they had been taunting this guy for
weeks might use Habib to Humble Conner
I think any man God man I mean and not
only that I'll whoop god I sweat and
that's what happened he ended up getting
humble we were waiting at the end for
him to do what he usually does so I
wanna sell company like God give me
everything I want to sell hamdulillah
you know Allah always have better
parenting we have yes but then he went
over the fence what are you thoughts
well
[Music]
[Applause]
you become champion this is not
everything you have to be greatest
outside we live on your Wonka first of
all I want to say um good luck when
cameraman this is everything I don't
think about fight because I believe
Wonka
religion for me number one support Salam
alaykoum greetings apiece guess who I
got in a Deen show studio is it Rashad
Evans
no it's obey the law Evans obey Allah's
Salam alaikum alaikum Salam is a
pleasure to be here anybody I appreciate
it man it's really nice having you with
us I'm doing I'm happy to be here
especially now this week last week all
the hooba with all the fighting going on
yeah everybody's talking about fighting
yeah yeah and now we get we got our
brother Habib your Habib
I have Aviv I'm always you know I talk
about the brother why because and I tell
you because when I first saw him I
really wasn't into watching the UFC even
though this is a part of what I do I
train people
I train Gracie Brazilian jiu-jitsu we do
also and I wanna make this clear it's
the difference we I've also box not the
hitting in the face as far as going to
that extent but trained to be able to
the box kick box to stand up martial art
then I got into the gracie jiu-jitsu
Brazilian jiu-jitsu I've been doing it
for a long time now one of the first
American Bosnian reps for the Gracie
family is a big family carlos gracie jr.
and then i just kind of went away from
watching a sport but then I saw Habib
doing what Jesus does doing what Moses
does doing what what what problem Hamid
peace and blessings did he put his face
on the ground
he wasn't kissing the ground he was
thanking the creator of the heavens in
the earth he wasn't doing this he was
pointing back Rob when he was saying
that hum did a lot I touched my heart my
really touched my heart
resonating with me - you saw that
tradition I said wow this is a
reminiscent of how Muhammad Ali the the
American boxer lion Hamill who may God
have mercy on him use his platform as a
fighter to talk about things much more
important than fighting that's what he
did Muhammad Ali right now so I'm never
advocating for people to go jump in a
cage do the human cockfighting all that
stuff and I never because some people
say why you talking about this Eddie but
the climate that were in many people
it's even hard talking about the Dean
right absolutely
but the youth when habib talks about
stay connected to god i'm by one
important most
important laws stay connect with the god
you always have to pray you always have
to stay humble and stay focused and stay
connected with the God Lisa's very
important keep it humble and days of
arrogance will be more away from God way
from prayer I think this is a nice means
that you can connect people back to the
purpose of what they've been created for
as to connect with their Creator no
doubt about it no doubt about it I mean
you know culture is never as sanitized
and perfect as religion culture often is
a mixture of religious ideals and
regular human weaknesses human frailties
and what you get from that is always
imperfect but can sometimes be
meaningful mm-hmm did you see now at the
end everybody was excited that inshallah
and this is what I was I made it clear
the last program we did that obviously
none of us knows the future that's right
Jesus didn't know the future and I
proves he wasn't God Muhammad didn't
know the future these messengers were
sent by God to call people to worship
God and whatever God told him that's
what they knew what they said that's
what they know but I made a little bit I
had a foresight and I said inshallah God
willing Allah might use habib to humble
connor
any man god man I mean not only that
I'll what God has with
backwoods and inshallah maybe even
Connor comes back you know to what what
he's been created for to the to the
fifth row because everyone bored in that
natural inclination to submit to their
creator and that's what happened he
ended up getting humble we were waiting
at the end for him to do what he usually
does God give me everything I want to
sell hamdulillah you know I always have
better parenting we have yes but then he
went over the fence what do you thoughts
well on the one hand it would have been
a much better representation of what
we're about as Muslims and followers of
the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him
if even in victory even in battle he had
humbled himself and had maybe even
forgiven Connor for all of his offensive
talk about his religion about his
homeland about his family about his
father you know I'm thinking about the
Prophet peace be upon him re-entering
mecca now as a conqueror and everyone
knows that victory and triumph both of
those intoxicating and that if the
Prophet peace be upon him were like any
other man given to the regular
weaknesses that we suffer he might have
just started massacring people turned it
into a bloodbath but even then he comes
in black turban riding a camel his head
bowed and that he acts to the people
what will today be and they said that
today is going to be a mother bhai it's
going to be like a human slaughter house
and he said Leila had that Yama Rama
this is the day of mercy so if he would
have turned to kana forgiving
and just exemplify the kind of humility
in victory it would have been very
prophetic of him he didn't do that he's
he's not the Prophet are they sought
wassalam he's a human being and given
that he was fighting someone that had
insulted him had insulted his father
insulted his religion insulted his
homeland he let his emotions get the
best of him and he went over the cage
and he tried to fight
Conner's teammate and it was very
unfortunate but what I was impressed
with was his ability to apologize after
the fact and he admitted that this was
not the best of him this was not the
best representation of what I'm about
and it was unfortunate but human beings
were coolican in Santa Fe human beings
have been created weak the Prophet peace
be upon him also said Kulu bani adam'
thought you were kind of cocky Natur
boon all of the children of adam' make
mistakes but the best of those that make
mistakes are those that are toned from
the mistakes that they make so it was
unfortunate and we should not be
apologetic about that we shouldn't be we
should be no equivocating we shouldn't
say well he it was wrong makes no
difference what kind of did what habib
did was wrong and as a people of
principle we should be able to say that
he was wrong and that's that come on
brother but he insulted his religion he
was I think I think even called him a
Monday saying some reports he must say
that he was the the guy that he jumped
after he wasn't a civilian he was
another fighter coach he called him a
Muslim rat we know what was said we've
