asalam alaykum mallah we have uh brother
Eddie from the dean show here today at
the Andalusia uh studio in the andalia
social and educational Media Center in
Houston Texas uh we just finished giving
him a tour of this uh fresh and new
project alhamdulillah that we're not
only trying to launch here locally uh
but Across America so it's really a
pleasure to be able to have you uh today
and I am very grateful alhamdulillah for
Allah uh to have given us this
opportunity to meet uh I've been wanting
to go to your show and people have told
me really have to go to the dean show
and I said you know if I go to the dean
show I become a personality it's like
the Jay Leno show or Oprah show you know
for for Muslims and uh and speaking to
you today alhamdulillah I think there's
a lot of benefit uh that we have
gathered and and I think you and and may
Allah accept from you and and continue
to guide you and give you the best
inshallah uh of success not only with
the show but in general in life inshah
in this life and the Hereafter so thank
you so much for joining us thank you you
started off with peace you wished me
peace I wish you back peace waum may
Allah bless you to the creator of the
heavens and earth for doing this
wonderful project this show and for your
wonderful work I'm honored to be here
with you Mah thank you so much so uh
Eddie usually you're on the asking side
of things um so I'll take this
opportunity to ask some of the questions
that uh a few you've mentioned uh have
asked like shik Yousef Estes and others
uh but for us maybe here in Houston and
for myself as a media professional and
and a person who was embraced Islam um
we we have certain questions and and I
hope inshallah that you can shed some
light on these uh for for for the
general good one of the first things was
um about your background it was
interesting to know I I honestly thought
that you had embraced Islam from the
beginning like you had no clue uh the
same as myself I had no clue about Islam
one day I didn't even know the word
Islam existed or Muhammad you know peace
be upon him or even the word Allah but
you're telling me you come from a a a
different background how tell me a
little bit about Islam in your
background was it there was it not how
did that happen well I came from a
predominantly uh the background was was
Muslim but it was just no substance to
it substance to it I I didn't know what
Muslim meant I didn't really even um
know any of the tenants of Islam I
didn't know what Islam meant I wasn't
practicing Islam Islam is an action it's
something you do you make a conscious
decision it's not by fault now you're
Muslim you're you know saved and you're
chosen you're going to Paradise you got
a you know oneway ticket to Paradise
doesn't work like that you have to
consciously submit yourself to the
Creator and do what he wants you to do
all the wonderful things I wasn't doing
that my parents weren't doing that so we
were in a family I was in a family of
Muslims who weren't practicing Islam
what's your ethnic background by the way
Bosnian BOS that's from the former
Yugoslavia okay excellent okay so at
what point in time do you think you you
you had that urge to either change or
embrace the dean of Islam based on
action consciously well I started to get
older started to see some of the
wrinkles kicking in you know some of the
gray hairs and things just started to
get as we say just uh routine just
living a mundane life you know it was
exciting for some time but then it just
starts to get boring you know you go
through the action-packed lifestyle you
want to mimic the the the superstars on
TV and you go to your you know parties
you work from Monday to Friday to have a
good time and en joy in the weekend and
over the years this just get starts to
get played out you know it it just
becomes routine it becomes something
that is really it's not satisfying for
the soul so you know you're working on
the body the mind but the soul is empty
so I came to a point where I started to
ask what's the purpose of life what's
this all about I started to reflect
about death the reality of the Grave
that one day I'm going to be there what
what was happening in your life that
made you think this way cuz a lot of
people go through life and they just
cancel out those thoughts uh there has
to be some hardcore situations Life
Choices or something drastic that
happens in life did you have something
like that well that's how really with me
it wasn't it wasn't nothing in in
spectacular event that happened it was
just small incidences here and there
that I wasn't feeling it it was like
eating the same food and it just the
taste you had to experience so many
there's a story of a multi-billionaire
who when when he took his shahada he
talked about you know when when the
scholar of Islam asked him what was it
now he started to cry when he took the
testimony of faith that same testimony
that if you living during the time of
Jesus Moses that testimony that you're
testifying you're taking this free will
that you know what I'm not going to
submit to my desires I'm going to submit
to the one who created me I'm going to
submit and do all these wonderful things
I'm going to obey his Messengers that he
s throughout time so he took this
testimony that there's no God but God
and Muhammad is the last and final
messenger and he became a Muslim so when
he was asked why did you you know start
crying he start balling you know and he
was like because there's I was a slave
to everything in creation he was a
multi-billionaire now so he had tasted
all the finest dishes he had been with
all the most beautiful women had the
most exotic cars the most beautiful
houses and nothing filled that void
inside M so finally when he came to this
realization that there is a purpose in
life and who best to tell me about the
creator of the heavens and earth and he
submitted to that purpose this is what
brought him that that that peace and
that happiness and that's what I was
looking for that void was there it was
there I had in my own little world my
own little realm I had tasted I had
experimented and there was no happiness
there was no joy there was no Solace and
it was a game just going and somebody's
winning the sometime you win some and
you lose some so I was at the point
where I start to lose some of these
games and at the end I was like these
Young Bucks young boys young men who are
coming up you know you always want to be
the the tough guy on the Block there's
somebody else who who wants it more your
desire is going down so someone else is
coming up and that person is going to
either step on you you're going to get
stepped on or you're going to have to
clear the road so you're going to end up
