The Middle Ground Podcast (The Middle Ground Podcast with Imam Marc Manley)

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Welcome to episode one of the Middle Ground Podcast. For this episode I’m joined by brother Dawud Aleman. I’ve known brother Dawud since I first arrived in SoCal and we hit it off right away. I real genuine spirit, we’d actually been talking for some time about getting a podcast going at Middle Ground and we thought we’d share our mutual, though different, experiences of not only becoming Muslim, but remaining Muslim. We took the statement of the Prophet ‎ﷺ as a springboard and guide for our conversation. We hope you will enjoy it and we ask Allāh to bless it and to make it a benefit. Āmīn.

 بَدَأَ الإسْلَامُ غَرِيبًا، وَسَيَعُودُ كما بَدَأَ غَرِيبًا، فَطُوبَى لِلْغُرَبَاءِ

"Islam began as something strange, and it will end, as it began, as something strange. So, blessed are those who are strangers." - Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim

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Welcome to Episode Two of the Middle Ground Podcast. For this episode I’m joined again by brother Dawud Aleman. We discuss wealth and provision (rizq/رزق) in Islām in light of some verses of the Qur’ān and statements from the Prophet, ‎ﷺ.

We start the conversation, and frame it, with the verse from Sūrah al-Qaṣaṣ:

وَٱبْتَغِ فِيمَآ ءَاتَىٰكَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلدَّارَ ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةَ ۖ وَلَا تَنسَ نَصِيبَكَ مِنَ ٱلدُّنْيَا ۖ وَأَحْسِن كَمَآ أَحْسَنَ ٱللَّهُ إِلَيْكَ ۖ وَلَا تَبْغِ ٱلْفَسَادَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۖ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُفْسِدِينَ

“Seek the abode of the Next World with what Allāh has given you, without forgetting your portion of this world. And do good as Allāh has been good to you. And do not seek to cause corruption in the earth. Allāh does not love corrupters.” - Qur’ān 28: 77

Other āyāt and aḥādīth reference in this episode:

* Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim #1054;

* Mishkāt al-Maṣābīḥ #2339;

* Sūrah al-Ra'ad v. 26;

* Mishkāt al-Maṣābīḥ #2399

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Welcome to Episode Three of the Middle Ground Podcast. For this episode I’m joined again by brother Dawud Aleman. This will be the start of a multi-part series discussing the mind and mindset (or as we prefer, heart-set) and the need to cultivate virtues as believing men and women. As usual, we discuss all topics in light of the Qur’ān and statements from the Prophet, ‎ﷺ.

Āyāt, aḥādīth, and other references in this episode:

* Du’ā’ after prayer, collected in Riyāḍ al-Ṣālḥīn;

* Sūrah al-Kahf, v. 63: “None made me forget it save for Satan”;

* Sūrah al-Baqarah, v. 286: “O’ our Lord, do not punish us if we forget or make a mistake!”;

* The reference to Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn was from The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self: Cultural Amnesia, Expressive Individualism, and the Road to Sexual Revolution by Carl R. Trueman;

* Andrew Huberman on sunlight (YouTube);

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Welcome to Episode Four of the Middle Ground Podcast. This is Part II of our conversation on cultivating virtues. I’m joined again by brother Dawud Aleman from For this episode I’m joined again by brother Dawud Aleman. As usual, we discuss all topics in light of the Qur’ān and statements from the Prophet, ‎ﷺ.

Āyāt, aḥādīth, and other references in this episode:

* Sūrah al-Insān, v. 13: “never seeing a scorching sun or bitter cold”;

* Sūrah al-Baqarah, v. 45-46: “seek help through perseverance and prayer. Indeed, it is a a major difficulty except for the khāshi’ūn”;

A note about the 46th verse here:

ٱلَّذِينَ يَظُنُّونَ أَنَّهُم مُّلَـٰقُوا۟ رَبِّهِمْ وَأَنَّهُمْ إِلَيْهِ رَٰجِعُونَ

“…those who are certain that they will meet their Lord and to Him they will return.”

In the verse, the word “mulāqū/ملقوا” is a noun. When you use a noun in place of a verb (and where you could use a verb), it can convey a sense of permanence, continuity, or an ongoing state of being, rather than just a one-time action. Here, “mulāqū/ملقوا” implies that the khāshi’ūn (the people/practitioners of khushū’ from the preceding verse) consider themselves continually and eternally in the presence of their Lord, emphasizing the enduring truth that they are going to meet Him and return to Him.

If the verse were to articulate “mulāqū/ملقوا” as “yulāqū/يَلْتَقُوا” (“they will meet”), it would imply a one-time future meeting, a meeting which might come to and end and would imply that there is something else after going back to Allāh.