talked to people who were 6 feet from
Dylan when he screamed you blank Muslim
rat and that was the last straw and they
had been taunting this guy for weeks
insulting his family insulting his
religion his God his father and others
and at a point you know this calm guy
could be snapped
you know after winning the fight the
adrenaline is going high and the last
straw you blank Muslim rat is what Dylan
screamed so then what do you do to
khabib it was wrong I mean it was wrong
to jump the fence but you have to look
at what happened to Conor McGregor when
he ambushed a UFC bus and took a dolly
and threw it through a window and
injured four UFC fighters and really all
over to be and yet he gets arrested for
a felony he pleads to a misdemeanor no
jail time he doesn't get suspended
doesn't get fined yeah he gets suspended
by the New York Commission Athletic
Commission but he can fight anywhere
else
so now khabib is looking at possibly
having his entire 2 million dollar
paycheck withheld he is looking at a
suspension and God knows what else
there's no equivalency here and it was
wrong what could be did but at the same
time when you start taunting people with
racist crap over and over and over and
they finally snap and get the reaction
you were looking for all along what do
you expect from a human being he was
wrong it made no difference the way that
he conducted himself after winning was
wrong but he's a human being our God is
forgiving as a community we should be
forgiving he gets to be wrong sometimes
and then he gets to do what apologized
to atone for the wrong that he committed
first of all I want to say sorry too
authentic omission Nevada sorry to Vegas
I know this is not my best side you know
this is not my best side That's Life
that's humanity but we should not be
equivocal at all he was wrong I like
what his father said his father his
father he made a statement the son is
responsibly but machine.you it
Boadicea situation when your children
get abused out the minute those room is
naturally a decision to do is just the
hottest factor body simply doing the
build result is geeky wrenching strongly
talking about the discipline that he
should have and then putting also and
and what you said is very important that
he did apologize we all make mistakes
we're not free we all get that you know
we come impetuous at times and we just
let things loose and then we sit back
but we need to grow and think and
reflect over our actions but his father
said because you putting the safety of
innocent women children people
bystanders mm-hm so this is unacceptable
he tweeted that my sanctions will be
more severe than the sanctions of the
UFC and I thought that was very powerful
as a coach but also as a father yeah I
expect more of you you know it's almost
like there's a famous scene in Lion of
the desert right this movie about Omar
Mukhtar and the Algerian revolution and
fight for independence where the French
in the movie they Massacre some
innocence and the Algerians are thinking
maybe we should do the same hit these
soft targets and do what they did to us
and then one of them says they are not
our teachers we don't follow these
people in error right when people are
right if we find that what they're doing
is what we're doing and we're both right
we don't have to differ from them either
but if people are wrong we don't say
well you did it I'm going to do it no we
don't follow them in error so I think
the fact that his father was
disappointed in what he did and said
look I'm going to hold him accountable
you don't have to worry about holding
his purse or sanctioning him or revoking
a visa what I'm going to do will be
worse because I expect more from my son
as an athlete as a man and as a Muslim I
like the example you gave gave of
Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him for
many people who have never heard of this
conquest that happened
this is after years and years of torture
persecution his family members being
killed not only killed hamza killed
mutilated mohammed spent his followers
family humiliated now the people what
would warriors of that time what would
people of that conquerors of that time
dude they would pretty much have a green
light to go ahead and i for an eye tooth
for a tooth
they would go ahead and get that revenge
absolutely so you're saying that problem
o muhammad peace and bliss and play upon
what every right now he didn't do that
he didn't do that he came in humbled mhm
and then he said what this is not the
day of slaughter it's not a month behind
it's not the day of slaughter
this is yama rama this is the day of
mercy and i think in that moment for
them that must have sealed the deal he
is a man of god he is a prophet because
only a prophet can show this kind of
mercy to people that have wrong takes
and this is the legacy that we follow
again we're not perfect we're human
being we tried but that's what balances
us out we look back to that example you
definitely didn't this also repeat
itself for an Ummah or the Aloha and
when he conquered Jerusalem Jerusalem at
that time salute and then and then uh
Salahuddin oub and they did the same
thing they were mocking they were
mimicking the Prophet Mohammed
absolutely so when this is you know to
show you know there's a difference
between cowardice and clemency a coward
is afraid so when a coward says oh don't
worry about it man it's okay it's if
he's afraid it's cowardice a person that
I have no fear and I could for you
bumping into me I could push you back I
could start a fight with you but I'm not
going to because my religion my
tradition when I'm about dictates that I
do something different this is called
clemency and the highest standard of
leadership in our tradition is to show
clemency to people to give people a
second chance even after they've wronged
you and to do that at a time of victory
at a time of conquests at a time of
triumph this is very very difficult
because those things
toxic ating sometimes you know a person
wins and they're pounding their chest
and raising their fists the adrenaline
is pumping and they allow that to carry
them over a line that God has drawn but
a person that can fight with spirit I
mean you know in spirited fighting a
person that can fight with inspiration
but not allowed that fighting not
allowed that inspiration to carry them
pass where God has told them to stop
this is a clear sign of referencing God
and his prohibitions his standards his
rulings and this is where we want to be
you know someone says hey listen we're
in the 21st century now how do you
you're making this example but now we're
in a cage you know you got two of these
athletes all this stuff how do you
connect this to modern day that's
something for 1400 years ago
no and it's really the same because on
the one hand there's this entertainment
element you know they have to sell the
fight so anytime two people are about to
participate in combat sports you know
they insult each other but in the case
of Connor and Habib you could tell it
was personal I don't know what [\h__\h] it
seemed very personal I mean I saw Conor
McGregor in the build-up to his fight
with Floyd Mayweather very similar kind
