first of all that's not my email address
so those of you who joted it down cross
it out
please if you do get a response it
wasn't me
uh let me just uh let me find out first
how many people have heard the workshop
already how to give sh in 10
minutes everybody yeah I can't see I
can't see the hand three
four okay that's good that's not too bad
about 13 people in the room that's good
now um I don't really intend on actually
giving the exact same Workshop that I've
been giving for the last four years
because I understand you have an
important event coming up
and we I want to make it a little bit
more Hands-On and we want to do a little
bit more of exercises in the class so
that when next week comes around or was
it the week after you're ready and
you're effective when it comes to um you
know your Islamic Awareness Week how who
in the audience will be from amongst the
DU that will stand at the da tables at
various
times okay great
okay all right um let me
start by saying this today we're going
to go um this has to be here I I don't
even want this thing thank you I'll get
it with one
hand you know
what I want us to have a lot of fun
today because that is fun you know it's
not too serious there's a lot of room
for jokes and a lot of room for opinions
there many different ways you can do it
so want everyone to relax and we're
going to have to be with each other for
the next two days inshallah so let's
let's enjoy this very much insh now
let's uh what was I about to start
before I was about to say something yeah
a couple of things first of
all there are no hard and fast rules in
da there isn't just one way to do
anything and there is no magic
want and I have to say that because a
lot of times people expect the magic
wand and they think I have a number of
magic wands so those of you who like to
pull me aside during the break and you
want an inside tip and I might just say
look I don't give this to everybody but
here's a magic wand for you there are
none okay and there are many different
way rules and many different ways you
can tackle one problem there's so many
different ways I can speak to one
individual so because of that I would
like to invite you to feel free to take
and leave from whatever I say today and
tomorrow you don't like like anything I
say just leave it it's not a problem if
you like something that I say take it
and
apply I've been doing this for about 4
five years giving this workshop and
there are people there are two types of
people that come to the workshop there's
one group that wants to feel good that
they did something Islamic for the week
that they sat at some kind of Islamic
event and they make themselves feel good
by doing that they go home and that's it
there's another group that will attend
and then they're just going to try some
of these techniques they'll just try
them right these are the people that I
get emails from from around the world
and there's so many emails that I get
from people who you know heard the
workshop just online not even
necessarily those who attended but from
those who attended there was a
15-year-old that attended and the next
day he went to school spoke to his best
friend his best friend became Muslim and
according to his words and he's better
than some Muslims that I know some born
Muslims that I know there's uh there's
some um revert American living in Saudi
Arabia who heard the workshop online
started giving some da to the to the
foreigners there and this was 3 years
ago or four years ago it had about 53
people that came into Islam there's
another guy who sent me an email from
the United Kingdom and he was listening
to the workshop online it's like five
parts he heard two and a half and he
paused it to go get dinner he said on
the way he met someone who uh you know
who said that met a non-muslim he said I
used something from the workshop he said
something back that that was expected
that you mentioned in the workshop then
I said something back from the workshop
to him and the guy took a sh he became
must so he saiding I only heard half of
the material what happens when I hear
the other half so of course what happens
when he here's the other half is that he
gets a every 10 minutes right no this is
just the title and I and I wonder
sometimes that people who they get
really offended and upset at the title
sometimes it happens what are you
talking about 10 minutes it's not a
guarantee it's just the tile of a
workshop and we're not saying that if
you can tolerate me today and tomorrow
everybody you stopped and talk to for 10
minutes they can become Muslim and then
if they don't become Muslim maybe you
spoke to them for 9 minutes and 50
seconds and it's not my fault so the
truth is it's not a guarantee it's just
a title and but also at the same time
people become Muslim you know sometimes
without you saying anything and I always
tell the story of the guy that I gave a
pamphlet to and basically he said what
do I do now said for what he said to
become Muslim so it can't be that I'm
that good just throw a pamphlet at him
otherwise I just rent a small airplane
and throw pamphlets off the whole city
you know but what happened was that he
was already searching for the truth you
know I don't know what happened in this
guy's life maybe he's been reading the
Quran for the last three months and
talking to people and talking to his
friends and his uncle is Muslim and so
on and so forth and then he's walking
somewhere and I give him a pamphlet and
he said you know what that's it that's a
sign for me I'm going to become Muslim
so all I did was just one little part
you see so uh but it is true there are
many people who have taken the workshop
they got a lot of Shas I always
mentioned this young man in Canada here
heard the workshop online I've never met
him before so he wanted to start a dow
group and he brought let's say about 160
people to Islam and but he retained 95%
of them now you will hear me talking
about being effective and being
successful as a DI I differentiate
between the two effective is just the
person who is able to get people to take
shahada at that moment but the
successful one those Shas start to pray
they memorize they learn and they become
a part of the community that's a
successful diet and I'm hoping that you
don't just become effective du after
these two days that you become
successful du because I don't want us to
get caught up in the head count and many
many people are many famous speakers
also are caught up in the head count all
the do they count how many Shas and some
have incredible numbers and I wonder how
they keep count like that they'll tell
you I brought into Islam you know
1,364 people what do you have you tattoo
every time someone becomes Muslim and
you count them how do you know that you
know and how do you know that they
remained what is the percentage of those
1,000 that remained upon
Islam most likely it's a really really
small percentage it's probably not even
you know I would love that it's one or
2%
remain upon
Islam I don't want you to get caught up
in head counts you know after Muslim
Awareness Week everyone's trying to
boast how many Shas they got and I got
four oh that's it six so that's not what
they want but it's happened it's happen
so many times so many people caught up
in this head did I tell you what the
some of you heard maybe the worst the
worst the most low quality Shad I've
ever seen this this guy probably some
homeless guy in Washington DC asked one
of the DU this young man do you have a
dollar so the guy said sure do you know
anything about Islam do you already see
the equation that's happening now you
see it that you know I have to bear and
