Journey Tellers

Join M Hadi and Ali as they sit down with Azfar Khan, a content creator with over a billion views across Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. Learn how he reinvented Desi and Muslim cultural humor to appeal to younger generations, and the tricks he used to continuously grow his audience.

Join us as we dive into the journey of Irfan Rydhan, founder of HalalFest in the Bay Area. From architectural design to organizing some of the most significant Muslim community events, Irfan shares how his passion for media and community service evolved into a successful venture. Discover the challenges and triumphs that shaped his path, and learn why getting involved in your community can make al...

Join Hisham Abdelfattah, owner and executive chef of El Halal Amigos and partner at Willow Street Pizza, as he shares his incredible journey from a young dishwasher to a renowned chef. This episode explores the challenges, triumphs, and inspirations behind his unique approach to making Halal Mexican food and beyond. 🔗 Find Us • Available on all major podcast platforms: https://journeytellers.org/...

Join M Hadi and Hasan as they sit down with Fatima Ali, who shares her fascinating journey from growing up in the Bay Area to becoming a software engineer with internships at Google, Apple, and Twitter; and now making her mark at a startup called Tome. This episode is a testament to the impact of mentorship, perseverance, and the role of identity in shaping a fulfilling career in technology.

Join M Hadi and Ali as they dive into Zain Zaidi's journey from electrical engineering to launching a groundbreaking startup. Discover how Zain's passion for technology and finance drove him to innovate in the fintech space, aiming to make data verification accessible and empowering individuals with control over their own information. This episode explores the challenges and triumphs of en...

In this episode, join Naseem Rangwala, an internal medicine resident at UCSF, as she shares her unique journey from public health at Berkeley to medical school at UCLA, and now to her residency. Naseem discusses the challenges of merging her medical career with her commitment to public health and community outreach, the impact of COVID-19 on her education, and how she navigated personal and profes...

Join M Hadi and Ali as they sit down with Br. Jawad Almamori and discuss escaping Iraq, surviving a refugee camp for four years, and building a life in America. For more details on ABSA, its initiatives, and how you can get involved, visit https://www.absanetwork.com/ 🤝 CREDITS • Hosted by M Hadi and Ali • Featuring Jawad Almamori • Filmed in Kisa Studios 🔗 LINKS • Available on all major podcast...

Join M Hadi, Ali, and Raza, as they discuss important topics including the best and worst of education, a Stanford internship, community service, lowering the stakes, and the power of the word "yet". Be prepared to be entertained and educated through this episode of the Journey Tellers podcast, brought to you by ABSA Network. For more details on ABSA, its initiatives, and how you can get...

Join M Hadi and Ali as they speak with Eman Abdul-Razzak, who's the lighting technical director at Pixar, and learn the behind the scenes of what goes into making a Pixar film special. 🤝 CREDITS • Hosted by M Hadi and Ali Almathkur • Featuring Eman Abdul-Razzak • Filmed in Kisa Studios • Special thanks to Al-Kisa Foundation, Aalyan Aamir, and Fatima Hadi 🔗 LINKS • Eman Abdul-Razzak: https://...

Join us as we speak with Muzaffer Khan who was one of the original founders of SABA Islamic Center, 43 years ago. We speak about living in Iran during the revolution, moving to the US, founding SABA, leaving the board, starting a bookstore, and so much more. 🤝 CREDITS • Hosted by M Hadi and Ali Almathkur • Featuring Muzaffer Ali Khan • Filmed in Kisa Studios • Special thanks to Al-Kisa Foundation...

Join M Hadi and Ali as they sit down for an engaging conversation with Abbas Mohamed, a talented content creator, podcaster, and the founder of the Halal Foodies group with over 28,000 members. Together, they dive into Abbas's childhood adventures, the story behind GAMA (Gathering All Muslim Artists), his culinary journey, and his personal love for hotpot. Get ready for an insightful and enjoy...

Join M Hadi and Ali as they learn from Mir Aamir about his journey, from growing up in Pakistan to becoming the CEO of two groundbreaking companies. 🤝 CREDITS • Hosted by M Hadi and Ali Almathkur • Featuring Mir Aamir • Filmed in Kisa Studios • Special thanks to Al-Kisa Foundation, Aalyan Aamir, and Fatima Hadi 🔗 LINKS • Mir Aamir: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mir-aamir-00606a85/ • Fulfil Solutio...

AI - it’s, literally, everywhere. Your friends use it, your teachers and employers ban you from using it, and you might think it’ll take over the world. But to find out what it really is, we sat down with Hugging Face’s research lead, Nazneen Rajani, and asked, what is AI? How is it helpful? How is it dangerous? Will it take over the world? And so much more. Welcome to season 2 of the Journey Tell...

What happens when punk rock music and Islam collide? For David Coolidge, it meant a journey of self-discovery, faith, and scholarship. From his early days in Chicago, to his pursuit of a PhD in Islamic studies, David's journey as a revert to Islam is one that will challenge your assumptions about what it means to be Muslim in America. We hope you enjoy this episode of the Journey Tellers podca...

An Arabic teacher, an MMA coach, a chef, a reciter, an educator, and a man of many talents. You may have heard his name, but do you truly know the person behind it all? This is Mahdi Falahati, a remarkable individual whose life journey spans across continents, cultures, and careers. In this episode of the Journey Tellers podcast, we dive deep into the stories that have shaped his unique experience...

A life-changing friendship, leading to a newfound faith - this is Natima Nelly, a dedicated lawyer and a proud convert to Islam. And today, we learn from her journey to faith, and discover the importance of true friendship. Welcome to the Journey Tellers podcast. Hosted by M Hadi and Ali Almathkur Featuring Natima Neily Filmed in Kisa Studios 💸 Help support the podcast to help bring better conten...

For him, high school was not worth finishing. But he also dropped out of college. Why did he do it? How did he convince his parents? He had to prove that he had a goal. He had a vision. In today's episode, we talk to Ali Mir, also known as Ishraq Abidi. We learn how he set out on a journey to make his dreams a reality. Hosted by M Hadi and Ali Almathkur Featuring Ali Mir Filmed in Kisa Studios...

Starting a business at the age of 15 - it might seem tough. But most good entrepreneurs start at a young age. On today's episode, we interview Ahmad Ahmadzia. He’s a coach with a lot of stories to tell. And together, we learn from the journeys that he’s taken so far. Welcome to the Journey Tellers podcast, with your hosts, M Hadi and Ali Almathkur. 💸 Help support the podcast to help bring bet...