Why a FILIPINO AMERICAN accepted Islam

Please be with you. Welcome to the D show. Subscribe if you have not subscribed already. I'm excited. And I'm sure you will, too, because I have an exciting guest here. You know, we made the Filipino connection, you know, Manny Pacquiao, from the Filipinos. That's right. But this guy, this brother, he actually accepted this Dean his way of life long time ago, and he's got an incredible story when from hanging out at the White House now he's hanging out here at the D show. Don't go anywhere. We'll be right back with this fascinating story.

Please be with you as salaam aleikum wa rahmatullah. How are you? My brother? Feeling good? Now, you heard me mentioned I was talking about Manny Pacquiao. The Filipino connection? Have you ever met Manny? I have not. But he's from the same place. Where are you originally from? Your parents? Our parents are from Yeah, Filipino. I know. So we got how's the community out there community

predominantly is in the south. And this just a long story of oppression by the government. It's a predominantly Christian country, predominantly Catholic, and the Muslims in the south that live in Mindanao, and are actually called morals, which has a connection to the morals of North Africa. So yeah, it's a there's about 5% it was much more before but because of politics, oppression and other things. It's been very challenging for the Filipino Muslims

in the south, but there's a big resurgence and a big movement where a lot of people are converting to Islam, they're in the Philippines. So yeah, it's the natural way. I called you to do something that's in your nature to worship the creator not the creation. It's simple to understand it's logical makes sense? And that's what really captivated you that you actually went you went and studied in the desert Yeah, you were out there for several years wanting to get close to the crater you you accepted Islam I met one Filipino Muslim because i didn't know i mean i it's very scarce to to find a Filipino Muslim was it product primarily is a predominant Christian Christian country and

Catholic. So you had some influence also over Moses Musa Musa Musa went over to Vietnam also in what city South Africa? He's now currently in Cleveland, how did in that So what happened? How did all this start? So yeah, it's interesting we bring up Musa and like there's other people that are tied to Southern California community or to the Filipino community and a lot of those converts actually the you know and a lot howdy laws the one that guides and allows the one that makes people become Muslim not the people right? And yeah, with Musa Ron all the other people that we've mentioned that everyone pretty much converted after me so when I converted I got kicked out of my home went through

some trials and tribulations and then Mashallah like everyone around me converted now you might get we got you know, some not yet Muslims Filipino they're going to be excited you know? Oh, that's our country. Men are tuned in Yeah, you said some Arabic words. actually speak Arabic also rise up speak fluent. La. So you didn't you didn't become Arab. Did you know?

Someone heard Muslim? Yeah, they heard a law kit. Can you tell us for the Filipinos? Oh, yeah. He went somewhere else. Yeah. So Islam is you know, it stands for peace, the religion of peace. And Muslim is someone who practices the religion of Islam. So it's like, you know, your Judaism. If you practice Judaism, you're Jewish. If you practice religion of Islam, you're a Muslim. Allah is the same as LDS it's the definitive article Allah is like LDS the God. So Allah LDS, the god, it's all the same. So we all believe in the one true creator. He said, People get amazed when I tell people that look, Mo, Moses, Abraham, Jesus, they were all Muslim. They submitted to the will of God as a

creator. And that's what we're doing. That's it. So tell us now What took you on this journey? You came from a hip hop culture music, this music? Yeah, you know, yeah. And your whole life was probably around like most people, just materialism and you forgot about the soul, the heart mind, there was just, you know, fulfilling what people want to fulfill. Yeah, it was temporary enjoyment. Yeah, What had you come to a point where you got real serious in life. Um, there were some things that occurred, you know, with

a troubling times in my life before Islam, whether it was through

particular deaths through violence. It was me always having a contemplate of soul in mind, of being influenced by hip hop. That was conscious that made you think about politics, the effects of, you know, politics, on finance, people's living standards, the disparity of poverty and wealth. And these kinds of things made me think about my own soul and about my place in this world. So yes, I live

The very worldly life a very colorful experience before Islam. But always in the back of my mind, I always used to always think like, I was created for something grander than this, something bigger than this.

