The Middle Ground Podcast

The Middle Ground Podcast with Imam Marc Manley
  • 5.0 (2)
  • Islam
  • Updated Weekly

This podcast will explore ideas important and pertinent to Muslims everywhere, especially in America, tackling challenges and hoping to inspire as we navigate this worldly life. www.imammarc.com

  1. May 27

    Ideology Burnout?

    ﷽ Welcome back to another episode of the Middle Ground Podcast. This one will be short and sweet as I share some feedback from a brother who reached explaining that he felt burnout and longing from ideological fatigue. Imam’s Corner is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Imam’s Corner at www.imammarc.com/subscribe

    13 min

  2. May 4

    Islamic Psychology?

    ﷽ al-Ḥamdulillāh it was my pleasure to speak at the 10th Annual Family Symposium for Muslim Family Foundation: Roots of Wellness, alongside Dr. Deana Helmy, sister Ahlam Gheith and Shaykh Ḥasan Radi. Imam’s Corner is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Being a non-professional I wanted to bring a somewhat different perspective to the table to challenge and, in shā’ Allāh, improve how Muslim, mental health professionals and otherwise, look at and trust the wester secular approach to healing the human soul. In the talk I referenced mainly two works of interest. * Hunter, James Davison. The Death of Character: Moral Education in an Age Without Good or Evil. Basic Books, 2000. * Rieff, Philip. The Triumph of the Therapeutic: Uses of Faith After Freud. Harper Torchbooks, 1968. Many thanks to Muslim Family Foundation, Dr. Ali Al-Saadoon, the panel members, all who attended and especially brother Mohamad Nasser for inviting me. Get full access to Imam’s Corner at www.imammarc.com/subscribe

    1h 20m

  3. Mar 21

    The Truth Will Set You Free

    ﷽ al-Ḥamdulillāh I was invited again by the gracious folks at Masjid al-Fatiha of America, located in Azusa, California. I’ve worked closely with this family-run masjid for years. Imam’s Corner is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Imam’s Corner at www.imammarc.com/subscribe

    32 min

  4. 09/24/2025

    Fear, Love, and Mercy in the Qur’ān

    ﷽ Many Muslims today speak of “love”: for Allāh, for the Prophet ‎ﷺ, etc. And while having love for Allāh and the Prophet ‎ﷺ are indeed noble ambitions it would also seem that the current emphasis on love has come at the cost how we see obedience. It would seem for some Muslims today that talk of fearing Allāh and striving for obedience is akin to negativity. Others have conflated love with mercy. But the Qur’ān, however, addresses these qualities quite differently and separately. If we examine how the Qur’ān commands us to fear Allāh, such admonitions are unencumbered and straightforward. In contrast love is conditional: “If you love Allah, then follow the Prophet ﷺ.” — ‘Āl ‘Imrān v. 31 or that there are those that Allāh loves, and those He doesn’t: “Surely Allah loves those who always turn to Him in repentance and those who purify themselves.” — al-Baqarah v. 222 and “Surely He [Allāh] does not like the wasteful.” — al-Aʿrāf v.31 In other words love—especially love to Allāh and/or His Prophet ‎ﷺ is proven through devotional commitment (ittibāʿ) and obedience (ṭāʿah), not merely self-selecting sentiment. As for mercy (raḥmah), Allāh says that it encompasses everything: “My mercy encompasses everything.” — al-Aʿrāf v. 156 In fact, Allāh’s mercy—in this life—extends even to those who don’t believe in Him or even reject Him outright. Yes, Allāh shows mercy to the believer and the non-believer alike (though not necessarily equally). In fact, as we leaned in our Satuday ʿaqīdah class, Allāh’s mercy can be understood as having two branches if you will: the aforementioned all-encompassing mercy for everything and everyone in this life, and a specially mercy reserved for those who believe in Him for the Next Life. The point being here is that we should not collapse mercy into love. Imam’s Corner is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. A great example of this is the sotry of Qarūn (Korah, in the Bible). His story illustrates how misplaced love—especially of wealth—can blind judgment. Those around him admired him, even coveting to be in his place. But when Allāh caused the earth to swallow him, they realized that Allāh alone expands and constricts provision. In fact, in the Qālūn (Madanī) reading of the 82nd verse, we see an additional highlight that differs from the Ḥafṣ reading, وَيَقْدِرُ ۖ لَوْلَآ أَن مَّنَّ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْنَا لَخَسَفَ بِنَا ۖ “Had it not been for the grace of Allah, He could have surely caused the earth to swallow us up!” in the reading according to Qālūn, it becomes, وَيَقْدِرُ ۖ لَوْلَآ أَن مَّنَّ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْنَا لَخُسِفَ بِنَا ۖ “Had it not been for the grace of Allāh we would have been swallowed up by the earth!” (passive) In the latter case, the verb in the passive voice underscores our powerlessness and the need for fear in order to sober and reorientate our hearts. Get full access to Imam’s Corner at www.imammarc.com/subscribe

