Press and media interview requests

Category: Questions & membership Priority: P2 Area: press Reports: 2 Status: Open

Summary

Launch-driven media outreach, both handled promptly by Abdellatif. StartupMuslim.com co-founder/CEO Amina Mirza sent eight substantive written interview questions (covering Tarteel → Agentset → Qaf, madhhab plurality, hallucination stakes, where AI should stop and scholars begin) plus a request for 2-3 high-resolution photos, product screenshots, logos, and brand assets; Abdellatif drafted and sent detailed answers the same day. Cii Radio (South Africa) presenter Liaaqat Tobias scheduled and conducted a radio interview about Qaf's AI within a day of asking; he captured his own system-audio recording, the segment streamed 2026-08-19 at 4:15pm SA time, and he agreed Abdellatif can publish the interview on Twitter. The photo/asset request from StartupMuslim highlights that a ready-made press kit (headshots, screenshots, logos, boilerplate) would save time in the next press round.

What users say

Amina Mirza amina@startupmuslim.com — StartupMuslim written interview

• Date: 2026-08-21, Language: English, Thread: 1a022c340d2edd29, Replied: yes (answers drafted and sent same day)
• Sent eight written questions for a feature article going "beyond the usual founder questions" — including how Qaf represents scholarly disagreement instead of "the Islamic answer", what was built differently because a fabricated hadith is high-stakes, whether Qaf demonstrates Agentset at an extreme, and where Qaf should stop and a human scholar begin. Also requested 2-3 high-res photos (professional headshot plus a natural founder/work photo) and Qaf/Agentset screenshots, logos, and brand assets. Abdellatif's same-day answers included notable on-record facts: Qaf shows differing opinions and highlights majority positions; the AI harness is instructed to only use sources found in the material with a check on failure; daily token cost dropped from $8,000 to $1,500 after optimization; and a correction — he grew up in Egypt and Abu Dhabi (the question assumed Norway).

"For this interview, I'd love to go beyond the usual founder questions and explore some of the harder decisions behind Qaf, the technology powering it, and what it means to build AI around Islamic knowledge responsibly."

Liaaqat Tobias liaaqat@ciiradio.com — Cii Radio (South Africa) interview

• Date: 2026-08-17 to 2026-08-19, Language: English, Thread: 1a00f09bc962af57, Replied: yes
• Requested an interview about Qaf's AI for that week, proposing Tuesday 5:10pm South African time and offering WhatsApp (+2763 827 1895). Abdellatif shared his cal.com booking link; the interview happened on 2026-08-18. The Google Meet recording wasn't captured, but Liaaqat recorded the audio from his own system. Rebroadcast permission was agreed: "We will be streaming it this afternoon at 4:15pm South African time, you can publish as soon as you like."

"I would really like to schedule an interview with you to discuss your AI, is it possible to arrange something for this week sometime ?"

Details / repro

• StartupMuslim asset request: 2-3 high-resolution photos (headshot + natural founder/work photo), Qaf/Agentset product screenshots, logos, brand assets, with publication permissions and preferred photo credit. Final piece can be reviewed before publication.
• Action item suggested by this cluster: assemble a standing press kit (photos, screenshots, logos, boilerplate bio correcting the "grew up in Norway" assumption — Egypt and Abu Dhabi, university in San Jose).
• Cii Radio logistics: interview conducted 2026-08-18 via Google Meet; presenter's own system-audio recording used; aired 2026-08-19 16:15 SAST; Twitter republication approved.

Threads

• 1a022c340d2edd29 — StartupMuslim: eight written interview questions + photo/brand asset request
• 1a00f09bc962af57 — Cii Radio (RSA): interview scheduling, recording, rebroadcast permission