of rhetoric so maybe for Conor this was
standard procedure you know just going
in and mocking and making fun and
building suspense and selling the fight
but you could tell even Habib's conduct
during those press releases he was
really affected by this and it's real
and so they get in the ring and even
though they're not fighting for national
pride per se they're fighting for money
right their prize fighters they're
fighting for money and they get in and
they go at each other right the winner
must still feel like man I am victorious
I am triumphant and in that moment to
actually say you know what I could while
you're down throw my mouthpiece at you
spit on you but I'm not gonna do that
I always find it very
and I love this is a admission right in
front of all of the people who watched
the Dean show I love combat sports
particularly boxing I always found it
beautiful when two fighters at the end
of fighting each other because we raise
each other's hands you know the famous
war between Micky Ward and Arturo Gatti
and the fact that they end up after the
third fight in the hospital our tour
guide he pulls the curtain Mickey waters
across from him the first thing he says
are you ok Mick Mick are you ok and
those guys were killing each other the
entire trilogy killing each other but
there's a respect there that it's
admirable and we have to bring that into
everything that we do I think now
they're talking about this exact same
point the respect aspect where Conor
McGregor he just took it too far
mm-hmm there's the mouth talking but now
he went above and beyond he stood as a
great example of a modern-day bully
because we have a lot of bullying going
on and if you're gonna copy someone like
Conor McGregor you're gonna end up
bullying others and it's like l'viv
stepped up and said no to the bully try
to put the bully in check yeah give some
kind of hope in life to those who are
being bullied because that's what's
happening is prevalent it's it's a
phenomenon today with those kids so
we're keeping it in balance saying this
is the optimal thing what we liked and
is Muslim when I say ok because he's
Muslim yeah he can do whatever your
you're as someone you know a learning
person in Islam I share someone who say
hold on we we have some elm here we have
a tradition we have to stick to so even
if a Muslim transgress is that we got to
put that in check but then keeping a
balance okay now we can talk what
happens as a result the next steps what
we do from here at the same time you
know bullying must be checked bullying
it's a terrible disease and it's not
something that only exists among school
children is something that exists even
amongst adults even now you know people
talk about like free speech and free
speech if you look at the US
Constitution and I'm interested in law
you know my background
when I was at us hard was in law free
speech is supposed to limit the
government's ability to restrict what
the people want to say
that's free speech that's the original
intent of free speech but if you think
you you you you can invoke free speech
when you are talking about a minority
religious community like Muslims people
have misgivings about their patriotism
people talk about whether or not they
belong there's a lot of political very
serious political consequences to be
like being labeled a terrorist or
something like that and you use your
platform to put those people further
down to make it more difficult for them
and then you invoke free speech this is
what we call : how come you're on Toby
Hill balton what you're saying is true
but what you want thereby is false yes
we do enjoy free speech in this country
but the idea that free speech can be
invoked to bully people free speech has
nothing to do with bullying and so what
kind of did it was bullying and I think
what have you said after this is a sport
of respect wanting to restore martial
arts to a place that even though maybe
to some onlookers we are like human
cockfighting
but actually these are traditions of
respect and dignity and martial arts
traditions that we should respect one
another even as we compete against one
another what do you think for people who
are already in this sport they're
already in the sport they don't plan on
leaving but using this platform to go
ahead and represent their Deen and the
best way and after the fight being
connected there's a state saying that if
you're not connected to the scholars of
Islam then we're people of knowledge
then your chef is the Shaitaan it was
that I was at a leader who said that I
don't know heard the statement the same
so how how important is it to be
connected even if you're someone you're
a practicing Muslim being connect just
the same way you're connected to a good
wrestling coach you're connected to your
MMA coach to be connected always with
people of knowledge and even if you're
not going to leave this retire for the
but now at the end someone who's
advising you you know the prophet peace
be that's like a PR person yeah the part
of the Dean in the Dean the prophet
peace be upon him he said when it comes
to matters of dunya
meaning the the temporary world you know
money and wealth and cars and clothes
and homes and always look to people that
have been given less than you right oh
because it will make you appreciate what
you have been given but when it comes to
your religion always look to people
better than you because they will help
you to reach the heights they will help
you to maximize your potential
so yes you might say you know what I'm
imperfect right I'm I'm a boxer or I'm
an MMA fighter or but you should still
have a very strong personal relationship
with people that will help you to bring
out the best of who you are will help
you to reach those Heights and it's
almost like the way some people talk
about he jab right the head covering
that Muslim women where they make the
whole religion he jab so that if a woman
doesn't wear hijab it's like she has no
responsibility to pray she has no
responsibility to give charity she has
no responsibility to fast
she has no responsibility to have good
character just because she doesn't wear
a headscarf yes wearing the headscarf
is a religious obligation as far as I
know but beyond that obligation there
are other obligations there are other
recommendations there are other positive
traits of character you should still be
trying to embody so a person might feel
like you know what I'm an MMA fighter
and if you think that means you know I
have no responsibility to do anything
else in my deal how many MMA fighter
think that's it for me no no you still
have a responsibility as an MMA fighter
to be a person of prayer to be a person
of charity to be a person of good
character to be a person of fasting to
be a person that has this internal
compass that is guiding you to what
Allah wants and the only way you can
attain that is the way that you attain
just
you at mixed martial arts to have a
coach to have a trainer you know a lot
of people neglect this parallel between
the training of the body and the
training of the soul if we want to train
the body to do something all of us know
that we need trainers we need people to
