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keeping it real real how we keep it get
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ask salam alaikum guys I'm here I'm I'm
greetings of peace I'm here with John
Smithers and it's been about a year we
had a nice panel discussion at UIC we
were a PhD candidate there yes uh what
what was it about Islam you know for the
people that didn't watch that that panel
discussion that we had with the
Professor Jeremiah Was it also we also
had another Filipino Muslim and there
was another Oriental Chinese Muslim also
there what was his
name doesn't matter yeah but uh what was
it with you what was it that really uh
interested you had that Affinity that
attraction that Drew you into Islam and
had you finally become a muslim okay
well so to make a long story short I was
uh doing some research about Islam for a
long time and I had a uh I actually had
uh some Islamic calligraphy on my
desktop remember yeah yeah yeah and and
uh and I had no idea what the
calligraphy even meant I just thought it
looked cool and so uh while I was in
class one day one one of my students
came up to me and he was going to ask me
a question but he looked at my uh
desktop and he seen this calligraphy he
was like whoa are you a Muslim bro and I
was like uh no no but I'm interested and
and I said why do you ask and he said
well you have the Shada on your screen
you know
the and I was like I had no idea and so
at that moment I almost felt like you
know uh Allah was calling upon me to be
a believer because I I put that there
without even without even any knowledge
of what that meant and so after that I I
was introduced to some few Brothers uh
in the MSA at UIC there and uh and and
and after that was history on October 6
2012 I took my shahada yeah for those
that don't know uh people visiting the
dean show and you hear shahada you hear
you know what really people get drawn to
is the Simplicity of Islam the direct
connection with the Creator and when
someone accepts Islam they do something
that's just really intrinsically B built
into them it's just to testify that
there's nothing I'm not going to worship
anything except the Creator there's
nothing worthy of worship except the one
who created me and the one who brought
that message was Muhammad peace and
blessings be upon them just like Jesus
Moses Abraham so that's that peace be
upon all of them that's that same
message the continuation of that Legacy
of pure monotheism now it's Easter right
I think today is uh Good Friday Good
Friday tell us you know for the Muslims
out there they really don't know much
about it and you know also our our
Christian friends in humanity wanting to
know that we'll we'll talk touch upon a
little bit you know the uh from the
Islamic perspective but for a Christian
what was it what what did Easter signify
to you what was its significance uh well
you know so I was raised a Catholic and
so today Good Friday the rest of my
family actually today is celebrating
today as Good Friday today they believe
that uh Jesus uh this was the day that
Jesus Alam uh died on the cross and and
Easter in three days from now on Sunday
is considered uh um the day that uh he
resurrected Ed from the dead and so uh
you know this was a day and this is this
this weekend actually was a weekend that
you know whenever I first become a
Muslim I was you know really uh you know
concerned about you know how am I going
to celebrate with my family am I going
to celebrate with my family you know
what am I going to going to do and so
for the first couple years actually you
know I kind of stayed away I didn't
really do much but I but I got to think
and uh just like I told you earlier I
was you know um I didn't become a Muslim
so I could estrange myself for my family
I you know I if if anything uh uh this
is a time to engage with them and a time
to know uh share my beliefs and and and
uh become closer to with them you know
and and uh if they happen to partake
partake in alcohol and stuff like that I
I you know I I turn my head and and and
go and sit at the couch with my uncle or
whatever and watch the game you know we
don't uh I I just don't participate in
in in in that type of behavior but uh
you know it's it's just because I'm a
Muslim and this time is a Christian
holiday is no reason for me uh to not
spend time with my family if anything
this this is a time for me to spend time
with them and and to share in in in my
beliefs and and and and my thoughts with
them yeah I mean respectfully I mean
someone can opt out from let's say going
to any religious functions or whatnot
but I mean you know uh like you said
it's it's a good uh time to really like
motivate people to really reflect what
was the true message of Jesus peace
sharing I mean that people don't have to
start now because they disagree about
religion or whatnot they start you know
shouting and cursing and disrespecting
but I I think when more people now you
know when you talk about because
obviously the Islamic perspective is
that God didn't have a birthday meaning
that you know he didn't die to get
resurrected because he's Eternal right
God is not like us I mean God's the
Creator we're the creation and we have a
deep love and reverence for Jesus and I
think this is a great time to really
share you know how much of a connection
Muslims have because many Christians I
mean your family when you accepted Islam
did they know that you can't be a Muslim
unless you believe and love Jesus as one
of the mightiest messengers of God God
sent him to call people to worship god
I've actually had my uncle one of my
uncles like he was telling me he's like
son you know you can't be a Muslim you
got to believe in Jesus and I told him I
was like I I do believe in Jesus you
know I I can't be a Muslim if I don't
believe in Jesus right I I mean there's
just some of the theology is different
between you and I but but we both love
Jesus uh you know the same right and and
so uh you see him as God I don't you
know but uh but I can't be a Muslim I
can't be in Islam if I don't have a deep
love and reverence for isaam and I often
like to connect when when we Isa alisam
I mean uh we're just saying peace be
upon him and another thing I like to
reference is like when we say Islam I'll
reference The Lord's Prayer because it's
there in there where Jesus peace be upon
him said Oh Our Father who art in heaven
Hallowed be thy name thy kingdom come
thy will be be done that's Islam
submission to the will of God and a