in jail you're going to end up
destroying your life so these things
start going you're you're wiser now
right you're wiser and I start thinking
reflecting and I start to ask that very
crucial question what is the purpose of
life why am I here why have I been
created and alhamdulillah all thanks to
the creator of heavens and earth that
Islam provided all the rational logical
proofs that this was from the the
Creator and finally the void was filled
mashallah excellent so when you made
that transition and you were actually
begin to embrace the concept of living
uh as a Muslim wholeheartedly based on
action um what led you from that period
of time um to think about something like
the dean show what was it that led up to
that what were some of the reasons that
you said you know if I were to do
something like a talk show for Muslims
then it would then do what what was
going through your mind what was that
thought process like after I had made a
conscious decision okay this is the
truth based on proof based on logical
analytical uh approach to this and then
I was like you know what if I just share
this with all my friends friends they're
going to come to the same realization
it's it's scientific it's something that
you know all these facts it's not
something like it's just it's not blind
belief it's not something that okay like
when you talk to people about religion
it's something personal you know you got
your God here and you you know you you
do things on the weekend or something no
it's a complete way of life so I thought
you know and it's something rational
it's something that it just makes good
old common sense so I said man if I just
share this with people you know they're
going to feel as good as I'm feeling you
know they're they're going to uh have
purpose in life now so I just started to
share I I took a DA course I started to
you know I went through again it's a
long story May sure I went through the
whole transition you know um reading
studying sitting with people and then
kind of filtering out you know from the
the um the places where I shouldn't go
the places I should go the people I
should sit with people I shouldn't sit
going through authentic knowledge
unauthentic knowledge I went through
that whole transition to long story and
then finally you know when I when I
realized okay okay I had that
comprehensive blueprint I said let me
share this blueprint with people you
know cuz it's going to give them
substance in life it's going to give
them joy peace is going to show them
that you know this life is temporary we
should be aiming for something High
Paradise you know but at the same time
you're not sacrificing this life you'll
take the best from this life but you're
not going to get attached to this life
so make a long story short I start to
share it you know it's like if you
develop a cure now you find the cure for
cancer for AIDS You' be someone who's
really unfair and unjust that you're not
sharing this with others so the same way
you know that person who wouldn't keep
that to himself you're a good person you
want to share this good information and
this is something that takes care of all
the social ills that are out there this
way of life that's not organized by men
but it's organized by the creator of the
heavens and earth and I just had this
excitement let me share it because
sharing is caring and Islam says love
all mankind so we love our brothers in
humanity and instead of giving them a
Ferrari a bends or all this money Islam
the way of life from the Creator is the
best gift that we can give Humanity
because we love Humanity did you begin
giving talks um to certain groups like
Youth and trying to uh Inspire certain
people because of your change or did you
just straightforward feel like okay if
I'm going to share this message with so
many people I have to utilize media and
I have to take this camera and be able
to just share it with as many people
online as I can how how how did you come
to the realization of the fact that you
know media was the way that you wanted
to basically share this message yeah so
what happened was that I was talking to
individuals and then I would also get to
talk to non-muslims the not yet Muslims
because everyone has a potential to give
birth what's already inside of you that
that that want and that need to submit
to a higher power so Islam call you not
to submit to a man or woman but the
Creator man and woman so I was talking
to individuals I started to talk to to
groups they'd come to the mid and we'd
have some dialogue present Islam and
then what happened was the dean show
which some people would think now this
is my name Dean but Dean is simply the
Arabic word which means the way of life
the way of life the same way of life
again as I emphasized the same way of
life that Jesus the Christ the Messiah
lived and his companions at that time
the same way of life that Moses lived
Abraham it's that way of submitting
yourself not to the creation but to the
one God so I'm preparing for Hajj fifth
pillar of Islam mhm all right and now a
lot of technical details and I was also
uh projects you're always look as a
Muslim you got now this this this really
this excitement to get more Good Deeds
so one good deeds is really educating
people so I used to fly out some
different Scholars and we would hold
events together at the the Masid so I
had a friend of mine come out and I said
man you know what let me put this on
tape because he's explaining to me you
got to do this this and that on the
fifth pillar of Hajj that same Hajj that
Malcolm X when he went to who used to be
a racist he was with this nation and
then he left this nation because he went
to Hajj and this is where white black
Chinese we all sit together worship
together worshiping the one God together
I was going to to do that and then all
thanks is to the Creator Allah that we
recorded it he liked it this shake was
also a DA machine Muhammad sley I don't
know if you know is it from he's a
pioneer of America yes he doesn't stop
he's a good
friend and you know if you've been
around him he's just all day I just ran
into him this last he's always leading
groups every single year and he's he's
the one and we recorded it he liked it I
liked it and I said man you know what
cuz when you're talking to some people
they're not excited I learned you
learned the Hardway some people excited
about some people they're still stuck on
chasing their desires and you know this
temporary world so you get discouraged
sometime but I after we recorded it the
light bulb went on I said alhamdulillah
this is a great way to to reach more
people you don't one-on-one is great
it's great but this is it's there you
put the information now if they want it