    15 min

  5. 09/23/2025

    How to Develop a Strong Relationship with the Qur’ān

    ﷽ So much of today’s “spiritual” discourse turns faith into a dopamine-trap where we seek to obtain, or in some cases, avoid, a certain mood. On this treadmill of mood chasing fear is always “bad,” love is always “good.” But what we are in need of today isn’t just obtaining the perfect “vibe” but instead, we need to be taught the skills which are necessary and conducive to contemplation and reflection. We need to return to a knowledge-based engagement with the Book of Islām which means we’re going to have to study. Systematic study. Yes, we’re going to have to learn the language of revelation—Arabic—because everything in our Dīn flows from the Qur’ān in its language (as well as the Sunnah). These sciences of revelation are not the tools of gatekeepers; they are the tools by which we can authentically and effectively contemplate (tadabbur) and reflect (tafakkur) with consistency and discipline, not just sentiment. Imam’s Corner is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. It goes without saying that we all need an emotional bond with the Qur’ān but feelings built on hawa (emotions/passions) and speculation won’t suffice in and of themselves. Real attachment grows out of consistent and rigorous learning. Beware of performative “piety” that entertains yet leaves you without acquiring the tools to learn. Seek teachers who impart methods, not just stories. The onus is on you to choose paths and mentors that raise the waterline of knowledge so you can truly engage this Book with is “guidance for the God-fearing” (hudan lil-Muttaqīn). This short talk is meant as an invitation, not an admonition. A pray that we can all build a sturdy foundation of knowledge from which love can spring deep from within that well. Get full access to Imam’s Corner at www.imammarc.com/subscribe

    5 min

  6. 09/06/2025

    Are Non-Practicing Muslims Doing Islām Better Than Those That Do?

    ﷽ Welcome to Episode 46 of the Middle Ground Podcast. In this episode I want to discuss a new (and disturbing) trend I’ve noticed in the social media landscape, namely Muslims making videos in which they claim the non-practicing Muslims are somehow actually “doing Islām more” than those who do. Can this be true? You can listen to the audio podcast or watch the video below. Imam’s Corner is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Imam’s Corner at www.imammarc.com/subscribe

    13 min

  7. 08/31/2025

    ʿAqīdah (Creed) Should Lead to Compassion

    ﷽ Welcome to Episode 45 of the Middle Ground Podcast. For this episode I’m sharing an excerpt from my Saturday class on ʿaqīdah, otherwise known as “creed”; i.e., the things we Muslims must believe in and things we must reject. But the study of ʿaqīdah is much more than a list of do’s and don’ts. It should ultimately impact our character as well. I share a anecdote of a lesson I recently learned while visiting my 92-year-old father in the hospital. Imam’s Corner is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Imam’s Corner at www.imammarc.com/subscribe

    27 min
  8. Muslims and Mamdani - The Need for Religious Clarity on Political Matters

    06/28/2025

    Muslims and Mamdani - The Need for Religious Clarity on Political Matters

    ﷽ Welcome to Episode 44 of the Middle Ground Podcast. Today, while driving to Jumu’ah, I wanted to share some thoughts of mine on the state of Muslim thinking and politics particularly as it relates to Zohran Mamdani’s bid for NYC mayor and the need for American Muslims to mature in their religious, and political, thinking. Imam’s Corner is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Imam’s Corner at www.imammarc.com/subscribe

    23 min
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About

This podcast will explore ideas important and pertinent to Muslims everywhere, especially in America, tackling challenges and hoping to inspire as we navigate this worldly life. www.imammarc.com

Information

  • Creator
    The Middle Ground Podcast with Imam Marc Manley
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    53
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Imam Marc Manley
  • Show Website
    The Middle Ground Podcast