Abdur-Raheem McCarthy – Filippino deceived to be Muslim
AI: Summary ©
The speakers discuss the importance of giving da absorption to Filipinos, particularly those who are Muslims. They stress the need to understand their customs and beliefs and avoid topics that are not related to the law of God. The speakers also emphasize the importance of learning and studying before committing to Islam, avoiding certain topics, and being a clean and clean person in Islam. They also mention struggles with their past and desire to return to their previous country. The Da' centers in Qatar are seen as opportunities to learn about the community and use them as an opportunity to learn about the community.
AI: Summary ©
We're blessed today to have our dear brother,
Romeo, who is Julius.
I speak Arabic.
I'm a Filipino.
Obviously people want to know why you accepted
Islam.
They took you to the masjid.
You didn't know you're going to the masjid.
Oh no, it's a masjid.
I not accept Islam seriously.
He said you're greedy.
Why?
Why am I greedy?
And only I can do is to give
you food to eat.
You don't.
I try that.
I was abandoned.
You were abandoned.
Yeah, because I accept a Muslim.
So there's a very emotional story that I'll
share with you guys.
It brought me to tears.
How many times did you worship God?
I don't know.
If you're really God, let me in the
list.
I don't know how can I pay back
Allah to all the blessings that he gave
to me.
Yeah, until now.
Bismillah ar-Rahman ar-Raheem.
Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah.
We're blessed today to have our dear brother,
Romeo, with us.
And before we get into who is Juliet,
we need to know we have Romeo, so
we need to know who Juliet is.
Romeo is from the dua'at from my
era, Alhamdulillah, in the Philippines.
And obviously, people want to know why you
accepted Islam.
But what we're doing in most of our
podcasts with our guests is we're leaving that
towards the end.
Because sometimes we go deep into the story
about how someone became Muslim, and we don't
focus on the more important things.
So what we really want to know is
about the da'wah in the Philippines.
And also, there's a very emotional story that
I'll share with you guys in a bit,
inshallah.
It brought me to tears, mashallah, with the
brother here, a story we'll mention, inshallah, and
a bit later, inshallah.
So tell us about the da'wah in
the Philippines.
How is the da'wah in the Philippines?
Bismillah.
Alhamdulillah, the da'wah in the Philippines is
really amazing.
Because all the Filipinos, you know that they
are so religious.
So when you are making da'wah to
them, it's easy to embrace Islam.
Alhamdulillah.
And this is something, and it's one of
the main questions I want to ask you.
I noticed here in the Gulf, Qatar and
other Gulf countries, that the nationality that embraces
Islam the most, and very quickly actually.
So what do you think the reason is
behind that?
Why are they so accepted to Islam, into
Islam so easily?
One thing is, for me, because they believe
in one God, but they don't know what
is the correctness of God.
If you explain it clearly and simple with
logic, example, they will accept it easily.
Alhamdulillah.
I use that Jesus is not God, using
the logic question that, is Mary a human
or God?
And then they will answer, a human.
So if she gets birthed, is a human
or God?
They will accept that, oh, right.
That's why we use that.
Alhamdulillah, it makes sense.
Yeah, it makes sense.
Really, it makes sense.
A simple question that makes sense.
And then if they still believe that Jesus
is a God, I use another logic question
that, if Jesus is a God, he's a
baby, right?
Then did you believe that God is the
almighty creator and the powerful?
So if Jesus is a God, when he
is a baby, he can lift a pool
of water, a pail of water?
No.
See?
If he is a God, he can lift
anything.
But God can create the earth, the moon,
everything.
That one is, you should worship the most
powerful.
I use that in this, when I was
assigned in Sukwaki.
Yeah, I use this all the, since I
was assigned in Sukwaki in Qatar, subhanallah, every
night I got Shahada.
Alhamdulillah.
Since you've been here, mashallah, and several people
I saw have accepted Islam, mashallah, through your
dawah, how many people have accepted Islam thus
far, as you were here in Qatar, mashallah?
When I got in, when I was assigned
in Sukwaki, that I started, facilitated, almost I
got, I think 40 plus, 45 plus.
45 plus, allahu akbar.
Allahu akbar.
And the last Shahada that I facilitated, this
is my first ever dawah using English language.
Okay, mashallah.
