Welcome to another episode of The Optimized Muslim Podcast! With the arrival of the blessed month of Ramadhan, we're all eager to make the most of this spiritually uplifting time. In this episode, I am joined by Br Mounir Lazouni, founder of The Modern Muslim Man, to discuss the importance of optimizing our nutrition and energy during the fasting period. Together, we will delve into practical tips and advice to help you maintain a healthy and balanced diet, ensuring you have the energy to engage...
Mar 26, 2023•1 hr 11 min
Daniel Haqiqatjou on Muslim Skeptic, Debating, Controlling Emotions, Tasawwuf, Hijrah & more. Ustadh Daniel joined me for the second time to discuss a variety of topics starting from the developments in his work over the last two years, debating effectively, managing emotions, the power of social stigma, apostasy laws, hijab, importance of tasawuf, hijrah and more. As many of you know I have benefitted immensely from Ustadh Daniel Haqiqatjou and have followed his work since 2014. I was also ...
Jan 30, 2023•1 hr 8 min
Sh Muaawiyah Tucker was a guest on the podcast for a second time and we discussed the developments in the crypto space since March 2021, his views on Ethereum, how to live the "Bitcoin Standard" and avoid Riba based banking, the flawed arguments behind "necessity" for mortgages and loans, Making Hijrah, Artificial Intelligence and Central Bank Digital currencies. Most Importantly duʿāʾ requested if you found this to be of benefit.💚 Sign up for the Optimized Muslim Email: Quotes, Books, Content,...
Jan 10, 2023•1 hr 46 min
A wide-ranging conversation on how to get Muslims to take action through understanding their purpose, incorporating Da'wah to Non Muslims in our daily lives, carrying our Muslim Identity, helping New Muslims, focusing on innovation and "loon shots", cybersecurity, effective philanthropy and managing a diverse workload. HIGHLIGHTS: 00:00 Introduction 03:40 Coach Zubair's background 12:00 How to get Muslims to excel and take action 26:50 Coach Zubair's thoughts on Da'wah - Be proactive 35:00 Guidi...
Dec 28, 2022•1 hr 25 min
Islam & Mental Health with a Consultant Psychiatrist: Depression, Trauma, combining Western & Islamic treatment modalities, Sihr and Black magic, Jinn possession Stories, working in Qatar & more! Dr Abu Eesa is a consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist specialising in addiction, who is working in Qatar He is on a mission to try to integrate therapeutic interventions from Quran and sunnah with the Western understanding and treatment modalities to tackle Muslim Mental Health issue...
Dec 14, 2022•1 hr 18 min
Ustadh Gabriel Al Romani joined me on the podcast for a second time to discuss his new Muslim Masculinity Course which you can find out more about and join here: https://muslimalpha.com/ Ustadh Gabriel is one of my favourite people in the Online Muslim space. Online and offline he is legit ma sha Allah. Please follow and benefit from his work. For a more general discussion about Ustadh Gabriel's journey to Islam and his background please refer to our first podcast here: Gabriel Al Romani's YouTu...
Nov 26, 2022•57 min
Ameen Omar joined me on the podcast to discuss a wide range of topics: Masculinity for Muslim Men, Red Pill, Getting Married, personal development & more. All covered in his book titled The Shephard's Way. *apologies for the audio on my side; Ameen's audio is fine** About Ameen Omar Ameen is an entrepreneur, author and content creator. Follow his pages below for more: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ameenomar__ Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@MindHeistPodcast Order his book: https://www....
Nov 21, 2022•1 hr 26 min
We spoke about Tanim's business journey, the importance of prioritising spirituality or tazkiyah al nafs, the importance of mentorship and learning, productivity, delegation, leverage and more Get in touch with Tanim: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tanimzaman/ Tanim's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/GoldenTouchAcademy Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoldentouchacademyUK/ 00:00 Intro & Tanim's Bio 11:45 A Gap Year that changed everything 19:00 Spiritual Development & Tazkiyah c...
Nov 17, 2022•1 hr 40 min
Paul Williams of Blogging Theology - Becoming Muslim, Podcasting, Books, Addressing Criticism & More I had the great pleasure of being joined by Br Paul Williams who you will be familiar with from the Blogging Theology YouTube Channel. I thoroughly enjoyed the conversation and I hope you all do too. We spoke on a number of wide-ranging topics. Chapter headings are listed below for your convenience. Br Paul is doing some great work so please subscribe to his channel if you have not already. B...
Nov 02, 2022•1 hr 37 min
How much of the conventional self-help and self development content can we apply as Muslims? Which ideas are problematic and are opposed to our creedal beliefs and faith? Sh Ismail provides a helpful framework on how to filter the correct information from Ideas such as "manifesting", "being in control of your own destiny" and others which may conflict with our understanding of qadr. We also discuss how Islam is flourishing in South Africa and the reasons why. What can Muslim Communities in other...
