OnGuard - For the Ummah, For the Truth

What if the biggest obstacle to your future isn't your circumstances, your resources, or your abilities — but the fact that you're relying on yourself?

In this deeply moving episode of OnGuard, Dr Hamza Andreas Tzortzis sits down with Sh Mustafa Almansur to explore the true meaning of īmān, tawakkul (trust in Allah), and the extraordinary possibilities that open up when we stop depending solely on ourselves.

Sh Mustafa shares the emotional story of his estrangement from his son, and the seemingly irrational decision to travel thousands of miles to Saudi Arabia without knowing whether his...

What if the greatest challenge to modern Christianity comes not from Islam — but from Christianity's own forgotten history?

Who really followed the teachings of Jesus (ʿĪsā عليه السلام)? His 'brother' James and the original disciples who knew him personally, or Paul, whose teachings came to dominate Christianity despite never meeting Jesus?

In this fascinating episode of OnGuard, Dr Hamza Andreas Tzortzis sits down with Paul Williams of @BloggingTheology to uncover a largely forgotten chapter of Christian history — one with potentially revolutionary implications for how we understand the religion of Jesus.

They explore the beliefs of the earliest foll...

What if your daʿwah is successful in the eyes of people — but rejected by Allāh?

In this powerful episode of OnGuard, Shaykh Shaqur Rehman joins us for a deep and unusually candid discussion about ikhlāṣ: sincerity for the sake of Allāh.

But this isn't simply a reminder to “check your intentions”.

What happens when the algorithm rewards you for being seen? When daʿwah becomes a personal brand? When views, followers, praise and influence begin affecting how you speak, what you post — and even why you post it?

Could an outwar...

Muslim men are struggling with anxiety, depression, loneliness, addiction and pressures that often remain completely hidden from the people around them. But why do so many men suffer in silence — and what should Muslims actually do about it?

In this episode of OnGuard, Dr Hamza Andreas Tzortzis sits down with Ahmed Tomal of Tawfiq Therapy for a frank discussion about the mental health challenges facing Muslim men today.

They explore anxiety, depression, loneliness, addiction, relationships, suicidal thoughts, emotional suppression and the difficulty many men have in asking for help. Ahmed also breaks down what therapy ca...

Is modern therapy really neutral?
Imam Abdullah Hasan argues that beneath many popular approaches to psychology, counselling and psychotherapy lie assumptions about what a human being is, what suffering means, what constitutes illness, and what healing should look like.
And when Muslims adopt those frameworks wholesale — then simply add Qur’anic verses, hadith or Islamic terminology — are we actually producing “Islamic psychology”? Or are we importing an entirely different worldview into Islam?
In this fascinating OnGuard conversation, Dr Hamza Andreas Tzortzis sits down with Imam Abdullah Hasan, who combines traditional Islamic scholarship with formal study in psychology...

What makes a society truly civilised?

Is civilisation measured by wealth, military strength and global influence—or by the moral principles that restrain power and protect human dignity?

In this extended OnGuard conversation, Dr Hamza Andreas Tzortzis sits down with Shaykh Dr Haitham al-Haddad to explore akhlāq: the Islamic understanding of character, morality and the way human beings relate to Allah, themselves, one another and the world around them.

They examine who has the authority to define right and wrong, why secular moral frameworks can produce radically different conclusions over tim...

In this special episode of OnGuard, Hamza Andreas Tzortzis sits with the world-renowned Mauritanian scholar Shaykh Dr Mostafa al-Shaybani for a deeply personal conversation on da‘wah, sincerity, fame, the Qur’an, family, and the crisis of Muslim online influence.

Hamza asks the Shaykh to advise him directly — as someone involved in leadership, public da‘wah, online work, and mentoring others — on how Muslim speakers, activists, influencers and students should protect themselves from ego, ostentation, fame, algorithm-chasing and losing sight of the real purpose of calling people to Allāh.

The Shaykh’s answer is a powerful re...

What happens when Muslim men and women are separated from their fitrah, their roles, their families — and each other?

In this OnGuard podcast, Shaykh Shaqur Rehman joins us for a deep discussion on the Power of a Muslim Woman, the role of motherhood and wifehood in Islamic civilisation, the crisis facing Muslim families, and how modern society has reshaped the way men and women see themselves.

This is not just a discussion about feminism, university, marriage, or gender roles. It is about the heart of the Muslim home, the future of the Ummah, and the ur...

What happens when you know Islam is true… but still feel empty inside?

In this powerful episode of OnGuard, Hamza Tzortzis speaks to Imran Hussein about anxiety, intrusive thoughts, depression, nihilism, and the search for meaning in a world full of distractions.

Imran shares his deeply personal journey through an existential crisis, describing the moment life seemed to lose its meaning — and how turning back to Allah transformed darkness into clarity. But this is not just a story about “mental health”. It is a conversation about iman, purpose, knowledge, the heart, and why intellectual certainty alone is...