Yeah, yeah.
So all the Shahada were in Filipino?
Yeah, it's so, I don't know if I
can deliver it right.
In English.
Clearly, and simple.
But alhamdulillah, with the help of Allah.
So where was the person from?
Ghana.
Ghana, okay, mashallah.
Allahu akbar.
They accept easily.
Because I directly, directly simple and logic, allahu
akbar, they accept already.
Very good, mashallah.
And with the help of doctora.
Yeah, she was there, mashallah.
Yeah, help me to speak more in English.
She's very active, may Allah bless her, mashallah.
Now, when it comes to giving, one of
the things that I've always had in my
mind, when it comes to giving dawah to
the Filipinos, is that there's something, it's something
I came up with, I don't know how
true it is or not, that the fact
that they're originally Muslims, obviously they were forced
to convert to Christianity when Spain came and
took over the Philippines, but originally all of
them were Muslims.
Do you think this has anything to do
with it?
Yeah, yeah, we can use that, but in
our, in my experience, and using by AYERA
platform, I'm using GORA.
This is the style, but I'm saying, I'm
talking about what's in like their genes, their
forefathers were Muslims.
So do you think that there's something inside
that has, I don't know, this is something
I've always thought about because so many of
them accept Islam.
So do you think maybe that has anything
to do with it?
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
It could.
It could.
Because sometimes when I'm, as being a convert,
when I heard that, it make more believing
to Islam.
Excellent.
You can, your words about that.
Mashallah.
But I use it, always the tawhid.
Okay.
So now, what is the best way to
give dawah to the Filipino?
Obviously, we know it's easy or easier than
other nationalities, but nonetheless, and this is what
I've done, when Salman came from Japan, Eddie
from Brazil, Sheikh Isa Garcia from Argentina, Columbia.
What is the best way to give dawah
to these individuals?
And this is very important.
The foundation we have in the Hadith of
Mu'adh, when the Prophet, peace be upon
him, sent him to Yemen, he said, that
you're going to come to the people of
the book.
So it's very important to understand the med
'u, the person you're giving dawah to, what
is their customs, what is their belief system,
you know, how do you give dawah to
them, what do you not use to stay
away from when you give dawah to them.
So it's important as us, if it dies
as well, that we don't just have a
general thing.
Okay, they're Christians, so we're giving dawah to
Christians.
That's only one aspect.
But the Filipino Christian is not like the
Colombian Christian.
It's not like the Mexican Christian, okay?
It's not like the African Christian.
There could be similarities, right?
But there's differences as well.
So what's the best way?
If we're going to focus on a couple
of things, we'll give dawah to the Filipino,
what should we focus on?
As I said earlier, because Filipino really love
Jesus Christ.
And the weakness of the Filipino is Jesus.
I use Jesus in the right position.
That's why I give an example about Mama
Mary, the power of God.
So when you use it, they will accept
it.
Because we believe that there's, in my experience,
all the Filipino believe in one God.
But they don't know who is the correct
God.
So that's the fitra that they have in.
It's one God, but you just have to
kind of clean up the fitra of it,
basically.
And then I use it also here in
Qatar, when I become a volunteer here.
I use the opportunity that you have here
in Islamic country.
I mentioned this to the brothers before, that
I think giving dawah in a Muslim country,
I don't want to say it gives you
the upper hand, maybe.
But the fact that you're here in a
Muslim country, it makes people more inclined to
listen to you.
So the visitors we had during the World
Cup who came, they wanted to listen.
Also, when you're having people who work with
you, Filipino, Indian, whatever it might be.
If you start to talk about Islam and
introduce them to Islam, they're more respectful to
that.
Because of the fact that they're living in
a Muslim country.
Some might listen out of respect, others want
to listen out of curiosity.
They just really want to know what Islam
is.
And I sat with one of the sheikhs
earlier from Saudi Arabia.
And he had a good experience giving dawah
to the workers, like security guards from Africa
and what have you.
So he found the same thing.
Actually, they wanted to listen.
So there's different reasons behind it.
But the fact that you're here, it opens
up a lot of good opportunities that we
wouldn't have in another country.
You are here in an Islamic country.
You know why you are here.
God gives you the opportunity to listen about
the teaching of Islam.
And I use it also, if you want
to be a just person, because in our
country, you're only one-sided.