withstand your talk about Islam I get a
dollar in the end that's it that's the
equation already so he starts to tell
about Islam the guy's not paying
attention he's looking all over the
place he's just not paying attention and
as a d you stop and make sure are you
paying attention are you with me you
pause and check don't just keep talking
don't just spill something that you've
memorized the script that you've
memorized and so this person in the
end she says so you ready to become
Muslim say yeah yeah yeah he just wants
the dollar that's all he wants he says
okay say after me the guy says the sh
then he he he wants to hug him and
everything he says okay okay you have
the dollar says yeah here's the doll
thanks he walks away wait a minute Quran
he okay he just grabbed it wait a minute
your phone number I don't have a phone
number he walks off the brother just
wanted to get that Shah he could the guy
wasn't listening he wasn't paying
attention he clearly wanted his dollar
but the wanted the head count so at the
end of the day two Shas two
said
three so and I'll SP you all the other
examples okay anyways
um so you don't have to believe it that
I tell you today or tomorrow but I would
like the test between me and you is that
you go out and you try these techniques
and you might try one technique on one
person it won't work so that gu ripped
us off it's not a magic wander remember
you try another technique or you try the
same technique on a different person and
it might work in the end so there's no
there are no guarantees here
um what else do I want to say before we
begin
where do I point at just anywhere
anywhere
wow very good very
good what else do I us to start with I'm
make sure I get all the points here yeah
I remember now feel free to disagree
with me you know a lot of times people
think well you know he came all the way
from the states and he's our guest and
let's show him some Calgary Hospitality
or whatever it is feel free to disagree
anytime I really welcome it most people
don't like you to disagree with him but
I would like that you put your hand up
you say I disagree with you and I don't
really like you anyways go ahead it's
okay but if you're going to do that one
of two things one you better have some
kind of evidence from the Quran or the
Sunnah or some kind of collective years
of uh experience not just one thing I'm
saying Collective I'm not saying you
have to be a DI for 10 years in order to
disagree with me no what I'm saying is
you know you might say well over the
years we have noticed this or I've
spoken to a lot of du and they have all
said that now I'll tell you why I say
that one time I invited people said you
know feel free to disagree this guy kept
disagreeing with me on one of the only
two points that I absolutely insist upon
and in the end I just asked okay where
are you getting this from he said um I'm
guessing he was just guessing so I'm
giving you years of collective duat
whove experienced the same thing and we
it's been proven and tested and you tell
me you're just guessing so don't
disagree with me based on a hunch but
feel free to disagree based on you know
whatever evidence you have or whatever
kind of study you have it doesn't have
to be the study done by Muslims it could
be even you know psychologist said X
that's fine feel free to disagree okay
so I welcome that anytime and I know in
every uh Community there is that
guy there is that guy who disagrees with
everything everything you know good
morning it's actually 12:01 it's
afternoon AR what every you know and
just as a joke now they tell you there
was this guy and he used to they were
talking about this guy these four people
sitting together said you know brother
so and so argues about everything
everything you cannot sit with him for
10 minutes without him arguing with you
so one of the people at the Gathering
said oh yeah I guarantee you I can go
sit with him for half an hour and I'll
never argue with him they said no way no
matter what you do no matter what you
say he's going to find a way to argue
with you I bet you I can go and sit with
him for half an hour and we can never
get into an argument they said okay go
ahead and do it so then he goes to the
guy's house he knocks on the door
argumentative guy says who is it he says
it's me he said no it's
not if I catch people dozing off I'll
tell you a few jokes got a lot of good
jokes right okay uh it's probably time
to get started I
think uh but I just didn't want anyone
to get two two things I don't want you
to get the wrong idea I don't want you
to think you'll be getting a magic wand
that's number one or that everyone will
become Muslim if they spend 10 minutes
with you number two I don't want you to
think that everything I mean that
uh that uh yeah that you're going to be
wasting two days of uh of your life that
a lot of people have become you know
very successful D from attending this
exact same workshop and I think we're
going to up it up a little bit at this
time and do a little bit more training
and back and forth so that you can be
more ready for your Islamic awareness
week and um you know I've got I've got
the another Workshop it's called The Da
part it's a bit longer and and there we
discuss you know because you have the
truth the truth is really really strong
truth is really powerful so no matter
who it is that approaches you they're
not upon the truth that's one thing
that's a given for sure and you're the
one who's upon the truth right so when
you're upon the truth truth it doesn't
matter who's coming at you you know that
you have the upper hand and and that's
why you might some people might think
well this technique is just miraculous I
used it and it worked like like a charm
it's not it's the fact that you have the
truth and the truth is so powerful and
it destroys the falsehood as Allah
mentioned in the
Quran when we throw or hurl the truth
against the falsehood it describes the
word which means it doesn't just put a
dent on it or a hairline fracture but it
hits it so hard that the inside can be
shown can be seen the D shows up now so
the truth destroys the falsehood there's
um we're going to discuss the atheist a
lot of people are so worried about the
atheist how do I deal with the atheist
how do I convince The Atheist you know
and they and the atheist thinks that
they're the one that are that's rational
and scientific because they don't
believe in something they haven't seen
or heard or touched so they're rational
but that's not not the case actually as
you will see inshallah you know those
who believe in polytheism you know I've
got in in the course notes just one like
one page basically on polytheism so I
was in I was in South Africa and the guy
said to me that you know after we took
the course we went home and I watched my
older brother with with my own eyes he
picked up the phone and called his Hindu
friend since childhood and he basically
went through the page from the notes
just kept going through the arguments
through that one page on in the not in
these notes so that's another course you
know but and he said by the time he out
on the page his friend became Muslim so
I'm showing off about this story to sou
to Australia I'm telling them to look at
South African Brothers they're doing
better than you guys you know trying to
encourage them so I'm telling the same
story the guy said well the exact same
thing happened to me opened up that page
on polytheism called up a Hindu friend
and by the end of the page the guy
became Muslim now you might think well I
got to get my hands on these notes oh
wow this is going to be great no it's
actually just that the truth is very
