Muslims In Your Backyard

Asalam Waliakum! 

Please to announce the release of a new episode! This episode took longer than I had hoped but I’m glad to be posting episodes again. As always I’m thinking of ways to make a better podcast! 

The theme of this episode will be the Modern Workplace. Specifically, I’ll be discussing the ideas behind “Hustle Culture” and “Quiet Quitting”, primarily their origin and why they become prevalent within the modern work culture. I’ll then focus on their implications for Muslims as well as what it says about a person’s worldview. 

You can listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts and Stitcher. 

Don’t forget to share this episode and to follow my Instagram account @MIYBPodcast

Asalamwaliakum!

Today's episode is somewhat later than I expected (my apologies) and will focus on the holiday season within the Western world and specifically in Canada. I wanted to focus on this because there are some rather interesting observations of society and some possibly valuable lessons fro the Muslims community within them.

I also am not going to nor do I intend to criticize people who do celebrate Christmas or any other holiday, I am more making observations about the holiday season in general.

As always don't forget to follow me on Instagram and on Twitter, it's @MIYBPodcast! Don't forget to share this podcast with other as well you can listen to it on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher and Spotify.

Asalam Walaikum! Today's episode will analyze the life of Malik El-Shabazz or better known as Malcolm X. The episode will provide an introduction to his early life and then focus on his alignment with the Nation of Islam, before diving into his conversion to Islam. As always I did not cover every detail of his life but I highlighted many of the turning points and essential details that impacted his politics and views. In addition, the episode will also partially cover the Nation of Islam to provide context to Malcolm's early beliefs in comparison to his later conversion to Islam.

As always I intend these episodes to be a learning journey for myself and for you, the listener. Since I don't cover everything in this episode don't forget to do your own research and to learn more about Malcolm X!

ALSO, don't forget to follow me on Instagram and on Twitter @MIYBPodcast. I post episode and podcast updates as well as general posts on both platforms.

Finally, if you did enjoy today's episode don't forget to like and subscribe to the podcast as well as to share it with other as well!

Asalamwalaikum!

Today's episode will be Part 2 of my Babri Masjid episode and will focus on understanding the aftershocks that the destruction of Babri Masjid had on the Indian Muslim population. In examining this, I hope to show how many layers of the Indian justice system failed but also the wide degree of impacts that the destruction of the Masjid had on many average and normal Indian Muslims. At the same time, I also bring the story of one man who brought good from the destruction of the Masjid.

Also don't forget to follow me on Instagram or Twitter it's @MIYBPodcast. Remember to also follow the podcast and to leave a like or a five star review at the podcast page that you are listening from!

Asalamwaliakum!

This episode will focus on the destruction of Babri Masjid and the reasons for its destruction. I give some background history towards the destruction of the Mosque, but I focus on the actions of the Hindu radicals who destroyed the Mosque. In doing so, my goal is to examine their thought process as well as expose the rampant islamophobia behind their actions.

This is Part 1 of my Babri Masjid episode and Part 2 will focus on understanding the aftermath and direct impact of the destruction of the masjid.

Also don't forget to follow me on Instagram or Twitter it's @MIYBPodcast. Remember to also follow the podcast and to leave a like or a five star review at the podcast page that you are listening from!

For today's episode I'll be elaborating on the real life impacts of Bill 21 and the reactions that it has caused throughout much of Canada. The impact of this bill has the possibility of being enormous especially in relation to the application of religious freedoms within Canada. I will discuss that as well as reactions from within Quebec towards Bill 21 as not everyone within the province supports the bill.

I also wanted to add that I will be going on a hiatus for about a month as i wanted to take a break to better plan for future episode as well as take a break from producing episodes on a bi-weekly basis. I want to ensure that I can deliver the best quality of episodes to this podcast and I feel that a break will allow me to refocus and recharge. I'll of course go back to making episodes on a bi-weekly episodes so see you all in a month!

In today's episode I discuss the "secular" law passed by the Quebec government which bans the public display of religious symbols and headgear within the Quebec government. I dive into the impacts, ramifications and issues with this law.

Next week's episode will also focus on Bill 21 and will look into the real life implications of this law.

Asalam Walaikum!

Today's episode will focus on the issue of Masjid Safety and Security within Canada as well as the importance of increased awareness of public safety within Mosques. We've discussed Islamophobia, racism, hate crimes and discrimination within this podcast which is why I felt that it was very important to finally get a chance to interview an expert in the topic. Younus Imam of the Salaam Project is an expert in the field of Masjid Security and currently volunteers with the Salaam Project to improve Masjid Security across Canada.

I'm also extremely excited to have done my first Podcast interview and hope that I'm able to continue to produce more interviews in the future!

Don't forget to follow me @MIYBPodcast on Twitter and Instagram.

Also you can find Younus and the Salaam Project on Instagram @younus.imam.