Now, God is giving you the opportunity to
be two-sided.
Because when you are in a Christian country,
no, no, no, I'm a Christian already.
But when you're here, God is giving you
the opportunity to look at the other side,
the other side of religion, that is Islam.
Why don't you learn about this, and then
you will become a just person.
Because you will balance what is right and
what is wrong.
I use this one, and it's very effective.
Because I use that, this is the destiny
of God, why you are here.
Yes, it's very good, very powerful.
Any other tools we can use for Filipinos?
Yeah, every day I use that opportunity.
Look, these old people around you now are
very busy in this dunya.
How about for hereafter?
Do you think that you have time for
this?
Now, the whole day now, because the purpose
of God, why jinn and humans are created
is to worship Him.
Now, I'm asking you this day, how many
times did you worship God?
They worship, I don't know, one time, like
that.
So, they will listen to you, how important
it is that you are here in this
world.
Something else when it comes to the Filipinos,
maybe there's a softness towards them, a softness
in their hearts.
There's a very emotional story, I have the
video that you sent me, perhaps the brothers
can put it on the screen.
Which is the sister, she wasn't Muslim, I
don't know if you had talked to her
about Islam yet.
No, no, no.
After you talked to her, you didn't talk
to her about Islam.
No, no, no.
All she did was put on the abaya.
Yeah.
And she broke down to tears.
SubhanAllah.
The spirituality she felt, getting goosebumps thinking about
it.
Every time I see the video, I show
it to many brothers in different majares, I
say look, this is what happened.
She just broke down in tears at how
she felt.
Later she learned about Islam, she accepted Islam
later, alhamdulillah.
So, is there something with the Filipinos about
the softness, this or?
Yeah, I don't know, I want to tell
this story.
Yeah, tell it to everybody.
You know, that girl is only looking for
that Qatar guest and watching for the people
who are…
Then, I want to wear that hijab, that
abaya.
And then, when she put ready the abaya,
she cried.
What is this?
I don't know what's happening to me.
I don't know.
I want to be a Muslim.
When she said that, okay, after you wear
that, I will explain to you how to
become a Muslim.
And then she cried a lot.
She cried.
Yeah.
And then she said, I really want to
be a Muslim before, before.
Mashallah.
Alhamdulillah.
Alhamdulillah.
Filipinos are very soft-hearted when it comes
to religion.
Mashallah.
But the one thing that the Filipino
cannot accept Islam because of the family.
Because of the what?
Family.
Family, okay.
Yeah, because Filipinos are family-oriented.
So, there's another thing going back and it's
understanding the culture.
So, it's not just the religion.
And that's one of my main objectives from
this podcast is to get it out there
so the people working in da'wah can
understand.
Look, this works in America.
It works in the UK.
We're not very family-oriented there.
But it doesn't work in the Philippines because
of that.
So, how can we do to deal with
that?
Okay, so that's a barrier now between us
and them.
They're scared of what their family is going
to say.
They're scared about the backlash because of the
strong family ties.
What's the way around it?
I tell my story because I was abandoned.
You were abandoned.
Yeah, because I accepted Islam.
But I try to explain it.
This is the time you need to believe
it first, to believe one God.
And after you believe it, try to learn.
And if you have learned, you have got
knowledge, full of knowledge, you have now shield.
When you come back to the Philippines, you
have a shield.
If they say about Islam, you have a
knowledge, that is not like that.
Because the thing is, what people need to
understand, which is very important you're mentioning, is
that with the iman, and this is for
Muslims and also for new Muslims as well,
born Muslims or new Muslims, or Muslims who
are coming back to Islam or practicing, that
with your iman, when you learn about the
greatness of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala, you
learn about the basics of Islam.
It doesn't have to be in-depth knowledge.
You're making the effort to learn and learn
the basic fundamentals.
And the more you learn, the more you
increase your knowledge.
The deeper you go in knowledge, the higher
your iman is going to go.
The iman goes, then the yaqeen, the certainty
comes.
So that would be like you said, I
like the example, it becomes an automatic shield
to protect you.
Yeah, they will depend.
Exactly, it's beautiful.
Yeah, they will depend.
If I can't be a Muslim and then
go back to the Philippines without knowledge, I'm
not here now.
