PODCAST · religion
Interfaiths
by Iqbal Akhtar
The Interfaiths podcast, hosted by Prof. Dr. Iqbal Akhtar, an Associate Professor of Religious Studies and International Relations at Florida International University (FIU), offers a scholarly and deeply engaged exploration of interfaith cooperation. The podcast distinguishes itself by moving beyond theoretical dialogue to focus on tangible, real-world applications of interfaith work, making it a crucial resource for the next generation of religious and civic leaders. The central mission of the podcast is to dissect and understand the dynamics of interfaith relations through two primary lenses: Highlighting Moral Exemplars: The podcast provides a platform for in-depth conversations with individuals who embody the principles of interfaith cooperation. These are not just religious leaders but also practitioners, activists, and community organizers who have dedicated their lives to building bridges between different fa
Episodes
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Jewish-Muslim Declaration of Fraternity in Faith
The Jewish–Muslim Declaration of Fraternity in Faith, championed by leaders like Imam Talib Shareef and Rabbi Dr. Yakov Nagen, outlines a transformative framework for interfaith relations rooted in a shared Abrahamic heritage. Moving beyond mere coexistence, the initiative calls for mutual…
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Refining our character as a path in interfaith understanding
This episode explores the ethical philosophy of the tenth-century thinker Miskawayh, focusing on his seminal work on character refinement. It examines how achieving true virtue is inherently relational, suggesting that moral development requires active engagement with a community and neighbors...
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The Arithmetic of Forgiveness
This episode examines how the Jain, Jewish, and Islamic traditions utilise specific religious calendars to facilitate the repair of human relationships. Through the practices of Paryuṣaṇa, Yom Kippur, and the Hajj, these faiths mandate that individuals seek forgiveness and restitution from those...
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25 Years After 9/11: A Muslim Convert's Reckoning with Grievance Politics — Ismail Royer
On the 25th anniversary of September 11th, Professor Iqbal Akhtar (FIU) hosts Ismail Royer — Director of the Islam and Religious Freedom Action Team at the Religious Freedom Institute and a member of the President's Religious Liberty Commission — for an unusually candid reflection on the American...
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Gracious in Victory: American Muslim Moral Seriousness
Following a violent disruption at a historic Manhattan synagogue, this text examines the moral and civic responsibilities of the American Muslim community. I argue against dismissing the attack as an isolated incident of mental instability, suggesting instead that it reflects a broader climate...
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The Capaciousness of the Tradition: Islam, Sexuality, and the Wound of Berlin
This episode examines how classical Islamic civilization historically embraced ambiguity, mysticism, and fluid social norms regarding gender and desire. It contrasts this capacious intellectual heritage with the brittle extremism of modern radicals, arguing that contemporary hostility towards...
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A Confucian Theology: Through the Prism of Dong Zhongshu
This episode challenges the common perception of Confucianism as a purely secular philosophy by highlighting the theological dimensions of early Chinese thought. Through an analysis of the Han scholar Dong Zhongshu, the article argues that Heaven (Tian) was historically viewed as a personal deity...
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American Islam: A Story of Shared Destiny at 250
This episode chronicles the extensive history and profound impact of Muslims within the United States, asserting they have been essential co-authors of the American story since before its official founding. It traces a continuous thread from early Moroccan diplomatic recognition and the presence…
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Muhammad Ali and the Future of American Islam
This episode explores the legal and cultural integration of Muslims in the United States through the lens of Muhammad Ali’s 1971 Supreme Court victory. By examining how the court eventually recognized Ali’s conscientious objection as a sincere religious belief, the author illustrates a pivotal...
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Re-Covering a Mutual Language: Bukharan Jews in Austria
This podcast episode explores the academic article by Ariane Sadjed, which investigates the shifting communal and religious identities of Bukharan Jews living in Austria. The research explores how memories of a shared cultural and linguistic past with Muslims in Central Asia are being…
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To Bigotry No Sanction: Pluralism and the American Covenant
This episode addresses a violent 2026 shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego, using the tragedy to explore the intersections of faith, history, and pluralism. Islam characterizes the Hajj as a "rehearsal for death" that promotes radical equality, urging believers to counter hostility through...
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Forgiveness, Trauma, and Family Reconciliation
This podcast focuses on a conference focused on the psychological and spiritual dimensions of family estrangement and the complex journey toward reconciliation. The keynote was by sociologist Karl Pillemer, who highlights that over one-quarter of Americans live with family rifts. Key discussions...