* You can follow brother Dawud at GBlevate on Instagram and Substack;

* You can follow me on Instagram and X (formerly Twitter) as well;

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Welcome to Episode Five of the Middle Ground Podcast. This is Part I of a conversation between myself, brother Dawud Aleman, and Naveid Siddiqi, a scientist and engineer by trade and curious cat by night. Brother Naveid is going to help guide us as we discuss science and in particular some old-but-new-again theories from thinkers like Donald Hoffman who purport that you cannot trust what you see. As usual, we discuss all topics in light of the Qur’ān and statements from the Prophet, ‎ﷺ.

Other references in this episode:

* The Parable of the Cave;

* The Noble Lie;

* Empiricism;

* Rationalism;

Both of the above can be found in Greek Philosopher Plato’s “Republic”. As for The Parable of the Cave, it serves as a metaphor for the nature of human perception, reality, and enlightenment. In the parable, prisoners are chained in a dark cave from birth, facing a wall. They see only the shadows of objects behind them, cast by a fire, and believe these shadows are the only reality. One day, a prisoner is freed and exposed to the outside world. At first, he is blinded by the sunlight, but as his eyes adjust, he realizes the true nature of reality (or at least a less fake version of reality than the one in the cave!). The prisoner then returns to the cave to free the others, but they are skeptical and resist, preferring instead the familiarity of their artificial shadow-reality. The parable illustrates Plato's theory of forms (see empiricism below), where the world of shadows represents the world of appearances, and the outside world represents the realm of eternal truths and forms. It emphasizes the philosopher's role as the enlightened one who must guide others toward knowledge.

The Noble Lie is a concept also found in Plato's “Republic.” It is a deliberate falsehood constructed and perpetuated by the rulers of an ideal city-state to maintain social order and harmony. In Plato's proposed utopian society, individuals are divided into three classes: rulers, warriors, and producers. The Noble Lie tells a tale about the origins of these classes, claiming that they were created by the gods and that each person's nature is predetermined accordingly. The lie aims to instill a sense of duty, loyalty, and social cohesion among citizens. By convincing individuals that their roles in society are ordained by divine forces, Plato believes it can prevent social unrest or discontent. The Noble Lie illustrates Plato's authoritarian approach to governance and his belief in the philosopher-king's authority to shape societal beliefs. However, it also raises ethical questions about the manipulation of truth for the perceived greater good and the implications of deceiving a population to maintain social harmony.

The Parable of the Cave and The Noble Lie, both found in Plato's “Republic,” are interconnected in the context of Plato's philosophical and political ideas. They share a common theme of enlightenment and the role he feels philosophers ought to play in guiding society, though they address different aspects of these concepts.

One – The role of the philosophers: In both The Parable of the Cave and the concept of The Noble Lie, philosophers play a crucial role in the ideal city-state. In the cave allegory, the philosopher who escapes and returns to free the prisoners symbolizes the enlightened individual who comprehends higher truths and must guide others to that knowledge. The rulers who create the Noble Lie are also portrayed as philosopher-kings or guardians responsible for shaping and maintaining the city's moral and social order.

Two – Enlightenment and Truth: The Parable of the Cave emphasizes the transformative power of philosophical enlightenment and the difference between the world of appearances (shadows) and the world of eternal truths (outside the cave). The Noble Lie, on the other hand, introduces the idea of a constructed myth or falsehood that is believed to be true by the citizens to maintain social harmony. It raises questions about the nature of truth and how truths or beliefs are used to shape society.

Three – Social Order: Both The Parable of the Cave and The Noble Lie are concerned with maintaining social order. The Parable emphasizes the need to guide individuals from ignorance to knowledge, which is essential for a just society. The Noble Lie is a tool used to instill values, duties, and social cohesion in the citizenry, preventing social unrest and division.

Four – Philosopher-Kings: The concepts are also linked through the notion of philosopher-kings or rulers who are philosopher-like figures with the responsibility of governing the ideal city-state and guiding its citizens. These rulers are seen as the enlightened few who understand the higher truths and use their wisdom to shape society.

As for Empiricism (and Rationalism), empiricism and rationalism represent contrasting approaches to acquiring knowledge. Empiricism posits that all knowledge is derived from sensory perception, emphasizing the role of the five senses in shaping our understanding of the world. In contrast, rationalism argues that some knowledge is obtained solely through reasoning (a flawed and limited human endeavor no matter how brilliant s/he may be), asserting the existence of forms of knowledge independent of sensory experiences.

