Growing Up with Faith – Podcast
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Channel: Bilal Assad
File Size: 76.35MB
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AI Generated Summary ©
The importance of respect for religious leaders and language learning for children is emphasized, along with the need to learn about product and brand, privacy, and the success of the church. The speaker also discusses the struggles of finding your true selves through social media and the history of Islam, including the birthplace of a woman who found a friend's Facebook page and eventually became a Muslim. Visiting the church is encouraged, and one is encouraged to be mindful of one's actions and not just by oneself.AI Generated Transcript ©
My father focused on the positivity of Proximus and the inspiration the Mercy Shut up billet Walla he right now you're going to pray. I don't care if you miss any prayers now it's not tomorrow. So remember those friends really? I don't know why they hurt me more than the missiles more than the gunshots more than life life threatening situations.
Also, we learn the sheer volume Smilla Rahmanir Rahim
Salam aleikum wa Gato. Today I'd like to introduce a dear brother of mine shared with Al Assad, who's come to join us at the Safi bros. Podcast. Sharing his success story in sha Allah.
Chef plsr
is a community leader within our community mashallah that are well recognized internationally, of course, and Australia.
He is currently working as a senior teacher at this rally Islamic Academy strength to national international committee and also is a managed marriage celebrant and also has started Sharia in Lebanon and also Biomedicine Of course,
science and Allah. So it's been around and these Sharla we welcome him to this amazing opportunity for us to share his story with us and have a candid discussion. Going through Salam aleikum wa Alaikum salaam wa Rahmatullah. How are you my Safi brothers?
Saffy Reza, we are absolutely ecstatic and excited to have you here today. And we know your brother and we go back. We're like family now when we go away from share family days when you're young chap. I think there's it's good to start from there. I think he had to have something to say about growing up here and my journey and I'm going to I'm going to share this I actually want to share this with my younger brothers and sisters perhaps era through my life, they can get some benefit from it and grow. And then I'll get rewarded for them taking the ideas and they can share the ideas with us. We don't keep our ideas to ourselves. When
I was born in Australia, Williamstown, and I was raised with a particular village belonged to my mother's they called the mission mission village, which literally means apricot.
And the mission was village a very unique people, they stick together. They don't go outside. In that time. They didn't go outside their circle, because they were migrants here and obviously you went to a familiar, your identity is very important. So they wanted to stay with their families now understood each other. My father was also there in Newport Williamstown. So I was raised there learning about village type of people and a mix of young people who were born here and raised here. I went to an Islamic school, it was called King. It was called the Coburg Islamic school then turned into King Khalid Islamic school. That was the prime is the first Islamic school.
In Victoria, yes, first one was the first batch there now we're having the 40th anniversary, inshallah you're still there. And I was the first in 1982 the first batch. And it was a community of ours that made it the board was people like what people like my dad, people like your dad and luckily, Herman normal average people who some of them couldn't read a single letter in English, some couldn't read much in Arabic, either. They weren't highly educated, but they had an ambition. They had a goal, they had a vision.
And I believe that people should not focus on you know, just the company they work out or the employer they have or the job they have, but rather work towards a vision, work towards a, a, an ambition work towards a passion, a bigger picture a project overall, that's, that's nobody can
enslave you that way. But this is what this young community did. Right? They built the school and we will come they said, We want to want your identity to be important. So you've got a mosque, which FML at home when the rest of the seniors are around him. And then you got our parents who were thinking about their children, how do we help them maintain their language, the language of the Quran, which is Arabic, if you don't know the Arabic, you're not gonna understand the Quran? And how do they maintain their identity to know who they are and where they came from, as a community and because when you know your background, if you know where you came from, and you've traveled the
world, you suddenly become more intelligent than a lot of other people who have that advantage. And I advise everyone who's got children, if they can go back to their homeland for a visit with their children learn that language, they'll become more open to the world and understand the world a little bit better. That's what happened to me. But anyway, after the Islamic school, I had beautiful teachers, one of them I have to say him for the first time as stairs and as he has, he's going to be very happy when he hears this. He's currently here in Australia. May Allah reward him he was a extremely valuable
tool in directing me in the right direction. He taught me Arabic like no other Arabic teacher I've ever seen in Australia yet in primary school, and that helped me
continue my studies in Lebanon.
later on. So we finished the Muslim school and I had some friends in the Muslim school I think the young people would like to hear this. Those friends of mine, we used to compete in Quran and Hadith. And by the way, shock for me was our teacher too in Quran and religion. So he used to put me in all these different activities like I told you, when you have a wedding, a person who is older than you and wiser has a golden admission himself or herself. They'll also call upon you to train you. So he didn't leave anything for himself. He trained me to train my friends. We had
interviews with the media he used to we were the first had called me and my friends Subhanallah my brother as well. Call us would have interviews about Islam about Deen. That's the way that Rasul Allah Selim is to enrich and develop the chunk give them empowerment, to let them do things constantly plenty. I don't remember him check for me or my father. My father was the same there were a few people instrumental in my life. My father, obviously the first and then shuffle me and others like him.
What they did was they empowered me and my friends, I never was told, this is the way and only the way they told me and then they let me decide as well. They let me work with what I've learned. Let me make decisions empower me to lead even if I make mistakes shut for me. I don't remember him once yelling at me, frowning at me shouting at me, except when I got married that time and I had my little son allayed humble, he was very small, and you know, the, the turban that he used to wear, it looks like a turban. But it's kind of that Lebanese style. It's got the red with the white around it. It's very solid, what he called like a bush almost without the tag on the top. And he had it on
the on the seat. And I remember he, my son, I met him he was very smart. With four years old, he touched it. And that was the only time he said no, you don't touch this because the thought of Bosch is meant to be respectful thing. revamps thing. So honestly, and I learned something from that, that, although it's just that it's not. But if you don't respect the religious leaders and the men who are elders and the the symbols that represent guidance and leadership of the people, especially the religious ones, you're not going to respect it. It's the first step to responding. So that's very important to miss Pamela aliquid to hell anyway. So my father told me the stories of prophets
and companions were needs to sit me down. So I established a connection with the companions. You need role models in your life. Although they were far away, I felt like they were always with me. And that was a stepping stone. When I went to U seven. There was no Muslim school in my time. So we went to U seven. I remember at that time, it was Coburg high, and now it's demolished. There's a reason for that. But there's another there's another coat over the line now it's just the seniors it's a new service. That's the same one. So those who are listening who used to be on Sydney Road and COVID is demolished now. Anyway, that could be really rough school. Did you go there? No, no,
no, no, but a lot of friends a lot of friends will know who I'm talking about. Now. They're all mashallah fathers and probably even grandfather. So that Coburg high, we had a lot of Lebanese people there, we had some Turkish people as well. The majority of it were the Lebanese, Coburg, Brunswick type of people. We had some Australians and Asian when I say strands, Anglo Saxon, and people who came from places like England and Ireland and Scotland, all that stuff, you know, the history of Australia with some Asians. Anyway, ironically, I made a lot of friends there with people were not even Muslim. So a lot of the Anglo Saxon friends, I found, like I told you, I'm introvert,
and I was able to make friends with them. I had a lot of older Asian friends. So for some reason, in my loves, always older people. And I think that's, that's important. Older people can guide you in some way that younger people can't. I was in your seven friends with people in your 10. And their conversations and people new seven are obviously very different. Sometimes I would avoid some of them. But some of it there was some international students who came in and then language was bit more refined or the way they spoke, had a bit more intelligence in it, I found substance and I'm not trying to get more subs. I'm not trying, putting down anyone who's raised here in Australia, but I
got used to the Ozzie language and the slang, I know it. But when you hear somebody coming from overseas, speaking from a different intelligence level, and from a different perspective, anyway, there's in year seven, I remember, I had a very, very rough time and I think that's where my journey really began the tests the trials, my father had prepared me for that. He told me the stories, the Companions as they went through trials, and he said, When you stand for something, son, you stand for something anything good or bad, but you stand for something and you're an influence. You're going to have enemies, so stand by what is truth? What is the truth? For me the truth was the Quran
and our prophets, Muhammad wa sallam Jesus, Moses all the way. Read about them, I learned about him and their companions. So you stand by something, you're going to have enemies. Allah says it in the Quran, Waka Delica SHA Nikolina Bina do where we have made for every prophet, an enemy and the ADA go
is on by people from within them. You stand for something, you're gonna have enemies. There's always not doing anything touch base on what made you fall in love with the prophets? I don't know, like your father said, for example, read about him. We have a lot of youth that we and I tell them Rio a very good question. Very good question and is very important, especially for the parents and teachers.