In today's episode I wanted to focus on some reflections and thoughts towards the end of Ramadan. Primarily the benefits and strengths that we learn from Ramadan and fasting during the holy month. Many of these reflections are my own, so I highly suggest you to do your own reflections and your benefits from the month of Ramadan!

Today's episode will focus on specific goals that I created for the last 15 days of Ramadan so that we can maximize the most out of this blessed month. These are goals that I feel are attainable but also worthwhile because they are impactful things to do in Ramadan. I will go over them and provide some details but for the most part the goals that I discuss in this episode are flexible and definitely something that you can change as you wish!

Imam Al-Bukhari is one of the most influential and well known scholars in Muslim history. His accomplishments include numerous books and hadith collections, the most famous being Sahih Al-Bukhari. Although many Muslims are familiar with his name and know who he is, very few really know the story of his background or where he came from. In today's Past and Present Heroes episode, I will go into depth about the life and times of Imam-Al-Bukhari and some pivotal moments in his life. Understanding his significance to the ummah will only give us a greater amount of respect for his accomplishments.

My main source for this episode was a lecture by Omar Suleiman which is linked here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2vmBXCsr80

For today's episode I will be looking into some parts of the rich history of Islam in China and how it represents both Chinese Muslims and Muslims that are in China (I'll explain the difference in the episode). In doing so I hope to bring a greater understanding of how Islam has been influential in China as well as its interactions with previous Chinese governments.

It has been two years since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and a lot has changed in the world. There have been many negative and positive things that have happened throughout the world. In today's episode I will take a second to reflect on my own experiences and events that happened during these two years. In many ways COVID-19 has exposed many ugly truths about our current world and in many ways continues to do so. At the same time there are many things as Muslims that I feel we should reflect on that I will also cover.

Today's episode will discuss and breakdown the proposed Online Harms Bill by the Federal Liberal government that seeks to regulate the use of social media and the internet to prevent the spread online hate and dangerous content. This is a controversial piece of legislation that has many ramifications for Canadians in their day to day lives. There are some benefits and drawbacks to the law which are important for us to know and understand. Ultimately, this conversation rests on the balance of our individual freedoms while using the internet and the prevention of harm to others through the use of the internet.

Welcome back to the Muslims in Your Backyard podcast! For today's episode I examined what the Hate Crime laws within Canada actually say and where our perception of what the Criminal Code of Canada covers may actually be incorrect. Reforms or changes to hate crime laws have been a hot topic in Canada (and for food reason!) and deserve our attention. To truly change these laws, however, we really do need to understand them first.

Ep#2 of the Past and Present Heroes will focus on the Greatest of All Time, Muhammad Ali and his life as a Muslim and his activism throughout his life. Today's episode will go into detail on some aspects that truly demonstrate why Muhammad Ali is not only a respected but honoured man in so many parts of the world. In understanding who he was we can really begin to understand his beliefs and more importantly, how Islam shaped his activism. Muhammad Ali truly was one of the Greatest for many reasons and this episode will outline a few.

**Also as mentioned in today's episode, I will be taking a break from making episodes till the first week of February, so there will be no episode in two weeks**

What do we perceive as success and what do we see as a "failure"? For todays episode I dive into discussing how the 21st Century (more specifically the Capitalist Society) has impacted what we perceive as "success" or "failure". In trying to understand these two notions, I think its important for us to take a step back and really reflect on how we perceive the world and our place in it. On top of this, how do we understand this role within our beliefs as Muslims and the impact that these 21st Century values have had on our faith.

Canadian students study at some of the finest, well established and distinguished universities in the world and yet the greatest danger to many students may have very little to do with the opportunities that they are given but rather the systematic problems within the Canadian post-secondary system.

For today's episode I will focus on the issues of Mental Health within Canadian universities. This episode will focus on examining the concerning statistics involving student mental health, anxiety, stress and depression. These issues will be covered by also looking at the issues within the institutions behind our educational system and my own experiences as a student in Canada. I hope to provide some insight and analysis that can shed some more light and bring awareness to the problems that have severely impacted many Canadian students.

If you seek Mental Health support or need support here are a few sources, but I urge you to seek the support that you need:

Center for Addiction and Mental Health: https://www.camh.ca/

Canadian Mental Health Association: https://cmha.ca/

Naseeha Health (toll free Mental Health line focused on Muslims): 1-866-627-3342 OR https://naseeha.org/

Khalil Center: https://khalilcenter.com/ (based on Islamic Practices)

Useful article by The Walrus: https://thewalrus.ca/inside-the-mental-health-crisis-facing-college-and-university-students/

For today's episode I'll continue the discussion from the last episode and will shift the focus to the historical conceptions and formulations of the ummah. This includes looking at the empires/rulers/sultanates that were influential in both the political and religious spheres as well as the differences between what the "ummah" was historically and what it is now. This will include looking at some of the political formations within the ummah in the past and how they differ to what exists today.

