
What is Taqqiyya?
17/12/2025 | 25 mins.
In this video, I explain the meaning of taqiyya in Islamic tradition & where it comes from. We look at its historical context, what scholars actually say about it historically and today.Find me and my music here:https://linktr.ee/filipholmSupport Let's Talk Religion on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/letstalkreligion Or through a one-time donation: https://paypal.me/talkreligiondonateSources/Recommended Reading:Hallaq, Wael (2004). "The Origins and Evolution of Islamic Law". Cambridge University Press. Hallaq, Wael (2009). "Sharia: Theory, Practice, Transformations". Cambridge University Press. Stewart, Devin (2013). "Dissimulation in Sunni Islam and Morisco Taqiyya*". AL-QANTARA, XXXIV 2, 2013, pp. 439-490.https://islamqa.org/hanafi/askimam/81133/?utm Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What is Sharia Law, Really?
23/11/2025 | 33 mins.
What is Sharia law, really? In this video, we break down the meaning of Sharia, explain where it comes from, and discuss some of the most misunderstandings you’ve probably heard online.Find me and my music here:https://linktr.ee/filipholmSupport Let's Talk Religion on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/letstalkreligion Or through a one-time donation: https://paypal.me/talkreligiondonateSources/Recommended Reading:Hallaq, Wael (2004). "The Origins and Evolution of Islamic Law". Cambridge University Press. Hallaq, Wael (2009). "Sharia: Theory, Practice, Transformations". Cambridge University Press. Kamali, Mohammad Hashim, 'Shariah: Meaning, Definition, History, and Sources', Shariah and the Halal Industry (New York, 2021; online edn, Oxford Academic, 19 Aug. 2021). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani & The Qadiri Sufi Order
23/11/2025 | 47 mins.
The Qadiriyya is often called the most widespread Sufi order in the world — but how did one 12th-century mystic in Baghdad inspire a global movement that still thrives today?This episode explores the life and legacy of Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani, the saint revered across the Muslim world as Ghaus al-A‘zam — “the greatest helper.”From medieval Baghdad to North Africa, Turkey, South Asia, and beyond, we trace how his teachings spread across continents, shaping Islamic spirituality for nearly 900 years.Find me and my music here:https://linktr.ee/filipholmSupport Let's Talk Religion on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/letstalkreligion Or through a one-time donation: https://paypal.me/talkreligiondonateSources/Recommended Reading:Abun-Nasr, Jamil M. (2007). "Muslim Communities of Grace: The Sufi Brotherhoods in Islamic Religious Life". C Hurst & Co Publishers Ltd.Knysh, Alexander (2012). "Islamic Mysticism: A Short History". BRILL. Malik, Hamza (2018). "The Grey Falcon: The Life and Teaching of Shaykh 'Abd Al-Qadir Al-Jilani". BRILL.Trimingham, John Spencer (1971). "Sufi Orders in Islam". Oxford University Press. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What is Alchemy?
05/11/2025 | 1h 3 mins.
Discover the fascinating history of alchemy — the ancient art that aimed to turn base metals into gold. From mystical experiments to the birth of modern chemistry, this video explores how alchemists shaped science, philosophy, and the human quest for knowledge.Find me and my music here:https://linktr.ee/filipholmSupport Let's Talk Religion on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/letstalkreligion Or through a one-time donation: https://paypal.me/talkreligiondonateSources/Recommended Reading:Abt, Theodore (ed.) (2007). "Corpus Alchemicum Arabicum: Book of the Explanation of the Symbols Kitab Hall Ar-Rumuz". Psychological Commentary by Marie-Louise Von Franz. Living Human Heritage Publications. Adamson, Peter (2021). "Al-Rāzī". Great Medieval Thinkers. OUP USA.Corriente, Federico & Ed Emery (translated by) (2004). "Twenty-seven Muwashshashaat and One Zajal by Ibn al-'Arabi of Murcia (1165-1240)". Dodge, Bayard (translated by) (1998). "The Fihrist: A 10th Century Ad Survey of Islamic Culture". Kazi Pubns Inc. Grimes, Shannon (2018). "Becoming Gold: Zosimos of Panopolis and the Alchemical Arts in Roman Egypt". Rubedo Press.Hirtenstein, Stephen (translated by) (2018). "The Alchemy of Human Happiness (Mystical Treatises of Muhyiddin Ibn 'Arabi)". Anqa Publishing.Principe, Lawrence (2013). "The Secrets of Alchemy". University of Chicago Press. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What Is a Ghoul? (The Terrifying Monster of Arabian Myth)
12/10/2025 | 27 mins.
Long before modern horror imagined zombies or demons, ancient Arabic folklore spoke of the Ghoul (غول) — a terrifying shape-shifting creature haunting deserts, ruins, and graveyards. In this video, we uncover the true origins of the Ghoul: its roots in pre-Islamic Arabian mythology, its transformation through Islamic tradition, and its lasting influence on global horror culture.Find me and my music here:https://linktr.ee/filipholmSupport Let's Talk Religion on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/letstalkreligion Or through a one-time donation: https://paypal.me/talkreligiondonateSources/Recommended Reading:Al-Rawi, Ahmed (2009). "The Mythical Ghoul in Arabic Culture". Article. The University of California.Al-Rawi, Ahmed (2009). "The Arabic Ghoul and its Western Transformation". Folklore 120 (December 2009): 291–306. Lebling, Robert & Tahir Shah (2014). "Legends of the Fire Spirits: Jinn and Genies from Arabia to Zanzibar. I.B. Tauris.Henninger, Joseph (2004). "Beliefs in Spirits among the Pre-Islamic Arabs". In "Magic and Divination in Early Islam". Edited by Emile Savage-Smith. Ashgate Publishing Company.Rašić, Dunja (2024). "Bedeviled: Jinn Doppelgangers in Islam and Akbarian Sufism". State University of New York Press."The Annotated Arabian Nights: Tales from 1001 Nights". Edited by Paulo Lemos Horta. Translated by Yasmine Seale. Liveright Publishing Corporation.Online version of Qazwini's "Wonders of Creation": https://shamela.ws/book/30006/310?utm_source=chatgpt.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.



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