if they don't it's up to them they can
change the channel so the media was a
great way to reach a lot of people and
benefit Humanity masallah excellent now
just um a few days ago Oprah Winfrey
okay ended her show and this show went
on for 25 years for a lot of people who
don't know know what Oprah Winfrey is or
represents to America she represents the
fiber of American culture especially the
messy the strong messaging of of women
being empowered that's the that's the
main underlying message but when you see
Oprah I mean she just had Obama there
and and Michelle I mean as friends
they've been friends for a long time uh
she's come to you know have a a large
following worldwide I mean when I was
living in Egypt they show her there they
show her you know many parts of the of
the
globe you're in Chicago mhm and that's
where Harpo Studios is where her you
know I thought it was interesting that
you have possibly the first uh um you
know Muslim geared or topic uh driven
show that is of a format like a Jay Leno
show or a you know Oprah Winfrey show
how how do you feel about that is there
any connection ever in your mind or
anything in regards to aspiring to the
level of being able to reach such a high
um mainstream even would love that
that's actually one of my my dreams is
to that if Allah the creator of the
heavens opens that door without us ever
compromising because we have the
verbatim word of God which is a healing
it's a medicine it's the criteria for
how a human being needs to live so we go
by that in the authentic tradition of
the last and final messenger sent to
Mankind and if we can instead of replace
now the the oah show with the dean show
that is a benefit for all of mankind
it's something that I would love you
know if Allah opened up if it's if it's
a direction that he knows it's good for
us it's good that we can take this
Avenue I would that would be something
amazing that' be something amazing
because we'd be able to again reach more
people and I think this program because
we have some of the brightest Minds that
we bring on the show gems of wisdom for
the whole of mankind that can bring
Society together that can feed this
emptiness that Society is missing
through these Scholars that we bring on
and we interview them on the show people
whose lives have changed and they've
accepted Islam the fallacies clearing up
the many misconceptions you know you
have when you say Islam people think
terrorism Muslim ter women oppressed
these are all nonsensical fallacies
misrepresentations and Islam is the
still the fastest gr way of life in the
world today but it's the yes most
misunderstood so if we can truly have
peace and Harmony we need understanding
and the dean show all thanks is the
creator of Heavens Earth is doing that
by bringing on people collaborating with
people from all different ethnicities
hearing their stories bringing on these
gems of wisdom that people from the
sidelines even if they don't accept this
way of life that's from the Creator they
can at least understand us a little
better and then that false fear will be
eradicated good excellent now mallah
this is what the dean show has become
how were those early stages whenever you
were calling someone and asking them to
be part of something like a talk show
something that is unorthodox uh sometime
sometimes with uh the community whenever
you know there's uh ideas that are uh
dealing with media or something new or
getting in front of cameras I mean there
has to be a level of comfort in order to
be able to engage in that what were some
of the comments at the beginning
possibly even some of the criticisms
that you may have received uh at the
beginning how was it taken by the people
I mean was it just open arms and said
yes this is great and we keep it going
or was it was there some apprehension
about uh a format like like a talk show
it just has me think to to the earlier
days how at that time it was diff it was
now that I look at it it was difficult
but at the time Allah made it easy it
was so enjoyable but now I look at back
then some of the things that we went
through it was actually it was tough you
know traveling here traveling there not
knowing if you're going to get any
interviews just showing up on a spot say
hey would you like to be on who's this
guy so it was tough and you know but
alhamdulillah it just it was like that
test from and this is what I encourage
every person that's in da and if you're
not doing da you're missing what this
Dean is all about because if you want a
prophet reward you got to do a prophet
job you got to get out there and and and
be involved to change the society for
the better and what better way than
sharing because again sharing is caring
sharing this beautiful way of life with
the world so I was out there trying and
a lot of trial and error and you know
hitting dead ends but many people give
up I just didn't give up because I love
this Dean so much alhamdulillah aldah so
throughout the adversity that may have
happened in challenges you continued
mashallah and Allah blessed it
alhamdulillah excellent now from your
background and then the dean show and
the sort of success led up to the making
of a film right which is uh to I believe
right alhamdulillah so how did that
notion come about when did that happen
and um you know tell me a little bit
about that process and that project so
what happened with um dun tadin was that
was at a time when people were asking me
like man you're always interviewing
people you know what about you what's
your story so I I I was thinking you
know what it would I want to make it I'm
always about trying to make things more
exciting within the perimeters again of
the Halal style the Halal way you know
not now compromising we don't want to
ever compromise right but there's
flexibility in this Dean right don't
things don't always have to be so rigid
and we're like okay and you you know
people who are just used to flickering
through the channels you can't get their
attention but we can get their attention
in a way that again is still pleasing to
the Creator Allah now so what happened
was I was like I I want to do something
different I want to make it into a
documentary a film that was was going
inside my my head the wheels were
turning as a response to people saying
how what's your story in a response to
people saying what's your story so after
and I really I don't really like talking
too much about myself and you know was
contemplating I was debating and whatnot
and then I would ask the scholars what
do you think as a benefit to people
because again we're not is Muslims it's
like a person when you did you go and
rob a bank you know that movie what was
it good Fellas when Tony Soprano was it
no Robert dairo and they were coming in
