Lost and found – A Conversation, China’s Vanishing Muslims, Bosnia, Myanmar + More

You know, Somewhere I read that you say there are three levels of

brotherhood,

Blood Brothers, brothers in humanity and brothers in fate. So tell us a little more about it. That's interesting. You asked me that Shay, I was speaking to an individual the other day, and we were talking and I called him I said at a mano a mano, meaning like brother in Spanish. He was like, Why are you calling me brother? You know, I don't think he was, uh, he was getting it. He said, You're not my brother. And I said, Hold on. And I broke this down to him. I said, Look, there's three types of brothers, you have brothers now who are Blood Brothers, right? They come from the same womb, then you also have brothers in humanity, because we all have if you look back, we all have the same

father Adam. So if you connect our lineage, there will be brothers in humanity. And then you have brothers in faith. Those who believe as Jesus is Moses, Abraham and Alaska final messenger, Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon them. And that message, that's all for all of humanity of that pure monotheism. If you believe in that worshiping the creation of the creation, then you have those brothers in faith like me, and you are. That makes sense. Well, did it make sense to him? Then they had, I'm thinking, how I'm thinking, yes. Okay, so some good some some explanation. Yeah. Allow people to think a little more about that. So, yeah. Well, I'm part of two of those brothers

category, brothers in humanity and brother in faith.

How many blood brothers do you have?

our blood brothers? I got one, one. Yes. Okay. I'm like, yeah. So, you know, you have this amazing life. I didn't know until this morning when I started preparing for this show.

That you have been in jail.

I would make a correction, I wouldn't, because there's a difference between like someone going to a penitentiary, and someone getting in a few fights. And then you know, sitting in the, you know, county jail or something. So

jail as far as going down and serving time. No, that's I wasn't in like a penitentiary, but that I get in my time, you know, in Jabalia in some, you know, fights here and there. And that's what had me really take it to the next level to say, Okay, if I had this energy, right, to want to fight the zeal, let me do it something positive. So that's when I started teaching martial arts. Well, before we come to the end, but how much time did you spend in lockup or whatever it is? I mean, okay, so usually what happens is, you end up, you get into, you're growing up in Chicago, right. And in Chicago, you're if you don't have proper direction, you're going to go in the wrong direction. So

you get with the wrong company, you get with the wrong crowd. So now this crowd, you know, is doing certain things there on the street. And on the street is where all the action happens. So now, you got and this is never remember, this is like, if you look, you have people who are in this scene, and they're also expecting the same, right? So now you come across someone who's at that age, you know, they're in another crew, or they're in another opposing, let's say,

crew, let's call that and they don't like you. Because you know, because you're not with us, you're with them, whatever the case is painted scenario. So then you guys, you know, start fighting. And then you end up, police come and then they end up putting you into lockup, you know, overnight, the next day, and then you're out again, then you go back and you think Okay, so now you got some st credits as they call it, right. So now you got something to brag about. And this is how this is how the rotation happens. Now people respect you more, or you're the I don't know if you ever seen these movies that you know a lot of the people like like Goodfellas Scarface Godfather, have you ever seen

any of those movies share? Well, I my office was in the area where the people will take tourist buses to look for mob facilities in downtown Chicago. Okay, we're here of the language that, you know, Al kabooms never heard, you know, brother Muhammad Ali, on to one of the

facilities of the house of Al Capone and close by Indiana. So I've been to that so I have some idea. So you have like by you over there. You have like Taylor Street. That's a big street right there. You heard a terraced Street.

That's a very popular area where you had a lot of the mafiosos and, and that hang out there. But it's unfortunate even to this day. Many people respect people like that, you know, people, you know, they watch the movies and they think, okay, man, these guys are like, you know, the The Last of the Mohicans These are the people that you know, a lot of people they, they they glamorize this kind of lifestyle.

