you know he's guys stood up it was my
old neighbor Chris and I was like I
jumped up like what are you doing here
he's like I read the Bible
cover-to-cover um well I'm here to you
know convert to Islam he's like are you
sure and I was like I don't know
and he's like hold on one second and so
he stuck oh he went back into his office
he I guess he's a phone call that I was
like all right this is my son imagine
you say when you add the label Southern
Baptist Christian what's the difference
[Music]
Chris Chris Ryan yeah okay I mean just
for the record now look we've never met
but but we greeted each other like we've
known each other for forever and it's
like I know you so you see me there yeah
but that's the beauty of Islam their
Brotherhood right from the get-go from
the start that connection that you can't
find in anything else anywhere else in
the world that true that true love that
you have for someone you don't even know
um but as soon as you give that greeting
of peace it breaks all barriers doesn't
matter if he's white black you know we
don't need any kind of movements that it
eliminates all that racism everything
above comes amazing Honda yeah sure yeah
so how you doing in this coronavirus
epidemic or you are you staying home I
have you been able able to start your
training your gym at all no no actually
we're Chicago you know different states
got different rules but Chicago they
still on the lockdown well I mean semi
semi they started they'd have phases how
about down there so you train you train
jiu-jitsu and he's in Oklahoma he trains
at a clinch have you heard of them he
trains in a gym out in Tulsa Oklahoma
yeah I I really want to get back into it
in Charlotte it's as I was telling one
of my friends who I was trying to talk
into getting into it that it's it's it's
the best exercise in my opinion you know
HMDA law and it is also is is you know
good a good you know good thing to know
yeah let's get into you said military so
that's what I know so far and you can
take it from there give us some
highlights so we got your military man
you got deep into Christianity and from
there what happened now you you were for
some time struggling with alcoholism
you went yeah yeah talk to us about all
that yeah I'll give you the run-through
um I was raised in a Southern Baptist
family and my family is very open-minded
I feel they're very conservative and
also very loving you know I came to
Islam it was like another day for them
they didn't give me any hardship for it
um-hum the law and they were very kind
and accepting it was like nothing ever
happened
um and my family and also and so I I was
a strong Christian I want to say um I
read the Bible cover to cover
and I was young and I guess I didn't at
that time I didn't really see all the
anything wrong with it you know I I
became very close to God through the
Bible and I was one day talking to one
of my friends from Saudi Arabia and I
asked him what he knew about about Jesus
and he just kind of he didn't I don't
know if he knew much about Islam or not
maybe he did but he just kind of gave me
a small introduction you know about how
they believed in the same prophets and
how they believed in Jesus but he was
just the Son of God and I I agreed with
him and I just kind of blew my mind I
was just like wow you know like for like
for all this was ten years ago you know
I was in 2010 and and I'm just like wow
that's crazy I didn't know uh
you guys believe cuz you know at that
time Islam was so foreign to me I didn't
I was told growing up that it was a
different uh that'll always you know
someone else and this and that and so if
my mind and at that point you know this
seed was kind of sown I guess
and I I had no I had another friend from
Pakistan and he I asked him if he could
take me to um you know his mosque you
know and I could learn about Islam and
it was very uh
you know he was kind of iffy you know
he's like cuz he knew who I was you know
I was you know wasn't known for being
you know the highest pious
you know where I was really known for
out in a start below a couple of my
friends least a you know play a lot of
jokes on him you know growing up you
know with him being Muslim
I'll take you better behave you know
I'll take you to the to the mosque you
just behave and he took me up there and
I I made would do a show man
they make would do and they he showed me
how they ablution and he showed me how
they they prayed and uh and it I don't
know I mean it was it was cool um and
it's that guy sat me down and he kind of
gave me a run through Istanbul about
mine was kind of somewhere else at the
time I really wasn't listening but I
went home and about a couple months to
three months later like I just woke up
you know stuff allowed my neighbor and I
my neighbor his name's Chris too and we
used to we used to party hard you know
we were young um he's a few years older
than me but we used to uh it was just a
tradition you know we would get off work
and we would uh you know drink ourselves
to sleep every night you know and um so
uh anyway one Saturday I just kind of
woke up and I was just like I'm never
gonna get in this you know I'm my you
know my I'm gonna lose everything and I
