The AMI Podcast

Al-Mahdi Institute
  • 4.4 (5)
  • Islam
  • Updated fortnightly

AMI Podcasts explore a range of different topics including the latest cutting-edge research within the field of Islamic Studies, book reviews by prominent authors and academics, and discussions among scholars of diverse faiths and denominations within Islam.

  1. Ashura in a Wartime World: Karbala, Resistance & Geopolitics with Zahra Ladha | Thinking Islam Ep.16

    1 day ago

    Ashura in a Wartime World: Karbala, Resistance & Geopolitics with Zahra Ladha | Thinking Islam Ep.16

    How can a 7th-century tragedy like Karbala still shape the way millions understand war, injustice and resistance today?In this episode of Thinking Islam, we explore the enduring power of Ashura and the story of Karbala across Iran, Iraq, and Lebanon. The conversation begins with the idea of Karbala as ever-present, a story lived rather than merely remembered, woven into names, daily speech, and a shared moral language of standing with the oppressed. We consider how rituals are politicised from the bottom up rather than simply imposed from above, the meeting of nationalism, martyrdom, and religion, and how the latmiya has shifted from a language of mourning into one of mobilisation and resistance in a time of war.We also look at the impact of social media on how a new generation engages with pilgrimage and ritual, and ask whether Karbala is becoming the lens through which all political struggle is understood. Throughout, the discussion returns to a central insight: no one owns the narrative of Karbala, and its meaning is constantly negotiated between states, communities, and individuals.Zahra Ladha is a Middle East analyst and writer. Fluent in Arabic and Persian and holding an MSc in Modern Middle Eastern Studies from the University of Oxford, her research focuses on Iran, Iraq, transnational Shiism, and Muslim diasporas. Her reporting examines the intersection of ritual, politics, and collective memory across the region.Audio Chapters: 0:00 – Highlights 3:07 – Ever-Present Karbala 7:35 – The Politicisation of Rituals 13:50 – Muharram in Iran vs Iraq 16:14 – Latmiya, Resistance & the Ashura Narrative 25:29 – Karbala & Social Media 29:35 – Karbala & Geopolitics 37:56 – Memory, Politics & Ritual 42:34 – Thinking Islam Question

    44 min

  2. 2 days ago

    What Was Modern Islamic Art? Empire, Resistance, and the Hidden | Prof. William Gallois | Seminar

    Was there such a thing as modern Islamic art? In this seminar, delivered at Al-Mahdi Institute on 29th April 2026, Professor Gallois challenges the dominant view that colonialism brought Islamic visual culture to an end. Instead, he argues that the colonial period produced some of the most sophisticated and spiritually rich art in Islamic history — much of it deliberately hidden from imperial eyes.In this seminar, you'll discover:- Why aniconism (the avoidance of the human figure) is largely a 19th-century Western invention, not a timeless feature of Islam- How the Murīdiyya Sufi order in Senegal turned image-making into direct anti-colonial resistance — and why French authorities ordered Islamic engravings destroyed- The hidden fifth dome in a Tunisian watercolour later appropriated by Paul Klee, and what it reveals about the Islamic concept of the bāṭin (the hidden)- Why Muḥammad ʻAbduh's famous 1904 fatwā on images may have narrowed rather than enriched Islamic visual culture- How Muslim artists encoded religious identity in plain sight — in marketplace domes, reverse glass paintings, and devotional imagery — under conditions of empire🎓 Professor William Gallois is a historian at the University of Exeter's Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies, specialising in colonial history, violence, and Islamic visual culture.

    52 min
  3. Shi'a Islam in Colonial India with Prof. Justin Jones | Thinking Islam Ep.15

    29 May

    Shi'a Islam in Colonial India with Prof. Justin Jones | Thinking Islam Ep.15

    Were the Shi'as of colonial India at the periphery of the Shi'i religious universe, or did they develop an autonomous identity of their own? What were their hopes and fears about the creation of Pakistan?In this episode of Thinking Islam, we explore the themes of Professor Justin Jones's landmark book Shi'a Islam in Colonial India. The conversation begins by challenging the assumption that Iran and the shrine cities of Iraq form the sole heartland of Shi'ism, and traces the indigenous character of Indian Shi'ism after the fall of Awadh in 1856. We discuss the rise of madrasas, the different categories of ulama and Indian mujtahids who provided autonomous leadership without always looking westward, the consolidation of the Shi'a as a distinct qaum rather than a firqa, and the question of political quietism in their relationship with the British Raj. The discussion then turns to the Pakistan Movement, where Shi'a presence in the Muslim League sat uneasily alongside the deep apprehension that Pakistan would become a "Sunnistan," and the striking alliance between Indian Shi'as and Ambedkar's untouchable movement, where Imam Husain emerged as a universal model for social justice and the struggle against oppression.Professor Justin Jones is a historian of Islam in modern South Asia at the University of Oxford. His research focuses on religious revitalisation, the remaking of religious authority, and the social history of Muslim communities in the subcontinent. His work on Shi'i Islam has opened scholarly conversations on Shi'i religious thought, community formation, and politics from the fall of Awadh to independence in north India.Audio Chapters:0:00 – Highlights01:52 – Why Shi'a Islam in South Asia06:31 – Indian Shi'as in the Shi'i Religious Universe14:00 – Relation with Najaf and Qom25:00 – Role of Ulama and Mujtahids41:27 – Shi'as as a Separate Qaum55:10 – Shi'as and the Pakistan Movement1:03:30 – Imam Husain, Untouchables, & Freedom1:13:43 – Ghulats, Usulis, & Akhbaris in India1:22:00 – Decline of Shi'ism in India?1:32:11 – Thinking Islam Question