I was I was a victim of that also because what you see on TV and you know, the images that are portrayed for, for a young person you think, okay, you aspire to, to try to you gravitate towards a lot of these things, power, respect, and all the other things that come with that. So yeah, to answer your question, you know, you would fight, you end up in jail, you know, but thank God hamdulillah that I never ended up going to any penitentiary or anything, you know, that's where you have like a, you know,

a long serving of time year, two years and all that, but no, I never went. So it was like, Look, like a day, would it be a day? month? couple months? You know,

few months. So but but that did give you some time to think. Yeah, that's, that's, that's the thing when you are in the solitary confinement, that or when you're isolated from the world, let's call that when you're isolated from the world. And now it's, you're in jail, so and that freedom is taken away from you. It should have you thinking it had me thinking, you know,

but it's unfortunate that, then people, they think one way, but then they get back out, and some make a change, and some don't. But you definitely when your freedoms are taken away, you wish to get back out and kiss the ground. And now you're crying from from deep inside your heart, you know, Oh, God, help me, help me. Help me get out of here. That's when your connection gets stronger. Right. And this is

something I got to experience. So so when you were in this in some type of gangs,

what did anybody knew that you're a Muslim?

Not well, from the point of

because my parents really weren't practicing Islam. So you know, the former and you you kind of know the Bosnian community. Also, you did a lot of Hamidullah, Mila reward you for all the work you did during the genocide that was taking place in Bosnia. So you kind of know, it's a wonderful community in that, but you had communism that had taken over for was there for quite some time. So people had kind of went off from the dean but many hamdulillah they ended up coming back held on to the dean, some would only participate when Ramadan would come around, you know, but in Bosnian, if you were to say to someone look, because many are very proud to be Muslim, and they might not be praying five

times a day or fast to hear anything, but if you tell them hey, you know, you you sent mentioned anything? Oh, this is not you know, criticized them or you're not a Muslim like this, anything like that, they'll cook they'll come at you very hard, you know.

So my parents really weren't practicing at the time. 100 law now they are hamdulillah. So, we, we were just kind of, you know, doing what everybody else does, and I was, but I still would identify as being a Muslim. I didn't eat pork I you know, some basic things that I knew that I didn't do my my grandparents, you know, my grandfather, you remember and my uncle.

Do you remember my I know, you know, Hashem.

Hashem the who was the leader of the Bosnian community. I worked with him against to stop genocide in Bosnia. Yeah. Do you remember his? My grandfather and terrible father? Yeah, well, that's when I used to go. My parents would send me to be with them that I got, I used to learn some small sutras. I used to play like I was then well, then they had a house there in Buffalo and buffalo. And I would spend time with them. They were practicing praying five times a day everything. And then I would be with them for a month, two months. And I would just, you know, it was they had some stairs going up. I would remember I would dress up, you know, I'd make the van as a young kid, but then I'd come

home. So I would be praying, then I'd come home. No one's praying. And I'd be praying by myself, but then it would wear off and I forget about it.

Huh? Yeah. So Lost and Found, huh?

I even I even I even remember Do you remember? Ray cirrage? Oh, yeah. He was my in Northbrook. I would go there every Sunday, they would have like the Sunday school. So I would go there. And I had some as a young child, we would go there to some classes. He was one of my first teachers. So how come you know you you had some basic knowledge trainings a lot and you're calling people to prayer as a young person, but in Chicago, then then so do you think the absence of a good company allows a person who has been to weekend school move away 100% company is a huge one is huge. And then I mean, it's one thing just going through the motions but not understanding the essence the meaning. So

there's a big difference between knowing Okay, I'm saying certain things in Arabic, right. But I'm not understanding the essence of it.

But there's a feeling there for it, it's gravitating. I'm enjoying the prayer I'm I remember those are those are moments certain moments highlights in your life. I remember those spending time with my, with my grandparents and them teaching me some of the some of the some of the Quran I remember that. Yeah, but bad company 100% this is what I think one of the main things not having the proper company

and not being established in the house in the home.

So you have another dumb for Muslims who are proud Muslims, but sort of lost in terms of following the teachings of God Almighty and Prophet Muhammad. Peace be upon him. He called them Muslims on batteries. Where did you come up with that?

I must have heard it somewhere.

Yeah, it's kind of like like you have the term we have those terms that people use Ramadan Muslims, then I think this is a Bosnian term Muslim and a bacterium. This is like, you know, so you get this, like the Energizer Bunny, you get this going going? And then it just goes away. Where's it at? But we know Islam is something you do 24 seven, it's not just for Ramadan. It's not just when you're in trouble or on Sundays, as some people just do on Fridays. It's every day. Yeah, it's a way of life. Right. So when you came out of, you know, in and out of the

detentions

and had the time to think when you came out, how did you connect back because parents are still their company, probably the old friend, the gang members is still wanted you back.