strong that's it no magic no genius the
truth is very powerful we're going to
look at ways of of destroying Trinity or
talking about Trinity without getting
into you know chapter this verse that
just easy quick and easy ways you know
just using these Concepts all right
let's get started I one thing that's
very
important that that I want you to
understand the two types of guidance and
it's so important for Dua to understand
that because once you understand these
two nothing can come in your way it's so
important nothing can come in your way
once you understand these to by the way
I am aware of how ridiculous my outfit
looks with the sneakers and everything
I'm aware of that don't think that I
don't know I do know but it's you know
I'm going to be standing so bear with me
um it's so important for you to know
this because when you know this what
we're going to talk about now nothing
can come in your way there's nobody that
you can't give
it doesn't matter so contemplate these
verses in the Quran Allah tells the
prophet verely you do not guide Those
whom you love but Allah guides whever he
Wills then in another verse Allah tells
the
prophet and verily you guide to the
straight path so how do I understand
these two verses one says you don't
guide Those whom you love the other
verse says you do gu
and the answer is that is that there are
two types of guidance as the scholars
have said
there that's your job is when you show
someone what the truth is which is what
you do as a you tell people this is the
truth that's falsehood this is the
evidence I have that's it that's your
job the rest is up to Allah when Allah
opens that that person's heart to Islam
so if you understand that your job is
just to direct someone to the truth the
rest is up to Allah who can stop you
from doing anything who can stop you
from talking to anyone so many times I I
would see someone with like piercings
and and Tattoos you know in his eyeball
and and piercings all over the place and
purple hair and said I want to give that
guy da people with me will always say no
looks difficult all right let's think
about this people what's difficult we
have my job which is to tell them about
the TR the truth or direct them to the
truth and that's easy and then no one
would dare say the second part is
difficult so who can stop you who can
stop all you have to do is stop the
people you know make it as clear as
possible wipe away and clear away as
many misconceptions as possible and then
that's it that's your job the rest is up
to Allah so I don't care who it is you
can talk to that person as long as you
can you have a language you can
communicate that's enough you tell them
about Islam and of course as a d now you
you're going to you know find out what
the problem is find out a little bit
about them all these techniques we're
coming to inshallah and then the rest is
up to Allah and if it doesn't work it
doesn't work it doesn't work it doesn't
work you can try them again another time
another date it's not a problem uh a lot
any people here afraid of rejection
don't like to hear no pass out a
pamphlet someone says no no thank you
you feel bad a little bit anybody yeah
it's not a good thing right when you
hand someone a pamphlet and they just
say no thank thank you they walk away
like
so uh one time I a pamphlet to to some
lady she was walking by you know and I
was asking what is the purpose of life
man and she took the pamphlet from me
like that there was a trash can right
next to her she was walking really quick
very smooth this woman so she took the
pamp from me like that and she said to
find Jesus do it right the trash and
kept walking didn't even stop her Pace
didn't even slow down what's the purpose
of life man she took it from me to find
Jesus checked it in the trash kept
walking
you know I I didn't know what to do
never experienced something like that I
was
just walk away my friend said if she
comes back he said hey by the way I
found him for you here you
go whatever okay so don't be you know
you're going to be you might encounter
people and they might tell you rudely
that they don't want your pamphlet or
get out of my way or whatever it is I
don't know how rude people are here I
don't think they we we imagine in the US
that everyone in Canada is so much
sweeter that true no that's too bad
okay um well maybe because there's more
violence in the US that's why cuz when I
was in Toronto I I heard that brothers
would get spit out 15 times a month when
they're giving the da table in the
street and in 15 years I've never heard
of a DA being spit out in the US maybe
because we're crazy there somebody spits
at you he can expect that he will get
shot stabbed
murdered put in a plastic bag and frozen
over the years so maybe because we're
crazy people don't do things like that
in public and maybe because people are
calm here maybe they can push it a
little I don't know but the point is
when someone refuses to accept your pord
you just thank them tell them they have
a nice day and you keep going we're
coming to that but I want you to
understand this your job is just to
direct someone to the truth they become
Muslim alhamdulillah they don't that's
fine and you keep moving on and there
are more people to talk to and you just
keep going on and on on but um you know
when you want to study something or you
want to do something you look at what
obstacles might come in your path some
of the obstacles here you know I want to
move around a bit more is that okay with
you yeah
that's
uh you
know which uh let me just see you think
any of these might apply to you we're
talking about obstacles what is what
will stop me from going out and giving
some da what will stop me from going out
and being an active and effective D any
of these apply to you
perhaps yeah you don't have to say which
ones but yeah any of them you know maybe
some of you number four you're a bit shy
you're like I'm a bit too shy so I can't
really go out there stand in the middle
of that what do you call that room where
you have all the action happening North
Courtyard the what North Courtyard North
Courtyard Courtyard yeah Courtyard so so
you know I can't just stand there people
are rushing off the class and I'm trying
to shove Pampers in their face you shy
to do that maybe that's your problem
maybe you feel that well I don't have
enough knowledge to give da you know
what if the non-muslim St me and says
listen I want to know what the four say
on this issue
think islam.com
right uh so these are some of the
problems one a lot of people expect
instant results and I want to tell you
this that when you're giving your
calling your your classmates roommates
you know people co-workers to Islam
don't expect that they'll become Muslim
immediately there are a number of things
one they could become Muslim you know
within a short period of time you know
it could be a couple of months or what
have you two maybe you'll spend a lot of
time with them they never become Muslim
but maybe you clear away so many
misconceptions from their mind that they
sympathize with Muslims that's good for
Muslims for a lot of non-muslims
understand true Islam that's good for
them it's good when law amers understand
true Islam politicians understand true
Islam and they don't believe everything
in the media that's a good investment
you're not wasting your time on top of
that you're giving da the act of giving
da you get reward for it it's not about
how many people become Muslim as a
result of da just the fact that you're
standing and giving da you get reward
for that true or false true true and
that's why in many verses that we kind
of skipped where
