Ali Dawah - BLOCKED ON INSTAGRAM, HER FATHERS ACCEPTANCE & HOW SHE CAME TO ISLAM - INTERVIEW

00:00:00.000 You are the sister who is behind the post on social media,

00:00:04.440 which went quite viral.

00:00:05.700 Up, you know, there was two messages that you sent.

00:00:08.100 When you sent those, I knew at that moment of time,

00:00:11.000 I think you was with them.

00:00:12.960 Should I read it?

00:00:13.420 I don't want to, I can cut this bit out if you want, yeah?

00:00:14.960 But this is what you sent me, yeah?

00:00:15.940 I don't want to make you like a thing.

00:00:18.440 It was nothing, it was nothing, Deepa.

00:00:19.780 He was like, Ali Drama, always got some drama going on.

00:00:23.480 And when you wrote Ali Drama, sister,

00:00:26.360 that's something that a nickname they've given to me,

00:00:28.880 like Ali Needs Dawa.

00:00:30.000 Alhamdulillah, I'm an Ali Drama. 0.79

00:00:31.940 So I was scrolling up and I was thinking,

00:00:33.820 why did I block the sister?

00:00:35.540 But do you see, subhanAllah, look where you're now, sister. 0.99

00:00:38.160 And back then, we all make mistakes.

00:00:39.800 Like, don't get twisted.

00:00:40.620 I'm so sorry.

00:00:41.800 No, I'm so sorry.

00:00:42.700 Wallah, sister, believe me.

00:00:43.900 So when I first became Muslim, my dad was actually okay.

00:00:47.180 So my dad was actually like, you know what?

00:00:50.160 If that's what you want to do, it's up to you.

00:00:51.600 If you want to live like a Pakistani religion, it's up to you. 1.00

00:00:53.880 My dad always had this view of a Pakistani religion.

00:00:55.880 Okay.

00:01:26.100 Long discussions, but topics come up and we do it.

00:01:29.980 So last week, we had sister Fahima.

00:01:32.180 We talked about the sister's hijab.

00:01:34.420 It's going back, back, back and back.

00:01:35.880 That was all discussion.

00:01:36.600 It was quite good, inshallah.

00:01:37.960 And it's good to have a sister's perspective on it as well.

00:01:39.640 But today, we're not talking about that.

00:01:41.560 How are you doing, sister Amira?

00:01:43.660 Alhamdulillah.

00:01:44.140 Good.

00:01:44.700 How are you?

00:01:45.560 Yeah, good.

00:01:45.920 Alhamdulillah.

00:01:46.080 I'm going to be able to bless you, inshallah.

00:01:47.500 I'm at Zeeshan's house.

00:01:48.680 I don't know if you've seen these videos before.

00:01:50.720 You know, smile to Jannah?

00:01:51.300 Yeah, yeah.

00:01:52.240 Yeah, yeah.

00:01:53.540 He's just making me laugh a bit.

00:01:54.780 So I'm sorry if I'm giggling.

00:01:55.980 It's just, he's making me laugh a bit.

00:01:57.260 I thought he did.

00:01:58.500 No problem.

00:01:59.100 Firstly, may Allah bless you, inshallah, for taking the time out.

00:02:02.980 The reason I wanted to do this is because, personally, I kind of related to your story.

00:02:08.120 And you are the sister who is behind the post on social media, which went quite viral.

00:02:14.460 And if I'm not mistaken, I just saw on your story that in Russia, it's been shared.

00:02:19.020 Yeah, it's gone viral in Russia.

00:02:20.220 I don't know how that happened.

00:02:21.520 But someone who's got a big Russian channel, they basically translated it into Russian.

00:02:25.400 And it's gone crazy.

00:02:26.500 I actually woke up this morning with, like, hundreds of followers from Russia.

00:02:29.080 And I thought, that's strange, you know.

00:02:30.580 And I got Russian DMs.

00:02:32.120 And I was like, that's really weird.

00:02:33.060 Because I didn't know the language.

00:02:34.320 I put it into Google Translate and it was Russian.

00:02:36.020 And I was like, and then I realized, literally this afternoon, that it went viral in Russia.

00:02:40.920 So, I have no idea how it got there, but it did.

00:02:45.460 That's amazing.

00:02:46.240 You know, Allah works in miraculous ways.

00:02:49.120 Sister, tell us a bit about yourself.

00:02:50.500 You know, let's start from the beginning.

00:02:51.940 You are a married sister with three kids.

00:02:53.960 May Allah preserve your marriage.

00:02:58.420 Give you more righteous children, inshallah.

00:03:00.820 And I've seen on your story, mashallah, beautiful kids memorizing the Quran, reciting the Quran as they walk in.

00:03:06.520 Really heartwarming, mashallah.