you know give us the hacks those
shortcuts look this is how you do this
and the people we choose the trainers
are people that have done it already
look I'm already there I've mastered
this particular martial art so I'm going
to take you to a level of mastery
similarly in the soul and I'm not
talking about any institutional you have
to belong to this or belong to that I
just mean having a real relationship
with someone that you are confident in
their ability to help you to cultivate
and develop your soul then all of us
need that all of us need that yeah we
all need that this is so important there
was a point in the in the match where
Conor pretty much Habib was asking him
to go ahead and talk now because he did
a lot of talking outside the ring and
then Conor he said this is just business
yeah what do you take from that so from
there now he was like it's just business
you know which is which is a shame
actually that the business culture
around fighting whether it's boxing
whether it's UFC it actually pushes a
person to indecent indecency to flush it
pushes them meaning like if we want to
do this right this is how we do it man
it's like you're taking this too
seriously bro in this business I have to
talk about you I have to talk about your
religion I have to talk about your
father I have to talk about your
homeland I'm really just selling the
fight and Muslims in that business they
should be trying to reshape that culture
that look we can do this business and we
can and this is where even my heroes
Muhammad Ali the boxer one of my heroes
but I'm able to look and say some of
those fight promotions I think he went
too far talking about Joe Frazier I
think some of the things he said about
him
just shouldn't have been said and I'm
saying that as someone that admires
Muhammad Ali
someone that you know his legacy is
important to me but if that was just the
nature of the business it would have
been better for Muslim to change that
aspect of the business so when I see
kana saying it's just business it's just
business I really like the fact that
could be because like no no this is
respect this is a you know his words not
mine
this is respect sport yes this is
respect sport we don't do that and I
think that that was a powerful statement
and it's a shame that Conor would kind
of but but see the thing about Conor
saying it's just business
it goes back to us as the fans see if we
rejected this if we said look look all
of this insulting the man and his
religion and his country this is not
going to make us purchase the fight man
you don't have to do that we're
interested in seeing these martial
artists ply their trade that's what we
want to see we don't want to see people
of bad at them we don't want to see
people of bad o'clock but the fact of
the matter is that as you mentioned most
of the people that enjoy UFC most of the
people that enjoy boxing this gist him
going like this so people for the for
the for the Muslims who are in this
sport now again they're already in it
and Yasir Qadhi who's well-known Sheikh
he also has tuned in and he's you know
came in and talked about this is obvious
this is something that doesn't really
have much anything to do with Islam
Islam is clear on this but for someone
who's already in it what advice you we
gave some advice on you're a Muslim now
you stay connected to your Deen to your
religion some things that you've seen
let's say how people will expose their
or arm how people will let's say you
know interacting with you know the
ladies this is not any other there's
even women who are covering their selves
up in front of Habib that is that's
really part it's powerful so what do you
give for the brothers that they can't
they can't they don't want to represent
their Deen even let's say worse they
want to do better at least while they're
up there to make some kind of difference
because now we're in the land of
confusion there's so many stereotypes so
stigma negativity attached to Islam why
not you be such a shining example of
somewhat of a good ambassador - it's not
it's been less the first thing I want to
say is you know chef condi i let's see
well I he's over me in every respect in
terms of knowledge and training and
probably wisdom the man's probably older
than me probably has more children than
me in addition to having more training
than me in in terms of our studies if
that was his position I'm inclined to
respect his position simply because it
was his position in terms of my own
position about Muslims in different
fields of endeavor be those fields
related to media sports entertainment
everyone has the capacity to represent
Islam as best they can the Prophet peace
be upon him is reported to have said
buzzer I mean well oh I convey something
about me tell people something about me
even if it's a single ayah now many
people say but there's requisite
knowledge there's knowledge that one has
to attain before they can tell people
about the Prophet peace be upon him and
yes before you make yourself the
official spokesperson of Islam we would
expect you to be at a certain level of
knowledge and a certain level of
practice but if you in all of your FAL
ability in all of your regular weak
humanity says look I'm not perfect maybe
I am some kind of entertainer
maybe I am a fighter maybe I work in
other industries sometimes I think we do
fighters and entertainers both a
disservice because we act like they're
in the only problematic industry but
people working in insurance people maybe
even working in for-profit medicine we
have nothing to say about the moral
conflicts of those industries it's only
the fighters these are the people that
are in industries or the entertainers
these are the people that are in
industries that are morally problematic
it was more than just fighters and
entertainers that are in industries that
are morally problematic right
but anyone in a morally problematic
industry or field of endeavor to be able
to say look I'm just trying to make the
most of this whatever I've chosen to do
as a Muslim might it be better for me to
leave it all together yes would it be
better would I be a better
representation of what Islam is about if
I said you know what all of this is
beneath the calling of a Muslim yes I
would be I would definitely be better
but I haven't made that choice I'm still
going to do my job as a film producer or
as a playwright or as a fighter or as a
singer or as an artist and in doing so I
hope to say something about Islam and
what it means to me you know we have to
be I remember in his last was the Dave
Chappelle I think it was time with
imperfect allies and his last comedy
stand-up thing not sending people to go
out and watch that right now telling
people to go out and watch that but we
have to be prepared for Islam to have
imperfect spokespeople because if every
spokesperson of Islam has to be the
Prophet Sawa's Allah he would have been
the only spokesperson of Islam and we
have to remember that the Sahaba Allah
the alone Mohan whom Jimmy and all of
them gave that were in different ways
and in different you know Hassan bin
thabit the poet of the prophet alaihi
wassalam it's reported that the Prophet
gave him his own memoir he had his own