allahs who is better in speech than the
one who calls to Allah does the good
deed always the action always calls does
the good deed and says I'm from amongst
the
Muslims so you get the reward just for
standing and giving that I mean called
his people for 950 years and few of them
believed you tell me he didn't get much
reward for the 950 of course he did so
don't expect instant results and you may
say something to someone now and they
will take it with them and 3 years later
something will happen in their life and
they'll remember you and they'll become
Muslim we had one person again I'm
trying to stress this point don't expect
instant results we had one person in
Virginia and they used to when they
would give him da he would just argue
argue adamantly then later on after he
became Muslim he told them that when
when I used to argue with you I was
actually internally convinced with
everything you said but I just couldn't
lose the argument see so when they're
giving him da what do they see
externally he's not accepting the
message but internally he was so they
could have given up because they were
expecting instant results you know I
always joke I say and people now they
expect to start talking to someone in
the street while they're talking that
person's starts to grow and grow and
grow and then he's already a Muslim it
doesn't happen like that there's a long
process that we have to go through have
to eat kebabs biris all these things
just become Muslim like
that excuse my Biryani jokes you know
and a lot of people think I like vam
because I joke about it so much I don't
hate it but I've got issues with it I'll
explain it to you later when we talk
about some other things have an analogy
with your speech and briani we'll come
to that
if I don't remind you um you know not
having enough knowledge you have if
everyone if you look we won't disagree
the more knowledge you have the more
effective you can be no doubt I don't
think anyone disagrees with that but at
the same time you only need very basic
knowledge of the religion in order to
call someone to same situation with when
he became Muslim he brought to Islam six
out of the 10 given GL Tidings of
paradise so at that time there were not
many or issues revealed or even a that
were revealed but he took the little of
truth that he knew and he brought people
to Islam you can do the same thing now
your best friend is a when you don't
know the answer is to
say there you go that's it who said
because you're you have to have infinite
knowledge if you don't know the answer
just say I don't know it's the greatest
and easiest thing for you your best
friend I don't know so next time someone
asks you who's your best friend say I
don't
know well who do you like of I don't
know you understand please people get
used to it I don't know it's good it's
easy it makes your life easier and it
keeps you humble as well don't try to
wing it okay be like George Bush you
know try to wing it you make yourself
sound worse or you get yourself in
trouble don't but you know what I know
I'm saying this but a lot of times young
men they just can't say I don't know
well we had a young brother and he if he
doesn't know the answer or someone says
I want ask the she a question he says
ask me let me try it what is it an
exercise you're going to try let me try
it like it's a game or something no you
can try and then you might give you know
a wrong statement and then that person
will take it with them and then act upon
it so get used to saying I don't know
it's really really good you know one of
the things I one of the great Scholars
and they say that when someone young man
would come to him and he would tell him
a thei the memorized it since he was
years old and he knew the and he taught
it so many times multiple times and he
taught it in they said the would sit and
just humbly say Subhan Allah like he
never heard it before Subhan Allah
Subhan Allah Subhan Allah while the
while the young man is telling him the
Hadith it's as if he never heard it
before you know now how do we do it now
when someone is telling you a Hadith and
you know the Hadith it's like when
someone wants to tell you a joke you you
hear the one about the you know the
Muslim walked into an airport I heard
that one stop it someone's trying to
tell you a Hadith and you know it you
stop or
not wait wasn't one time the prophet was
with one of the compan yes it was thisi
is narrated in and and in Muslim there's
narration there as well but it has so
and so in in the chain so therefore it's
weak go ahead I know what you're talking
about humble humble people humble I
don't know fine not a problem okay uh
you know a lot of people feel they need
D and I'm sure all of us in this room
feel you know I would like to get get
some da I would like to increase my IM
to this level or my knowledge to that
level but the truth is when you go out
and give da it increases your IM you
know it was addictive in our school in
the good old days there were so many
people who just came down when it was Da
day because they wanted and it made them
feel good to pass out some pamphlets and
talk to people it made them feel good so
it's not like you wait for your Iman to
increase before you go out and give da
your Iman increases as you give da so
try that and at the same time the
scholars say if you wait for number two
and three you will wait your whole life
till you go to your grade and they say
if you ever wake up one day and number
two and three are there 100% know that
you've gone astray if you ever wake up
one day so IM IM is 100% today that's
good knowledge is 100% I'm ready now
look out world here I come no look out
world here I come your B because now
you've gone astray uh okay number four
we spoke about that you know what the
Cure is for number
four who knows what's the cure for
number
four anybody what yes someone's shy what
do I do to this guy he what's that thing
called Courtyard North Courtyard North
Courtyard it's like when you first go
into it uhhuh like a cold swimming pool
uhuh very very nice analogy sir I like
it very clever so it's like a cold
swimming pool when you jump in in a few
seconds you're okay that's it you know
what no matter how many years you've
been giving that way you always feel
awkward in the beginning especially if
you sto for a while you're oh man I have
to start standing in front of people
yelling things at them trying to get
them to stop eye contact things that
it's not me to do these things yeah but
you know what you call the first guy you
call the second third and that's it
you're used to it now what about another
solution for a shy
person how could you help another shy
person how could you help him stand
there in the north Courtyard and pass
out material and not be
shy how can you encourage them yes sir
take him with you first yeah so that way
he watches you and gets more comfortable
okay so you're that good okay so try to
be with Brother rwan on that day you
know you get your confidence you know
boost and everything be with him so yeah
go with go with someone have a partner
with you you could be two inexperienced
people as partners but they will
encourage each other or one more
experienced person you go with them and
then you you know first time second time
and that's it it gets better
number five one problem is a lot of
people don't know who they're talking to
and they assume and they just keep going
through their script you tailor your
talk based on the individual all right
because now what if I told you right now
that there's someone out there he needs
he or she there's just a person out
there that needs that one can you
