Meet the team

Muhammad Jalal - Host of The Thinking Muslim Podcast

Muhammad Jalal is the host of The Thinking Muslim podcast, a leading platform that explores the political, intellectual, and social challenges facing the Muslim world. Through long-form conversations with scholars, activists, historians, and public figures, he interrogates how global power, history, and ideas shape contemporary Muslim struggles, aiming to foster a more informed and justice-oriented Muslim public.

Alongside his media work, Muhammad is an educator in the United Kingdom, teaching Politics and helping young people critically engage with the world around them. His dual role as teacher and commentator allows him to bridge academic insight with accessible public discourse, making complex issues intelligible to both students and global audiences.

Riaz Hassan - Writer and Researcher

Riaz Hassan is a writer and researcher on The Thinking Muslim podcast with a particular focus on Economics and Tech. He has previously written on China, Mutations in Capitalism, Artificial Intelligence, Deepseek and Tariffs. He has worked in a senior capacity for over 20 years in consultancy and innovation. He is a graduate of The University of Warwick and University College London with a Masters in Politics, Philosophy and Economics.

Zeerak - Digital Strategy

Zeerak is a data engineer, educator and community organiser working across technology, education and social impact. With a Masters in Physics, he now works as a Data Engineer - having worked in finance and now consulting to build cloud data platforms for the public sector.

Beyond his professional work, Zeerak is passionate about empowering the next generation of Muslims through knowledge and action. He volunteers in STEM outreach initiatives, delivers careers guidance to young people, and helps organise youth and mosque based programmes that nurture leadership and spiritual growth.

At The Thinking Muslim, Zeerak contributes to the podcast’s digital strategy and YouTube platform, helping to expand its reach and impact through data driven storytelling and algorithm optimisation. His broader interests include islamic finance, history, philosophy and drone videography/photography. Outside of work he is an avid rock climber, tennis player and powerlifter.

Arman - Researcher

Arman is an undergraduate student studying LLB Law at The City Law School with interests in public law, human rights, international law and geopolitics. He has authored articles examining the legal regulation of protest in the United Kingdom, with particular attention to recent pro-Palestinian demonstrations, as well as the use of reservations to the Genocide Convention in ICJ proceedings. He is particularly interested in how legal frameworks intersect with political power and global justice. Aside from legal interests, he has interests in political philosophy, philosophy of religion, Islamic history, modern history and the topic of colonialism.

Johaer Jilani - Researcher

Johaer Jilani is a graduate with a Bachelors and Masters degree in Philosophy and Biology from the University of Pennsylvania. He is currently pursuing a medical degree from Howard University College of Medicine. He has an interest in Islamic political movements and American politics, and he is passionate about community work and organizing.

Ahmed Serag - Marketing

Ahmed Serag, an Egyptian Canadian analyst with experience in market research and analytics.

Asma - Branding Advisor

Asma is a solution marketing strategist with a background in market research, specialising in Japanese and Korean consumer insights.

Mariam Khalid - Senior coordinator

Mariam studied law at university, and has had experience working in employment and immigration law. She is currently assisting The Thinking Muslim in an administrative capacity, coordinating between different projects and teams.

Asiya - Social Media Manager

Asiya is a Queen Mary University graduate with a degree in Comparative Literature. What started as a hobby in social media has now become a passion she aims to refine and use purposefully. She is dedicated to leveraging her skills for Ummatic impact, using digital platforms to foster activism and change.