Halal Money Matters

Episode 50: Fighting for a Halal 401(k) Part 2

In this special 50th episode of Halal Money Matters, host Monem Salam continues the discussion on securing halal options in employer retirement plans by exploring a different path: religious accommodation and litigation. Monem speaks with longtime Los Angeles County public defender Haaris Syed and civil rights attorney Zeba Huq about how Haaris went years without accepting his employer’s generous retirement match, then pursued a religious accommodation that ultimately led LA County to create a religious exemption in its 401(k) and 457 plans.

Episode 49: Fighting for a Halal 401(k) Part 1

On this episode of Halal Money Matters, Monem Salam sits down with engineer and Harvard MBA candidate Malek Sarhan to unpack how he helped open access to a truly halal 401(k) inside a giant like General Motors, without walking away from his company match. From discovering that none of the 27 funds in his plan were Sharia-compliant to working through GM’s MENA employee resource group and a supportive executive to unlock halal options through the brokerage window, Malek shares practical steps, lessons, and encouragement for anyone trying to advocate for Islamic retirement choices at their own workplace.

Episode 48: The American Muslim Wallet

American Muslims are younger, highly diverse, and collectively spend an estimated 170 billion dollars a year, with especially strong emphasis on education, real estate, and charitable giving. In this episode, Monem Salam talks with Rafi-uddin Shikoh of DinarStandard about new data on how many Muslims live in the US and Canada, where they are concentrated, how much they earn and spend, and what the numbers reveal about housing, retirement, and the growing gap in financial habits across generations.

Episode 47: Boycott, Divest, Sanction

Halal Money Matters hosts Monem Salam and guest Ibrahim Khan of Islamic Finance Guru take a deep dive into the BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) movement and its impact on Muslim investors, portfolio construction, and ethics. They break down how boycotts, divestment, and government sanctions each work, what makes a boycott effective, where Islamic compliance ends and broader ethics begin, and how to avoid unprincipled or self‑defeating divestment decisions.

Episode 46: The Benefits of International Investing

Is your portfolio too focused on the US? In this episode, Saturna Capital Portfolio Manager Dan Kim joins Halal Money Matters to reveal why international investing deserves more attention. From overlooked global opportunities and discounted valuations to emerging growth in AI, Japan, and Latin America, Dan explains how an international allocation could be the key to smarter diversification in today’s market.