Islam In The Balkans

Bismillah Alhamdulillah wa salam aleikum, greetings of peace. How are you guys doing? Now you're wondering, we're out of our normal studio in Chicago. And I want to thank the channel five here in Bosnia, you guys know if you've been following along on our Facebook on our channel that we've been, I've been traveling, and I've been meeting some wonderful people. Over the past going on 11 years I've been bringing you stories of people who have accepted who have found and are living this purpose, the purpose of worshipping the Creator, not the creation of Islam, and there's so many misconceptions about it. So we're bringing you in to different Muslims lives to connect with them to

to understand them. And this is no exception. I got Bellamy here Taekwondo instructor former, or how are you building here? Fine, thank you. How are you? Good, good hunger law. So you're also a body built European bodybuilding champion, right in a certain category. And one one of the most successful Taekwondo schools in said I have Oh, yes. Yes. How you been? I'm fine.

So tell us a little bit more about yourself about myself. What to tell you didn't. You didn't mention? When did you start Taekwondo? Oh, I was 14. Yeah, it was 1442. A long time ago? Well, as you heard, you know, you know, what motivated me to start the program, you know, the D show. And now I'm so excited that you know, the brothers here from Channel five, they've set us up where we can go ahead and meet, you know, to help facilitate because I feel that there's so many misconceptions. Yeah, not only with outside of the Muslim community, but also inside of the Muslim community, you know, and particularly, who will probably focus on the inside and let people from the outside to see

what we talk about to see. Because there's a lot of dehumanization, you see, and when you dehumanize people, what happens then you look at them as the other and you can drop bombs on them, and all sorts of things happen, right? But when they connect many people watch the deen show, we have a one 800 number of people call to ask questions. And you'll be amazed. So many people are accepting Islam, you farmers, but then you also have people who are living, meaning that living in a prayer dorm, predominantly, predominantly Muslim country, Bosnia is mainly Muslim majority, but you also have Catholics, so orthodox, Christian Catholics.

And then you have people here who are born Muslim, because we have a lot of people who are digging for the truth. And they find it and man they are in love. They start praying fasting one, but also you have people here who some people, not not just I mean, it's an awakening, many people are coming back to their machines and whatnot. But some people they don't think it's cool to be most you know, to be practicing. Maybe you're like, you know, a weirdo and whatnot. But you are a particular case. You did bodybuilding You did? You know, Taekwondo, very athletic nutrition. And you how you started actually practicing how long till you're at an age of 20 2020 years ago. Tell us how did that all

happen?

Well, as you said, a lot of people here are Muslim, but they are not practicing Islam.

I was like that also usually are going on throughout the Ramadan. And that's all my practice in Islam. And during one Ramadan with my good friend, I was went to the taro namaz and and the state stay all night in the mosque

to make about it because it was 27 nights of Ramadan and usually people think people here think that's a little color. And I was staying in most cold night and

during during the Salah

a lot of people start crying. And

and that that was make some impression on me. I was during that time. I was so excited. Like why are these people crying? Yeah, of course that but

I was starting to cry. You know, it's, I was so so so excited that I couldn't I couldn't stand on my legs. You know, my my knees are shaking. So I was I was thinking I was throwing down. So from that night I pray over Salah. Simple as that. Did that did that interfere with your Taekwondo with you know, your lifestyle? We see a lot of athletes lately. can be mega model. You've heard of him? Yeah. I watching him. Yeah. You see, there was this one. I don't know what athletes It was amazing. The guy and these are just live examples of some people like oh, that's for the old people.

When I get 6070, then I'll start practicing. Now you don't know if you're gonna live that long, right? There's a group of athletes, right? And then the girl comes and she's like scantily dressed. And you can see the show the other example. Yeah. Do you see that? Do you see that one? Yeah. So how does that now with you being an athlete, you know, and whatnot, how does Islam fit into the equation?

It was very difficult, you know, because

I was international referee, I am international referee in Taekwondo. I travel a lot. Every weekend, I'm somewhere refereeing or coaching. And I just mentioned that a female, I have a lot of contact with females. And because there are a lot of female referees, a lot of female trainers, and

I try to do my best to show myself as as a Muslim. First of all, I have a beard. I don't say can which women also, it was very difficult to explain for people for female coaches or referee, why I'm like that, you know, here, everyone knows that. Because a lot of people in sorrow when they are not shaking hands with humans, and that's tough. But I try to do my best to make that as, as my individual, you know, and I succeed all the time.

I think people they respect when people they hold to a certain moral code, to certain values, whereas many people it just like if the wind blows, that way, they go that way, you know, their principles change day in and day out. But even when you mentioned the shaking of the hands, right? This is something that could be very, sometimes very uncomfortable. When you speak to women, you know, a lot of times, you know, you'll just a woman say, You know what?