My father focused on the positivity of approximants, and the inspiration, the Mercy, the kindness, so he got to do with little kids.
You know, he told me about Janay told me about the companions and the, and how they were young around the Prophet peace be upon him. So, you know, even when when young people watch a movie, when they see kids their age, they get attracted to watching it. See kids too old or too young. They don't. Teenager life, see teenagers in a movie was there. My father made a movie Rasulullah sallallahu sallam, although he was in his 40s he had young people around in the companions. He told me 13 years old 13 to that, yeah. And 10 years old, unnecessarily alone, I was 10 or 11. I was 10 years I was 10 myself, says yes.
They were they were much more mature than this is what they did. And that's what then the Prophet used to smile on the Prophet Allah Salamis to do this and used to do that. He sat with a boy, I remember there and he said, he says that with a boy who lost his pet bird. So everybody was, he said, Son, in those days, people used to frown upon anyone who cries, you know, say, You're a man you can't cry, and approps Alas, and then went and paid condolences to this young boy. And he put his arm around him and smile and says, Tell me about a noisy. Note eight is the little bird a type of bird that he used to have told me all about it got the boy to empty his heart and talk about the
story of the little pet bird
stories. Like I said, I'm looking after little children and you see how the child who lost his mum and dad and the other children want to play with him on aid and you found him crying. Frozone said where is your family? Where's your brother says My father died Yara souligner battle, my mother, she, she wasn't dead. She got married and lift me. And I'm by myself and these children. They look at me funny. They don't let me play with them. I was like, I'm an outsider. And the Prophet took him and he said, Today I will be your father. My wife will be your mother. And my children will be your siblings. And he made him have you guys he wouldn't let him go until he was smiling and joyful. And
he made sure that someone can foster him and take care of him and look after him and shelter him until he grew up. These are some examples of the stories my father used to tell me which make you fall in love with process and because
he brought him from 1400 years ago to hear him right in front of like he's with you. And Allah says in the Quran, look at cannula comfy Rasulullah he was sweat on Hasina, there has come to you the most beautiful role model in the messenger of God. So having said this,
you went to your seventh which is form one or the first year of secondary and I found that from the stores. For some reason I found that I was thinking a bit
of a higher order than the sevens I was more likely nine-z attends I can
communicate and relate to them.
The younger ones were too busy with superficial things, materialistic things. That's what young people are like. But when you learn more and you learn about the products and sell them your brain just gets a little bit more mature at an early age. So one of the things I remember was about the clothing that's the first thing young people notice. How do you look your hair? Your face? The brands that you wear? Is it in is it not in Are you in with the times are you not in the right shoes? You got to have the right shoes you have to have the right lingo in those days if you didn't say that's rad
What if you don't if you don't know how to talk now read is like ancient you say that? It's saying me back in rattle. We remember having certain brands that everybody if if somebody was wearing them, you are the coolest dude.
There's nothing really.
Reebok pumps, Reebok pumps. You remember the Reebok pumps? Alright. My grandma gave it to my life she goes I said like it's better for you to stick to one to $200 nets on your on your feet and walk around with it you look better. The great group of pumps
Reebok pumps
basketball and you're
talking about the Reebok so low any seven the best brands at that time were Reebok and Adidas out of this just coming through there was no knife and it
was it was handed us and Reebok can throw now as six none of that. Mike was it even as a knife wasn't Reebok added us the especially added us by Troy added us with something else.
So whoever had added s was the cool kid. Doesn't matter. Nothing else matters. Nothing else matters to this person. My mum bought me an error this might remember the first time that's my mum bought me but she bought me in yellow gold one cup so
But
let me tell you something. Let me tell you something. Let me tell you something this is you're gonna like this.
Having focused too much on superficial appearance, these young people, I didn't see any value to it. But the pressure, the pressure killed him in me and thought, Man I've got to survive at this school.
And he knows there's my father wanted to put me in a different high school want to put me in Strathmore. Strathmore is another, another public so I wanted to go there but but but in Australia in Victoria, if you don't live in that municipality, you have to go to the closest public school back home so Coburg, I'm stuck with it. I had to go there. And I couldn't afford my father couldn't afford added us. Well, my father used to think Oh, you got to manage your money better. You can't just spend 70 $80 $70 In those days back in the 80s was spent 70 $80 on Addidas. Now, here's the thing about it is that time it came out with three stripes.
Do you remember three stripes?
God help you. If you had two stripes, once one stripe. Finished.
Stripe is better than any way.
Your way your pajamas. But don't wear one or two stripes.
Badly you've got Oh, my mother. She She says that's her skill. Guess what?
She sewed my sports clothes. She did it at home. Just get some material from that time it's for just remember.
Just give me some material because I'll make you my dad gives a beautiful would have to pay a cent just $5 you make the tracksuit pants. Because in that school, we didn't have a sports uniform. You can wear there were days you can wear any sports uniform that you like now that was a killer because when that day came I thought it now they're going to know who I really am I can afford.
My mother used to make me these normal trucks would pass at least they got our he's one of those you know, in today's terms, the youngsters would know I would be the equivalent of an NPC.
You know what an NPC is?
non player character because then that NPC maybe the young people know. So basically, I'm a loser. I'm a nobody. He's one of those. Nobody's the losers. They'll never get anywhere in life.
Anyway, one day my father he bought me
what looked like at a desk pence.
They had three stripes.
But guess what? When people looked at it, oh, he's cool. And now
it's at the best.
So there's fake brands.
I go home and I've copped it and I copped it even more after that one day I had an operation on my ear and my uncle a diabetic fees he lives here in Australia. My uncle used to he bought me a present opened up the present and guess what? added that he was added that it was a normal brand wasn't something spectacular. It was just black with white stripes. Originally, it was a whole original three stripes. I saw the three stripes I saw the added, oh, that was late for me. It was a third date for me. I could not wait to wear them. So I went to school I wore them.
Wallah, he suddenly that was the most amazing week I've ever had in my life. I was called Allah I was one of the best I was with the other people who don't want achieving much nothing really. Just he's got three stripes you can afford it. It's amazing how much pressure they're giving me bringing me back to the days and panela youngsters that time. Who got so much peer pressure over this, that I know some of them used to go and steal the Autodesk pens from a nearby stores
in Sydney and one day at like they still am just because of the peer pressure. You know how see this what peer pressure does to you My Father, may Allah reward him a miracle. He really taught me to connect to people higher than the people I see. So every time I got bullied every time I got teased about something I just remember the companions went more morning isn't there much greater than nice people hotter than the lead honorable Fatah leader the Allahu anhu, Abdullah
Mossad, Muhammad the Prophet sallallahu Sallam who these people can I'm with the big people in sha Allah felt that they're always with me. And that helped me not get affected by the words and by the bullying and everything. My father used to tell me, you know that as you get older, those people are against you, once they know you, Allah will change them to come to you. I mean, they will come to you for help, because they're gonna find a lot of problems in the way they're gonna go.
So, as we got older, some of them used to smoke cigarettes, some of them got kicked out because of that others started to go on drugs by the year eight, even some Muslims unfortunately, got really stuck with the peer pressure and started going towards that other direction just to remain cool. Some of them wouldn't even walk with me because they said, you know, you're one of those losers, you know?
I said, Okay, well, that's fine, but the good friends did stick by me. You know, and I remember some of the non Muslim will lie. I still remember their names.
saw some of them the other day. And till today, there's so you only Muslim is amazing. But also, the character is more amazing.
And I had non Muslims who had amazing character. I'm not saying they're all like that I'm not telling people to, you know, just choose this friend or that friend but people who can trust and have good character you go with that cool article Hamdulillah I that's where I learned all my swear words, I didn't know all this with any any swear word that time I used to mix them up. And that made it even worse for me because I'd use them in the wrong context. And then a guy told me he's a loser man. I remember one time the I was at recess, or lunchtime. And they found out that I don't have a girlfriend.
So they come up to me with some year rates and see me sevens girls and boys. I said, Why don't you have a girlfriend not allowed in your religion?