prepare your script here and go out and
read it to them who can do that because
if you can do that I want to hear I'm
going to sit down I want to hear from
you because that's that's incredible no
one can do that
because what if you open that door and
you go out and that person was uh a
woman for example so you're this is a
brother now going out you're expecting
to shake hands you know my name is so
and so what's your name you go out and
it's a woman suddenly it's a different
story you know
so what are you going to do so that
means when you go out there you tailor
that talk based on the individual tell
me is there a difference between
speaking and I'm going to give you a
list of people tell me is it different
in approaching them male or female
different Rabbi or priest or atheist
very different old person or young
person it's different someone your age
also different right what about the
environment where you're standing what
if it's like a busy street lot of cars
lot of buses making noise and you're
trying to talk you have to yell over
that does that make a difference yeah
what if you're in the library you have
to be quiet makes a difference so your
environment affects your talk The person
affects your talk the weather fect your
talk does the weather affect your talk
yes yes it does it's if it's summer and
the butterflies are out and everything
and you can tell them about the beauty
of this religion therefore you can even
use big words but when it's cold you're
like so so just say and let's get this
over understand so everything everything
affects your talk everything affects
your talk so because there are so many
different scenarios and situations and
people and belief systems the has to be
malleable bendable flexible like like
metal you know you have to be malleable
you have to be flexible you have to
adjust the situations and sometimes
you're going down a path and you
discover something about the person you
have to change a little bit one time I
was giving a um you talking to someone
in the street and he had a son with him
and it seemed like it was just like a
father and son thing for them the father
wanted his son to be a man maybe the kid
was 10 or 11 years old so every time I
spoke to the father because naturally I
think he's a decision maker the father
was just mostly concerned about me
addressing his son so every five every
time I'm talking to him he will take he
will say you are talking to both of us
right he wanted me to acknowledge his
son as a man so now I got to talk to
this little guy okay so basically you
know then I look at him I forget again
and he tells us you are talking to both
of us right and then I look at the kid
again now in retrospect I think I should
have just tried to get the kid to take
the shahada and then when the father
tries to jump in well he says this grown
man what's your problem but anyway
uh you might have to adjust
Midway I'm going to spread you some of
the stories uh but you know a lot of
times let me tell you why this Workshop
is is usually 6 hours long it's not it's
not 6 hours long because we're learning
entirely new techniques part of it is
that we're unlearning the wrong way of
giving da the wrong way of giving da we
have so many rules about da that just
don't make any sense or they don't have
any any study or anything to back them
up or proof for them and so many ideas
and Notions here and there that we need
to unlearn all these ways and then also
learn a few more new techniques you know
uh there's so many things like there's U
do we have uh some kind of we have
sometimes rituals associated with taking
the shahada and like there was one time
we were at this conference and then I I
made this point and one of the speakers
there he got up and he said yeah
actually when I came when I went to the
Masid to take my shahada years ago said
I went in I told the brothers at the
office i' would like to become Muslim so
they said okay sir please have a seat
because the guy who gives shahad is not
here okay he said I sat down and I kept
waiting for a long time until this guy
who gives shahad came who is this guy
who gives shahad I mean I really want to
meet this guy he's some certified
shahada Giver he's got a thing on his on
his board like there I'm certified you
know this is my card if you would like
to make sure it's not expired yet and
say after me who is this guy had a giver
you know or know you have to do it after
J in front of the people who makes up
all these rules you know
so okay let's move on then now so we
looked at the
internal and by the internal I mean the
problems you might have that might stop
you from being an effective diet now we
want to look at problems that you might
encounter on the side of the prospect
now you do know that for these two days
when we talk about da we're talking
about to non-muslims that includes da to
Muslims but we're specifically talking
da to non-muslims everyone aware of that
because sometimes I'm after I'm done
some guy comes up he tell us about
Muslim the agreement was how to get a
Shah Muslim already gave the had the
Shah said the Shah right so um on the
part of the or let's call them the
prospect the one that you call into
Islam they also have some things that
will stop them from becoming Muslim one
of the ones I want to focus on a little
bit now is the first
one and um the whole thing I said about
uh about why it take 6 hours because you
know as we unlearn and we learn new
techniques it might be difficult for you
to to to swallow some of these signs or
some of these points and so I have to
illustrate that a number of times using
different stories just to get the point
across so a lot of times people will
look for a sign from Allah that tells
him this is the time to become Muslim
and a lot of times I'll ask in the
audience the reverse to tell us you know
how long it took him to be to become
Muslim and why did you finally decide to
do it someone will say something like
well finally one of my Muslim friends
said why don't you just become Muslim
now uh there was a guy he said I was
studying Islam for 3 years waiting for
something for a day when I should become
Muslim and
then uh I one of my friends just
suddenly out of the blue called me up
said why don't you just become Muslim
right now over the phone said I became
Muslim over the the phone right then and
there so then I asked him what would you
have done if your friend didn't call you
and to to ask you for the sh he said I
would still be studying Islam until now
still
studying
so a lot of times people look for sign
what do I mean by that in a
predominantly Christian Society there's
a lot of emphasis on Vision or a clear
sign from Allah and you've probably seen
this in in their sitcoms and their
cartoons and their movies God Give Me A
Sign Lord you know give me some sign
tell me what to do and uh you know Paul
of Tarsus he became Christian when he
was on the road to Damascus he saw a
vision um you know Augustine later on he
say not
Austine emperor Constantine he saw a
vision as well you know even the Mormons
the guy saw a vision all these visions
and clear signs but Allah says in the
Quran that his signs are subtle and his
signs are for those who contemplate and
those who consider and that's why so The
Story Goes that we I was I went to pray
the at an Islamic Center and I saw as
I'm walking in this this caucasian
American man walking out with a bunch of
books and the whole staff of the of the
center they're walking out behind him
and they're W waving him goodbye all
right so what happened he came to them
and he said I'm interested in getting um
more m some reading material about Islam
