He went from boiling plain pasta for dinner to quitting his teaching job and becoming one of Dubai's most recognised food bloggers. This conversation will make you hungry. Faisal joins the pod to talk about how he built his food page from scratch in Abu Dhabi, what it actually took to go full-time as a content creator with a young family, and why he believes Dubai has the best food scene in the world. Along the way we get into the hidden restaurants he genuinely rates, the moment he made dua at the Kaaba and went viral shortly after, and what raising your palate really means when you are eating professionally. Key topics: - Starting a food diary page with 200 followers and scaling it to a full-time income in under two years - Teaching in the UK versus the Gulf, the salary differences and why he could not go back - His top three restaurants right now and what makes each one special - How fasting most weekdays by accident turned into a deliberate routine - Cultural differences in healthcare, raising kids abroad, and building a life without family nearby - The dua he made at the Kaaba and the viral moment that followed

A Muslim doctor walks into a podcast and talks about the soul. No, really, this conversation will change how you think about your health, your prayers, and your heart. After a three month break, Freshly Grounded is back. In this first episode, host Faisal sits down with Dr. Daanish, a medical doctor and content creator known for weaving Islam into honest conversations about health and life. They cover why Western medicine is missing a core piece of the puzzle, what actually happens when you step into the presence of Allah in your Salah, and why the four basics of health matter more than any supplement you can buy. They also get into parenting, parents, language learning, the state of Muslim households, and a Quranic framework for personal growth pulled from the story of Musa that is better than any self-help book. Freshly Grounded is back to regular episodes, covering faith, life, relationships, and culture with honesty and without the filters. Subscribe so you do not miss what is coming next.

Former Bad Boy rapper Loon (Amir Muhadith) returns to Freshly Grounded for one of the deepest conversations we've ever had. From growing up on the streets of Harlem to becoming Muslim, serving as an imam in prison, studying in Egypt, and now building one of the most ambitious Muslim animation projects we've seen, Amir reflects on the lessons that shaped his life. We discuss prison culture, why so many people return after release, the role Islam played in giving him freedom and purpose, marriage and family, the importance of knowledge, masculinity, brotherhood, and the responsibility of being a positive influence in your community. Amir also gives an exclusive insight into "The Amir of Harlem" — a high-quality animated series tackling the real challenges facing Muslim youth today. Topics include: • Why prison became his greatest classroom • The mistake that keeps people trapped long after prison ends • How Islam transformed his understanding of freedom • Leadership, brotherhood and serving your community • Marriage, family and choosing the right spouse • The forgotten wisdom of our grandparents • Why young Muslims need better stories and role models • The vision behind The Amir of Harlem • His upcoming book: From Harlem to the Harem Enjoy. — Freshly Grounded Support our clean water campaign: https://www.launchgood.com/v4/campaign/water_for_life__freshly_grounded?utm_source=tribe.freshlygrounded.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=do-you-worry-too-much&_bhlid=9109c533560f44d657932fb494aee5c1c09414fe Follow Amir: https://www.instagram.com/loon.tv/

Most Muslims don't need investment advice. They need help escaping debt. In this episode of Freshly Grounded, Faisal and Kaya sit down with Shaykh Uthman Ibn Farooq for one of the most practical conversations we've had around money, modern consumerism, mortgages, credit cards, buy-now-pay-later culture and what Islam actually teaches about wealth. This is about: • Why so many Muslims feel financially trapped • The psychology behind spending money you don't have • How social media and marketing manipulate your desires • The hidden dangers of mortgages and credit cards • What the Sahabah taught us about wealth, simplicity and freedom • The difference between needs, wants and necessities • Why living below your means is becoming a forgotten sunnah Shaykh Uthman also shares stories from his own life — from driving luxury cars to living in tiny rooftop rooms while studying Islam overseas — and explains why some of the happiest years of his life came with the least possessions. A conversation every Muslim family needs to hear.

A casual catch-up that somehow turns into a masterclass on building in public, protecting your rizq, and navigating the chaos of the internet. From Faisal's Instagram getting shut down overnight, to what it really means to own your audience. They unpack the reality of building a business in public, the balance between transparency and protecting yourself from the evil eye, and why not everything should be shared — even in the age of "content." There's also a proper deep dive into Faisal's AI SaaS (Scorper), how it went from a personal tool to a growing product, and the exact marketing strategies behind it — including referrals, directories, Product Hunt launches, and community-led growth.  

