The Deenspiration Podcast

This week, Ustadh Nouman Ali Khan – founder of Bayyinah and world renowned Quran teacher – joins us for a wholesome discussion on how to connect deeply with Allah and the Quran in Ramadan.

We explore the importance of quality over quantity, and why learning how to “experience” the Quran is important, not just to read it. Included in this discussion is dealing with our own nafs and bad habits. If Shaytan is chained up in Ramadan, then why do we still sin? Ustadh Nouman then discusses some incredibly exciting projects happening at Bayyinah, including grand visions for Arabic and Quranic education. These begin with the launch of the new ‘Revealed’ app – a mushaf experience with Ustadh’s own commentary and Q&A featured embedded at your fingertips. Things then get emotional at the end. Usman puts Ustadh Nouman on the spot with some spontaneous Q&A using the Reflection Deck from our friends at towards.faith

As you’ll notice on our podcast show, we’ve recently began introducing a deep reflection round at the end of our discussions. We’re doing this using the brilliant Reflection Deck card game by our sponsors, Towards Faith.

Featuring 150 questions split into three categories (fun and light, personal and deep), this is a wonderful tool for meaningful and heartfelt discussions with loved ones. As you’ll see from the examples in our podcast, some of these questions will have you opening up like you never have before, and will prompt you to deeply reflect about yourself, your faith, and Allah SWT.

Did you enjoy this episode? Click below to subscribe to the show on your smartphone and join our family of 1000’s Muslims around the world who love listening and learning. To support us, please consider leaving a positive 5-star review on Apple Podcast/iTunes. Want to have your own voice featured on our show? Click below to leave a 60-second voice recording and we’ll feature you on an upcoming episode.

The post Ep 54: Nouman Ali Khan – How To DEEPLY Connect with the Quran in Ramadan appeared first on Deenspiration.

This week, award winning Turkish actor Emre Üçtepe, most famously known for his role as young Osman Bey in the globally successful Diriliş Ertugrul, joins us to discuss his life leading up to and after the series, and much more about this personal life including hobbies, faith, and interesting facts.

Fulfil this mighty Sunnah starting from only £14 per share

As you’ll notice on our podcast show, we’ve recently began introducing a deep reflection round at the end of our discussions. We’re doing this using the brilliant Reflection Deck card game by our sponsors, Towards Faith.

Featuring 150 questions split into three categories (fun and light, personal and deep), this is a wonderful tool for meaningful and heartfelt discussions with loved ones. As you’ll see from the examples in our podcast, some of these questions will have you opening up like you never have before, and will prompt you to deeply reflect about yourself, your faith, and Allah SWT.

Did you enjoy this episode? Click below to subscribe to the show on your smartphone and join our family of 1000’s Muslims around the world who love listening and learning. To support us, please consider leaving a positive 5-star review on Apple Podcast/iTunes. Want to have your own voice featured on our show? Click below to leave a 60-second voice recording and we’ll feature you on an upcoming episode.

The post Ep 53: The Life of Emre Üçtepe (Young Osman Bey from Diriliş Ertuğrul) – Acting, Hobbies & Unknown Facts appeared first on Deenspiration.

Today we’re joined by Celal Al – husband, father, and Turkish actor most widely known for his role as the legendary warrior Abdurrahman Alp/Gazi in the globally successful Diriliş Ertugrul and Kuruluş Osman drama series.

We discuss his role as an actor whilst also being a strictly practising Muslim, and his love for his fans in Pakistan.

Chapters:

Fulfil this mighty Sunnah starting from only £14 per share

As you’ll notice on our podcast show, we’ve recently began introducing a deep reflection round at the end of our discussions. We’re doing this using the brilliant Reflection Deck card game by our sponsors, Towards Faith.

Featuring 150 questions split into three categories (fun and light, personal and deep), this is a wonderful tool for meaningful and heartfelt discussions with loved ones. As you’ll see from the examples in our podcast, some of these questions will have you opening up like you never have before, and will prompt you to deeply reflect about yourself, your faith, and Allah SWT.

Celal Al is a Turkish actor, husband and father, and most widely known for his portrayal of the legendary Kayi Tribe warrior, Abdurrahman Gazi in the Dirilis Ertugrul and Kurulus Osman drama series.