was just like I told the law you know I
was like I'm gonna go convert to Islam
you know and this is a bad idea please
stop me and I don't
like a so I got my car and I started I
you know googled where the message was
and I started heading up there and there
was only like two people up there the
receipt Imam at the time and one other
guy and I went up there and I was just
like I walked in he's like you know can
I help you I'm here to you know convert
to Islam he's like are you sure and I
was like I don't know
and he's like hold on one second and so
he started come he went back into his
office he I guess he's a phone call and
I was like all right this is my son I
matter
and so I started to walk out and I seen
like a little pamphlet um and it said
like Quran in science and I grabbed it
and I was like like you know I started
reading it you know and in it it blew my
mind
just a little pamphlet you know how it
was talking about you know just all the
different scientific facts in the Quran
um you know my mind was blown and I was
like okay this is a sign you know I
should try this out and so I went back
in there and I he sat with him and this
time he gave me the introduction to
Islam and I was I was a little bit more
I was listening this time and and he you
know I took Shahada and I went home and
I didn't want to answer the door so he's
kind of getting along with stuff below
sorry but uh and so I I went home and I
was like you know what my neighbor came
back over and I didn't answer the door
for a couple reasons I didn't want I was
a little embarrassed
um about what I had done and also I was
um I didn't want him to talk to me that
you're drinking again I was like I've
gotta try this out and so as soon as I
could it took me and then he would knock
I cut my door all the time you know what
if I was okay and we were good friends
you know me to sky and and I felt bad
and so I even changed my number and I
just left I moved in with my brother for
a little while and cuz my brother he was
he was quitting drinking too and so this
is gonna be easy to transition for me
and um and then like four years later I
was going to the Masjid and I always
made dua to Allah for like you know
friends and stuff it in Tulsa Oklahoma -
it was a very good community in
comparison to others I'm sure but it was
also kind of it was hard to make friends
and so I was making dua one and friend
you know lonely and anyway this day and
then married I was just like I was like
I feel like I'm the only white person
here and I'm looking around and I was
like that's not right there's a lot of
white people here you know I'm like wow
and also I see this guy who looks
familiar and he's got one of those
Afghani hats it looks like an old potato
sack you know I'm talking about uh-huh
and I was like I was like it looks and
they're like so somebody's here to
convert to Islam missus four years after
I took Shahada and uh you know he's guys
stood up it was my old neighbor Chris
and I was like I jumped up like you do
here he's like so so your old neighbor
was at the the mosque the Masjid or so
and he had except he was about to take
his shot or he already took his sure how
they took accepted Islam this is after
Jummah prayer that he was there to take
admission holla yeah so he took his
Shahada
what he was taken to how that's when I
knew he's him and I was like oh this was
your neighbors he was always he also a
Southern Baptist Christian yeah yeah
yeah what's the difference what's the
difference between when you have someone
who's a Christian and then for those I
don't know when you say when you add the
label Southern Baptist Christian what's
the difference you know I don't know we
jumped around from so many different
churches going up it was just my
grandmother who gave us that label um I
felt I don't know I felt that we were a
little bit more conservative and a lot
of a lot of things um like my my mother
she's married a few times but she's
never she wasn't known to have
boyfriends you know and in in the same
everyone else my family they wouldn't
have boyfriends you would never catch
people in my family dress like would
tight clothing or you know or cleavage
showing things like that you know I
there was much more modesty there and
much more adherence to some of the
traditional values I feel but then again
that could have been our family too
there was also the people in the church
that I met that were you know not of
that but you know I mean it's all yeah
it's been so many years now 10 years now
like I've really forgotten a lot you
know I just kind of focused all my mind
on on this new new religion under the
duct yeah
so now you see your neighbor what's his
name well now his name's I believe Abdul
Rahman was its what is it bring
Christmas okay so you know you have
Chris and your Chris also yeah so he's
Chris York risk from the to Chris's meet
in the Masjid neighbor what's that
experience like it was kind of surreal I
mean that's kind of like a dream or
something
yeah it was just a trip you know because
nobody you know hamdullah now I'm a part
of a Dalit team in New York City called
grassroots Dawa and I always explained
to my brothers you know Allah you know
we we don't don't
it's at the mercy of a law that we're
