get the watermelon-themed debit card, earn Sharia-compliant rewards, and screen your spending and investments.Download the app:https://kestrl.io/In this episode, Haroon shares the family disputes he has seen firsthand, including a widow’s three-year fight for her inheritance. He and Areeb also discuss trusts, guardianship, charity and waqf.Timestamps00:00 – Teaser: Cats, Inheritance and Tax 00:46 – Sponsor: Kestrl, the Muslim Money App01:18 – Why Muslim Families Need to Protect Their Wealth05:55 – What Makes a Will Islamic?07:03 – The Two Cats Set to Receive £350,00008:39 – Why So Few Muslims Have Wills11:21 – What Happens If You Die Without a Will?14:25 – Why Sons Receive Double Their Daughters’ Share17:57 – Two Brothers Divided by Their Father’s Estate21:06 – “Allah’s Will or Your Will?”25:13 – The Woman Who Chose to Give Her Abusive Husband a Share27:02 – Can the Taxman Get More Than Your Children?29:17 – Using Trusts to Protect an Inheritance33:33 – Writing His Own Father’s Will38:24 – The £16 Million Estate and Homemade Will40:23 – Why Choosing the Right Trustee Matters42:28 – Who Would Look After Your Children?45:24 – Water Wells, Charity and Waqf48:09 – How to Start Making an Islamic Will51:31 – Haroon’s Final Advice for Families56:23 – Can Leaving a Third to Charity Hurt Your Heirs?57:35 – The First Podcast Injury—and Haroon Jokes About Suing58:22 – A Widow’s Three-Year Fight for Her Inheritance1:00:03 – Who Should Inherit a Family Business?1:01:40 – The House That Keeps Giving to Charity1:03:26 – Outro#islamicinheritance #inheritancetax #haroonrashid #muslimfinance #islamicfinance #halalfinance #waqfboard #sadaqahjariyah #inheritanceinislam #muslimfamilies #ukmuslims #Kestrl

Is modern interest really the same as riba? Do women actually inherit less than men in Islam? Does the famous mortgage fatwa still apply today? What do you truly own when you buy shares? And could AI ever replace a qualified Mufti?Mufti Faraz cuts through the slogans and explores the principles, context and uncomfortable details behind the rulings Muslims often repeat without questioning.🎓 LEARN ISLAMIC FINANCE WITH MUFTI FARAZ ADAMThe first cohort is limited to 50 people.Register your interest:https://funny-begin-011030--replace-component-footer-riicyelk7.framer.app/learn

Timestamps

00:00 – Teaser: Inheritance, Riba, Mortgages and Political Zakat
01:04 – Sponsor: Kestrl – The Muslim Money App
01:36 – AI, Islam and the Biggest Questions in Islamic Finance
02:16 – Welcome to Muslim Money Talk
03:03 – Introducing Mufti Faraz Adam
06:55 – Is AI Good or Bad for Islam?
09:18 – Can AI Make Islamic Knowledge More Accessible?
11:31 – Did Muslims Really Ban the Printing Press?
14:40 – Does the Muslim World Need Its Own AI Models?
18:03 – When AI Gets Islamic Home Finance Wrong
20:05 – Could AI Ever Replace a Scholar?
27:03 – We Ask ChatGPT if It Can Become a Mufti
29:05 – Why an AI-Generated Fatwa Is Not a Fatwa
32:31 – The Biggest Islamic Finance Questions from Muslims
33:02 – Is Modern Interest the Same as Quranic Riba?
34:19 – The Three Forms of Riba in Pre-Islamic Arabia
36:55 – Why Islam Prohibits Earning Money Through Time
41:22 – Why the Arguments for Interest Sound Convincing
44:20 – Islamic Mortgages and the “Two Contracts” Criticism
45:58 – Is a Small Amount of Interest Still Riba?
50:43 – Idealism vs Pragmatism in Islamic Finance
57:13 – Do Women Really Inherit Less Than Men?
59:10 – The Cases Where Women Inherit More Than Men
01:05:25 – Could a Fully Sharia-Compliant Economy Ever Exist?
01:08:00 – Can Zakat Be Used for Political Campaigning?
01:16:50 – Who Actually Qualifies to Receive Zakat?
01:20:10 – Are Halal Stock-Screening Rules Arbitrary?
01:21:02 – What Do You Actually Own When Buying Shares?
01:23:06 – Where the 5%, 30% and 33% Rules Came From
01:28:20 – Should Halal Stock-Screening Rules Change?
01:29:16 – Is the Famous Mortgage Fatwa Now Outdated?
01:34:32 – Introducing the Kestrl Learn Islamic Finance Course
01:36:51 – The Future of Kestrl and Islamic Finance
01:39:09 – What the UK Can Learn from Islamic-Finance Unicorns
01:41:09 – Web3, Crypto and the Future of Muslim Money
01:43:33 – Final Message: Muslims Must Build Systems
01:45:06 – Outro