You know what, and I think about this, I think about this, you know, you have like amado de la Han and Sahaba at that time, and we can never compare to who they were and whatnot. But you had people who are honorable, and Alas, Juan de la, guiding them to the dean, right. But then you have those who are just even even being who they were. They were unarmed, honorable and ultra intelligent and guide them. So there was a

holiday and will lead and people like this, you know, they didn't believe at first you can call them they were Islam haters. But later they came. Even even when they did certain things, they did things with some kind of Honor Code. And I was thinking back, because I want to, I want to paint a picture that, you know, I was a type. And I picked this up from my father, if I gave my word to something, I got that from my father. He was a person of his word he never stole he never cheated. He didn't do any of these. These things, even though he wasn't now he was trying he was he was a good, honest person. He passed those things down to me. I didn't even at that time, like gossiping or backbiting,

right? Even at that time, I was a person that look, if I had something with you, it'd be in your face. If I told you, I'll be here, I would be here. We'll take care of things.

So those are the type of people like if I was, if I would get into a fistfight and altercation, it will it was with someone that you'd probably want to knock out yourself. And, and, and people also who wish to, you know, want to smack someone around because this person was a vile person, it was a person who was just in their behavior, they might have ripped a lot of people off there. But now they came across someone like me, who didn't let that stuff slide. You understand? You understand my point. So so it wasn't where you're fighting some innocent, you know, person on the street. It was someone who was who was in that lifestyle also, right. So I want to make that distinction. Somebody

who probably you'd want to knock out also, if you had watching Muslim network TV, and this is Mr. Malik Medina, who doesn't know any martial arts, but I'm talking with the Eddie.

Rajavi. I'm trying to have it right.

zoic tell me.

Did your What are your parents The one who came to America first? Yeah, they came about 40 some years ago. My mother came and then my father. Yes. Okay. So did they tell you about anything about bosnia? You came to know what bosnia later. No, I used to travel. I used to travel as a as a as a child. He's taking me to Bosnia. And I used to go regularly. Yeah. Before the war. Okay. And then after the war, I actually went over there and spent a couple years I lived over there. Well, you live there as a as an adult or as a child as an adult. Oh, okay. Yeah. So tell us a little bit as a PA as a as a as a peacemaker. Okay. So tell us a little bit about what are your memories of

living there because there were Serbs and Croats probably as well. Yeah. You know what I mean by as a peacemaker, you know what I'm talking about, I worked with the s for I four or s four, it was stabilization force, and they had Americans going over there to work after the war. So I was there for

For my experience, when I went that time, I was just it was just when you got there you landed, you saw, pretty much most of the things just blown up. Before that before as much I had great memories. It's a beautiful, beautiful country. It's an amazing country. Amazing history. And I'd like to point out for for many of the not yet Muslims out there. I always make this and when I got deeper into the history, my uncle would tell me about this. And I then when I went, I filmed a few episodes with some historians. So I tell people because it's in the heart of Europe, you had one of the greatest number of actually Unitarian Christians, so our roots, the Bosniaks, the Bosnians, you can look

back, and you can connect and I give this example so people who are also there who are looking at you know as something Islam is something you know, maybe weird for and they can't connect with. But many people when Islam, when they got to understand the teachings of it, what it taught like these Bosnians at that time who didn't worship Jesus, they didn't worship any creation. They would pray outside the church, they were worshipped worshipers of one God, one and only one gods. So when Islam came to him, some reports they say that over 60,000 people at one time accepted Islam. So we were we were those Unitarian Christians who only worship one God, but then accepted the final messenger,

Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon them. And this is that rich history in Bosnia that you find out so it's a beautiful, wonderful country. And when I was there, they they opened up a line from London to Sarajevo. And Islam channel was doing that they were promoting that line I think it was with fly Bosnia. So I really recommend that people they start to go when when they're able to and things open up to go. And if you're in Europe, anywhere, you got to stop in Bosnia. So a lot of rich history as a beautiful country, beautiful people, great food, and you can go down here that dine inside I have a pretty nice and loud, a lot of history. Definitely put on your list to do

things. Well, this is one country, I always wanted to go. But any time i checked up the price line, it was very costly for me, because I worked. I mean, actually, I have so much that the president of Bosnia sent me a thank you letter, although I didn't know who told him what I was doing here. But I was chair of the Bosnian Task Force, and we were very critical. But where are you part of the United States Armed Forces when you went there? Yes. right alongside? Yes. Hmm. Me and My Father are both of you. Yeah. So your father. So it was during that time your father turned towards Islam also.