In this solo episode, Faisal breaks down what might be the biggest opportunity Muslims have ever had in the modern world. For years, we've been told: "Work for yourself so you can protect your time, your salah, and your income." But for most people… that always felt out of reach. Not anymore. Faisal dives into the rise of AI and "vibe coding" — where you can now build real apps, tools, and businesses without knowing how to code… or even being "technical." He shares: Why this moment is different from anything before How Muslims can use this shift to take control of their income The exact mindset shift needed to actually start Real examples (including how Freshly Grounded grew massively using AI tools) Why most people are overthinking it — and missing the window This isn't a "get rich quick" talk. It's a wake-up call. A reminder that we're living through a rare moment where: Skills are no longer a barrier Money is no longer a barrier And opportunity is wide open The question is… will you take it?

Faisal sits down with Imran, better known online as What In The Chef, to unpack the story behind one of the fastest growing food creators online. From leaving engineering and working in the bin area at McDonald's… to building a personal brand with millions of followers… to self-publishing his cookbook entirely through Canva, this is a masterclass in betting on yourself. Imran shares how he built his audience by focusing on simple, realistic recipes for everyday people, why he refused traditional publishers, and how his mission goes beyond food — helping people build confidence in the kitchen and create better moments with family. If you've ever thought about starting content, writing a book, or launching a product — this episode will give you clarity and confidence.

👉 DONATE: https://freshlygrounded.com/spot In this special Ramadan ifṭār episode of Freshly Grounded, Faisal is joined by his older brother Omar and their good friend Hannan for a relaxed evening of food, conversation, and some surprisingly deep reflections. What starts as a casual ifṭār with sandwiches, sushi experiments, and ginger shots quickly turns into a fascinating conversation about social media, attention, AI, and the world we're living in today. Hannan shares how deleting Instagram from his phone completely changed his life, leading to a discussion about reclaiming focus and "buying back your mindspace." The conversation then takes a deeper turn when the group explores the idea that we no longer live in a "monoculture." Instead, everyone now lives in their own algorithm-driven world — seeing different news, different trends, and even different realities online. They also dive into the AI revolution, coding with tools like Claude and Cursor, the future of work, whether AI will make people smarter or lazier, and why learning to think independently might be the most important skill in the years ahead. Along the way there are stories about cats, childhood fears of animals, allergies, Ramadan struggles with illness, and of course… trying sushi for the first time. A classic Freshly Grounded episode: brotherhood, laughter, deep thoughts, and good food.

👉 DONATE: https://freshlygrounded.com/spot Faisal and Sam talk Ramadan routines, the brutal honesty of post-tour sickness, and the eternal struggle between "I'm being healthy" and "double smash burger + blueberry milkshake." 👉 2for2 Show: https://www.youtube.com/@2for2show 👉 Faisal's parenting seminar: https://parenting.faisal.live 👉 Join FG Premium: https://fgtribe.com 📧 Freshly Grounded Newsletter: https://tribe.freshlygrounded.com/subscribe 💪 Buy The Game: https://shop.freshlygrounded.com ----------------------------------------­­­­­­­­---------------------------------­-­-­-­-­ ✉️ Contact Us  • Instagram: http://instagram.com/Freshly_Grounded • E-mail: [email protected] ----------------------------------------­­­­­­­­---------------------------------­-­-­-­-­- The views expressed by our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of Freshly Grounded or its hosts.

👉 Money Budgeting Tool: https://money.freshlygrounded.com There's a lot of noise right now around money. Side hustles. Passive income. Financial freedom. The promise that once you hit a certain number, life will finally feel lighter. But what if the real problem isn't how much money you make… What if it's how you relate to the money you already have? In this solo episode, Faisal speaks honestly about the missing conversation in Muslim spaces: money management, debt, discipline, and the emotional relationship we have with spending. This isn't an anti-wealth episode. It's not anti-ambition. And it's definitely not about glorifying struggle. It's about the uncomfortable truth that more income doesn't fix poor money habits — it magnifies them. 👉 DONATE: https://freshlygrounded.com/spot 👉 2for2 Show: https://www.youtube.com/@2for2show 👉 Faisal's parenting seminar: https://parenting.faisal.live 👉 Join FG Premium: https://fgtribe.com 📧 Freshly Grounded Newsletter: https://tribe.freshlygrounded.com/subscribe 💪 Buy The Game: https://shop.freshlygrounded.com ----------------------------------------­­­­­­­­---------------------------------­-­-­-­-­ ✉️ Contact Us  • Instagram: http://instagram.com/Freshly_Grounded • E-mail: [email protected] ----------------------------------------­­­­­­­­---------------------------------­-­-­-­-­- The views expressed by our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of Freshly Grounded or its hosts.