My Muslim Family Podcast

Islamic education has historically been dry, unexciting and a means to an end to get our children knowledgeable and informed on our deen.

But what can we learn from recent innovators, media and Western programmes for children that utilise more interactive and engagement approaches to teaching and learning? And how can we incorporate these into our materials for better effects?

In this episode, host Zainab speak to Lamise, founder of Messenger Magazine about this topic, her inspiring journey and commitment to children's educations and her tips on getting better results and less push back from children as they learn and even get excited about learning.

Young people have always been at the forefront of social movements, demanding change and making noise to achieve a better, more just and sustainable world for us all. Their conviction, passion and risk taking can inspire and worry us at the same time! But how do we support this beautiful phase as parents so we can guide our teens with wisdom without quashing their fierceness and drive?

In this episode, host Zainab speaks to Shaheen Merali, author, certified parenting instructor and mother of teens for her thoughts and tips on this very topic. A truly unmissable conversation.

We all appreciate the importance of nutrition for healthy, happy children and families. But navigating health messages and food labels can be tricky and confusing. In this episode, Zainab hosts Ateeq Hussain, founder of Beyond Fitness, dessert entrepreneur turned health coach. They explore the concept of Halal and Tayyib, fake food culture and the prophetic traditions for guiding our food and lifestyle choices.

All relationships encounter conflict at some time and marriage is no exception. In this episode Zainab and Dr. Kawther Abbas discuss the pitfalls of conflict and avoiding serious mistakes when marital disagreements inevitably arise.

As we surpass over 120 days of witnessing and speaking out against the genocide being committed against the Palestinians, Zainab and Zahira reflect on the lessons learnt from their plight and discuss how they have gained inspiration from them on how to rely on the Holy Qur'an.

We often talk about unhealthy habits our children may have around screen use, but we are their role models so it is important to examine our own habits first.

In this episode, Zainab speaks with Co-Founder of Muslim Family Hub Haseeb Rizvi to discuss just that. The extent of the problem, facing uncomfortable truths and sharing some tips that have helped them.

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In this previously recorded episode, Neil speaks to host Mohammed Jawad about his unique insights into the many challenges faced by our teens today including peer pressure, social media and image and not forgetting feelings of isolation post the Covid pandemic

Parents of teens and pre-teens can take valuable tips and advice on how best to help their children navigate this tricky but opportune time to build character, strengthen faith and connect with family, friends and the wider world.

Neil Nasser is a life coach with much experience guiding and supporting teens and youth in the community. Follow him on instagram @nmnlifesolutions and nmnlifesolutions.com

Many, if not all parents, and especially mothers are constantly seeking the elusive balance between all the responsibilities, expectations and roles in life. In this episode Zainab speaks to experienced educator and popular podcaster Mindful Muslimah who sheds light on this pertinent topic and dissects it in depth, drawing on Islamic values and historical role models to inspire and guide us to achieving true satisfaction and fulfilment in all aspects of our lives.

Mindful Muslimah is a mother of 5, licensed educator of 25 years and big sister to the Muslim community.

In her work as an educator, she has taught tens of thousands as an instructor, teacher trainer and consultant for the US Department of Education. She then moved to Dubai to help start up American Islamic school.

She is best known for her role as a host on the 5-Star Rated Podcast Mindful Muslimah Speaks that has reached 4.9 Million in 150 plus countries. She is passionate about helping women balance their life in the West, while maintaining their Islamic Identity.

The events of Kerbala can seem vivid, scary and overwhelming for little children. Parents may feel unsure how to expose their children to tragedy and adversity sensibly and worry their children will not be able to cope or comprehend. We may dismiss ashura commemorations altogether as cultural and seek more rational lessons devoid of the emotional intensity and tears.

In this episode host Zainab speaks to Hawza student and mum or two little ones Tahira Mahdiyya about her thoughts and insights on age appropriate lessons from Kerbala for our children. We discuss the benefits of crying for Imam Hussain (as) family values as well as the ever changing face of ashura gatherings.

We hope you enjoy this listen to the Muslim Family Hub Podcast! The audio quality of this episode improves after the first four minutes. Thanks for being with us.

Join us for a podcast in time for Father's Day (UK)! Our host Mohamed Jawad is joined by Sheikh Abbas Jaffer to discuss a variety of topics focused on fatherhood in Islam. Listen to our discussion surrounding the rights and responsibilities of a father, modern challenges that fathers face and solutions that could applied, and much more!

