9 to Asr

I wake up for work. I meet deadlines. I follow through on my commitments. So why is it so much harder to show up in my relationship with Allah with the same consistency?In this solo episode, I explore the disconnect between the qualities we readily demonstrate in our careers, education, and personal relationships, and why those same qualities often fail to translate into our worship.As I enter another season of transition, I find myself revisiting questions of accountability, discipline, and, most importantly, identity. What does it mean when we know how to show up for everything except the One who matters most?

What happens when the very future you’ve worked toward begins to feel a little too morally complicated? When a career you’ve always envisioned seems tied to a compromise you’re not at peace making? More deeply, what happens when Allah begins guiding your heart toward a sacrifice He may want you to make? During these blessed days of Dhul Hijjah, we are speaking with Hakeemah Cummings about her decision to walk away from medical school to avoid taking on interest-based loans. This is not an episode on Islamic rulings. It is a story about ambition, sacrifice, family expectations, uncertainty, and what it can truly cost to hold onto conviction.

In this week's episode, I chat with one of my favorite humans: my dad! For as much as we talk about the first-generation story, there's one side we don’t hear nearly enough about: the immigrant parent POV. Here, Daddy and I talk about his upbringing in Côte d’Ivoire, his journey to the United States, the challenges he faced along the way, and how becoming a father shaped the sacrifices he was willing to make.  We also talk about balance: where parents and children can meet in the middle with love, understanding, appreciation for each other’s stories, grace, and everything in between.

Academic validation is great and all—until, like anything else, it exists in excess. As a first-generation American with big dreams so I could one day take care of my parents, I quickly found myself chasing educational and career milestones for the dopamine hit they always brought. Then it all came crashing down when I got my bar exam results, right as I was starting my big law job.Preparing to retake the bar didn’t just feel academically challenging—it felt spiritual. In the midst of it all, I was left with one pressing question: what happens when Allah forces you to pause, places a roadblock in your path, and the only way forward is through tawakkul?

Three words: long. time. coming.My prayer is that this platform becomes an open space for reflection, a growing community, and a place where intentions turn into action. In short—so much more than a podcast.I’m excited to stand alongside you as we navigate Deen, deadlines, and everything in between. Because for many of us, work isn’t just a 9 to 5. It’s something closer to a 9 to Asr.