out here you know because at that
situation nobody was out doing dour to
either one of us you know there was
nobody ending us out pamphlets there's
nobody you know doing any of this and
even whenever we like to go take Shahada
nobody was with reaching back out to us
you know Allah doesn't need us you know
it's at the mercy of a law that that a
law allows us these things the law
allows us to have you know you know
these opportunities to you know go out
to to teach to you know to do videos to
you know we set up tables in New York
City I'm the law and hand out free Quran
and pamphlets and have conversations but
a lot of the needeth do this how long
can do it another way but it's at the
mercy of a law that we have this and it
helps this you know it helps this also
remember our faith and stay in something
positive and and receive a reward a
humbling love you know and and but but
yeah it was a trip you know I said the
olds I can really say you know when I
seen him there my friend there Chris it
was just like wow and now you know his
beard is like four feet long you know he
dresses you know like he's romantic a
nice day you got you got you guys have
never actually talked before that this
was like the last person you were think
that we accept is the Dean right yeah
yeah exactly yeah you just this was just
saw he was he was on the same block next
door you guys grew up from yes and yeah
and this happens now this is Wow again
yeah I'm the love it was it true you
guys still say you guys still stay in
touch is he where is he is he announced
still in Oklahoma he's still in Oklahoma
he lives a very basic life he doesn't he
you know he's very religious masha'Allah
he doesn't get on social media or have
cell phones typically um he just he
these days it's on and off sometimes
he'll it'll give me a random phone call
out of nowhere but um he lives in his
stuff a little camper he runs himself up
at able at the local flea market to make
his money humble uh and he just kind of
uh he avoids you know all this and
that's kind of the way he was before
Islam - he was very for lack of it I
mean he's a full-blown hillbilly you
know you could he's got a strong
stubborn accent you know and I saw a
shirt today said America like what
America yeah yeah you know this brother
you know he's he can his own meat he
catches fish and stuff and the
that's a fulfillment that's a
fulfillment of a prophecy from the last
and final measure Prophet Muhammad that
Islam will reach every home even you
know even the hillbilly the truth when
it comes is powerful yeah how did you
feel cuz we're mentioned in this term
Islam now and some people look at it is
something foreign something like okay
for the Arabs look you're from you know
former Southern Baptists your friend you
just say he's other in America you know
he called me you know from the south
there tell me what what what is it when
you saw the natural progression of Islam
when you just define the word Islam what
it means you know peace acquired by
submitting your will to God when you
were seeing the natural progression of
all the messengers and you know that
they all came with the same message pure
monotheism what did that do to you like
did that like the light bulb went off
like that it just you know logically
emotionally that it all fit come
together what do you when you see the
natural progression of it this is Islam
the power of it it's you know I feel
like you know the most important step
like that I took that Allah gave me you
know what was taking the Shahada and
after then I mean it's like you know
there's lots of light bulbs going off
you know everything that you read is
like confirmation many of us reverse we
watch you know and I still do watch all
these YouTube lectures you know and all
these things on you know and it's always
blowing my mind and and you know it's it
really it's hard to really explain it
and you know Allah you know he is in
control of everything and the more we
realize that you know sometimes you know
a lot of people out there you know I
believe you know Allah says somewhere in
the Quran like that the people they were
planning you know against they complain
and plan but allows the bed
of planners and a law has shown this to
me in my life you know because in so
many ways
you know I write after I converted the
Islam my life fell apart I'm the law I I
became almost homeless I lost everything
and and then but it was it gave me time
to learn about Islam and people were
collecting the people people were
expecting when you said when I accepted
Islam that life was gonna get good but
you just said that it took a turn for
the worse actually for a little bit it
seems that way
you know and it can be perceived that
way but I I look back in these moments
you know I I my power was shut off
I had the eviction notice in my
apartment I got kicked out of the
apartment and I had nothing but a laptop
you know when a law would guide me to a
Wi-Fi place to download how to pray you
know and so I would download how to pray
dope and during the heard and how to
read Arabic and I would tell it all
these videos you know and I go back to
my apartment and they would they would
be downloaded so I could watch them and