place to give his dower now was his down
exactly like the prophets are they said
what's not of course not
his that what was different but he still
had a role to play and we have to
recognize that look in supporting our
Deen in creating a powerful vibrant
place for Islam in the societies that we
inhabit everyone has a role to play
whether you're the shade teaching
whether you are the activists out there
working to bring the ideals of Islam
into real life whether you're the person
that dedicates their life to the service
of people that's fortunate whether
you're the Muslim professional whether
you're the Muslim
you're the Muslim garbage man a janitor
we all have a role to play and when we
recognize that we're all on the same
team
both the shades and the UFC fighter then
I think we'll be better for you know one
of my teachers dr. Amir Ali do you
remember him of course I'll have mercy
on him at me shut up to his son oh my he
was a good friend with Muhammad Ali they
knew each other and Muhammad Ali would
come to his trip or ie and he would come
and get the pamphlets mm-hmm
what is Islam who is Jesus and what you
think about that is that a great example
because it's one thing that people are
given their autographs but what Muhammad
Ali would do in the form of Dawa he
would give these educational pamphlets
out because he knew the most important
thing to really change the mind besides
your good attitude you're a clock and
all that is education so he would sign
his name on these and he would give
these out is that a fact
absolutely and he actually was quoted as
having said I write my name on them
because if my name was on it they won't
throw it out yeah you see they won't
throw it out and so you know this idea
that Muhammad Ali who was not a perfect
man sometimes you know people die we
memorialize them and we begin to talk
about them as though they weren't human
was not a perfect man but look at what
he did for Islam look at how many I mean
even now you know it's amazing to me two
names now it's funny when you watch like
CNN for instance and they're saying a
Muslim name sometimes they say it with
the kind of foreignness and a clumsiness
that just the visual makes it sound like
this has no place in America Mohammad
Shah you know they just but every
American can say the name Muhammad Ali
with almost perfect pronunciation
Muhammad Ali most Americans Kareem
abdul-jabbar what they mean I said the
wrong like I said it but they say you
can there's a familiar
these are household names and I think
that a household name is always capable
of conveying a message differently than
an outsider see someone from outside
saying something to me we have to first
get past the fact that you're an
outsider
I don't even know you why would I listen
to you but someone that I esteem I
respect maybe because they are fighter
maybe because they're an entertainer if
they say something to me I'd probably be
inclined to listen because there's
already a basis of respect what you do
is already meaningful to me what you do
has already made me interested in you so
when you look at like the UFC community
how many people have viewed like this
video of Habib at the age of nine
wrestling this bear and how many people
have talked about that and you know it's
almost like men they respect his
dedication to his craft they respect his
father's dedication to the craft so it's
like you already have my respect and in
that moment to say to someone look if
you really respect me if you really want
to know what has formed the man that you
see before you and you admire the man
that you see before you it's not the
bear wrestling it's not even the
training it's blad ilaha illallah
Muhammad auto song ah yes it's the fact
that there is no god but God or there's
nothing worthy of worship besides God
and that Muhammad is the Messenger of
God that what had that is what is really
responsible for the men that you see
before you it's powerful and profound
that that's what's giving Habib the edge
of course and that's how his cub
opponents could get there and anyone can
get the edge absolutely by doing this of
course you know there's nothing more
powerful than faith I don't care what
anybody says there's nothing more
powerful than faith nothing even to
someone that's an unbeliever
if you encounter somebody that believes
in something very deeply you're affected
by the fact that what they believe in it
it's like man I don't believe in it but
if I have to go against someone who
believes in what they're doing
because belief cannot be extinguished
it cannot be it's like that and to me
that is was that was really the
difference when you think about kind of
saying it's just business know what that
kind of I don't know kind of McGregor's
beliefs and he's from Ireland so I'd
assume he was Catholic and although this
Irish and Catholics and Irish
Protestants but what was more clear
about habib was that maybe
thieves and something I believe that if
I'm in a fight there's something I'm
fighting for that's more important than
just business
yeah even though Connors saying look I'm
really just fighting for the money
mm-hmm and there was one point where
Connor was even saying that he's God
next to God that he'll even beat up God
he was actually saying he was saying
this it's crazy I think any man God made
yeah I mean and not only that I'll what
God has with so you hear some crazy
stuff like breath you just saw yeah so
this when you hear this stuff you're
like come on this guy's out of his mind
now and is this a good time where you
can take your kids you can take the
rowdy ones who have gotten a little bit
on the borderline of
arrogant and maybe they're into the
sport you say hold on you like Habib
why don't you do what he's doing on the
other aspect don't follow it where he
said this is not the best of me but the
best of his of him is when he takes his
head and puts it on the ground when he
says himself stay connected to God just
keep it humble when people are going
more towards the lines of me me III and
that arrogance and this is what God
hates mm-hmm is this a good tool now
that people can watch man you know you
know this is a thought that I you know
toy around with that you know people say
there's a thin line between love and
hate there's actually a thin line
between boasting and gratitude because
the bolster is magnifying the blessing
whatever it is they have they're
magnifying that you know whether it's
their ability or but they never
attribute that blessing to the one that
gave it to them
the only difference a person that is the
only difference in a person that is
grateful is not only am i magnifying the
blessing
I'm magnifying the one who gave me the
blessing so if you have any ability and
it's bigger than khabib it's big if you
have any ability if you have you know an
ability to speak and ability to write an
ability to help people find cures when
they're sick if you have an ability to
do anything you have to recognize all of
these are not in
these are blessings from God and if you
want to show your gratitude to God for
giving you those blessings you know it's
interesting the Arabic language is a
beautiful language the word for talent