On your way here, you mentioned that you said something to the to the cat, the Uber driver. Yeah. What did you tell him? I told him that what Islam has done for you? Yeah, it was funny because it's affected my whole entire life, like, the businesses I run of emotionally, financially, spiritually, mentally. And I didn't know everything that I've done in my life would lead to this. And right before I was going to say anything, he goes, it was the best decision you've made in your life. And I said, it actually was, you know,

tell us some some people looking out there they say, Look, why don't you just stick with worshiping Jesus as the Son of God dying for yourself and staying a Christian What happened here? For me it was God put me in a position where I was able, I don't know why, but I was able to take a step back from religion, and just look at them all. So I studied, you know, Jews, you know, Judaism, Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, Confucianism, Sikh, Jainism, and all of the different faiths. And it was to put it succinctly, Islam was the most

intellectually like, satiated me. And it, the idea of one true creator, was something that I could easily swallow. Most people have a hard time with creation, worship, worshiping a man. You know, most people don't know that we love Jesus, but as a mighty messenger, not as a god or literal Son of God, but people loved his direct connection not going through an intermediary. Yeah. So this also connects with the fitrah. Yeah, with the innate nature of the nature. And that was probably Eddie, was that the radical departure and understanding of one true God, that Islam really, really drills down was probably the most appealing thing to me, which is that wow, you know, that's what I always

believed.

before in my life, always in my life, that there was one true creative and Islamic take on it was just so

that was just it made most sense to me, it made the most sense to me. And it was very easy to convert a lot more to talk about to mention the White House, you've been all over the world traveling entrepreneur here on the dean show, my special guest, don't go anywhere, we'll be right back. Okay, you put your dream home, and you've got your dream car, but you're gonna get old and things are gonna happen to you in your life. And then what have you got at the end of the day is an empty dream that has no real Foundation, we are going to die. And we're going to meet our Lord and He is gonna judge us. Slump says level mankind. That's what we're sharing this message, because we

want the best for you. And we want the best for all mankind. Please subscribe to the show. Follow us on our official Facebook and Twitter pages in the links below. Please also help support the show by making a donation in the link below.

Back here on the D show now I mentioned the White House, you get a chance to get President Obama somehow actually it was funny, we started talking but if I could take a step back, when people talk about this, you know, people going to the White House people meeting the President, and all the different ahadeeth and things from our tradition that talk about these kinds of interactions. For me what was the compelling force was my mother.

My mother, when I became Muslim, I got kicked out of my home, because they despised my religion, and they hated it. And I did some things to actually make them really not like my faith. And 100 I went overseas I studied for four years, came back home. And when I was overseas, it was my mother who was the first one to convert to Islam. And after that my father became Muslim. You have to remember these are people who kicked me out of my home because they did not they hated my religion. Then my sister became my family became my best friend became Muslim, his family became Muslim, our friends became Muslim, their friends became Muslim, people would meet become Muslim, their families become

Muslim. So when I got the invitation, it was my mother who got it. And she was beside herself. She was elated. And she was just couldn't believe that it was her son that did this. And she remembers the, you know, the day before I was leaving to go to Africa to study. And, you know, when I converted and all these memories were playing into her mind. And when she was just like, my baby's going to the White House, he's gonna he's going to be having to it for me was something that to honor my mother, because of everything she's there to for her to convert. It's such an old age, to have the resiliency to practice, to have it affect my father and the rest of my family.

It was my mother who like was the reason why I went and I went

My mother went for my father. And I went for everything I stood for because it was just for my mom and dad, it was just like one of the I'd never seen them so proud. And I've gotten degrees, and I've done things with my life. But it was just like,

wow, this is our son, and you did something that people just don't do. So yeah, I went there. And I was actually I mean, I have to admit, I mean, President Obama's a really nice guy, as a man as a human being, you know, aside from everything else, he's just a good man. And we were able to talk about some funny things. And I'll just leave it at that. But it was it was pretty interesting. Now all these people accepting Islam. God Almighty, Allah is the one who guys but are you able to have a great influence and invite you down the White House to say slow down to dour?

