WATCH | AFTER THE CALIPHATE: WHAT MUSLIM HISTORY TEACHES ABOUT RENEWAL

Mon 27 July 2026:

Can the Muslim world recover from political decline? What resources does the Islamic tradition offer in times of crisis, and what does genuine regeneration look like?

In this episode of The Thinking Muslim, we are joined by Dr. Sohaira Siddiqui to explore how Muslims have historically responded to periods of political collapse, colonialism, and institutional decline. Drawing on the thought of Imam Juḥany and the broader Islamic intellectual tradition, the conversation examines how the Ummah can rebuild from the ground up through scholarship, institutions, and community.

The discussion explores the relationship between political authority and religious authority, the enduring independence of Islamic scholarship, the legacy of colonialism, and why the mosque remains central to Muslim life. We also discuss the role of women in institution-building, the emergence of Al Mujadilah Mosque in Qatar, and whether the post-Gaza moment represents the beginning of a new phase of regeneration for the Muslim Ummah.

Rather than asking whether decline is inevitable, this conversation asks a more important question: what does Islam teach us about renewal?

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About Dr. Sohaira Siddiqui:
Dr. Sohaira Siddiqui is a Professor of Islamic Studies and Theology at Georgetown University in Qatar and Executive Director of Al-Mujadilah Center & Mosque for Women. Her research focuses on classical Islamic legal theory and political thought, Islamic law under colonialism, contemporary Islamic family law, and questions of gender, authority, and participation in Muslim societies.