Subhanallah.
Yeah, I'm not here now.
Subhanallah.
We're going to come to that in a
minute inshallah, your story, how you accept Islam,
how you learn.
But before that, I want to mention as
well, what are some of the things that
we should avoid?
Because I like to always focus with the
brothers on how can I give dawah to
those people?
Also, what are the things I need to
avoid?
So I sat with Edmar earlier and we
had an interview with him about the downed
Brazil.
So avoid this, avoid that.
These things are going to be a problem
if you're going to give dawah to the
Philippines.
I think that one of the things, even
people going to the Philippines for dawah speak
English.
A lot of them speak English.
So that could be done.
But maybe if you're going to go there
or meeting Filipinos here in the Gulf, what
are the things you need to avoid?
Too much topics that are not related to
the law of Islam, hijab, the pork.
You divert it to the main topic, the
tawheed, the oneness of Allah, the revelation.
Make it sure that your book is the
word of God and the prophet, Muhammad.
Yes, this is very effective.
When I use it, because sometimes…
Ghorab.
Ghorab, yes, exactly Ghorab.
When I use it, you know, even if
they don't believe me, what I'm conveying, if
I say the revelation, they will accept it.
Why?
I make it sure that what I'm saying
is from the true God.
Because from Allah, Angel Gabriel, and then Prophet
Muhammad.
And Prophet Muhammad, Arabic, until my generation, I
speak Arabic.
I'm a Filipino.
Do you have evidence that you are now
from Jesus Christ, that you believe Jesus Christ?
So look for the book of Jesus Christ.
It's written to the language of Jesus Christ?
No.
Oh, how can you say this is the
right word of God?
And then, oh, problem.
So that's why Allah gave the last messenger,
because all the books are of God already.
They use that, and they are so effective,
alhamdulillah.
It's a very important thing, because I mean,
I think what a lot of non-Muslims,
they fear, they're the ahkam, the different rulings,
the halal, haram, and being forbidden.
And that's why it's important.
When you start with the foundation, like you
said, you start with tawheed, you start with
the basic fundamentals.
Those things become easier, or easier anyways, when
it comes to dealing with them, once you
have the strong foundation.
And that's why the Prophet, peace be upon
him, in his tarbiyah of the sahaba, and
even how Allah sent the Quran down, was
to remind us that things need to be
done gradually.
And you start with the most important thing.
Once you have the important thing, the tawheed,
that's why, if you look in the revelation,
how it came down, the 13 years in
Mecca, and then the 10 in Medina, it
didn't come down right away with all of
the halal and haram.
You know, the salat was made fard, before
the hijrah, two years before the hijrah.
But then, you know, the zakat, and the
hajj, and the fasting of Ramadan, all of
these things came further.
The other halal and haram, ahkam, or rulings,
they also were sent down in Medina.
But once the heart was made firm with
iman, then it was easy, leaving alcohol, easy,
because the iman was there.
But like it came in the hadith of
Aisha, when the Prophet, peace be upon him,
said to her, that if it came down
right to your people, do not drink alcohol,
do not fornicate.
They never left alcohol, they never left fornicating
because of the fact that, you know, it
was too early for them.
So the same thing, the same principles we
need to learn, like you mentioned now, and
people sometimes don't focus on that.
The same people, they're humans at the end.
The Quran was sent down to them in
the beginning of the da'wah, and then
it was sent down to people now.
So that same human being, that same person,
is going to have the same, you know,
way of dealing with it as well, and
not accepting.
So that's a very important point.
JazakAllah khair.
Now, inshallah, if you could tell us your
story.
How did you accept Islam?
There's so many beautiful stories.
No, about you, your story.
Yeah, my story.
When I come here, when I become a
Muslim, in Tarlac, there's a lot.
If I talk...
Briefly, obviously.
Briefly, okay, no problem.
Even I know, if I tell my story
now, I can tell it for an hour,
I can say it in five minutes as
well, it depends on what you put in,
but just a short version of how you
were guided to Islam yourself.
I came here in 2012.
To Qatar.
Yeah, to work as a pipefeeder.
Firefighter.
Pipefeeder.
Stoling the sprinkler, like that.
And then the first four days, my friends
invited me to go to mall.
Mall, huh?
And then suddenly, in a way, when I
saw that, it's not a mall.