He around that time, and then he started to he went to Hodge.

I don't know exactly what year, but he started to, you know, come back towards the dean. But then he just needed a little bit more direction. He just needed a little bit more it was it wasn't like, you know, because Islam is structured. It's like there's the five pillars, you know, you pray at certain times, you know, you fast during the month of Ramadan, not outside the month of Ramadan. So then hamdulillah last month, Allah guided me and I started to implement, you know, the five daily prayers started to grow this was this was what was very important was the knowledge. That's really what and it goes back to what you were saying earlier, good companionship and then really knowing because

this Deen Islam is based on evidence and proof and it's, it's something that captivates not just the emotions and the heart but the mind. So it had all the questions to what the purpose of life is, you know, at that time, I wanted to look at other religions also. So I looked at all did a comparative study, and Islam just stood out from everything else. And I gravitated to it and started to, to implement it. And then I started to just naturally it wasn't something that someone told me, but I just started to you know, share all the things that were inspiring me motivating me lectures, talks, I would just sit down to the family dynasty Come let's watch this. And I was just really, you know,

excited about sharing and then hamdulillah they started to slowly you know, implement the five daily prayers we started do that and, and from there humbler things just started getting better. There was some struggles here and there. It's not always an easy ride but hamdulillah So hi is host Bosnia and Bosnian community doing right now in in Bosnia.

Right now before before I left, I mean, when was the last time you visited? I believe a year ago, I think a year before all this happened before this, the lockdowns and everything. I was there. I went with my father a couple times in the last few years we went together. And I really I just I enjoy it's such a beautiful country. Beautiful People and great community there. I mean, you have you have i i think that i did a program

I think they, because they had turned down a little bit down. At one point when I was going during the

right after the war, the genocide there, I remember going to survival and you can hear that on really nice. Nice clear and and then you we were going there last time and I think they toned it down a little bit asking people why why is this but you can hear the church bells and you've got nothing I'm not kidding. I mean you can hear them nice and loud. That's why it's so diverse there you have like 500 plus churches during the war that didn't get touched, you know, Islam preserved them.

And then but people my point where I'm trying to make is you have some people again, not confident in to appease other people and whatnot, they started to just like mo becomes Mohammed right, I Cheb becomes

Ace whatever the case and then Muslims start turning down as that and they start you know,

forgetting about sharing the message educating the people. So I was just trying to create this you know, awareness when you come into beggars Jamia you have you been to Turkey Shea

Yes. You know, when you go to the Blue Mosque Did you see like you guys do this a lot with sound vision, education is so important. And you have flyers and you know, what is Islam and other things about Muslims. When you walk into Blue Mosque, I'm making this example on the on the right, you can see all of the different posters and you have so many tourists that come through there. There was one MOS that I was trying to encourage them and I did videos where you come in it's the main mustard there in Bosnia

that they would put up and have an educational center and educate people you know, it's a beautiful

opportunity, because I think someone got timid and just worried about Oh, what the tourists what people will say but people are hungry when I talked to many of the tourists and other people there and whatnot. That's part of

learning the other culture learning people learning about the history and the deen Islam is a great is actually one of the roots of that history there. So you can't forget that exclude that out.

One of the things which you just mentioned that there are 500 churches in Sarajevo, and not a single church was attacked by any Muslim in Sarajevo.

I mean, that case I believe outside outside I believe the numbers out in Bosnia or the total number of churches in Bosnia are about 500 I don't I don't don't quote me on that. I don't know if it's setup or the number that when I was 500 churches I believe that's in the Bosnian area it might be just said I'm not sure but that's the number of a mosque which were destroyed Oh, you had a ton of moss I mean just the majority were just you know a blue obliterated they were just demolished to the ground just destroyed. I mean bulldoze blown up teams talk about normally about their history, that protection of churches and other religions says you know that the the key to battle on major church

is is still preserved by Muslim and a Muslim family. I think there will be a great documentary if people go through the churches that no church was destroyed to whatever the number is, and then show some of the mosque and all that so I think that itself is a documentary Don't you think? Oh absolutely. Yeah. And this is a great example of it being the teachings of Islam right there in bars in the heart of Europe. I mean, something is a reference that you can point and say look, this is pointing out that