Celal has acted in many Turkish television series and is known for his notable work and tremendous performances.

The actor has been in touch with many most celebrated Pakistani actors including Imran Abbas, Humayun Saeed, and others. They met in Pakistan and were noted for chanting the Pakistani song ‘Dil Dil Pakistan’.

Celal is also public about his strict practise of Islam, often seen reciting Qur’an and even delivering Islamic sermons.

Did you enjoy this episode? Click below to subscribe to the show on your smartphone and join our family of 1000’s Muslims around the world who love listening and learning. To support us, please consider leaving a positive 5-star review on Apple Podcast/iTunes. Want to have your own voice featured on our show? Click below to leave a 60-second voice recording and we’ll feature you on an upcoming episode.

The post Ep 52: Celal Al (Abdurrahman Alp from Diriliş Ertugrul / Kuruluş Osman) Discusses Life, Faith & Acting appeared first on Deenspiration.

Iqbal has a long-standing passion for aiding Muslims lead a more meaningful, purposeful, God-centred life. After a decade as CEO of the National Zakat Foundation, Iqbal’s focus has turned to creating and delivering transformational educational experiences through his courses on salat, the Qur’an, and leadership.

In this episode we discuss his journey briefly, and then dive into the mindset shift we must make if we want to improve the quality of our daily salat, and deepen our relationship with Allah. Get ready to hear some seriously thought-provoking thoughts about salah that you might not have considered before.

We’ll also hear about the ‘Transform My Prayer’ course which Iqbal is teaching LIVE this Ramadan.

Stay tuned until the last portion of the episode to watch Iqbal and Usman play the Reflection Deck card game together. Things get very deep!

A step-by-step journey to make your Salat a truly fulfilling experience.

As a Deenspiration Podcast viewer, when you join Transform My Prayer using the button below, you’ll receive an exclusive deal:

As you’ll notice on our podcast show, we’ve recently began introducing a deep reflection round at the end of our discussions. We’re doing this using the brilliant Reflection Deck card game by our sponsors, Towards Faith.

Featuring 150 questions split into three categories (fun and light, personal and deep), this is a wonderful tool for meaningful and heartfelt discussions with loved ones. As you’ll see from the examples in our podcast, some of these questions will have you opening up like you never have before, and will prompt you to deeply reflect about yourself, your faith, and Allah SWT.

Iqbal Nasim is an educator, speaker and writer… former investment banker and non-profit leader. He delivers transformational educational experiences to help people lead truly God-centred lives, by achieving connection through prayer, clarity through revelation, and the courage to fulfil one’s leadership potential. In 2019, he developed and started teaching a course, Transform My Prayer, to help people achieve more consistency, focus and tranquillity in their five daily prayers. It’s been taken by nearly 2,000 people from around the world.

Iqbal is the former Chief Executive of the National Zakat Foundation. In 2019, he was awarded an MBE for services to Tackling Poverty and Community Development. He has an MA in Economics and Management from Cambridge University and an MSc in Voluntary Sector Management from Cass Business School. Iqbal has given hundreds of talks and Friday sermons on a variety of subjects relating to Islam. He has memorised the Qur’an and has an official license for the accurate recitation of the Qur’an with an unbroken chain of teachers back to the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him.

Connect with Iqbal

YouTube | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn | Website

Did you enjoy this episode? Click below to subscribe to the show on your smartphone and join our family of 1000’s Muslims around the world who love listening and learning. To support us, please consider leaving a positive 5-star review on Apple Podcast/iTunes. Want to have your own voice featured on our show? Click below to leave a 60-second voice recording and we’ll feature you on an upcoming episode.

The post Ep 51: How to Transform Your Prayer & Connect with Allah Like Never Before | Iqbal Nasim appeared first on Deenspiration.

Shabbir Hassan – a multi-talented scholar, hafiz of Qur’an, author, podcast host and teacher – joins us today for Episode 50 (wohoo, 50 episodes Alhamdulillah) to discuss his journey so far, from his time away from home studying Islamic sciences all the way to the inspirations behind his recent book.

Embarking on a journey of Islamic studies at a young age can be difficult, especially to stick through with it and graduate with a qualification

Stay tuned until the last portion of the episode to watch Shabbir and Usman  play the Reflection Deck game together. Things get very deep!