Our mother tongue is about more than language. It’s a treasure trove of identity, humour and countless opportunities.

In this episode Zainab speaks to Ibtihal Al-Asadi and Yaser Shakib, the founders of Shakoo Maku, a unique children's edutainment platform that was launched in 2019. Shakoo Maku teaches Arabic to children in a fun and engaging way and we discuss how this idea came about, the journey so far and what they have learned along the way.

We explore the value of our mother tongue, the gifts it affords us and our children and how we can work to harness the beauties of this gift.

Raising children brings many challenges and we needn’t do it alone.

In this episode Zainab speaks to mentor, speaker and life coach Isra Altayar in part 2 about how we can tap into the support of wider family and the community while also elevating each other in the process. Our children can be enriched and learn through the collective contribution, skills and experience around them. We explore how we can become part of the solution and harness our own skills to benefit others thereby attaining growth and contentment.

Our children, regardless of their age, face a variety of challenges and decisions every day, whether at school, with friends or in wider society. So how can we help them decide and choose with confidence and guided by their Islamic values and God-given Fitrah?

In this episode, Zainab speaks with life coach, mother of 4, mentor and speaker Isra Altayar about instilling this very confidence to arm our children with the tools to navigate everyday scenarios without giving in to peer pressure in an effort to belong.

We talk about what confidence is, how it develops as well as the role of parents to build this crucial skill. An unmissable and uplifting conversation packed with practical tips!

In this episode of the My Muslim Family Podcast, we had the pleasure of speaking with Sister Latifa Barnett.

As Muslim parents, we are all doing our best to ensure God is the foundation of the family and that we raise children who have taqwa and a high standard of morals. But many of us are struggling to impart these teachings and to even practise them ourselves.

Zainab speaks to Latifa Barnett, a parenting coach who is passionate about educating and empowering parents and families to live their best life, aligned with Islamic values and putting God right at the centre every day and with every decision.

Latifa's Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/latifabarnettcoaching/

There are many developmental milestones we watch out for as our children grow. Some they hit on time and as expected and some less so which can render parents worried. In this episode of the podcast Zainab speaks to Sr. Azra Hassanali who is a mother to 2 girls and a Paediatric Speech and Language Therapist with 20 years of experience working for both the NHS and independently. 

Azra works with families, education staff and health professionals in a variety of settings including nurseries, schools, children's centres and community clinics. Sr. Azra works with children that have a wide range of additional needs including Autism, hearing impairment, speech sound difficulties, language disorder, and stammering to name a few. Azra is also a passionate advocate campaigning for the acceptance and inclusivity of people with disabilities in the Muslim community and has run an annual disability awareness day for students and teachers at Madressa for the last 10 years.

Azra is also the voice and mastermind behind an album of rhymes called ‘A Day with Aunty Zahra’ which quickly became a staple in homes across the globe as it promotes the love of Allah and The Ahlulbayt.

We talk about behaviour being communication, about speech and language delays as well as about making our communities and centres more inclusive, welcoming and nurturing for all irrespective of physical and mental abilities just as our beautiful faith teaches us.

Children’s Mental Health Week 2023 starts on 6th February and to mark that we have this special episode discussing how you can be more aware of your child’s struggles and how you can help them. Zainab discusses these themes and more with Dr. Kiran Nijabat, a renowned consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist and the founder and director of the Family Wellness Practice. Dr. Kiran talks about her unique experience with children and families from ethnic backgrounds, the stigma associated with mental health labels and the barriers to seeking help. 

We hope you find this an insightful episode that brings more light and awareness to the vital support our children need from us when they are struggling as well as the importance of early intervention.

We often reflect on our lives and our relationships with every new year. What is going right and what is going wrong and what we need to change. Our marital relationship can seem such hard work and yet so unfulfilling at the same time. We can easily disconnect with our life  partners leaving us feeling lonely, frustrated and resentful. We can lead parallel lives with only the kids in common.

But what if small tweaks to our habits and to our attitude can change this trajectory to a more connected and fulfilling marital relationship where we are on the same team and really feel that. Join Zainab as she discusses this very topic with guest Dr. Kawther Abbas.

Dr. Kawther Abbas is a wife and mum of three, oldest being 15. She is a General Practitioner with special interests in mental health and women's health as well as Co founder of Muslim Families Initiative which has been running family focused events for 10 years and recently started monthly clubs for teens and preteens.