No, no, no, actually, from what I've been told him, you know, it, the fact that in our face, sometimes it's, or even in the in the religion, that the pursuit of acquiring, you know, a good life in the world is exclusive, or to the detriment of your afterlife. Or if you chase after your afterlife, you're, you're doing your you know, your worldly life is going to be affected. And I guess, people I don't know, God knows best. They see someone that has been able to,

I guess, go down both paths and be balanced and not compromise one for the other. I don't know. God knows best of why people, you know, think of me that way. But, yeah, it's affected the way I do business. Islam permeates A lot of it right, in a lot of the foundations and the principles, and the ethics that I practice is because of it. Now, why was your family so upset in the beginning, so anger that they kicked you out? When, obviously, if people look, and they see, okay, he's a Muslim, he's doing what Jesus did Moses, Abraham, he just submitted to God, he just wants to be a better human being. And Islam helps you if you practice it right, to develop yourself to be the best human

being better to your neighbor to your parents, and business. And everything. Yeah. So you know, why did they have such a, a difficulty accepting this in the beginning, a lot of it has to do with media.

My parents are just, you know, they're the common American where they watch TV after they get home from work. And whatever the media tells them, whatever the news is, there'll be like sun, we were watching the news. And in Nigeria, this is what's happening. And why is this occurring in Saudi Arabia? And why did they do that to women in Pakistan? And why is this going on in Egypt? And why is religion so violent?

And I can't blame them. Right, as people who are concerned with paying their bills, keeping the lights on raising good children, they don't have the time to dig deep to do research to investigate. People do right? People do have the time, if Allah was to take everything from your life, you still have time.

But I understand from the human perspective that people have some difficulties getting to those, because they're so concerned with the affairs that bog them down, baby. So it was the media that did that for my mother and father. So when they would see me going, actually deeper into my newfound faith, they found it very troublesome. And also the way I was I was super, super hard on them. And I was just telling them all kinds of things that were just very, you know, like, get rid of all the alcohol in this house. And they're like, Who are you? Like we used, you know, we raised you. So who are you to tell us what to do. So I had a hand in that too. But a lot of it had to do with the

media. Right now people are seeing a statistic. And actually, this is just really way out there when the media, purposely they go ahead and twist the truth and blow things out of proportion, people have more of a chance of being killed by a shark by a dog bite their furniture than actually a muslim terrorist. I mean, we know this is the antithesis to Islam, you know, it's, but imagine you would give these examples, you know, if the media just played to all the violence that's happening, we love our country here. But obviously, there's a lot of things that are going on in America, and if people outside of the world were just, you know, focusing on all the violence here, it'd be a

scary thing, right? People are like, why are you going over there? That's a warzone. Yeah. You know, for me, I've come to realize, Eddie, through my travels and experiences in life, that

every human being has an agenda. Every group has an agenda. Every company has an agenda. So for the powers that be, I mean, I have an agenda, right? I want to please my parents, I want to be the best son, I can be the best neighbor I can be. And I'm going to do what I need to do to achieve that. So for companies, they have different goals, right? They have different people that they need to please you

in your life, you have different people, you need to please. So you do things. And when you do things, it may not be liked by other people, right? So, what I've come to realize is that I'm here to do my job sincerely for the sake of my Creator, and to the beat to be the best at it. And only God can stop me. God willing, you know, like, I'm gonna try to be the best that I can be. Tell us what was the turning board? How far down later after you accepted submission to the one of the crater Islam? Did your parents? Did they end up accepting my mom converted? Probably? I want to say 232 or three years after me? Not too long later, Nah, not too long. That's such a blessing. Yeah,

what was it for them also, they started they saw you they proven your character, because I would say that was probably it. Like for a lot of people, it you know,

appraisers due to God, like, as a man, as I've just been blessed that when I really want something, and Alon, God knows, like in my heart what I want to do, and it's sincerity, to be the best that I can be to be the best person I can be. I can make that change. And I think when people saw me change from how I was to how I,

you know, was how I became as a Muslim people really deeply affected by that my mother, my father, my friends, people in my community, people from my neighborhood, were just like, Whoa, he really changed, he'll change after six months, and six months, we can be here. And the year became two years. So for a lot of the people that started questioning, it was what made him change. And what is this piece that he currently has now this stability, and this outlook of life and this positivity? Like how do I get that? And I think that was you know, God knows best. People saw the change in me and

wanted it for themselves. It was like a miracle. Hey, does he and people now your parents could sleep at night? Probably from all the ruckus before us?