00:03:07.920 And may Allah preserve your family.

00:03:09.300 Can you tell me, let's start from the beginning in the context of...

00:03:14.280 How long have you been a Muslim, by the way?

00:03:15.860 So, I became Muslim in August 2012.

00:03:20.460 Okay.

00:03:21.360 And my brother's Muslim as well.

00:03:22.940 So, he actually became Muslim first.

00:03:24.940 Okay.

00:03:25.660 And his wife is a revert as well. 0.90

00:03:27.120 So, there's quite a lot of us in our family, which is quite strange.

00:03:29.820 You don't usually sort of find the whole sort of family of reverts.

00:03:32.360 But, yeah, 2012, he's the one that sort of introduced me to Islam.

00:03:36.160 And, you know, with the breakers today and everything.

00:03:39.080 Alhamdulillah.

00:03:39.420 So, the bond has got stronger due to Islam as well.

00:03:41.760 So, mashallah, it's nice.

00:03:42.520 So, we're looking about nine going ten years?

00:03:46.060 Yeah.

00:03:46.540 Yeah.

00:03:47.160 Okay.

00:03:47.460 That's amazing.

00:03:48.560 And to be honest, a lot of...

00:03:49.700 When anyone comes to Islam, I tell them, like... 1.00

00:03:52.060 If you think about it, they're like the ambassadors of Islam.

00:03:54.260 I believe, genuinely, Allah picks them for them to spread Islam into their family. 1.00

00:03:58.860 You know, that's why you see a lot of revert people coming to Islam. 1.00

00:04:00.880 They're like, oh, my mom accepted Islam. 1.00

00:04:02.160 My dad accepted Islam.

00:04:03.000 My brother.

00:04:03.660 So, it's like they're the ambassador.

00:04:05.380 And it starts off with them.

00:04:07.540 And even though...

00:04:08.220 The reason I mention this is because a lot of them are afraid.

00:04:10.120 Like, oh, what if my mom finds out?

00:04:11.660 What if my dad finds out?

00:04:12.640 Yes, those struggles are there, which we're going to talk about.

00:04:14.840 And this is what exactly this topic is about.

00:04:16.680 But I tell them, do not despair.

00:04:18.480 Because you might be the reason that the very family member that hates Islam might come to Islam. 0.69

00:04:22.260 So, tell us what made you come to Islam, firstly?

00:04:26.780 So, again, my brother became Muslim first.

00:04:29.380 And he just used to basically talk to you about Islam.

00:04:31.860 Obviously, when you know you're new to Islam, you're very passionate.

00:04:34.380 And you want the whole world to be Muslim. 1.00

00:04:35.740 You just want to share this amazing news.

00:04:37.120 So, he was very much like that.

00:04:38.720 And his wife moved in our home.

00:04:41.100 I was living with my mother at the time.

00:04:42.800 And so, she became a very close friend to me.

00:04:45.240 And even though I didn't agree with, you know, the religious views they had, I really respected her and liked her as a person.

00:04:50.440 And they were just very sweet and they were just very kind in the way they, you know, talked to me about Islam.

00:04:55.660 And they used to always tell me, like, the positive things.

00:04:58.880 And then, yeah, my brother would always try and give me some books and stuff.

00:05:01.920 And I'd say, you know, I'm not really a reader.

00:05:03.780 So, then what he would do is on a Friday night, he would order a takeaway and say,

00:05:07.340 why didn't you come and sit in our room with us and just watch something?

00:05:10.600 So, I'd be like, yeah, sure, you know.

00:05:12.000 And he ended up putting on an Islamic lecture.

00:05:15.840 I thought he was going to put on a movie, but he put on an Islamic lecture.

00:05:18.760 I think it was, maybe it was Ahmadida or something like that.

00:05:22.720 I think it was something like that.

00:05:24.380 And, yeah, and I was just sat there watching it just to be respectful for, like, five, ten minutes.

00:05:28.840 And I thought, you know, that's quite good.

00:05:30.120 It's quite nice.

00:05:31.800 You know, very, very nice.

00:05:33.680 Nothing really wrong with it.

00:05:34.980 And then the following week, I ended up doing the same thing.

00:05:37.240 So, it became like a tradition almost that every Friday, if I didn't go out with my friends,

00:05:41.460 I would sit in the room with them and have a takeaway and we'd watch these Islamic lectures.

00:05:45.340 So, I did start to become interested that way.

00:05:49.280 And my group of friends, they were, you know, found it a bit strange.

00:05:53.320 I didn't really discuss it with them.

00:05:55.340 And we had a holiday.

00:05:57.820 We were going to Ayanape, which is like a party resort, you know, in Cyprus.

00:06:02.800 And we were going there.

00:06:03.660 And I actually felt like I didn't go because I had this feeling in me like, oh, it's wrong.