Rationalists extend their beliefs to the existence of non-spatiotemporal entities (i.e. thing which do no exist in a place or at a specific time. For example, despite that no two snowflakes look alike, all snowflakes exude a snowflake-ness that can be universally recognized), suggesting that certain knowledge transcends sensory perception. Empiricists, on the other hand, contend that knowledge is contingent on direct sensory encounters. However, they encounter challenges when it comes to understanding properties. Empiricists deal with property-instances rather than properties themselves, giving rise to questions about the nature of properties. Some empiricists deny the existence of properties as independent entities, while others propose that properties are identical to spatiotemporal entities.

Those who advocate the view that properties are identical with spatiotemporal entities are compelled to perceive properties as compositions of their own instances. This concept poses issues regarding uninstantiated properties, those without a concrete representative. Empiricists typically reject the existence of properties that lack a direct concrete instance.

The limitations of empiricism are highlighted by the particularist nature of sense-perception. Sense-perception reveals only particulars, while human understanding and descriptions of the world rely on universals or categories, which are not directly sensed. Empiricists cast doubt on the existence of universals due to their non-spatiotemporal nature. Yet, universals play a fundamental role in human thought, language, and explanation, making it challenging to reject their existence solely based on empiricism.

Universals are understood through particulars via sense-perception. Since they are non-spatiotemporal, empiricists are skeptical about their existence. Universals are integral to explanations, and empirical observations alone cannot establish their existence. Logic dictates that empiricism cannot provide observational evidence for universals, making it difficult to accept empiricism when universals are so deeply ingrained in human cognition.

For more on empiricism, see Empiricism and Its Limits by J. M. Kuczynski (now only available as an audiobook).

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Welcome to Episode Six of the Middle Ground Podcast. Running solo this episode, I wanted to put down some thoughts I’ve had regarding the genocide of the Palestinians and expound on some reflections I made last week during my khuṭbah at Middle Ground. As usual, I discuss all topics in light of the Qur’ān and statements from the Prophet, ‎ﷺ.

Other references in this episode:

* The audio clip at the beginning is from Palestinian activist Ghassan Kanafani;

* Sūrah al-Mā’idah v. 55: “You’re only guardian is Allāh…”;

* Sūrah al-Mā’idah v. 100: “Evil and good are not the same…”;

* Sunan Abī Dāwūd #4297: “Allāh will take respect of you from the hearts of your enemy…”;

جاء في مسند إمام أحمد رحمه الله

قال ﷺ إذا رأيتم أمّتي تَهابُ الظالم أن تقول له

إنّك أنت ظالم فقد تُوُدِّعَ منهم

As was related in the Musnad of Imām Ahmad, may Allah have mercy on him,

“When you see my Ummah afraid to say to the oppressor, 'You are an oppressor’, then they are done for.”

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Welcome to Episode Seven of the Middle Ground Podcast. In this episode brother Dawud Aleman (GBLevate) and myself discuss health and how to take steps towards actualizing better health in one’s life, God willing.

We also discuss and share some strategies for better health such as:

* a system of accountability (calendaring your workouts and food journaling);

* having a plan as well as a program;

* most “diets” (keto, paleo, carnivore) seem to have roughly the same short-term success rate when weight loss is the target but also seem to have the same failure rate over the long haul. Clearly there’s no single best diet;

* motivation and inspiration are nice but they come and go — only discipline lasts;

Here’s a look at what intermittent fasting (16 hours; 6pm — 10am) did for me in the beginning of my journey with type-2 diabetes:

We share some of our person journey and anecdotes as the two of us both strive for better health. As usual, I discuss all topics in light of the Qur’ān and statements from the Prophet, ‎ﷺ.

Other references in this episode:

* Sūrah ‘Abasa v. 24: “Let people consider their food…”;

* Sūrah al-Muṭaffifīn v. 26: “That is what the diligent strive for…”;

* Hadith collected in Imām al-Bayhaqī’s Shu’ab al-Īmān, no. 10,250: “take advantage (ightanim) of five before five…your health before sickness”;

* Hadith from Ibn Mājah’s collection, no. 3349, “if man must fill his stomach then let one third be for food, one third for drink and one third for air”;

* For more on fasting, see Dr. Jason Fung;

* For the benefits of walking see Paul Revelia’s YouTube channel;

* DR. Robert Lustig’s Metabolical is recommended reading. Also see his talk on sugar and its effects;

* A fascinating study on food and its degraded nutritional value by Brian Halweil entitled No Free Lunch (pdf);

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Welcome to Episode Eight of the Middle Ground Podcast. In this episode brother Dawud Aleman (GBLevate) and myself discuss community in general and marriage in specific. As usual, we discuss all topics in light of the Qur’ān and statements from the Prophet, ‎ﷺ.

