The Middle Ground Podcast

﷽ 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...

﷽ 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...

﷽ 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 conversatio...

﷽ 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 b...

﷽ 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...

﷽ 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 fro...

﷽ 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 havin...

﷽ 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...

﷽ 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...

﷽ 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...

﷽ 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 a...

﷽ 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 وأ...

﷽ 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 Prop...

﷽ 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...

﷽ 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 Plac...

﷽ 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,...

﷽ 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...

﷽ 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 ep...

﷽ 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...

﷽ 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. 11 1: “They can never harm you (except for perhaps a l...

﷽ 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 : “Amon...

﷽ 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 progra...

﷽ 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...

﷽ 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 s...

﷽ 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...