    1hr 36min
  4. Who Controls the Story of Power? Islamism & Narrative with Dr Fatemeh Sadeghi | Thinking Islam Ep.14

    16 Apr

    Who Controls the Story of Power? Islamism & Narrative with Dr Fatemeh Sadeghi | Thinking Islam Ep.14

    Is political power built on institutions or on the stories we choose to believe? What is Islamism, and how do political narratives shape power in the Muslim world? In this episode of Thinking Islam, Dr Fatemeh Sadeghi explores Islamism, political narratives, and how storytelling shapes political power and legitimacy. Drawing on both Islamic intellectual traditions and modern social theory, Dr Sadeghi examines how narratives do more than describe reality - they actively shape it. From early Islamic history, where hadith and sīra were used to legitimise authority, to contemporary movements such as Islamism and the far right, we uncover how political stories mobilise people through promises of justice, salvation, and belonging. We also examine the decline of Islamism as a compelling narrative, and the “melancholic condition” it has left behind in many Muslim societies—a space marked by disillusionment, yet still open to new possibilities. The conversation raises a profound question: if all political and even religious commitments are mediated through stories, what kinds of narratives are needed today to sustain hope, dignity, and meaningful collective life? Dr Fatemeh Sadeghi is a sociologist and political theorist at the UCL Institute for Global Prosperity. Her research explores political imagination, gender, and the role of narrative in shaping social order and legitimacy, offering a powerful lens for understanding the moral and political crises of our time. Audio Chapters: 00:00 - Highlights 01:20 - What is a Narrative? 03:05 - Political Narrative: Stories That Shape Power 06:39 - Two Kinds of Narratives 13:19 - Good vs Evil: ‘Us and Them’ 17:17 - Isn’t the Quran doing the same thing? 23:00 - Nostalgia as a Response to Colonialism 30:00 - Can some Narratives Cause more ‘Legitimacy’? 36:10 - Living Through a ‘Melancholic’ Moment 40:25 - Islamism Moved from Theology to Power 43:24 - What Comes After Islamism as a New Narrative? 48:30 - Who Creates Narratives when Knowledge is Democratised? 56:30 - New ‘Islam’ narratives are still grounded in Morality 01:00:50 - Thinking Islam Question

    1hr 3min

  5. 13 Apr

    Muslim Rights, Same-Sex Marriage & the Future of Tolerance by Prof. Robert Wintemute | Seminar

    Can Christian majority societies and Muslim communities find common ground on some of the most contested issues of our time?In this research seminar, Professor Robert Wintemute, Professor of Human Rights Law at King's College London, explores a compelling framework of reciprocal tolerance: if Christian-majority societies continue to legally protect visible Muslim religious practices, can Muslim communities in turn come to accept the secular legal recognition of same-sex marriage?Drawing on landmark case law from the UK, France, Canada, the United States, Germany, and South Africa, Professor Wintemute examines how courts have navigated the tension between institutional neutrality and religious accommodation — from disputes over the niqab and jilbab to the banning of religious symbols in French schools and Québec's public sector. He then turns to the rapid global expansion of same-sex marriage — now legal in 38 countries — and asks what a genuinely pluralistic society might look like when competing rights claims are taken seriously on all sides.Audio Chapters:00:00 Introduction03:12 Majority Acceptance of Visible Muslim Diversity03:24 The Birmingham Case That Changed UK Law10:41 Religious Accommodation in Canada, USA & South Africa13:51 France, Europe & the Secularism Debate24:48 Quebec: Canada's French Exception29:00 Give & Take: Same-Sex Marriage30:08 Criminalisation vs. Recognition Worldwide32:15 Muslim Acceptance of Secular Same-Sex Marriage

    36 min
  6. Why Imam Ali Still Matters: The Prophet’s Heir with Dr Hassan Abbas | Thinking Islam | Ep.13

    9 Mar

    Why Imam Ali Still Matters: The Prophet’s Heir with Dr Hassan Abbas | Thinking Islam | Ep.13

