About Candid Insights
Candid Insights is a podcast that interviews influencers, leaders, and intellectuals to draw out their deeper insights and timeless wisdom on issues facing society today.
Some of our previous guests, among others, include Hasan Minhaj, Karen Armstrong, Aasif Mandvi, and Jim Wallis.
About Sahil Badruddin
As the host of Candid Insights, Sahil Badruddin interviews influencers, leaders, and intellectuals to draw out their insights with thought-provoking questions that hit at the heart of a matter.
You can find his interviews published on platforms such as Rice University, The.Ismaili (official website), OnFaith (formerly part of Washington Post), and Sacred Matters Magazine (Emory University).
MY LATEST INTERVIEW GUESTS
John Esposito on the Challenges to Pluralism Today
John Esposito — Professor of International Affairs and Religion at Georgetown University and Director of their Bridge Initiative, that connects the academic study of Islamophobia with the public square — discusses his insights on Pluralism, Globalization, Religious Fundamentalism, Islam, the Media, Journalism, and Media Bubbles. Published for the Boniuk Institute of Rice University.
Hasan Minhaj on Comedy in America Today
Hasan Minhaj — American comedian and actor and host of the Netflix series, Patriot Act — discusses his insights on current challenges in America, his personal advice to all artists, and the future of entertainment and comedy. A first-generation American, Minhaj joined The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and he was also the featured speaker at the 2017 White House Correspondents’ Dinner.
Karen Armstrong on the State of the World Today
Dr. Karen Armstrong — an internationally acclaimed scholar and bestselling author of numerous books — discusses her insights on compassion, the Golden Rule, nationalism, materialism, Cosmopolitan Ethic, religious literacy, the future of religion, perceptions of religious people, religious institutions, personal search, and her vision for the future. Published for The.Ismaili
Aasif Mandvi on the Future of Entertainment
Aasif Mandvi — British-American actor and comedian and a previous contributing correspondent on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart — discusses his insights on his journey as an artist, current challenges in America, his personal advice to all artists, the future of entertainment platforms, globalization, the perceptions of Muslims, and his vision for the future.
Daisy Khan on Women’s Rights, Sharia, and Extremism
Daisy Khan — Executive Director of the Women’s Islamic Initiative for Spirituality and Equality and previously listed among TIME magazine’s ‘100 Most Influential People’ — discusses her insights on misunderstandings of Sharia, Polarization, Extremism, Women’s Rights, and her vision for the future.
Jim Wallis on Christianity and Politics
Jim Wallis — President of Sojourners, a Christian justice organization and a former spiritual advisor to both President Barack Obama and George W. Bush — discusses his insights on White Evangelicals, 2016 election, 2020 election, Johnson Amendment, Study: “Theology Matters”, Traditional Christian Beliefs, Relativism, his work with former Pres. Bush and Obama, and his vision for the future.
Seyyed Hossein Nasr on Role of Thinking in Islam: Past, Present, and Future
Seyyed Hossein Nasr — a prominent Islamic philosopher and one of the most important scholars of Islamic, Religious and Comparative Studies — discusses his insights on Islam and the modern world, his criticism of, and solutions to, Western approaches to religious education, the importance of traditionalism and the role of thinking in Islam. Published for the Boniuk Institute of Rice University.
Valerie Young on Success and the Imposter Syndrome
Valerie Young – an internationally-known expert on impostor syndrome and author of the award-winning book, The Secret Thoughts of Successful Women — discusses her insights on Imposter Syndrome, behaviors and self-esteem, constructive criticism and self-awareness, the future of Work, and lessons from success.
Ali Velshi on Media Bubbles and Minority Communities
Ali Velshi — television journalist at MSNBC and a senior economic and business correspondent for NBC News — discusses his insights on Media Bubbles and Echo-Chamber, minority voices in the media, critical thinking, Muslim perception, leadership, Journalism, Civic Engagement, and vision for the future.
Reza Aslan on Religion Today
Dr. Reza Aslan — best-selling author, public intellectual, religious studies scholar, producer, and television host — discusses his insights on Religious Literacy, popular culture and Muslims, Secularism, Pluralism, Relativism, echo chambers, intellectual diversity, future of Religion, and his book, God: A Human History. Published for OnFaith.Co (formerly Washington Post).
Shainool Jiwa on Lessons from the Fatimid Empire for Today
Dr. Shainool Jiwa — Head of Constituency Studies at the Institute of Ismaili Studies and a specialist on the Fatimid Empire — discusses her insights on the history of the Fatimid Empire, what we can learn from the Fatimids: the role of the intellect and discussions/debates, emotionally driven and narrative-based approaches as part of developing one’s faith, and her personal journey and vision for the Future. Published for The.Ismaili.
Wajahat Ali on Social Media, Echo-Chambers, and Journalism
Wajahat Ali — a journalist, writer, lawyer, an award-winning playwright, a TV host, and a previous consultant for the U.S. State Department under Hillary Clinton — discusses his insights on Social Media, Mainstream Media, Echo Chambers, Journalism, Post-Fact Society, the Perceptions of Muslims, Think-Tanks, and his vision for the Future. Published for Sacred Matters Magazine (affiliated with Emory University’s Center for Digital Scholarship).
Salmaan Keshavjee on Global Health, Infectious Diseases, and the Coronavirus
Salmaan Keshavjee — Professor of Global Health and Social Medicine at Harvard Medical School — discusses his insights on the Coronavirus, Medicare for All, Global Health, Infectious Diseases, Tuberculosis, Neoliberalism, and his vision for the future. Salmaan has also been working with Partners In Health and Advance Access & Delivery, two public charities committed to providing high-quality health care to the underserved.
Dalia Mogahed on Islam and the Promise of America
Dalia Mogahed — a member of former President Barack Obama’s inaugural Advisory Faith Council and Director of Research at the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding — discusses her insights on Perception of Muslims, Understanding Polling, Rise in Non-Religion Category, and Intra-Faith Muslim cooperation. Published for OnFaith.Co (formerly Washington Post).
Yasir Qadhi on Faith in the Modern World
Yasir Qadhi — Dean of the Islamic Seminary of America, an international Islamic educational institution and a doctoral graduate of Yale University, specializing in Islamic intellectual history and thought — discusses his insights on Muslims in America, challenges people of faith face in the West, academic vs. seminary study of Islam, religious pluralism, interfaith dialogue, intra-faith (Muslim to Muslim) relationships, Ibn Taymiyyah’s understanding of reason vs. revelation, and his vision for the future.
In his TEDx Talk, Sahil expands the Golden Rule to how we treat and respect other people’s ideas. He also explains that intellectual diversity means disagreement. Without difference, intellectual pluralism is impossible. In other words, if we already all agree, there can’t be any intellectual diversity.