I know that not all Americans value what I have to say on the US elections. However, I do receive many emails and messages daily asking for advice, and my podcast, The Thinking Muslim, has been fairly instrumental in setting the correct intellectual parameters in parts of the US Muslim community when forming a conscious electoral decision on November 5th.

My original position was to echo the views of many leaders within the US Muslim community who have said Muslim voters must disavow the two parties and opt for a third-party option, whoever that may be. But upon reflection, I think that advice, although in the right direction, will not procure the intended result – simply because it will diffuse the messaging of our vote. And thus diffuse its ability to make a statement. That’s why I have concluded that Muslims must vote for the Green Party on November 5th, even if they disagree, as I do, with some parts of their policy platform and public positions.

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I have been struck by the thoughtful and nuanced conversations that are being had across the US about the coming elections. But there remains confusion. One such community that probably has reason to be sceptical of mainstream Muslim organisations and their approach to politics, as relationships, is the all-important African American Muslim community – very often neglected in any conversation.

I have invited today to show someone who I deeply respect for how he thought through these essential topics long before Gaza came along to haunt us. Imam Dawud Walid is the author of Towards Sacred Activism and an Imam in Michigan.

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We have seen the horrific genocidal scenes unfolding in the north of Gaza and in particular the onslaught by the occupation in Jabaliya. There is a horrendous cleansing of Palestinians, apparently to make way for Israeli settler expansion and cut the territory into two. This is a Nakba but worse. A catastrophe. But the world seems to remain silent. On a deeper level – many are asking when will the help of Allah come? How do we deal with this situation as a personal trauma.

My guest today, is Imam Fuad Abdo, himself from palestine. Imam Fuad is the imam of Goodmayes Mosque, and someone who I have seen firsthand at the forefront of activism – especially encouragement the encampment movement.

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The US elections are in full flow, with the two big parties focussing on the key swing states that will decide this election. In states like Michigan, a slight movement of voters can determine the outcome. And this means Muslim voters may play a decisive role.

To help us understand the political and intellectual climate, I have invited back onto the show Imam Tom Facchine show. Imam Tom has been instrumental in galvanising Muslims behind the anti-Harris campaign, and he joins us from Pennsylvania.

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Timestamps

0:00 Introduction

2:09 - Mehdi re Trump worse

8:31 – You are supporting Trump

11:43 – Trump vs Harris

17:47 – Lesser of the two evils

22:33 – Emgage and Harris

29:38 – Emgage no excuse

33:08 – Michigan is the showdown

40:46 – Green Party challenges

45:43 – Quantifying our Gaza votes

48:05 – Leverage within Democrats

50:55 – Staying at home

53:20 – US Exceptionalism

57:16 – Liberal ideology

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To help us unpick the relationship between Western foreign policy and media our guest this week is Hamza Yusuf is a British-Palestinian writer and journalist whose work focuses on Palestine. He has reported on daily life under occupation for Palestinians, including home demolitions and forced expulsion and the conditions for Palestinians in Israeli prisons. He is an investigative journalist at Declassified amongst other publications.

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Please subscribe ** Dr Yakoob Ahmed interviews your host, Muhammad Jalal.

The genocide in Gaza and the need for enlightened activism was captured by the guests and content that came out on The Thinking Muslim. We had become accustomed to calls for immediate action, some of which were short-lived. But what The Thinking Muslim did was to place this activism within a sacred responsibility. That's why it captured so many imaginations and activated so many people.

Much of The Thinking Muslim's content has been carefully curated and well thought through, and the guests showcased are amongst the most articulate and thoughtful in their field.

Someone somewhere had the idea that Muhammad Jalal should answer questions from the Thinking Muslim audience, so they asked Dr Yakoob Ahmed to file these questions – and some of my own – to its host.

You can also support The Thinking Muslim through a one-time donation: https://www.thinkingmuslim.com/Donate

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Website Archive: https://www.thinkingmuslim.com

Timestamps

0:00 Introduction

2:00 – Feelings?

2:45 – How did you start?

10:00 – Challenges faced

13:55 – The Team

17:50 – How Gaza changed everything

22:10 – Non-Muslim guests?

26:10 – How do you choose guests

29:56 – Pushing back

33:21 – UK elections and Gaza

38:08 – The election strategy

40:12 – Attacks from media

4215 – How invested are you in this system?

46:16 – University scene

49:20 – US elections

51:25 – Why visit the US

53:22 – US Muslims are different

58:16 – Anti- Harris campaign

1:00:07 – Young Muslims

1:01:34 – US empire?

1:03:40 – The left and right

1:10:13 – Islamic alternative

1:14:50 – Unity of Muslims

1:16:40 – Post-Gaza

1:18:40 – Guest selection

1:21:18 – Infantilising young Muslims

1:25:47 Book recommendation

1:28:59 – Dr Aafia Siqqiqui.

1:31:28 – Future of TM

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