Kawther is a part time Islamic studies student at Al Mahdi Institute and has a background in teaching Tajweed/Quran and giving Islamic talks and organising women's gatherings to better understand the religion of Islam.

Join Mohamed Jawad and Imranali Khaki: for Part 2, where they explore a variety of methods and tips for how to introduce the Qur'an to your children, how to maintain their connection with the Qur'an in a fun and exciting way. This podcast will cover tips for both younger children, and teenagers.

Join Mohamed Jawad and Imranali Khaki as they discuss the importance of building a relationship and connection with the Holy Qur'an as a family. Part 1 will focus on our own relationship with the Qur'an as the parents/responsible adults, covering what we can do to establish and maintain that connection with the book of Allah (swt), so that we are in a good position to then help our children do the same (which will be covered in Part 2!)

Buying and cooking nutritious food that everyone will eat can be a real challenge for parents. This is not helped by the plethora of information, scientific evidence and constantly changing advice around what best to eat, how and when. In this episode, we go back to basics with Specialist paediatric dietitian Tehseen Musafa to explore fussy eating, power struggles as well as injecting fun and connection into family meals.

In the UK, it is estimated that 1 in 4 pregnancies end in loss during pregnancy or birth. A surprising number of babies die very early in life too. In this Baby Loss Awareness Week special, podcast host Zainab speaks to Laila who bravely shares her experience of losing her new baby 10 years ago. We explore family life after losing a baby as well as what our Muslim community can do to support one another more during such a difficult life event.

Useful links covered:

Baby loss awareness website full of stories and support for families: https://babyloss-awareness.org/

Children of Jannah: providing support for bereaved families with a dedicated helpline, meeting groups and resources.

https://www.childrenofjannah.com/

Laila mentioned a book called ‘ A gift for the bereaved parent’ by Zamir Hussain. The book contains quotes from the Quran and Hadith.

Every parent will agree that the parenthood journey is one of the steepest, if not the steepest learning curve they will ever encounter! We learn so much about our children, our partners and family dynamics, but mostly about ourselves. Join host, Zahira Mamdani and fellow My Muslim Family editor, Zainab Al-Shalchi as they speak about parenting being a journey of personal growth and development, and how parents can maximise and embrace this growth experience through their parenting journey.

Zainab and Zahira made references to Hand in Hand Parenting- a parenting course they have both completed. For a 5% discount on this amazing course or for further details, reach out to Shaheen Merali via her Instagram page here:

https://www.instagram.com/handinhandparentingwithshaheen/?hl=en-gb

We reached out to Muslim parents asking what their biggest marriage-related challenges have been since becoming parents and how their relationships have grown or changed. Join Zahira Mamdani and Mohamed Jawad Gulamhussein as they discuss the responses to these questions and give their own experiences and insights into the massive shift that takes place when a couple becomes mum and dad!

With poor mental health skyrocketing since the pandemic, our children's mental health is something on many parents' minds. In this episode, we speak to Dr Amina Al-Yassin about the most common mental health conditions she sees in children, the red flags parents should look out for, and what we can do as parents to best support our children with their mental health. Dr. Amina is a doctor, dual accredited in pediatrics and general practice and is undertaking a clinical fellowship to improve access to early mental health services. She is also the director of mental health and well-being projects for Al-Ayn- Iraq's largest orphan care charity.

You can keep up with Dr Amina Al-Yassin's work here: https://www.instagram.com/draminaa/

In this episode of the My Muslim Family podcast, we speak to Maryam Javaid, Muslim Parenting & Home Education Coach,  about her journey into the world of home education and the most common misconceptions that are held about home education- do the social skills of home educated children to suffer? Do you need to be a teacher to home educate your child successfully? And the question all of us have on our minds as parents- how do you find time for yourself as a home-educating parent?!

You can connect with Maryam on her Instagram account: https://www.instagram.com/nurturing.learners/

By the grace of Allah, we are thrilled to launch the My Muslim Family podcast! This podcast, hosted by Zahira Mamdani, will aim to help millennial Muslim parents navigate modern family challenges.

In this first episode, we introduce you to the team behind Muslim Family Hub; Zahira Mamdani, Muhammad Jawad Gulamhussein, Noshin Bokht and Haseeb Rizvi! We speak about why we're starting a media platform to help Muslim parents and our plans for the future!

In future episodes, host Zahira Mamdani will speak with parents and parenting professionals about the challenges of millennial Muslim parents and practical solutions to navigate them.

ps: You may hear some background noise, because like you, we are Muslim parents with young kids 😅

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