Welcome Home Podcast
By Taleef
Welcome Home Podcast Jun 28, 2022
The People’s Pain - Encampments & Protest
Join Dr. Ali Dia, Dr. Will Caldwell, and Mike Swies as they delve into the topic of student encampments and ongoing protests sweeping across America and beyond. In this episode, they discuss the influence of the anti-war movement on the dawah sphere, the alarming rise of new anti-free speech legislation, and draw compelling parallels between today’s events and the era of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW). Tune in for insightful analysis and thought-provoking discussion on these pressing issues.
Being Muslim: Conclusion
In the concluding class of Being Muslim, we end with a reminder that we already know God--and that everything we have learned together is simply practical knowledge to help along the path to Him.
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Being Muslim: Jihad
Why would a religion have anything to say about physical violence? In this class, we discuss jihad in all its forms, including militant jihad, and why the shariah has rulings on it.
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Being Muslim: Dealing with Anxiety and Depression
This topic was suggested to us by some of our students. Here we discuss anxiety and depression, their relationship to the spiritual path, and some practical (non-medical!) tips for dealing with them according to Dr. Will's own experience.
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Being Muslim: Why We Fast
We know that God commands us to fast during the month of Ramadan. Last we learned how to fast during this month. This week, we discuss the meaning of the fast and what it does for us spiritually.
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Being Muslim: Keeping Ties with Kin
Navigating family ties after embracing the religion is one of the most difficult challenges new Muslims face. In this class, we discuss how to do so with Prophetic etiquette and cultural sensitivity.
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Being Muslim: Financial Transactions
Money without interest is inconceivable in our economy. However, interest, or riba, is something the shariah absolutely forbids. We discuss why this is, how it can be possible, and the alternatives Islam offers us.
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Being Muslim: Gender and Sexuality
Islam's prescriptions on gender are rooted in the objective of preserving family and facilitating justice between men and women. In this class, we explore how this works in practice by looking at inheritance law.
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Being Muslim: Lifestyle: Food and Drink
Most are familiar with Islam's prohibition on pork and alcohol. In this class we discuss these prohibitions in the context of preserving intellect, as well as the command to consume what is both permissible and wholesome.
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Being Muslim: The Objectives of Sharia
"Shariah" literally translates to "a path that leads to water." It is the set of life-giving rules and regulations Muslims live by. In this class, we review the five judgements of the shariah and discuss the objectives of our divine law.
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Being Muslim: Holidays: The Day of Jumuah & The Mawlid
Holidays are sanctuaries that God places within time. They are opportunities to draw near to God in ways that we cannot throughout the rest of the week, month, or year. In this class, we discuss the most frequent holiday we have as Muslims, the day of Jumuah, or Friday. We touch on the virtues of this day and some Prophetic practices we can implement to take advantage of its blessings. We also discuss the Mawlid, or celebration of the Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ birth.
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Being Muslim: The Qur'an
The Qur'an defies many of our expectations of scripture. How we read it is just as important as what we read within it. This class reintroduces the Qur'an, along with many of its most prominent themes.
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Being Muslim: Muhammad and the Lineage of Prophets
The Qur'an tells us that the description of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is found in previous scriptures. In this class we look at what the Bible may have to say about the Messenger of God so that we may understand where the Messenger of God ﷺ fits into the lineage of Prophets.
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Being Muslim: Prophetic Characteristics
The Shama'il are those narrations about the Prophet ﷺ that give us insight into his characteristics as a husband, friend, leader, or father. This class takes selections from the Shama'il regarding his physical appearance, generosity, companionship, and more.
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Being Muslim: Introduction to the Prophet Muhammad
We begin the chapter on the Messenger of God ﷺ, his life, and characteristics by talking about the relationship of love that Muslims are called to cultivate for him. Muhammad is God's Beloved, and for that reason, we ask God to make him beloved to us.