the church bells ring faithful out but the Muslims have turned down the volume of Baton from the loudest speakers and you think it is not I mean, this is not to keep people late, you know, people who are sleeping in the morning cannot wake them up. It's not a courtesy but more it's a fear of something I would I mean, you can go to a and I talked to the people the community there so I wanted to hear what they had to say right and I did an episode you can check it out on our channel it's called thumbs up or thumbs down so I asked the people ask you mom shakes people there and I get to so because I don't live there What right do I have now? You know, to come in and you know, try to

tell people what to do. But I wanted to hear what the people's voices were. So I talked to tourists, and I talked to the Muslims non Muslims and it was amazing. When the Don would go off. I talked to many of the tourists they say they like it you know when compared to like when he would go to Turkey and hear hear that on there. It's something different unique Liam Neeson when he would hear that I don't know if you remember that was that report back then? At first, it was annoying in the morning, but then it turned out. Reports say that it was the most beautiful thing. Come

out of his mouth, he was saying that when he would hear the dot and at one point he was contemplating even accepting Islam. So, I would ask and try to understand why why was this? So they were many were saying because of, you know, some of the cafes that were around and you know, when the down would go off this would disturb some people and that so you always have that conflict you know, you always have you know,

these things that will disturb some, but we know that this is part of the deal. This is something that is a dowel in and of itself. It's you know, so tell us about this

Brazilian martial arts, what you learn Did you started learning when you were a gang member, or it started after that. The I used to box I started off boxing. I did some kickboxing, and then a blend of different martial arts. And then I tried this particular martial art called Gracie, Brazilian jujitsu. And I had a small guy, who was probably like, his name was Edson, he was probably around 140, give or take. And at that time, I was really also into working out. And I tried it out and I got really tired. And I was in good shape. But he was very technical. And I didn't know the techniques there. I didn't know the art, there was something new to me. And then it was on the

ground. And I was amazed after he displayed how this work, and he submitted me and I was like, turned on. And then from there, I just took off with it. I really, you know,

started to spread. And I used to say if there was seven days in the week, I would do eight days just it was constant training. And this was this was sometime in the late 90s. In the late 90s. I took off with it a humble lie and many people who have seen the Ultimate Fighting Championships, they would know the Gracie family that's the family who actually started the Ultimate Fighting Championship with hoist Gracie, who was one of my first teachers and I became the first Rep. America Rep. bazian rep for this other part of the family here in America. I used to travel so to Brazil and do training out there. So I have done a lot. Yeah, this is a this was something like I always

compare it. You know, in Islam.

You have evidence it's evidence based. This this martial art is also evidence based when we say it's proven the most effective martial art is not just by theory, because what this family did way they said, Okay, if you believe your martial art is the best, let's just not talk in theory. Let's see the science behind it. So let's so they develop this word. Let's go into cage. And let's see what you got. Let's see which martial art is going to be dominant. So they at that time, the head is very exciting. They had different styles, Kung Fu, karate, Taekwondo, boxing, and everybody was fighting each other to see which one is the best. And this person who is Gracie, he destroyed everybody. He

beat everybody by taking getting into a clinch, and then taking them to the ground and finishing them. And it proved you know that it was the most effective martial art that was out there. And that's what really captivated me is first Do you have

100 law? We have a few 100 students, you know, in the hundreds 100 law and how some of them graduated or they're still your students? Yeah. So you have different belt system. And when you get to a certain level, you're still a student. I'm still a student. I'm still learning you know, it's the teeth the students are teaching me meaning that as I teach, I'm picking up it's so much to learn. But yeah, so they get to a certain level and then it just keeps going it's a lifestyle you've made it a lifestyle now so blackbell and beyond you just keep going it's a part of your life and in the Bosnia's rage of each but I don't expect

that Yeah, but no, you know, I just say read civic, read civic, most people read read civic.

Yeah. Now, tell me how much time goes in your martial art and how much time you go put on your deen show?

Well, it's the martial art is trained few times a week. And I tried to actually be because it's a part of living I believe a holistic This is a lifestyle exercise as part of that this is something they say that over 60% of diseases you'll be able to fight off just by incorporating exercises. So this is part of exercise that we do. So along with good nutrition. I've been trying I like What's that? That vegetable that you that you orchid, is it the one you turn me out to? that you have in your garden? Yes, I have a lot of vegetable garden has died out now which there was a particular one I never heard the the vegetable that you were talking about. Oh, I don't know.