Because, is this a mall?
We have a carpet.
And then, oh, it's not a mall, this
is a masjid.
And then suddenly I took a shahada, to
make it short.
That day, after four days.
You didn't tell us anything like this.
Yeah, I was strict.
What happened?
I was strict that day.
But, subhanAllah, astaghfirullah.
They took you to the masjid, you didn't
know you were going to the masjid.
Yeah.
Okay.
I don't know the story, I didn't hear
it, it was my first time here, so
I'm waiting.
Yeah, I was strict because my friends said,
mall, mall shopping, like that.
Even now I'm waiting for the story, I'm
like, hold on, what happened here?
Yeah, is this the mall of Qatar?
There's a carpet?
Like that?
Oh no, it's a masjid.
And then after that, I took shahada.
But, sorry to tell this, I did not
accept Islam seriously.
Okay.
Of course, you didn't really know what it
was.
Yeah, I don't know, I don't know.
And I continued to study in Qatar, I
guess, I was there.
But, I'm just studying because of food.
SubhanAllah.
Because of food.
I'm not serious to study about Islam, only
the food, because my salary at that time
is very small.
I need to save money.
You're going to eat free food?
Yeah, free food, always.
Yeah, I like that.
Every time, I like that.
Interesting story, just one of the famous du
'at in the West now, he told his
story when he was born Muslim, but he
left Islam.
He was very educated, so he became an
atheist, unfortunately.
So, he said, but I love the traditional
food, the Pakistani food.
So, he said, the MSA, where he was
studying in the university, the Muslim Student Association,
they used to always have the biryani rice.
And he said, I would love it.
So, he said, I would go for the
food.
And he said, even though I didn't believe
in Islam, I didn't believe in Allah at
that time, or he denied the existence of
Allah.
He said, I used to love listening to
the Quran.
He said, it made me feel good inside.
That was the back of the day, you
know, the Walkman.
You remember the Walkman back in the day?
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
So, he had his Walkman, and he would
listen to the cassette tape of Sheikh Abu
Bakr Al-Shatiri.
And he would listen to Juz Amma all
the time, just listening to the whole tape.
He said, I always listened to it, even
though I didn't believe in it.
But he said, also his memorization was very
strong.
So, he memorized many of the surahs.
So, he said, the people, and his recitation
was good, actually.
So, the people would put him in front
to lead the Salat.
He said, I'm not a Muslim.
He said, I don't have wudu.
He said, I'm just coming for the food.
You know, and I would lead the Salat,
you know.
Alhamdulillah, Astaghfirullah.
But he said, Alhamdulillah, later he was guided
after, Alhamdulillah.
This was a way for him to come.
So, sometimes these things happen, but it can
actually be a mean for true guidance later.
So, that's important.
So, you're going for the food.
You got tricked into your Shahada.
You're not really convinced, but you're there in
the Cultural Guest Center.
So, what happened after that?
After six months, there's an invitation to go
to Umrah.
And I'm not in the list.
Then I asked Allah, if you're really God,
let me in the list.
I think 12 are in the list.
All 12 are not accepted to go to
Umrah.
I'm the one.
Allahu Akbar.
When I see the Kaaba, Allahu Akbar.
I feel something in my heart.
I think this is the truth.
And then when I come back, I change
my life.
You became serious.
No, no, I become serious.
I study seriously.
When I study, I'm always top in the
class.
Allahu Akbar.
And then after that, I finish the four
levels of basic knowledge in Islam.
I finish it.
I'm a regular Muslim.
I never absent in Salah.
I always not.
But my friends, the friends that always invited
me to go, Almana, said that, there's a
Dawah training, you want to come?
No, it's enough to be a Muslim.
I go, I have a Bible.
No need to Dawah training.
It's not enough.
But they're so chasing me to do that.
And then one time I attend.
Then I, wow.
That is the reward of doing Dawah.
And then I finish the training, and the
two guys that invited me not finish, I
don't want to graduate.
Then, Alhamdulillah.
All of this is in Qatar Guest Center.
Yeah, all.
My teacher is Ustad Yusuf Ocampo.
Alhamdulillah.
Subhanallah.
And then I, the time I'm going back
to Philippines.
So why did you decide?
Because I never asked you this before.