📱 THIS EPISODE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY KESTRLKestrl is the Muslim money app helping you spend, save and grow your wealth without compromising your values.Order your watermelon-themed debit card, earn Sharia-compliant rewards and screen your spending against the causes that matter to you.Download Kestrl on the App Store or Google Play:https://kestrl.io/In this episode:• Is interest actually riba?• Why Islamic rulings require more than simple definitions• Whether women really receive less inheritance• The mortgage fatwa Muslims are still using decades later• What shareholders truly own when buying stocks• Whether halal-investing thresholds need to change• Why AI-generated answers cannot replace qualified scholarship• The future of Islamic finance educationTimestamps coming soon.#IslamicFinance #Riba #HalalInvesting #MuslimMoneyTalk #MuftiFarazAdam #HalalFinance #IslamicBanking #MuslimFinance #IslamAndMoney #InterestInIslam #HalalMortgage #IslamicMortgage #InheritanceInIslam #IslamicInheritance #WomenInIslam #MuslimInvesting #StocksInIslam #ShariahCompliant #ShariahFinance #EthicalInvesting #AIFatwa #AIAndIslam #IslamicScholar #Fatwa #PersonalFinance #Zakat #Waqf #Takaful #MuslimPodcast #Kestrl

In this episode of Muslim Money Talk, Areeb Siddiqui sits down with Moulana Tahir Talati (Islamic scholar, finance professional, and co-founder of National Waqf) to explore one of the most powerful yet forgotten concepts in Islamic finance: the Waqf (charitable endowment).📱 This episode is brought to you by Kestrl — the app helping Muslims spend, save, and grow their wealth without compromise. Order your watermelon-themed debit card, earn Sharia-compliant rewards, and screen your spending against your values. Download on the App Store or Google Play. https://kestrl.io/Timestamps00:00 – Teaser: Why Do Mosques with Millions Still Fundraise for Bills?01:20 – Sponsor: Kestrl – The Muslim Money App01:56 – Welcome & Introducing Molana Taher Talati03:14 – Molana Taher’s Journey: Combining Traditional Alimiyyah & Finance04:59 – The Problem with Modern Charity & How National Waqf Was Born07:34 – What is a Waqf? Linguistic & Legal Definition09:14 – Asset-Based vs. Usufruct Waqf: How Endowments Actually Work10:40 – Moving from One-Off Donations to Sustainable, Perpetual Giving13:08 – The Prophetic Vision: Hadith of Umar (RA) & Historical Origins16:00 – The Waqf of the Sahabah & The 1,400-Year Legacy of the Well of Uthman (RA)19:18 – Ibn Battuta’s Travels: The Peak of Waqf & Creative Endowments24:50 – How Colonial Powers Systematically Dismantled Waqf in Algeria & India30:30 – The Attack on Family Waqfs & The Loss of Community Independence33:38 – Modern Endowments: How the West Took the Waqf Model37:15 – Did Oxford, Cambridge & Western Trusts Originate from Waqf?40:05 – Inside the National Waqf Model: 50/50 Growth & Grant Reinvestment45:49 – The 6 Priority Areas for Empowering UK Muslims49:32 – Housing, Student Finance & Muslim Financial Empowerment52:22 – Could the UK Government Adopt an Endowment-Style Sovereign Wealth Fund?57:30 – Shifting from First-Generation Survival to Strategic Community Institutions01:00:17 – The UK Waqf Summit & Integrating Islamic Fintech01:03:10 – The Mosque Dilemma: Helping Masajid Build Endowments01:08:40 – Q&A: Property Strategy & Risk-Averse Shariah Investments01:10:12 – Family Waqfs & The Private Endowment (100% Donation Policy)01:14:11 – The Power of Pooled Investments & Overcoming Duplication01:20:23 – Social Investments: How Mosques Can Fund Each Other01:25:35 – Digital Banking for Charities & The Future of Kestrl01:28:28 – Outro & Final Thoughts#islamicfinance #waqfboard #halalinvestment #sadaqahjariyah #money #investment