I said not because I'm not allowed. It's not allowed my religion, but I choose to obey my religion. I mean, you seven and saying this, I choose to obey it because it's the truth. And I go, what you're not allowed. That's hard. See this girl over here. I remember this guy from your editing brought it because if I want we can do this or that right now. Without going to details.
And he goes, isn't that right? And then she said, yeah, if I want to.
I said, Yeah, but like, See, I look at you, I respect you. And I think you know, your dignity is much more important. I'm talking like that and you serve and your dignity. And my father's say dignity and honor.
So I said you're you know, the honor like your honor is much more I think it's more valuable than anything to go when will you know why you never go with a girl. I said, Now we get married? Go you're gonna wait till then I'll go yeah, I'll get married. You know, it's just me and my wife. And it's called halal. So they learned halal and haram.
Look in one way they respected me. And another way they wanted to have fun and joke is I got this guy's This is where the journey started to understand people understand going through some peer pressure and social pressure. And knowing who I am. And my identity got me even stronger with my identity and humbler that helped us there was a sister from the Murad family. She used to work there at the school as like a chaplain kind of person. And as she helped us get together and pray a little bit of praise. The school gave us a prayer room. And we demanded some halal food, and we didn't demand that we asked for it in a nice way, and they facilitated it for us. And then that's in the
mosque at well, the prayer room at the high school was where I started meeting all the other Muslims who are like me, and like the Dean older, a lot of them were older, some of the same. And now at Hamdulillah, I had a fraternity of a community just within the school that gave me a little bit more strength winds. And when did the step take that you want it to become a day or you wanted to become I'll tell you what the step to become a daily the vision started with me and you're right. at strathmore. Hi, I had a friend who was Turkish and he was a bit lost that time knew nothing about the deen. And he used to swear was foul, disrespectful, rude in every way, a lot. All the gills
hated him.
That's him again.
And the most of them were Greeks. So I grew up with Greeks and got to know the Greek community. So a bit fond of the Greek community, and the Turkish community, so and the Lebanese committee, but the Turkish community because of that brother, and, and also the Greek community. So I learned a few of the languages. And that Greek community were Christian Orthodox. I was surprised how in year eight, for the first time I met people who were Christians were orthodox. And we're thinking of in a higher order thinking in Coburg high compared to these guys, I thought these guys I can talk to them, they understand on what level and then stand what I'm saying. Because they're following a religion by so
they're religious, even though orthodox is is not a religion, we agree. We believe in, you know, believing that Jesus Christ is a son of God, and he was crucified and God died on a cross and so on and so forth. In the Trinity we don't.
But they had conversations with me on level that I can now can, you know, talk at a higher level.
Which class did we choose the art class like everyone else in art, and you just talk and we talk about religion. At that time, the Gulf War happened where America invaded, where Saddam Hussein went into Kuwait, and,
and all that stuff, and America was planning on doing things I was before the we're talking about ISIS.
The topic of religion came up. And these peoples talk to me about religion entire year, and that Turkish friend of mine changed over the year, his swearing became less. We started praying behind the portables. He used to sometimes insult me and and joke with me and the others would insult me. And then I found out that these insults are meant to be just jokes. So I got used to insults in the sense that I could tell which one's a joke. Which one's serious. It's really important.
That took off some of the stress because I wasn't so serious anymore. I do swear on nights that again, to call unless God didn't pay
Attention it was that that made me a little bit immune to to insults at Hamdulillah. And those Greek people I mean, they would debate me debate debate debate, right? And then one day I remember in art class, somebody ruined my art picture. Someone wrote on it something. And they told me Hey, it's it's that guy, Lazarus. So I went to his artwork, and I wrote, I remember writing, I know you did it. But patience is the key to justice.
Such such such
patience is the key to justice. But you know, what will lie Allah's father guided me maybe. And I believe he did guide me and he entered his how this guy got offended.
All the swear words, all the
stuff, a lot of insults about the mother and about whatever didn't affect them. That one quote, affected this guy. And he's like, he's very insulting. He comes up and goes, I don't know what they told you. They betrayed me. You know, they, they snipped the word today snitch, and you told me, you think I did it? I didn't do it. I go, What are you upset about? Because Why did you go and write patients? The key to justice? That's an insult to me. I'm a good person.
Did you get affected by that? Because yeah, I was very happy. The guy's got some intelligence. He's got some faith.
I go, alright. All right. Look, I don't know, they told me they set you up. Ask your mates. And if that was a journey for me to learn a lot of things about people. By the end of the year, that Turkish friend and I had a fight was my fault. We had a fight and
we didn't want to talk to each other physical or none and a bit of pushing and shoving a bit more words, right. And I remember the girls in our class in year eight. Some of them some of them were a bit more sensible. They used to say to me, you know, build them from the moment you came in here that young. That sounds so changed, he's changed not the same in Him, we had a good effect on him.
I used to say Alhamdulillah go with the seminar. So thank God.
Anyway, we had a fight and then all those friends who used to insult Spanner they change they came to us on to reconcile us remember the others they'd come to me said, Look, you know, you're intelligent, and we love you. And he's, you know, he's a good man. And you know, we love you too, guys to get together. I saw what you guys have been insulting us for the past nine months, and now you want to come reconcilable. I learnt a lot about people, not judging, quickly, understanding people's language ascending. And that helps you to talk with people and know which way to go around off skills, man. That's so emotional intelligence is an important one. And communication social
skills is highly important. I have to get that right. Remember, once in your right, this young boy threw a coin, you asked me how do I start the dollar, this is how I'm starting. These are the things that are starting to happen to me just build up, I didn't look for them, they came to me SubhanAllah. And then I seize the opportunity. And Allah brought these guys, I think it also says Whoever wants the guidance, Allah will will show them the guidance. You want it.
But actually, I'll tell you exactly how. So this guy threw a coin and I said, tails, turn to the tails. And he threw it again and again and again. And again. About 10 times what 11 Times I got it right. Well, his name was Craig. And he said to me, how'd you get it? And then I thought to myself, You know what?
My father told me whoever guides someone on your hands is better with the sun has risen upon. Maybe he'll become Muslim.
A law of God Allah is giving it to me. So I said, throw it as many times as you like, and I'll get it right.
In my head, I thought I hope you're all by get it right. I'm going to use that to manipulate him to say the shahada
through it, maybe another five times and I got it right. Well, lucky. I got it right.
And I even got surprised, because how did you know again, he was Ramadan. So let's see. Listen, Craig. I'm fasting today. And almost them. And I pray. God has given me this power to show you the right way.
That's a little kid talking. I'm not saying talk that way. But I'm showing you asking me where I got it from these things. I think Allah is giving me all this inspiration.
Okay, if you say it, you'll have that power to
say you said the Shahada.
Right. It was only 1314
I said all right. He can't eat pork.
The superficial can't eat pork. We can't swear. Subhan Allah, even Islam is more than that. And you've got a fast man. Who's that fasting? Yeah, you know when you see me praying gonna come pray with me. Because I asked too much.
You don't have to fast but don't eat pork. Don't eat in front of me.
Sir. All right. All right. What about praying? Okay, you can try. Come pray. We'll just do what we do. He did. He prayed a couple of Turkish brother and he stopped eating pork. And you stopped swearing it
return on your swearing
and then he goes oh, what do I say go say a stall for all i never got it right but over a timer. So then went on for about four days. And then he goes, I can't be stuffed he left it and just went back. But these little journeys helped me I remember going back home I said yard guide me to be a person who helps other people and guides them to your deen and to the right way and teach me hello is to read Quran all the time. So one day after making that dua, Allah He oxen will be Allah. I remember I was about 12 and it was a Saturday morning I went and sat and I was reciting the Quran My father used to bring us movies of martial arts. Why? Because you know, the Asian Chinese movies they
hardly had any hierarchy. If you had a woman she's dressed from top to bottom mashallah almost like a full on Muslim and Asians in those movies don't touch that's true men and women. It's so true. Remember Jackie Chan, he was he's types of movies. And he was to jump up and do all this martial art. So we love that my dad found us an alternative. So didn't just say that's haram gives us an alternative. And he's telling me that we've got to some games we need to. And there was a there was a some shows about Muslim kids doing stories of about beliefs and stories about the boy and the king and stories about the three men the bold and the blind men and Libris. So these are stories in the
Hadith. I learned these from a young age from there, and I got inspired by them and a kid who was reading Quran going to read Quran like him. So one day on a Saturday mornings to try and train my father would train us take us to the mosque, that's where you gotta, you gotta attach yourself to the mosque as your community. And when reciting Quran one day span, it just clicked. I kept learning, learning, learning. And in one day, I discovered that I have a nice voice in the Quran, and I'm able to recite well, so I'm reading I think and where did this come from? Well, like I don't know how, but obviously, from listening and from practicing, it comes right. My father says, Oh, my
God, you can read, you've even got a nice voice. My whole family came around, I felt like a king. And I kept reading. I don't know how I'm doing it was coming out nice. So from listening, from that day, I felt something is going on for Ebola. So we went to Lebanon after that, in Lebanon, if it was another test, you know, learning all the different sects of Islam, you know, sects of people, so people who follow different cults and beliefs and things like that would have been a huge culture shock. That was huge. But at that time, I had entered the school, the Lebanese schools, I went straight into your tent, or you skipped your nine. Skip the nine because it was too late over there.
