Support Muslim Central:https://muslimcentral.com/donate/ Imagine your scale of good deeds growing—not just from your own actions, but from every person who benefits from the content you helped sustain. Why support us? – Reach millions, earn rewards that never end (Sadaqah Jariyah)– Keep Quran, lectures, and Islamic learning 100% free & ad-free– Share in every reward from every download, every listener "Whoever guides someone to virtue will receive a reward equal to that of its doer."– Sahih Muslim Explore all our projects:https://help.muslimcentral.com/links/

What makes someone a Muslim? Is it personal faith, government ID cards, or the community’s judgment? In this profound discussion, Dr. Jonathan A.C. Brown explores the tensions between Islamic identity, state power, and social expectations—from Malaysia’s laws defining "who counts" as Muslim, to the Tablighi Jama’at’s role in enforcing prayer, to Gaza’s impact on global Muslim solidarity.  Key Topics: Faith vs. Formality: Can governments enforce Islamic practice without killing sincerity? Malaysia’s Paradox: Why some laws define Muslims by "what others think" of them. Prayer Police: Should communities pressure individuals to pray—or is that hypocrisy? The Gaza Effect: How tragedy is reviving the Ummah’s political conscience. Colonial Legacies: Why British-era laws still shape Muslim identity in Asia. Dr. Brown weaves fiqh, history, and dark humor (see: "storage room khutbahs" and "6 AM podcast sacrifices") into a critique of modern Muslim fragmentation—and a vision for collective revival Dr. Jonathan Brown is the Alwaleed bin Talal Chair of Islamic Civilization in the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University. He received his BA in History from Georgetown University in 2000 and his doctorate in Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations from the University of Chicago in 2006. His book publications include “The Canonization of al-Bukhari and Muslim: The Formation and Function of the Sunni Hadith Canon”, “Hadith: Muhammad’s Legacy in the Medieval and Modern World”. “Muhammad: A Very Short Introduction” and “Misquoting Muhammad: The Challenges and Choices of Interpreting the Prophet’s Legacy”, and “Slavery and Islam”.

Eid E Ghadeer 1446 AHJune 14th 202518th Dhul Hijjah 1446 AH* Islam was completed and perfected through the announcement of Imamat at Ghadir, not just through prayers and fasting.* Allah revealed a verse commanding the Prophet to deliver this crucial message, promising divine protection against opposition.* The Prophet declared Ali as Mawla after announcing the perfection of religion and Allah’s satisfaction with Islam as a complete system.* Many verses and narrations show that all acts of worship are invalid if done without accepting the rightful Imams.* Ghadir highlights that Wilāyat is not just love for Ali, but obedience and submission to his authority as appointed by Allah.* Islam’s perfection relies on both Tawḥīd and acceptance of divine leadership through the Prophet’s family.* Shayṭān’s story shows that worship without obedience is worthless; he worshipped for thousands of years but refused to submit to Allah’s choice.* Shayṭān believed in Allah and worshipped Him but failed the test of surrendering his pride when commanded to bow to Adam.* True Islam requires both belief in God and complete surrender to His chosen guides, preventing the mistakes of past nations.* Ghadir serves as a reminder and a test for Muslims to maintain Islam’s complete form by upholding the Imamat.Donate towards our programs today: https://jaffari.org/donate/Jaffari Community Centre (JCC Live)

Donate to our charity partner Baitulmaal here: http://btml.us/thinkingmuslim - Please do remember that charity never reduces our rizq and gives Barakah to our wealth. Help us expand our Muslim media project here: https://www.thinkingmuslim.com/membershipFrancesca Bocca-Aldaqre holds a MSc in Neuro-Cognitive Psychology & a PhD in Systemic Neuroscience (both from Ludwig-Maximilians Universität Munich, Germany) and a Diploma in Islamic Psychology (Cambridge Muslim College). She works as a counsellor in Islamic Psychology worldwide. She authored several books in poetry as well as essays on the relationship between Western thought and IslamHere is her profile if you wish to find out more about her: https://linktr.ee/francescaboccaWestern psychology is limited by its focus on the material aspects of human existence. My guest today is Dr. Franchesca Bocca-Aldaqre, an Islamic psychologist and neuroscientist, who asserts that much of what preoccupies Western psychology—such as the emphasis on the egotistical self, the fixation on Freudian concepts of repressed childhood trauma, and the tendency toward over-medicalization—does not only undermine healing but can also be detrimental to individuals in the long run. Islamic psychology, according to her, is a field that has been overlooked, overshadowed by a modernity that fails to recognize human beings as holistic living souls. Dr. Franchesca offers a thoughtful critique of the maladies of capitalist life and also outlines a path towards a more balanced approach to living.You can find Dr Francesca Bocca-Aldaqre here:IG: https://www.instagram.com/francescaboccaYou can also support The Thinking Muslim through a one-time donation: https://www.thinkingmuslim.com/DonateListen to the audio version of the podcast:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7vXiAjVFnhNI3T9Gkw636aApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-thinking-muslim/id1471798762Purchase our Thinking Muslim mug: https://www.thinkingmuslim.com/merchFind us on:X: https://x.com/thinking_muslimLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-thinking-muslim/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/The-Thinking-Muslim-Podcast-105790781361490Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thinkingmuslimpodcast/Telegram: https://t.me/thinkingmuslimBlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/thinkingmuslim.bsky.socialThreads: https://www.threads.com/@thinkingmuslimpodcastFind Muhammad Jalal here:X: https://twitter.com/jalalaynInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/jalalayns/Sign up to Muhammad Jalal's newsletter: https://jalalayn.substack.comWebsite Archive: https://www.thinkingmuslim.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Support Muslim Central:https://muslimcentral.com/donate/ Imagine your scale of good deeds growing—not just from your own actions, but from every person who benefits from the content you helped sustain. Why support us? – Reach millions, earn rewards that never end (Sadaqah Jariyah)– Keep Quran, lectures, and Islamic learning 100% free & ad-free– Share in every reward from every download, every listener "Whoever guides someone to virtue will receive a reward equal to that of its doer."– Sahih Muslim Explore all our projects:https://help.muslimcentral.com/links/