It's out of respect. Yeah, you cannot just walk up to Queen Elizabeth, or any of these, you can touch them, right? Yes, your queen, right. And I don't have the right, you know, to go ahead and touch was not mine, for example, to explain. Yeah, so a lot of times, a lot of times at first, some people can go from being, you know, kind of insulted, but when she knows she's a queen, and this is out of respect the Cowboys, even in America, they wouldn't touch the woman, right? They take off their hats, and they'd be like, showing respect, we kind of got away from that. Islam still holds those value. Yeah, she found me. She wanted to explain to people like many women, they start to

blush, you know.

You're right. So that's, it's interesting. But that's the whole purpose. When we when we get to put things in context, when people are open, their minds are open. We can get this information. A lot of people they they they they really respect that. Yeah, yes. And usually, you know, I tried to do to do my best to make myself as a good example for for everything, you know, to people. When they saw me on the street, they just want to want to think that oh, I want to be Muslim like his, you know.

Good, buddy. I don't know what Taekwondo master

very successful, successful competition results in Taekwondo and stuff. And I tried to two people saw me True, true

to my success in everything. And just to said, I want to be like him. I want to be Muslim like him. Yeah. Not Not Not to be the Muslim. The the society doesn't have any any use. No. Yeah. For leading by example. That's very important. What had you come to a point where you started to reflect and think about purpose? Why are we here? Most people go through life, right? Yeah, they go through all the activities, nine to five job Monday through Friday, go out. I don't know about here. But usually, maybe it's the same thing. But and I can state your work, you know, like a dog you sweat or you study, then the weekend comes? Now it's time to let loose, right? And you're not reflecting

right? You're not thinking, What's the purpose? Why am I here? You know, people are just leaving this earth. They're dying. And many people, they don't really stop to reflect. But now obviously, a Muslim is one who surrenders and submits to God. And now they have a plan. They have a purpose, right? There's hope. And their struggles, of course, but What had you at that point before you started praying and that were you at that point where you're kind of like, you know, thinking, reflecting what's my purpose in life? Why am I here? Oh, no, I was raised as a Muslim. Yeah. So there's not a lot of new things for me. Yeah. And in this life,

I

know a lot of things, but I didn't practice. Because I don't know when I was so young. I was raised by my grandparents, you know, and when I was kid I was

go to the mosque often very often, you know, but when I was started going to the school and high school and stuff was just lose some very in depth, that connection.

And

later I was, I was fine the connection again. But I was always No, there is a God name is Allah. And I purpose is to serve him, but I just didn't get that level. Yeah, like, till I was 20. Did you ever like when you talk to some of the let's say, Serbians decorations What do they call God by what name? Do they say Borg? What are they just just said God is a God in so that that would be in in the Serbian Croatian Bosnian War? How would you translate that bow? Bow Bow? Yeah, so they say bow? Yes. What when they hear a law, what do they have you ever had a conversation? Do they? How do they interpret when you say Allah? Oh, is that something? Do they know that equally? I know. They know.

Yes. Yeah. They know what I'm talking about. Yeah. Because some people like back in America, many people they have this misconception. There's a lot of propaganda that a lie some moon God, some pagan god, what was that same thing reached here that propaganda? I don't know. They're, they're more they're more intelligent. So they know. The Creator. Right? Yes. They know what I'm thinking about. Yeah. But they're usually the they have a lot of questions about women's, our recurring job. How can you

get for women and the stuff? That's usually they are questioning? Yeah. They don't want to know about Islam, truly Islam. Just Just make question about certain things that so interested, as I mentioned, I found that usually, you know, all these some of these, you know, side issues, right? You know, secondary, third dairy, many people they'll bring up but I think when if people can understand the concept of God in Islam, right. And he's one alone worthy of worship, that there is nothing comparable to him. He has no children. He has no son, these things, you know, the theology of Islam, most people, they're fitted on there. And they, that brings it right. Yeah. And just

before I go to my next question for you know, many of the audience who now are tuning in and they hear it, these are really important connecting points, and we can share with our audience where they can bridge that gap of misunderstanding. Did you know that even in the Aramaic language, this is the original language that Jesus spoke, he would say, Aloha, Aloha, Aloha, ha look at that a lot. That's a lot the creator and Jews and Christians who speak Arabic In the Bible, it says Allah right now, we know in the Quran, but in the How do you say will be bla bla bla? Yeah. Petia offski. Allah.