What do three CEOs actually talk about when the cameras are off? We’re on a 586-mile road trip to Manchester to dive deep into the future of Halal finance, the reality of raising capital in the Ummah, and one legendary 3 AM marriage proposal.📱 This episode is brought to you by Kestrl — the app helping Muslims spend, save, and grow their wealth without compromise. Order your watermelon-themed debit card, earn Sharia-compliant rewards, and screen your spending against your values. Download on the App Store or Google Play. https://kestrl.io/Timestamps00:00 – Opening Hook: Balancing Pragmatism and Purity in Islamic Finance00:48 – Intro: The Road Trip to Manchester for the Muslim CEOs Collective01:48 – Kestrl Spotlight: Sharia-compliant rewards and the watermelon card03:35 – The 2026 Landscape: A new wave of Islamic Fintech boundaries04:33 – Deep Dive: Stride Up’s £250M Sukuk and capital market maturity06:20 – Medina Angels: Solving the "Access to Capital" pain point for founders09:05 – The Fundraising Reality: Why raising from the community can be a challenge11:15 – The Circular Economy: Unlocking £14B in idle Muslim wealth15:40 – Pitch Deck Analysis: What makes a standout startup for investors?18:40 – Why Medina Angels backed Kestrl: Innovation in Neo-banking20:18 – The Identity Shift: Beling and Islamophobia in the UK22:45 – Running away vs. Building: Our responsibility as entrepreneurs25:15 – Raising kids in the age of AI and racism26:45 – The "Bollywood" Story: Raza’s incredible 3 AM marriage proposal34:05 – Marriage Advice: 20 years of wisdom and the "Pious Pillar"36:55 – The Startup Spouse: Managing shaky pillars in your life37:50 – Corporate vs. Entrepreneurship: The early opportunity cost39:50 – Pit Stop: Omar Khalil joins to discuss Retail Market trends44:10 – The Ambassadors of Ethics: Lessons from the markets of Medina45:15 – Outro: Mukbang and closing thoughtsKestrl App Links:Download Kestrl (iOS & Android): https://kestrl.io/downloadKestrl Website: https://kestrl.io/Social Media Handles:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kestrl.io/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kestrl/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kestrl.ioGuest Information (from this episode):Abdul-Haseeb Basett (Muslim CEOs Collective): https://www.linkedin.com/in/abdulhaseebbasett/Raza (Fithar): https://www.linkedin.com/in/raza-khan-fithar/Medina Angels: https://medinaangels.com/#islamicfinance #muslimentrepreneurs #Kestrl #halalinvesting #startuplife

This episode is brought to you by Kestrl - the app helping Muslims to spend, store and grow their wealth without compromise!📲 Download today on App Store and Google Play here: https://kestrl.io/get-the-appShould Muslims be all in on Bitcoin — or are we taking it too far? In this episode of Muslim Money Talk, host Areeb Siddiqui is back in Riyadh with Morrad Irsane, co-founder & CEO of Takadao, to unpack how Web3 is being used to reinvent Islamic insurance, and to have a frank, animated debate about Bitcoin, crypto and where Muslims should really be putting their money.⏱️ TIMESTAMPS0:00 Trailer & Intro1:48 Back in Riyadh — and why Makkah is becoming a startup city3:38 What is Takadao? Decentralised Islamic insurance explained5:03 How the LifeDAO family protection fund actually works6:17 Donator and receiver: bringing Takaful back to its purest model8:02 Why every Western "halal" insurer ends up compromising9:58 Killing the conflict of interest: how a DAO removes the middleman11:17 Deny, delay, defend — how traditional insurers avoid paying out12:54 Who controls the money? Voting rights and nine elected members15:08 Why Takadao takes 25% — and what the Takaful standards actually allow17:47 Do you get your money back? Surplus, sadaqah and double reward21:04 The real gap: what happens to a family after the janazah23:56 Stablecoins, USDC and the no-bank crypto card27:56 How halal yield is generated: liquidity provisioning explained32:04 Is this just FX trading? The Sharia distinction that matters34:19 The Bitcoin debate: is it money, digital gold, or neither?38:34 "You don't own Bitcoin" — ETFs, Binance, Revolut and real ownership41:37 Why Bitcoin maximalism is a cult — and why there's no maxi in Islam50:02 If not Bitcoin, then what? Smart contracts and reviving Mudaraba1:00:18 Are Muslims ready for web3? Regulators, remittances and the no-bank vision1:06:48 Where to find Takadao1:07:29 Outro💚 If Muslim Money Talk has given you value, please hit SUBSCRIBE, ring the bell, and drop us a comment — it genuinely helps us grow.⚠️ This episode discusses cryptocurrency, insurance and investing for educational purposes only and is not financial advice. Always do your own research and consult a qualified professional before making financial decisions.#IslamicFinance #Bitcoin #HalalCrypto #Takaful #IslamicInsurance #Web3 #Muslims #Crypto #MuslimMoneyTalk #Kestrl #Takadao #DeFi

