Ep. 76: Beards, European Hats & Coffee: Being Muslim or Imitating Others?

“Whoever imitates a people becomes one of them." This well-known hadith on tashabbuh (imitation), debated by scholars over centuries, continues to play a role in how Muslims see both themselves and others.

Dr. Youshaa Patel, author of the book, “The Muslim Difference: Defining the Line between Believers and Unbelievers from Early Islam to the Present”, joins the podcast to explore the many different layers of tashabbuh, weaving through scholarly commentaries, psychology, history, style and culture.