I know you were here.
I know you learned your basics here.
You started even giving Dawah here.
What made you decide to go back to
the Philippines?
Yeah, because I finished my contract.
I need to have, you know, to have
more, to get bigger salary.
That's why I want to go back to
Philippines to study safety officer, to be safety
officer.
Then I finish my safety officer, and I
apply again, but Allah not allow me to.
Subhanallah.
I don't know why.
I have a lot of story for that.
Because one time I really want to go
back here in Qatar because I want to
learn more.
And then I, what do you call that?
I got my sick lung, it's fat in
my lungs.
And I ask Allah for one week tahajud,
reading Quran, Yasin but Tagalog, in Filipino words.
I ask that, help me, help me Allah.
After one week, I will get the result.
In the front of the jeepney, the traditional
public transportation in Philippines.
And then when I see the result, please
Allah.
When I see that, I go, what happened
to you?
Allah loves me so much.
And then I decided not to go, because
maybe Allah has a plan for me.
And then Alhamdulillah, I'm here.
Subhanallah.
Alhamdulillah.
There's a lot of story that inshallah, that
can inspire the new Muslim.
Because I want to tell all my life
story, because maybe they experience this kind of...
Tell us a couple of stories that can
be inspirational for you experiencing when they're being
dawah, other things inshallah, as a new Muslim.
There can be something for a couple of
stories inshallah.
When I first time, maybe first month, I
come back in the Philippines, I was like
this, Muslim.
I'm going back to Subhanallah.
But I'm still...
That's one of the challenges when a Muslim
goes back to, because here you're maybe in
a better environment, now you're going back to
an older environment where you used to get
in trouble and do certain things.
And the best thing that I never left
is Allah.
Alhamdulillah.
Even I do something wrong.
And I always make du'a, Allah please
forgive me and let me get out of
this kind of life.
And after that, I'm making du'a.
One phone call from abroad.
It's from Qatar.
He said, Is this you, Bob?
Yes, this is.
You know me?
No.
I'm your teacher in Dawa.
I'm going back to Philippines.
Pack all your things and I will bring
you in Tarlac.
I cried a lot because my prayers answered
again.
Alhamdulillah.
Subhanallah.
Then when I came to that region in
Tarlac, I trained a lot about one-on
-one Dawa and I got a lot of
shahada that time.
And then I'm so happy to be a
Muslim.
And I can practice it and I avoid
all my habits, bad habits.
Alhamdulillah.
And then one time, my teachers go back
to Qatar.
That's my problem because I have no house.
I have no work like that.
Then I work to be a construction to
build a masjid.
And I'm very happy again because a reward
of building masjid for three years, subhanallah.
Alhamdulillah.
Alhamdulillah.
And then, to make it short and fast,
one time Allah give me a trial.
I got an operation.
Then I have no single penny in my
pocket.
Wow.
Single penny.
How can I get operation?
Subhanallah, I go to the operation and go
out the hospital.
No, it's all free.
Why's that?
I don't know.
May Allah bless all the people who help
me.
Yeah, I'm dead.
The problem is when I go out to
the hospital, is the house because I'm living
only five years, I'm living inside the masjid.
I'm living in the masjid five years.
Long time.
Yeah, yeah.
And then the problems I can live in
masjid because I have a blood.
I always have a blood.
So one brother and sister from abroad that
call me, you can use my house for
one month free.
Subhanallah.
Subhanallah.
It is the help of Allah.
And then I ask Allah, ya Allah, how
can I work now?
I cannot live even, it's not forbidden for
me to work hard.
How can I work?
Can you survive it?
I cannot survive.
Allah Allah.
And I have operation.
One brother inviting me.
This is a good story.
I hope that you understand my English because
No, no, it's clear.
Because, you know, this brother is so amazing.
Why?
He invited me to eat every day in
their house.
The first day that I go to your
house, I don't even step my feet to
your house.
Why?
It's so, what do you call that?
Very poor, very poor.
The house is not like us.
The roof is like, you know, the Filipino.
And then the floor is mud.
And two little daughters there.
And I play like this only.
I don't want to enter because I feel
that why I can enter this kind of
house, two little girls, maybe the food that
I will eat is for them.
I don't want to eat.
But he said, eat, eat.
And every time that I put my mouth,
I make du'a to Allah.