in you know in this just I was happy i
every time watching these videos and I'm
praying I knew what was going on like I
and Allah knows best of his real reason
why but these things were taken from me
because I maybe I would have misused
them maybe I you know I I was in an area
where you know I I might have gone back
to drinking and also me being kicked out
of the apartment you know it's dark
below Chris had not converted this song
yet it motivated me to get out of the
apartment you know I had to go to movie
with my brother so was a blessing in
disguise blessing he has the blessing in
disguise yeah in a log you know he has
his ways and in he's a hundred percent
in control of every situation you know
people I've worked for people in
Oklahoma that that did not an even out
here
in the city in New York City area I've
worked for people who hated Muslims and
the law is causing them to pay me a
handsome sum under law you know and they
don't they don't even have any control
over it there's people out there that
you may hate us and they may despise
this and it doesn't matter like a law
he's the best of planners that people
can plot and detain all they want you
know and he'll law you can control these
situations if having this having this
understanding of what houla law is and
what all of law is it is a controller it
brings peace to the earth because we you
know I'm not married you know in there
was a time whenever I was really trying
to get married you know and and I was
searching online and stuff like that but
you know this is uh it's in the power of
Allah Allah has given me so much more in
my life al hamdulillah that I don't that
I know that when Allah has raised me to
get married I'll get married and if not
you know it really doesn't matter where
we're here for a short amount of time
you know this has been 10 years already
I've been Muslim I've even watched your
videos as your beard has gone gray my
fella you know in mine too and and you
know and you know we you know this time
is flying by crazy you know we I I so
you know we were here we just we can't
really you know think about our
hardships in the sense that sometimes
they they hurt us because we think that
we're in control of him because done
man's done that you know and there's
usually you know a good reason behind
things you know when you when you heard
for the person that's hearing this word
Allah for the first time when you are
exposed to the word Allah we obviously
know that this means God Almighty the
creator the same God that Jesus worship
what was your experience like was that
hard to grasp
you know because usually Christians are
just people in general to just say for
the Creator God right so there's kind of
just a
ambiguity around in the name but now you
have a literal actual name for the
Creator Allah yeah yeah yeah yeah
whenever I first I'd ask the preacher
about Islam before and he told me that
uh that that Allah was was a different
guy and so my first you know knowledge
of this would in fact even as a kid I
thought it was you know it was a
different law with someone else you know
and Allah he you know but after after
learning from my friend just the basics
that you know he explained to me that a
law is just the Arabic word for God it's
it's God me whenever whenever he told me
about the prophets this was like the you
know who is obvious you know Allah
whenever he you know whenever my friend
talked about you know the prophets being
the same and this and that that that was
whenever it was like obviously this is
the same you know this is the same
creator you know that that we that we
that is mentioned in the Bible it to me
it doesn't take a lot of you know
knowledge to figure that out you know
whenever you're talking you know Jesus
and Mary and and if you've read the
Bible cover-to-cover
or even if you read a good portion of
the Bible and you read the Quran you
realize like like it's like--there's
it's the same God like you realize
because it's done in like the same
manner you know like like Allah he has
parables and the Bible you know that are
that we can that we can believe in an
interest in as Islam as long as they
don't you know contradict anything but
there are parables in a Bible then you
go to the Quran and there's these
parables and you know the
it gets you to reflect and to think you
know into to understand that really what
Allah is saying you know and yeah that
you know these things you know then now
you know it's in like you say you know
Allah he it is nicely have this name for
Allah you know and um you know he Allah
he has you know 99 names you know and
all these names and attributes you know
these are learning these sayings or
beautiful ways that we can understand a
lot power you know to and understand the
laws uh you know you know like I said
you know how he is in control around
what age were you when all this is going
on when all this is happening in your
life I was 24 24 I was I was like yeah I
was 23 when I had when I think I'd had
this conversation with the brother but
Islam I think I was 24 whenever I took
shot and what got you into that mindset
of asking the crucial questions what's
the purpose of life meaning of life