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Being Muslim: Saving Virtues
Following up on the previous class, we discuss those habits and tendencies that, if we cultivate them, take us straight to God. We focus on the virtues that we are most in need of today.
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Being Muslim: Destructive Vices
This class focuses upon those habits and tendencies that, if we allow them free reign, pull us away from ourselves and away from God. We focus on the most prevalent vices found in our society today as well as their cures.
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Being Muslim: Spiritual Refinement
In this class, we begin the chapter on Ihsan, or "spiritual refinement," the final dimension of religion. We discuss Islam's understanding of spirituality and some of the key concepts of our spiritual life, such as the lower and higher selves, the heart, and human nature.
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Being Muslim: Who is Allah?
What does it mean to testify that there is no God worthy of worship except Allah? In this class we will talk about Allah, the subject of the first statement of our shahada, and what it means to live by this testimony.
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Being Muslim: Hajj
The pilgrimage to Makkah is the journey of our lifetimes. In this class, we discuss how the Hajj was established, what it can teach us about the journey of life, and provide a modern example from the famous letter of Malcolm X.
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Being Muslim: Ramadan
The month of fasting is our yearly spiritual retreat. It is our opportunity to rest from the world and recalibrate our spiritual senses. In this class, we discuss the connection between fasting and God-consciousness as well as Ramadan's role as the month of the Quran.
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Being Muslim: Zakah
The annual charity that eligible Muslims are required to pay gives us a look into Islam's social vision for humanity. We discuss its spiritual benefits along with the effect that it is intended to have on communities where it is collected and distributed.
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Being Muslim: Salah - The Five Daily Prayers
The five daily prayers are the pillars of our lives of worship. They are our greatest opportunity to draw nearer to God on a daily basis. This class discusses the importance of prayer as a comfort in our lives as well as how it puts us in touch with God's creation. Join our classes https://www.taleefcollective.org/events
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Unmosqued To Remosqued With Imam Ahmed Deeb
Join Dr. Ali Dia, Dr. Will Caldwell, and Mike Swies as they interview Imam Ahmed Deeb about his groundbreaking project, “Remosqued." Explore how this initiative seeks to better understand the needs of American masjids, alongside insights into community psychology. Don't miss this engaging discussion on reshaping Islamic community spaces.
Ramadan For the Ages - Episode 1
In our inaugural episode of "Ramadan, For the Ages," Dr. Ali Dia delivers a compelling perspective on the significance of fostering a global Ramadan experience. With heartfelt insights, Dr. Dia illuminates our collective responsibility to stand in solidarity with the ummah during challenging times. Join us as we embark on a journey to deepen our understanding and commitment to making this Ramadan truly impactful for believers worldwide. Together, let's embrace the spirit of unity and compassion as we navigate through the sacred month.
Support Ta’leef this Ramadan: https://www.taleefcollective.org/donate
Our goal this Ramadan is to keep Ta’leef’s work going to many more individuals. Support us by helping us reach our Ramadan goal of $600,000. Ta’leef’s yearly budget is $1M across both campuses and we need your support to keeping the vision going and the doors open!
Coffee Shops & Dawah
This week, Dr. Ali Dia, Dr. Will Caldwell, and Mike Swies explore the rich relationship between coffee and Islam. Tune in to discover the fascinating role Muslim coffee shops play in shaping contemporary American culture.
God, Football & Swifties
Join Dr. Ali Dia, Dr. Will Caldwell, and Mike Swies for an in-depth look at the role pop culture plays in America. In an age of secularism, what does the human heart turn to? And what could culture look like if God was embraced?
TikTok Shahadas & Palestine
Take a deeper look at the inner-workings at Ta’leef with an informal discussion at Brewpoint Cafe on Nov. 22nd. Our Executive Director, Dr. Ali Dia and our Director of Education, Dr. Will Caldwell discuss “Tiktok Shahadas and Palestine.”
This is a sneak peek before completing the final phases of our in-house Ta’leef podcast studio. We hope you can join and follow for more!