May Allah help this very good heart.
And then, you know, one time I have
a conscience in my heart.
I said, I don't want to eat in
this brother.
I don't want anymore.
One day, the whole day, I don't show
my face to that brother.
And each time, after each time, he...
He found you.
Yeah, he found me.
Where are you?
Why you are not showing you like that?
And then I said, did you eat?
No.
Yes, yes, I eat already.
No, I look for all the houses there.
I'm looking for you.
And then I asked them, if you eat.
No, you don't eat.
I said, I don't want to eat anymore
to your house.
Why?
I don't because...
He said, you're greedy.
Allah Akbar.
Why?
Why I'm greedy?
I'm very good.
Focus that much.
Why greedy?
He's going to...
Yeah.
He said that.
He said, because you are good in du
'a.
I'm only I can do is to give
you food, to make you du'a.
I cried Allah.
I cried.
MashaAllah.
This guy make me more to do du
'a.
And then I asked Allah, Ya Allah, give
this reward.
And then after this, I go to the...
I leave the region and go to the
bigger region to make du'a again.
MashaAllah.
After eight months, I go back.
When I go and the brother invited me
again, so excited.
I don't know what the feeling is.
He said, you know what?
When in the front of the house, it's
different now.
It's already concrete with two rooms.
SubhanAllah.
This is the du'a that we are.
Allah Akbar.
There is a lot.
JazakAllah khair.
One of the stories that I was with
you together.
Is the first time you came back to
Qatar since you left in 2012?
Yeah.
So 10 years.
Yeah.
Okay.
When you came back, the first day you
came to us at Qatar Guest Center.
Yeah.
And you walked into the office.
Yeah, yeah.
With Sheikh Mohammed Sabir, Sheikh Yusri and Sheikh
Hazim.
And those are your teachers who taught you
the basics and the fundamentals.
And it was very emotional.
And you broke down in tears.
I was very teary-eyed myself.
And you were embracing your teachers.
Tell us about that experience after 10 years.
Yeah.
It was amazing.
I feel that that time is so magical.
Allah Akbar.
Yeah, yeah.
Because I never thought that I will be
back here in Qatar.
MashaAllah, mashaAllah.
And I will see the ustad that teach
me and help me to be.
MashaAllah.
Allah Akbar.
MashaAllah.
I'm so happy.
Alhamdulillah.
Yeah, I want to thank them.
MashaAllah.
For all the things that he taught me
about ustad.
Alhamdulillah.
Yeah, that's why I'm very happy and emotional
that time.
Because, subhanAllah, until now I feel I'm dreaming.
I feel dreaming because, is this true, Allah?
MashaAllah.
Yeah, yeah.
I don't know how can I pay back
Allah to all the blessings that he gave
to me.
Yeah, until now.
It's amazing.
And Alhamdulillah that you said that you want
to change your ticket.
Allah Akbar.
Allah Akbar.
To change your ticket to stay longer.
Yeah.
And I was interested because Aira and Qatar
Guest are working together.
They said this is your product.
We said to Qatar Guest that now he's
Aira but he's coming back, mashaAllah, to be
with you guys, mashaAllah.
Your project has returned to you.
And subhanAllah, you said you want to extend
your time here in order to pay back.
And you did that, Alhamdulillah.
MashaAllah, may Allah bless you.
Abu Tayyib sent me the screenshot when you
arrived.
You went for Umrah, mashaAllah, bless you, to
be able to go to Umrah.
And you were like, right back to the
da'wah, mashaAllah.
And this is something, an inspiration and a
reminder for all of us to put in
that extra hours, put in extra time.
Because you'll find sometimes some of the du
'as, they're looking at da'wah as a
part-time thing.
Whereas if you want to get the results
in the da'wah, you have to give
the da'wah.
You're all in, inshaAllah.
It's one of the things we've benefited from
you, mashaAllah.
May Allah bless you.
And you were also the team leader, mashaAllah.
You know, I asked Abu Tayyib, you know,
I'm not comfortable to be a team leader.
This is a shame.
I don't have any knowledge about it.
Right away, after my experience with you, and
then we said we need a team leader,
and they said it's going to be Koya
Bab.
I said, no, I said, I support that.