is mo Hiba because it comes from the
Wahab the bust or god is the bus tour of
talents and if you want to show
gratitude for what you have been given
it is not for you to beat your chest and
say look at me is to put your head on
the floor and say thank you for giving
me the ability that you've given me
that's what it's about so if I had a
young person that was really excited
about could be even his ability as a
martial artist and as a grappler and as
a wrestler I was a much more important
than his ability is that he recognizes
who gave him the ability and if you want
to be like him recognize who will give
you your ability if you want to you know
develop the skill and recognize who gave
you the ability that you have that's
much more important don't be a person
that just you know achieve you know
esteems the talent or the skill or the
ability or you know God gave this to you
similarly we should be people who don't
appreciate what God has given some
people think that like humbleness is
being self-deprecating oh I'm nothing
I'm that are nothing I'm nobody
no God didn't make you nothing God
didn't make you nobody he gave you these
abilities for MFE namet arabica for
hadith as for the blessing of your lord
proclaim it but make sure you proclaim
it as what the blessing of your lord
don't proclaim it as my ability
proclaiming is what the blessing of my
lord look at what my lord has given to
me and it's not enough just to say it
you have to show your gratitude by doing
what he told you to do if I say to my my
father when they let him mother than ila
of course it's hard to make any parable
about God you know Dan I appreciate
everything that you've given me and I
appreciate what you've done for me and I
appreciate the sacrifice that you've
made for me and my father asks me okay
so I need you to be home at 9:00 and you
know break the leaves and take out the
trash now I'm not doing any of that I'm
not coming home at 9:00
I'm not raking leaves
not taking out Chad but I really
appreciate everything that you've done
for me I really appreciate the great
sacrifice that you've made for me then
it's just lip service lip service yeah
it's nothing to show that appreciation
to show that gratitude is to do what
that told you to do action now is action
it's action time now it's go time now
and that's what go ahead in mine I was
gonna jump in because you said
mentioning the gratitude and one thing
that khabib does every time he fights
and he wins is he points to the sky he
says you know he nods his head no like
it's not from him but it's from the one
above but the interesting point to kind
of summarize what you guys have been
talking about is I've been reading a lot
of comments on Twitter and YouTube over
the last few days and there's been a lot
of people who have said in summary I am
I am a Christian or I am NOT a Muslim
but I would rather have my son be like
Habib then be like Conor and the reason
I'm bringing that up is as you mentioned
the noble example of Muhammad Ali in
post mortem and now towards the end of
his life people were able to see the
benefit of him right see the community
service see the positive role model
influence he was but because of the fact
that we live in the era of social media
I think habib has kind of reached that
allure or status on a much quicker or
faster pace but i think we have to be
able to focus on the benefit and the
overall good he has done and even as of
late he said to the UFC I don't care
about the fight money I don't care about
the contract I'm willing to let all of
that go and I think people are starting
to open their eyes and see that the game
is kind of dirty right and a lot of it
is about promotion and we brought you
brought up the examples of Conor saying
look it's just business how do you say
no it's it's never just business you
never let the money become your Lord
right it's about ethics and value so I
just wanted to add that part in there I
like what you hear what he's talking
about there was a Christian making the
comment that I would rather have my son
follow what kabhi is upon because that
humbleness staying connected to God
where Conor he's promoting when he came
to the event and he's like whiskey
whiskey which according to who we did a
program on this like what every fighter
brings to
Table one in ten people they say is
attribute their death is attributed to
alcohol look at that look at the amount
of crimes and the murders in all of the
things amazing yeah so now this is
interesting to hear that huh it's very
interesting I mean the old now in all
fairness much love to my brother Habib
but Muhammad Ali that's a different
level of world stardom you know it's a
different level of what do you think
when you hear one of Muhammad Ali's
relatives saying Conor is like somewhat
and this was a relative of this somewhat
of Muhammad Ali comparing Conor McGregor
to Muhammad Ali I thought that what that
it's it's a it's on the one hand it's
offensive on the other hand Muhammad Ali
just as I'm not like a fight historian
but Muhammad Ali was one of the first
but I'm very interested in boxing
one of the first self-promoting fighters
like he was you know like fighters were
known as being kind of these
inarticulate just warriors and Muhammad
Ali was one of the first fighters that
was well Ray Robinson even before him
but I've been talking fight to talk the
fight was telegenic and could do
interviews and he really people
attribute that template of like selling
a fight and being flashy and flamboyant
and building interest in your fights in
that way people to tribute that to him
but he never wanted to kill hurt someone
with violence like that no no that
wasn't that wasn't that wasn't I've
never heard that attributed to Ali
but in terms of this kind of self
promoting like this is the way you get
it done unfortunately and this is like
heroes don't have to be perfect P a lot
of people learned that from Muhammad Ali
like he is the like of course the
prophesied mansun mansun mansun husana
whoever establishes a good precedent
will receive some of the reward of that
precedent also whoever establishes a bad
precedent will
you know share in some of the demerit of
that bad precedent that is a precedent
that I think was established by Muhammad
Ali this kind of talking and building my
you know and selling the fight and
bravado and boasting that showmanship if
you will it's certainly a part of his
legacy now the thing about Connors
showmanship I think it's just more
reflective of the age that we were in
you know I've never seen Ali like wait
whiskey in somebody's face or anything
like that but he certainly had his
stunts you know he sit at the press
conference and hit a toy gorilla and
pretend like this is Joe Frazier and
these kinds of you know these kinds of
stunts right but the difference is that
and I haven't heard from connaissance
maybe the the fight now that he talked
to me personally but I ever heard
anybody say anything I've heard like
heard him like what his message is maybe
he'll have some humility especially
because he was subbed kind of easy to
have some humility when you get served
maybe he'll have some humility and say