their job as duat is to fulfill that
need he said I want to get more material
they said here's more
material okay now what would you do here
a little differently perhaps you would
what what would you do
differently yes sir give him a quick
rundown of Islam
beforehand okay anything else that's
you're right I'd ask him what he read
before uh-huh
what he read before what he wants to
read what he wants to read what he's
looking for what he's looking for good
is that what you were going to say
excellent so it's not that you he says I
need reading material on Islam you say
you want reading material on Islam
that's exactly what I'm going to do I'm
giving you reading material on Islam
that's it so come on you want to you
want to try to sell some more a little
bit over here would you like fries with
that would you like to supersize that
how come everyone else tries to sell you
more to give you more we just want to
give the P you want pamphlets here you
go pamphlets y you're not on my
conscious now leave so how come no one
asked him anything so basically I asked
him this question I
said um you know when I saw him come out
I said you know how are you doing what's
happening he said well I've been
interested ISL in Islam for a while and
I came to get more reading material now
by the way I'm looking for those of you
who have not heard the workshop to
respond to me more so than those who
have okay he said I've been interested
in Islam for a while and I came to get
more reading
material what would you ask now there's
no wrong question by the way and I'm
going to tell you what I asked that
doesn't mean that's what you should have
asked there many ways you can go around
about this so what would you ask I've
been interested in Islam for a while and
I came to get more reading material what
do you want to find out let start try
and find out what's stopping him from
becom Muslim okay good try and find out
what's stopping him from become Muslim
everyone agree with that
makes sense what else yes sir what do
you know about Islam okay
yes sorry what him interested in the
first place uhhuh good how long is a
while how long is a while I like that
very good question and that's and all
the questions were good this thing have
to be right there so how long is a while
and that's the question I asked them not
that it's the best question but maybe
I've been interest in Islam for a while
meaning you know for like 4 days maybe
maybe it's 5 years maybe it's 2 years I
want to know what this while is because
now we have two two branches here so he
I asked how long have you been
interested in Islam he said for about a
year now I know there's a problem
immediately is there a problem why is
there a problem because he hasn't
accepted the Shah yet he's been
interested for a year and he didn't
become Muslim something must be stopping
him something must be stopping him what
could it be possibly
it could be anything okay you could be
waiting for a sign yeah anything
else come on there are million one
things could be he he likes pork he
likes beer yeah family family what else
nobody's approached it nobody's
approached him yeah what else U
misconception misconception there you go
it's possible right so you need to look
your job is you're like a doctor you
diagnose you need to find the problem
always you need to find the problem
yeah great I'm happy some people wrote
that down you're a doctor you
diagnose you all get phds after tomorrow
we're done tomorrow you're all doctors
you can tell people I'm a doctor now in
what
look so you're look one more time he
said he's been interested in Islam for a
year he hasn't become Muslim You can
conclude there's a problem you need to
find out what the problem is so give me
some questions you can ask this
person what's stopping you from becoming
Muslim what's stopping you from becoming
a Muslim what else that's right you're
right no one's wrong yeah what do you
just like about Islam okay I said the
guys who heard the workshop you take it
easy thank you
sister I'm just
kidding there's no wrong answer no wrong
question whatever you want to ask
I'm sorry I can't hear
you that what confused that you're
confused about okay good these are all
good questions there's no wrong answer
you could have said I'll ask him what's
your name that's a right it's a right
question because then you use that name
in da so I asked him okay what did you
dislike about Islam I don't want to know
what he likes about
Islam I don't want to know that because
I don't care I want to know what he
dislikes about Islam I he might tell me
uh you know what if I ask him what did
you like about Islam he'll say I like
the five prayers I like the five
prayers um Salah I like Salah he just
said Salah I like Hajj H is good zaka is
nice I like Zak I don't have time for
that I want to know what did you dislike
what's stopping you if you've been
interested in Islam for a while what's
stopping you from becoming a Muslim
maybe there's a concept that he doesn't
like again you're the doctor when you go
to the doctor and you say you know I I
feel some dizziness in in my head he
says okay um your nails are they growing
well yeah nails are okay good nails are
good knee joints everything good with
your knee joint yes joints are good your
hearing is good yeah my hearing is great
how about how about your stomach you
know you have he doesn't ask about
what's good he tries to find out what's
wrong so you ask about what's wrong so
then now let's follow the scenario now
until now we don't know what's happening
with this guy we're guessing so I don't
know if it's a sign I don't know if it's
a misconception I don't know if it's his
wife or one accepted do you
know no come on people we don't know
right we don't know we're trying to find
out so our first question what did you
dislike about Islam I want to get right
to the heart of the matter and his
answer was he thought about it sincerely
and he said
nothing now what do you think might be
the problem so now we know it's not a
misconception it's not something with
Islam that he doesn't like what is it
now possibly keep guessing it's possible
many other things could be his wife
still or it could be
that he's looking for a sign so now he
said all right it's and and now I have
only this hunch that he may be looking
for a sign from Allah so I'm going to
test it and if it's not I'll go for you
know maybe it's family member or other
influence so I said okay uh you know I
think you're actually looking for a sign
from Allah subhana tala because you know
I'm guessing he's of Christian
background and most likely he wants a
sign and many times you know people
before they become Muslim they keep
waiting for that day when they just feel
that this is the day to become Muslim
you know you know everything is so
romantic these days you know I mean it
really is everything is romantic you
know and and that's not a bad thing it's
good I think right but uh so there's too
much emphasis on you know you know they
want to wake up one day after a good
night night of sleep and they go like
this and then there's a robin singing on
their window sill and the son is the sun
is out and it's just everything is so
romantic it's the they say this is the
perfect day to become a Muslim and I was
tell people it's not that romantic it
could be just some you know you know
some IM with a broken accent is a little
har come say after
me a very difficult situ nothing
romantic about it whatsoever so I told
him look I think you're actually looking
for waiting for a sign from Allah to
tell you you should become Muslim today
but let me tell you and I this is
exactly what I told him I said listen