Which one I was talking to talk about your farm and garden also, me? How much time on the show. So that takes up the majority of the time, most likely more than that. But I try to balance it out. So good training in the morning, some working out some jujitsu, also I teach. And then And then from there, you know, we have scheduling guys, you know, working behind the scenes, you know, you know, everything that goes into running the media. So this will probably take up more time, but we try to balance everything else. So we're not like a, like a car with one deflated wheel. When did you start producing the show? Officially 2006 2006, I was planning to do my first hedge. And from there, I had

one one shear shape Mohammed. And he was in town. And at that time, I was also doing what I was doing was I was trying to get some, some, some, because I started practicing the deed prior earlier towards 2000 some time, and from there, I started to figure out other ways I can get good deeds. So I used to bring out you know, different connect with different shake and have different

sponsor lecture or something a program. And I remember I was at one point, I don't know if you remember Dr. Amir Lee.

Yeah, I spent many, many years there also learning was one of my first teacher, milligram Jenna. And I was thinking of opening up a shop like that $1 Center, maybe like have a coffee shop with some books that people can come and, and they can learn. But then YouTube started at that time. And from there, we were planning to go to hij. And I thought just to make this interview, you know, with Hodges a lot, there's a lot of steps. So I said, let me record this. So I don't forget all the steps. But at the same time, why not be efficient with the time let's put this out YouTube just started. So then we ended up recording it, the Shay liked it Shay Mohammed. And from there, that's

when it started. I thought, Man, this is a great way to reach more people through the media than rather than just having a small dollar center dollar shop, this is a great way that we can go ahead and share this message because at that time, what motivated me was when you're learning what Islam is peace, mercy, justice, all these things, the opposite what the media is pushing out. So I thought man who's I mean, they're they're, they're misrepresenting Islam 100%. And we have to do our part to get the right message out. So the media was a great tool that was at our disposal and Hamidullah. We started using it. And here we are, how many followers do you have on your YouTube?

I don't I don't know what happened. What is it like few 100,000. But what happened was we started we got we had another channel that we were on, and that channel

ended up getting shut down for a little bit. So that's then I branched out because at YouTube at that time only allowed like 10 minutes. But then if you had if you are a partner, they allowed you the hour. So then we had another YouTube channel that

we were airing our stuff on and we just use that channel. We didn't really officially have our own until a few years ago. So we ended up going and branching out and starting our own channel which we should have did earlier but Hamidullah things worked out how they work that channel ended up coming back up but at that time when they shut it down for I don't know what reason what it was one of the programs something we talked about I don't remember exactly.

And then hummed along. Here we are now no longer have satellite channels and they they carry that and probably your messages to a whole lot of millions of people but what what shows Do you remember which interviews you remember

to be your best?

I don't particularly have I when I see you now I remember the important topics you know that we discussed that really stand out that the plight of the Muslims in Myanmar we spoke about that. Those things when I see you now reminds me of that program we we did then reminds me of the

the horrific events that are happening over there. And but we forget we go on with life and many of us you know we forget about and this is a great opportunity to remind me how is that situation there with them right now. what's what's you you work?

You know, out of those 3 million Muslims who are Miyama majority is just refugees sitting here and there without citizenship cannot go back. They want to go back to buy

mind me, I'm Ah, because that's where the ancestral home is. And the sense is far away there is no oil or there or maybe there is oil and world doesn't need oil, whatever is this situation, nobody seems to be interested in what they want to do they want to go back to their home and live there comfortably. Then another program seeing you and to answer your question, another show that was, is creating awareness of what happened in China, I did a program not too long ago, and just hearing of what you just can't believe in this modern day and age we're supposed to be you know, a civilized people. But

when you hear of you got almost over 2 million people in these modern day Inquisition camps, Inquisition camps in a college education camp, so that program I did,

trying to inshallah create some awareness. I mean, this is a very important program to get some of the because people are just not in tune What's with what's happening? And you obviously, How is the situation there now with the with the Chinese Muslims? Well, you know, when you say Chinese Muslim, there are Chinese Muslims also, who speak Chinese language, and they are Chinese culturally, but they are Muslims. Even they are in very much difficulty now. But the people which we're talking about your people, they are not Chinese, they are who are Muslims? Yeah, they are ethnically different, they are linguistically different. They are legislative.

