The later part of Ibn Taymiyyah’s life saw continued invasions from Mongol Hordes from the outside, and a battle against Sufi mystics in his own society. And for the man himself, it was defined by a continuation of one thing more than any other: a zeal against irreligion. While confronting the Mamluk Sultan and preaching anti-Mongol fatwas, he cemented himse ... Show More
Oct 13
We’re Addicted to Security, and It’s Destroying Us
In this latest Conflicted Conversation, Ruben Andersson, professor of social anthropology at Oxford University's Department of International Development, discusses his new book Age of Security: The Rise of a Global Obsession. For deeper dives and world-class Q&As with Aimen Dean, ... Show More
1h 14m
Jan 2018
Al Ghazali and Ibn Taymiyyah
In our last episode of the season we wrap up the intellectual history of Islam by examining how the orthodoxies that we discussed in the previous episode were popularized. We talk about the emerging class of legal scholars called the ulema, the madhabs of Hanafi, Maliki, Shaif, a ... Show More
51m 27s
Jul 2017
Crusades, Jihad, & End of the Caliphate
This episode focuses on the way Islam was shaped by the experience of the crusades. We talk about the historical development of the concept of “jihad” and how it was defined over time. Providing a brief overview of the major events of the first and second crusades, we talk about ... Show More
46m 53s
Jul 2017
Popular Sufism, Ottomans, and Safavids
In this episode we explore how Muslims experience the fall of the Caliphate and how in turn Islam is shaped by the historical circumstances. Building upon the scholarly Islam developed by the Seljuks, we talk about the fusion of internal spirituality in the form of Sufism with or ... Show More
41m 20s
May 2025
Saladin: The Righteousness of the Faith
Saladin, one of the best known generals of the Middle Ages, led the Muslim military’s campaign during the Third Crusade. And won. In hindsight, he was renowned in both the Muslim and Christian worlds, he was a fierce protector of Islam who helped shape the modern Middle East. Sup ... Show More
39m 25s
Mar 2024
The UAE's Bloody War in Sudan with Sami Hamdi
Join our Patreon to get access to exclusive monthly Zoom calls: https://www.patreon.com/TheThinkingMuslimAt the time where our attention is fixed on Gaza, rightly, another conflict is taking place with horrendous cost to human life. Sadly As always, our ummah has become subject t ... Show More
1 h
May 2024
Amr ibn al-As (ra): From Rafah to Egypt
<p>From his moments of opposing the Prophet ﷺ in practically every battle of Islam, and his seeking to remove the one place of refuge for the Muslims in Abyssinia, Amr (ra) doesn’t just turn a corner and embrace Islam, but he spreads it to Egypt and many places of the world inclu ... Show More
1h 19m