Muslim is simply one who submits to the
will of God it's not just an Arab
someone in the desert but you know Arabs
only make up I think 10 11% of of of the
Muslim population you know you're an
American yeah Slovak Slovak right uh so
how is it now someone sees you and with
all this Islam I'm going to just divert
a little bit how do you respond to some
of your parents you get some of this
negative oh you're a terrorist now they
you know associate you with some some
some uh cult or whatnot how do you
respond to that have you had some of
that come up uh I mean yeah uh whenever
I first became a aw for a little while
yeah I was actually at a family
gathering you know and um uh so you know
someone made a joke something about uh
uh you don't you don't have any bombs
underneath your jacket or anything do
you and I was like oh my gosh you know I
I I I didn't say anything to him I I I I
I bowed my head and asked actually asked
a lot for forgiveness you know for to
forgive him of his you know ignorance he
he he doesn't know you know and and uh
you most most I'm not going to say most
Americans but a lot of people you know
they don't know Muslims you know a lot
of non-muslims don't know Muslims and
and so uh Muslims tend to be uh
something foreign and and and strange or
something like that you know and and
actually that you know Catholics were in
the same predicament whenever they first
came to this country a long time ago too
I mean and now there's 70 million
something or 70 million odd Catholics in
the country so uh I I I think every
group you know in uh in in the beginning
of of their um you know of their
presence in a country or or in a in a
specific region deals with a lot of
these things you know and and we just
have to have patience you know and and
say and and and ask Allah for
forgiveness for them for they don't know
you know and and and with time you know
time heals all wounds right and and so I
think with time uh we we we'll be we'll
be just as you know uh normal in this
country and just as uh predominant in
this country as as any other religious
group is yeah I mean this is the the
best I think supplication we can make is
asking God Almighty to bless people with
the guidance with the guidance of Truth
we all want to know what God wants from
us why don't we ask the Creator directly
say God guide me and we as Muslims we
should ask for the guidance for all of
humanity we ask him to guide us how many
times 17 times a day at a minimum and
this is something for our families for
our loved ones now during Easter
especially making for the new converts
people because Islam is the fastest
growing way of life out there according
to the Guinness Brook of World Records
the simple message of worshiping the
Creator not the creation doing good
deeds prayer fasting you know not some
of these things the exceptions to the
rule you have some of these people who
are out there you know and app a bad
apple in every bunch you don't throw
away all of the Good Apples because of
the bad one and then you you you you you
try to prop up you know like the media
does this there's legitimate fear then
there's manufactured fear that's out
there perpetuating to have you fear
something that you should be fearing
more your furniture than you know
Muslims because according to statistics
you have more of a chance of getting
killed by a toddler with a gun then some
radical extremist Muslim Muslims are
peaceful people we're talking about now
I I let me go back I kind of diverge but
Easter we we so Easter was um Good
Friday today that means that this is the
day that allegedly people are saying
that Jesus died yes and we would now
contrast to that Islam we say God
doesn't die and then the other point was
that Jesus was resurrected again God
doesn't have a birthday he wasn't born
he doesn't die Jesus brought a message
calling people to worship God and that's
where we kind of differ respectfully no
problem so now that what you know and
what you share with your family How does
it go now you know with what you believ
before now and how does everything you
know what advice do you give for for uh
also people new to Islam and how do you
compared to because it's been how many
years since you accepted Islam uh well
it's October 6 2012 I accepted Islam so
so um I think I think uh just the the
biggest thing is just uh like like I
said earlier you know don't uh don't
think of it like like um you're uh
someone strange in your family now or or
or you have to uh not participate in
their Gatherings and stuff like I mean I
go and hang out with my you know family
on Christmas and stuff like that and and
Easter and in all of their uh their
Christian holidays and but I just don't
participate in the things that I that I
used to right I I I don't in like the
religious ceremony yeah the the the
saying grace you know I say you know
bismah right and so I I say grace I say
grace too just in my own way right and
so uh uh yeah it's it's just I think
it's important to to know that like
Beyond religious holidays and stuff like
that these times are are are good times
to spend with family and they're good
times to be around the the ones nearest
and dearest to your heart the ones you
know that that you love the most and so
so if anything you know uh use these
uh types of uh celebrations or use these
types of days to uh become closer to
your family and to uh you know uh to
make dickler and say to become closer to
Allah you know and and and and to thank
him for uh for guiding you on on on this
path and then ask him to guide uh your
family you know so that way they one day
inshallah they may you know uh uh take
their shahada as well yeah so as you can
see John he doesn't Ops out of any
ceremonial celeb because that's
something that we don't uh agree and
that's that's something there that
obviously people can respect when you
respectfully speak to people because we
again love Jesus but we don't believe he
died that he was a literal Son of God
why should you get upset about that but
we do believe that he's came with a
message and that message was the same as
moses' message as Abraham's message as
the last and final messenger sent the
prophet Muhammad's message peace and
blessings be upon all of them which was
calling Humanity to only worship God to
not set up a partner with God to not go
through any intermediaries no confession
box whatnot so after we get the elephant
out of the room because a Christian will
tell you right look if you don't believe
Jesus is your lord and savior you're
