Sacred Text Messages

By Sandala, Inc.

Society & Culture Religion & Spirituality Spirituality Islam

What's Sacred Text Messages about?

In this age of material excess and spiritual privation, grounding ourselves in divine guidance has never been more critical. The Sacred Text Messages podcast with Hamza Yusuf provides an antidote to the modern madness by reconnecting us with God and His Messenger ﷺ . Listen to timeless wisdoms from sacred sources and rediscover Truth, Goodness, and Beauty.

This podcast with Shaykh Hamza Yusuf is a Sandala Media production. http://www.sandala.org

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Sacred Text Messages episodes:

01.08.2022
Happy New Year?
For many, the new year signifies new beginnings and a chance for a lifestyle reset. For many Muslims, however, there is confusion regarding how we should respond to the modern-day new year greetings and celebrations. In this insightful episode, Shaykh...
12.12.2021
The Company You Keep Determines the Rewards You Reap
The company you keep leads to your success or failure depending upon what type of companionship you choose. Abū Musā al-Ashʿarī narrated a beautiful hadith of the Prophet Muhammad where he likened one's company to either a seller of musk...
12.05.2021
Be Aware of the Dog: Imam al-Bukhari’s Advice
Season 4 of Sacred Text Messages continues with an episode that warns of the Devil's favorite discourse, ghībah (backbiting). Today, the online and social media platforms allow for this discourse to spread like never before and are nearly impossible to...
11.26.2021
In the Prophetic Emergency Room: Treating Variantitis
One of the most common debate points against Muslims centers around the Qur'an's ten recitations (qirā’āt) that have been codified and preserved by qualified scholars since the time of the Prophet’s companions. Detractors often use the linguistic variations as means...
11.05.2021
Eat Berries, but Don't Forget Al-Bari!
Sacred Text Messages returns in the blessed month of Rabi' al-Awwal with a profound discussion on a prescient hadith related in Imam al-Bayhaqi's collection: “The Messenger of God ﷺ is reported to have said, ‘The hearts rust, and they rust...
08.20.2021
The Clarity of Dr. Cleary
Dr. Thomas Cleary performed the task of hundreds of men. He mastered Greek and Latin in his teens and went on to master Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Arabic, Pali, Sanskrit, French, Bengali, Gaelic, Urdu, and several other languages. He then went...
08.06.2021
From Gangbangers to Game Changers
When the Prophet, God’s peace and blessings upon him, entered Medina, he counseled his fledgling community, “Spread peace, feed the poor, maintain kinship bonds, give a portion of the night to prayers, and you will enter Paradise in peace." In...
07.30.2021
A conversation with the man who gave me shahada.
In life’s mysterious journey, most of us will experience a transformative event that forces us to reevaluate and reorient ourselves. God asks in the Quran, “So where then are you going?,” a reminder for us to avoid the distractions of...
07.16.2021
They Call Me Mr. Tubbs: Dignity in a Degrading Place
The 1967 film “In the Heat of the Night” represents one of the first major motion pictures in which a black man has the leading role and is portrayed with dignity. Sidney Poitier plays Virgil Tibbs, a man falsely accused...
07.09.2021
Beware of the Habits You Inhabit
The global online pornography industry is currently estimated to be nearly $40 billion and growing. Its pervasive nature remains a key destructive force in both the spirit of the individual and society. In the third part of our series on...
07.02.2021
God Won, Satan 0̷
Season 3 of Sacred Text Messages continues with the second part of Shaykh Hamza's insightful commentary on Imam al-Ghazali's analysis of the nafs. In this episode, we learn the secret to winning the battle with our lower self: we need...
06.25.2021
When the Preacher Needs a Teacher
We're excited to start Season 3 of Sacred Text Messages, with an analysis of the nature of the nafs (lower self or ego) and its devilish inclinations. Shaykh Hamza navigates us through the core tenets of Imam al-Ghazali's brilliant text...
04.24.2021
Meaning: Less or Full, You Choose
Our Ramadan journey continues with more wonders from the Book of Allah. In this episode, Shaykh Hamza explains the linguistic miracle of the Qur'an, analyzing the fourth verse of Sura al-Muzammil in which God commands us to "recite the Qur'an...
04.18.2021
"Do Americans Know Anything About Qadr?"
As we enjoy the blessings of these first few days of Ramadan, Shaykh Hamza reminds us that this is indeed the month of the Qur’an, the revelation replete with the best of all sacred text messages. One of these extraordinary...
04.10.2021
The Qur'an: God's Banquet
As Ramadan approaches us once again, we're blessed with another opportunity to respond to God's great invitation, drawing near to Him through our worship and remembrance. In this special episode, Shaykh Hamza discusses the secrets of this extraordinary month and...
03.26.2021
When the Famous Become Infamous, Remain Faithful
Throughout history, there have been many religious charlatans. For those who have been deceived by them, the personal and community impact is devastating. Some even lose their faith in God and leave their religion. In this episode, Shaykh Hamza untangles...
03.19.2021
Don't Be Triggered
The word "triggered" is used to describe a strong emotional response to an upsetting event that reminds one of past traumas. The term has become popular for its colloquial use of feeling offended or hurt. Learning to handle negative or...
03.12.2021
As the Earth Diminishes
"Haven't they seen how we have diminished the earth from its edges?" This week's sacred text message focuses on this extraordinary verse from the 13th chapter of the Quran entitled Ra'd or Thunder. Though the geological realities of the verse...
03.05.2021
Poisoned Meat
The Digital Age has provided unprecedented convenience in communication and information sharing; it has also allowed for critics and self-proclaimed experts to share their unsolicited opinions and rebukes without censor or recourse. What do our sacred texts say about the...
02.05.2021
Part 2: Quran and the Content of Character
The journey through the sacred messages of the Noble Quran continues as Shaykh Hamza explains the universal lessons on brotherhood, forgiveness, and Divine love.
01.30.2021
Part 1: Quran and the Content of Character
God tells us in the Qur’an that the origin of the human story began with the binary—Adam and Eve. God then assigned us nations and tribes in order that we might come to know one another and distinguish ourselves through...
01.22.2021
The Mystery of Diversity
The vast diversity we see all around us constantly reminds us of God’s greatness. This week’s Sacred Text Messages podcast discusses the Qur’anic imperative to respect the diversity of human beings in our races, religions, and tribes. In a time...
01.15.2021
Maintaining A House of God
In this first episode of Season 2, Hamza Yusuf reminds us of the sacred text messages from the Quran on maintaining the houses of Allah. What are our obligations as caretakers of these sacred spaces, and how can we make...
11.27.2020
The Wise Person Knows All Things
Throughout human history, great philosophers, leaders, and thinkers devoted their lives toward the pursuit of wisdom. Countless pages and lines of poetry extol the qualities of the wise person. In this podcast, Hamza Yusuf explains the Quranic definition of wisdom...
11.20.2020
A Little Bit of Quran is A Lot
God revealed the Qur'an as the light of guidance and the criterion to judge between truth and falsehood. In this week's episode, Hamza Yusuf discusses the key to our well-being and success—a regular commitment to the recitation and reflection of...
11.10.2020
Dunya: A Zero-Sum Game
The Quran addresses one of humanity's perennial questions: Why are we here, and where are we going? In this episode, Hamza Yusuf elucidates the Quranic conception of this life and the prophetic practice that navigates us back to the Divine.
11.03.2020
Liberty and Mercy for All
The recent tragic events in France once again bring to the forefront the age-old debate over government and the limits of allegiance. This episode examines the current crisis through the lens of our sacred texts, which harmonize the concepts of...
10.27.2020
God's Prescription for Anxiety
God tells us in the Quran that man was created in a state of angst, uneasy in both fortune and misfortune. What is the spiritual remedy for this? Tune in and discover the sacred prescription for our most innate illness.
10.20.2020
Abandon the Groups and Cling to the Roots
In the perpetual battle between good and evil, how do we avoid the seductions of false gods and the pitfalls of groupthink? This episode expounds on the prophetic tradition that reveals the spiritual vaccine to the current plague of nihilism...
10.13.2020
From the Cradle to the Grave
Since the dawn of our species, the pursuit of knowledge can be found at the core of the human endeavor, and the greatest of all knowledge leads inevitably to the divine. In this episode, Hamza Yusuf discusses the centrality of...
10.06.2020
When No News Is Good News
The Information Age has brought us unprecedented convenience, but at a heavy price. Rumors, slander and lies have the ability to spread across vast spaces, leaving individuals and communities reeling in the aftermath. This episode expounds on the current crisis...
09.29.2020
School of Eternity
What is the purpose of this world? How do we respond to trials and tribulation? In this episode, Hamza Yusuf discusses the school of eternity, where human suffering can teach obedience if we respond with patience and gratitude. The Sacred...
09.21.2020
Transcending Tribe: The Race to Humanity
In the first Sacred Text Messages episode, Hamza Yusuf discusses race, tribalism, and the universality of Islam. https://sandala.org About the Sacred Text Messages podcast: In this age of material excess and spiritual privation, grounding ourselves in divine guidance has never been more...

