Swisscast With Suhaib Webb

Drake's video for "God's Plan" is powerful, showing him giving away nearly $1 million throughout the city of Miami. It is moving; the artist said, "It is the most important thing I've ever done." And while it has generally received praise from pundits, fans and religious leaders, some voiced concerns with it. I address that and more in this podcast.

Scholars of Islam noted that the first stop on the path to a relationship with God is being "Woke." Woke is a term organizers popularized, especially since the presidential election of 2017. What is Islam's idea of woke, what are its components, guidelines, and potentials? SwissCast #2 al-Ghazzali on Being Woke قُلْ إِنَّمَا أَعِظُكُمْ بِوَاحِدَةٍ أَنْ تَقُومُوا لِلَّهِ مَثْنَى وَفُرَادَى ثُمَّ تَتَفَكَّرُوا مَا بِصَاحِبِكُمْ مِنْ جِنَّةٍ إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا نَذِيرٌ لَكُمْ بَيْنَ يَدَيْ عَذَابٍ شَدِيدٍ “Say, I’m only here to awaken you: to arise for Allah two or one of you.” Qur’an 34:46 Sh. Al-Harari الْيَقَظَة من سنة الْغَفْلَة والنهوض من ورطة الفترة “Woke from negligence and falling into destructive weakness.” Being Woke is the First Station of Worship فَأَوَّلُ مَنَازِلِ الْعُبُودِيَّةِ الْيَقَظَةُ وَهِيَ انْزِعَاجُ الْقَلْبِ لِرَوْعَةِ الِانْتِبَاهِ مِنْ رَقْدَةِ الْغَافِلِينَ، وَلِلَّهِ مَا أَنْفَعَ هَذِهِ الرَّوْعَةَ، وَمَا أَعْظَمَ قَدْرَهَا وَخَطَرَهَا، وَمَا أَشَدَّ إِعَانَتَهَا عَلَى السُّلُ

In this lesson, Suhaib Webb starts the section on the destructive habits of the soul by addressing the triggers of Satan and one of the most important indicators of a sound heart: speech.

Populism is like any tool; it can be used for good, and it can be used for bad. In this khutbah, I address a few prophetic strategies to address the toxic populism of used by irresponsible politicians, journalists and activists.

Conversations around guns having taken an intense turn since early February. In this episode I address that along with the misapplication of a religious axiom, often used by the misinformed to harm women.

Why are knowledge and the intellect so important in Islam? What are the divisions of knowledge and what it its purpose? In this lesson, Suhaib Webb unpacks the wisdom of Imam al-Ghazzali and Imam ibn al-Jawzi in examining those important questions.

The Quran’s first chapter, the Opener represents a gateway to a purpose driven life, rooted in learning, faith, worship, and character. In this first reflection, Suhaib Webb helps us enter into a relationship with this chapter that helps us start a relationship with faith and scripture.

In this week's Friday sermon, I addressed some lessons we derive from rain, why standing up for the undocumented is important, and an Islamic position on gun control?

Professional challenges, as well as a toxic religious environment, compelled al-Ghazzali to write his most famous work. How would he react to today's life? A life filled with opulence, shallow religious analysis, and divisions? How do we calibrate a concern for our soul in an age where some are claiming the soul does not exist?