The Side Room

Saf & Zoheb
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The Side Room is hosted by Saf and Zoheb, two brown Muslim men from different parts of the UK: one from the city, one from the suburbs. The name comes from the room you were sent to as a kid when the adults wanted to talk properly. Years later, those are still the conversations people avoid, or only have in private. This podcast is about life in Britain, from faith and family to race, culture, marriage, masculinity, friendships, work, community, and the things that come with growing up between different worlds. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. 1d ago

    Apparently, We're Not Allowed to Judge | Muslim Community, Charity Fraud & Hypocrisy

    The comment section has been busy, and Saf and Zoheb have a few things to say about it. This week, The Side Room does things a little differently. We're reacting to your comments, messages and stories, from people questioning the boys' manners to the age-old question: "Who are you to judge?" What starts with Bangladesh's banking crisis quickly turns into a conversation about hypocrisy, accountability and uncomfortable truths within the British Bangladeshi and Muslim communities. There's a cancer charity fraud scandal, a debate about parents turning a blind eye to their children's behaviour, religious double standards and some questionable stories about married men travelling abroad. But the real question is: why are we so quick to criticise strangers and so reluctant to call out our own? Expect disagreements, questionable jokes, unexpected tangents and a comment section that's probably about to get even busier. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Apparently, We're Not Allowed to Judge | Muslim Community, Charity Fraud & Hypocrisy

  2. Oct 30

    She Kept Saying “I Want to Fly” | Jinn Stories, Possession & the Unseen

    Three phones mysteriously stop working on a deserted road. A young woman laughs during Qur'an recitation, repeatedly insisting she wants to fly. And somewhere in rural Bangladesh, a nine-year-old girl looks out into the darkness and sees something she still can't explain. Welcome to The Side Room's Halloween special. And this time, things are getting a little uncomfortable. Saf and Zoheb are joined by Zoheb's wife for an evening of jinn stories, unexplained encounters, alleged possessions, South Asian folklore and some genuinely terrifying childhood memories. And these aren't just stories they've found on the internet. Some of them happened to us. Zoheb recalls two unsettling encounters involving women believed by those around them to be affected by jinn. From uncontrollable laughter during the recitation of Surah Al-Fatiha to a ruqyah session that left everyone shaken, he describes what he witnessed and how difficult those experiences were to make sense of. Saf brings his own collection of strange experiences, including a late-night walk through a pitch-black alley where he heard what sounded like a little girl laughing. Needless to say, he didn't stick around to investigate. Then there's Bluebell Hill in Kent, a location surrounded by ghost stories and the legend of a phantom bride. What started as a late-night adventure amongst friends turned into an increasingly bizarre experience. A car drives off, friends are stranded in complete darkness, three mobile phones reportedly stop working simultaneously, and a mysterious hat appears in the road. Years later, some of what happened that night still doesn't quite add up. Meanwhile, Zoheb's wife recalls growing up with the supernatural stories so familiar to many British Bangladeshi households. Amongst them is a childhood memory of glowing, white-clothed figures gathered beneath a tree in rural Bangladesh, and another account involving a seemingly abandoned mosque where the sound of children reciting could be heard. The conversation takes plenty of unexpected turns, from centuries-old Islamic accounts attributed to Ibn Taymiyyah and their strange resemblance to modern technology, to haunted schools, moving objects, the mysteries of East Grinstead and the stories families pass down through generations. But there's an interesting question underneath all the fear and laughter. Why are jinn stories so deeply embedded in South Asian and Muslim family culture? In Islam, jinn are part of belief in the unseen. But does every unexplained event have a supernatural explanation? Could some experiences be coincidences, misremembered details, fear or simply our minds trying to make sense of something unusual? And if you've ever heard a noise in an empty house, misplaced something that mysteriously reappeared, or felt that you weren't quite alone, you'll probably recognise some of these conversations. Expect terrifying recollections, questionable decisions, plenty of laughter and three people who have very different thresholds for being frightened. A note on the stories: This episode brings together personal recollections, second-hand accounts, religious beliefs and folklore. The supernatural explanations discussed are not presented as independently verified facts. Now we want to hear from you. Have you ever experienced something you genuinely couldn't explain? Heard a jinn story that has stayed with you for years? Or grown up in a household where everyone seemed to have their own terrifying encounter? Share your experiences in our YouTube comments or through our social channels. We might feature some of your stories in a future episode. Listen with the lights on. Just in case. The Side Room | Honest conversations, unexpected tangents and absolutely no promises that you'll sleep tonight. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    She Kept Saying “I Want to Fly” | Jinn Stories, Possession & the Unseen