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Hate to Hope: Building a New Jewish-Muslim Future
This episode documents Hate to Hope, a 2025 interfaith initiative that united students from Elhaam Academy and Kinneret Day School. Through a series of five collaborative events, young people from Muslim and Jewish backgrounds engaged in cultural exchange at locations like The Met and the Museum…
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Beyond Insularity: Reimagining Interfaith Literacy in Islamic Schools
This episode examines a research study by Dr Iqbal Akhtar concerning the lack of interfaith literacy within contemporary American Islamic school curricula. Through a qualitative analysis of twelve institutions, the research identifies a significant comparative deficit where other religions are...
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Bridges and Barriers: The Human Element of Interfaith Dialogue
This episode examines the FIU Jewish-Muslim Dialogue Fellowship, a university programme designed to bridge deep social and religious divides during a period of intense geopolitical conflict. Through academic reflection of the student discussion, we highlight the challenges of maintaining empathy...
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Jesus in Islam and the Spirit of Universal Brotherhood
In this podcast, we explore the theological status of Jesus, known as Nabi Isa, within Islam, highlighting his titles as the Word and Spirit of God and his miraculous virgin birth. By juxtaposing Islamic and Christian traditions, we promote covenantal pluralism, urging Muslims to maintain their...
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Secrets in Contact: Secrecy and Religious Exchange
This episode examines the complex role of secrecy as a dynamic force that facilitates interreligious contact rather than merely obstructing it. While scholars often face methodological hurdles when studying hidden knowledge, the authors argue that secrets serve as "blank spaces" or interfaces…
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Xinshen and the Ethics of Reliance in Human-AI Relations
This podcast explores the Mohist concept of xinshen, traditionally interpreted as "integrity," and recontextualises it as a foundational framework for modern AI ethics. The author argues that xinshen represents a dual structure: the delegation of perception to trusted agents and the outward...
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Unchaining the Soul: The Quest for an American Islam
This episode explores the profound internal crisis within American Islam following a series of violent attacks by Muslim men during the holy month of Ramadan in 2026. We argue that mainstream religious organisations have prioritised political activism and external defense over the essential work…
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Covenants and Conflict: The Jewish-Muslim Historical Continuum
This episode examines the historically intricate and often misunderstood evolution of Muslim-Jewish relations, moving beyond modern political friction to highlight a shared Abrahamic heritage. Dr. Shoaib Arif provides a scholarly analysis of this relationship through historical cooperation…
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The Shia World's Khilafat Moment The killing of Ayatollah Khamenei and the end of political Islam's last state project
This podcast examines a theoretical future where the assassination of Ayatollah Khamenei and the collapse of Iran’s regional influence signal the definitive failure of Shia political Islam. It draws a historical parallel to the 1924 abolition of the Ottoman caliphate, suggesting that both events...
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The Idolatry of Identity and the Case for Transcendence
This episode explores how the modern invention of identity has become a primary driver of political polarisation, transforming personal meaning into existential conflict. By drawing on various religious and spiritual traditions, the author argues that these ancient wisdoms offer a necessary path...
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Crossroads of the Medieval Mediterranean Islam and Christianity
This collection of scholarly essays examines the medieval Mediterranean as a shared aesthetic space where Islamic and Christian cultures intersected through material art. The researchers explore how religious boundaries were blurred by the trade and adaptation of luxurious objects, such as Mamluk...
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Interfaith Dialogue as a Spiritual Exercise
In this episode, Khaled Furani argues for a fundamental reimagining of anthropology by moving it beyond its current secular constraints and treating it instead as a spiritual exercise. Drawing on the work of Pierre Hadot, the author suggests an "antheistic" approach that integrates human reason...
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Beyond Brokenness: A Desire-Based Framework for Interfaith Peacebuilding
This episode explores a desire-based framework for interfaith peacebuilding, drawing heavily on the work of Eve Tuck to challenge traditional "damage-centered" approaches. It argues that focusing solely on trauma and brokenness can inadvertently reduce religious communities to one-dimensional...
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Children of Abraham on Sacred Ground: America at 250 and the Interconnected Futures of Jews and Muslims
This episodeexplores the intertwined history and future of Jewish and Muslim communities as the United States approaches its 250th anniversary. We argue that both groups were foundational to the American story long before the republic’s inception, challenging the narrative that they are merely...
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Islamic Practical Theology: Yasir Qadhi and the Gaza Crisis
This academic article by Elad Ben David explores how prominent cleric Yasir Qadhi utilizes Islamic practical theology to address contemporary crises, specifically focusing on the aftermath of the October 7 events. The author defines da’wa not merely as proselytisation, but as a flexible tool for...
