Twenty years ago, Tharik Hussain moved from the United Kingdom to Saudi Arabia with a sense that he and other Muslims didn’t belong in Europe. But, as he explains today on the podcast, he has since been on a journey to uncover some 1,400 years of rich Muslim history and culture on the continent. Tharik joins Imaan and Ellen to discuss how Europeans forgot the contributions of Muslims in Europe—and what the impact of this erasure has been on modern politics. Plus—why, in the 8th century, did Anglo-Saxon King Offa of Mercia issue a gold coin inscribed with the shahadah (Islamic declaration of faith)? <a href="https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/458266/muslim-europe-by-hussain-tharik/9780241742822" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Tharik’s book, Muslim Europe, was published by Penguin in 2025.</a><hr> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

Election special! With Carys Afoko

In an era of news fatigue and constant information, Prospect steps back from the daily news grind—asking not just what is happening, but why. Join Prospect editors Alona Ferber and Imaan Irfan, along with the magazine’s cast of contributors, to explore the people and trends that explain the world today.Each week, we explain the ideas behind the week’s biggest stories. From populism and protest to artificial intelligence, our guests share their unique perspectives.Subscribe to Prospect and enjoy our rigorously fact-checked, truly independent analysis and perspectives:https://subscription.prospectmagazine.co.uk/OCT1MFBG/prospect-magazine/OCT1MFGProduced by Ellie JayMusic “Big Continent” composed by Maayan Madar Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.