Oct 27, 2022•1 hr 36 min
I was joined by Imam Tom Facchine for a wide-ranging interview on Self-Development, Learning Languages, Problems of Modernity, Attaining Balance, dealing with overwhelm, Ibn Al Jawzi, the moral considerations of YouTube Creators & more. It was one of my favourite interviews and I am thankful to Imam Tom for being so gracious with his time and honouring this project. UTICA Masjid YouTube Channel (Imam Tom's videos): https://www.youtube.com/c/UTICAMASJID UTICA Instagram: https://www.instagram....
Oct 09, 2022•1 hr 45 min
I was joined on the podcast by br Muhammad Deen, a performance psychologist from the UK currently working in Malaysia. We discuss Islamic psychology, charisma, growth mindset, morning routines, stoicism, Islamic resources on psychology, Hijrah to Malaysia and more. (see chapters below) Br Muhammad Deen is a sport & performance psychology consultant who consults athletes and high performers on their mental side of performance. His website: https://www.mdperformancepsychology.com One of my fav...
Sep 12, 2022•1 hr 37 min
Brother Muttaqi Ismail who is the founder and host of The Islamic History Podcast joined me for an interview. We talked about Br Muttaqi's background, how he became interested in Islamic History. why he decided to start a podcast, his process for creating episodes, productivity tips and much more. The Islamic History Podcast is an amazing resource for Muslims and non-Muslims alike and I recommend that you subscribe to the podcast on whichever platform you use. Podcast Link: https://pod.link/isla...
Aug 28, 2022•1 hr 23 min
We discuss Qur'an memorisation and tajweed tips, the common mistakes people from the Indian Subcontinent make in Tajweed and fascinating insights into Ustadh Farhan's own journey during which he won an Indian National Qur'an memorisation contest and spent time in Dr Zakir Naik's International Islamic school. Farhan Somani is an international Qur'an & Arabic teacher and Tajweed Tutor. He is the founder of Tajweed Essentials Learning Community. He has obtained Ijazah Mِistake: At 46:00 the ara...
Aug 09, 2022•1 hr 3 min
Interview with Jan The Slovak Muslim on his journey to Islam, different methods used in Da'wah, how Islam impacted his Business life, happiness and finding balance. Link to the video o Optimized Muslim YouTube Channel: https://youtu.be/gDTaOD5hGvo HIGHLIGHTS 00:00 Introduction 02:25 Jan's Bio & Path To Islam 10:20 Discussion on Dawah 17:30 Self Development Seekers Becoming Muslim 22:00 Importance of a Strong Muslim Identity & Frame 32:00 Different Types of Dawah 43:00 Lifestyle Dawah 50:...
Jul 18, 2022•1 hr 22 min
Want to be an activist? Purify yourself before attempting to lead and serve others. Please follow UTICA Masjid's channel. I was hooked after first hearing Imam Tom on Blogging Theology. Imam Tom creates short, poignant and powerful clips eloquently addressing contemporary issues as well as traditional self-purification. https://www.youtube.com/c/UTICAMASJID Source Video: https://youtu.be/8MYD0B0zibQ (re-purposed with permission) Most Importantly duʿāʾ requested if you found this to be of benefit...
Jul 14, 2022•3 min
Interview with the Make Hijrah team (Br Omar and Br Hamzah) - Why, how and where? A wide range of topics were discussed from their personal stories of why they made hijrah, positives and negatives from their experiences, their views on Malaysia as a destination and much more. I think this podcast offers a good mix of information, depth, personality and some humour thanks to the guests. Thank you to the Make Hijrah team for honouring this podcast with their time and advice. The Make Hijrah YouTub...
Jun 29, 2022•1 hr 28 min
DESTROYING The Free Speech Argument used to Insult our beloved Prophet Muhammad ﷺ - Hamza Tzortzis Please watch the full source video on Sapience Institute for more. They have a few videos on this topic which go into much more detail. The purpose behind this was to direct you towards them. Link to full video: Hating Civility: France, Freedom of Speech & the Defamatory Cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ: Sapience Institute Channel A topic very close to our hearts. I love Br Hamza for the work...
Jun 24, 2022•5 min
Dr. Ali Ataie powerfully offers that Islam is the last stand against woke liberalism. "Ustadh Dr. Ali Ataie gives spiritual insights about Muslims becoming the last line of defence for traditional religion and being necessary vanguards for values and faith in a postmodern world. " Audio from the link below has been repurposed for educational purposes Link to other similar animations: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list... Source video: https://youtu.be/84cHNipqd8c Most Importantly duʿāʾ reques...
Jun 10, 2022•7 min
Business, Side Hustles, Self-employment. Making Hijrah, Muslim Money Advice & more - Interview with Br Abu Musa Grateful to be joined by Br Abu Musa who kindly agreed to feature on the podcast. A real nice brother. Navigate by using the chapters below. A broad range of topics were discussed. Watch the Episode on Youtube: https://youtu.be/D1BlsJuV_MU CONNECT WITH BR ABU MUSA IG: abumusa_ch Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqjJAM4ZA2CykLaWs9TKoiQabumusa_ch Link to Associated article: ...
