my only my only Alliance my true honest
Allah and not to no other Muslim not to
no said a Muslim that comes to he's a
Muslim now he with us you know my
loyalties whatever individual is who
loitered to me my first boy to my first
obligation is to Allah and it's tricky
because of the more looking to the
churches in the mouth for God the more I
start seeing the devil you know you mean
better I would disagree with that on the
surface also yeah but I'm going to kind
of project what I think he's trying to
say beautiful go ahead was one point
that I would disagree with him on kindly
and if you threw a punch I wouldn't
exchange punches I have to go for the
legs and try to take them down yes I
would agree I think that Mike Tyson's
comments have to be balanced it's not
all so on it's not all negative there's
some justification for what he's saying
Salam alaikum greedy's a piece welcome
to the d show where we are with dr.
zakir on the Deen show we have a lot to
talk about how are you rather humbling
lesson ironical well they come salaam wa
rahmatullahu a cat they like good to be
here brother it's good to have you on
the program
hamdulillah exactly a hater I mean well
yeah so we said some things in Arabic so
people don't have to take an Arabic
class let's fill them and we wished each
other peace yes the greetings of peace
and blessings and mercy of Allah the
most high upon you this is what unifies
the Muslims hamdulillah and you're
actively also involved in Dawa you're a
doctor by profession
yes mm-hmm tell us a little bit about
well about yourself and what you do
currently working in South Palm Beach
County Florida in private practice
part-time in Boca Raton Florida and
family medicine and working full-time as
a hospitalist hospital medicine in a
place called Atlantis right in the
middle just south of West Palm Beach
Florida been practicing for about seven
years now
now paint that picture for us you are in
your undergraduate degree you're getting
your you're in a graduate program in
school and you're exposed to Islam yes
and what happens from there so in
graduate school actually working on my
MBA in the spring of 1997 I was one year
in Philadelphia Pennsylvania
Temple University when I was encouraged
to go to a Masjid and I actually had the
Quran in my possession for about seven
years prior that I would open up from
time to time for encouragement but not
really taking it too seriously as I
mentioned I felt like this was just too
good for me the lifestyle was just very
nice and strict and at that time I
wasn't disciplined however at that time
in Philadelphia I did go to a mosque
called the United Muslim Masjid in South
Philadelphia and it was a Saturday in
the fall when I was really exposed to
Islam in a more detail way now you said
seven years prior to that yes that we're
gonna get into here yes
you were given a copy of the verbatim
Word of God Allah of the Quran yes
tamper free tamper proof we can go on
it's not it's like no other book yes
that is on the face of the earth has a
challenge in it if you say it's from
from from a group of men from a country
from a man yeah produce something like
it right memorized by millions all over
living today you were exposed to it but
you put it to the side put it to the
side took good care of it though I was
told you know keep it elevated I wash my
hands before I would pick it up and read
it but I never I didn't delve into it so
that was seven years ago who gave you
the book good friend of mine Koren Moore
we went to high school together in
Rockford Illinois which is 80 miles
northwest of here
it wasn't Mike Tyson no it wasn't like
that yeah so I had it he had actually
embraced Islam earlier Howard University
and your friend my friend yes mm-hmm
okay so what happens now so you put it
to the side seven years later yes in
those seven times what are you doing
with your life well I'm sort of trying
to figure myself out and like I said in
my mid-20s I wasn't as disciplined you
know sort of trying to find my way you
know going through graduate school
finally finished in 95 and that's one
intellectually and academically I got
serious and so I found myself in
graduate school in Temple University so
from a society point of view of my
lifestyle had become more focus and
discipline so the only thing that was
quite missing was the spiritual
component and so that sort of sealed the
deal for me when I went to that mosque
in South Philadelphia when I heard the
brothers like I said it was maybe
fifteen or twenty brothers in the mosque
at the time and they were sharing with
me you know the the importance of who
God is but first of all they would tell
me who God is you know emphasis there's
only one God you know he created
everything he's responsible for all the
books the whole Testament the New
Testament and in this Quran and the
angels and the prophets so
intellectually that makes sense I
understood it I came from a Christian
background but it wasn't anything of any
in depth you know we sort of go to
church superficially if there was a
holiday we would go and you know
celebrate maybe say grace before a meal
but it wasn't anything like most
Christians you know it wasn't really
serious you know if you will not to
disrespect anyone but that's just the
nature of how we grew up so but when
they went up to pray they you know they
excuse themselves we were in the back of
the Masjid and they went to the front to
offer the prayer and I remember seeing
you know how the Muslims you know we
stand up to pray and everyone stood up
in unison and then it was a silent
prayer so I really had a chance to just
take it in what I was witnessing and
that touched my heart like like no other
then I knew for sure that this religion
beyond what people were saying about the
unity of mankind you know it's one thing
to say there's one God and that he
created everything that exists he
created all human beings and that all
human beings are equal in the sight of
God and if you're going to make any
distinguishing things amongst human
beings it should be based on their
character it's one thing to say that but
then when you see everyone standing up
together bowing standing up and putting
your forehead on the ground in unison
that had an effect on me that at that
moment I knew this was this life was for
me so you ended up in the Masjid and the
brothers from Philly were talking about
the pure monotheism yes but there's only
one God God's not a Trinity
not in a human form they went over that
that connected with your heart they were
talking about the previous books that
were that were given to many people I'm
just bringing him up to speed probably
some of the conversation what it went
like we believe as Muslims that Moses he
was given the Torah and it's original