📱 This episode is brought to you by Kestrl — the app helping Muslims spend, save, and grow their wealth without compromise. Order your watermelon-themed debit card, earn Sharia-compliant rewards, and screen your spending against your values.

Download on the App Store or Google Play. https://kestrl.io/

Do British Muslims have a crisis in belonging? In the season two premiere of Muslim Money Talk, host Areeb Siddiqui sits down with Sadiq Dorasat — Forbes 30 Under 30, founder & CEO of Muslim Census, and product lead at StrideUp — to unpack the findings of Muslim Census's new report, "Crisis in Belonging."Ten years ago, 9 in 10 Muslims felt a strong sense of belonging in the UK. Today it's just over 1 in 2 — and only 8% feel positive about the country's future. We dig into what's driving that collapse, why 43% of Muslims are relying on credit to cover everyday expenses, the surprising link between Islamic mortgages and belonging, and whether Muslims are really thinking about leaving.⏱️ TIMESTAMPS

0:00 Trailer

1:04 Intro

3:52 The new report: "Crisis in Belonging"

4:25 From 90% to 50% — the collapse in belonging

8:00 Does Sadiq personally feel he belongs?

9:54 The most surprising findings

11:56 Do Muslims really earn 48% more?

13:06 Are British Muslims actually thinking of leaving?

14:41 The shift in where Muslims give their zakat

15:59 Can these surveys be weaponised by the far right?

23:25 Why he started Muslim Census

29:03 A career across Islamic finance: HSBC to StrideUp

32:07 The biggest gaps: insurance and microfinancing

38:03 Advice for Kestrl: just ship40:49 Islamic mortgages — why they cost more

45:20 Rapid fire: conventional or Islamic to start?

49:56 Optimistic for the next generation?

4:04 How Sadiq uses AI in product

59:21 Do Muslims really belong in the UK?💚 If Muslim Money Talk has given you value, please hit SUBSCRIBE, ring the bell, and drop us a comment — it genuinely helps us grow.#BritishMuslims #IslamicFinance #MuslimCensus #CrisisInBelonging #HalalMortgage #CostOfLiving #MuslimMoneyTalk #Kestrel #StrideUp #IslamicMortgage

This episode is brought to you by Kestrl - the app helping Muslims to spend, store and grow their wealth without compromise!

📲 Download today on App Store and Google Play here: https://kestrl.io/get-the-app

Recorded live in front of an audience at Muslim Tech Fest.

This episode asks whether the UK can actually become the global capital of Islamic finance — why halal home finance still costs 2% more than a conventional mortgage, why liquidity is the real bottleneck, and what it took to get the first partnership between an Islamic bank and an Islamic fintech over the line.

Guest experts: Raza Ullah, founder & CEO of Pfida, and Hamdi Abdullah, General Manager of Maybank UK

This podcast is hosted by Areeb Siddiqui, the founder and CEO of Kestrl, the app that helps people to grow their wealth without compromise. Download our app and order your card here: https://kestrl.io/

⏱️ TIMESTAMPS

0:00 Intro: is Islamic finance really Islamic?

1:20 Meet the panel: Pfida, Maybank and Kestrl

2:05 £1m in 15 weeks — and why the UK may be the best place in the world to do Islamic finance

5:35 Ten years in: how UK Muslims got educated on riba7:58 Why Muslim-majority markets use Islamic finance less than we do

10:20 The 2% problem: why halal home finance costs more11:42 Liquidity is the real bottleneck — and why Maybank partnered instead of going it alone13:20 Pfida: built by the community, for the community

15:20 Community money vs institutional money: the case for a hybrid17:28 What success looks like in 5–10 years

19:50 Do we even call it Islamic? ESG, participation banking and silent dawah

22:08 Competition, Hajj and how big this market actually is

23:59 "Don't become a bank" — and will other Islamic banks follow Maybank?