Estonia is a more simple than that. Yeah. Isn't that amazing? Yeah. So tell us more. You're also involved in really nutrition and what is Yeah, a lot of the things

in my life is an attrition. Yeah, always just watching what I eat, how many carbs how many proteins, how many sets and I

have my diary, and I always just get into the data. What I have ate what I will eat and what do you think are just for the average person who's not counting calories? What do you think because we have an epidemic now that 70 I don't know how it is here. But I see a lot of people are walking, that's a you know, back back home. People are stuck. They don't really walk much. You know the sit at the TV and many people they end up

eating a lot of processed junk foods. That's why I think the latest statistic was around seven to get this 70% of people back home are overweight or obese. How is it over here in Bosnia? I don't think it's not that big that held back now. But

the fact is that in a couple years, we have awakening of fitness and healthy food and stuff. And in now in every store, bigger store, some malls and stuff. You can buy proteins and a lot of supplements, every store have apartment for the healthy food and stuff.

It It wasn't like that five years ago. But now it is. Everyone wants to

look and eat healthy. And that's that's good thing very very good for fitness business. What do you recommend people to the foods to sometimes it's one thing we recommend like a lot of times fruits and vegetable real foods right? What are the things that you like say the top two three food to not eat? What would you say? Stay away from this if you want to, you know, protect your health. Oh, fast food. processed food right fake it we call it fake food. That's fair food. There's a lot of stuff that you don't need for for your body. And

it's fast food. Yeah, what what about there's a documentary called I recommend everyone to what it's called fed up. I have you heard of this No. fed up. It talks about the white sugar sugar being the new nicotine of our time, you know, nicotine, people are addicted. Now White processed refined sugar is causing so many health disasters Do you? Is that awareness? Of course. I personally avoid and sugar, sugar and salt also. Yeah. The both of think are not very healthy for our body and recommended all of my clients to do like that toast near. What could people who have a they like some sweet replace, so we gave them three pieces of advice for nutrition. So stay away from

processed junk food, eat dough mochi dough matches, like organic, or just real food. Second, we talked about state state and the process. The white sugar, right. And what about someone? What do you recommend if someone likes something sweet or something? I would have my fruit fruits. Yeah, that's natural sugar. Yeah, yeah. Yes. But not that kind of sugar. But it's real. It's real. Yeah. Yeah. Because in there, you have the fiber you have a everything is combined, rather than just taking it process out. Yeah. Yeah. So we can get what are your favorite foods? Banana, banana, banana, like of carbs? Yeah. Let me go back to

you know, how is it here? As far as there are certain dilemmas, challenges that we have back in the United States. My, where I came to visit you guys from. And we're seeing that through making this human human connection to people tuning in watching the D show, we're probably one of the one of the first and one of the few very few Islamic talk shows, TV talk shows in America. So when people reach us, and they listen to us, right, and they meet people like you because a lot of times you think oh Muslim, right? Maybe got a beard, you know, the guy's like, looks kind of Arab or something. Because they equate Muslim with some Arab in the desert. And they see me white American talking like this.

Now you white Bosnia, you follow me?

So they they equate, you know, oh, he's fundamentalist. You know, maybe terrorists, whatever sleepers, you know, do you have those things here? When they see what the beard or is? Yeah, yeah. Right. Right now, I'm very

Enigma for everyone. Because with the beer and this this body, no, no one can connect to things. Because

they probably

the media, the media,

the media started

to make people minds that they think just just one thing when they saw the people with the beard, they just want to saw terrorist. Yeah. And the people who are killing each other and stuff. And I didn't, I didn't see any media to present the people with the beer as peaceful, peaceful people, peaceful. Men, women,

athletic men,

sports men, and that kind of stuff. You don't have that kind of show.

The media, but it is here. It's like that. Also, there are a lot of prejudice

from the Muslim people, not not from Christian non orthodox Catholics from Muslim people. Yeah.

Before the Second World War, yeah, here. You have a lot of people with a beard. A lot of females with with with the hijab niqab. I seen those pictures. I was amazed. Yeah, it's nothing new on this territory. But it was forgotten because of communism. That's why Yes, yes, memory.

Isn't digital he didn't a lot of beer but the moustache, something like that. No, no, I don't I will not say he didn't allow this. Yeah. But usually people when they, you have to commit to the party, if you if you want to succeed in your life, you got to be committed to that as their party. Yes. If you if you could have like be in the party and have a beard, or you could have a beard. Yeah, but

you need a good reason to have

that they look down upon you. Yeah. Yeah. Not to have beard because you are Muslim.