I've never done you nine, but you had to do an entrance test. Oh, you turn How do you How are you going to pass interested as Arabic math? And English? My Arabic is weak compared to a year 10 student in Lebanon? Yeah. How am I supposed to do that? And they give me poetry. Anyway, long story short, I, I managed to pass the test just barely because of my math and English, Arabic. I failed miserably. But they still accepted me in a school that teaches English and I live in Lebanon for so I was living for nearly five years. Wow. Yeah, four and a half years. So I finished all my studies when we wanted the time wherever I was relocating. Yes. That was the time when the civil war in
Lebanon had just ended.
And people didn't want to go back there. They said to my dad, you're crazy. What are you doing gun he sold everything that because he wanted us to learn our heritage and identity.
It was hard. It was very hard. We lived with, with around the poor people. And then fast after the first few years, we became like the rest of the people. By the end of it, my father left us there. My brother and my brother did a trade and I finished my high school and I did share to the shadows, the Islamic Sharia at a tertiary level. And that hamdulillah with the experience, my shapes that will came around me the different types of people at the school because at school and in Lebanon, you're not the same age. I was in Year 10. I had a 19 year old and Newton because he had failed beforehand. So I had people who are older than me again, I'm talking to them and they're teaching me
a lot of stuff. I had religious people much more religious than me. People who recite the Quran much better than people more knowledgeable than me. One day I'm walking with a friend and I said, You know what, I realized Allah's power I sweat I said to him to my friend Wallahi Allah has only ever brought in my life, good friends around me support friends that that that Allah loves. And he smiled. That friend needs to teach me a bit. This was a friend who was two years my senior and he used to teach me more about the deen Quran that I've never heard before. So from my dad to now peers and friends that are teaching me so I remember one day I went to the mosque, and I used to do a
holocaust so there was a local mosque that I loved going there my heart was connected that mosque is to go there and and and learn how to read the Quran even better in a holocaust so called me one day these two kids they saw me reciting, well, I'm catching on even better. And they cannot even ask me some religious questions. So it's the first time any stranger asked me religious questions. And I answered it and they go, Well, Lee helped us they were just probably 1617 year olds. I went back home and I said to my mum, Mama today these strange came and asked me about Islamic questions. What does this mean? Because what law who am I
Son Well my mother, well law he yesterday I saw a dream. So what's the dreams because I saw a dream that you're reciting Quran on stage and everybody's listening to you. And then she said, I see a beautiful, bright man come towards me and smiling and saying good news to your son because he reads the Quran. Allah He and from that day I decided I'm going to keep reading the Quran. But keep in mind I didn't leave school. I didn't sit there saying I gotta live in the mosque. I gotta live in the Quran and I kept on being with people with projects, initiatives, and one after that, my mother saw another dream and she said, I saw you this time standing on the pulpit giving lectures to people
with 1000s of people. So that they I said, Dr. Rob, I had learned to verse from the Quran DUA and I said, Allahu majali along the ethanol Hekmatyar or phoslock keytop Why am I saying this? I'm not the first time I'm saying this particular diet. But I want to encourage my brother and sisters, I don't want you to misunderstand me, this is not praising myself. I have to we don't say this out of praise. We say this purely as a lie as my witness to encourage my brothers and sisters that how do I help that you by yourself can do nothing under percent? I said, Dr. Rob Tinnell out read a verse when he reciting the Quran you say, Oh, this prophet, thing was profit, normal profit. And one of
the prophets, he said, I'll be adding in Hekmatyar with hostile hiphop. So my mother had that second dream, seeing me on the pulpit. And
for some reason, that was a kind of guidance for me. I didn't know if it was going to happen or not. But everyone has certain dreams that people have people come into their lives, they every person comes to life guides you in some way, you have to make that decision. Either take it, or you take another road, Allah subhanaw taala doesn't force you into a particular direction. But he gives you he they he gives you guidance for no matter where you go, in the way I like to think about it as like,
you know, in the universe, the black hole, everything ends up in the black hole, inevitably, but there are different pathways, we're going to end up going back to Allah subhanaw taala different pathways. And when we make when we have people in our lives, when we have a network, the decisions we make the opportunities that come our way, the door, you know, all those decisions are lost Panatela then channels us in another pathway. And sometimes it brings another thing to take us back into a different pathway. And along the way I understand life with a loss Panther Isla is that he is always there to help you see the best way till you meet him. But as up the road, yeah, he lights up
this path. That's right. And sometimes you get Nanana. It's like you can see the light, you should walk down the street. And that's how Allah and some of us will either hold back from fear or whatever it could be. And some of us just walk it quickly. That's right. And I want to tell the young people that you know, overthinking sometimes is not good.
But learning. Learning first, before you make a decision is important. Seeking advice, having a network of different age groups and experience and expertise, having your parents around talking to them.
Reading books about different topics of social life, communication, understanding, even money management, all that read, learn from different angles, and your knowledge just keeps increasing and making better decisions and God brings you guidance. It's not this one's that one's not this one is that one until sometimes we make wrong decisions that Allah gives us another pathway. And we end up going on a pathway we has more rocky roads and we think Why is God doing this to me, but God is telling you in other words, look, I'm not forcing a direction. I'm just
interpreting what I understand from the Quran that God is not telling you, I'm gonna force you. You have a choice. You are your own. You know your own person. I've given you that privilege. Because y'all know who some Yeah, humble Sigra Allah says, We created you. And we made you able to hear to see to think to analyze, the Quran says analyze more than 33 times think reflect. So Shannon was Semia um, but we made you able to see her foresight and be able to listen and hear and analyze. So Allah says, I've given you what you need, right? And this is how I honor you. Allah says, Well, I've got Quran now Benny, Adam, we have honored the Children of Adam, how do you honor a person you give
them choice, you give them faculties, you give them strings, you give them skills, and you tell them now you make the decisions lead yourself. That's how you become feeling valuable and important. Isn't that right? employ young people like that? Would you just
treat them like robots? You got it. We could take on retreats, you teach them how to develop themselves and use their own skills so they can lead rather than being led and so they can benefit rather than being the one who's begging them. Exactly. You behave rather than always taking nobody respects some likes a person's always taking an egg in me I like the people who are who are giving the ones who are What's the word for it. You are useful, not useless. You are powerful, not weak. You have resources not only don't have reason you have connections, but why don't have connections, you have values, you have boundaries. So Allah subhanaw taala honors us that way.