and by the way a disclaimer here as I am
telling you this story I become excited
as I'm telling you this story but that's
not how I talk to people because I'll
tell you I said this this this but I
don't speak to them like that we speak
very calmly but I'm only excited now
telling you the story so you speak to
people very calmly and very immature and
calm and sane manner right so I was
telling him look the signs of Allah
they're very subtle you don't expect a
deep voice to tell you to become Muslim
or a beam of light to show up in a dark
room or anything Allah says in the Quran
that verily in these
signs reallying these things are signs
for those who contemplate or those who
consider is another verse in the thunder
in the beginning so if you contemplate
the signs of Allah you'll recognize It's
The Sign of Allah if you consider you'll
find out it's a sign it's not like neon
signs signs of Allah are subtle so I
told told him the signs Allah tells us
in the Quran that his signs are subtle
you already got your sign what what
what's his sign can you can you tell us
he I told him you already got your sign
someone who hasn't heard the workshop
what what are his signs he's already
exploring about ISL that's why he's
ended up okay so he's you know the fact
that he's in the Masjid he's been
reading about Islam what
else speak possibly that I'm speaking to
him what else that he is nothing that he
dislikes about Islam isn't that a good
sign so I told him listen and use those
things to convince the person so I said
look now there there's so how many
people hate Islam you've been interested
in Islam for about a year how many
people believe what they hear about
Islam in the media and have so many
issues I asked you what did you dislike
you can't think of anything that's your
sign Allah made you out of millions of
people who hate Islam someone who loves
his religion for a full year you've been
interested in it you can't find anything
wrong with it that's your
so I and it was that simple people not
because you know miraculously we we said
a few sentences we said insh the right
sentences after doing some kind of
probing and questioning and and and and
U diagnose diagnosis you know so
basically I think I told him I think you
should become Muslim right now and you
have the rest of your life to read these
books and many other books and you're
going to keep reading just like all of
us until we go to our grave so he
actually just became Muslim right then
and there now how long was that talk it
was short you know why it was short when
you diagnose and you find the and you
address the exact issue it becomes a
short talk the problem is many people
they want to keep talking and talking
and talking and they want to throw
scientific facts and they just want to
throw things and hope something sticks
finally but that's not how you do it
so uh should we should we move on or one
more example with the
sign one more example more one more
example thank you sir thank you for
enthusiasm it's a little early huh I
need some coffee in here but okay one
more example this was a this was a big
convention in United States big bizaar
room and they told me that there's a a
woman who's interested in becoming
Muslim so I went to her with this
African-American woman probably in her
mid to late 40s her name was Adrian and
uh she was standing in the middle of the
Bazar room with thousands and thousands
of Muslims so you know at the minute I
get there I I've been told it's a woman
but I don't know what her story is you
know does she know anything about Islam
or she knows zero about Islam is she is
she atheist Baptist or just some other
Den denomination I don't have a clue so
I need to find out so I came to her said
you know I heard that you you're
interested in Islam she said yeah I'm
quite interested in Islam I said how
long have you been interested in Islam
does that make a difference makes a big
difference she said 3 years so now where
am I going where is your mind going now
3 years now you're thinking go ahead
what's the problem and it could be what
be many things sign could be you know
misconception could be you know family
members this and that and uh in her case
first of all she said that no so so now
I said do do you know much about Islam
she said yeah I read some books about
Islam so you believe that Allah is one
she said yes you believe that the
prophet wasam was actually the prophet
of Allah she said yes the Five Pillars
make sense yes and I think we did a
review of The Five Pillars you know you
could do that in 50 seconds fine so now
she has the ingredients of becoming a
Muslim right so if someone has the
ingredients of becoming Muslim what's
your next
step go ahead now if they have all the
ingredients in becoming a Muslim then
you ask for the sh ask for the Shah
make sense they have all the ingredients
of becoming a Muslim you ask for the
shahada if they're missing them don't
ask for the shahada maybe not but she
now had everything the five pillars of
the proph so I said you should become
Muslim then he said no now I need to
find out what the obstacle is so one she
said that her her fiance told her when
you you're going to go to that Muslim
convention don't come back as a
Muslim now how do you clear that
how do you clear that how do you fix
that yes sir well I mean in in her way
of thinking she went as a must possibly
it's very possible I me you could argue
with you know tell her that you know
you're basically there you just have to
say it what
else yes sir discuss the importance ofi
uh I didn't quite get you I'm
sorry but I think you're on the right
track more to her what her fiance says
about she's hearing there you go very
good yes sir what is your fiance's
problem okay that's possible yes
sir kind of along those lines but also
why you bring with you okay that's
possible yes sir do it secretly at
first okay yes sir nothing's wrong here
by the way yeah um could you say you
know you never know when you're going to
die uh-huh and keep keep pushing keep
pushing that thought further you might
die by the time you go home okay very
good so now what we're getting her to to
see is that you
know you're reminding her of the people
it's it's Allah and it's eternity in the
Hellfire versus you know this guy and
and that's basically what I told her so
we fixed this quick problem very quickly
actually said okay listen you know on
the day of judgment everyone will stand
in front of of Allah by themselves Allah
will call you by name and you will be
held accountable for your deeds and
you'll be held accountable for
everything the disbelievers they will
just be held accountable so your
boyfriend and no or your fiance or your
nor your family or father nobody will
stand and answer on your behalf so
you're responsible for your Deeds so so
then basically we took care of that and
it was that was the end of that problem
said now become cuz now it was an
obstacle we fixed it you asked for the
again right cuz that was what stopping
her in the beginning you as for the Shah
again she said no no I just I just want
to you know just not ready I want to
take my time or want to see how things
go so I figured maybe she's waiting for
a sign from Allah now let's see maybe I
was right maybe I was wrong I don't know
so I'm testing it told her look I think
you're waiting for a sign let me ask you
this if you were going to get a sign
from Allah if Allah wants to tell you
you need to become Muslim will you
expect to be walking down the street and
then you see a big neon sign that's
flashing that says Adrien become Muslim
right now she said no I won't expect
something like that said you might
