Reflections

A few years ago, I came across a book called Signs on the Horizons. It’s about an individual’s personal encounters with extraordinary human beings from around the world. To be honest, it left such a profound impression on me that I just had to meet the author in person — and I finally did!

My guest on this episode is Michael Sugich, a Santa Barbara native who studied at UCLA and the California Institute of the Arts. We discussed, among other things, show business; his love of film; his upcoming books and projects as well as a near-death experience that permanently changed his view on life. He is a very humble man who has accomplished a many great things but will not allow me to mention them publicly. I’m sure you will love this episode!

Just so you know, “Sidi Ali” (the blind caretaker from Meknes) passed away peacefully shortly after this interview was recorded.

Dr. Tim Winter, b.1960, is University Lecturer in Islamic Studies at the University of Cambridge, and is dean of the Cambridge Muslim College, which trains imams for British mosques. He is a Director of Studies at Wolfson College, and is a holder of the Pilkington Teaching Prize at the University of Cambridge. He’s been described as Britain's most influential Muslim thinker by The Independent.

In 2006 he published Abraham's Children, co-edited with Bishop Richard Harries and Rabbi Norman Solomon. He is the editor of the Cambridge Companion to Classical Islamic Theology (2008).

His most recent book is Commentary on the Eleventh Contentions (2012).

Dr. Tim Winter’s articles have appeared in The Independent, the London Evening Standard, the Daily Telegraph, The Times, the Catholic Herald, Neue Zürcher Zeitung, and Prospect. He is also a regular contributor to BBC Radio 4's ‘Thought for the Day’.

As a Muslim myself, I’ve often been troubled by the predominately negative media coverage associated with Muslims around the world, as well Muslims in my home country, the UK. I reached out to Dr. Winter because he is a man of profound knowledge and someone I believe is capable of addressing and answering my questions.

We discuss, among other things, the importance of training British born Imams to address the “ideological emergency” that British Muslims face today; the internet as a “very poor replacement” for seeking authentic knowledge; and the roots and causes of extremism as well as the reasons behind the rise of the far-right.

Just a quick heads-up, there are quite a lot of non-English terminologies used in this episode. You can find captions and explanations for all these references on the video version of this episode which can be found on www.ReflectionsPodcast.com.

Peter Sanders is a legendary photographer who has been taking pictures for over 50 years. He also happens to be a very dear friend and someone I have a great deal of respect for. He is a man of profound wisdom and experience. He is also one of the most humble people I have ever known. Peter joins me for our first episode of Reflections. We talk about the 60s and why that era is often dismissed as hedonistic; his 45-year-long book project; his hope in the youth and in Jeremy Corbyn as well as meditation and mindfulness. I hope you will enjoy this first podcast!

The reason why I started Reflections as a Podcast!

The reason why I started Reflections as a Podcast!