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When a Hindu Scholar Translated the Quran: Bridges Between Sanskrit and Arabic Sacred Languages
Thisepisode examines the historical and semantic dimensions of translating the Holy Qur'an into Sanskrit, focusing primarily on a 1945 rendering of Sūrat al-Fātiḥa by the Hindu scholar Gunderao Harkare. The author, Cemil Kutlutürk, explores how Harkare utilised classical Sanskrit terminology and...
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Death in Judaism and Islam
This episode investigates the theological and practical intersections of Judaism and Islam, with a particular focus on their shared perspectives regarding death, burial, and the afterlife. We explore traditional mourning rituals, such as the Jewish Chevra Kadisha and Islamic Ghusl, alongside...
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The Incommunicable Limit: Abraham’s Silence and the Paradox of Faith
The Incommunicable Limit: Abraham’s Silence and the Paradox of Faith In a recent article for the journal Sophia, philosopher Alexei Procyshyn offers a novel interpretation of Kierkegaard’s views on faith, specifically focusing on the character of Abraham in Fear and Trembling. Rather than viewing...
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Islamic Sainthood: Medieval Debates and Modern Interfaith Dialogue
This episode explores the historical and theological evolution of Islamic sainthood, focusing on the starkly different perspectives of Ibn al-ʿArabī and Ibn Taymiyya. Ibn al-ʿArabī envisioned the perfect man as a cosmic bridge possessing mystical knowledge through divine imagination and spiritual...
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The Sacred Return: Shared Sanctity in Life and Death
This episode explores the profound theological significance of the homecoming of Ran Gvili, the final hostage returned from Gaza to Israel. The author examines how both Judaism and Islam share a deep reverence for the human body, viewing the act of proper burial as a sacred moral obligation. By...
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The Hijra: Ancient Sanctuary and the Modern Migration of Heart
This podcast explores the historical significance of the Hijra, the foundational migration in Islam, by highlighting how a Christian monarch provided sanctuary to persecuted Muslims. It draws a direct parallel between these 7th-century events and contemporary struggles regarding immigration,...
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Divine Light: Illuminating Faith and Ethics in Christianity and Islam
This episode explores the symbolism of light as a unifying metaphor for the Divine within Christian and Islamic scriptures. By examining the New Testament and the Qur’an, the author illustrates how both faiths view God as the ultimate source of truth, guidance, and moral purity. While…
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Nund Rishi and the Negative Theology of Kashmiri Pluralism
This dissertation by Abir Bashir Bazaz explores the negative theology and mystical poetry of the 14th-century Kashmiri saint Nund Rishi, also known as Sheikh al-‘Ālam. The text examines how his verse, known as shruks, employs a "language of unsaying" to navigate complex themes of death,...
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Sacred Rivers, Shared Sorrows: Remembrance as Healing in Black-Indigenous Solidarity
This podcast explores the profound historical alliance and spiritual solidarity between Black and Indigenous communities, particularly the Black Seminoles of Florida. By examining events like the battles along the Loxahatchee River, the author illustrates how these groups fused diverse...
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Interfaiths: Hindu-Jewish Dialogue
Prof. Nathan Katz focuses on the formal interfaith dialogue between the Hindu and Jewish communities, highlighting their shared values and theological intersections. He documents specific meetings where religious leaders and scholars discussed mutual respect, the rejection of proselytisation, and...
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Interfaiths: How to Read the Quran
In "How to Read the Qur'an," Carl W. Ernst provides a scholarly framework for understanding the text through a literary and historical lens, rather than a purely theological one. He addresses the significant cultural barriers and modern anxieties that often prevent non-Muslim readers from…
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Interfaiths: The National Socialists' Spiritual Mandate for Genocide
Mikael Nilsson’s research challenges the common assumption that Nazi antisemitism was purely secular by highlighting how Adolf Hitler’s worldview was rooted in a distorted Christian theology. It explains that Hitler reimagined Jesus as an Aryan warrior rather than a Jewish figure, weaponising...
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Interfaiths: The Academic Study of Religion (Religionswissenschaft)
Inter-religious dialogue is the effort by individuals and organisations of different religious affiliations to exchange views on their commonalities and differences, reduce misunderstandings, and cooperate on shared goals such as peace or ecology. The relevance of the academic study of religion...
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Interfaiths: Sacred Repetition (mantra) in Abrahamic Traditions
This episode examines how Judaism, Christianity, and Islam utilise repeated sacred phrases, often referred to as mantras, to foster a deeper connection with the divine. These monotheistic traditions employ specific names of God or holy verses to align a practitioner’s life with spiritual reality...