You could have a beard or you have a lot of politic. People, people from politics, they have beer, they have mustache, but they didn't have beard because they are a Muslim. Yeah, that's the main main reason. Yeah. I hate like, I don't, it's not that I hate it. But sometimes we have so many important issues, right? And so many things that are really, you know, hurting the community at large. And then sometimes people will get stuck on the beer, you follow me? You don't even bring it up. But now you're being attacked by but it's interesting. We've kind of back in the making a contrast between here in the United States. You know, it's interesting, besides Orthodox Jews, besides Orthodox

Christians, they all have a beard. I mean, you could would you call Jesus, a terrorist from Muhammad peace be upon him, Moses, they all had a beard, right? And not just that, but when you go back to the States, now you'd have athletes? Yes. You have movie stars. It's like, we don't do it. Because that, but they're kind of like, it seems like they're imitating the Muslims. Because everybody's like growing a beard. Did you notice that? No, it's very cool. It's very cool. So you guys are kind of even got to catch up here. Yeah. Right. And not just that, because in America, everything's about science not getting this. Do you know that the beard is and is actually helping to prevent UV rays

for hitting your face? And it's and it's actually anti cancer? Yeah. And, you know, actually, also the pollen, it's also helps to prevent asthma because all the dust

isn't that amazing. Yeah, of course. Yeah. So when you bring up these facts, and we don't do it, but from from these things, but we benefit from the wisdom of what Allah has prescribed, because there's nothing that the Creator has told us to do, but there's benefit from it is an amazing shot. Yeah, so inshallah people can pick up on these things. But the main thing that, you know, through this program is, is just connecting to show that we're human also, that we have the same blood, that we have the same needs and some of the same aspirations and goals, but we're trying to achieve those things, but we're also living our purpose, you know, and to stimulate people to think, you know,

beside these distractions and all that, you know, recently, it's very sad that there was a I don't know if you heard about it, I think it's on the news here. You had the this is the greatest mass shooting

in American history, right? And we feel like the hypocrisy I don't know if you guys How do you feel about that? Because if you pass by a Muslim, we often say if you ate lunch with a Muslim, if you pass by a Muslim and a Muslim sneeze by you, somehow, if he doesn't say Allahu Akbar, but it's not terrorism, yeah, but this guy, not only that he killed I believe, like around 60 people injured 500 injuries, like maybe got shot in the hand, maybe he's cripple deep, you know, 500 people, but still not labeled a terrorist. You know what I mean? What do you what are your thoughts on that when you guys you know, see those double standards? I don't know what to say about it.

It's obviously that just the Muslims are terrorists. I don't know why. I know why, of course, but they just want to make bad image Muslim people of Islam

as you know,

here

I tried to fight

over that kind of thing with my example, and stuff I already mentioned. And

I hope that the people here will finally

finally get knowing that Yeah, we are not we're not where people try to make us out to be Yes, of course. Yeah. What about now? The people who are not Muslim What have you found I you know, when when you really look into Islam, and that was one thing that motivated me, you know, to really put together this kind of program through education, removing that ignorance Islam you know, you find that it promotes mercy love justice, you know, it doesn't teach you to hate someone because he's Serbian hate someone because he's Croatian hate someone because he's outside he's not Muslim. And but the media the people will try to twist that make it the opposite. You know, like it does promote

that. How is the life here?

amongst people who have other faiths?

Well, I think there's a lot of ones from the war. They are not allowed.

They don't allow to connect on that level. You know,

battle wounds from the war. Yes. Yes. was the greatest genocide that happened after World War Two, right? Yeah. against the Muslims that many, much of the world has know nothing about. Yes. Yes. And

I think usually

the Muslim people, Muslim Muslim people,

that they didn't forget everything that happened. But they, they tried to put it in the certain behind there put it in the past. Yeah. And but they, the other one, don't think like that. They always know what's happening, what what was happened, and what, what, what, what they need to do in the future.

But usually, I don't have a problem with with creation with service. So we are communicating because of

we are seeing each other on the competition all the time, we trained together, our competitor, our together international team and stuff, and this port is very different level from the common life, you know, you need to connect all the time with it. All of all of frozen here, all of all of nation, in our country. And that's the good thing. Good thing about sport, they connect people. So that would that be your advice also, for the parents, maybe watching get your kids involved in sports or sport activity.

The kids have to have to practice any, some kind of sport they really need because they will learn a lot of things. They will travel, they will they will find how to survive by themselves without the parents and stuff. It's very good for kids. Yeah. Well, I'm Thank you. Thank you for joining me. Thank you hear the show channel five in Bosnia, out of all places, we still up and running, continuing strong. jazak Allah. Hi, thank you, my brother. Thank you very much. And I want to thank you guys, for tuning in. And continue to tune in we're gonna bring you some wonderful episodes here from Bosnia, follow me on my Facebook page, subscribe on the YouTube we have and connect for those

tuning in. Connect. You see, I'm trying to bring you bring to life Muslims live so you can kind of so we can humanize what people are trying to D humanize and visit your mosque. You have a number you can call one 800 662 Islam ask your questions. And then you can make your judgments from there. And hope to see you again next time here. Same channel same time on the D show. Peace be with you.