Did you enjoy this episode? Click below to subscribe to the show on your smartphone and join our family of 1000’s Muslims around the world who love listening and learning. To support us, please consider leaving a positive 5-star review on Apple Podcast/iTunes. Want to have your own voice featured on our show? Click below to leave a 60-second voice recording and we’ll feature you on an upcoming episode.

The post Ep 50: Islamic Studies, Quran, Poetry, and Life Lessons from Surah Yusuf | Shabbir Hassan appeared first on Deenspiration.

Shahbaz Mirza, founder of Towards Faith (formerly Ramadan Legacy), joins us for a third time on the show to share details of the new Faith & Focus Morning and Evening Journal – a daily system for being and doing.

In this episode, Shahbaz and Usman catch up on the latest developments within the Towards Faith brand, and dive deep into the world or productivity, daily routines, and how strugglers and seekers can best utilise their time for maximum spiritual self-development.

With an overwhelming amount of self-help content on the internet and every guru pointing you towards their latest productivity hack, one glaring issue is that most of these are not centred around God and a faith-based mindset. Sure, they may be useful for planning your day and motivating you to check off the tasks on your to-do list, but where does your daily worship fit into this? What about your five prayers, your Qur’an recitation, your dhikr (remembrance), your personal character building, your intentions, and other spiritual activities? Between the morning yoga and the mid-day greens smoothie, do these mainstream methods provide any real systems for incorporating Islam into your day and improving your relationship with Allah?

That’s exactly what we discuss in this episode, and explore how this new product has been designed to be a simple, yet powerful tool for busy Muslims who want to be more, whilst doing more at the same time.

Stay tuned until the last portion of the episode to watch Shahbaz and Usman spontaneously play the Reflection Deck game together. Things get very deep!

Live Each Day With Spirituality, Success & Structure

Faith & Focus is a 90-day Journal, that helps you to consciously connect to Allah and your goals. Use it everyday to overcome overwhelm and distractions and feel spiritually complete at the end of each day. Inspired by the morning & evening principle in the Qur’an and modern psychology.

The Faith & Focus Journal is a daily system that helps you gradually improve your spirituality and daily success, so you can live each moment with peace, purpose and productivity.

Improve Spirituality & Success: The Faith & Focus Daily Journal is so simple to use. It brings clarity, structure and composure to your day.
Built For Busy People: Because you are busy you need a tool to centre your life. Use it for 5 minute a day, twice a day, and witness the miracles.
Gradual Guaranteed Progress: You can be at the start of your faith journey or further along. Your daily pages are tailored to you.

For the past 10-years Shahbaz has risen to the top of his career in the field of strategy consulting, business change and transformation, whilst also studying Islam intensely and gaining multiple diplomas from Cambridge Islamic College and iSyllabus UK. His expertise is studying and synthesising authentic and deep traditional knowledge into simple tools and frameworks for Muslims to easily implement into their day to day lives.

Did you enjoy this episode? Click below to subscribe to the show on your smartphone and join our family of 1000’s Muslims around the world who love listening and learning. To support us, please consider leaving a positive 5-star review on Apple Podcast/iTunes. Want to have your own voice featured on our show? Click below to leave a 60-second voice recording and we’ll feature you on an upcoming episode.

The post Ep 49: Supercharge Your Spirituality with a Morning & Evening Routine – Shahbaz Mirza (Towards Faith) appeared first on Deenspiration.

In this episode, Shaykh Ruzwan and Usman have an interesting discussion on the digital era and the shift from traditional face-to-face Islamic learning into an online environment.

Social media and the internet in general can have it pros and cons, however in times like today when we’re forced to adopt online learning during a global pandemic, the shift from the traditional classroom to a digital one has quickly become a necessity and educational institutions have been forced to adapt.

For those previously unable to access their favourite teachers in person, this has only brought about a positive shift in the way they learn their Deen. However, some argue that online courses can never replace the benefits that face-to-face experiences provide.

Having authored and taught the widely popular iSyllabus Islamic Studies programme in the UK over the last decade, Shaykh Ruzwan and his team have recently made the shift to online learning and reimagined the process to ensure their students study the most holistic, in-depth and logically progressive curriculum possible, whilst doing their best to mitigate any missing aspects of the in-class experience.