you saw the movie and they were like
just yapping their mouths they just
robbed the bank Big Heist and and the
guy comes in with the fur the other guy
comes in he just bought a new car there
you you know I'm talking about so now
what I'm equating this to is we've done
some things in the past we're
embarrassed about we're ashamed about
Allah he covers our sin by day and night
so the worst thing someone can do now is
go ahead and just the details of his
life exposing it and he's happy about
we're not happy about a lot of the
things we did in the past so we don't go
into the details we'll talk in general
right so then I was like What if I talk
about some of these things in general
for the benefit and communicating this
message to people who live this way of
life
and it's one thing speaking English but
then the language the culture is a
different thing so I know how these
people think I know I can speak that
Lang just like you can so then we
finally um I was again these are things
I'm asking about it I'm not really in a
hurry and then alhamdulillah there was a
brother in town he was filming something
for gain peace and I was helping them
out and then he introduced himself to me
he said I'm a filmmaker I finished
school for this I I like to get your
story and then the light bulb again goes
on I said man I've been thinking about
this I said man I've been just you knowl
he's
Muslim uh uh skull's
films and it I was like you know what we
need to collaborate so it's like of
Allah Allah set it up and then from
there we started talking we made the
plan and we went forward with it he came
out stay with me for some time and we
put it together M Mah how long was the
whole process from beginning to end I
think I'm guessing because again he had
other projects and there was things he
came in stayed he had to go out and he
did reenactments so he had actual actors
while while I was speaking while the
other people he interviewed were
speaking about certain voice yeah the
voiceover and actual live reenactments
yeah like fights when we're talking
about fighting then he got these uh
actors fighting so he had to go on this
just it t it's time consuming yeah
that's why I'm wondering because you
know anytime we uh engage in a project
media wise uh people want to see the
final result when they don't understand
theal you know the whole process they're
just like when can I see it and it's t
because that takes a life of its own
that's that's why I'm wondering how how
long was it about going on over year and
a half going on two years good
understood excellent um there's a
documentary that I actually um produced
back in 2004 called Muslim ID told from
A New Perspective and I remember it took
almost a year you know to complete so I
had to edit down 20 7 hours um you know
to a tight you know we were trying to
get it around an hour hour and a half we
ended up with an hour and 45 minutes but
that's why I'm asking the questions
mallah tomorrow actually you're you'll
be speaking about it right here in
Houston in one of the uh illumination M
I'm actually I'm speaking along with you
as well so alhamdulillah it's it's an
honor uh masallah so
after uh possibly meeting many people
and going to many different communities
and so on uh is this your first time
here in Houston first time in Houston
first time in Houston tell me a little
bit about that it's nice I like it I was
really impressed with the community here
and the Masjid the Masid is amazing shik
wed wasi is a gem he's an ocean ocean of
knowledge and he with with his broader
scope of thinking the way he designed
the Masjid this is something that a
replica should be made all over the US
especially inviting non-muslims to see
how we live because you know you have a
lot of false again misinformation about
radicalization of the youth and
terrorism all these stuff to see there's
not a bomb making factory you got
Muslims there who are law-abiding
citizens doctors you know lawyers
Engineers who come there to put their
face on the ground the same way Jesus
peace be upon them he put his face on
the ground he worship the one God we
come there to do that but he set up a
nice little play area for the kids right
you don't got to go to Starbucks they
got Wi-Fi there a nice Lounge area you
got a gym staying fat because all this
bani and all this greasy food you're
getting heavy you can come and work out
feel good you know and and and and it
it's also work to bring a lot of the the
the brothers would come pray leave as he
was saying even the sisters they didn't
know each other right so now he said
this has enhanced the relationship
between the community but lot of the
communities have a lot of the mids I
call have been hijacked with some of the
oldtimers so they don't get the youth
involved and now the youth are out there
because they have nothing to do getting
in trouble but they should be you know
doing good good but we're not providing
an Avenue for this mush that I saw in
Houston it provides that Avenue and it's
something wonderful so you're talking
about the Clear Lake Islamic Center
Clear Lake Islamic center right which uh
they call it in short click click and
you can see even from the aspect of the
wording click uh you know with youth it
just clicks you know and uh mallah I'm
glad that you mentioned the whole aspect
of uh the youth being involved and
giving them uh some way or some venue
where they can socialize and get to know
one another this is something that we
used to discuss a long time ago when I
first embraced Islam 10 years ago
actually um I saw that it was tough
bringing in some of my old friends uh
that I knew before I was Muslim into an
environment where they could engage with
Islam because the platform was just so
much different it was like them leaving
to another country and they used to feel
like you know I feel out of place I
don't uh they used to be honest some
some of them straightforward and be like
look uh I'm not from a certain rate or
this or that you know we we were raised
down the block you know you're changing
your culture they used to think I was
changing my culture and becoming either
Arab or Pakistani or some other
ethnicity that they saw majorly
represented and that led us uh mallah I
mean I'm part of you know working with
basun and trying to come up with some
level of solution mallah and he's done
that in the mashid setting which has a
social side to it now we're here as you
saw it's like 45 minutes away almost an
hour away you know here and we have
established this Center the Andalusia
social and educational media center and
what we hope to be that social venue and
that sort of complimentary way of
working with the massit 10 minutes from
here 3 minutes from here we have so many