expect that sign of love to be subtle a
little bit she said possibly I said like
some short annoying man with glasses
telling you you need to become Muslim
right now so she laugh she said that's
possible so then I'm trying to get her
to see that you know you've got your
sign from Allah so I told her listen and
and you're not going to find find
anything phenomenal about what I'm about
to tell just very simple things you're
just trying to get someone in front of
you to think told her how many Muslims
are in this room right now he said you
know thousands of of Muslims I said how
many non-muslims you think are inside
this room right now he said probably
just me said how many non-muslims are
outside of this room she said billions
of non-muslims I said okay from the
billions of non-muslims in the world
Allah chose you to put you in a room
amongst thousands of Muslims and you've
been interested in his religion for 3
years I asked you if there's anything
you dislike about his religion you said
no I told you give me a good reason I
forgot to mention this give give me a
good reason you won't become Muslim
right now a good reason and I'll leave I
won't bother you but just give me a good
reason nothing like I got to take my
give me a good reason and she could
think of a reason I said you know I
asked you for a reason you couldn't
think of one I we went over the
ingredients of being a Muslim and you're
essentially there as far as belief and
you're still waiting for sign from
Allah so do you think that was enough to
get her to become Muslim no no so
basically I in the end I told and I
don't do this with everybody but
sometimes you can see how much you can
go with people based on their
personality and how friendly they are I
said listen I mean I actually have to go
now I'm going to give you 3 seconds to
become Muslim no pressure
right you know because it was kind of a
jokingly kind of I said look let give
you 3 seconds I have to go now
one two
three I started to walk away she said
what you're just going to leave me like
that and she became Muslim so again it
was you know a combin just in this
example we see how many ways you can see
well maybe this is the issue maybe
that's the issue and you can ask like
one brother said earlier one of the
easiest ways to find the obstacle is to
say what is stopping you from becoming a
Muslim right now when do you ask this
question when they have the ingredients
the Five Pillars you say what's stopping
me from becoming right now then they
will come out with it oh it's my fiance
oh it's this oh it's that or it could be
any one of these so so when you're
looking for this external problem it
could be a sign it could be a
misconception they have about Islam or
about the Muslim that's why you ask what
did you dislike or what caused you any
problems or what caused friction in your
heart you find out what the
misconception is or they might it might
be the influence of family or
religion it might be that they think you
know you know religion just causes
problems worldwide you might experience
that on campus in a few weeks that
someone might tell you well I don't like
to talk about religion because most
people die or more people die because of
religion than anything else on earth
have you heard that before okay now who
would like to answer that for us how do
you refute that someone who hasn't heard
the workshop please get some fresh ideas
here and to last uh the two most
destructive Wars in human history were
no religion in
okay very good yes
sir same thing no I was going to say the
plague and stuff like that okay so
people die because of diseases possibly
okay yeah I was just going to say a lot
of people die from Wars since the
beginning of time okay but but what if
they argue these are religious wars not
necessar okay good yeah can examples
uhhuh good try to he said give me some
examples try to get to explain to them
the difference between uh religion and
followers mhm trying to keep the blame
away from religion and yeah it's more of
like political side of religion it's not
really like a religious thing okay good
all these answers were actually correct
and the truth is that statement is false
don't accept that statement it's false
that more people die because of religion
than anything else on Earth that's wrong
it's not true if you do the math you'll
find more people die because of things
related to land money you know
conquering people for these purposes
and more so than religion and when it
when religion is brought into the mix
it's not purely because of scripture but
because of also another Factor on top of
things and again the example I always
use is you know New York City there a
lot of Jews living there has a lot of
Palestinians living there why don't Jews
come and bulldoze you know apartment
buildings and have Palestinians in them
in New York City why don't they kill and
have you know altercations in New York
City because neither Rel religion
neither religious scripture says you
need to kill the other person simply
because they're Jewish or you need to
kill the other person simply because
they're Muslim it doesn't say that
anywhere in their scripture does it but
because there's an an additional Factor
when it comes to their dispute there
there's a land dispute can you see what
I'm saying so it's not that there's any
religion in the world where you open it
the scripture says just go kill the
other person because he doesn't belong
to your faith but there's always
somewhere and some way that you bring
the bring religion in just like with the
Crusades from the European side they
brought the religion into it to get
people to join armies you know and they
had you know images Muslims were
desecrating Christian sites and that got
people so riled up and they joined the
armies in such huge numbers that they
were not equipped to feed them and a lot
of them died of starvation so a lot of
times religion is used also to R people
up and so on and so forth but was there
any War it was purely because of
religion or and because of scripture
they said just kill the other girl just
kill them just like that so anyway so
the idea is that it's not true and don't
accept that argument you know
anyways uh isn't is it time for a break
or something have we done an
hour I don't people to get too
bored um what time is it 11:25 11:25 and
lunch is 12:30
what is one okay then maybe we should
take a break so um if you want a
10-minute break is that long okay 10
minutes break I'm going to be here now
let me before we go one second sorry
before you go now uh what's going to
happen is you during the break you'll
come to me and say what do I say to the
someone who believes in Trinity and I
will say actually the part on Trinity is
coming up in the notes then someone else
will come and say what do I say to the
one who's an atheist now I'll say
actually if you wait with us it's coming
up in the notes in a little bit then
someone will come and say how do I deal
with the Hindu and I'm going to say well
you know what Hindu is coming up in the
notes in a little bit so I welcome all
your questions let's ask me any question
related to something we've already
discussed because there's a lot coming
up so try to ask me about things we've
discussed say I didn't understand that
slide or you skipped this slide what is
that saying and so during the break
because we don't have too much time and
I want us to to get as much as we can
out of these two days so my break is not
my break my break is for you I'll be
sitting here and maybe next break will
be entirely for the sisters or a portion
of lunch will be for sisters so they can
ask their questions so uh 10 minutes in