    Is Imam Ali a source of division or the grounds for friendship among Muslims?How did a man who asked that his killer's ropes be loosened in his dying moments become the most contested figure in Islamic history?In this episode of Thinking Islam, we explore Dr Hassan Abbas's acclaimed book, "The Prophet's Heir" through the lens of a policy maker and conflict resolution scholar. Drawing from both Shi'a and Sunni sources, Dr Abbas tells the story of Imam Ali not as a sectarian narrative but as a bridge between traditions. We examine the political dynamics of Saqifa, Ali's radical economic justice, the bias in Western scholarship of Islam, and the paradox of a warrior whose defining qualities were dialogue, selflessness, and forgiveness. In his final moments, struck by a poisoned sword, Ali asked that his killer be treated well, a measure of the justice and forgiveness that Dr Abbas argues makes Ali's legacy not a source of division but a possibility for renewal and unity.Dr Hassan Abbas is Distinguished Professor of International Relations at the National Defence University in Washington, D.C. and a senior adviser at Harvard University's Weatherhead Centre for International Affairs. His research focuses on countering political and religious extremism, rule-of-law reforms, and the intersections of security, politics, and faith in South Asia and the Middle East. "The Prophet's Heir: The Life of Ali ibn Abi Talib," published by Yale University Press, has been widely praised across traditions.Audio Chapters: 0:00 – Highlights 01:32 – Writing a Book on Imam Ali 8:04 – Using Both Shi'a and Sunni Sources 17:23 – The Bias in Western Scholarship 25:35 – An Uncritical Version of Imam Ali? 32:00 – Saqifa Through the Lens of a Policy Maker 43:47 – Did the Companions Fail the Test? 51:28 – Imam Ali as a Diplomat 56:45 – Imam Ali & Economic Justice 1:07:15 – Imam Ali, Dialogue & Egalitarianism 1:16:02 – Imam Ali's Legacy 1:21:05 – Thinking Islam Question

    1hr 24min
  7. Rumi and the Pure Heart: Reading the Qur’an Existentially with Dr Soroush | Thinking Islam | Ep.12

    20 Feb

    Rumi and the Pure Heart: Reading the Qur’an Existentially with Dr Soroush | Thinking Islam | Ep.12

    How does listening to the Qur'an differ from reading it? What does it mean to approach the Qur'an not with your mind but with your whole existence?In this episode of Thinking Islam, Dr Abdolkarim Soroush proposes an existential encounter with the Qur'an, one that asks us to set aside our assumptions and approach it not as a book of law or philosophy but as maw'iẓa (admonition) that speaks to the whole being. This conversation explores the difference between reading and listening, why Rumi's Mathnawi is called the Persian Qur'an, and what it means to have a pure heart as a precondition for understanding the Qur’an. We delve into how kufr in the Qur'an is not about non-belief but about arrogance before truth, and why, as Dr Soroush tells us, the companion according to Sufis is everything.Dr Abdolkarim Soroush is a distinguished philosopher of religion and a leading voice in Islamic intellectual reform. A Visiting Scholar at the University of Maryland and former Professor at the University of Tehran, he has held visiting positions at Harvard, Princeton, and Yale Universities. Dr Soroush is renowned for his influential work on prophetic experience and his contributions to contemporary Islamic philosophy and Qur'anic hermeneutics. Audio Chapters: 0:00 - Highlights 01:30 - Relation between Qur’an & Its Reader 07:20 - Uneven depth of the Qur’an 13:09 - Reading vs Listening to Qur’an 24:44 - Existential Reading of the Qur’an 32:36 - Losing the Sense of Maw’iza in Translation 39:33 - Rumi’s Mathnawi: A Persian Qur’an 44:50 - Pure Heart & Qur’an 49:17 - Love & Companionship 55:19 - Is Qur’an not a Kitab? 58:32 - Thinking Islam Question

    1hr 1min

  8. 26 Jan

    A People's History of Islam: Tales of Mystics, Pilgrims and the Ordinary by Dr Hassan Abbas

    Who writes Islamic history — empires and rulers, or ordinary believers?In this research seminar hosted by AMI on 14 January 2026, Dr Hassan Abbas presents insights from his forthcoming book project, A People’s History of Islam. Challenging state-centred and court-sponsored historiography, Dr Abbas explores Islam through the lived faith of pilgrims, mystics, poets, and everyday communities across centuries.Drawing on extensive travels to major pilgrimage sites — from Fez, Konya, and Baku to Lahore, Karbala, and Makkah — the seminar highlights how oral tradition, spirituality, and devotion preserve histories often absent from official archives. Dr Abbas also reflects on the role of mysticism alongside juridical tradition, the challenge of writing accessible yet rigorous scholarship, and the problem of sectarian framing in Western representations of Islam.Speaker:Dr Hassan Abbas is a Distinguished Professor of International Relations based in Washington, DC, and a Senior Advisor at Harvard University’s Project on Shi'ism and Global Affairs. He is the author of The Prophet’s Heir (Yale University Press) and several other widely cited works on Islam and global affairs.

    41 min
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About

AMI Podcasts explore a range of different topics including the latest cutting-edge research within the field of Islamic Studies, book reviews by prominent authors and academics, and discussions among scholars of diverse faiths and denominations within Islam.

Information

  • Creator
    Al-Mahdi Institute
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    323
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Al-Mahdi Institute
  • Show Website
    The AMI Podcast