where most people that at that age
they're just pretty much on a whole
different mindset you know they're not
even thinking about that so what had you
thinking about the purpose of life
yeah I feel Allah he had placed it into
my heart these questions you know um I
as I was partying in the way that I was
you know and living in this lifestyle
Allah he had put you know these it was I
whenever things were going wrong I'm
wrong in my life Allah made it clear
that it was from a law you know because
you know I that's just a loner that I
could really put it like the law he he
he you know I would get in trouble for
things things would go wrong it along
made it very clear to me and so I feel
like you know Allah he put these
questions in my head you know what we
know why are you every time you drink
something bad happens you say something
you wish you hadn't said you're you know
and I was so deep into it um you know
even though I was young I you know I
give the excuse but
but as you know Anna law was so deep
into it no matter how much bible
scriptures I read I still wasn't able to
fully climb out of it
and and that's something else you know a
lot of this beauty of the of this
religion of you know Allah he gave us
his religion how we can pray 5 times a
day you know you it gives you that break
you know that from that idle time and
also you don't want to be drinking
before pray or like that so it made it
so easy you know Allah Allah did he made
it so easy to get it out of this this
lifestyle
did you did you find and do you find
like because now it's very clear the
do's and don'ts your whole purpose of
life is laid out in Islam you know what
you need to do from when you wake up in
the morning to when you go to sleep it
helps you to become a better human being
the concept of God the theology
everything is crystal clear specifically
here with alcohol many people have this
struggle with alcohol and now in
Christianity it's kind of left up there
you have you know verses in there that
tell you to stay away from it and then
others will say all just moderate you
know Jesus turned water into wine right
so then you see the priests drinking so
you drink but then every alcoholic or
binge drinker was a moderate drinker at
once so it's kinda it's risky business
when you playin with alcohol but here in
Islam is just clear it's cut it out
that's it there's no ambiguity you know
it's like so did that help does that do
you feel that helps someone to now put
things you know right and say okay this
is what I need to stay away from this
what I can do what I don't and that
helps you on a clearer path yeah the
basic and fundamentals of Islam are so
clear you know I'm to learn like you
said in the Bible it's like the last
page of Revelations where it's mentioned
that if you are poor or a bitter
hardened something along those lines you
can drink and you know I would tell
myself this excuse because I was both
you know and
I yeah hum doula you know that there are
so many answers in the Quran Allah so
clear you know with everything you know
people Christians you know they believe
that Jesus is the Son of God that the
Holy Spirit is is is like your
connection between you know there's
there's different explanations of how
people perceive this Allah is so clear
that you know the Holy Spirit is the
angel Gabriel and in not to worship you
know angels and Allah is so clear that
that Jesus the Messiah he's he was not
crucified he any repeats it you know and
a law is so clear as to him being the
most merciful and we really grasp this
you know to those of us who who have
this understanding you know and it's
it's just like any time I've ever like
just wanted to read the Bible out of
curiosity now hum de la like I'm like
you know this is a little confusing you
know because you can't perceive these
verses as being what people say if
you're not if you haven't read the Quran
you know in you know law it's it's eat
love it is so clear you know with
everything in there and and it's it
definitely it makes it easier I remember
when I started becoming close to God
close to Allah
reading the Bible and I stayed fixated
on reading the Bible and I I would if I
read something and I didn't I didn't
remember what I read I read it again and
I became very close to God very close to
Allah and but like from then till now
you know like a you can't even describe
like how a lot changes us you know like
if you had asked me whenever I was 19 20
if like if I ever felt like not you know
going never drinking or never listening
to music or never um you know never
getting with girls anymore
whenever you know doing doing all the
things that I used to do or or if I was
to want to marry a woman with you know
one of the headscarf the hijab you know
if you asked me then I would you know I
would have been like no you know but uh
but you know Allah he changed you now if
if you were to you know ask me you know
to to drink like you know this stuff
below like that you couldn't I don't
think you could put a gun to my head to
watch something like this you know you
were to want to listen to music you now
when I hear your music it you know to
everyone to each their own I don't know
the scholarly opinions on this but I