There Turkic people who China occupied while ago, there is still the same shape. I mean, China is building more concentration camps, more ohia. And they are forcing a woman to you know, there is sterilizing woman, they're forcing

Muslim woman to marry,

you know, Chinese, and which they don't like some of them marry to get their parents released. And then they commit suicide. I mean, it's a horrible situation. And a lot of American companies actually are

complicit, because some of those people are, you know, being used as a slave labor in America, major companies in America are using

and benefiting from their slave labor. So there are laws in the Congress, which we are pushing. But President Trump doesn't seems to care for human rights. But there are a lot of those things which which are, which are quite attendance. So your shows, so my show when I invited me was about human rights of Muslims. What other types of shows you have and the deen show? So we get a lot of different people from all walks of life, who might have been from a particular religion background, and then we highlight their story. Because people now think, okay, Islam, Muslim, Arab, and all these other stigma stereotypes, but then when we show an Italian, most Muslim, Italian, Muslim,

Polish, Muslim, Italian, German, so we get stories, and then people are like, why did they accept Islam submission to the Creator, not the creation? Why, what's their story, and then something that hopefully people can relate to the message that they found, and they found the evidence in it with the Quran, and everything else that came along with it. Hopefully, people when they see these stories, which we do a lot of a lot of those stories,

you know,

you have a mixture, but the majority would be a lot of a lot of Converse stories, reverse stories, however you want to call it and then getting to know like, the million to a billion dollar million dollar question why so why did they accept Islam with all the hype and all the, you know, attacks that are thrown out there against Islam? And we become like, I still use what you said one time we become professional condemned, there should be a sixth pillar of Islam.

You said that right. Yeah. I think the condemning terrorism six times a day is the sixth pillar of Islam. Yeah. So from from there, with, with the hopes that people can can see behind, you know, all of the veils of deception through some of these stories, and then also we talk about other relevant contemporary issues that are going on like the I had a school teacher, Brenda, lip sack, you know, who talks about, you know, the hidden agenda or not hidden the outright agenda, what's happening in the schooling system with the children and the kind of things that they're, that they're being taught, you know, and, and other guests who have a message, a good message to share with positivity,

of hope of light

We interviews people like that.

You know, some of you you mentioned to me once that some of your time goes on a farm in Indiana Tell me what is that farm life which you have going on the site

that's a it's very nice site before I couldn't imagine myself getting out of the city but once I started to really and I talk about this a lot is living a holistic life. What does that mean? That means that you know, there's different aspects you have the one part that we work on like the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon them he talked about there's a morsel of flesh in the body that sound the whole body will be sound. So the heart now through prayer to you know other people or meditating doing other thing we have salaat five times a day, we're connected to our Creator. And then we have the five pillars and we have the Quran and Sunnah which is a complete

blueprint for life but it also doesn't leave out nutrition it doesn't it's a healthy balance right getting out into nature you know, and how do you appreciate the creator but through his creation so you get out you get away from the what I call it the concrete jungle, and you get out there and you you see the you know, beautiful scenery and you connect you know, in a way that in the city it's you kind of like I said in a concrete jungle so I really enjoy just getting out and that's what I love about about bosnia lon this this has a lot of these mountains and farms and, and things where we've kind of been just, I call it domesticated, right? We kind of you don't see the stars anymore you're

in the city you don't I remember being was that is it Mina? You remember that was the when you look up and you see all all the stars you have to you sleeping outside and you're that night. So when you get away from the city and a small and the pollution and you can get out you know you it kind of puts you more in touch, you know how things were kind of meant meant to be? So I enjoy that. I really do. So this farmer you raise chickens animals. What do you do there? We get some sometimes it gets some sheep. Get some chickens? Yeah.

Try to get also try get some vegetables going? Yes. Yeah, I don't know what vegetable I I told you, but I do grow quite a bit of garden here. This year. It was not as high producing as other time except cucumber. Um, and I had about five 600 cucumber, I must have eaten 300. Myself, I was eating them morning, afternoon evening. And it was very delicious. So you also promote wholesome living. So the fate the exercise and the right eating.

You know, but some of the people in this wholesome living are going up against science and against medicine, and all of those things.