massag in the southwest area maybe the
highest concentration in in in Houston
um you can drive 10 minutes in different
directions and pretty much be out a
mosque um so this is your first time you
come to the Andalusia Center based on
the tour that we gave you and everything
tell me a little bit about you know what
what you see here and your vision
basically is you're a Visionary and
you've done projects what do you see
that this has a capability of being or
what does this mean in regards to the
Muslim Community possibly in Houston or
possibly in America now that I'm going
to make it concise for the limited
amount of time but I can go on and on
from just you know the aspect here of
what you guys are doing from just
walking in the door I mean this is a
great blessing for the umah and again
may Allah the creator of the heav reward
you for the wonderful work that all the
brothers that I've met here are doing
you know from the audio projects that
you have you got the the the visual you
know the the uh video alhamdulillah this
is something amazing it's one of its
kind you don't have too many of these
things out there so this is some a
project that needs to be supported
people need to stop by and visit and
contribute in any way if you're someone
I always say look if if you're not able
to do this kind of work support this
kind of work yeah because now how are we
going to create change how are we going
to help each other how are we going to
to benefit you know side if we're not if
we don't have a voice if we're not able
to speak if we're not opening our mouths
and and you're providing a channel that
the Muslims can be heard from this venue
and it's something amazing amazing may
Allah bless you a mean I mean appreciate
it in regards to the youth um the new
Muslims even non-muslims I've seen that
they're very they gravitate towards
media okay and from your time of dealing
with
media and knowing people like sh and
we're here in Houston and many of the
scholars as you mentioned that gone to
your show they kind of come in and out
you know they're teaching through Al or
they're stopping
by what would you recommend this is on
the aspect of advice and it's sincere
advice mallah because we haven't even
discussed this before what do you
recommend that we do here um for for for
those people who are coming there is the
form that you have chosen which is a
talk uh you know sort of show and then
there may be some social issues based
sort of discussions that we can have
with these people and then go on and and
and reenact or actually take interviews
of people outside uh that are dealing
with that social issue whether it be for
the Youth or whether it be even for
non-muslims as I mentioned to you I just
went and spoke at a Penitentiary um in
in jail and there were about 100 inmates
there and all of them are serving uh
double digit sentences more than 10
years and none of them know what it's
like to be Muslim outside in the real
world they have all become Muslim inside
of the penitentiary and there are
133 jails around the Houston area and
there are five Muslim chaplins and
there's about 20 volunteers so whenever
we see that great need and they ask us
to go and speak it's taking me so long
to go in there but it was so rewarding
when I went and they showed this
documentary that we did and then I start
thinking you know if they could see you
know films like yours and be able to you
know uh uh see things that that are that
are within context of the reality that
group would benefit and we have an
individual that can bring that through
there's high schools you know that have
a specific message that if it's geared
towards education and still make it
entertain entertaining and not
compromised there's that venue you know
with media we have so much that we could
do what would you advise in regards to a
setup where we can uh benefit people in
general based on what you already see
and and you understanding media and this
is a general advice I'm asking anyone
and everyone and inshallah we hope to
get some people here locally from the
Houston Community and discuss these
issues because we have the tools now
alhamdulillah the issue is what are we
going to do with them and I and I'd
rather them be a collective effort
instead of us just saying this is what
we're going to do and you know we have
one straight way of looking at it what
do you think that we could do to benefit
and go at a realm possibly even that
hasn't been done before if it's a talk
show I know that we can tap in now and
ask you questions she YF Estes has his
television uh Channel now and we're you
know working with him Huda TV Islam
Channel all of these venues you're
seeing the global perspective um what do
you think is needed that we could feel
and what would you advise
us my with my experience now what I've
seen is again we're we're living in a
time that people look to the West yes
and we're here in the west living and
we're Americans who are law-abiding
citizens we love our country and we we
want the again the best for the people
so you speak the language of the people
you know I I think I do too and there's
other people also now the organizations
that are here I want to talk talk with
the big dogs the people out there
because Allah is the one who gives power
and he takes away power and and now what
are you going to do with it so the
people that are on the the streets the
people that are out there such as
yourself I think that now need to they
need to be given the opportunity because
you can only from here it'll take you
longer maybe to to reach more people
then eventually in we'll get there but
these organizations the big
organizations for instance like peace TV
I'll give you an example Huda TV Allah's
given them the satellite all right Allah
gave it to them so now they need to
bring people on such as yourself people
who are out there there in the west who
know the language and the time we're
living with with you can take someone
with he's loaded with and we love our
Scholars we have to sit with the
scholars but now you take someone and
you bring them here and he he doesn't
connect with the people culture Clash
he's not going to be able to have a good
influence such as yourself and and many
of the other brothers so needed to
collaborate and work together and this
is what Allah loves that we're working
together that we're sitting together
that we're talking together for the same
cause of benefiting people together so
these people that have these satellite
channels the big organizations isna you
go through a lot of it may Allah reward
all of them but of times you get stuck
in a habit a routine someone has a
position and now for years change is not
happening you know it's like the same
