ImanWire Podcast

We might appreciate the benefits of physical fitness, but are there spiritual benefits to exercise as well? In this episode, we discuss not only how to find time and implement a successful exercise program but how exercise can teach us invaluable lessons critical to being spiritually healthy.Exploring the strong connections between physical and spiritual fitness, Moutasem Atiya, Mohammed Saleem & special guest Dr. Saleem Farooqui, a physician and competitive cyclist, reflect on how exercise can enhance our own spiritual path to God.

In the wake of the recent controversy at the RIS convention, Dr. Su'ad Abdul Khabeer, a professor of anthropology and African American studies and author of "Muslim Cool: Race, Religion and Hip Hop in the United States", and Moutasem Atiya from Al-Madina Institute discuss the issues at hand, anti-Blackness in the community, and how we can move forward positively.

In the second part of the episode, our guests discuss the path American Muslim culture is taking and explore "Muslim Cool", a culture rooted in embracing Blackness and social justice that connects both Black and non-Black Muslims to Islam in America.

How can we connect with the Prophet? Our Islamic education on the Prophet's life often lacks the spiritual, introspective component that effects change in our own life. In this episode, Dr. Meraj Mohiuddin, author of the book, Revelation: The Story of Muhammad, and Shad Imam, co-director of the Qurtuba Institute at ADAMS, join host Mohammed Saleem to discuss their own challenges in finding their path to the Prophet and give practical advice in how to develop a meaningful connection with the Messenger(peace be upon him).

CVE (Countering Violent Extremism) programs have been a source of controversy in the Muslim American community, yet there is a lack of clarity in the discussion as to what CVE is. Is it a black and white issue as both its proponents and critics make it seem? In this episode, Alejandro Beutel, a researcher in CVE, and Mohamed Ghilan, a critic of CVE, discuss both government and community-led initiatives in countering violent extremism and consider how to address this divisive issue constructively in the Muslim community.

Opioid addiction is a far-reaching problem in our society and the Muslim community is not immune. In this episode, Moutasem Atiya, Dr. Mohamed Ghilan, Dr. Hasan Awan & Mohammed Saleem address the growing problem of prescription drug abuse, its social and spiritual ramifications, the path to recovery and how our attitudes towards addicts should be grounded in love.

In this new series of conversations on issues facing the Muslim community, Moutasem Atiya & Mohammed Saleem discuss the 2016 presidential elections and how to stay upbeat, what to tell our children, and how we can move forward socially and spiritually.