How do you bring balance to your show in this regard? I love this. See these other kind of talks we need to have, you know, Islam is not against medicine. I mean, and there's a difference between drugs and medicine. So yeah, some people take it to the extreme, you follow me. But then you also when you look into any person that most people that I've come across who live a healthy, wholesome, or get you know, life, and I've interviewed many of these people who've been, let's say, into nutrition or into physical fitness for like 20 years, and I would ask them literally, I say, when's the last time you've been to the doctor? And the guy's looking and he's thinking he's like 20 years

ago, is it How does someone knocks end up going to the doctor i want i want to do what he's doing. So those are those lifestyle hacks. I call them those things in life and and one just key thing is just eating real food. Allah subhanaw taala tells us and pseudo bucha it's clear, you know, eat of the T bat, right? The good wholesome food, we have xebia we have Hello also but tayyiba, you can you know, synonymous to that would be what pure organic good foods. Even though back in the day, there was no such term as organic, but now you got to put it with just food. But today you have over a half a million fake food items. And those are those food foods. In the center of the grocery stores.

You have one section I'll say healthy food. And the person says okay, if this is healthy food, what's the rest of it? It's fake food and fake food is a food that comes with a list of ingredients that you need a chemistry degree to pronounce. It's a it's it's, it's filled with toxic chemicals things that now majority of them do not nourish your body the way with the fuel that it needs. And then you end up having chronic inflammation, you end up feeding the cancers in your body and you end up becoming a statistic where one in 50% two of women and three of men or vice versa end up having contracting cancer, one of the leading causes have to do 95% they say of chronic disease is due to

the food choices that we make. So now if you end up doing everything and this is part of tying to camel, you put good wholesome food in your body

nutritious food you give the body, the body what it needs, then you exercise, right? And exercise can be speed walking, little bit of jogging 20 minutes a day, get the heart rate pumping, right get it stressed that body in that good way. And then also now getting good sleep breathing, good drinking good water. And in the meantime, I had one doctor, holistic Doctor, Doctor, very intelligent, bright.

Doctor told me that any time that the doctor they feel, she feels that she feels any kind of

you know that it's you get in your throat, like you're about to get sick.

You ever hurt, you know, you ever get that itch like you're about to get sick, she the doc she says I take a clove of garlic and I

swallow this right you can chop it up whatever. And this knocks it out. And I this is this is medicine. This is this is this is wholesome. This is real medicine, you have herbs, you have natural means out there. And this is one thing that I've been doing. And this is a some you know, people can try it, it might work for you might not. Or you can go to Walgreens CSS and you can get something that's going to suppress this and maybe it'll it'll suppress it for a little bit. It's like putting a bandage on a on a on a check engine light. So I have to give this example that a real, holistic doctor, right? If you come to him and say, Look, I have a pain in my foot, my foot is killing me I

have a big pain, the doctor doesn't just prescribe you, the real doctor just ibuprofen and gets rid of the pain. No, he goes for the root cause so he's going to go and get the rock out of the out of the foot, okay? Because over time, what's ibuprofen going to do is going to destroy your kidneys, and then you're going to be on kidney, dialysis. You know, it's a horrible, horrible trade off, you follow me. So there's a difference between that drug it has its place, right? And then the natural means that are out there. But but but then you have people who don't don't care for that they just put anything in your body, my uncle would say this doctor kosovich, he would say he would say God

didn't give you or make your body a garbage can. So stop putting garbage in it, right? So when we start honoring this gift, the vehicle of light, the last one dollars given us right and we start using food as medicine, you know, like Hippocrates, this is they call him the Father, father of medicine. This is where doctors take their Hippocratic oath, they say let food he said Let food be your medicine and medicine be your food. You'll be amazed when you start studying some of those vegetables in your garden, you know, the things that they can do for the body? You follow me? So yeah, there's some people who won't, you know, take anything you know,

of anything out that's you maybe go to the extreme, but then there's some smart people who say Hold on, let me see the side effects of that. Let me see, you know, and sometimes the side effects actually end up being worse than what you're dealing with the valley. So we have to be balanced and Islam causes to be balanced. Okay, but we also have to be awakened to a lot of these things, you know, not to be sheep and blindly just take whatever is you know, we got a question we got to do research we got to think

so much my brother, thank you.

Thank you, Eddie zamick, who is the host and the producer of the deen show is a martial art expert and as you heard him cares for wholesome life.