25:55 Europe, France and why North America excites us more

29:46 Debanking, masjids and the case for business banking

31:23 Consolidation, exits and protecting the mission

34:19 Where should a Muslim charity put £1 million?

40:10 Do VCs want Islamic fintech — and do we want them?

43:09 What's next: Sharia-compliant insurance and credit cards

#IslamicFinance #IslamicFintech #MuslimMoneyTalk #HalalInvesting #Maybank #Pfida #MuslimTechFest #HalalMortgage #FinancialLiteracy #MuslimPodcast #Kestrl

This episode is brought to you by Kestrl - the digital bank helping to grow your wealth without compromise!📲 Download today on App Store and Google play here: https://kestrl.io/get-the-app

This episode dives into financial compatibility before marriage, the realities of Mahr, prenups, and how unspoken financial expectations can lead to divorce.Guest experts:Sannah Khan & Dr. Mohammed Sinan

AML Finance insta page:https://www.instagram.com/aml.finance?igsh=MWN1YnY4enMzcnJwMQ==

This podcast is hosted by Areeb Siddiqui, the founder and CEO of Kestrl, the app that helps people to grow their wealth without compromise.Become a lifetime user of our new digital bank here: https://kestrl.io/

⏱️ TIMESTAMPS

0:00 "Her money is her money and his money is hers"

0:56 Intro

2:06 How they both ended up in finance

5:32 Solutions in search of a problem — why Amal exists

7:04 What financial abuse actually looks like

9:57 The three-step framework

12:23 The £70bn report — and how they met

15:49 "If your salary doubled tomorrow, what would you do?"

18:56 He earns £150k and won't let her stop working

21:42 "My Situationship with Money" — the card game

26:06 "Her money is her money" — where did it come from?

29:31 Bollywood, borrowed expectations and the checklist problem

33:40 What "provision" actually means

35:32 Is mahr a gift or an exit plan?

37:39 The nikah that wasn't registered — and cost her everything

40:56 £50k weddings and the debt that follows

46:21 High-earning sisters who can't find a match

50:42 Work out the life you want first

53:12 What is a career actually for?

57:49 "Do people ever ask you about second wives?"

1:00:44 Joint accounts — how to actually do it1:04:58 Final advice + the one-day intensive1:06:26 Outro#MuslimMarriage #IslamicFinance #MarriageAdvice #MuslimMoneyTalk #FinancialLiteracy #MoneyAndMarriage #Mahr #MuslimPodcast #Prenup #AmalFinance #Kestrl

This episode of Muslim Money Talk dives into the dangers of poor succession planning, inheritance disputes, and the looming inheritance tax crisis for Muslim families and business owners in the UK. Guest expert Ruzwan Boota shares real-life case studies, explains Sharia-compliant wills, and highlights urgent steps families must take to protect wealth, avoid riba, and preserve unity.

This podcast is hosted by Areeb Siddiqui, the founder and CEO of Kestrl, the app that helps people to grow their wealth without compromise

Find out more about our app here: https://kestrl.io/

And how we help banks here: https://business.kestrl.io/

Show Notes: 

00:00 - Opening 

02:42 – Introduction of guest Roswan Bhuta, his background in tax advisory

04:16 – Stories from advising footballers on wealth protection

05:56 – Transition to iWills and focus on Muslim tax advisory

07:34 – Muslim wealth, poverty stats, and proactive tax planning

09:05 – Case study: business owner who delayed planning and left chaos

13:04 – Family disputes, Sharia vs. non-Sharia inheritance splits

16:49 – Sharia-compliant wills: rules, shares, and misconceptions20:33 – Examples of siblings inheriting in absence of sons

21:29 – Using trusts to protect irresponsible heirs

22:24 – Process for drafting wills quickly and affordably

25:53 – Kestrel fintech interlude (ad segment)

26:14 – Inheritance tax thresholds, reliefs, and new 2026 law

31:43 – Financial burden on families and rise of riba loans

32:52 – Urgent planning window before April 2026

34:17 – Shaitan’s influence in family disputes over wealth

34:53 – Implications for startups and co-founders

37:24 – Passing on debt and the dangers of delaying Sharia compliance

39:32 – Client story: widow deciding to clear riba mortgages

43:17 – Fees, transparency, and honest tax advice

45:49 – Step-by-step approach: wills, trusts, and family conversations

48:22 – Trust structures to protect immature beneficiaries

49:53 – Importance of proactive planning, not waiting for death

50:24 – Muslims and generational wealth building

51:16 – Practical takeaway: seek specialist tax advice, take action now