Prayer Rooms & Halal Food at a Japanese Tech Giant? 🇯🇵 | Life in Tokyo ft. Nizam Uddin

Send us a textSoftware Engineer & College Professor Kareem reveals the truth about career changes, imposter syndrome, starting over, and the real future of AI and your job.He explains:How to pivot your career (even without the 'right' degree).The strategy to conquer crippling imposter syndrome for good.The truth about AI & your job security (it's not what you think).Why being told "you're not qualified" can be your greatest advantage.How to turn your 'unrelated' experience into your biggest superpower.▶️ Links from this episode:Connect with the community at Max Aspire, the "Muslim LinkedIn" project Kareem contributes to:👉 https://aspire.onemax.org/Support the show

Send us a textWhat if the biggest obstacle to your success isn't fear, but overthinking? What if your greatest business asset isn't capital, but your character? And what if the ultimate goal of your business wasn't just profit, but a partnership that leads to Jannah? 🌍🎙️ In this profound episode, we sit down with Zhagum Arshad, a serial entrepreneur of 25 years, AI founder, angel investor, and community builder. Zhagum shares his powerful and unconventional approach to business, rooted in radical action, deep Tawakkul (trust in Allah), and a relentless drive for impact. 💡 Zhagum offers a masterclass in living a life of purpose, turning business into an act of worship, and leveraging success to uplift the entire Ummah.▶️ Links:Learn more about the Muslim Tech Fest, an event mentioned in the episode.Learn more about The Thinking Muslim, a podcast mentioned in the episode.Support the show

Send us a text🤔 What does it take to earn a national leadership mandate from over 54,000 peers? How can you turn systemic barriers into opportunities for change? We sit down with Dr. Aaliya Goyal, a UK-based GP and Occupational Health Specialist who was nationally elected to the council of the Royal College of General Practitioners.In this powerful conversation, Dr. Goyal shares her journey, discussing the loneliness that can come with leadership, the critical importance of tackling health inequalities for diverse communities, and her passion for mentoring the next generation. She provides a masterclass on leading with purpose 🚀, building trust through consistency, and why she believes our greatest strength lies in our grassroots support 🌳. ▶️  Links :- Learn more about the British Islamic Medical Association (BIMA), an organization mentioned in the episode.Support the show

Send us a textWhat if the purpose of university wasn't just to get a job, but to learn how to think? What if corporate charity doesn't always go to the neediest, but to the most convenient? And what if the key to uplifting our Ummah lies not just in individual success, but in tackling systemic inequality through research and action? 🌍🎙️ In this deeply insightful episode, we sit down with Dr. Muhammad Umar Boodoo, an Associate Professor at the prestigious Warwick Business School. From his childhood in Mauritius to the academic halls of Canada and the UK, Dr. Umar shares his candid and non-linear journey, including why he failed his first PhD and how that "failure" set him on a path of greater purpose. He unpacks his groundbreaking research on corporate philanthropy, revealing the uncomfortable truths about where the money really goes. ▶️ Links :- Learn more about the Birmingham Pakistani Report guided by Dr. Umar's expertise as Lead ResearcherSupport the show

Send us a textWhat if the "safest" investment your parents told you about—property—is actually holding back your financial growth? What if your capital could be a tool for compassion and systemic change, not exploitation? And what if the path to building true, sustainable wealth was more accessible than you ever imagined? 🌍🎙️ In this powerhouse episode, we sit down with Tanvir Uddin, the Founder and CEO of Wholesome, a purpose-driven Halal investment firm. With an elite background spanning McKinsey & Company, the Islamic Development Bank, and a formative experience with the Clinton Foundation, Tanvir brings a rare combination of high-level strategy and a deep, mission-driven ethos. He is on a mission to demystify finance and build solutions that are not just Sharia-compliant, but systemically beneficial for our global community.💡 Discover why Tanvir believes property is not the "silver bullet" for wealth creation, and learn his practical, 3-step guide for absolute beginners to start their investment journey. He shares the game-changing lessons he learned at McKinsey, the strategic gaps he's filling in the Halal market, and the profound story of an Indonesian farmer that reveals the true, compassionate soul of Islamic finance. This isn't just about returns; it's about revolutionizing how we think about, use, and grow our money.This conversation is essential for anyone who has ever felt intimidated by investing, is stuck in a "property-only" mindset, or is an aspiring founder in the FinTech space. It's a masterclass for every Muslim looking to align their financial goals with their deepest values and make a tangible impact on the world.▶️ Links : - Interested ? Learn more about investing with Wholesum.Disclaimer : The information provided in this episode is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered as financial advice. The insights shared here should not be taken as recommendations for any specific investment or financial decision. Please consult with a qualified financial professional before making any decisions.Support the show