The important thing is that after my mother saw this dream, I saw this guidance I took the Quran reading the Quran is the crucial point of every Muslim
I must read the Quran and try to understand bits and pieces here. And as you go along, ask some questions. And don't leave your salad. I remember with the salad. I said, Man, I was cutting off my president's five daily prayers. Sometimes I pray Monday then I skip it Tuesday and I missed a little bit and I missed last. So it was about 14. And then I would say to him as the shutdown plays tricks on you procrastinates called procrastination and Wallahi it starts from the for me started from the solid hitting getting, you don't want to be a procrastinator stop, start with your solid, organize your solid and organize everything around it. Watch how productive you are, even from making your
bed is something that teaches you productivity, but with the solid Monday, not Tuesday, and I saw it affecting me in my studies affecting me in my life. The decisions I made in my life, it just created a habit of procrastination. So one day I said you know what? I'm going to start tomorrow. Tomorrow came I prayed for a little hurt I missed Osaka man I stuffed up Hollis tomorrow forget about I'm not gonna have a nice shirt. Next day came yellow. No good at the end of the week. Anyway, let's start next week. And only Ramadan is around the corner start Ramadan, just keep procrastinating pushing in one day I sit them so shut up billet. Wala he right now you're gonna pray. I don't care if you miss
any prayers. Now. It's not tomorrow. It's not later. So I kept on going from that day I made the decision. I found that I had the power over my Sami you understand? And I made the decision, a decision that even if I skip I'm going to make it up. And I told myself to be quiet and shut up. You know stop sitting down and being such a weakling go. I did it. Since then humble never left a solid London la five daily prayers because the way we talk to ourselves the way you talk to you the way you talk to you. So here's how I know we can reflect on ourselves. The times when we said that see Hollis there is no other alternative is no other road. I'm gonna go down that road. And maybe that's
how I made the decisions many times with business with what I just told you. You can apply to anything anybody can hear. You can even apply it to corruption and evil. Once you make the decision, that's how it all started that little fuller, you have willpower online. What do I have to talk to you? I always tell these kids, you got to talk to you. So how often do you tell yourself? No, that's it? No. Yes. Give yourself that. Make Yanni give yourself that strength, bring bravery and courage. So I went and made a lot from reading the Quran. He said. One Prophet said Allahumma ethinyl Hickmott officinal report. Oh Allah give me wisdom. Pigma is wisdom meaning to know what to say at
what time or to know what how to place your knowledge and use it in the right place. So hikma wisdom right from wrong. And first of all, hitop the ability to speak with eloquence or to to, to to, to cut the small talk, for example, and get to the chase and and be relevant and so, eloquent tongue, a good tongue and ability to speak and the people here. So this is my daughter, at the time. hamdulillah after that did become a public speaker and slowly but not without Allah's guidance, not without the networks not without people around me that Allah brought and accepted and encouraged me my father, my friends, my older friends shared for me, the friends at school, the negativities, the
insults, the bullying, the support, all of it is a package and that's what Allah says in the Molosser usara. With every one single hardship
there are those that are open there are eases that come out of it. And no Rasul Allah Sallam he said he was know that whoever Sabado was Tabara Sebata Hola. Whoever uses patience and stubborn, stubborn means
you act and do things that helps you to be patient. So for example, distract yourself busy yourself, start new projects, right? Get support all these help you to be pushed called Esteban, Allah will then assist you you got to do you got to do a little bit of your part. And Allah Subhana Allah, you'll find that the guidance coming from him. So it's a two way thing. It's not just by yourself. It's not just a lot of sitting down. God God's gonna give it to me. I just sit on my backside doing nothing. Hello, getting back like he said, how you started public speaking. Can you remember like the first time you spoke out and how you felt in the pressure and you remember that?
Actually, the first time I ever started public speaking really was when I was a child. And again, show for me, and it's theirs. And as he says in his ear show his name is Izzy O'Neill who loves seeing this as I said before, they got me to say Hadith it's the first Hadith that ever there was a long Hadith about Djibouti nice and when he entered the proximal SLM Cydia rasool Allah teach me about Islam and he told him the five pillars says teach me about him and faith and told him six pillars of faith. Teach me about your son a higher order of Faith says to worship Allah as if you can see him But although you know you cannot see him you know that he sees you. So that was a hadith
I mentioned. My father came to him you get feedback, Father said, I felt like you were a shark giving hope and everybody's listening to my mother. The people said, Alright, this is a good guy. So that's when I found that I had an ability, but we're not encouragement. And a lot of parents this is the thing
Instead of advising
your children instead of a teacher advising their parents or a counselor advising anyone no matter what you want, instead of advising Why don't you change your language to encouraging encourage that child rather than advise tell him to go this way and they get used to just okay what are you telling me that's the only way I've got a go let encourage someone to be brave to do different things and think for yourself. So that's my first public speaking and
at school I tried it and then at uni I came back to Australia and after getting all that training and Lebanon the people and the poverty that we went through the hardships that you went through the cold water that you had to use for your showers the buckets that you had to fill the water in in the morning there's no there's no electricity in the dark and you had to put it on the guest sometimes you don't have a gas stove in and you can't afford the guests that sometimes would light up paper sometimes it's cold water it's amazing. What hardship Yeah, what a hardship that's to define us and appreciate and gratitude. I was thinking about the three stripes anymore
nobody
well, he won that award the edit that I had some out of this pants after that and I go what are you doing? Because you were in Abuja man
from from being the coolest kid wearing three stripes to look at this stuff. Sorry. Look at this nincompoop is wearing
wearing pajamas Alto
in Lebanon was something else really teaches you how to appreciate the essentials and the simple things in life. Your family your son. Yeah. Can you share with us? I think these are the fruits and the gold gold nuggets. I think like what would be like in Lebanon meeting a youth they're coming there. What was like the hardest time what what, take us to a moment in your life that was just like absolutely difficult where you were saying
can you sort of take us there that sort of also because these are the moments that define us and give us the elevation again, to see bigger and better
look, I could say it was the missiles that flew above us because the civil war still had the remnant defects
and the fighter ships out in the sea that was in front of us don't worry, I know the seas in front of it will be a great holiday but it wasn't like that. Yeah, we had what looked like a river in front of our house I go look how beautiful that river is there go it's a sewage men so soldier that was bombed in the Civil War. And that's why it stinks. And I'm on the I could say the bombs. I could say those nights sometimes when I first heard bombs, the whole building would shake or like literally I was I thought my soldiers to come out of my bottom otherwise I flew off my bed and just ran to my parents I was 16 you notice that? I could say all that stuff. I could say the bullets that
I used to hear but then I got used to it. Like everyone else. Oh, it's another bomb. It's another bullet. Someone died mom was meant to have mercy on him. Or her. Or I got a lot of stories I want to share here because some of them are traumatic. Actually. I saw some traumatic things Wow. Yeah, no 1617 that time but having the network and the mustering the people around you helped you to stay strong these people Masha Allah. But I would say it's just it's actually connecting with the people again. I want it to feel a belonging I couldn't feel it. I don't know how to they talk I don't know how to communicate with them. I don't earn if you can't communicate, you can't survive course. So I
needed to help again. That was the hardest thing I would say for me is to adapt and to get along and to know what to do. Because ignorance not knowing is the worst is the greatest fear. But when you know, doesn't matter what's around you. And once you know once you get these once you have the skills and the knowledge you feel safer, doesn't matter what you're doing anymore, it doesn't matter what you're doing.
So I would say
you know, I would have said that the bombs and the missiles were the most traumatic and scariest thing. Look, I'll share with you one little things panela I think that created the empathy and change my whole course. That's why now I'm also a student counselor. So I remember you know, one little girl who got
molested and killed and she was a beautiful young girl. Heck, she used to go to the school about nine years old. And
our current I want to say I don't want to say too much because quite disturbing. But um, the girl really affected me till today Subhanallah and that created a passion and a mission in me that I need to help people and the oppressed and the wronged and
all that stuff, you know.
So that changed things around for me, because I remember bullying a girl when I was in grade one. Aleister pinscher and then I'd come around and everybody said, What are you crying about? And it's a year What are you crying about? And she wouldn't be looking at me afraid. So I was pretty evil in grade one when I bullied her and I learned something from that. But what I'm trying to say is a loss. pantalla showed me things that could have led me to be
You're bad person, but guided me back Subhanallah so let me know there are lots of stories as traumatic experiences. But all these shaped me hamdulillah and they shaped me big time coming. And we looked after our grandmother and the final year, my brother and I, my parents came back and said, Dad, my father was 17. Nearly it, my brother was 16 is doing stresses, I'm gonna have to leave you alone. But we can do it.
Now I have to say, our relatives and our cousins were amazing, okay. And they were my father had friends. But then when he left and I was a bit older, nobody, we had cousins coming around. But they only you know, they've got to look after their own families, but especially those friends who acted like they were the best friends of my dad. Some grew a beard made themselves religious. As soon as he was gone, I can't benefit from him financially. Well, I never saw him again. And so one of them heard my father money and he said he couldn't get $100 of you because we were suffering, we would never, we didn't eat meat for about three months. Living on we were living like, we were basically
living on the poverty line. My brother and I. So that was something. And my grandmother's there, we're helping her she's helping us Mother Lila, she had in that house. She also had an amputated leg as well. Remember those friends? Really? I don't know why they hurt me. More than the missiles more than the gunshots more than the life the life threatening situations. That when people betray you and have to face like that they are the most hurtful. Well lie among all that.