Jun 05, 2022•55 min
How to give advice to someone who has asked you or you want to encourage to start praying Salah. You want to enjoin Good and forbid evil الأمر بالمَعْرُوف والنَهي عن المُنْكَر - how to go about it? I was happy to hear this advice from a classically trained scholar (Hanafi) as I've previously thought about and heard the same from other sources. Obviously, if the amount of action deemed necessary to "pray Salah" is a lot, the level of adherence from those trying to build the habit will decrease. T...
May 31, 2022•5 min
Daniel Haqiqatjou debunks the myth of "If We Don't Water Down Islam, No One Will Accept It!". Wait, isn't Optimized Muslim about Self Development? Yes, and having a correct understanding of Islam as well as being equipped to intellectually defend traditional Islam is of paramount importance if you are to be a proud and practising Muslim. If you are not confident in your Islam and being able to unapologetically preach and practise it, how are you to excel? You have to have a strong identity and f...
May 31, 2022•4 min
Why do you Work Out? Get "Jacked" and get Good Deeds by mastering your Niyyah (Intention) Alif goes to the gym for most of his 20s but he never takes the time to think about and correct his intention for it to be Islamically aligned. His intention may be to simply get "hench" and impress people. Will he be rewarded for all of his time and effort at the gym over the years? Ba, on the other hand, took the time to deeply think about his intention before embarking on his fitness journey and began ea...
Apr 26, 2022•13 min
Treat going to the gym like going to the library too. In this video I discuss how I combine my time at the gym with various more passive activities mainly using different forms of audio input such as Arabic vocabulary, Podcasts, audiobooks, the Noble Qur'an and various adhkar (litanies/invocations/remembrances) to make my time there more productive. Going to the gym, with the right intention, can be a means of reward by its own. However, given that you will likely be able to complete your workou...
Apr 05, 2022•12 min
In this podcast I explain the basic and simple method of how to memorise a passage of the Noble Qur'an for the first time. I have come across various different methods with numbers involved "repeat the first line 8 times" etc - there is no special number to use. You simply repeat each part until you are able to recall it. This is a continuation of the playlist titled, " A Practical & Deep Guide on How to Memorize the Qur'an" which I will continue to build on in sha Allah The video may be use...
Mar 24, 2022•8 min
Does the Religion of Islam need to be watered down in order to attract Non-Muslims to it? Link to the Full Blogging Theology Podcast: https://youtu.be/laFLPKZBUZE Sign up for just ONE email per week containing links to the week's blog posts, videos and podcasts packed with tools, tips, tactics and thoughts to help you optimize your life and hereafter Click here ◼ Optimizedmuslim.com ◼ YouTube Channel ◼ Listen on Apple Podcasts ◼ Listen on Google Podcasts ◼ Listen On Spotify ◼ Instagram ◼ Tiktok ...
Mar 13, 2022•13 min
Why Muslims Say STUPID Things around Christmas? "The fundamental reason is lacking the requisite mental strength or emotional resilience to be seen as different or strange, to undergo a bit of discomfort..." 00:00 Preview Clips 02:10 Introduction & disclaimers 04:00 The main reason why... 07:50 "not everyone is assertive" 09:20 "My Non-Muslim friends celebrate Eid so why can't I?" 11:40 "It's just being nice, don't want to be rude" 14:55 A message to Muslims who celebrate 16:15 How to be mor...
Dec 25, 2021•18 min
The Jordan Peterson and Mohammed Hijab podcast will in sha Allah be a foundational step towards true, orthodox traditional Muslim being invited on platforms to present the mainstream Muslim view. How many times have we sat back and watched in annoyance whilst a liberal "Muslim" with whacky views is invited on to shows to speak on behalf of Muslims? It was amazing to see alhamdulillah. 00:00 intro - why it was a big deal 02:00 represents a vast change 04:30 Feeling happy when Islam is represented...
Dec 20, 2021•11 min
"Shaykh Abdal Hakim Murad warns us that materialism and desire for reputation only leads to anxiety and distracts us from reality, whilst reminding us that criticism, no matter the form, should not make us forget our duty as Muslims" Link to Full Friday Sermon Lecture from Cambridge Central Mosque (clip used for educational purposes): https://youtu.be/ESk7DaQgnGs Note: This video was uploaded to the Optimized Muslim Youtube channel as a whiteboard animation. You can view the same on Spotify or Y...
Dec 13, 2021•4 min
Can you actually learn Arabic to a good level whilst living and working in the West? If so, how does one go about this journey? Where do you find tutors? Should you focus on Grammar first? How long does it take an average student to become fluent if they apply themselves? I interview my Arabic tutor with whom I have studied solely for about a year after having had other teachers in the past. Mohammed Hafez is well-suited to answer the above questions, and more, in this wide ranging discussion. H...
Nov 01, 2021•55 min