format is set up we need to get in we we
need to make things a little more
interesting we need to get the people
who you know are are the masses who are
away from the dean get them back into
the dean we need to reach out in a
different way instead of the same
mundane way all again within the Realms
of a way that's pleasing to Allah so
this wonderful work that you're you're
doing is a treasure so now these people
that Allah has given the ability to
reach more people they need to bring us
you in and we need to work together so
we can reach more people together so
this so these are the outlets these are
the outlet CU that's what was going
through my mind these outet and you know
it's interesting you mention that
because I was in Huda TV when I was
living in Egypt and the actually uh did
some Consulting work for them and they
actually offered me to to run the
satellite station there in hudah because
I
know yeah and uh good M yes he's the
general manager there I I met the CEO of
the channel um I I didn't take it
because I I felt like there was more of
a need to come here and produce from the
West there was limited ability for me to
be able to produce media from there
because if we needed anybody from the
West we have to bring them and and it's
tough and I was there sh Yas fak many
other people from the West would come
and Shake Yousef Estes but as you
mentioned we're in the west and people
are interested to see what's happening
in the west we're strategically located
um position uh Islam channel in the UK I
I was there with the brothers as well
these are venues that Mah are wide open
the the the thing that that is needed
and I don't know if you've run into this
is the the aspect of what is being
produced where is that programming that
connects with the people as you
mentioned that's what I'm talking about
exactly so would you say that if we
having these venues open which Mah Allah
has opened those Gates through Huda TV
Islam channel uh peace TV I I haven't
tapped into that but Mah shed has been
there and you know maybe that could
happen so would you say that we now have
the challenge basically to produce that
sort of material and content from here
that basically can then along with
working with these channels can be
exported to the rest of the world you
don't have to necessarily be in Egypt or
or UK from here you have you have the
the means one click away you know you
can transfer the footage you can
transfer your work via internet is in in
a matter of minutes hours very simple so
and you mention you're doing that right
I mean you're doing that with these
channels so you know this is something
that you're on the ground here you
record the documentaries the shows and
information and you can get it to these
channels and the venues just need to
open it up and we need to just
collaborate and work together excellent
now how do you go
come over the the the the hurdle of
people who don't know media and I've
made this blanket statement in the past
we can record here and have the
different television channels all over
the world basically broadcasted for
someone who doesn't know media sometimes
I've run into people who feel like but
you don't have a multi-million dollar
facility because they think it takes
multi-million dollars to be able to do
that sort of thing but you and I know in
media as you mentioned it's just a click
away whatever we do here we can just
send it in a matter of I mean minutes
alhamdulillah how do you overcome that
or how did you ever have that you know
with your community and being able to
educate them to the point where they
actually saw that it can happen mhm how
do you remember some of that because
that's part of what we're going through
right now uh to to mention this you know
I just had someone the other day come
and they said that they wanted their own
television channel yeah and if we could
help um and they're talking about a
massive amount of funds of people who
are coming and they want a television
channel but I'm telling them the same
thing a television channel does we're
able to do here and it doesn't take all
of that but they say no we we want the
satellite and we want the feed and
certain things that are so elaborate and
I remember Shake usest was telling me it
cost like a uh you know about $40,000
just to get the Uplink m to the a month
uh to the satellite so why do all that
if shik yusu already has the Uplink for
example why do all that if you know who
the TV already has a satellite so it's
been a challenge to kind of slim down
and say now what we can do is generate
that programming that you're saying
within context of the people all these
channels are already available as a
means there's somewhat of a concern
there that it it can't really happen
what would you advise we just get on and
just do it or was there some period of
time that you actually educated the
people and showed them how it was done
did you have a group of faithful
supporters that said you know you lead
the way and as long as you feel it can
happen we're with you how did that
happen well you always have optimistic
people and you have pessimistic people
so person who looks as at the the glass
half empty or half full so I I try to
really look at things in in a in a
different light and to be optimistic and
always know Reliance on Allah is first
and Allah the creator of heavens and
earth when you start moving forward he
moves mountains and he is the one that
can make things happen when all El is
just in failure and you giv up Allah
opens up the door so I from my
experience I remember going to Da
meetings and we have to obviously work
as a community as a jamat it doesn't
Islam doesn't promote like just this
individualism you go on your own so
definitely I was trying to do that but
it was just a lot of talk and talk is
cheap right there you know you get a few
people in the room and this guy's
arguing about this he's arguing about
that and I'm sitting there watching and
I was just you know so hungry to get
this I said let's just talk is cheap so
I wanted to get to work I said let's
just go pass on some flyers let's go out
and you know give these things out we're
sitting here we just went through a half
a dozen meetings we didn't move we
didn't move nowhere so I just decided
get to work you know just do the work
you know roll up your sleeves you know
as the prophet he was moving those
Boulders they're building the mid he
wasn't sitting back he was just you know
active so let's get involved and along
the way again again we need to be
organized make a plan do things right
but let's see some some action so I was
a person and alhamdulillah like yourself
a person of action and people who want
to act there's always going to be people
