OnGuard - For the Ummah, For the Truth

“They stole land from the Palestinians and they stole identity from Jews.”

In this remarkable conversation, Rabbi Elhanan Beck — a Palestinian-born rabbi from Stamford Hill — shares his powerful story and deep insights into the clear distinction between Judaism and Zionism.

He explains why true Judaism is rooted in faith, humility, and obedience to God, while Zionism, as he argues, transformed a spiritual religion into a political and national project divorced from its sacred origins.

Together, we explore:
🔹 What it truly means to be Jewish according to the Torah
🔹 The 13 principles of faith outlined...

A quiet name change on a school register. Pronouns switched without a word to the parents. Then the reveal: at home she’s one child, at school she’s another. That’s the moment most families realise they can’t outsource their children’s formation—and it’s where our conversation with Yusuf Patel begins.

We dig into how parents can confidently navigate RSE in UK schools without retreating from education altogether. Yusuf explains why emailing questions (not just chatting at the gate) creates an audit trail that compels a school to reflect: what exactly is being taught, which...

Shaykh Abu Aaliyah explores modernity as a philosophical worldview that trades meaning for power, examining how Muslims can navigate these challenging waters while preserving their faith and purpose.

• Modernity is not about technology but the philosophical assumptions underpinning our world for the past 300-350 years

• Most people today don't realise what they've lost as meaninglessness has become the default philosophy of our culture

• Muslims are susceptible to "ideological osmosis" – absorbing modern ideas even while practicing their faith

• Rather than building a competing "juggernaut," Muslims need an “ark of salvation”...

Palestinians have inhabited their land for millennia, with genetic studies confirming 70-90% correspondence between modern Palestinians and ancient Canaanites from 4,000 years ago. This scientific evidence directly contradicts the Zionist narrative that portrays Palestinians as newcomers to the region.

• Genetic research shows Palestinians have preserved more ancient Canaanite DNA than European Jews who have approximately 40-50% correspondence
• Ben-Gurion himself acknowledged Palestinians descended from Jewish farmers who lived in the region 2,000 years ago
• The land was called "Palestine" for over two millennia, named after the Philistines encountered by Herodotus around 500 BCE
• Lord Balfour admitted Britain "deliberately declined...

When Ali Jaffery first experienced same-sex attraction at age 12, he began an 11-year journey of silence, shame, and self-loathing. Growing up in a conservative Muslim family with limited male mentorship, he felt fundamentally different and broken—convinced that his feelings made him unworthy in the eyes of Allah.

This profound conversation reveals the transformative moment when Ali  began dismantling what he calls "the identity paradigm"—the false notion that experiencing same-sex attraction makes someone inherently different or forces them to choose between their faith and their feelings.

Ali articulates a powerful alternative framework grounded in Islam...

Sheikh Haitham Al-Haddad offers profound Islamic insights on preventing suicide, addressing hopelessness, and finding meaning during difficult times. Through Quranic principles and prophetic guidance, he provides a comprehensive approach to mental distress that addresses physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual dimensions.

• Life is inherently a test, so difficulties should be expected rather than surprising
• The sanctity of life in Islam extends to all creatures, with human life holding special value
• Despairing of Allah's mercy may be a greater sin than many realize
• Muslims have the lowest suicide rates among religious groups in the UK, demonstrating religion...