Other references in this episode:

* Sūrah ‘Āl ‘Imrān v. 110: “You are the best community for mankind”;

* Sūrah al-Rūm, v. 21: “Amongst His signs is He made mates for you”;

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Welcome to Episode Nine of the Middle Ground Podcast. In this episode brother Dawud Aleman (GBLevate) and myself discuss the power of mercy and how it relates to our plight in the world today. As usual, we discuss all topics in light of the Qur’ān and statements from the Prophet, ‎ﷺ.

Other references in this episode:

* Sūrah ‘Āl ‘Imrān v. 111: “They can never harm you (except for perhaps a little)”;

* Sūrah al-An’ām v. 133: “Your Lord is Free of All Needs, the Possessor of Mercy”;

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Welcome to Episode Ten of the Middle Ground Podcast. In this episode brother Dawud Aleman (GBLevate) and myself discuss politics and politicking, American Muslims, and just what is it we want from America/politics? As usual, we discuss all topics in light of the Qur’ān and statements from the Prophet, ‎ﷺ.

Other references in this episode:

* Sūrah al-Baqarah v. 31: “And [Allāh] taught Ādam the names of all things”;

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Welcome to Episode Eleven of the Middle Ground Podcast. In this episode brother Dawud Aleman (GBLevate) and myself discuss ṣalāh (prayer) in Islām as it is contrasted and compared to meditation, flow state, and focus and are those the same as the Qur’ānic term, khushū’/خشوع? As usual, we discuss all topics in light of the Qur’ān and statements from the Prophet, ‎ﷺ.

Other references in this episode:

* Sūrah al-Baqarah v. 40: “O’ Children of Isrā’īl, stand in awe of Me!”;

* Sūrah al-Baqarah v. 45: “Be perseverant and hold the prayer; this will be difficult except for the khāshi’īn”;

* Sūrah al-Ḥashr v. 19: “Don’t be like those who forgot Allāh”;

* Sūrah al-Ḥashr v. 21: “If We had sent down this Qur’ān upon a mountain”;

* Sūrah al-Anbiyā’ v. 90: “They called upon Us with hope and fear, totally humbling themselves before Us”;

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Welcome to Episode Twelve of the Middle Ground Podcast. In this episode brother Dawud Aleman (GBLevate) and myself discuss politics again but drill down a little deeper and interrogate our understanding and estimation of the utility of politics and where might we go from here? As usual, we discuss all topics in light of the Qur’ān and statements from the Prophet, ‎ﷺ.

Other references in this episode:

* Sunan Abī Dāwūd no. 3329: “What is lawful is clear and what is unlawful is clear, but between them are certain doubtful things”;

* Sūrah Ibrāhīm v. 7: “If you are grateful, I will certainly give you more”;

* Interview with John Gray: “Everything You Know About The Future is Wrong | Aaron Bastani meets”;

* A few thoughts on where we’re at as #Muslims living in the West and the realities therein (on X/Twitter);

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Welcome to Episode Thirteen of the Middle Ground Podcast. In this episode brother Dawud Aleman (GBLevate) and myself discuss the phenomenal of the psy-op better known as celebrity culture. We ask questions such as “why is Taylor Swift everywhere?” and “why do they want us to pay so much attention to her?”As usual, we discuss all topics in light of the Qur’ān and statements from the Prophet, ‎ﷺ.

Other references in this episode:

* Sunan Abī Dāwūd no. 3331: “A time is certainly coming to mankind when only the receiver of usury will remain, and if he does not receive it, some of its dust will reach him”;

* Sūrah al-Naḥl v. 63: “If you are grateful, I will certainly give you more”;

* Society of the Spectacle by Guy Debord;

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Welcome to Episode Fourteen of the Middle Ground Podcast. This episode is a recording of a talk I gave at Kitaab Academy’s Aqsa Conference. As usual, we discuss all topics in light of the Qur’ān and statements from the Prophet, ‎ﷺ.

Other references in this episode:

* Sūrah al-Mā’idah v. 55: “God, the Messenger, and the Believers, are your only guardian”;

* Christianity and Eugenics: The Place of Religion in the British Eugenics Education Society and the American Eugenics Society, c.1907–1940;

* Tweet about New York Post article;

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Welcome to Episode Fifteen of the Middle Ground Podcast. I am joined again by my brother Dawud Aleman. We discuss economics via UK inequality economist Gary Stevenson, investing, and the importance of Muslims cultivating resources for themselves and the communities they live in. As usual, we discuss all topics in light of the Qur’ān and statements from the Prophet, ‎ﷺ.