What is the Ummah? What is the concept or ideas that go behind what we call the Ummah? Muslims often mention the "ummah" and will often mention the need for unity within it but have we really ever considered what this means or what it would look like? Muslims in the 21st Century, especially younger Muslims, have a tendency to yearn for this idea of the united Muslim ummah especially due to the failures of many Muslims states to provide safety and security for its peoples. This is why I wanted to focus today's episode on going through some of my own ideas and thoughts about the Ummah and the questions that I think are important about the idea of the Ummah.

Hadith: https://sunnah.com/bukhari:6011

Canada's history in the creation and implementation of Residential Schools aimed at the destruction and elimination of Indigenous cultures within Canada through the forcible indoctrination of Indigenous kids will be discussed in today's episode. Although this episode does not directly relate to Muslims or Muslims issues, it is important as Canadian citizens and as Canadian Muslims (or Muslims in other countries) to be aware of these injustices and their lasting impacts on indigenous communities. As Muslims we are meant to be people who push for justice and peace amongst people. The push for recognizing injustices should not just stop at a person's religious affiliations. I hope to give an introduction and provide some facts about the impacts of these schools.

In today's episode I'll focus exclusively on politics and recap what we saw and experienced through the 2021 Canadian Election. I'll first go through some of the general results and some interesting results that occurred and then dive into what these results may say about the future in tackling issues like Islamophobia. After that, I'll explain the differences between the First Past the Post and Proportional Representation as voting systems as well as the positives and negatives of Canada's First Past the Post system.

His name was Yusuf but the world knew him as Salahuddin. In today's episode I'll begin a new series on Past and Present Muslim heroes by examining the life of Sultan Salahuddin Ayubi. The episode will not cover his entire life or contain a full historical background but will instead focus on aspects, moments and lessons that we can learn from Salahuddin. Many people look up to Salahuddin but very few take the time to truly understand who he really was and what his legacy for the Muslim ummah is.

The Quran was sent down as a guidance for humanity and to provide knowledge about the world. Although many of us may read and recite the Quran, we must also take time to reflect on the message that we are being sent. This is called "tadabbur" and is a process of reflecting on the Quran which I will discuss based on an article from Yaqeen Institute. In addition, I will talk about how we can improve our habits in reading the Quran as well as connecting it to our daily lives as younger Muslims.

Yaqeen Instiute Article: https://yaqeeninstitute.ca/read/paper/keys-to-tadabbur-how-to-reflect-deeply-on-the-quran#ftnt7

Since the London attack, there has been an outpour of support for the Muslim community within Canada and a greater amount of support for the Muslim community. Within this however, Islamophobia is a reality for many Muslims across Canada and even with the outpour of support, attacks against Muslims have continued. Reporting on hate crimes and creating awareness are crucial components that the Muslims community must continue to do, but there must also be greater accountability towards those who dismiss islamophobia within the government. Action must be taken to ensure that Federal, Provincial and Municipal actors do not ignore the issues related to Islamophobia.

The Hajj is not only one of the most important pillars of Islam but a pilgrimage that is far more than just travelling to Mecca and observing the rites and practices of the Hajj. As Muslims and especially as younger Muslims, it is essential to reconnect and evaluate what our connection is with the Hajj and more importantly our connection to the Kaaba. The uniqueness and beauty of the Hajj and the Kaaba is unmatched and a crucial reason for the spiritual power and connection that so many feel when they visit the Holy City of Mecca.

Islam has existed and been practiced in many varieties of cultures and countries, yet it seems when we think of Islam the only picture that comes to our mind is that of the Middle East. Why is that? Islam does not exist in one geographic area and is instead a diverse religion encompassing a variety of cultures. As younger Muslims, learning about the history of different cultures and identities will allow us to better understand where Islam exists and more importantly what it means to be Muslim in the 21st century.

The Story of the Lion King: https://orias.berkeley.edu/sundiata

In the wake of the London terror attack in Canada, we have seen an increased awareness towards Islamophobia as well as support towards the Muslim community. At the same time, there has also been an increased attempt to not only downplay the increase of islamophobia but instead of sympathizing or humanizing Muslims, there has been a concerning amount of scrutiny towards Muslims by some actors. This scrutiny and its narratives will be examined in this episode.

What is the Muslim Identity? Where does it come from and how do we fit our ideas of Islam into our understanding of our own cultures? As Muslims it is important in a world where Islam is often at the forefront of discussion to not only understand where we find our roots of our faith but also the strength in using this faith within the 21st century. In doing so we should begin to answer what it means to be Muslim.

Hi there! This is the introductory episode for the Muslims in Your Backyard Podcast (MIYB) where I will discuss my intentions for this podcast as well as introduce myself.