What's Sacred Text Messages about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Sacred Text Messages episodes:

Happy New Year?

The Company You Keep Determines the Rewards You Reap

Be Aware of the Dog: Imam al-Bukhari’s Advice

In the Prophetic Emergency Room: Treating Variantitis

Eat Berries, but Don't Forget Al-Bari!

The Clarity of Dr. Cleary

From Gangbangers to Game Changers

A conversation with the man who gave me shahada.

They Call Me Mr. Tubbs: Dignity in a Degrading Place

Beware of the Habits You Inhabit

God Won, Satan 0̷

When the Preacher Needs a Teacher

Meaning: Less or Full, You Choose

"Do Americans Know Anything About Qadr?"

The Qur'an: God's Banquet

When the Famous Become Infamous, Remain Faithful

Don't Be Triggered

As the Earth Diminishes

Poisoned Meat

Part 2: Quran and the Content of Character

Part 1: Quran and the Content of Character

The Mystery of Diversity

Maintaining A House of God

The Wise Person Knows All Things

A Little Bit of Quran is A Lot

Dunya: A Zero-Sum Game

Liberty and Mercy for All

God's Prescription for Anxiety

Abandon the Groups and Cling to the Roots

From the Cradle to the Grave

When No News Is Good News

School of Eternity

Transcending Tribe: The Race to Humanity