feel I'm of the opinion that we
shouldn't but we it it's it's a it makes
me feel uneasy you know and Allah he he
changes us and everyone to their own
level to you know though
yeah that's a beautiful thing many
people we know about the the STDs that
are out there but we forget about the
spiritually transmitted diseases and
usually they'll come and hit the hearts
through the instruments and whatnot I
saw I compared to like malware right so
the open you up with the beats and then
the virus the spiritual virus will get
in there with the lyrics right and then
they just keep repeating the most awful
things are being thrown at you and it
gets in your head next to you know you
know it has an effect it hurts it's a
spirit it's a spiritually transmitted
disease it affects the heart so this is
what Islam gets you on a clear way and
you don't want to be distracted with all
of the the nonsense yeah yeah you know I
mean many of us in our you know
throughout the ten years I've n times
I've been on a roller coaster with this
Deen and when I have gone back to trying
to make myself listening to music you
know or maybe you hear a song you really
like or the thing is is it pulls you
into this dunya anything that into this
worldly life anything that pulls you
into this worldly life
it makes you it makes us not even what
to pray we would rather finish like say
we're playing video games all day or
watching movies all day as India dawn
goes off that the call to prayer goes
about we may rather finish what we're
doing first and in that's you know
sometimes we should ask ourselves like
you know maybe I should maybe I should
you know put a pause and it's maybe this
isn't as good is it chippy
you know um you know Here I am I'm going
on andand on and playing these games or
listening to this music and I would
rather finish my album or finish you
this whatever before I go to a law you
know in these things you know they they
slowly infect your heart to the point
maybe you first maybe you start
listening to music and you're hearing
the music then you want to watch them on
the YouTube video and you see them and
you see people you know on there that
you know addressed as you shouldn't they
should be dressed and then you're like I
really want a wife so I'll just out you
know I'll start talking to girls and
then you start talking to a bunch of
girl you know there's change that
happened these things you know and um
it's that's you know the beauty the
beauty of Islam is is it is basic you
know like when you go into church
there's lots of reason arm like it's
almost I believe a lot even mentioned
somewhere about people who just kind of
clapped their hands and whistle or not I
don't mean to to make fun of them you
know this is this is their way but this
is how whenever you ask them how they
worship that you know jamming out and
clapping and and waving their hands in
the air or speaking in tongues this is
how they worship gonna come to our
worship is so simplified and it's so
simple when you walk into the Masjid
we're all clean you know and everyone's
everyone's you know made ablution and
you know that there's no music in the
Masjid its unneeded it's unnecessary
you know and and still your heart is is
being fulfilled with this you know you
your Iman is being raised and and you're
receiving knowledge and you know
throughout that your time at the Masjid
and it's it just goes to show like this
is how work should be done yeah you know
yeah um uh this is uh just again the
natural progression from somebody like
yourself who was a Baptist Christian who
was really searching for the truth
searching for your Creator and like you
said like any human being who wants to
know the purpose of life was out there
doesn't matter where he's at you know
God Almighty if you're sincere and
you're asking God Almighty to guide you
he will guide you just like he guided
you just a couple more questions tell us
that your relationship with Esau a salam
jesus peace be upon him when you started
to have explained to you the belief of
Jesus
now there's because as Christians
Christians love Jesus I mean they really
to the point that they end up worshiping
him but now when you learned that we as
Muslims it's an article of faith you
have to believe and love Jesus just not
as a god or literal son of God but
someone who was sent by God calling
people to worship God how did you deal
with that was that something that again
was another natural progression was it
easy to accept yeah yeah it was you know
and again it just it falls down to do
just things being very basic and easy to
understand
you know it's you know we ask ourselves
sometimes you know you know if you if
you ask yourself you know what is more
important is having a relationship with
with with the creator or the created and
trying to define this Holy Trinity is is
is it's extremely complicated and just
about every person seems to have their
own definition of this throne
in breaking it apart and it's all
extremely complicated rather very simply
in law he's one and Jesus you know he's
the sons he's not the son of stuff but
he's not the son of God he's the Messiah
he is a lot as it needs sons and this is
a very simple simple understanding you
