In Season 7, Episode 3 of Talking With Teachers, Dr. Abdullah bin Hamid Ali sits down with Ustadh Abdul-Wahab Waheed, Executive Director and co-founder of Miftaah Institute, for a wide-ranging conversation about Islamic knowledge, service, da‘wah, Muslim unity, education, and the responsibility of Muslims in America.
Abdul-Wahab Waheed reflects on the remarkable decision his parents made to place their sons on the path of sacred knowledge and how that upbringing helped shape a life centered on serving Islam and the Muslim community.
The conversation explores an important question facing Muslims today: Who will teach people about Islam if Muslims themselves are not prepared to do so? Waheed asks how a Muslim's neighbor can form their understanding of Islam through the media rather than through the Muslim living next door. He emphasizes the need for Muslims to move beyond merely “dabbling” in Islamic knowledge and develop the depth necessary to understand, embody, and communicate their faith.
Dr. Abdullah and Ustadh Abdul-Wahab also discuss the power of storytelling in Islamic teaching, the Qur'anic stories of the Prophets, the relationship between traditional scholarship and modern technology, and why Muslims must become living examples of the tradition they seek to communicate.
The discussion then turns to Muslim unity in America. Is the Muslim community really as divided as we sometimes believe? Waheed challenges overly romantic ideas about unity while emphasizing humility, legitimate scholarly differences, strong institutions, attachment to the masjid, and the danger of allowing personalities to become larger than the work itself.
They also discuss Miftaah Institute's approach to Islamic education—from full-time students of sacred knowledge to working professionals seeking the knowledge necessary to serve their families and communities.
Among the themes discussed:
• Why every Muslim needs access to sacred knowledge
• Islamic scholarship and serving the community
• Miftaah Institute and Islamic education in America
• Da‘wah and communicating Islam to our neighbors
• Why stories are so powerful in Islamic teaching
• The Qur'an and the stories of the Prophets
• Muslims, technology, and AI
• Muslim unity and legitimate differences
• Building institutions rather than personalities
• Service, sacrifice, and spiritual growth
• Raising the next generation of knowledgeable Muslims
Talking With Teachers is a Lamppost Education Initiative podcast hosted by Dr. Abdullah bin Hamid Ali, featuring conversations with Muslim teachers, scholars, educators, and thinkers about their journeys, scholarship, communities, and the challenges facing Muslims today.
Guest: Ustadh Abdul-Wahab Waheed
Host: Dr. Abdullah bin Hamid Ali
Series: Talking With Teachers
Season 7 | Episode 3
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