  3. Oct 23

    Whose wedding is it anyway? | Asian weddings, money & family pressure

    Whose wedding is it really? When parents are paying, relatives expect invitations, and everyone has an opinion on what the big day should look like, how much control does the couple actually have? This week on The Side Room, Saf and Zoheb get into the world of British Asian weddings, from family expectations and guest-list politics to expensive suppliers, unreliable service and the pressure to put on a celebration that keeps everyone else happy. Having attended and helped organise dozens of weddings, they've seen both sides of the industry. There are suppliers who genuinely care about delivering a good experience, and then there are venues, caterers, clothing businesses and photographers who seem to disappear the moment they've been paid. One wedding venue cancelled just three weeks before the big day. Another supplier turned up with the wrong wedding car. There are stories about catering delays, bridal outfits that arrive late or look nothing like what was ordered, and wedding photography that couples are left chasing long after the celebration. Why does something people spend thousands of pounds on so often require this much chasing? The conversation also turns to the money itself. With some British Asian weddings costing £50,000 or more, is the expense justified when families can afford it? What about couples taking on debt because they feel pressured to impress relatives, meet cultural expectations or keep up with the weddings they see on Instagram? And if parents are funding the celebration, should that give them the right to decide who gets invited? It's an interesting tension in Bengali and wider South Asian wedding culture, where a wedding isn't necessarily viewed as belonging exclusively to the couple. There are family relationships to maintain, invitations to reciprocate and traditions that have been passed down for generations. Saf and Zoheb also discuss the growing emphasis on appearances, the role of wedding content creators, guest behaviour, and whether the industry has become too comfortable charging premium prices without consistently delivering premium service. But it's not all horror stories. They also share experiences of suppliers who went above and beyond, raising another question: why should honesty, reliability and good communication be considered premium services in the first place? From lavish wedding venues and family politics to the uncomfortable reality of spending beyond your means, this is a conversation that anyone who's attended a Bengali, Pakistani, Indian or other South Asian wedding will probably recognise. At the heart of it all is a simple question: are we celebrating a marriage, or paying to meet everyone else's expectations? Listen and tell us where you stand. The Side Room is a conversational podcast exploring society, culture, relationships and the topics that get people talking. Follow us on Instagram and TikTok: @thesideroompod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Whose wedding is it anyway? | Asian weddings, money & family pressure

  4. Oct 9

    If everyone knows, why does nobody say it? | Affa In The Community, influencers & call-outs