At least I know that some besides a bomb, I'll go back to Allah subhanaw taala. I'm a Muslim. I'm a good person. I've got family, I've got a loved one. But when those two first people came along, it hurt me deep inside as a child, well as a teenager. That affects you a lot. I said I did not know there was such two faced hypocrites out there like that. But did I turn into that? No. I learned what not to do. Because at the school I learned to poetry says I'd have to nurse I'd have to Sherif Ali Sheree will totally. Oh my let me artificial height, I'm going to show your coffee. I learned the bed. Not so I can do the bed beside you know the difference between the good and the bad side
and fall into the bed. So you can look at people and say that's what I don't want to become. Or you can look at people and say, and get affected and get angry and not be patient and become that person, whether it's a parent, whether it's your the bullying that you went through, whether it's people who betrayed you, or the people who who you looked up to a night and they disappointed you, then that you saw you could Allah could be making a leader out of you. And that's that's the minority of people who really become leaders that don't let these things get to them. You don't worship them, you worship Allah, who worship Allah and then he'll never leave you even proper hymns
as I'm died. And we're back out of sight out or the ALLAH and he said, Whoever worships Muhammad is that Salah Lawson worships Allah, He will never leave you. So now I've got open Allah is with me. And he's testing me just like everyone else. So I said, I want to become a leader. I want to benefit as much as I can within my skill. I can't do everything. I mean, my brother was better with street street but he's street smart people smart. Go to him for help. When it comes to management of finances better. For me, it's the other stuff. So that helped me a lot came back to Australia said man I went through Lebanon, I had cold showers I almost you know, one time I got very sick, I nearly
died all this stuff I can, I can handle anything. Last Man has made something good out of it. I learned the Arabic language that Adam of Arabic just saw everything. With him. That was awesome. So let me say is if you go through calamities, look at those who are less fortunate than you so that otherwise, if you don't do that, look at people who are less fortunate than you and help them that's the meaning of the Hadith. So that you do not
so that you do not ignore or forget the current blessings that you have. That's the problem. You forget what you do have you start thinking I'm deprived but you're not deprived? You're making yourself think that you're deprived Allah has not the prime chance how is it that you put your standards really up high here and you think that I'm entitled What Why Why?
Why? I suppose I've said I've said the best of people is one most beneficial to people he says the ones who meet and love in a relationship that has a become by giving up by taking care of you
in anything you say but here's the thing I in my opinion, a lot of young people Masha Allah there are so much positive but I go to the mosque. I do Wednesday classes. At the Preston Bosco the masjid is full.
When I go sir, it looks pessimistic going there.
Oh, man, come on. You remember 30 years ago when we just go to the mosque? Who did you see there? The old is over, overalls over what is no young people and we weren't there. But now analysts change and they're inspired when I came back to it to Australia. Abu Hamza les les Vedic fee, he was one of the role models for us, you know, leading the way in Preston mosque and we looked up to him because he used to train us in kickboxing before in the olden days. You know, young kids, they're like a tough guy who, who stands for some of the right or wrong
but he kind of encouraged he had a role in encouraging Indian leaders
little bit when Hamdulillah I started public speaking in front of a real audience like that was really in the hotbar impress them was my first ever standing in front of people and speaking, was translating the hotbar the sermon Friday sermon of the sheiks who visited us who didn't know Arabic glow I didn't know English share. And I remember the first time standing in front of a real audience this is a real one it's not your university not I'm not I'm not giving I'm not delivering it to some young people. That was it. They sort of predict projected the peers or people that you know, people that you respect people that you care about comparatively you're going to see if people you don't
know who you're talking to dinner from the, the highly intelligent, the, to the, to the simple people to the allsorts after I finished people gave me feedback Shala you got on goggles man back in Arabic you have a Toby voice a voice of a sermon. And other ones said I like how you articulate that in English. We love it. First time we hear religion in English. Abba Hamza used to say it too but because I went to uni, I formulated words in a different way. Everyone has the unique way he
formulates his way and reach reached an audience even reached me. And other speakers reach their audience that one returning everyone Allah puts them in a place where they can reach out to where there is a gap. I can't reach the audience other speakers reached but Allah gives you you know, this is yours. And this is a gift.
I feel the most wealthiest person when Allah spent Allah send someone and they guided on your hand. Look, the story is longer than the first time I'll tell you something about me. They didn't know when I sat down. I couldn't get up anymore. My legs were so tired. I had tensed my muscles so much that when I was standing, they don't know on the inside I'm I'm burning from the outside it didn't show and I said I can't get up there. One day you looked so so natural. There's maybe almost meant that I was given a natural public speaking ability Allahu Allah. So the and then from there we had brother of your brother Malik and it will bless him he's so there are lots of these beautiful names
he rounded up some brothers and sisters was to give them talks and I learned about different aspects of the first time I learned about feminism for example was that time secularism and liberalism from these people and people were educated in secular universities that was another
place where I learned how to talk better and so on. This is basically the teenager and early early adolescent life you can kind of formulate how you need the networks and the people a lot brings to you and you learn skills from different people. And thank you for sharing them Ashleigh I think is beautiful pathway they just want to sort of ask you to dig a little bit deep and I know mashallah like you've gone through such an amazing journey from say Lebanon all the way through to the our mashallah like internationally recognized now our mission Liga to England and it's amazing how many are here overseas, especially a lower but how many people are aware of you even lot more than
Victoria Subhan Allah, Allah bless you. How did you transition to the to the international like from the sort of the national year Australia and then suddenly move outwards? Like, because you see a lot of Is it a complete different world? It is a complete Of course, it's a it's, I'm always shocked in the different transitions in my life, right? I think you would know.
If you have the right mindset, you will always be transitioning from one thing to another. Anyway, so after starting the public speaking here, people heard about me, you've got other brothers and other sisters who love to also earn some rewards. So they tape they started with tape, I thought that record maybe nowadays where
young people don't know what a cassette tape, I get a chance to know what a cassette tape is. So we used to have those used to record me and then they would distribute it and people we should put that up actually.
Please put that up
the good old floppy disk and the VC the VHS
tape to remember these things the pencil, the wind the back and also putting sticky tape and
remember has to be first single sided and then they will double sided try because we have to rewind and play. Remember that's a videotape well and watch your videos you will record it on these things
and give us away
go back to the
How was that transition? Transition when people recorded it and I remember that Allah subhanaw taala he uses you if he wants to use you he'll use you that's at the end of the day. That's how it is. So I sat down said Dr. Rob I will not advertise myself I will not promote myself if you want to use me I remember I remember we had this conversation mean you said you're abused me you never had a Facebook you never This is the first time in my life this year that I made a social media
interrupt us because Allah, we were having a chat. I remember like, I don't know, maybe a month or so ago, we were having a chat and I said, Bill, seriously Right? Like, you need to be online. A lot of people told me that over the years and I never listened to anyone, because I had made a promise to Allah that time. Yeah. I will not promote myself unless you want to. But now recently I spoke to chefs and using from traveling, you know who moved the ank and romance and brother
was from Perth and brother at home with a brother a one minute video Phillips he doesn't know he doesn't remember but when he came down here we had a shed under him green we had a chat with him that our Bozo shows that was a few minutes Shala member all those great cannula we used to get a lot of the brothers coming here we had that sort of because we didn't have that YouTube and stuff like that. And so we had that. I remember like the days of Preston that we used to get a conference center and it always to run there because there wasn't it was the only time you get to see these brothers. We never saw them online on YouTube. And although with Thrive Yeah, it was big. No one
needs to speak about Islam in English. Yeah, he's like, wow, it's this is a miracle. That's right. I met Ibrahim green mela reporting from the UK when he wants to come down here and he doesn't know this. But when you're younger, these little words that they do inspire you 100% No little word goes unnoticed. Someone you don't know who you're going to be gotten. He said one thing to me, you know, that's fine. I said to him, but I'm green. How do you speak so well? You enter the hearts people become Muslim on spot. I wish I can I can do that for the sake of well, I guess you can. You can brother. And I know. I don't even know how to speak UK style. I know. I don't know. I'm not even
going to try it. I know you can and you will put your heart to it. You make dua and you will Nichelle that's all he said, Love. Yes, inshallah I will
warm up the fields had some words to me. And he said to him, I said to him, should I continue my show? Try and go get PhD and masters? And third, or should I continue by biomedical science? I was just about to get in he goes, I think you should finish your biomedical science. It's much better that when a person has a doubt, he speaks about Islam. And you've got some, you know, science behind you and other things people perceive as secular. In this world, you'll have more weight to your words, sir, I'm gonna go do it. Inshallah. Sometimes I walk into classes, you know,
I work at the school and an educator, sometimes walk into class to talk about Islamic perspective on evolution. And they say, Hold on, what's religion teacher talking about science? I said, Yeah, I've also got science and religion. And then it carries more weight. Because you know what you're talking about right? Then you've got the science because unfortunately, young people separate the two and it was never separated in history of Islam. They're always together all together, but answering your question, and luckily, we said that how do I get up in such national speaking? So people recorded my talks, may Allah reward them? On one day, there was this new social media platform called Pell talk.