Send us a textHow do you challenge a global narrative? And how do you tell the stories that truly matter in an age of fake news and shrinking attention spans? 🌍🎙️ In this powerful episode, we sit down with Adama Juldeh Munu, an international journalist with over 15 years of experience reporting from the front lines of global news. Based in Istanbul, Adama shares her incredible journey from a young girl in South London inspired by the Islam Channel to an award-winning storyteller shaping our understanding of the world.💡 Discover how her mission to "rewrite the narrative" about Muslims fueled her career, the challenges she faced in a demanding industry, and her approach to finding truth in a post-truth world. Adama offers a masterclass in journalistic integrity, the evolution of media, and what it takes to report on complex issues like the connection between the Gaza crisis and the Bosnian genocide.This conversation is essential for aspiring journalists, storytellers, and anyone who wants to understand the power of media in shaping our world.Support the show

Send us a textHow do you convince one of the world's biggest companies to build a prayer room? And how does that one act spark a movement across an entire city's financial district? 🌍🎙️ In this inspiring episode, we sit down with Sufian Musab Ahmed, a Senior Associate at global consulting firm PwC and the founder of Alif Institutt in Oslo, Norway. Sufian shares his incredible story of how his faith gave him the confidence to approach his CEO and successfully champion the first prayer room in a 'Big Four' firm in the country.💡 Discover his unique journey from leaving his career path to travel for five years to master Arabic, to founding an institute to empower his community. Sufian offers powerful insights on integrating your faith into your professional life, practical tips for learning Arabic at any age, and a unique look into what it's really like to be a Muslim in Norway.This episode is a masterclass in faith, leadership, and how to create meaningful change from within any system.Support the show

Send us a textHow do you respond to a world that tries to hold you back? You follow the profound advice Horia Hashimi's father gave her: become so excellent, so skilled, and so valuable that they simply cannot afford to ignore you. 💪Step into the world of Horia Hashimi, a brilliant PhD scientist 🔬 at one of Europe's top universities, EPFL, whose journey began as a refugee from Afghanistan. In this powerful conversation, she unpacks how that single piece of advice became the cornerstone of her identity and career, fueling her path through prejudice to the heights of academia.▶️ Mentioned in this episode:Horia's EPFL Video PortraitHoria's Interview with Afghan Women AssociationCharisma & Public Speaking TEDx TalkMuslim Professionals of Switzerland NetworkList of EPFL Research LabsSupport the show

Send us a textWhat happens when a high-flying corporate manager steps away from the spreadsheets and stands before the Kaaba during the most sacred nights of Ramadan? How can a single spiritual journey reshape your perspective on your career, your family, and your entire purpose in life? 🌍🎙️ In this profoundly moving episode, we sit down with Rushfique Hamid, an Operations Manager at Deloitte, who shares the story of his life-changing Umrah. He takes us on his journey to Mecca during the last nine nights of Ramadan, describing a transformative experience that brought him closer to Allah, allowed him to detach from worldly concerns, and revealed the breathtaking unity of the Muslim Ummah.Support the show

Send us a textCan you imagine finding prayer rooms and free halal meals at a top tech company in... Japan? What does it take to build a life of faith in the Land of the Rising Sun, a country where Muslims make up less than 0.2% of the population? 🌍🎙️ In this eye-opening episode, we journey to Tokyo to speak with Nizam Uddin, a Data Scientist at the tech giant Rakuten. Originally from Bangladesh, Nizam shares his incredible story of landing a competitive job in Japan, choosing it over a PhD in the USA. He gives us a candid look at a side of Japan most of us have never seen: a place of surprising safety, deep honesty (wait until you hear his lost AirPod story!), and a growing, vibrant Muslim community with its own Hifz school.▶️ Links:Connect with the brilliant Nizam and follow his work!The Japanese language book mentioned in the episode: Minna no NihongoSupport the show