Disclaimer: This discussion was recorded before Elon Musk’s visit with Netanyahu.
Ramadan Series 2023: Ramadan Worship(ed)
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Ramadan Series 2023: A Very Marry Ramadan
Donate Now: https://www.taleefcollective.org/donate Join us for a discussion about creating a sense of culture and nostalgia around Ramadan. How do we as a community move the needle forward, while still maintaining our own authentic expression of this blessed month. Last but certainly not least, how do we create a real experience of celebration with our children in these blessed times. Our goal this Ramadan is to keep Ta'leef's work going and to "Welcome Home" many more individuals. Support us by helping us reach our Ramadan goal of $500K. Ta'leef's yearly budget is 1M across both campuses and we need your support to keeping the vision going and the doors open!
Ramadan Series 2023: Ramadan Blues
Donate: https://www.taleefcollective.org/donate Anxiety and depression seem to be more wide spread in todays society. Join our very own Will Caldwell, Umair Haseeb, and Ali Dia in a discussion on how we navigate feelings of sadness in Ramadan, what it was like for the companions in their first Ramadan after the passing of The Prophet ﷺ, how even Prophets and messengers dealt with sadness, and much much more! Our goal this Ramadan is to keep Ta'leef's work going and to "Welcome Home" many more individuals. Support us by helping us reach our Ramadan goal of $500K. Ta'leef's yearly budget is 1M across both campuses and we need your support to keeping the vision going and the doors open!
Ramadan Series 2023: A.I. Ramadan
Join Ali Dia, Will Caldwell, and Mike Swies for a crucial discussion on artificial intelligence and how some modern technologies might affect our framework and expectations in times like Ramadan. Taking the conversation from artificial intelligence to artificial Iman. Flipping the script on the meaning of A.I. Our goal this Ramadan is to keep Ta'leef's work going and to "Welcome Home" many more individuals. Support us by helping us reach our Ramadan goal of $500,000.00. Ta'leef's yearly budget is $1,000,000.00 across both campuses and we need your support to keeping the vision going and the doors open!
Donate: https://www.taleefcollective.org/donate
Word to the Wise: Taj Al Arus: Where Will You Find Goodness?- continued
Ibn Ata’illah al-Skandari’s Taj al-Arus, or The Bridegroom’s Crown: Containing Instructions on Refining the Self, is a timeless manual of practical spirituality for Muslims of all backgrounds. It contains 345 aphorisms with which Ibn Ata’illah provides guidance on rectifying oneself by cultivating a deep sense of gratitude toward God. He gives advice on everything from the futility of relying on our own capabilities, rather than God’s, to practical matters such as eating and keeping good company. This installment of our series, Word to the Wise, will provide an accessible, two-year exploration of the spiritual tradition of Islam that is grounded in the Book of God and the example of His Messenger ﷺ.
Subscribe to our channel to get notified when each new class is added.
Join our classes https://www.taleefcollective.org/events
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Being Muslim: Ritual Purity
Ritual purity--the practices of wudu and ghusl--prepare us for nearly all of our acts of worship. In this class, our teacher Umair Haseeb explains the different types of purification, with a demonstration of wudu.
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Word to the Wise: Taj Al Arus: Where Will You Find Goodness?
Ibn Ata’illah al-Skandari’s Taj al-Arus, or The Bridegroom’s Crown: Containing Instructions on Refining the Self, is a timeless manual of practical spirituality for Muslims of all backgrounds. It contains 345 aphorisms with which Ibn Ata’illah provides guidance on rectifying oneself by cultivating a deep sense of gratitude toward God. He gives advice on everything from the futility of relying on our own capabilities, rather than God’s, to practical matters such as eating and keeping good company. This installment of our series, Word to the Wise, will provide an accessible, two-year exploration of the spiritual tradition of Islam that is grounded in the Book of God and the example of His Messenger ﷺ. Subscribe to our channel to get notified when each new class is added. Join our classes https://www.taleefcollective.org/events Subscribe to our podcast https://www.taleefcollective.org/podcast Donate https://www.taleefcollective.org/donate
Word to the Wise: Decency on God for Knowledge
This series is covering Imam Ghazali’s book "Dear Beloved Son" with Ubaydullah Evans. The letters in this book provide a concise summary of topics like knowledge, intention, and companionship. Each contains timeless wisdom, spiritual knowledge, and practical advice on how we can best use our time in this world beneficially.