The world is changing — fast.

From escalating global conflicts to shifting political powers, it feels like history is unfolding in front of us. But here’s the real question:

Are we actually understanding what’s happening?

In this episode of OnGuard, Hamza Tzortzis sits down with Shaykh Dr Haitham al-Haddad to unpack a perspective many Muslims are missing. Because if we misunderstand the nature of this world — its purpose, its struggles, its conflicts — then everything else starts to feel confusing.

This isn’t just about geopolitics.
It’s about how a Muslim shoul...

What does it really mean to speak about the power of a Muslim woman in a world already saturated with assumptions about gender, autonomy, success, and value?

In this thought-provoking OnGuard conversation, Hamza Tzortzis is joined by Imam Tom Facchine (Yaqeen Institute) for a wide-ranging discussion sparked by Islam21c’s Power of a Muslim Woman campaign. But this is not the conversation many might expect.

Together, they explore:

• Why modern society subtly reshaped how we think about women and “empowerment”
• The quiet pressure many women feel to justify or even apologise for follow...

In this powerful episode of OnGuard by Islam21c, Hamza Andreas Tzortzis sits down with Dr Zeyn Green-Thompson, a medical doctor and psychiatrist, for an honest and profoundly moving conversation on mental health, hope, and the Muslim experience.

Together, they explore some of the most difficult and often unspoken topics in our communities, including depression, hopelessness, and s**cidal ideation. Dr Zeyn brings rare clarity by combining clinical psychiatry with an Islamic worldview, showing how īmān, meaning, and responsibility can reshape the way we understand suffering and recovery.

This discussion goes beyond labels and qu...

“They stole land from the Palestinians and they stole identity from Jews.”

In this remarkable conversation, Rabbi Elhanan Beck — a Palestinian-born rabbi from Stamford Hill — shares his powerful story and deep insights into the clear distinction between Judaism and Zionism.

He explains why true Judaism is rooted in faith, humility, and obedience to God, while Zionism, as he argues, transformed a spiritual religion into a political and national project divorced from its sacred origins.

Together, we explore:
🔹 What it truly means to be Jewish according to the Torah
🔹 The 13 principles of faith outlined...

A quiet name change on a school register. Pronouns switched without a word to the parents. Then the reveal: at home she’s one child, at school she’s another. That’s the moment most families realise they can’t outsource their children’s formation—and it’s where our conversation with Yusuf Patel begins.

We dig into how parents can confidently navigate RSE in UK schools without retreating from education altogether. Yusuf explains why emailing questions (not just chatting at the gate) creates an audit trail that compels a school to reflect: what exactly is being taught, which...

Shaykh Abu Aaliyah explores modernity as a philosophical worldview that trades meaning for power, examining how Muslims can navigate these challenging waters while preserving their faith and purpose.

• Modernity is not about technology but the philosophical assumptions underpinning our world for the past 300-350 years

• Most people today don't realise what they've lost as meaninglessness has become the default philosophy of our culture

• Muslims are susceptible to "ideological osmosis" – absorbing modern ideas even while practicing their faith

• Rather than building a competing "juggernaut," Muslims need an “ark of salvation”...

Palestinians have inhabited their land for millennia, with genetic studies confirming 70-90% correspondence between modern Palestinians and ancient Canaanites from 4,000 years ago. This scientific evidence directly contradicts the Zionist narrative that portrays Palestinians as newcomers to the region.

• Genetic research shows Palestinians have preserved more ancient Canaanite DNA than European Jews who have approximately 40-50% correspondence
• Ben-Gurion himself acknowledged Palestinians descended from Jewish farmers who lived in the region 2,000 years ago
• The land was called "Palestine" for over two millennia, named after the Philistines encountered by Herodotus around 500 BCE
• Lord Balfour admitted Britain "deliberately declined...

When Ali Jaffery first experienced same-sex attraction at age 12, he began an 11-year journey of silence, shame, and self-loathing. Growing up in a conservative Muslim family with limited male mentorship, he felt fundamentally different and broken—convinced that his feelings made him unworthy in the eyes of Allah.

This profound conversation reveals the transformative moment when Ali  began dismantling what he calls "the identity paradigm"—the false notion that experiencing same-sex attraction makes someone inherently different or forces them to choose between their faith and their feelings.

Ali articulates a powerful alternative framework grounded in Islam...

Sheikh Haitham Al-Haddad offers profound Islamic insights on preventing suicide, addressing hopelessness, and finding meaning during difficult times. Through Quranic principles and prophetic guidance, he provides a comprehensive approach to mental distress that addresses physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual dimensions.

• Life is inherently a test, so difficulties should be expected rather than surprising
• The sanctity of life in Islam extends to all creatures, with human life holding special value
• Despairing of Allah's mercy may be a greater sin than many realize
• Muslims have the lowest suicide rates among religious groups in the UK, demonstrating religion...