Other references in this episode:

* Sūrah al-Nisā’ v. 32: “And do not covet what Allāh has given some of you over others”;

* Investing and financial literacy with Shaykh Joe Bradford;

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Welcome to Episode Sixteen of the Middle Ground Podcast. I am joined again by my brother Dawud Aleman. We discuss Ramaḍān, fasting (ṣiyām/ṣawm), ṣabr (perseverance), as well as some of our first experiences with fasting when we were new Muslims, and what it’s like to withdrawal from the world for a little while. As usual, we discuss all topics in light of the Qur’ān and statements from the Prophet, ‎ﷺ.

Other references in this episode:

The reference I made to al-Zubaydī’s work on Arabic grammar, Tāj al-’Arūs min Jawāhir al-Qāmūs, in which he highlights the grammatical root of fasting (ṣāḍ+waw+mīm) means, “to grasp; to hold on to” as well as “to stop"; to withhold”:

* Sūrah Maryam v. 26: “I have taken vow of silence to the Most Merciful (al-Raḥmān)”;

* Sūrah al-Zumar v 10: “Only those who persevere for My sake will be given their reward without limit”;

* Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim #2685: “Whoever loves to meet Allāh, Allāh loves to meet them”;

* Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim #1152: “In Paradise there is a gate which is called al-Rayyān through which only the people who fast would enter on the Day on Resurrection”;

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Welcome to Episode Seventeen of the Middle Ground Podcast. I am joined again by my brother Dawud Aleman. We discuss my recent heart attack, facing mortality, and what change, if any, has it had on me. As usual, we discuss all topics in light of the Qur’ān and statements from the Prophet, ‎ﷺ.

قال شُرَيْح ابن الحارث القاضي

إني لأصاب بالمصيبة فأحمد الله عليها أربعة مرات

أحمد إذ لم يكن أعظم منها

وأحمد إذ رزقني الصبر عليها

وأحمد إذ رزقني للاسترجاع لما أرجو من الثابت

وأحمد إذ لم يجعلها في ديني

Shurayḥ ibn al-Ḥārith stated,

“Whenever I am afflicted with some great difficulty, I praise Allāh four times:

I praise Him that it was not greater than it was;

I praise him that He gave me the wherewithal to withstand it;

I praise Him that He gave me the means to say, ‘to Allāh we belong and to Him are we returning’;

And I praise Him that He didn’t make it a test for my faith.”

Other references in this episode:

* Musnad Aḥmad no. 8945: “The believer is friendly, for there is no goodness in one who is neither friendly, nor befriended.”

* Sūrah al-Anfāl v. 50: “If only you could see when the angels take the souls of the disbelievers, beating their faces and backs.”

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Welcome to Episode Eighteen of the Middle Ground Podcast. I am joined again by my brother Dawud Aleman. We discuss a recent encounter of a young man who came to Middle Ground, seeking some clarification on how to explore the truth-claims of Islām, to which I introduced the idea of Christianity being a “black box” when it comes to ascertaining its truth-claims. We explore this and other themes as it relates to understanding how Islām and Christianity are different and also how a non-Muslims assumptions about Christianity may problematize understanding Islām according to its own criteria. As usual, we discuss all topics in light of the Qur’ān and statements from the Prophet, ‎ﷺ.

Other references in this episode:

* Sūrah al-Jāthiyah v. 23: “Have you seen those who have taken their own desires as their god?”

* Paul C. Vitz, The Self: Beyond the Postmodern Crisis:

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Welcome to Episode Nineteen of the Middle Ground Podcast. I am joined again by my brother Dawud Aleman. We’re excited to accounce that we’re now streaming the MGP on YouTube. Head over to our YouTube channel and subscribe so you’ll be notified for the next live stream.

In this episode we discuss the current situation with student protests across the nation against the genocide and illegal war in Palestine. As usual, we discuss all topics in light of the Qur’ān and statements from the Prophet, ‎ﷺ.

Other references in this episode:

* Sūrah Yūnus v. 83: “But no one believed in Moses except a few youths of his people, while fearing that Pharaoh and their own chiefs”

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Welcome to Episode Twenty of the Middle Ground Podcast. I am joined again by my brother Dawud Aleman. In this episode we discuss the increasingly toxic world we live in and the consequences as a society of being completely divorced from how our food and medicine is produced. As usual, we discuss all topics in light of the Qur’ān and statements from the Prophet, ‎ﷺ.

This episode can also be found on YouTube as we are now live streaming all of our episodes there as well.