you know a lot of the bravado that I
engaged and was just a cèlle fire that
would be respectful I'm just gonna let
you know she could comment on it he said
we lost the battle or we lost the match
but we won the battle so it doesn't seem
like there's much but but but you know
it's unfortunate man that this is such a
part of the fight game and a point that
you made when I came in and we spoke a
little bit earlier is that martial arts
and the combat sports industry two
completely different things two
completely different things yeah and
that's that's that's a whole different
thing to talk about now when you when
you yeah when you are martial artists
and you come up and and there's a Creed
you know that you recite talking about
you intend to develop yourself you know
to be a good human being and to stay
away from anything that will impact you
negatively there's a whole Kree that's
you know martial artists recite and
that's helping you to be a holistic
somewhat human being and you see these
guys who are supposed to be representing
martial arts they've totally gone away
from this many of them of course because
I mean the combat sports industry
whether
you're talking boxing or martial arts
it's just a part of the circus yeah this
is the part is a part of the circus is
it but this is the dangerous thing us as
Muslims now knowing our purpose in life
that we don't worship money we don't
become arrogant God hates arrogance of
course all these things that this stands
for we want to be away from that and
that and that is probably the biggest
conflict in terms of Muslims being
involved in these industries is that
hopefully they go into it trying to kind
of honor the Creed of whatever
particular martial art they're doing and
they want to show their skill they want
to display their dedication their
training their consistency etc but in
order to do that you literally have to
enter in a lion's den of sin and
iniquity and you and you know the heart
is a is a very sensitive of Kressel
absolutely and you get around some of
these things and then it can just it can
just swallow you whole it just kills
this and that's why if you know you have
to surround yourself with people that
help you as much as you can
yeah to counteract just the filth that
is a part of these environments you know
if I were involved in an industry like
this I might have a 50-person
entourage not of cleaners on and people
waving signs just people that pray 50
percent entourage making record that
brothers making Jamaat you know just
people who pray that I know that when I
go offstage and when I step out the ring
these people are waiting for me if your
eye glances over there you got a brother
there in your head back this way I would
just surround myself with 50 people 60
people not clean goes on getting a check
but people that would say just in the
spirit of brotherhood I can't
I'm entering the lion's den in terms of
just sin and filth and gambling
prostitution public nudity indecency
this is what happen if you don't shark
here this is where I go to make my
living will you come with me just to be
with me in support of me you should do
bother homebound on the believers are
like a fortified structure holding each
other up and I know that
you might not want to be there but I'm
asking you as my brother and maybe 48 50
other brothers we want to go in there
just to be with me to remind me that
would be a very powerful gesture if
people got together that we're here just
in support of our brother just to make
this atmosphere a little more digestible
for someone that wants to worship Allah
and then that would be a powerful
statement that would be a powerful
statement because it is I mean you're
entering I mean it's difficult to enter
that world and if you enter by yourself
or only with people that are concerned
about the money forget it you're gone
you can forget it you're gone but you
have to have people that they're not
distracted by that you know it's always
like if I was a person that was into
money and I'm not saying I'm not into
money I might have some small businesses
you know it's always good to have people
that won't compromise for money because
they will give you that reminder someone
that you knows me he doesn't care about
the bling he doesn't care about the
exotic cars the only thing he cares
about is getting to Jenna being pleasing
to our law to have him close to me and
to give him full permission to light
into me if it's necessary if you see me
slipping pull me back if you don't I
won't respect you if you see me going
too far say to me bro bro bro this is
going too far okay it's okay to have
some nice things but you're getting into
this too deeply
you're forgetting what we're supposed to
be about see I would surround myself
with people like that not people that
just clinging on and I'm part of the you
know peanut gallery just cheering me on
no I don't want to be around yes men and
women you know I want people that really
have my best interests at heart
and people like that I sometimes hard to
find they're hard to find because most
of the people you see they just want to
cheer for you they just want to cheer
but people that'll say look wait a
minute
if you're gonna do this that's one thing
I don't even completely agree what
you're doing it but if you're gonna do
this that's one thing but this is how
we're gonna try and do it and I'm gonna
try and keep you you know true to that
that's a real friend and and that goes
back to where we talked about in the
beginning having that friend at the end
you wanted victory and inshallah for
next time you have that person is going
to be with you to make sure that at the
end mm-hmm what's more important than
just a victory is who you're giving the
praise to and make sure that you carry
away let people go away with something
even more valuable
absolutely what you know just the
ability to use it as a platform yeah
what what what I take away before we cut
out now do you have for hobby for Connor
club Eve now he has more people that
probably they got even Yasser Carly's
attention so many people talking about
it what advice do you have for someone
like him with more lights on him and
then Connor hopefully a humbling moment
let's see if he goes back to it to the
you know the arrogance and then for the
fans also for the Muslims who look up to
Kobe but they're not praying and I
connected like he says stay connected
and then for the not yet Muslims like
this Christian who tuned in and be like
wow you know what I mean I rather you
know follow someone like Habib a bunch
of things here but huh if you can
remember all of them one point first
thing is you know it would be arrogant
of me to assume that either Habib or
Cana would have any need of me or
anything that I would say but if in some
miraculous way I could say something
that would reach either of them to Habib
I would say congratulations on his
victory but no that's the first thing
you know congratulations
the second thing is I commend him the
way that he has conducted himself
outside the Octagon in front of the
camera being unapologetically Muslim in
a time like this it's something that I
think will give confidence to many young