Have you ever heard of Pell talk? Yes, you remember Pell talk?
With all this dial up internet and days and now to dial up the amount of brother and then I'm here to battle them elementary award him he was part of the the one who resolved the bug for the millennial, the millennial bug. If you remember, as I said there was going to be a bug that destroys all the internet. It was one of the instrumental people genius Muslim brother who converted to Islam, Allah reward him still a friend of ours. Anyway, the point is that
I remember he recorded he used to come in with Pelto because he was so good at using the internet. And I remember he was the only one who used to come in and record it and people in America would listen to it. And one day I was speaking about him I didn't know humble and his trials and what he went through and all the comments comes the first time anyone's heard me internationally life. After he finished he says you're famous.
So what do you mean get your famous look? Here it is. You're out there in America alone.
It's not about me, brother, the first talk that actually went viral in those days in viral and word by word of mouth was Ahmed the repenter. Who remember that tools mashallah the dama did story and now, I just delivered that in the UK. Now, it's on the bank's website. I've MultiMix a YouTube channel. He was there. He came in he likely was in the greenroom. And then he came and sat down and he couldn't, you know, he just listened to us chef Dr. Hasaan had that as well. Love him and respect to Michelle, a great scholar in the UK came and sat down and listened as well. And Shefali hum muda if you know him he's now he's just starting the social media becoming very good people to listen to
Masha Allah she was was there. And after that nifty man comes up and he says that was beautiful.
Because that was beautiful. Subhanallah was bit teary. Well, really, because I was going to show him Mohammed had had that atheism and said to me, Dr. Haytham had said to me that was beautiful rather than the lead and that they repented. I couldn't believe that 26 years later. So the first time I deliver was 26 years ago, hello. The first time
that my son isn't it used to be called Scott.
Jason and myself up on Sydnor and then
it still has an impact the lone marsh and the other one was those a desire paradise. That was the first time I delivered those
In Sydney at rdca Brother Santa Barbara mela rewarding him and his crew and I used to go there to Sydney and deliver those the desired paradise motivational talks like that and and hamdulillah it just got bigger and bigger and bigger the people in the UK heard it. This is the current generation so now they've gotten older for her. The younger generation now is a saying who is this?
And again we said hamdulillah Allah subhanaw taala
what I hope is this year now started getting invited to a lot of places I've been to Ireland in Dublin beautiful brothers. The US has invited me many times I'm really sorry. They have invited me anytime I haven't been able to go brothers from Canada brothers from hamdulillah all around the world Zakir Naik once his crew called me before he left India I didn't get a chance Subhanallah so these are things I missed out on.
But UK was being I went to a few countries Malaysia a lot and last one in the UK was amazing measure UK we went here there was with the with Mufti Menk and the others, but handblown started Allah's mantra open the doors, but I want to tell you something. I went to the UK as you sit on December. And this is just one story of many. I'll tell you there's one story of many that are similar. Whoa, listen to it. I won't mention his name.
So when I went there,
a brother comes and he sees me as I'm walking as soon as he saw me. He jumped on to me. He hugged and cried.
He was shivering
so dizzy alright brothers.
He just keeps looking at me. It's kind of crying, looking crying.
So the height inshallah Habibi, what's wrong, you okay? What's happened, I thought maybe he's lost someone. Because when I went to the UK, some people, people knew about my tragedy so that people were coming say they lost their daughter, they lost their son, and they relate with you. So because you have the same, I thought maybe he lost his mother or father or brother or something.
And then he picks out his phone and shows me pictures on his camera roll of me when I was about 28 years old, in my old house, with my little kids.
And I didn't know what to think of.
I don't even have these pictures. Hello, how did you get these pictures? Aloha, I don't have them.
And it was a sister them Allah reward us upon and I'm going to show you how one little action can lead to so many rewards. It's an investment, you're not even in the picture anymore. This particular sister came to our house that day. And I remember now she said to me, brother, I have this friend of mine, her son
is
he's very, he's got depression, he's lost himself. He doesn't know where to go. He's about to take his life. Home. He's just lost his way. He needs some help.
And he listened to one of your talks and he would love to meet you one day. Can you just do a little recording and just just say a few words. For me that sounds 20 I thought Well, someone who said or whatever, I'll just say a few words. I don't think it's going to change anything.
And so I said Oh Brother How are you? How's it going? This is your brother Biloela talking to you from Melbourne hang in there my friend. Hang in there habibi. I love you my last month to support you and give you great success. That's it, something like that. Something like that the law around those lines. Sister standing because Thank you Allah is going to meet a lot mean a lot to him. In my mind, I'm thinking this nothing is going to mean nothing. Yeah, Allah I'll say it anyway. For the sake of Allah maybe it will make a change.
This brother he got these, this recording and he cherished it. Allah Allah Allah He is not from me. It's from Allah Subhana
Allah anyone can say those but to him he cherished it. That was his way. He said to me, brother, Allah subhanaw taala sent you to save my life. Do you want to now save life? Who's going to end it?
Allah what's amazing. I started crying with him
to learn when in a room was sat down and he showed me
I don't want to give too much information.
But he started Dawa.
And he's become so successful.
He said to me, I want to show you something that one word that you said to me wow look how many people are benefiting. He doesn't want to be known is a sincere young men a lot.
Many like him And subhanAllah Janya Anna
got very emotional. This This just shows you how something so simple. is So Monday air well can change voice has to be you know, subhanAllah you're just remind me of,
of Muhammad Ali and Tyson story where
When they did, they did the story on him and they said, because he was a very troubled youth Muhammad Ali. And the thing that the catalyst that changed his life was the police officer because he used to always cause trouble on the streets. So he he grabbed him off and put him in the in the cop car and took him to the local boxing gym, which changed his world. So when they did, you know, you know, the one that show that in England where
they've been all your past? Yeah, they brought the police officer Subhan Allah and met him. He cried. He didn't know. He just said how one man so simple just taking he he never met him afterwards. All he did was take him in the police car and take him to a boxing ring and said this use your energy Yeah, online Wallah. And that's you know what we're talking about right here.
Maybe young people didn't catch it. I don't know if you caught it. I told you this story. Because this one story on all the young people to know they are all empowered now. Every one of them has something they can do this one sister. I've never seen her again, with one word.
Do you know what a loss is a person or Delilah? Lady Caffarelli. The one who just points your finger. Your point someone too good. It's as if you did it yourself. Now that person goes and does it and other ones does it.
And then guess what you're sitting at home you probably die and multiply and your investment just like money investment you will keep getting passive income of rewards for the rest forever until ever Allah does not lose your at any little thing that you do. So that brother comes and goes, I want to have a voice. So you don't have to be a public speaker. All these I see young people Mallory, would that make your intention? Right? You can come up on social media and give that hour and talk to people and teach people Excellent. Please do not talk beyond your boundaries and learn what you want have someone to guide you and take advice. It's not about you. Otherwise, you'll lose
all your rewards. Man, I love support you I want to support the young people. That's what we want. That's what we want. One more little story is Do you know us upstairs? Yes, everyone heard of us.
So back in the days when I was about when he came to Australia, he came many times this beautiful young brother who is young, beautiful, elderly, elderly role model of ours in this day who used to be
a evangelical himself. Yes. And anyway, what happened was that he came to Australia I think this was about 15 years ago and went to Dallas Brooks Hall that's where it was done. Now I'm sitting I went there and I sat in this chair like this. I'm sitting and that's the stage in front of me.