Other references in this episode:

* Sūrah al-Baqarah v. 11: “When they are told, ‘Do not spread corruption in the land,’ they reply, ‘We are only peace-makers!’”

* Sūrah al-Insān v. 8: “[They] and give food—despite their desire for it—to the poor, the orphan, and the captive.”

* Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim no. 2939: a ḥadīth which reminds us of the Dajjāl and the fake nature of food today.

* For more on how we developed into siloed communities, cut off from our food production, read Carolyn Steel’s very good Hungry City: How Food Shapes Our Lives.

* Dr. Rima Laibow – the Medical Director of the Natural Solutions Foundation – her talk on the Codex Alimentarius and its history and impact on our food and health systems.

* Dr. Lee Merritt’s talk: "Why You Need To Care About 'Codex Alimentarius'.”

* Vaccine Excipient Summary [PDF].

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Welcome to Episode Twenty One of the Middle Ground Podcast. Myself, Imam Marc, and brother Dawud Aleman, are your hosts for exploring the topic of Artificial Intelligence. Should we fear it? Is it all bad? Are we all going to lose our jobs or become the victims of Skynet? As usual, we discuss all topics in light of the Qur’ān and statements from the Prophet, ‎ﷺ.

This episode can also be found on YouTube as we are now live streaming all of our episodes there as well.

Other references in this episode:

* Sūrah al-Naḥl v. 8: “And He creates what you do not know.’”

* Sūrah al-Qaṣaṣ v. 68: “Your Lord creates and chooses whatever He wills.”

* From The Joe Rogan Experience #2152 – his interview of (former?) actor Terrence Howard.

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Welcome to Episode Twenty Three of the Middle Ground Podcast. Myself, Imam Marc, and brother Dawud Aleman. In this episode our hearts are heavy with the passing of our beloved brother Jamal (Alexander) Ramsey, may Allāh have mercy on him. Brother Jamal was quite beloved by everyone in the community and had such a caring spirit about him. But his passing also reminds us of the importance of having our earthly affairs taken care of so we do not cause undo hardship on our loved ones we leave behind. As usual, we discuss all topics in light of the Qur’ān and statements from the Prophet, ‎ﷺ.

This episode can also be found on YouTube as we are now live streaming all of our episodes there as well.

Other references in this episode:

* Sūrah al-Baqarah v. 180: “It is prescribed that when death approaches any of you…a will should be made.”

* Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim no. 1614: “A Muslim is not entitled to inherit from a non-Muslim, and a non-Muslim is not entitled to inherit from a Muslim.”

* My Wassiyah – Make an Islāmic will.

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Welcome to Episode Twenty Four of the Middle Ground Podcast. Myself, Imam Marc, and brother Dawud Aleman. In this we explore what it means for us as Muslims to be at the end of American/western empire. We look at the writings of investor Ray Dalio and ask if his predictions are accurate or whether they’re too reductionist. As usual, we discuss all topics in light of the Qur’ān and statements from the Prophet, ‎ﷺ.

This episode can also be found on YouTube as we are now live streaming all of our episodes there. You can also watch our podcast live on Instagram as well.

Other references in this episode:

* Sūrah al-Jāthiyah v. 14: “˹O Prophet!˺ Tell the believers to forgive those who do not fear Allah’s days ˹of torment˺, so that He will reward each group for what they used to commit.”

* Sūrah Fāṭir v. 43: “Are they awaiting anything but the fate of those ˹destroyed˺ before? You will find no change in the way of Allah, nor will you find it diverted ˹to someone else˺.”

* Some critiques of Ray Dalio’s Principles – (PDF).

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Welcome to Episode Twenty Five of the Middle Ground Podcast. Myself, Imam Marc, and brother Dawud Aleman. In this episode we'll be looking at the relation between sound and light and how understanding this and contemplating it gives us deeper insights into God's majesty and creation. As usual, we discuss all topics in light of the Qur’ān and statements from the Prophet, ‎ﷺ.

This episode can also be found on YouTube:

Imam’s Corner is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Other references in this episode:

* Sūrah Hūd v. 67: “And the ˹mighty˺ blast overtook the wrongdoers, so they fell lifeless in their homes,”

* Quantum Theory Demonstrated: Observation Affects Reality.

* The Devil's Interval That Makes Us Sick.

* Shattering cancer with resonant frequencies: Anthony Holland at TEDx Skidmore College.

* Secrets of Zamzam water (video one and video two).

* Water Is alive and responds to human emotion.

* Water Memory (2014 Documentary about Nobel Prize laureate Luc Montagnier).

