The New Frontier E007: Navigating Faith & Finance with Abubakar Nur Khalil
November 19, 2024
On this episode of The New Frontier, a show from Onramp MENA featured by Onramp Media, hosts Ralph Gebran and Harris Irfan speak with Abubakar Nur Khalil, introduced on the episode as a Bitcoin Core contributor and CEO of Recursive Capital. They discuss his path into Bitcoin Core development, how he engages scholars on bitcoin's halal status, volatility and speculation, Islamic finance, and Nigeria's CBDC. The views are the participants' own, not advice from Onramp.
Abubakar Nur Khalil, introduced on the episode as a Bitcoin Core contributor and CEO of Recursive Capital, joins The New Frontier hosts Ralph Gebran and Harris Irfan for a conversation about bitcoin and Islamic finance. He describes his path into Bitcoin Core development, how he engages scholars on questions of halal status, concerns raised about volatility and speculation, and Nigeria's CBDC experience.
Chapters
00:00 - Introduction 02:54 - The Technological Fascination with Bitcoin 05:58 - Becoming a Bitcoin Core Contributor 08:50 - Faith and Bitcoin: A Personal Journey 11:59 - Engaging Scholars on Bitcoin's Halal Status 15:11 - Addressing Concerns: Volatility and Speculation 18:02 - Bitcoin's Social Impact and Community Building 20:53 - The Future of Islamic Finance and Bitcoin 24:06 - Transitioning to a New Financial System 31:02 - Building on Existing Knowledge 33:26 - The Journey Towards Halal Finance 37:38 - Bitcoin as a Tool for Moral Adherence 41:34 - The Nigerian Experience with CBDCs 44:39 - Current Projects and Future Directions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does this episode cover about bitcoin and Islamic finance?
Abubakar Nur Khalil describes his personal journey connecting faith and bitcoin (08:50), how he engages scholars on questions of bitcoin's halal status (11:59), his view of the future of Islamic finance and bitcoin (20:53), and the path he sees toward halal finance (33:26). This is the show's framing, not investment advice from Onramp.
How does the guest describe becoming a Bitcoin Core contributor?
The episode traces what he calls his technological fascination with Bitcoin (02:54) and how that led to becoming a Bitcoin Core contributor (05:58). He also discusses his current projects and future directions at the close of the episode (44:39).
What concerns about volatility and speculation are discussed?
One segment addresses concerns raised about volatility and speculation (15:11), and a later segment covers what a transition to a new financial system would involve (24:06). These are the guest's characterisations, not investment advice from Onramp.
Who hosts The New Frontier and what is the show about?
The New Frontier is hosted by Ralph Gebran and Harris Irfan and published by Onramp MENA. Per its description, it is a bitcoin-centric podcast covering the intersection of bitcoin and the financial landscape of the Middle East, across both conventional and Islamic finance.
This episode is editorial and educational content. Onramp does not provide tax, legal, or investment advice. Bitcoin is volatile and may lose value. Past performance does not guarantee future results.