who aren in the way you know you got get
these people out the way and just keep
moving forward and just put Reliance on
Allah and Allah is the one who makes
things
happen with that advice I mean I think
it's very underground solid advice of an
individual that actually is is living
that life and and mallah may Allah bless
you and U you know continue to to give
you success inshallah in this life and
the next and alhamdulillah I think uh
with that we are good we can open it up
for uh if you don't mind if we can take
like five minutes do you think from the
audience for some of the questions that
the people and the audience this would
be great um if you guys have any
questions yes sister shy have you ever
tried to
approach yeah so have you ever try to
approach Oprah uh no actually I never
had the opportunity I've never met her
or had the that'd be great I'd love to
have a sit down so if somehow this gets
to Oprah and she see it I love for her
to come on The Dean show or she doesn't
have a show anymore but uh if if um you
know if it comes to it sometimes you
know in this vast world of media even
these people that you don't think
they're also you know going on the
internet and you know sometimes maybe
late at night they see their name it
pops up and if she sees this Oprah come
on The Dean show make it
happen any other question yes sister are
you also considering translating the
media that you record in other languages
because a lot of people look up to West
but understand English so like in Bosnia
and in other parts of the world they
like I see some of the personal
individual trying to translate things
because they want to have the message
but it's um you know like if it's more
professional and it comes out with
option for other language I think we'll
you know reach more people what language
in specific you know like even like
European languages like Russian Bosnian
or even U or like um other like
languages you know those Muslims also
they need guidance there lot them also M
what do you think about that allahar God
is great and I want to thank all those
people because I was very surprised that
there people have taken the dean show
and they've translated many shows in the
basian language I've seen it in Albanian
I'm not sure if I've seen it in Spanish
like with subtitles subtitles with
subtitles these are subtitles have
people have authored to translated in
Turkish the movie now coming out so I'm
surpris in French there it's been
translated in French with the subtitle I
want to thank the people it was very
surprising you know these are just
random people just random people they
just took it upon themselves and this is
such a great reward you don't have to be
you know putting your own show together
you know you don't have to be doing some
of the things we're doing but this is
contributing this is part ex you can
contribute in this way and people have
taken upon themselves they've done this
and they're benefiting they're
benefiting you know um from this every
time someone watches it they're getting
in them the reward the blessing and and
reward from from the crater along the
lines and it's interesting the question
about language um because we have a a
project called Islam in Spanish and and
you know we chose that wording for the
name for it to stick out like Islam in
the Spanish language because literally
there was I mean uh nothing you know
even for literature books like uh 10
years ago very little you know when my
father became Muslim uh at the age of 57
years old I had very little to give him
and that's what inspired us to kick that
project off off and you had brother
Abdullah Danny Hernandez on your Show
alhamdulillah when he went and did um
two programs on behalf of Islam Spanish
in Chicago a few months ago
alhamdulillah and you interviewed him
and uh we're going all over the nation
and and really worldwide to be able to
share this message in the Spanish
language but we we chose that name
because to deliver information and as
the sisters asking it's key the
information that is delivered in in a
specific language because when
translating
as we know from one language to the
other it's not direct straightforward
yes you know and Allah says in the Quran
every messenger he sent to speak in the
language of their people yes so whenever
translation
happens uh there's a benefit no doubt
but the straightforward from the heart
spoken language in that message to those
people comes within a cultural context
yeah and so that's uh it's Unique that
you're doing it in English because it is
a mainstream sort of language that maybe
even people from all over these
countries may know especially the
educated amongst them uh but then there
are those individuals that need things
even done in their own dialect in their
own countries absolutely uh that have
that so mashallah it's good to pinpoint
these groups and uh possibly have people
take it upon themselves to focus on
specific demographics and people who
need The Message of Islam if people were
to concentrate just from the venue of
language I mean Mah and do projects they
have a Target Niche or demographic of
people who they're benefiting because I
don't know if you felt this with the de
show you want to uh you know touch as
many people as possible uh but you know
you can't just do everything as one
individual would what do you think about
that in the issue of focus I mean how do
you deal with that you you have
non-muslims watching the show because
it's Public Access television you have
Muslims watching the show you have the
English language uh some people may say
something in Arabic and I've seen you
say something like oh you know this
means this H how do you deal with all
that in regards to language you know
from your show how how do you view that
I take it back to my personal
experiences you know hearing words like
Subhan Allah alhamdulillah which means
glory be to God alhamdulillah praise
thanks is to God I didn't know what
these meant so I'm like why is this guy
talking Arabic just say English you know
what I mean but then you know even when
when you would go through some of the
prayer back way back you put your head
on the ground you say uh I I wouldn't
know what I was saying but when you know
sub glory be to my Lord the most high it
it it affects you now cuz you know what
you're saying so that that was the thing
where majority of Muslims they're
they're not connecting with the Creator
again a Muslim is one that submits
himself to the Creator so again your
parents might have been doesn't matter
your your your uncle your father great
great grandfather he went to Hajj 10
times you hear the these excuses you
know oh my grandfather he went to you
know Hajj 10 times what does it have to