We're gonna take you speak Filipino? No, I don't I understand Tagalog, which is the national language but not to say hi, bye. We'll be right back. And actually, I don't. I will be right back here to do a show with more don't go anyway. The question is about whether Muslims are not good citizens. The Constitution defines what a good citizen is. And the preamble says we the people of the United States, form a more perfect union, establish justice ensure domestic tranquility to the most and I can say that as a good Muslim. And most Muslims can say that most of them to embrace that most Muslims are good Americans.

says love all mankind. That's why we're sharing this message. Because we want the best for you and we want the best for all mankind. Please subscribe to the show. Follow us on our official Facebook and Twitter pages in the links below. Please also help support the show by making a donation in the link below.

Back here on the D show, we made the Filipino connection to my Manny Pacquiao, I keep talking. I keep thinking Filipino Manny Pacquiao. He's a big star with it. And he is Yeah, he's got hurt. He's that you mentioned something. He's got a lot of Muslim friends. Yeah, he has some people in his corner. Yeah, that are Muslim. But yeah, he's maybe known to be Catholic, I believe or I think probably born again. Yeah, yeah. inshallah, the creator of Hamza who guides him to the way that Jesus was upon, I mean, and all the prophets, because they were ones who connected their heart back to their maker to their Creator, direct dial up, we talked about peace, and that's how you get it by

living this way of life. Many people are on Prozac, antidepressants, every suicide epidemic every 40 seconds, somebody is taking their life. So they want some of this piece. But Money can't buy a six pack a piece. So what advice do you give people who are struggling now to get off all this, these drugs? People who are struggling?

I don't know, man.

As someone who, as someone who came from that lifestyle from that, and I know you got that piece. Yeah. And now someone turned in late at night. You know, maybe they came back from the club. They tuned in, and they're like, I want some of this.

Just in the deepest, darkest hour of the night, just

ask your Creator.

Just ask your Creator.

For the best. I mean, that's all I can say is just just pray to God. When I meet people who asked me for money. You know, I tell them, I give him the money. My name is Mohammed. You know, pray to God for yourself, pray to God for me. Because no one can give you happiness and no one can. Like wealth is here, man. Wealth is here. And wealth is that connection. And once you have wealth of mine wealth of body wealth of soul, it doesn't

matter what kind of material you're surrounded with, if you have that wealth, you're good, man. Good.

Smile. Ah, this is so important. Because why do you think a lot of people even when you bring up religion on a times, it's not a cool thing, a lot of neg negative things? Religion is the source of all war evil. And, you know, a lot of esoteric mystical just doesn't make sense. But, I mean, how do you get even to into the conversation now, today, it when I it, because for me personally, especially, like, people know me a lot for Business and Commerce, and for my commercial endeavors,

it just has to come out, because that's just what I do.

For other people may be different. But for me, you know, it just, it's when I can, it's affected my whole trajectory in life, every aspect of my life has been affected by it. So when I do speak to someone on the airplane, or someone at an airport, or when I'm traveling, or when I'm here at a restaurant, you know, from what I eat, to why I'm doing this, to why I'm doing that. It just has to come out in the way that for me,

you know, someone who wasn't Muslim, I know what goes on in the minds of individuals that are not Muslim. So I know what their concerns are. And for a lot of human beings, not even Muslims anonymous, it's just for a lot of human beings. It's how do I keep the lights on? How do I keep my kids from not falling to the streets, from going into drugs and falling into this mayhem, where they may lose them. And that's where their concern is. So for me, wanting goodness for the human being, whether they're Muslim, non Muslim, atheist devil worshiper, that goodness, that has been, I don't know,

in place to my heart, I want that. And I speak to that person's concerns that person's needs. And you know, Eddie, it ends up ends up becoming like, Why are you like this? or How did you become like this? And I go, I don't know, man, like I

you know, by that time, my name has been stated Muhammad, like, I do all these things that are, you know, connected to my faith. So they've already built the association. And they may walk away back man, that was a good man, mom is a really nice guy. And also, when I meet people, you know, someone asked me for, my name is Mohammed min, please pray for me. And I'll pray for you. And please pray for yourself. You know, and

I don't know any, like, I they want some of that now they want they see the the peace, the light resonating, and they they want some, then hopefully, that God Almighty, if they're sincere, that's that's one of the best advice. You know, we should seek out what the purpose of life is why we're here, you know, and the best one to ask is the one who created life, the one who created us, tell us how do you feel? Because we know when we're out there in the real world, you know, dunya affects us, you see things affect the heart. Yeah. And you went out? How do you compare being out there where you was, like, 24, seven, like ibadah, you were just and that's how our life's supposed to be with

that right? intention. But you went out there you were studying in the desert, and in different parts of the world. You just, it's hard to compare that time where you were just like, spiritually Now, how do you balance that? How was the feeling then and now,

it's not about where you're from, it's about where you're at where you're at.