know in and and all and then something
else all the prophets had the same
religion may Allah be pleased with them
peace be upon them all of them had the
same religion this is very easy to to
understand you know rather than rather
than they're going from being a Jew to a
Christian to this and that they all were
Muslims they all believed in one God
they all worshipped one God and this is
you know and so in I I still I enjoy
reading about Jesus peace be upon them
and I enjoy reading about all the
prophets peace be upon them you know and
their Mandir their trials and and you
know how we can you know learn to
reflect on what they went through you
know and and you know and how we can
compare to our own lives and to help us
have a better walk through life but the
idea of Jesus being crucified it's it's
just unnecessary you know and it's not
it doesn't in my opinion like many of
the Christians from my home would would
say things like you still need to repent
you know what was the reasoning then you
know if he has to if you're talking
about a law creating a son and then
killing him for you to repent what's the
reasoning there's no you know there's no
logical reason for that but again Allah
he's the one to really open the hearts
you know as as as the law says you know
the Quran that he you can tell whatever
you want to some of these people and
unless Allah he you know long he has a
veil over them lifts Lauri's relieves
his veil you know I've seen some
extremely articulate people out there
have
these uh you know getting these debates
and stuff with with some extremely
articulate Christians as you do who seem
to know a lot of Quran and seem to know
a lot about the hadith and and no more
probably about hadith that maybe I do
but and it blows my mind it's like
something so simple it's like where why
you know but humbly law you know you
know somebody is as simple-minded as I
have you know Allah has has you know a
you know made it easier for me and in my
my friend you know Chris you know
somebody coming from our background you
know it's like like something so simple
but Allah he he's the one in control as
we get Allah guides people to Islam near
our tables all the time a hamdullah in
New York City humble Allah has been part
of this team grassroots Dowell and it's
it's such a beautiful thing in a
humbling experience because you see
people that from all walks of life you
know we we now have a guy who used to be
a Jewish brother he's now part of our
team and he's extremely knowledge about
all face you know and where he's come
from and his life you know it's like
most of us you would not if you're
asking like like why Allah guides us you
know why like why along guys this person
because they're you know they're not
smart or they're not articulate or
they're not rich or they're not you know
whatever the case with us maybe you know
like the law we don't even see like I
said before like if you'd asked me
before if I wanted to stop all these
things and have this different life I
would have told you know put a lot see
something in me that and now I do you
know is it's from a law you know and it
is you know it's amazing humbling
experience humblest last last question
what advice do you have for another
Baptist Christian a Christian someone
who is left religion and Athey whoever
but now they're you know
thinking about these important questions
purpose of life why am I here they're
stumbling upon your story but there's a
lot of stigma attached to Islam you know
there's a lot of things that are thrown
at Islam and to distract people from
looking into it but we got their
attention what would you say to them
what advice would you give to that
person perhaps we you know should try to
humble ourselves and and ask ask Allah
for forgiveness ask God to forgive you
the Creator ask him to forgive you for
whatever you may have done that you and
and ask as to create you to guide you
and that's the you know God Allah the
Creator he's the first one to give you
the right direction and then from there
the questions that you have you know
it's easy we can get on Google these
days and we can find a a Muslim of
knowledge you can find eight a Masjid a
mosque near you and talk to a Muslim you
know if I wanted to learn about cooking
uh you know I would I would go to a chef
if I wanted to learn about you you know
um construction I would go to someone in
construction but if you want to know
about Islam you shouldn't go to your
preacher because or you shouldn't go to
your you shouldn't go to somebody who
doesn't who isn't a part of it because
they can't tell you from their heart
what they what they what they believe
you know it's that's my best that's good
advice you want to learn jujitsu come
come on go to legit instructor don't go
to somebody who is teaching capoeira
brother it was really nice talking with
you
give salams also to the to the neighbor
if you talk to him you know that
Christmas is really amazing here you
guys at the Masjid same time he's
accepting Islam it's amazing inshallah
how many people can hear this and
benefit from it and inshallah we can
meet sometime on the mat sometime yes
thank you brother
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