do with you you know what I mean so you
need to to connect with the Creator
you're you're you're one that Allah you
know you're a Muslim you need to pray
you need to but they don't know the dean
they don't understand so I'm also the
same way I'm reaching out to and you're
reaching out to the the not yet Muslims
I figured that usually if the not yet
Muslims they can't understand it most of
the Muslims ain't going to understand it
you know because many of the Muslims
again if I didn't know what Islam meant
what a Muslim was that's the same that
many so you take the approach of taking
a general so that you take as many
people on that on that Journey as POS I
want to reach those people who are who
are listening to Lady Gaga goooo 50
cents you know all these that's the the
masses those are the masses and those
are the the hearts and Minds that we
need to save they heading in the wrong
direction MH got get my back on the
right direction Mah excellent we'll take
the last question if there is one yes I
was surprised that a lot of my friends
have not heard of thean show and never
watched it and I was wondering uh if uh
you have a project to advertise about
your de show you know I'd like to put
your ad in the local newspaper if I have
the permission to do that on that that
thank you very much may Allah reward you
that is again people who can contribute
there was there's a brother from um I
forgot what state but he actually made
he contributed he said how can I help so
we did on the website I said look take
the shows they're for free they're out
there if you can use them put them on
DVD and give them to someone okay we got
the people out we interviewed them we
got their story do something with it do
some work we can't do everything now so
take it copy it all right and give it
out uh a brother made
the website on a bumper sticker said
have you considered the purpose of life
right and he printed it sent it so we
give this out free whenever you buy a a
DVD which is only $5 it's $5 you know
what it cost to making these things this
is only to cover the cost because we
give this to the non-muslims for free
it's two DVDs the DVDs uh for dawa and
we have two DVDs in one case and we give
them out to the non-muslims for free and
we ask the Muslims just for $5 so we can
keep printing more and what we do is
then we encourage people to copy these
do your part put it in the magazine like
you had just offered to do uh take the
ad we can send the person a JPEG or a
printable flyer or a design and go ahead
advertisement this is the things that
other people can do to help promote It
Word of Mouth you have a website put our
Banner on your website uh if you have uh
a Blog if you have an email list do your
part contribute do your part for uh our
brother's work our work you know put
them out together this is what we really
encourage people this is how you can do
your part and share in the wonderful
reward mashallah that's great and I
think that's a nice way to end up
because in the end I think you would
agree with the statement of of the fact
that when we take on some level of
responsibility of This Dean it's only a
specific area and we would like to do
more sometimes but we can't do do
everything and so people uh when they
come forward and they want to help um it
it's good that we somehow begin
inspiring a level of uh activity from
them if we're dealing with a specific uh
project like masah the dean show and
they want to contribute but they have to
come up with their own thinking
strategies project in order to be able
to help that project because when it's a
lot easier when someone comes and says I
have this idea and it's like masallah
I'm glad you did that thinking because
my capacity in my brain didn't allow me
to get there and so if every one of us M
shared in in being able to you know help
one another and work with one another we
would be that much stronger I mean and
whatever it is that we do uh whatever
message we have to offer whatever
project it is and that's a great Mah way
to to end it because in the end as you
mentioned this journey may have began
with you as an individual but then it
becomes a community sort of effort and
uh there's that approach of you know us
just taking a project on our own and
doing whatever we think or involving
people going through the difficulty of
involving people because sometimes it's
easier to just say I'm just going to do
what I think but mallah the dean of
Islam gets you to work with people and
you have to sometimes even put aside
what you think because of the greater
benefit of the people and what the
people need so mallah once again uh I
really appreciate you know the time uh
of having you here you're one of the one
of the first people who have come and
have taken this time and spent this time
Imam saraj was here about two weeks ago
and alhamdulillah good friend of mine
mallah consider him to be a mentor for
years as well in regards to Da and we
sat here and we discussed as well so I
think you're about the second person
that you know may Allah continue to
bless you and please make Dua for all of
us and welcome to Houston and I hope
inshallah tonight I think I'm doing a
show with you is so that's the thing now
that you know you got to ask the
questions so inshallah now we got to set
it up where you are going to be sitting
in the chair and I'm going to be asking
the questions what do you think about
that yeah I think that's happening
tonight actually that's tonight yeah Mah
I'll be I'll be sure to prepared for
that in so then if if you don't mind
then people because they're going to be
like how you know am I going to be able
to see this show uh can I tell them
where they can see it after it's done of
course yeah so they go to the Deans
show.com you're going to have your own
section there and people can hear we're
going to be talking about your
experiences your journey uh to Islam and
all these uh wonderful questions and
more I'm going to have uh him ask so you
go to Dean show soon it'll be on there
in may Allah bless you and hopefully in
I see you tonight and tomorrow we're
also involved in something with the
youth may Allah bless you and and and
you know continue to support you and uh
you know I I I really thank those
supporters of yours you know in the
community uh and for them to continue to
come and help you know and assist you in
whatever it is that you're doing and
getting involved with projects like
yours uh and to help us as Muslims to
benefit through the aspect of the media
which I think you're one of the Pioneers
uh in being able to do that so may Allah
accept from you
and this is example this how Muslims
should be working it like this brother
I'm really honored thank you Allah bless
youd