yes we don't have it today and it's
original Jesus peace be upon him the
injeel it was given a lot talks about
this in the verbatim word of god the
quran what he was given the original
what Abraham was given the original
right we don't have any of those
original books
everything's been changed everything so
they probably now they're talking about
the Quran yeah tamper free tamper proof
we have it and that's connecting with
your heart yes and then you see the now
you see the unification yes not of just
of God being one but now the Muslims
talk about that right there was no
status first of all I should go circle
back a little bit when I first walked
into the Masjid there were no chairs it
was all you know carpet and that right
humbles you do I was just about to say
that I have a humbling God yes because
you're sitting on the floor now yeah
again these are all almost like
subliminal things that just you know
when you're angry for instance you know
we're taught our Prophet SAW salam says
if you're angry and you're in a standing
position sit down that that bought that
change in body posture just humbles you
and relaxes you so in the absence of
even being angry you go into a message
you just sit down
you're humbling ourselves before God
before you even engage in any type of
worship in terms of pray or reading the
Quran it cetera so yes so that that
experience of just being in the Masjid
and sitting down was very you know very
relaxing and warm and it was unique to
me but to see there was no status we're
all equal here standing alone there was
no specific prayers my parking space for
them for the Imam or something like that
we're all the same here you could be
praying next to a millionaire or you
could be saying to someone who has
limited means doesn't matter when you're
on this prayer line and Beyond we're all
humbling ourselves before God Almighty
didn't Malcolm X in his letter when he
went because first he was with this
nation yes that really doesn't have
anything to do with the true Islam right
and then he got exposed to real Islam
went to Hajj fit pillar of Islam yes and
Islam simply means you guys know already
if you watch indeed show submission to
the will of who to the Creator not to
yourself money or anything in creation
but the one who created you now he sends
a letter back talking about this because
he's praying with the white the Chinese
rich the poor and he says if people had
implement Islam paraphrasing this is the
solution to the race problem did you
need something like that yes you know
it's good it's fitting that you bring
that example up because I read the
Autobiography of Malcolm X and anyone
who's read The Autobiography of Malcolm
X and study his life he takes you
through this journey and you can almost
feel his excitement when he when he took
the pilgrimage to Mecca and there is
something in the heart when you in this
whole world opens up to you because when
you're living in a society where you're
where you see racism you see the
dichotomy based on not just race but an
economic class and and all this stuff
and when you come to the realization and
you have full proof like you said you
have the Quran which is untampered with
backing you up this is the truth that
says all that is false and you see it
and you experiencing your heart just
gets turned you know which we know the
word itself called in Arabic the heart
is something that turns and Allah turns
it to him that there's no replacement
for that you are a man of science you
cannot complete medical school if you're
not a believer in science you're an
intellectual someone says well this is
just that emotional stuff you know
everyone to each his own and it's just
another religion right are you using
your mind or just purely based on
emotion right so that's a good point
because when you study Sciences
particularly here in the West they'll
teach you like in biochemistry or
biology 101 the Big Bang Theory but no
one can ever quite answer some
particular questions if you're going to
go on this theory of things being random
you know like God is out of the equation
you know it's clear that there is a
creator based on based on everything
that we see we're not creating of
ourselves we can't create anything all
we have to do is manipulate from
resources that are already here when we
talk about creation we're talking about
creating from scratch right taking
something out of nothing and bringing it
forth and so it is quite clear in terms
of even embryology there was a book that
all medical students take all medical
students use this book embryology and
the I think his name was Kenneth Moore I
believe his name is Keith Moore Keith
Moore yes so he got exposed in terms of
got exposed to Islam in a good way you
guys studied this book oh yeah but we
didn't do it with Islamic editions
mm-hmm he was brought in by I think a
scholar from Saudi Arabia who brought
the Quran it shows embryological the
three phases in the embryo and he's like
whoa we didn't and he was the foremost
expert on embryology and he said science
was not aware of the three phases in the
womb and all these different things that
are in the Quran and he went back and
revised his book with it I was
embryology with Islamic editions so I
had that book I study from that book
when I was in medical school I sort of
diverse a little bit but clearly when
you study science from an Islamic point
of view you really really all you do is
it draws you closer to Allah it doesn't
just put your mind on hold you know
because on an anatomical level for
example you see that molecules are
moving together at millions of you know
the speed the velocity is just insane
and so if you just think just common
sense if things are moving so fast and
colliding we chuck with each other you
would expect it to be chaos right
because even if we move real fast
we're going to be out of order yes but
the precision of the biochemical
reactions in our body are so precise
it will just I remember being in
biochemistry class and for three weeks a
graduate level biochemistry class for
three weeks I didn't take any notes and
I almost got behind because I was just
literally just watching how enzymes for
instance without getting too too
technical you will break up the DNA
molecule that's buried in proteins right
there just buried in proteins and each
specific enzyme will only slice a
particular part of the DNA chain and
these are very small things you're very
very small and they're moving fast but
that precision accounts for the fact
that you and I and everyone we wake up
looking the same well right because
proteins are made from DNA and our nails
our skin our hair proteins we're all
made up of proteins right and we know
same proteins keep being made in a very
specific fashion based on those specific
enzymes cutting the DNA at that specific
place and reproducing it mm-hmm you know
so that's just one fraction of you can't
account for that other than saying
Allahu Akbar god is the greatest he's
the most wise no one can manufacture
anything close to the human being and
that's just the human we're not talking
about the Flies the the plans the
butterflies and everything else in the
creation it's so amazing when the heart
is open the mind is open yes and when
you study when scientists when they
study zoology biology cosmology yeah
physiology all of these different
Sciences right study them the mind is
open you see the signs of the Creator
yes clearly but how is it in many of
these university settings but it seems
like the professor puts on the wall
there's no God here right he's actually
in the students they look at this
individual he's a PhD he's right he's
Kraus you know one of these famous
atheists right how can he deny the signs
and then he's up there and his
prestigious title right and they don't
see it right I used to really struggle
with that question a lot so that would
hit you also man I because that same
biochemistry teacher he's from South
Africa
and when he taught the class it was
almost like he was teaching it from an
Islamic perspective yes and it moved me
so much that after the end of the course
I gave him a book he wasn't too happy
with he was just very very upset with he
didn't want to have any part of it well
you gave him a book about I gave him a
book verses of Quran and facts of
science yeah I got so excited I just
thought he would just take it and run
with it yeah but that was he had the
opposite reaction he got offended oh he
got really offended and then I felt so
bad but then I used to trouble how can
you have so much knowledge and then not
see the connection yeah and then you
know I felt like the answer came to me
and Allah knows best is that and it's
really simple Allah and this is a
reminder for us when we give dollar
Allah is the one who makes who opens up
the heart so it doesn't matter how much
knowledge you have or how much you think
you know or which you've been exposed to
if he does not want to guide based on
his wisdom his love and wisdom and
everything else the human being will not
be guided and so that's the simple
answer and that's a reminder for us
because a lot of times will happen when
people become religious or they accept a
new faith they started perchance not all
the time but started feel a little
arrogant you have knowledge now you want
to start judging others and thinking but
we have to really humble ourselves
because before that we didn't we didn't
have the knowledge yes Allah was gave us
a fraction of it for us to be grateful
and use it and hopefully gain more and
give out more but it's not for us if he
is the one that's in charge and that to
me is proof because you have picked
scientists who know more than I will
ever know right and they have the
intimate knowledge of the sciences and
the mathematical equations that explain
this and that in the other and they'll
be far from acknowledging that there's a
god mm-hmm those are the things like
make a comparison to like someone who
knows the
yes you go and you see the outside of
the car mechanic tells you hey look dr.
Ali stay away from this she's like no
but it looks beautiful looks great no he
knows it's a lemon no right
Allah looks in the hearts yeah and he
knows what's in the hearts we don't know
we don't know we've heard so many cases
someone's like religious let's say he's
really doing a lot of good deeds and
he's doing this and that and then not to
pick on any religion it just comes to
mind you have a lot of these pedophiles
in the church actually yes so you think
like how could this priest right who's
out there doing all this work right but
now he's molesting all these kids yes
yes what's with the heart got to check
the heart and we can give examples in
any other religion but this just came to
my mind I get the point
yes absolutely absolutely the guidance
is from Allah and we can never forget
that yeah the guidance is from Allah
you mentioned the mosque we talked about
the unification the pure monotheism this
is what draws people in yeah the Touhey
that God is one and alone worthy of
worship he's not a man he's not a woman
doesn't have children like human beings
do like animals do no one God worship
Him alone and then in the Masjid that
really touched your heart right
I mentioned Mike Tyson earlier I want to
get your reaction to this because he
mentioned something about the mustard
hopefully we can go ahead and get this
message to him and see maybe like what
he thinks about what we have to say and
saw well let's go into this clip and
inshallah God willing let's see what you
have to say about it
oh I don't have to know what time comes
I get my only my only Alliance my true
honesty is Allah and not to no other
Muslim not to no said a Muslim that come
say he's a Muslim now he with us
you're my loyalty's whatever individual
is who loitered to me my first boy to my
first obligation is to Allah he says
some profound what do you think about
that he said what my loyalty my
allegiance is to the Creator what do
think about that right so for no very
powerful there's nothing more
the human being is naturally linked to
the one to our Creator you know that
seems you know we hear this a lot when
you see someone go through you're in a
very tragic situation you're about to
drown or something hears people say oh
my god
right this is almost like a natural
feeling that happens in times of danger
but beyond that when you think about the
connection when you when you remove all
the barriers and you realize the
greatness of the one who created you but
not only that you have a one-to-one
direct relationship with him a
connection right and the best way to
really understand that if you look at
people in your life that you really love
you know it could be your parents your
brothers your spouse your kids and you
reflect on those relations but they
don't always hear you they don't have
that capacity and in spite of all that
love that's genuine for these people in
your life
they don't always hear you they don't
have that capacity and and they
themselves were created by God Almighty
or Allah Subhanahu WA Ta'ala so to know
that you have a direct connection with
the most powerful being on the universe
I don't even know it's kind of
indescribable right and at anytime you
can say oh Allah help me oh Allah I love
you oh allah show me the way and he's
hearing you and was going to respond to
you that gives you power and it
liberates you you know at any given time
not just in times of distress or despair
but at any given time that that's that's
powerful and I think when people
understand that and really reflect on it
in relation and he gives us you get
that's what the beauty of one of the
many beauties of the car because he said
look to this look to the mountains look
to all this source of strength in the
creation right and then then when you
see in one of worship that or see how
powerful that is go to the master the
one who created all that yeah you know
yeah so he's saying something really
profound here and this is like the Tyson
while he was I think I don't know if he
was in prison and now he's they're
letting him hear that tape from before
so he's saying some profound this is
right on its
great right and let's go into the to the
rest and for some of our Christian
friends and Jewish friends and others
who just or anyone who's hearing the
word Allah don't feel left out because
Jesus you used to say Aloha
in the Semitic language so we're not
talking about a different God this is
the God the Creator let's continue on
and see what mike has to say now that
Islam help you get through prison I
don't know I never really was I didn't
really understand religion in cars until
I got older that was just a moment in
time right there I'm more Islamic more
have a better appreciation for God now
than I ever did back then that's just me
fun talking well your comments there
Wilson
okay so he's saying that he has a better
understanding of God now and now we just
we praised him for the great things that
he was saying but he's depicting himself
is talking whatever he's talking like
you know the word he used what do you
have to say it's almost like in the past
tense where I mean we mentioned this
early sometimes in the Masjid or when
you first come into Islam you're you're
exposed to that tawheed you know that
raw pure Montefiore monotheism like you
separate everything in fact that's one
of the pillars of our belief when we on
a person becomes Muslim they take a
Shahada they say a shadow Allah Allah
how Allah which is translated as saying
I testify I bear witness that there is
nothing worthy of my worship in truth
except the one God the one creator right
so you're ruling everything out as a as
a means of my attention my affection of
my adoration except God that liberates
you but sometimes we we find that when
you go out into the world now and you're
living you have to mix around with
people and you may find some
adulteration of that in different forms
and you find that make that may that may
affect you in a negative way but the
truth of the matter is never changes
yeah like Allah by definition doesn't
change he's won the one and only so
perhaps that's what's happening with
with Mike it doesn't necessarily mean
usually we should be growing
we should be reading expanding our
knowledge dedicating our life to the
Deen to expanding and other worldly
things that help us yes the to become
better human beings but it doesn't
necessarily mean that you could because
the heart we've had that prayer oh oh
Allah Creator you don't keep my heart
firm on the Deen the heart is a
sensitive I mean we're not talking about
just a physical heart the spiritual so
now it depends what you're dedicating
your time to if you are immersed in just
dunya let's say someone starts to leave
off prayer we pray five times a day
right you're missing fudger the harasser
and then and then altogether you stop
going to Juma you stop implementing
right now what you said in the past if
you were implementing these things right
you would have been on stronger
conviction right and now you may be
dunya lized Nam what do you think about
that
absolutely well it's just like you know
the example that comes to mind with when
you said that is a seed when you plant a
seed in the ground you don't plant a
seed in the ground and then just walk
away and leave it in fact that's the
time you know the weeds are gonna come
yeah right if you've toiled the ground
and you've taken out the grass and
you've put this the fertilizer you put
the seed in the ground and you've
watered it well not only in the seed is
gonna come the weeds are gonna come so
it kind of calls for a constant toiling
and pulling out and that's very that's a
very torturous time because the seed
hasn't even had time to get out of the
ground yet so that foundation needs to
be there yeah but beyond that even you
know we have to always be engaged in the
religion the religion is a practical one
and it's best understood when it is
practiced you know it's not an
intellectual thing where we just read
and sort of you know just think about it
go off into the you know the wilderness
and just wish for a good life in fact
the Prophet Muhammad SAW salon which is
the second component to our belief we
have a shredder la ilaha illallah wa
ashhadu anna muhammadan rasul allah
which goes into the implementation of
tawheed the actual lifestyle the
struggle you know so I agree with you on
that
let's let's continue on seeing what and
and this is a we love our brother Mike
Tyson and not to say if he's praying I
don't know we don't know but this is in
general we give some advice and see cuz
many people can maybe relate to where
they've seen someone kind of go into
another direction in life but then that
person who's around them they're like
okay I understand because they left the
prayer good company is so important yes
now you're hanging around right with the
wrong people they're not also reminding
you to pray they're reminding you to go
hang out in the club to the bar right
doing other mischievous things yes
absolutely yeah right and you know and
in this country - in fairness you know
not to make an excuse but this is kind
of like a jungle growing up here it is a
jungle you know so we grew up with
different habits and appetites and then
all of a sudden we get hit with this
truth and it is the truth and it's
beautiful but then we have to reconcile
with our bad habits and it's not it's
not a linear some of us hamdullah
all praise to Allah we're able to take
Shahada and go off on a linear force and
never look back but for most of us and
myself included you know you're going up
and down I know because we have to
reconcile with the life we used to live
yeah but the truth of the tawheed is
what never changes so despite whatever
mistakes you may be making whatever bad
choices you may make it when you come
back and then that's what the Muslims
should do always come back
that's what Abraham did that's what all
the prophets taught us to do keep coming
back to Allah keep coming back to Allah
that's what the five prayers are for
yeah that's what the washing up before
the prayers that keep us clean outwardly
and inwardly but it's it's a challenge
it is it's I like how you put it is a
jungle yeah out there but it's beautiful
Allah tells us that all my servants who
have transgressed against their souls
never despair or despair mercy of Allah
mercy of Allah is greater than any of
that let's continue on that prison talk
talking let me know try to pull the
forces in with me God's within you know
me and it's tricky because of
the more looking to the churches in the
mouth for God the more I stopped seeing
the devil you know me better god is just
your own your own definition of God we
have to deal with God within our heart
and not from another human being there's
no way that could represent God no no
creature no Iman no no no godly
possessed and I mean requested leaders
represent God you know we don't need a
bishop to give us a last rites to make
sure we go into God you know he's gonna
accept us or not you know we don't need
these figures you know we don't need the
figures be if you want to believe God
you really want to try to find God you
want to read some scriptures talk to
some people I don't believe we need
these say that's just my belief uh-huh
you know that's what this country's
built on worshipping we've been even
since we've been um Neanderthals cavemen
we always worshipped something a rock a
pawn a bird something you know we need
to worship something bigger than that
fells yeah you know and I don't think I
don't think God is ignorant enough to
make us in his likeness we're all stupid
myself we should go from the rear to the
back side from the rear to the front
some things I stood out he talked about
the more he he was talking about
something the more he was finding the
devil in the churches and mustards that
was one point that I would disagree with
him on kindly and if you threw a punch I
wouldn't exchange punches I had to go
for the legs and try to take him down
but I'm just playing this is uh out of
the love that we can kindly agree to
disagree on things hopefully would shed
some light I talked about that God
doesn't have a representative this would
go against that the messenger ship of
the nine Jesus Moses because these were
the best human beings that came to
represent God on earth they were gods or
demigods know they were just calling
people to worship God right so and then
the last one that he mentioned about
everyone has that and that's a true
point he said everyone does have a
desire to worship right but if we just
left it to us some people doing jumping
for Jesus some people doing this right
push-ups for for that for this for God
some but then everyone's making up their
own thing right so which one of these
you want to tackle first well in
fairness I'm going to I would agree with
you I would disagree with that on the
surface also yeah but I'm going to kind
of project what I think he's trying to
say beautiful go ahead based on some of
the things that that I've seen in my
travels across across the country in
different message and that is perhaps
he's experiencing and we can talk a
little bit get into this a little bit
but I perhaps he's gone in and seeing
some some disarray for instance in the
message it's where some messages may
engage in a lot of politics there may be
political stripes between the board of
the Masjid and the leadership of the
Imams or they could be an unhealthy as I
say that in quotes an unhealthy
following of the Imams as we're taught
that yes we respect our religious
leaders our scholars but they've taken
the time out to study and they have
knowledge but sometimes there's an
unhealthy following whereas they'll they
may you find people won't make a move
Islamic Lee until they get it approved
by their masters by their Imam for
example yes yes yes so and then there
may be cliques that emanate from that
you know certain divisions you know
whether they be cultural divisions or
other ethnic divisions and that the
Imams or certain leaders are encouraging
this or not speaking out against it and
then others are sort of ostracized and
left behind yes and we've seen it so
perhaps then he's saying that I don't I
find that's the same thing I left gotcha
right so when I came in I saw it too
he'd I saw unification I'm only going to
and so the Imams and the infrastructure
in the message should follow suit with
that but sometimes we see that maybe is
not the case and nonno maybe if you want
to comment on that right I would have to
agree
what you said earlier was really
profound when you mentioned that there's
the Shahadah the testimony of faith yes
it has two components so people usually
get caught up in the second component
which is implementing the towhead right
so you have new Muslims people who come
into the faith tradition and they see
the cultural baggage the politics in the
Masjid they don't see the authentic pure
son that being practiced and then they
associate this unfortunately with the
tawheed which is the mistake yes I would
agree I think that Mike Tyson's comments
have to be balanced it's not all song
it's not all negative there's some
justification for what he's saying we
just don't want him we just don't want
him to go to a complete extreme side
where he is abandoning the toe heat or
abandoning the sermon and that's the
danger and and that's I've witnessed
that you know I've I've witnessed
good sincere hearted brothers and
sisters who have left the religion or
have less left coming to the Masjid
because you know you you know you you
know they're still believers it's very
difficult once the heat comes into the
heart yeah to go away and say I no
longer believe there's one guy yes
that's that's you know maybe it happens
but it's more or less it's more it's
less likely to happen than people saying
well look what I'm what I've experienced
here in this particular situation is
something that left me feeling
uncomfortable we've all experienced that
yes I'm sure most yes most people have
experienced that so we can understand we
can kind of have some empathy where he's
trying to articulate in his case right
and hopefully we can get a chance to
talk to him yeah then find out directly
but having now a different perspective
that yeah okay this is supposed to be
the mustard is is the house of God the
house of Allah will you go there to
connect with your Creator now you have
human beings with some human
deficiencies yes they might now be proud
following the protocol properly the
Sunnah and doing things the right way
right and now these conflicts happen
we've seen many people we talked about
us earlier where you have the Imam he's
trying to stick to the Quran and Sunnah
the Quran the verbatim word of God and
the Sunnah
the teachings of the final prophet
muhammad peace and blessings be upon him
eradicate racism eradicate you know what
would solve most of these dis
and now you have board members they many
don't even not all we can't say all
right but in many cases they don't even
come they might be a doctor like you
right and they don't control that the
ego and they come in and they want to
run the show
right yeah we've seen these absolutely
and another conflict happens yes and you
got the the congregation now they're
seeing this Mike Tyson might be seeing
this yes and now they're like now I
don't need this right right I don't need
to follow a human being because this is
what we see in the church before we
became Muslim you would see and you see
it every Sunday just turn on the TV you
have these mega rich preachers you know
and they're preaching in front of 30,000
people right saying whatever and
everyone's just sort of following them
behind Lee they may not even read and in
fact their whole week may be geared up
to come watch this one person mm-hmm
right that's sure that's associating
partners you know whether Imam or the
religious leader should be reminding
people to go back to a law yeah you know
and it you know they're not that you
don't have a healthy respect for the
leaders but it should always be directed
back to the one who's in charge of all
the greatness and your knowledge you
should always be learning yeah you can
go ahead and you can you need to have
like Mike Tyson could not have gotten
where he got first of all without the
god-given talents right then having a
good teacher yes having a good teacher
that helped him our teachers now are
what is the Prophet Muhammad peace and
blessings be upon us and now those
people who we don't obviously have the
time most people to dedicate their whole
life to studying his Sunnah to studying
the Deen now if you have ally some basic
understanding and how to question with
with with proper a dev with manners and
look for the evidences yes now you can
see is this is this teacher now someone
that I can follow right exactly would
you how would you know cause that goes
back to what he's saying that God
doesn't have any if I not misquoting him
like representatives on earth right yeah
I just I totally agree with you we we
definitely have representatives you know
clearly the prophets are the messengers
and prophets emanate from being inspired
by God Almighty but maybe he's not
talking about that huh
no I would be shocked if he's talking
about that maybe we'll give him a
benefit in yeah that's like denying
profit and Jesus and yeah I'll a he said
ah I don't think Mike is doing no I
don't think so no no I think he may have
experienced or some some some of the
other things yeah I'm at the human
nature and the flaws are emanate from it
some of the some of the politics and
misgivings that occur in some message
but if you come now you're gonna go and
give a hood bah and now you're relying
authentic information right from the
crown and Sunnah you're just you're
you're just going and giving the advice
yes now Mike can go ahead and refuse and
did not you're not like a representative
God you represent yeah absolutely
yeah absolutely but that's every Muslims
duty is to go ahead and convey what he
knows from the Quran and so not to pass
down then for information and you
shouldn't go ahead and haven't enough
intelligence to see okay this is right
is the thin take it connects and then
implement and move on yes absolutely
yeah so what do we do we cover
everything with Mike what do you we got
we got that what I was what other what
if Mike listens to this what advice
would you give Mike well I wouldn't say
it was advice but my my thing is when it
comes to people of his status and when I
mean of his status people who have been
so-called rich and famous yeah I find
that for those people to come into Islam
and to come into Islam period is an
extraordinary thing because to have fame
and notoriety and a lot of resources
money is a big barrier for a lot of
folks because one thing intellectually I
think everyone can understand Islam it's
very easy to understand and appreciate
it as truth the problem is the lifestyle
that will prevent you from actually
living it
so I find it anyone who is rich and
famous who knows reach the status if you
can take that tawheed that belief in the
oneness of allah and and inject it into
your life and actually practice I
believe there's the rewards with that in
this jungle as we mentioned our
Ormus and what comes to mind as Akeem
Olajuwon yes he's the one gentleman who
actually I missed him when he came by to
our master - in Boca Raton he's one who
very famous for having practice his
religion all throughout his professional
basketball career I mean he was noted to
be fasting while he was playing playoff
games right and he still he's known he's
bought a big building in Houston has a
Masjid there so I think the rewards from
Allah to these people in this country
are enormous so I would just encourage
him to come back to Allah not to say
he'd left but to if he if he did come
across any experiences like that that
left him feeling you know discouraged
that to understand that the truth is
still the truth that good feeling of
what he said at the beginning of that
interview I'm not you know I'm
accountable to the one who created me
and to take his resources and get with
the good company like we mentioned
perhaps he can even come on this show
absolutely that would be good you know
and then you know actually it'd be real
good since you guys have that fighting
history go downstairs and train with you
guys yeah but I just think that the
rewards for those people who've reached
it such a notoriety with the law because
he knows Allah knows the the barriers
you have to overcome to practice a
religion with from those type of
statuses I just get amazed when the
gifts that Allah gives people when the
intelligence to see a person he
appreciates those gifts and then
realizes that everything comes at a cost
you are not just going to be given the
spotlight and not you think you're not
going to be questioned about it what did
you do with it right Mohammed I lead the
Muslim American Hero was a great example
of that he never shied away and people
don't know how much of his life that's
why he's remembered to this day so the
Mike Tyson's and the Habib's and many of
these people who are out there we try to
encourage them not to forget that you
want to leave a legacy allow don't care
about your belts he don't care about
your doing like a thousand different
shows for the dunya and for promoting
this fight and that a lot of it it's
questionable even if you're supposed to
be doing
we're not talking about that but the
thing is what good are you gonna leave
behind that you're gonna be remembered
because you like everyone else is gonna
die what is the true legacy that's
transferable from this life to the next
day you will be honored not disgraced in
the next life
subhanAllah brother that is the exact
topic in sha Allah be hidden a letter to
Allah by the permission of God Almighty
that I'm gonna talk about on Friday you
can elaborate mention exactly what
inshallah is the obligation of Leegin
leaving a legacy because a lot of times
you hear professional athletes and
people say oh I want to leave a legacy
but when you understand that if you're a
big if you're obliged to do something
it's obligatory it changes the whole
dynamics of how you approach it and
we've all been giving talents unique
abilities in fact we've all have
greatness that emanates from within us
cuz we come from a law right in there
lillahi wa inna ilayhi rajion we all
come from God Almighty and it's to him
we are returning no one can deny that
regardless of what your belief is we all
came from God we didn't we didn't create
ourselves and we're gonna dine we're
going back to him so what is it that's
the question what is it that we're going
to leave behind right we've been given
intellect we've been given the ability
to speak we've been given the ability to
love we've been given kids to love we've
been given food to eat
that's delicious different types of food
we've been given given given given what
is it that we're going to do and to
leave behind to show as a proof we were
grateful there's one thing to say a
hamdulillah all praise and thanks are
due to God Almighty that's what we mean
when we say alhamdulillah right but as a
proof that when we are no longer here
you know brother Eddie was here how do
we know oh he did this the Deen show is
here this is a legacy right and all the
video footage and all the people you
have interviewed and all the people who
have listened and all the people who
have been inspired and all the people
who may have left or who
didn't have time to get to wherever but
they can just click a button on YouTube
and get some inspiration that's feeding
your legacy you're not here and we ask
Allah to accept it I mean right so we
have to do something with our talents it
doesn't even have to be anything
grandiose it could be that we raise our
children to understand who Allah is that
could be a legacy I mean really
understand that especially once again
living in this country to have a kid
that understands I won't get taken into
the world and and drowned out that
you're just raising a righteous kid that
says I believe in the law right
something that we've done we put forth
the effort and sacrifice to say you know
what God Almighty I'm thankful for that
for everything you've given me and let
me leave this behind you know could be
publishing a book you know it could be
an orphanage whatever there's so many
things we can do to help our fellow
human beings felt help our fellow
Muslims before we leave because we don't
know when we're leaving
in fact one last thing on this point it
should scare the daylights out of us
that the Angel of Death comes before we
were able to do it that should scare us
because we don't know when it's going to
happen and we are going to be held
accountable I gave you education I gave
you the ability to think I gave you the
capacity to help another human being
feel come to Allah what did you do with
it and if we our answer is nothing that
should scare us yeah it should
absolutely I bring up Mohammed Ali
because he was not only that one of the
greatest athletes inside the ring but
outside he stood for the saying is if
you don't stand for something you'll
fall for anything and many people are
scared nowadays and is growing
Islamophobia too to talk about Islam to
talk about the the sponsor your Creator
who gave you all these abilities to be
able to do everything that you're able
to do Muhammad Hollywood when people
would come this is just one interesting
and amazing thing people would come to
get his autograph yeah you know what he
would do my teacher would tell me he
would go into his triple ie Islamic
Institute of it
education he would get up these
pamphlets like what Islam says about
Jesus that's a commonality many people
don't know that we love Jesus is a
mighty messenger we believed that he was
an aside the Word of God and all these
things that people like while you do so
he would sign his autograph and then
give it so people would now go ahead and
get educated because through education
that is what's going to empower people
hopefully to clear up some of this junk
that's in their mind right
not necessarily they're gonna come
accept this on us up to the crater but
now we have more of a friend than a fool
because people are scared they're scared
of Muslims
I mean scared of Islam and that's where
the division the hate and the wars right
so now you as a celebrity you have a
responsibility yes to be a vest normal
character and to share this information
the least that you can do right with a
spotlight right not just to promote your
name and what and what comes after that
legacy I would say legacy is very very
very very important and the thing is too
it takes attention away from from from
yourself because you're doing it for
something the highest humbles humble coz
you can get arrogant okay get very very
arrogant real fast
in fact Allah says in the Quran he's
saying about be aware of those who were
so caught up in themselves that Allah
made them forget themselves super power
it's an amazing verse from the Quran
like you see people who live in the
world very selfishly like they just they
come out into the world and the first
thing is what can I take what can you
give me and they're always taking taking
taking so you would think based on that
these are the people who would have the
most but you find those are the people
who are the most impoverished yes right
it's it's one of those things where it's
like where you find those who are coming
into the world what can I give to the
universe today how can i impact my
fellow human being who needs to be fed
who can I give a little bit of knowledge
to who needs some assistance how can I
help how how how right and if you're if
you're wired that way and you're doing
it legitimately because you want you
know a law to be to accept it you know
this is just a good thing to do then
you'll find the abundance in your life
you know so definitely it's very very
important to do that
as we come to an end talk to us this is
a great example of the rest of your
story now so now you accept you accept
Islam let's go from from from there
we're wrapping it up and then you can
talk to us that you started an
organization now you're starting in the
in the beginning processes and it's
going to start to launch now right so
let's let's finish up your story what
was it at the end that you finally you
took your Shahada declaration and then
to where you right now right so as we
said earlier when you take Shahada again
there's a there's a reconciliation
process that goes that takes place but I
had like what I would call like a
20-year incubation period where I had
two ended up going to medical school
when I was 36 after I had my MBA I
worked in the health administration
field for about eight years I knew I
always wanted to be a physician I wasn't
quite sure it was going to work out but
hamdullah did work out for myself and I
was able to get funded which is very
inspirational story by Muslim
cardiologist dr. Sohail Engine who lives
in Las Vegas successful cardiologists
who knew me from just attending the
Masjid we spent you know very little
time together but Allah gave him the
generosity in his heart he helps a lot a
lot of students so during that 20-year
period however I was witnessing and
wanting to help but I had no resources
you know you have to go out and educate
yourself and get yourself established in
the world but I would go to fundraisers
and I would want to give money and I
didn't have any money I would see I
would see projects being implemented or
things I wish would be implemented but
weren't being implemented I can't wait
can't wait until I'm able to do
something so hamdulillah finally I was
able to finish all the years of my
medical training and I've been working
for a few years now as an independent
you know physician and we meaning my
family and close friends were able to
start a nonprofit organization it's
called a more Enda Islamic service
foundation and
it's based on emphasis on service you
know giving good good service and our
motto is serving mankind one deed at a
time because we don't know which deed is
going to be accepted and a lot of times
we think it has to be some grandiose big
deed or lots of money we accept
donations of five and ten dollars one of
our programs that's in place now is
called a healthy provisions program
where it's composed of three components
the first of which is we give grocery
relief to families two consecutive
months at a time
hum delight is going very well we they
get a good portion of food that lasts
them for the month and they get it for
two consecutive months the other
component is we prepare hot meals to
give to people in need we have partnered
with the Ronald McDonald House in Miami
Florida Jackson Memorial Hospital and
this is also a good source of dollar
because we come in a job we come in
phobes good manners good healthy food
and that's it and we leave once a month
we do that and the other component of it
is we keep a pantry of food
non-essential food grocery items as well
as foods for people who may need it so
we're small now when charlo will be
growing and the other program that's
going to be launching in this fall in
October in fact that's what we heading
out to Las Vegas to get lay the
groundwork is a scholarship program the
same doctor Anjem it's called the engine
Scholars Program so in the spirit of his
helping me finished medical school I
felt inclined to help other students and
so we're going to start a scholarship
for Muslim students kay all the way up
through graduate school K through 12
will be need-based we've give $1,000 per
year and high school students to be
$1000 per year and graduate students to
be $2,500 per year for seven students
$10,000 each I mean ten thousand dollars
a year to fund seven students and it's a
unique program because it's not where
you give a scholarship and send them on
their way once you're in every year it's
renewable as
as you fit the criteria and so very
happy to launch this and again this is
another example of leaving a legacy
because dr. Anne Jim planted the seed of
funding me altered the total course of
my life I couldn't have finished
medicals I couldn't have gone to medical
school without that assistance and Allah
helped him to do that so he has amassed
a certain economic status and wealth and
he was kind enough to help fund my
education now my family we had to live a
life that I probably would have never
been able to live without him so while
he's sleeping in Las Vegas I'm taking
care of patients there right helping
other people so you see the
multiplication and effect of doing good
deeds and so I'm happy to do that and
looking forward to continuing that
effort we just ask Allah to help us and
this is how we make legacies while we're
here yes right right and this is Islam
in action now exactly because Islam is
is this is what it allows the crater is
calling us to to be people of action of
doing good deal and good deeds in fact
the word itself Muslim is an active
participle one who is actively
submitting to the Creator yeah right so
this has really been so how can people
again if they want to go ahead and be a
part to help out yeah so our website is
WWF Inc dot o-r-g go on there you can
see what we're doing we posted we have
another program we have Muslim families
get together once a month
call fudger on the beach it's very nice
you know from that old from back in
their doing year they have things called
sex on the beach we have budget on the
beach so exactly we've had two we've
just finished our second month of it and
it's beautiful brother people can go on
the website and see the pictures about
30 families come out with our you know
wives and kids and pray fudger on the
beach I love the beach yeah it's very
nice best yet the sunrise and then have
some refreshments healthy food do a
little exercise and then go on with our
day I love the water the calm is a
calming effect
I can imagine print right there print
next time you come make sure it's the
first if we do it the first Saturday of
each month
uh-huh it's gonna be all going okay so
we visit down there in Florida Boca yeah
Boca Raton is where we live yeah yes
absolutely
okay you guys can join anyone who comes
in can join and maybe visit the the
mustard there if yeah let's say you're
in that area and you want to lose it you
want to learn about a salon learn about
Muslims meet the Muslims experience this
they can where's this moisture that this
is well the Masjid ride 10 is Islamic
community about Boca ratone ICB are in
Boca Raton but you know South Florida
southeastern Florida we're such a small
community that's even though it's large
spread out geographically but all the
messages sort of you know we know each
other from all the message it's down
there in the Imam I've had him on the
program of you know fati yeah yeah my
salon I will I will
yeah yes he recently lost his father to
inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi Rajan back
in Algeria but good thing is he was able
to go home to Algeria this summer and
spent some time with him before he
passed
given my son I will and insha'Allah
grant his father Jinnah I mean and bless
you in the community there I mean yeah
and thank you guys for tuning in to the
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