The iSyllabus Online Diploma Step by Step Course is designed to give Muslims of all backgrounds confidence in themselves by empowering them with Islamic knowledge they can trust.

The course aims to equip you to be confident in what you know, while respecting legitimate differences of opinion. We will explain not only what scholars disagree upon, but also why.

The modules will provide an indispensable base from which to increase your faith. The Diploma course serves as an excellent entry to a nuanced yet fulfilling experience of the Islamic sciences as they relate to both the individual and society in the 21st Century.

Click below to register now and use the code DEEN10 at checkout for 10% off.

Shaykh Ruzwan Mohammed is a Sunni theologian and scholar. A graduate in Geopolitics and Arabic from the University of Glasgow, in 1993 he left to travel and study with a wide array of leading scholars and theologians in various countries in the Muslim world. In the process, he studied the Turkish language at the University of Ankara and as part of his formal Islamic training, he graduated from the Fat’h Islamic Law College in Damascus, graduating from the prestigious 6-year program with a distinction of merit, achieving overall first position in his year of graduation from the college.

In the summer of 2009, he co-founded the Solas Foundation, which focuses on offering quality and transparent religious consultancy in the areas of Islamic ethics and education. He is the author and educational director the iSyllabus Islamic studies program.

Learn more about Shaykh Ruzwan.

Did you enjoy this episode? Click below to subscribe to the show on your smartphone and join our family of 1000’s Muslims around the world who love listening and learning. To support us, please consider leaving a positive 5-star review on Apple Podcast/iTunes. Want to have your own voice featured on our show? Click below to leave a 60-second voice recording and we’ll feature you on an upcoming episode.

The post EP 48: How to Access Authentic Islamic Knowledge in a Digital Age – Shaykh Ruzwan Mohammed appeared first on Deenspiration.

Growing up, perhaps your experiences with du’a so far have been of a transactional nature, i.e. “I will only get X from Allah if I first do Y”, or “I don’t deserve X from Allah because I did Y, and therefore there’s no point in asking from Him”.

This approach to our relationship with Allah is deeply flawed, as in reality, we are comparing the Mercy and Bounty of Allah to that of human beings, which of course isn’t true. Unlike our relationship with family, friends and colleagues, Allah does not operate on the “I will only give you something if you give Me something first” condition.

Similarly, many of us have grown up adopting the mindset that as Muslims, we are “not allowed” to ask for too much when making du’a to Allah, or that we should not strive for “too much” in this dunya, and therefore we should only ask for the absolute bare minimum.

This is in stark contrast to the behaviour and mindset of the greatest people to walk on earth – i.e. the Prophets themselves (may peace be upon them all) – the stories and du’as of whom Allah describes in the Qur’an.

In this episode, Zahra helps us break down the myth that we are not worthy of more, and shares practical tips on how to shift our mindsets so that we are in a better position to ask Allah, and as a result, develop a much deeper, closer relationship with our Lord.

Practical Muslim Instagram: https://instagram.com/practicalmuslim

Zahra’s Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zforzahra/

Coaching site: https://www.practicalmuslim.com/

Islamic Devotionals: https://www.practicalmuslim.com/devotionaldeck/60-devotionals-deck

Having worked with over 100 clients and students and generated over £10 million in the Muslim space alone, Salam Media are a passionate group of experts who are powered by the vision to help Muslim educators effectively create, package and sell successful online courses to a wide audience.

The team will support you gain clarity on your voice and message, design a unique strategy for your programme, and fully automate the process so that you can generate an income for years to come.

Zahra is a spiritual mindset and relationship coach who aims to empower bold Muslims to connect with their Divine essence so they can transform their lives & bring in abundant love, peace and wealth.

Did you enjoy this episode? Click below to subscribe to the show on your smartphone and join our family of 1000’s Muslims around the world who love listening and learning. To support us, please consider leaving a positive 5-star review on Apple Podcast/iTunes. Want to have your own voice featured on our show? Click below to leave a 60-second voice recording and we’ll feature you on an upcoming episode.

The post EP 47: Unlock the Power of Du’a with Your Mindset – feat. Zahra Aljabri appeared first on Deenspiration.