So right away, alhamdulillah, I was comfortable in
knowing that you, and that's one of the
good things about the ayat al-du'at,
is that we knew right away that, you
know, no problems.
You know, there are going to be soldiers
doing what they're supposed to do.
No problems, getting things done correctly and properly,
getting results.
And alhamdulillah, that's what we saw from you
and the brothers.
May Allah bless all of you.
As we end, inshaAllah, a short interview here
now, alhamdulillah.
People watching, you know, we said it to
the other brothers as well, when we had
the interviews with them, they want to get
involved in the Da'wah.
They see the impact, they see the results
of the Da'wah in the Philippines.
How can they help the Da'wah in
the Philippines?
Our brothers and sisters who are watching now,
whether it be reading Arabic subtitles or watching
English, how can they help the Da'wah
in the Philippines, inshaAllah?
I never thought that this would happen, because
one of my purposes, that I really want
to work here in Qatar, just to, subhanAllah,
I ask Allah that someone can help the
new Muslims.
SubhanAllah, sorry, sorry.
It's okay.
Because I never thought this would really happen,
because I asked Allah, Allah help me because
I want to find someone who can help
the new Muslims in the Philippines.
I saw the situation of the new Muslims
there.
There's no masjid.
The water, as you can see, the water
there is from, I don't know where it
came from.
It's not clear.
It's like, you know, when you wash the
plate, it's white color, not clear color.
It's hard.
There's no toilet.
In our religion, in Islam, you should be
clean.
So even though we can practice it, how
can we force them to do it?
Because the situation, then when I came here,
people woke up, one of my dua, I'm
asking for Allah, give me some, one people
who can help people, please look at the
situation of the new Muslims in Aita community.
The Aita community is one of the tribes
in the Philippines are really accepting now, big
result now.
Yeah, yeah.
Thousand.
Almost thousand when I started there.
Alhamdulillah.
And they are practicing.
You know, if you can see the video
that I posted in social media, you can
see that the musala is made on tarp
only.
And even the floor is a tarp only.
But still continue their religion, their faith to
Allah.
And one of the most viral video now
is a mother of Aita.
You speak, even though a small knowledge in
Islam, they are really eager to share Islam.
Every time they call me, you come here,
I have five people here, you can make
dua.
Every time.
This is a 65 years old lady.
Alhamdulillah.
So we will put inshallah a link in
the description box below for the brothers and
sisters who support the dawah and through Aira
inshallah in the Philippines.
Alhamdulillah.
Aira is doing some amazing work here on
the ground.
We have 10 OSs.
I hope that you can visit.
Inshallah, this is the goal, this is the
objective inshallah.
I was supposed to have already visited but
hasn't come yet.
But inshallah, maybe this will facilitate the visit
inshallah ta'ala.
And hopefully inshallah our brothers and sisters will
step up and help out inshallah and to
be part of the dawah.
Whatever they can inshallah ta'ala.
In many ways.
And even if brothers want to come and
visit themselves.
And this is what Sheikh Adnan Rashid advised
about Dawah in Africa.
He said come, come see it yourself.
Come take some time, you know.
Do like the Tablighi Jama'ah where you
come, where we convert now for non-Muslims.
Or come and just like to come and
visit the Muslims, spend time with the Muslims.
Because he said the impact it will have,
like if you go to this tribe, you
go to these new Muslims, when they see
people coming from the UK, coming from America,
they're coming there just to be with their
Muslim brothers.
We heard about you.
That's going to have a huge impact on
them and help keeping them firm.
And then when people see the dawah for
a second, like me, I'm not imagining that.
Not having clean water to make wudu and
for your cooking and things like that.
So once that, then people help them with
getting clean water.
Help them finish the masjid.
Help them learn the basics of the deen.
Help them maybe to learn surah al-Fatiha
and the basic ABCs of Islam.
And that continues the reward they get for
that.
So there's so many things that can be
done, inshallah.
So we open the door for them.
And the link, inshallah, they'll be able to
do all that.
Jazakallahu khair, Brother Romeo.
Koya Bab.
Jazakallahu khair.
Pleasure having you.
Jazakallahu khair, inshallah.
Hope to see you soon in the Philippines,
inshallah.
Jazakallahu khair.
Jazakallahu khair.
Assalamu alaikum.
Assalamu alaikum.