    If people know something is wrong, why does it so rarely get said out loud? And when someone finally does say it publicly, are they holding people accountable, or just fuelling gossip? In this episode of The Side Room, Saf, Zoheb and Zoheb's wife get into the conversations many people in the Bengali and wider South Asian community are already having privately, but often avoid having publicly. Using Affa and her content as the jumping-off point, they unpack the growing role of public call-outs, anonymous warnings, social media accountability and what happens when communities keep protecting the same people despite repeated complaints. The conversation starts with a bigger question. Why do some figures in the community stay on a pedestal no matter how many concerns are raised about them? Why do people whisper in private, but hesitate to speak plainly in public? And when someone does step into that gap and starts naming patterns, posting screenshots and calling things out, why are they so quickly dismissed as messy, dramatic or just “gossiping”? Saf and Zoheb discuss whether Affa is simply saying out loud what others already think, and why that makes people uncomfortable. They get into the tension between receipts and rumours, public warnings and pile-ons, and whether social media has become one of the only places where ordinary people feel they can raise concerns when they believe nobody else will. A major part of the episode looks at influencer accountability, especially when creators promote products or services to a trusting audience. If people in the community lose money, feel misled, or believe harm has been caused, what responsibility does the influencer carry? Is “just scroll on” or “block them” really enough, or does having a public platform come with a duty of care? That leads into a wider discussion around consumer harm, complaints being brushed aside, and the cycle of outrage, silence and business-as-usual that so often follows. The episode also looks at why community call-outs land so differently when religion, reputation, familiarity and social ties are involved. When does protecting people become enabling them? When does staying quiet become part of the problem? And what does real accountability actually look like if we want communities to be safer, fairer and more honest? This is not a takedown episode. It’s a conversation about community standards, influencer culture, public criticism, trust, silence and accountability. It’s also an attempt to ask a harder question: if everybody seems to know, why does nobody want to be the one to say it? As always, we’d love to know what you think. Disclaimer: This episode discusses public online conversations, opinions and allegations. It does not present unverified claims as established fact. The views expressed are those of the hosts and are part of a wider discussion around accountability, community behaviour and influencer culture. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    If everyone knows, why does nobody say it? | Affa In The Community, influencers & call-outs

  5. Oct 1

    Why are we so weird about money? | Salaries, family and financial literacy

    Why is talking about your salary still so awkward? Why can we happily discuss what we do for a living, but suddenly get cagey when someone asks what we actually earn? This week, Saf and Zoheb talk about money, financial literacy and all the things they were never really taught growing up. From first jobs and spending your first paycheque to flashy cars, designer clothes, property, debt and the pressure to look successful, they get into how our relationship with money changes as we get older. They also ask what financial freedom actually means. Is it earning six figures? Owning a big house? Driving the car you always wanted? Or is it simply having enough to live the life you want without constantly worrying about the next bill? For a lot of South Asian and immigrant families, money has never just been about the individual. There can be an expectation to support parents, siblings and relatives, send money back home, and prioritise family before yourself. Saf and Zoheb talk about what their parents’ generation carried financially, whether those expectations affected the lives they were able to build in Britain, and whether that responsibility now passes down to their children. They also question how much financial education they actually received. “Don’t waste your money” is useful advice, but it doesn’t teach you how mortgages work, whether financing something makes sense, how to buy your first property, how to save properly, or how to make decisions that future-you will be grateful for. Much of that, they realised, had to be learnt along the way. There’s also the weirdness around salaries, keeping your earnings private, comparison, envy and why telling your friends exactly what you make can feel more personal than almost anything else. And underneath all of it is a bigger question: What is money actually for? Security? Status? Freedom? Family? Enjoying yourself now? Preparing for later? Saf and Zoheb look at the choices they’ve made, the things they’d do differently, spending money on the people they love while they still can, and what they want the next generation to understand much earlier than they did. Plus first jobs, questionable teenage fashion choices, financial mistakes, and wtf is Robert? The Side Room is a British conversational podcast about culture, identity, faith, family, community and the conversations people usually have when nobody else is listening. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Why are we so weird about money? | Salaries, family and financial literacy

  6. Sep 25

    If speaking costs you everything, do you still speak? | Ed Sheeran, Macklemore and celebrity silence

