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Sami Hamdi joins Muhammad Jalal to examine the Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, the renewed war in Yemen and what this escalation means for Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Following deadly strikes on Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport and disruption to flights, Saudi Arabia faces renewed questions about its air defences and its reliance on American protection. The attacks have also disrupted attendance at Riyadh’s major energy conference, putting the kingdom’s ambitions as an international investment destination under pressure.

In this episode of The Thinking Muslim, Sami explores why he believes Mohammed bin Salman has become increasingly isolated. He examines Donald Trump’s approach to the Houthis and Iran, Saudi Arabia’s rivalry with the UAE, and the limits of the Mecca defence alliance with Pakistan and Türkiye.

The conversation also examines Yemen’s fractured politics and the consequences of foreign intervention. Sami challenges the celebration of the Houthis over Palestine, arguing that Muslim solidarity must also account for their treatment of Yemenis.

What would it take for Yemen’s people to determine their own future? And how should Muslims respond to a conflict in which competing regional powers continue to shape their lives?

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This episode is sponsored by Seed Education Trust, which funds education and community projects in the UK, with a particular focus on young people. Find out more: https://www.seed.org.uk/thinking

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What would a Muslim world of fantasy look like? Tolkien gave us Middle-earth. C.S. Lewis gave us Narnia. Could Islamic storytelling create fictional worlds that capture the imagination of a generation?

Peter Gould joins Muhammad Jalal on The Thinking Muslim to discuss **Tales of Khayal**, a fantasy universe he co-created with author Rehan Khan, inspired by Islamic spirituality and the rich heritage of Muslim civilisation. With a novel series and plans for animation and a video game, the project explores how faith can shape the stories young Muslims grow up with.

Recorded in Istanbul, this conversation examines the Islamic understanding of imagination, or *khayal*, and its relationship to the heart. Gould shares how embracing Islam changed his approach to design, and how Islamic art and architecture continue to inform his work.

They discuss the concerns parents have about gaming and screen time, alongside the possibilities for immersive storytelling that encourages remembrance of Allah. Gould explains how Tales of Khayal draws on sacred knowledge and the history of colonialism, weaving questions about power and technological change into an adventure story.

The episode also explores why some Muslim professionals put aside their artistic ambitions, how they can return to creative work, and what artificial intelligence could mean for the future of design. Gould offers practical advice for anyone hoping to begin writing or rediscover their creativity.

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This episode is sponsored by Seed Education Trust, which funds education and community projects in the UK, with a particular focus on young people. Find out more: https://www.seed.org.uk

Three years after the beginning of the genocide in Gaza in October 2023, the ummah is still reckoning with what it has witnessed. Ustadha Dalya Ayoub joins Muhammad Jalal on The Thinking Muslim to examine the illusion of claiming to be people of the Qur’an while growing numb to Palestinian suffering and moving on.

As reports of Israeli attacks in Gaza continue despite the ceasefire, this conversation asks how Muslims can sustain their commitment to Palestine when exhaustion takes hold. Ustadha Dalya explains what the people of Gaza have taught her about the Qur’an, and how their steadfastness has changed the way she reads its verses.

Drawing on Surah Ali ‘Imran and Surah Al-‘Asr, she explores sabr as the resolve to take action and endure its consequences. She discusses the responsibility to uphold justice, the Qur’anic understanding of victory, and the accountability each of us will face before Allah for our own choices.

Recorded at the Prophetic Strategy Summit in Istanbul, the discussion also offers practical guidance for rebuilding our relationship with the Qur’an. Ustadha Dalya explains tadabbur, the careful study of its verses and examination of our lives through them, and what it means to make the Qur’an our minhaj: the guidance that shapes our daily decisions and our work for the ummah.

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