Subscribe to our channel to get notified when each new class is added.
Join our classes https://www.taleefcollective.org/events
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Being Muslim: The Five Judgements of the Shariah
"Shariah" is a term that evokes various feelings from different people. This class talks about what the shariah is, what it is not, and how it gives us a language to navigate our lives of worship and day-to-day affairs.
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Being Muslim: The Divine Decree
The divine decree, commonly thought of as "predestination," is the last of our articles of faith. We discuss why this belief is actually a middle path between absolute determinism and free will, as well as its essential role in completing our understanding of God's Oneness.
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Word to the Wise: Taj Al Arus: Types of Emulation
Ibn Ata’illah al-Skandari’s Taj al-Arus, or The Bridegroom’s Crown: Containing Instructions on Refining the Self, is a timeless manual of practical spirituality for Muslims of all backgrounds. It contains 345 aphorisms with which Ibn Ata’illah provides guidance on rectifying oneself by cultivating a deep sense of gratitude toward God. He gives advice on everything from the futility of relying on our own capabilities, rather than God’s, to practical matters such as eating and keeping good company. This installment of our series, Word to the Wise, will provide an accessible, two-year exploration of the spiritual tradition of Islam that is grounded in the Book of God and the example of His Messenger ﷺ.
Subscribe to our channel to get notified when each new class is added.
Join our classes https://www.taleefcollective.org/events
Subscribe to our podcast https://www.taleefcollective.org/podcast
Donate https://www.taleefcollective.org/donate
Word to the Wise: Components to Worship
This series is covering Imam Ghazali’s book "Dear Beloved Son" with Ubaydullah Evans. The letters in this book provide a concise summary of topics like knowledge, intention, and companionship. Each contains timeless wisdom, spiritual knowledge, and practical advice on how we can best use our time in this world beneficially.
Subscribe to our channel to get notified when each new class is added.
Join our classes https://www.taleefcollective.org/events
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Being Muslim: The Last Day
The day of judgement is a reality that God commands us to believe in. It shows us that everything that has a beginning has an end, that life has meaning that transcends this world, and that there is an unseen reality to everything we do in this life. In this class we go through some descriptions of that day given to us by the Messenger of God ﷺ
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Word to the Wise: Taj Al Arus: Repentance
Ibn Ata’illah al-Skandari’s Taj al-Arus, or The Bridegroom’s Crown: Containing Instructions on Refining the Self, is a timeless manual of practical spirituality for Muslims of all backgrounds. It contains 345 aphorisms with which Ibn Ata’illah provides guidance on rectifying oneself by cultivating a deep sense of gratitude toward God. He gives advice on everything from the futility of relying on our own capabilities, rather than God’s, to practical matters such as eating and keeping good company. This installment of our series, Word to the Wise, will provide an accessible, two-year exploration of the spiritual tradition of Islam that is grounded in the Book of God and the example of His Messenger ﷺ.
Subscribe to our channel to get notified when each new class is added.
Join our classes https://www.taleefcollective.org/events
Subscribe to our podcast https://www.taleefcollective.org/podcast
Donate https://www.taleefcollective.org/donate
Word to the Wise: Components of Sincerity
This series covers Imam Al Ghazali’s book "Dear Beloved Son" The letters in this book provide a concise summary of topics like knowledge, intention, and companionship. Each contains timeless wisdom, spiritual knowledge, and practical advice on how we can best use our time in this world beneficially. Subscribe to our channel to get notified when each new class is added.