* The Extraordinary Impact Sound Has On Your Everyday Life.

* Rice Experiment - Dr Masaru Emoto.

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Welcome to Episode Twenty Six of the Middle Ground Podcast. Myself, Imam Marc, and brother Dawud Aleman. In this episode we'll asking the question, “Is reality a simulation? Are we in French philosopher Jean Baudrillard's ‘Simulacra and Simulation’? We're not saying it's aliens ... As usual, we discuss all topics in light of the Qur’ān and statements from the Prophet, ‎ﷺ.

This episode can also be found on YouTube:

Imam’s Corner is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Other references in this episode:

* Sūrah Fāṭir v. 5: “So do not let the life of this world deceive you.”

* Neil DeGrasse Tyson freaks out when physicist James Gates finds intelligent code in the fabric of space (YouTube).

* Symbols of Power: Adinkras and the Nature of Reality (link).

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Welcome to Episode Twenty Seven of the Middle Ground Podcast. Myself, Imam Marc, and brother Dawud Aleman. As the poet Shaykh Zubayr, a.k.a., William Shakespeare once said, "All the word's a stage". From the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump to politics in America in general, it seems we are living, if not in an illusion, then certainly a fantasy. We continue our conversation from last week on French philosopher Jean Baudrillard's "Simulacra and Simulation". Strap in for American Psycho 2. As usual, we discuss all topics in light of the Qur’ān and statements from the Prophet, ‎ﷺ.

This episode can also be found on YouTube:

Imam’s Corner is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Other references in this episode:

* Sūrah al-Baqarah v. 51: “And ˹remember˺ when We appointed forty nights for Moses, then you worshipped the calf in his absence, acting wrongfully.”

* Sūrah al-Ḥujarāt v. 6: “O believers, if an evildoer brings you any news, verify it.”

* Expanded notes on Jean Baudrillard and postmodernity (PDF).

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Welcome to Episode Twenty Eight of the Middle Ground Podcast. Running solo for this episode, I’m your host, Imam Marc from Middle Ground. In the last 24 hours I had three enlightening encounters: a post on Instagram, a counseling appointment, and a consultation for marriage. All three provided valuable insights into what drives us as humans. As usual, we discuss all topics in light of the Qur’ān and statements from the Prophet, ‎ﷺ.

This episode can also be found on YouTube:

Imam’s Corner is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Other references in this episode:

* Sūrah al-Jāthiyah v. 23: “Have you seen those who have taken their own desires as their god? As a result, Allāh has deliberately misguided them.”

* Middle Ground Podcast Episode 27 on postmodernity: “All the World is a Stage”.

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Welcome to Episode Twenty Nine of the Middle Ground Podcast. We’re your hosts Imām Marc and brother Dawud Aleman. In the day and age of personalities and influencers, how and who can you trust when it comes to taking religious knowledge? As usual, we discuss all topics in light of the Qur’ān and statements from the Prophet, ‎ﷺ.

This episode can also be found on YouTube:

Imam’s Corner is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Other references in this episode:

* From Imām al-Shāfi’ī: “if you see a man walking on water and flying in the air, do not be amazed by him until he shows that he follows the command of the Book and the Sunnah.”

* Middle Ground Podcast Episode 27 on postmodernity: “All the World is a Stage”.

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Welcome to Episode Thirty One of the Middle Ground Podcast. We’re your hosts Imām Marc and brother Dawud Aleman. Narratives. They're everywhere and it seems that everyone has one or at least they're trying to sell you one. But what is it? And why should Muslims have one?

This episode can also be found on YouTube:

Imam’s Corner is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Other references in this episode:

* Qur’ān 28: 41: “We made them leaders inviting ˹others˺ to the Fire. And on the Day of Judgment they will not be helped”

* Shaykh Muḥammad Abū Zahrah on the importance of developing Muslim thought (X).

* David Levering Lewis’ article on American exceptionalism: Exceptionalism’s Exceptions - The Changing American Narrative (PDF).

Flex alert power saver awards.

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Welcome to Episode Thirty Two of the Middle Ground Podcast. We’re your hosts Imām Marc and brother Dawud Aleman. Narratives. Are Jinn just fables? Is the Unseen real or just a metaphor? We'll discuss this and more

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This episode can also be found on YouTube:

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Welcome to Episode Thirty Three of the Middle Ground Podcast. We’re your hosts Imām Marc and brother Dawud Aleman. Narratives. Arabic. All Muslims prize this language. Everyone wants to learn it. But for so many of us, Arabic remains an elusive goal despite the Qur'an being revealed in it. Why?

