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The words we use to understand the world shape what we see and what we overlook, and how we make sense of the problems around us. But what happens when the concepts we rely on fail to capture the reality of what we’re trying to understand?  In this Focal Point, Imam Tom Facchine examines how the language we use to describe oppression, identity, and social change influences how we understand and respond to them. From the limitations of concepts like genocide and Islamophobia to the frameworks we use to understand capitalism and secularism, he explores what these terms reveal, what they leave out, and how alternative concepts rooted in an Islamic intellectual tradition might offer a more complete understanding.

What does it take for a minority community in the West to live with dignity? In this episode of Focal Point, Imam Tom Facchine examines the Nation of Islam within the broader history of state surveillance and the struggle for communal self-determination in America. The episode does not present the NOI as a model of orthodox Islam. Instead, it distinguishes its theological errors from the serious historical questions it raised: how communities build institutions, resist criminalization, protect dignity, and construct power on their own terms.

How did a leaked, Israel-commissioned poll end up calling Israel a “genocidal, apartheid country” in the eyes of the world? Why are billion-dollar media empires, Big Tech cloud contracts, and paid influencer networks all converging to sell you one story on Gaza? Who really pushed for the detention of Sami Hamdi—and what does that tell us about the future of dissent and citizenship in the West? In his latest Focal Point, Imam Tom maps the money, the media, and the smear machine—and what it means for your rights moving forward.

Islam offers guidance for every aspect of our lives, but where does it fit in a political world shaped by capitalism and socialism? Can we navigate politics as Muslims when neither system reflects our values? Imam Tom takes a deep dive into both ideologies and explains Islam’s stance on them.

Scholars who defend order over justice don’t emerge by accident. They are products of Western philosophy that have conditioned generations to prize compliance over courage. Imam Tom breaks down how colonial and modern powers molded Muslim scholarship to value control over truth and highlights how we can move beyond these ideologies to revive integrity and prophetic justice in our ummah.

Christopher Columbus has long been praised as a symbol of the American immigrant dream. But how did a mass murderer, a genocider, and a barbarian come to be celebrated in such a manner? Imam Tom dissects the anti-immigrant sentiment that shaped the future of Columbus’s legacy, highlighting that he was actually much worse than what we’ve been told.

Modern history claims to be neutral and objective, but what if it's blind to the most important part of reality? In this Focal Point episode, Imam Tom Facchine unpacks the Historical Critical Method, exploring its origins, hidden assumptions, and the worldview it quietly enforces. It’s time to challenge the dominant narrative that sidelines Allah and the unseen, and redefines how we think about history, the truth, and divine purpose.

What if the Muslim representation we’ve been fighting for is actually working against us? In this Focal Point episode, Imam Tom Facchine explores the rise of Muslim representation in media, politics, and pop culture, and why it might be more harmful than helpful. From tokenism to identity politics, we unpack how visibility without values can betray the very communities it claims to uplift. Before we celebrate inclusion, we need to ask: At what cost?

U.S. anti-terror laws date back to the 1960s. Why were they created? And who do they really protect—American citizens or Israeli interests? Imam Tom Facchine unpacks the biases in U.S. anti-terror policy and how the definition of terrorism is manipulated and weaponized against Muslims globally.

European colonialism didn’t just redraw borders, it dismantled the Muslim world from the inside out. From abolishing Islamic law to replacing scholars and institutions, the legacy of empire is everywhere—even in our own self-perception.  In this episode of Focal Point, Imam Tom Facchine unpacks how colonialism restructured the Muslim world, and what Muslims must do to reclaim autonomy today.

Imam Tom Facchine sits down with Paul Williams from Blogging Theology for a conversation on truth, God, Christianity, liberalism, identity, and how Islam reframes it all.

Who profits from making people fear Muslims? In this Focal Point episode, Imam Tom exposes the multi-million dollar network fueling Islamophobia—fake experts, front organizations, and political actors who weaponize misinformation for profit and power. This isn’t ignorance, it’s strategy. Who funds the fear? Who benefits? And how do we counter it?

Join us this week on Imam Tom Live with special guest Rawda Fawaz from Cair/Columbia University. We will discuss Elon's despicable Gaza stance, the skunk attacks on Columbia University's campus by IDF soldiers, Islam's unity in the face of oppression and the Islamophobic events in India with the Ram Temple. We will also continue our book conversations from last week!

Join Imam Tom Live this week as we discuss what happened over the past seven days. From Joe Biden having trouble visiting Michigan because no Masjids in the state were willing to host him, to the incredible turnout in DC protesting the Gaza Genocide, there is a lot to cover. Plus, the ICJ hearings, habits that you can add to your pre-Fajr routine, and we continue to read the book "The Myth of Religious Violence." Make sure to ask your questions in the chat to participate live!

Join Imam Tom Live this week with guest Abdullah Akl as they discuss how protests are helping our cause, and how to do so with Ihsan. Please make sure to participate in the chat and ask your questions live to Imam Tom and to Abdullah Akl! In addition, Imam Tom will continue to discuss the book from last week, "Amal al-layl wa-nahar", and in this episode we will discuss the last 10 verses of Surah Al-Imraan. In addition, Imam Tom will continue the conversation about the book "The Myth of Religious Violence."