Join our classes https://www.taleefcollective.org/events
Subscribe to our podcast https://www.taleefcollective.org/podcast
Donate https://www.taleefcollective.org/donate
Being Muslim: Books and Messengers
Revelation from God has been a constant throughout human history. These two articles of faith, belief in God's books and His messengers, tells us something important about God: that we wants goodness for all of us. Likewise it has important lessons for us on basic human commonality as well as God's acknowledgement of our differences.
Join our classes https://www.taleefcollective.org/events
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Word to the Wise: Taj Al Arus: Introduction to the Refinement of Souls
Ibn Ata’illah al-Skandari’s Taj al-Arus, or The Bridegroom’s Crown: Containing Instructions on Refining the Self, is a timeless manual of practical spirituality for Muslims of all backgrounds. It contains 345 aphorisms with which Ibn Ata’illah provides guidance on rectifying oneself by cultivating a deep sense of gratitude toward God. He gives advice on everything from the futility of relying on our own capabilities, rather than God’s, to practical matters such as eating and keeping good company. This installment of our series, Word to the Wise, will provide an accessible, two-year exploration of the spiritual tradition of Islam that is grounded in the Book of God and the example of His Messenger ﷺ.
Subscribe to our channel to get notified when each new class is added.
Join our classes https://www.taleefcollective.org/events
Subscribe to our podcast https://www.taleefcollective.org/podcast
Donate https://www.taleefcollective.org/donate
Word to the Wise: Etiquettes of a Student
This series covers Imam Al Ghazali’s book "Dear Beloved Son" The letters in this book provide a concise summary of topics like knowledge, intention, and companionship. Each contains timeless wisdom, spiritual knowledge, and practical advice on how we can best use our time in this world beneficially. Subscribe to our channel to get notified when each new class is added.
Join our classes https://www.taleefcollective.org/events
Subscribe to our podcast https://www.taleefcollective.org/podcast
Donate https://www.taleefcollective.org/donate
Being Muslim: Angels
This is the first of our classes on the six articles of faith. We begin by discussing why Muslims are commanded to believe in certain realities beyond God and His Messenger, and how each of these leads us to a fuller belief in God. In this class we begin with angels, the most numerous of God's creations.
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Word to the Wise: Taj Al Arus: Intro
Ibn Ata’illah al-Skandari’s Taj al-Arus, or The Bridegroom’s Crown: Containing Instructions on Refining the Self, is a timeless manual of practical spirituality for Muslims of all backgrounds. It contains 345 aphorisms with which Ibn Ata’illah provides guidance on rectifying oneself by cultivating a deep sense of gratitude toward God. He gives advice on everything from the futility of relying on our own capabilities, rather than God’s, to practical matters such as eating and keeping good company. This installment of our series, Word to the Wise, will provide an accessible, two-year exploration of the spiritual tradition of Islam that is grounded in the Book of God and the example of His Messenger ﷺ.
Subscribe to our channel to get notified when each new class is added.
Join our classes https://www.taleefcollective.org/events
Subscribe to our podcast https://www.taleefcollective.org/podcast
Donate https://www.taleefcollective.org/donate
Being Muslim: Ramadan Prep 2: Meanings of Ramadan
In preparation for the month of Ramadan, we take a break from our regular lessons to understand the significance of the this blessed month and how we may use it to draw nearer to our Creator.
Word to the Wise: Exemplars of Knowledge - Part 2
This series covers Imam Al Ghazali’s book "Dear Beloved Son" The letters in this book provide a concise summary of topics like knowledge, intention, and companionship. Each contains timeless wisdom, spiritual knowledge, and practical advice on how we can best use our time in this world beneficially. Subscribe to our channel to get notified when each new class is added.
Join our classes https://www.taleefcollective.org/events
Subscribe to our podcast https://www.taleefcollective.org/podcast
Donate https://www.taleefcollective.org/donate