And I can bring that back if I want to, because it's, it's all here, in the mind and in the heart.

So living out there in the desert, living in West Africa, studying in the Middle East, was some of the best and transformative days of my life period of my life. But I'm a person through the grace of God and by the permission of God, that if I want to go through that transformation and change again, I can do that. Whether it's in Chicago, whether it's in Mexico City, whether it's in London, whether it's in Mecca, because God is always with me, and if I want it, and I'm sincere, and Alon knows me better than I know myself, I'll have it. And if I don't have it, it's probably best I don't have it. That's a great example. Because many people think, okay to be religious, you have to be somewhere in

the desert. He just locked up in a mosque all day. No, you're you're a great living example, that you're able to hold the balance, and you don't get to sucked up into this material world while being also in it. Yeah, while striving for the pleasure of there were none of the religion of the middle of the middle path. That's what we're known as people who, you know, are delicately delicately balancing, you know, fear and hope. And that's what it's always been and every human being seeks that balance. You know, I was coming over here someone was talking to me about work life balance, and people wanting that way. And

you know, you can have it anywhere. And it's all here. It's all here.

Have you been connect

and the divine connection to that just makes it that much better. Now, there are so many similarities between Christianity and Islam we have the blessing mother of Jesus, a whole chapter is named after her in the Koran Jesus, we love him as a mighty messenger. We leave you with sent by God, but not God. And many people they resonate, you know, it connects with them, and people and just in their nature believing in a supreme being the Creator. What What do you say before we leave to someone now with this whole, you know, new atheism, you talk to someone said, Man Get out of here with this religion God stuff? Yeah.

Are you happy?

it you know, Henry David Thoreau said that people live in a quiet desperation.

And people don't like to be preached to a lot of us are suffering. A lot of us are feeling our own unique,

hurting feelings. And we're going through our own pains and anguishes that are only unique to us. And people may not understand. So for me, someone who comes from the way of Muhammad Sallallahu, Alayhi, wasallam.

How can I help? How can I be of service to you? How can I make your life better? What can I do? Our Prophet on that day?

will say, Almighty Almighty Almighty, my community, my people, my people, it's not about himself. This life is about being of service to the people, and being of service to your neighbor, being of service to your parents, and just being of service to humanity. And when you do that, God knows your intent. God knows your heart, and God will give you what you deserve. Mashallah, time is running out. We gotta go for the Filipino connection that we made out there. They're tuning in a lot of people blindly following the cultures, they're upon a, you know, stuck to tradition, you know, but they like it resonates. You know, what you're saying? What advice would you have for someone out

there, from the background, from the Filipino background like it was the way of our people in history when you look at it, and there was a period of time where they, they had a choice, and according to historians, like they chose Islam, me and that's a fact. Like, it's not anything that I'm making up, they, they chose this small, amazing, thank you so much for being with us here. And on the show, we started with peace, peace, I'm Nathan barley.

And that was our special guest, Filipino macchiato connection. Here. We have this way of life growing all over the world. It's amazing. And people it resonates that, that what's inside of us to worship the Creator, not the creation, and many of our Christian Brothers out there. They also when they see this deep love that we have for Jesus, who is a mighty messenger Islam and his Blessed Mother, that just resonates. And also we touched upon when people accept his way of life, to see that we live a moderate way of life balance between not to getting sucked up into the materialism and the material world. And also not going off on the deep end on the other side. It's the middle

way so many people who have accepted this way. We also learn from this story that coming off now, many people have been just brainwashed with the media, take it easy, show them through your good example. When a Muslim is being the best in society, developing yourself to be better each and every day. And that's the blueprint that you have that will help you to achieve that peace. That money can't buy. Subscribe if you haven't already. We also got a number one 806 six to Islam. It doesn't have to stop there. Let's start a healthy dialogue and tune in every week to the deen show. Until next time, peace be with you so much.