Muslims and something that also gives me
confidence I would say that I also
appreciate the way that he came out and
apologized for his behavior after
winning the match against Conor I would
just remind him that you are being given
a platform you're being given a platform
and with great privilege comes great
responsibility
you know whether you want
this platform or not you are being made
a representative of Islam and while we
don't expect you to be perfect you know
and I think you should like defuse that
immediately like I'm not I'm not perfect
I'm not perfect we will be disappointed
if somebody that has a chance to
represent Islam at the level that he
does doesn't do a good job of it it will
be disappointed here you notice and will
be disappointed familiar but even in our
disappointment we will always love and
esteem our brothers and and and and
highlight the best of what they've done
and try to minimize the consequences of
the worst of what they've done to Kanna
I would say you know again
congratulations even getting himself to
the point as a martial artist that he's
fighting at the level that that he is
you talked before the fight you went way
far in selling this fight you know
certain you know honor even though honor
most Western people only use the idea of
Honor in connection with the military
there's no other reference to honor in
our society it's just a military but
people human beings have honored God
says look at column Nibbana Adam truly
we have in noble we have given honor to
the children of Adam and we have to
treat each other
honorably even as we do business and we
try to promote and try to sell fights
and we still have to treat each other
honorably some of the things that you
said about khabib in the lead-up to this
fight they did not relate they they
almost those comments weren't honorable
you were treating him like a person
without honor you got into the ring and
you lost and not only did you lose some
people say you weren't competitive at
all maybe you won the third round maybe
maybe you won the third round maybe
around of the fight and there's a lesson
in that that whoever irrigates themself
must be humbled by God this is just this
is bigger than a particular religion
these are laws and lessons to live by if
you're human being on this planet if you
arrogate yourself you will be humbled
Conner was hopefully humbled but maybe
his comments don't reflect right you
know in the aftermath his comments don't
reflect the fact that he was humble but
you were humbled maybe even humiliated
in front of tens of millions of people
on that night
this would be a perfect time for you to
take some inventory take account of
yourself think about what you did and
think about where it led you think about
what you did think about where it led
you and learn something you know from
that and if you continue as a fighter to
do something differently just because I
know you have hoards of adoring fans
cheering you on okaying everything that
you do learn and know that there's
something above what people say there's
something bigger than that there's
something more important than that
integrity you as a man at the end of the
day can you honestly say that you've
represented your people the people of
Ireland the people of your family the
people of your village the people of
your neighborhood wherever you're from I
don't know that this is really what
they're about you also have a platform
maybe you have a major platform
religious but people still see you as
representative of something take that
seriously and I would say that if he
[Music]
wanted to learn about Islam it would be
good for him like it's good for
everybody
it would be good for him and then to the
young Muslims that like couldíve and are
very excited about this kind of new
Muslim hero
I would first remind them that every
living example living role model living
hero just has a share has a small share
of something that it's full expression
is in the Prophet Muhammad SAW Isis
everything that you see admirable about
your heroes know that those qualities
are only amplified in his being peace be
upon him and let the positive qualities
of your heroes lead you to his example
that's the first thing the second thing
is be careful not to break somebody's
back don't saddle them with expectations
that are unattainable for a regular
person you know I was saying in the
beginning of my comments you know you
know my response to this question you
know habib has a platform and we want
him to do the best he can to represent
you know islam i don't expect him to be
the prophet peace be upon him I don't
expect him to be Abu Bakr
I don't expect him to be Alma I don't
expect him to be earth man I don't
expect him to be Ali I don't expect him
to be a black man in a house I don't you
know I don't expect him I expect him to
be who he is but I'm encouraging
encouraging him to do his best
similarly for the people who admire
could be don't make him into those
people because he isn't those people
don't make him into those people but
look at the best of what he represents
this is a person unapologetically Muslim
at least ostensibly I don't know the
man's private life committed to God
committed to his worship and doing his
best in the field of endeavor he's
working in to represent his faith and
say something positive about it and if
you really want to be like could be then
try to be like him in those things sha
Allah I don't know if I hid all of my
baby yeah you got it okay and do those
things stay connected to God I'm by one
important most important cause stay
connect with the guy
because without this like money family
nothing give you like like like you have
connect and he keeps saying will cut out
with that he keeps saying alhamdulillah
for those people that don't know and we
can connect it to against something
familiar it's interesting when people
hear this like wow I didn't know that
Jesus peace be upon him and the gospel
when he was approached by someone and
the person asked him oh good master what
good thing can I do that I may attain
paradise eternal life he said I'll hum
did love because he said why you calling
me good he's basically shifting that
praise praise is for Allah and what that
means al hamdulillah
that's what kabhi was saying
alhamdulillah so I think if Conner takes
the advice to the Sheikh gave and all
the others and keeps saying al
hamdulillah shift that praise keep it
humble connect to the Creator you're
gonna be on your way to living the
purpose of life can we say that that's
right yeah that's right we can say that
any man it's been a pleasure likewise
I've seen many webcasts of the show and
I just want to say that being on is is
as cool as it looks you know what I'm
saying I hope that this won't be the
last visit and then we'll get an
opportunity do this again and you know
keep all of it
thank you brother thank you thank you
very much and thank you guys for tuning
in
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thank you for tuning in until next time
peace be with you
assalamu alaikum don't forget al
hamdulillah al hamdulillah with ours God
we cannot do nothing everything is
nothing you know number one believe on
your one God