going to Hellfire why am I going to
freak out over that he loves me if he's
telling me sincerely if you truly love
if someone truly loves you and they're
sharing this truth with you say hey
thank you for that thank you for sharing
that with me go look into it see if
there's truth there just like see if
what we're saying as the Muslims that
you shouldn't associate partners of God
you should only call upon God Only God
and we don't partake in alcohol and
drinking and the parties and whatnot but
connection with family with your mother
with your father that should never be
cut off for sure for sure so you got to
hear the Islamic perspective and also
from my brother John who also accepted
Islam a few years ago and we got to talk
about the shahada and if you want to
become a Muslim look or if you have some
questions that's what we're here for
call us 1800 662 Islam engage make the
human connection many times we see
people making comments and really acting
in a belligerant fashion take the higher
route connect with a Muslim visit a
mosque make a phone call call us and ask
those tough questions and let's see
where it goes from there anything uh
You' like to say I just want to say J to
you for uh inviting me to speak right
now and and and share my thoughts and
and uh with with the rest of the Muslim
World John thank you and thank thank you
we'll see you next time beautiful day
enjoy it thank God thank God we'll see
you next time Alam peace be with you all
right guys and that was John accepted
Islam a few years ago and you have a lot
of people now that accept Islam and then
they have this this problem at the
beginning being very rigid and tough and
rough with their family and these are
are three points that I want to cover
and we can conclude for this week's
episode one was to be gentle to be kind
to be well-mannered you know the prophet
Muhammad peace and blessings be upon him
he didn't come with anything new other
than a Revival of the pure monotheism
and and right with that is he had said
that I have not come except to perfect
good manners and there's so much
emphasis of being good to your family so
you really you know there's a you obey
your parents so the first point is the
respectfulness to your parents just
because now you're you're Muslim and you
don't celebrate Easter or Christmas or
these
holidays that you become disrespectful
you're throwing all the alcohol out of
their house and saying really mean
things no you can kindly opt out and
it's a great way now to engage and be in
the service of your parents and let them
see through your behavior they can see
that wow as many have testified look I
can sleep better at night parents have
testified now that my son or my daughter
is a Muslim because you're you're you're
you're better it's helped you to become
a better human being let them see that
first and foremost and obviously two is
that we opt out kindly and respectfully
from doing any religious ceremonies it's
easier to invite like when we invite
people to prayer it's something that
connects with our nature because we're
inviting people to Pure monotheism to
praying to know one other than God but
if someone's calling you to worship a
cow to worship the sun you know some
people worship you know in India you can
go to jail seven years for eating beef
because people end up worshiping an
animal we can't do that because
according even to the Bible this is an
Abomination this is something where
you're setting up partners with God and
this can land a person in Hellfire
forever so we don't want to do that we
don't want to call on other than God
obviously if you were doing that and you
repent God is the most loving the most
merciful so in these holidays we see
that there's an association going on
with God that we're calling on a
messenger people are calling on Saints
people are calling upon the creation and
Islam is about calling upon the Creator
so we can respectfully opt out but it
doesn't mean that you cut off ties with
your family that doesn't mean that
that's point two and point three Dua
supplication asking for guidance that
God guides us and guides our families
that God Almighty makes it easy and
those people that you love your mother
your father the Dua is the strongest
thing that you have sincerely this
should increase your ibba your
connection with your creator that you're
praying more that you're actually doing
things to strengthen the connection with
you and Allah God and this is increasing
the likelihood that Allah will guide
Those whom you love right it's very
important so being a good example having
good character strengthening the Family
Ties by doing everything within the
limitations that Islam permits and
there's strong emphasis on Family Ties
not breaking them two opting out
respectfully and three making Dua for
those loved ones for your loved ones I
know it can be challenging and hard for
many people who who have accepted Islam
educating yourself how to how to tackle
those tough many misconceptions that
people have and inviting people if you
can't answer them at this time invite
people to call us call us 1800 662 Islam
and before you you if you're visiting
this channel you're a Christian or
someone from other Faith really look at
the commonalities that we have in common
you see that you know instead of
focusing on you know many of these
things that are distraction to dis unify
us working together on a common good to
make the neighborhoods that we live in a
better place Humanity a better place
you're fighting on one of the most of
the manufactured
fear that's causing you to hate because
you have a misrepresentation of what
Muslims in Islam are and now you formed
in your head some
monster before you do that and you
continue with this horror movie in your
mind check out the facts watch a few of
our shows and call us and before you
engage with foul language um some nasty
comments disrespectful you know to to
someone and and and and take the higher
route it's very important take the
higher route make the human connection
engage in conversation because hate only
breaths more hate and I hope that this
was of a benefit and tune in every week
to this Z show that's why we do it
helping educate those who don't know
anything about Islam and helping to
clear those misconceptions subscribe get
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thank you very much for tuning in I'm Ed
your host I hope to see you next week
same time same channel until then peace
be with you asalam
alikum