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This episode can also be found on YouTube:

In shā’ Allāh we hope to start our new class, Facilitating the Learning of Arabic for Devotional Studies – The Arabic Reader (تَيْسِيْرُ تَعَلُّمِ اللُّغَةِ العَرَبِيَّةِ لِلدِّراسَةِ التَّعَبُّدِيَّةِ - القارئ العربي) soon.

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Ever wonder why there seems to be two systems of classification for Arabic dictionaries? Pre-modern dictionaries have one system (the “bāb and faṣl” system, as we’ll see) and modern dictionaries have another.

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In modern dictionaries like Arabic-English Lexicon (1863), better know as Lane’s Lexicon, by British orientalist, Edward William Lane, or Arabisches Wörterbuch (1952), know in English as A Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic (1961), or simply, Hans Wehr, by German orientalist, Hans Bodo Wehr, where the sorting and classification proceeds in alphabetical form, from the first, second, and third letters (and forth or fifth in those rarities). For example, a-l-f (أ+ل+ف) would precede q-f-l (ق+ف+ل) if one were looking up the words ‘ulfah (ألفة/”affection”) and qaffāl (قفّال/”locksmith”) respectively in those dictionaries. But in classical dictionaries like al-Ṣiḥāḥ, by Transo-Turkic lexicographer Abū Naṣr al-Jawharī, the last letter of the root (the “bāb”) is how words/roots are sorted. So for instance, b-ḥ-t (ب+ح+ت) would precede n-a-t (ن+ع+ت) if one were looking up the words na’t (نعت/”characteristic”) and baḥt (بحت/”pure”) respectively:

يسلّط هذا المعجم الضوء على أحد أنظمة التأليف المعجميّ عند العرب أي نظام الباب والفصل أي أن الحرف الأخير من المادّة الأصليّة هو الباب وأن الحرف الأول منها هو الفصل، وأن الباب هو الأصل وأن الفصل هو الفرع، ويشير إلى أن هذا النظام أوْقع المؤلفين في مشكلة بالنسبة إلى الألفاظ المعتلَّة الأواخر إذ لم يستطيعوا أحياناً التمييز بين ما كان واويَّ الأصل أو يائيّة.

“This dictionary sheds light on one of the systems of lexicographic compilation used by the Arabs, specifically the system of ‘bāb and faṣl.’ In this system, the last letter of the root word is the ‘bāb’ (the sorting letter), and the first letter is the ‘faṣl’ (secondary sorting letter). The ‘bāb’ is considered the primary category, while the ‘faṣl’ is a secondary one. The text also points out that this system led to difficulties for the compilers, particularly regarding words with weak or defective (مُعْتَلَّة/muʿtallah) endings, as they were sometimes unable to distinguish between roots ending in a ‘wāw’ or a ‘yā’”. — from Dr. Hishām Ṭa Ha Shallāsh’s Muʿjam al-Afʿāl al-Wāwiyyah al-Yā'iyyah (Compendium of of Verbs Ending with Wāw and Yā’)

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Welcome to Episode Thirty Four of the Middle Ground Podcast. We’re your hosts Imām Marc and brother Dawud Aleman. Narratives. Arabic. Question: Can a Muslim cry? Can we do yoga or mindfulness meditation? What are the limits in Islam? Brother Dawud and myself explore the limits, if any, of emotional expression as Muslims.

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This episode can also be found on YouTube:

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Welcome to Episode 38 of the Middle Ground Podcast. Hosts Imam Marc Manley and brother Dawud Aleman. In this episode we reflect on the duality that on one hand Allāh tells us that Shaytan (Satan) is our "clear enemy" (عُدُوٌّ مُبِيْنٌ) and yet he remains hidden to us, at least directly. We also talk about the effects of “blue light” and what it means to be “alternative” as it relates to medical practices.

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You can also watch the episode on YouTube:

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Welcome to Episode 35 of the Middle Ground Podcast. Hosts Imam Marc Manley and brother Dawud Aleman.

Values. They sound good but are they really as permanent and unchangeable as we think? And what's the difference between values and character?

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Welcome to Episode 36 of the Middle Ground Podcast. Hosts Imam Marc Manley and brother Dawud Aleman.

In this episode we ask the question: if much of politics is about "the optics" then what happens if it's just an optical illusion?

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You can also watch this episode on YouTube:

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Welcome to Episode 37 of the Middle Ground Podcast. Hosts Imam Marc Manley and brother Dawud Aleman.

In this episode we what's ahead for Muslims in America now that the election is over. Will Trump fulfill his promises, for good or bad, or is he a lame duck president?

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You can also watch this episode on YouTube: