we're seeing Putin he's actually kissing
the Quran so don't the Serbian leaders
from here
like my father used to say son when you
die there's nothing you know they just
put you two meters down in in the ground
the warm seat you and that's it my
father was a was a serban Orthodox
religion I was looking a little bit that
the Trinity was something that I
couldn't comprehend he's literally
kissing the Quran what does that
symbolize the
the
[Music]
the you're a great example we were just
talking and you were explaining your
name you did right away a name change so
people from these parts if I say Petr
they would identify you as what
nationality probably serbs that's
without a doubt without a doubt yeah
they 100% say this guys not a Muslim I
was going on the streets of Saro years
back and I had my um guest Marco and we
were saying Marco guess what religion he
is and everybody was guessing Croatian
Marco croan Marco Marco Marco Marco
Catholic so we if we did the same thing
here we're in mustard now you think uh
people would go ahead and identify you
with uh Serb for sure for sure if you
mention that name for sure now the name
that is changed they definitely say it's
a Muslim let's get right into that
because uh why did you change your name
cuz you technically you don't have to
change your name becoming a Muslim
exactly yeah I didn't know it at the
time so when I was doing my my you know
personal research and things I was in my
head thinking okay so if I just change
my name that's it mhm you know I'm I'm
definitely become going to become the
Muslim because like you see like you
mentioned when you identify somebody
through the name right I was like yeah
when I have the Muslim name people will
you know definitely know I'm Muslim now
yeah that's what I thought that's just
my thoughts at the time okay obviously
uh you know people identified like the
beard the name all these things are part
of Islam but they're not Islam meaning
that there's something even more
important when you get to that exactly
we don't exclude any of these things
like the hijab all these things okay but
now what led you to the point that now
you were like okay I want to be a Muslim
I want to worship the Creator not the
creation that tohe that pure monotheism
that's the most important crust of the
matter but even before you get to that
purpose of life why why youve been
created while you're here you started
something clicked why did it click yeah
um definitely I was thinking a lot about
what happens when you die I was 100%
sure it can be even though like I
mentioned I came from 8s background um
my mother is a Muslim but she never
prayed or or do anything like that
they're Communists here and you know
like whoever knows little bit about ex
Yugoslavia they know it's communist
country Tito and stuff so everybody love
Tito right um how how hard I mean I
later on found out things how hard was
for Muslims when they were living in the
time of Tito right um so yeah I was
definitely it can be my father used to
say son when you die there's nothing you
know they just put you two M down in in
the ground the worms eat you and that's
it there's nothing after that and as I
grow up I I definitely started to
believe this can't be life it doesn't
make any sense to me so that's another
example because your father was Orthodox
Serbian but he was saying when you go in
the ground you're going to just be worm
food yeah so he didn't actually believe
nothing yeah him and mother both were
just believe in nothing you know and
your mother was technically Muslim yes
that's another ex she's born and raised
in Muslim family when I say Muslim you
know they they were not practicing the
uh the Islam right yeah so that's a
really important point you can be born
Serb or Orthodox or Muslim but at the
end of the day you end up an atheist no
practice behind it yeah but you're now
asking yourself what's the purpose of
life you're thinking about death the
reality of death what happens from there
yeah I was I was so scared thinking
about death for some reason that it was
you know like fear would go all over my
body I was so afraid thinking about it
so I started to research a little bit
about religions
what they say about afterlife is their
life after this world because I
somewhere deep in myself I knew you know
like it this can't be it it doesn't make
sense that you just live and die and
that's it what with somebody who dies if
he's a little baby or 10 years old or it
doesn't make sense mhm that's what I
thought at the time and little by little
I started to uh I mean I was I was ready
with some friends who are Muslims their
parents are not uh
praying all the time but we gather for
da most of the time as a kids yes and I
would go to mosque as a kid to uh to
pray Aid just because all the kids were
doing it I was like yeah I'm going to do
it so I was already praying I didn't
know how to pray I didn't know what to
say I was just you know going to Ru and
to SDA just looking somebody next to me
and the older people will be like oh he
was in the mosque you know and they they
were happy for me and stuff like that me
searching through
all the books the internet and and stuff
I found a couple of videos that they say
what happens when you die as a Muslim
for me was already enough I was you know
gaining some hope now that it's going to
the way I thought it is I want to show
you a clip here and I believe this is
from a Orthodox Serb so for those people
cuz that was going to be my next
question what and why didn't you go
towards the Orthodox because your father
even though he was an orthodox Serbian
why didn't you go towards that belief
and did you investigate it so I'm going
to show you this video and get your
reaction to it and then people we're
going to help people understand what
actually are the teachings
also is he saying that uh Jesus peace be
upon Him is Serbian and God is Serbian
yes something like that yes because does
they believe right is that actually what
they believe yes yes same like
Christians they believe that Jesus is
God yeah right but here we have two
things that he's God and he has a
nationality is that correct yes I can
truly I didn't even know that uh when I
was doing my research that was the
things that were complicated to me this
was one of the things that I just
actually found out while I was here I
mean obviously we know that people of
this Faith many they believe and this is
not to disparage on anybody's religion
or anything we're just giving a contrast
here and helping people understand uh
things better because a lot of times it
the majority of people they reject this
because it's a part like you did a part
of the it's not a part of the innate
disposition to worship a human being or
anything in creation it's not part of
the fitra but here now they're saying
God has a nationality that he's actually
of Serbian origin yes it's it's you know
it's how they how they do here like this
specific Balan is literally specific
place so everybody body is like that
researching and listening this stuff
before I accepted Islam is my my
Consciousness just naturally reject this
because I just can't comprehend how for
for example when I was looking into
Christianity uh how God can be Trinity
it doesn't make any sense and like you
said this is not to insult anybody or
just it's just my personal point of view
at that time I was like confused and
more you ask on any forums or you go to
ask somebody who's uh
know something about Christianity he's
going to say you asking too much
questions yeah and I realize they they
don't have the answer yeah I I even go
above and beyond and say this is out of
our love love for Christians uh cians
Humanity out there that we want them to
come to the same truth ex it's it's it's
literally this is not out any hate or
malice definitely not it's just like if
you if you be a normal person not
limited and open your heart really to
the truth and when you're alone or
whenever you feel like it if you say God
please give me the guidance I'm 100%
convinced you'll end up like me no
Trinity God is one unique and no
nationality he's not Croatian Serbian
Bosnian Allah the Creator he's free from
those things that people invented for
sure yes he's the greatest that's that's
something when I when I self-criticism I
would say when I see that I'm doing
mistakes and stuff I just realize how
Allah great is and that's what I like to
do is show for the the Serbian audience
to the catian that Islam transcends
nationalism that you could be a Serb and
you become a Muslim you don't have to
change you don't have to change your
name your last name you don't have to
change anything your nationality exactly
stay Ser ex submit to God not a trinity
or a god with a nationality exactly or
somebody who's doing it for the sake of
the money or to control people and this
and that so just be God's slave and
that's it that's beautiful yeah so what
was the breaking point finally that had
you
go ahead and so you start asking what's
the purpose of life death is on your
mind what happens when you die what
happens next that you finally ended up
realizing look Islam is the truth did
you go and so you went back and
investigated Orthodox Trinity that
didn't fit did it make sense yes yes I I
I I investigated almost everything
Hinduism like every single religion I
could think of and find I was reading
doesn't make sense okay this is not it
you really did your homework yeah like
this is not it yeah like I would I would
take something read just couple words
and I was this is not it mhm then this
and that and I was like I say doing
first because my father was a was a
serban Orthodox religion I was looking a
little bit that they have you know some
close stuff with with the Christians
just some different dates for example of
the Christmas and this and that little
bit different beliefs but the Trinity
was something that I couldn't comprehend
I was asking myself if God wanted us to
have religion and it's from him he will
explain it to uh to smallest pieces so
understand it if he's inviting you you
need to understand it yes because you
cannot just go blindly into something
right you need to understand what you're
doing and I couldn't understand whatever
I do I I just can't understand Trinity
it doesn't make sense and why would God
die for me and you for my sins and yours
it's not somebody else's fault if I do a
sin that that's what I I was thinking so
it didn't make sense and whenever I ask
somebody or post anything on any Forum
or Internet I was just confused so
confused you think there's a lot of
serbs and Croatian others out there
people who are not Muslim yet that are
also going through the same struggles
and then they get shut down when they go
ask their hires yeah maybe that I I I
think the most the problems is with with
the families the family Sears are very
strict so it's it's not strange case if
you say oh I'm reading if you say this
to your parents like creation or Ser
that's I'm I'm convinced of like that
you're going into the Islam and stuff
because you know the war in in Bosnia
that happened with all the religions
with all the people the parents will say
to that guy just go out from the house
or they'll kick him out go out we we
don't want to hear about you you want to
be a Muslim go away what do you think uh
so then what led you you started to read
the Quran yes I was I was at the moment
living okay life I would say people in
Bosnia here
unfortunately um didn't educate
themselves high enough to understand
Islam right and and I was one of them so
I would even though I would believe in
God I would be working just to go out on
the weekends and drink and stuff you
know and smoke weed with the friends and
just do the things like everybody else
is doing like let's say so if you don't
do that you're not accepted in in
society today you know what I'm
saying so I was thinking often about
those things that I'm doing that it's
not right it's it doesn't make sense
right it's it's not natural for you to
uh to
work all day all for for the whole week
and spend money on alcohol or or the vi
or whatever you want to do right it just
doesn't make sense so I started to feel
sorry first I'm doing that and I was
like yeah Islam forbids the gambling
drugs alcohol I just need to you know do
my research about that more to
see how can I stop all that and doing
doing those that research I came up to
videos of Dr Zaki Nike and his videos
convinced me 100% like I had
99.9% Consciousness that there's a God
yes but I didn't understand him for
example why am I without some things
like good job or I'm missing some some
money to take care of my family and this
and that and some guy that I know he's a
criminal he has the house the car and
everything I just couldn't understand
yes so when I started to read
translation of the
Quran correct me if I'm wrong there's
there's ay that says don't worry about
them look look about yourself yes it's
curse of theirs yeah they they're blind
they just shaan made them that they
think that is beautiful thing what they
doing right yeah and I was like wow this
is
literally Creator saying to me you you
don't need to worry about him it's
something totally different and more I
was I was reading like more answers I
got on on almost everything the Quran is
giving you those answers everything and
I was I was like I I just couldn't
believe yeah I was like I don't know how
how how is this possible you think more
people should read read the Quran
definitely at at least like I say if if
you really want to find the guidance
just read the translation beautiful
advice I was speaking to uh one Serb who
also accepted Islam uh and for our
Serbian neighbors friends and croatians
Islam just means uh to submit your will
to the will of God and he was in belgrad
and he was giving out qurans in ch in
the in the language yes yes and he he
was saying this he was in belgrad and he
was saying that people were receptive
they were very open to taking the Quran
from him and it seemed like they were
pleased accept yeah they were interested
yes I I think internet can be bad but
there's also good thing for for Dava of
course I say people see some things
themselves now yeah it's not that media
can do their thing not anymore because
you you for now for example you have
people from Gaza right now who are
sending you videos of the truth nobody
can say on the on the news now oh
there's a Muslim that doing wars there
no it's and all everywhere in the world
so you went from family of turned who
turned atheism you dabbled atheism for
some time searching the purpose of life
you read the Quran you investigate all
the different religions you realize this
is the truth what do you think if
someone who got one of these qurans if
he served for example uh if one of their
parents found this in their Quran would
you think they would kiss it as a holy
book or throw it out what would they do
and I'll tell you why I'm asking if they
would kiss it yeah um I'm not sure I
think if if they're not Muslims they
definitely start asking questions would
they would they throw out why you have
this what is the purpose of this are you
reading it this and that those that are
a little bit I say heads with their
heads more into the world they'll
probably throw it out the reason I ask
you that I want to ask if you saw this
video and this is not an endorsement of
any person uh party or anyone but it's
just very interesting video because I
believe that the servs from here they
look up to uh certain Orthodox
Christians from this area from this
person in this video we're seeing Putin
he's actually kissing the Quran so don't
the Serbian leaders from here like doik
and others don't they respect him highly
he's almost like their uh leader in a
way sense is it full a sin it is it is
yeah it is now this probably doesn't
make sense to them I guess you know what
so he's kissing the Quran they should
follow now and kiss the Quran no he's
paying some respect yes yes if if they
would treat like that yeah I don't think
they will kiss it no no I don't think
they will accept it even read it I mean
do you think they'll a different
perception now that hold on okay this is
he's literally kissing the Quran what
does that symbolize he's showing an
ultimate respect to the Quran yes like
you mentioned they should they should
respect it too but they they're not but
this is their Putin yes yes I guess they
don't follow the
Putin it's just fake news fake news huh
I thought that was very interesting so
at least they should like if they don't
want to kiss it would you recommend at
least open it up at least open it up and
read read the first page yeah see it for
yourself yeah I was amazed when you
mentioned the first page when it says
this is the book there's no doubt about
no doubt about what you just said this
is right there in the first page of the
Quran I was like okay let's let's see
mhm and more I went into it it was I I
pretty much got everything I asked
myself I got answer for it and I was
like yeah I just need to uh I just need
to become a Muslim but like I mentioned
I didn't know anybody I didn't know how
you actually became Muslim I thought
before that if you just change your name
that's it yes you become Muslim
automatically tell us a little bit about
the um the war you were here as a
seven-year-old when the war started and
you talked about being separated from
your father talk about the war a little
bit and how that was at that time so
when it started we were all together it
was it was uh when it started 1991 I
believe so I wasn't even finishing the
first is it called first grade I don't
know how how you guys say that un States
so we were on on vacations and the war
started we were together and our house
here was destroyed but but we had
another apartment that my father got um
and it's it's it's on controlled uh the
area was controlled after after it
started war with Creations that was the
uh the area that controlled by by them
right so since our house was destroyed
we went there and the people were still
going on the lines as a soldiers it was
not shooting it was it was come couple
years later but people are still going
over there and when it started with with
the croatians
my father and my sister were uh in in
the in the Bosnian Army here so when
when it started we were separated
automatically they put the lines and
barricades and we didn't know anything
what's going on with them and and we had
the luck um they were taking all the
people who are uh not uh croatians from
their homes putting them in the trucks
put them in prisons and when they came
to my house uh my brother was already uh
without the leg he lost the leg in the
war before and these five or six
soldiers came into our house and uh said
to my mother we know that your husband
and your daughter and your son they were
all in the army that we fight against
where are they and they start asking
questions like that and my mother said I
don't know we we don't know anything
about it and in that moment my brother
is waking up and he's coming out of the
room and the guy who was asking the
questions was actually his friend they
went to school together W and he said
is that you my friend and they recognize
each other and we had that luck that he
said nobody will touch you I'll I'll
make sure that you're protected and they
didn't throw us out later on uh he gave
us the paper that like this family is
under my protection nobody can touch
them so when when I think now about it
it it was nothing but mercy of Allah
that saved us over there because
everybody who was Muslim and in the
opposite Army were cleared off it was
literally I was walking as a alone over
there there was empty streets empty
Apartments mhm everything stolen so much
clothes on the streets you know the Army
would just stay with with a big truck
they take TVs videos the old VHS if you
remember the fridges Electronics usually
they rob everything and they just left
so we are basically there and just
creations nobody else for those who
really haven't heard much about don't
know much about what happened here why
why was there a war here I think because
because people for some reason didn't
like to live with each other even though
you're Muslim
Serb creation does doesn't matter some
crazy heads thought you know we're going
to divide this country and take for
ourselves mhm that's how it started yeah
thankfully it didn't work uh tell us uh
before we conclude what other advice
would you give for somebody who's a
serve who's catian who's whatever
ethnicity is out there but they're also
having a problem they're trying to fill
this void in their heart they' partied
they've done drugs they've had enough of
the alcohol uh they've been to all the
nightclubs out there or anything else
problem how to do it and anything else
you know that you can imagine they've
some of them they've experienced
everything but they still have that void
you were there you had a void the void
is filled for sure for sure no doubt
about it no doubt about what advice
would you give for him definitely just
to start reading translation of the
Quran I I'm 100% convinced that you'll
get your answers over there and start
from there but when you read it read it
with the open mind mhm don't listen the
media and people say the Islam is
Terrorism the Muslims always make
problems this and that that's just
propaganda that is you know out there to
to show people the opposite of Islam
Islam is not like that like you
mentioned daddy in Islam there's no race
it doesn't matter if you're black if
you're white if you yellow if it's just
about worshiping one
Creator who created everything and it's
for your own sake you don't creator
doesn't need you right you need him and
if you just open your mind like that and
start searching and looking to feel that
weight in your heart with with love and
passion and to realize that really there
is somebody who created everything and
there's there is a life this life is
just a test there is a life after
this you can't die anymore after that so
you just need to think about it do you
really want because of worldly things
like alcohol and and drugs and clubbing
and stuff to be in Eternal fire forever
when you have a choice to just you know
take a bath take the Quran translation
of it and just read it with open mind
don't think about what people say about
Muslims just read it yourself and start
from there uh how about what do you say
to uh Muslims who are I've had
experience someone would say look
they'll have a picture of their
great-grandfather on the wall and
they have the Quran up there and they're
like you know this is my
great-grandfather but himself he's not
praying he's not implementing Islam yes
but but he would die the the one of D
said here how how education is is so
important that there was a scene in war
when the Muslim guy wanted to protect
the mosque from from the people people
who wanted to destroy it he went on the
on the minet all all the way up with his
kid and he's swearing Allah to them not
to touch the mosque wow but he's
protecting his life and his kid life he
is prepared to die but he doesn't know
what to do so so I would always say
thankfully now we have so so much
materials over the Internet there's
there's people who are organizing for
everything for us that you can just go
and listen and and learn just try to
learn and educate yourself more about it
because doesn't make sense that that you
know that you call yourself Muslim and
you don't pray uh another thing we can
take from this example I mean when you
see the Putin kissing the Quran putting
it up you have some Muslims also they'll
kiss the Quran put it up but never read
it read the book also read it if you're
a Muslim is there for you it's for
everybody read the book and implement
the book live the book yes uh I I my
wife sent me uh one interesting video
today when when they're explaining like
when you read Quran just close your eyes
and just
hold the finger on Quran and imagine
your head this that I have finger right
now is something that God said this is
words from Allah so when you start
reading it try to understand what you're
reading yes not to be like I'm just
going to read one page because you know
it's
nice you just need to start thinking
about it and and definitely my advice to
people who want to to do research start
thinking with your own head lot of
lessons here uh from atheism to seeking
the purpose of life from transcending
nationalism to coming to the submission
of the Creator not the creation in Islam
you're a shining example of that thank
you very much for being with us here on
the dean show thank you so much I
appreciate
you so what we're doing now is got some
volunteers helping us to get these pewes
out with the hard work of Eddie this is
more than just a Masid that's being
built this is more than just another
dawa Center so we transforming this from
people worshiping the creation to
worshiping the Creator Allah bless your
efforts
Eddie I cannot leave without giving you
a gift if you're not yet Muslim and you
tuneing in to see what these Muslims are
talking about and you like a free copy
of the Quran go ahead and visit theen
show.com we'll take care of the postage
and everything and get it delivered to
you and if you still have some questions
about Islam call us at 1 800
662 4752 we'll see you next time until
then peace be with you assalam alaykum
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