In this episode we’re joined by Omar Usman, author of the new book Fiqh of Social Media: Timeless Islamic Principles for Navigating the Digital Age and current Executive Director of Muslim Matters.

Having observed the evolution of social media as a tool for socialising, learning and entertainment, among other things, Omar has also identified key issues that specifically affect Muslims with respect to their Islamic education, their character and conduct, and how their use of social media can impact their overall spiritual development.

Without a doubt social media has its benefits, but if misused, can have seriously negative impacts upon a person both spiritually and mentally. Omar helps us uncover these online traps and provides practical ways to avoid them, as well as sharing important advice to those using social media for Islamic purposes.

We are at an unprecedented time in human history. We are connected to more people than ever, we have access to more information than ever, and we can communicate around the globe faster than ever. As Muslims, we believe that Islam contains the most perfect guidance for all of mankind to follow. How do we implement that timeless advice in times that no human has ever experienced? That is the focus of the Fiqh of Social Media. It goes into the effects of social media and digital technologies (such as smartphones) on our daily lives, our families, our communities, and our spirituality. 

Omar Usman works professionally as a technology consultant and is a certified project manager and leadership trainer. He is a founding member of Qalam Institute and has served in different leadership capacities with numerous local and national Islamic organizations. He is a khateeb in his local community and teaches regularly around the country on the topics of leadership, social media, and conducts public speaking training. He is also the author of the book Fiqh of Social Media.

Follow Omar on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook for more content. 

Visit the ibnabeeomar.com blog to join Omar’s exclusive newsletter and for a wide range of insightful articles and resources.

Did you enjoy this episode? Click below to subscribe to the show on your smartphone and join our family of 1000’s Muslims around the world who love listening and learning. To support us, please consider leaving a positive 5-star review on Apple Podcast/iTunes. Want to have your own voice featured on our show? Click below to leave a 60-second voice recording and we’ll feature you on an upcoming episode.

The post EP 46: The Fiqh of Social Media – How to Avoid Traps of the Online World feat. Omar Usman appeared first on Deenspiration.

Rather than simply explaining the 5 pillars again, which Shaykh Abdullah did excellently in his Yaqeen series ‘5 Pillars Made Plain (which we HIGHLY recommend!), we discuss how both new Musims and RE-new Muslims (i.e. those born into Islam who are rediscovering their foundational beliefs) should interact with these pillars to ensure their faith in Allah is strong, and they have a complete understanding of their purpose in this life.

 
What are the 5 Pillars of Islam?

1. Shahada (the testimony of faith)

2. Salat (prayer)

3. Zakat (alms giving)

4. Sawm (fasting)

5. Hajj (pilgrimage)

Whether you were born to a Muslim family and are rediscovering faith, or you are a new Muslim who has recently accepted Islam, how can you build a strong connection with your new way of life? First step: begin with the basics. In this series, Sh. Abdullah Oduro walks us through the “who”, “what”, “when”, “where”, and “why” of the 5 foundational pillars of Islam. This series is not just for new and renewed Muslims—it is also a vital resource for convert coaches and Imams to use in their work.

Fellow (Yaqeen Institute for Islamic Research), Head of Convert Resources

Abdullah Oduro is a first generation Ghanian native that converted to Islam in 1997.  He graduated from the College of Islamic Law from the University of AlMadinah in 2007.  He conducts public speeches, sermons, lectures, and workshops around the US on Islamic Law, self-improvement, and convert life.  He is currently the Imam at the Islamic Center of Coppell and Lewisville in Dallas, TX.  He resides in Dallas, TX with his wife and four children. Having recently joined Yaqeen Institute for Islamic Research as a Scholar, Shaykh Abdullah leads a team providing unique and comprehensive resources for new Muslim converts and institutional convert care. 

Follow Shaykh Abdullah on Instagram and Facebook for more content.

Did you enjoy this episode? Click below to subscribe to the show on your smartphone and join our family of 1000’s Muslims around the world who love listening and learning. To support us, please consider leaving a positive 5-star review on Apple Podcast/iTunes. Want to have your own voice featured on our show? Click below to leave a 60-second voice recording and we’ll feature you on an upcoming episode.

The post EP 45: Back to Basics – The 5 Pillars of Islam for RE-New Muslims feat. Shaykh Abdullah Oduro appeared first on Deenspiration.