And at that time, I'd already been giving speeches and I was traveling already into interstate I hadn't gone overseas yet. So these people coming from overseas were a big deal Alright, it's just human nature. See someone Kerberos is big deal or I see you on the screen it's a big deal. But you're in I mean you guys it's just just be let's just be brought him to just look at you guys. I think these guys it goes from burgers now.
We'll just call it pushing a car. I was 19 up on the street pump.
Petrol
like homeless
off the street, trying to push that guy that petrol
dollar bliss.
By this use of stairs comes along I sat down there and I said to myself, Man, I've been giving Dawa and talking about Deen but you know what I've noticed? I'm talking to myself.
Allah has not guided one person from
from Gopher from being a non Muslim into Islam. Well, I never encountered anybody who left who became from Monson converted or reverted to Islam. All I've had is a kid him LeBron and I'm very proud of it. Brothers who weren't praying they start praying people will go on the wrong path. I started on the right path hunt, I was very grateful. But in my mind, I thought come on. You're
just guide someone really, really from out there, into Islam because I heard the Prophet sallallahu sallam said, are lots of God, one person who has been with the sun has risen upon. So don't want these great rewards on someone to convert to Islam to revert to Islam, all this praise everything, whatever comes out of them. It's my investment. That's all I want in this world and the next.
So I said maybe I'm not talking right? Maybe I'm not saying the right stuff. I'm just not appealing to these guys. Apparently, Ben Preston Moscow brother, Reuben, the one who said
Rubin. He comes in and he becomes a Muslim first, then he meets me, come on, when I saw you sitting on the chair before he became a Muslim, when it comes to muscle by someone else who I'm always the one they come later to learn more. And I thought I want someone come fresh. Come on, right from data. So I sat there and said this. Look, look, I gotta look at these speakers in my head. These speakers. I love them, but they come in from overseas. They give a short speech about something. All right, and then 40 People get up and convert to Islam. They say the Shahada. Why? Why should they get it and not me? Not in not in a sense that I was upset. Not that I don't want them to convert
now.
I was happy. But this is what you call the halal jealousy. And that just means I'm happy and I want them to continue but I'd also like some of these rewards myself want to be part of this I want to be part of this I want to also be part of this. So now I gotta myself this use upstairs now he's going to tell some story about his life how he converted. I mean, it's amazing. I've heard it all. And we do talk like that sometimes. And watch, someone's going to come up and say the Shahada.
So as I'm sitting there, he finished his talk. That is how we became Muslim and all that. Suddenly a sister puts her hands up says, brother wants to come wants to become a Muslim.
So I'm watching I go really
said your
guide. One person on my hand, from disbelief into Islam, Yarrow. I made a DA
and then this girl comes out. I go really?
She comes up
from Papua New Guinea. And she says the showerhead,
yay Masha, Allah Buddha said, hamdulillah you're your guide someone like that on my, on my hands, like like that, like her.
Time passed. And
I'd have to say my wife at the time, she she went to a gym and
and she met a sister there. And the sister said to her or your husband is the reason why I converted to Islam.
So I'm hearing this story. And I said,
Well, I've never met this girl before in my life.
The story was that this particular girl
she
had a friend Somalian friend who worked at Woolies used to be called Safeway that time in the deli. And her mother, this Somalian sister her mother used to pick them up. She was about 1718 Take them home. And at that time, I had the cassette the cassette tape and it was about the store of use of Allison first use of giving it up in my center is that time
and she said this is a very close story to the biblical story. She was Catholic or Christian I'm not sure what which denomination of Christianity said but you're one I think what I remember her saying is that the story is that she she found a more consistent so it filled the gaps Wow. Just Can I have this tip tape and then you know the mother knows some of the mothers yeah take it all she wishes the Allah convert now young. So she took the tape and and asked for the rest of my lectures and listen to all the prophets stories. How would you think that someone to convert by listening to Prophet stories in the Quran? That's why the majority of the Quran is about the Prophet story. She listened
to it all and that inspired her to become a Muslim. And then Subhanallah one day after learning about Islam as a result of that, she said the shahada in front of her friend, the Somali sister at their house, oh, somewhere else, I'm not sure where but she said the shadow with her privately.
And she says this sister.
One day she went with her friend or Somalian
to a talk at Delos, Brooks Hall by use of stairs, flip home.
So they went up there she goes, I'm listening. And then suddenly, my friend said to me after the talk was ended, how you know how you became a Muslim? Why didn't you encourage other people, but just going up here on stage and just saying it again, just inspired? Wow. Because that's a good idea.
I will circle of love that was the same girl. When I was lifting my hands up saying y'all guide someone on my hands. It's not fair in that sense. I'm first off for Alana and puffed away to me like, Come on, man. I'm trying my best here. Yeah.
And Allah showed me with that die. That's the girl. She's been guided. I guided her because of something you did. And I'm thinking
back
to that. I know. I've never met her.
And I just met
the Somali sister the other time another sister wanted to become a Muslim. She went to Princeton was when I met the Somali sister. She was married to a friend of mine. I don't want to say the names in case. She said, You know that story you talked about? Okay. Yeah. Because that was me.
And this is we're talking 15 years later now. Said you, my friends watch goes yeah, we just came back from you know, we went to Papua New Guinea and we saw this particular sister she went to go down to her mother, her mother converted to Islam. Law reverted, then I think it was 17 members or something of a family or seven members also converted and now they just told me we went to the village is from and they've walked converted to Islam. Allah Subhana Allah
what is the point of this? You never know. It's not just it's not just da it's also you you assume of Allah, don't you? Some people look at this person. I want those views. I'm gonna get those likes. I want to grow my channel and you think that's the way but Allah tells you this ticket is taken as guidance is on me not on you. You're just
You're just a messenger to my other Rasulullah belvane. Just say, Be sincere and forget about it, I will guide whoever deserves it, you will be to I'm talking to you and the guy behind me is getting affected. The point I'm making this is usually it's not praiseworthy, it's not liked in Islam, you shouldn't, in fact, sometimes haram to praise yourself and talk and, and and talk yourself up.
But if there is a benefit, but if there is a benefit, and if you know that the position is being taken over by people who are corrupting that misguiding all you see that the position is scarce. And you know that Allah has given you skills and expertise, you know, yourself. Sometimes it becomes not only recommended but obligatory, to come up and say, I have these skills, put me on them. This is my application. I want to do it and you strive towards it with all your might and power. Make a buck, but why you're doing it because you feel that you have a responsibility. Not you want to be privileged, where man you have a responsibility. And then that's the way you got to take and that
comes with gifts on it's one of the reasons why we started this holiday. We know this social media just started a month ago for me, it's just I told you on my bed, I had chefs and Michelle, my own teachers and scholars who told me you have to Yeah, it's now obligatory on you. So change your promise that you did. And so your job now that there is a benefit, I want to please you. It's become obligatory for us too. And I have a lot of brothers and sisters around the world have taken my talks from the past and they've used it and we give them patient humbler because at the end it is not about us. It's about the dog in sha Allah, Lumberton sisters make it about that Shalom. Thank you
very much for sharing that love had it's been a beautiful talk we can go in for hours and hours and I think
we can go for these for ages. We love we love you my brother.
Thank you for sharing
my love you handle the one you love me for love your back love all our brothers and sisters Zalmay and congratulations. I encourage you
as Allah is my witness in her book on fiddler, my young brothers sisters, I love you for the sake of Allah, and anything you need. We're here for you as much as me and
Zack Kamala Harris, thank you guys for listening. Thank you for sharing and anyone who's interested in sha Allah. Brother Tshabalala has had his online and you're you can find them all on all the platforms so me or any other scholars, any other speakers, but I'm one of them. I'm one of the fish in in London. Thank you
hamdulillahi rabbil Alameen wa sallahu Divina Muhammad Ali Osaka Germaine Subhana Colombo Behanding, a shadow Allah Allahu ALA and stop rocoto alake Hola hum. asleep when and I will learn slash Obernai Allah Masha Nippon provocateur so Allah mafia calm limit to Hebrew Watauga hola como fitna Jamia on Workfit Luna the Latina Latino serata them struggling?
Homeless alessian hamdu lillahi rabbil