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Interfaiths: Faith, Force, and Fiqh- Evaluating Hamas through Classical Islamic Law
In this episode, we undertake a rigorous examination of the October 7, 2023, Hamas assault on Israel through the lens of classical Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh). While Hamas invokes religious doctrines such as jihād to justify its military operations, many scholars argue that its tactics represent…
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Interfaiths: Public Scholarship, Shi’ism, and the Middle East with Dr. Juan Cole
In this episode of the Interfaiths podcast, Professor Iqbal Akhtar is joined by Dr. Juan Cole, the Richard P. Mitchell Collegiate Professor of History at the University of Michigan. Dr. Cole shares the story of his extensive intellectual journey, ranging from his childhood in multi-religious...
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Interfaiths Miami: Mosaic Miami: Redefining Interfaith Dialogue in a Changing City w/ Matt Anderson
In this episode, I sit down with Matt Anderson, Executive Director of Mosaic Miami (formerly MCCJ), to discuss the evolving landscape of faith and community cohesion in South Florida. From his roots in the Haitian and Bahamian diasporas to leading one of Miami’s oldest human relations...
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Interfaiths: Building Sacred Space at a Public University- The Bell Chapel at FIU (ft. Tara Orezoli)
Welcome back to the channel. In this episode, I am honored to sit down with Tara Orezoli, Director of Development for Strategic Initiatives at the FIU Foundation, to discuss a groundbreaking project for our community: The Trish and Dan Bell Multifaith Chapel at Florida International University.…
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Interfaiths: Building Bridges: A Conversation with Jewish Community Leader Joe Jacoby
In this episode, I sit down with Joe Jacoby, a preeminent leader in the Miami Jewish community and former president of Temple Beth Am, for a profound discussion on history, identity, and the future of interfaith relations. As a rare Miami native, Joe shares his family’s deep roots in the South...
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Interfaiths: Interfaiths Miami: From Air Force to Jewish Leader: A Journey of Faith & Identity (ft. Pamela Lear)
In this episode of the Interfaith Miami podcast, host Balakar sits down with Pamela Lear, a prominent figure in the South Florida interfaith movement, to discuss her fascinating journey of identity, resilience, and faith. Pamela’s story is not that of a typical upbringing. From growing up as an...
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Interfaiths: Dr. Yasemin Saib on Rumi, Sufism, and Modern Islam
In this episode of the Interfaiths Miami Podcast at Florida International University (FIU), Dr. Iqbal Akhtar sits down with Dr. Yasemin Saib—an FIU professor of religion, Muslim theologian, and key member of the Muslim-Jewish Dialogue. Born in Saudi Arabia and educated in strict Wahhabi madrasas...
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Interfaiths: Leading with Faith & Social Justice: A Conversation with Rabbi Jaime Aklepi
In this episode of the Interfaith Miami podcast, we are honored to sit down with Rabbi Jaime Aklepi of Temple Beth Am, one of South Florida’s most respected faith leaders and a key partner in our Jewish-Muslim dialogue initiatives. Rabbi Aklepi shares her personal journey from a "somewhat...
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Interfaiths: Discovering the Inner Light: Quakerism, Social Justice, and the Art of Dialogue with Prof. Jeanette Smith
In this episode of the Interfaiths podcast, we are honored to sit down with Professor Jeanette Smith, a dedicated social justice advocate and moral exemplar in the South Florida community. Jeanette takes us through her fascinating journey—from growing up in a small town in Northern Maryland and…
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
The Interfaiths podcast, hosted by Prof. Dr. Iqbal Akhtar, an Associate Professor of Religious Studies and International Relations at Florida International University (FIU), offers a scholarly and deeply engaged exploration of interfaith cooperation. The podcast distinguishes itself by moving beyond theoretical dialogue to focus on tangible, real-world applications of interfaith work, making it a crucial resource for the next generation of religious and civic leaders.
The central mission of the podcast is to dissect and understand the dynamics of interfaith relations through two primary lenses:
Highlighting Moral Exemplars: The podcast provides a platform for in-depth conversations with individuals who embody the principles of interfaith cooperation. These are not just religious leaders but also practitioners, activists, and community organizers who have dedicated their lives to building bridges between different fa
HOSTED BY
Iqbal Akhtar
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Interfaiths have?
Interfaiths currently has 62 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Interfaiths about?
The Interfaiths podcast, hosted by Prof. Dr. Iqbal Akhtar, an Associate Professor of Religious Studies and International Relations at Florida International University (FIU), offers a scholarly and deeply engaged exploration of interfaith cooperation. The podcast distinguishes itself by moving...
How often does Interfaiths release new episodes?
Interfaiths has 62 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Interfaiths?
You can listen to Interfaiths on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Interfaiths?
Interfaiths is created and hosted by Iqbal Akhtar.
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