    Saf and Zoheb start with the fallout around Ed Sheeran and Macklemore, but the conversation quickly gets wider. What happens when speaking publicly could cost you work, money or your audience? Does that change if you’re already wealthy or have millions of people listening to you? They look at Ed Sheeran’s response, Macklemore’s position, and other examples of celebrities who’ve spoken publicly and faced consequences, from Melissa Barrera and Gary Lineker to Mark Ruffalo and Taylor Swift. There’s also a blind ranking of who actually has the most power over their everyday lives, plus a series of scenarios that force them to decide when they’d speak, when they’d stay quiet, and whether silence can ever really be neutral. At what point does keeping quiet become a decision in itself? The views expressed in this episode are personal opinions and commentary. References to public figures, events and claims are discussed conversationally and should not be taken as verified factual reporting. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    If speaking costs you everything, do you still speak? | Ed Sheeran, Macklemore and celebrity silence

  7. Sep 18

    Why does moving out feel like betrayal? | South Asian family expectations

    Moving out is supposed to be part of growing up. But in many South Asian families, leaving home can feel less like independence and more like rejection. In this episode, Saf and Zoheb talk about moving out, living with parents after marriage, the expectations placed on South Asian sons, and what happens when family loyalty starts to clash with the need for your own space. They also get into the pressure placed on wives entering a new family home, why some men grow up without basic domestic skills, and the blurred line between South Asian culture and religion. Is staying at home always a sign of closeness? And does moving out really mean leaving your family behind? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Why does moving out feel like betrayal? | South Asian family expectations

  8. Sep 11

    Murder or madness? Tupac, Lindsay Clancy and two very different verdicts

    Content warning: This episode includes discussion of murder, the deaths of children, suicide and self-harm, postpartum mental illness, psychosis and other distressing details. Nearly 30 years after Tupac Shakur was killed in Las Vegas, Duane “Keffe D” Davis has been convicted of first-degree murder for orchestrating the shooting. The jury took less than three hours to reach its verdict. Davis was not accused of firing the fatal shots himself, and the identity of the shooter has never been established in court. He is due to be sentenced on 13 October 2026 and has said he plans to appeal. (Reuters) In Massachusetts, the Lindsay Clancy case ended very differently. After roughly 38 hours of deliberation across seven days, the jury could not reach a unanimous decision and a mistrial was declared. Reporting since the trial indicates 11 jurors favoured finding Clancy not criminally responsible, with one holdout. Her defence has now asked the judge to find her not guilty rather than allow a second trial. That motion is due to be heard on 29 September. Prosecutors have not yet announced whether they will seek a retrial if the motion fails. (Reuters) In this episode, Saf and Zoheb talk through both cases, the decades of theories surrounding Tupac and Biggie, whether a case can really feel “solved” 30 years later, and what happens when even medical experts and jurors cannot agree on criminal responsibility. They also get into the wider questions these cases raise: how much mental illness should change legal responsibility, whether one juror should be able to stop a verdict, and whether justice still means the same thing when it arrives decades late. Important note: The Lindsay Clancy case remains active. This episode discusses publicly reported evidence, testimony and court proceedings available at the time of recording. Saf and Zoheb are sharing personal opinions and reactions, not making factual claims about medical diagnosis or legal guilt beyond what has been established in court. Some details discussed during the conversation are corrected or clarified as the episode progresses. Recorded before the latest legal developments: Since recording, Lindsay Clancy’s defence has formally asked the judge to enter a finding of not guilty following the mistrial. A hearing is scheduled for 29 September 2026. Duane Davis remains awaiting sentencing on 13 October 2026 and has indicated that he intends to appeal. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Murder or madness? Tupac, Lindsay Clancy and two very different verdicts
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About

The Side Room is hosted by Saf and Zoheb, two brown Muslim men from different parts of the UK: one from the city, one from the suburbs. The name comes from the room you were sent to as a kid when the adults wanted to talk properly. Years later, those are still the conversations people avoid, or only have in private. This podcast is about life in Britain, from faith and family to race, culture, marriage, masculinity, friendships, work, community, and the things that come with growing up between different worlds. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Information

  • Creator
    Saf & Zoheb
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    18
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © The Side Room
  • Show Website
    The Side Room