00:06:07.200 You know, shouldn't you do it?

00:06:08.040 You know, even though I wasn't Muslim.

00:06:08.940 And when I actually got there, my brother had put a Quran into my bag.

00:06:12.940 So, when I got there, when I opened my suitcase, I opened my suitcase and saw Quran as Allah.

00:06:17.860 And it literally, it really hit me at that moment that, you know, this is, I want to change my life.

00:06:24.060 I want to be Muslim.

00:06:24.800 And it was only actually standing on the balcony there.

00:06:27.180 I remember very clearly that I was standing on the balcony in the hotel room.

00:06:30.580 And there was lots of people, you know, drinking and smoking.

00:06:32.800 And I remember seeing one woman being sick everywhere.

00:06:35.040 There was a guy collapsed everywhere.

00:06:36.400 There was a hot dog stand.

00:06:37.420 And there was all this, you know, you can imagine going on in a party place, you know.

00:06:41.180 So, I'm looking down from this house.

00:06:42.960 All of a sudden, I just saw everything.

00:06:49.040 I was being sick.

00:06:50.160 Someone just passing out.

00:06:51.280 Someone just, you know.

00:06:51.820 I thought, this can't be the way that we're supposed to live and end.

00:06:55.360 I just thought, for one moment, Islam must be true. 1.00

00:06:57.940 We must have a power.

00:06:58.880 You know, the creator who made everything has given us an instruction to live by.

00:07:02.320 And this is not it.

00:07:03.880 So, yeah.

00:07:04.500 Allah lifted the veil of my eyes at that very moment.

00:07:06.520 And that's when I rang my brother and said, do I want to take shahadah?

00:07:08.560 I want to be Muslim.

00:07:09.220 You know, what do I say?

00:07:09.800 What do I do?

00:07:10.540 And I was in a different country.

00:07:11.560 And I said, I don't know where I am.

00:07:12.540 I just want to be Muslim.

00:07:13.240 Like, right now, what do I say?

00:07:14.080 What do I do?

00:07:14.480 You know?

00:07:15.800 That's actually how I do Muslim.

00:07:17.080 So, you're in Cyprus.

00:07:18.020 You went there for, you know, a party holiday.

00:07:20.260 He puts a Quran.

00:07:22.220 Mashallah, he must be a very beautiful brother to, you know.

00:07:24.640 He's very dedicated for, you know, doing a little sly way of giving dawah. 0.99

00:07:28.320 So, you wanted to accept the stamp in Cyprus.

00:07:33.260 Yeah.

00:07:33.620 Like I said to him on the phone, like, I want to do it now.

00:07:35.460 And he was like, you know, calm down.

00:07:36.660 Like, you're okay.

00:07:37.180 I was like, no, no.

00:07:37.640 But what if I die?

00:07:38.420 Like, what?

00:07:39.140 And all of a sudden, the things were going for my mind.

00:07:40.800 Like, you know, what if I die here?

00:07:41.740 I don't want to die here.

00:07:42.440 I don't want to.

00:07:42.820 So, I was just panicking, you know, thinking I just want to be like, I just want to be a believer, you know.

00:07:47.640 So, what do I do?

00:07:48.400 And then he said to me, say the shahadah.

00:07:50.060 And I said the shahadah. 0.90

00:07:50.920 But I just wanted to come back and do it in a masjid anyway. 1.00

00:07:53.640 So, I came back to England.

00:07:55.780 Yeah.

00:07:56.120 And the next day, I went to a masjid. 0.98

00:07:58.400 And so, my shahadah in the masjid as well.

00:07:59.760 And I got like a revert certificate thing and everything like that.

00:08:03.160 And from then, that's just sort of how the journey's been.

00:08:07.560 Mashallah.

00:08:07.780 That's amazing.

00:08:08.540 Okay.

00:08:08.980 So, that's...

00:08:11.100 Oh.

00:08:12.060 On camera.

00:08:15.100 Sorry.

00:08:16.200 Muhammad Hijab just came.

00:08:17.200 He just walked in front of the camera.

00:08:19.760 No, it's okay.

00:08:20.400 We're not live.

00:08:21.260 I'll cut that.

00:08:21.920 Sorry.

00:08:22.680 Yeah.

00:08:23.640 Yeah.

00:08:25.440 So, okay.

00:08:26.040 So, can you tell me, you know, when your brother accepted Islam, because we know the whole story

00:08:30.500 that's going viral on social media is that your dad didn't speak to you for five years.

00:08:34.320 Did he know about your brother accepting Islam as well?

00:08:38.280 Yeah.

00:08:38.700 So, when we were very close to my father, when my brother became Muslim, my dad just thought

00:08:44.700 it was just a thing he was going through.

00:08:46.180 It wasn't really such a big change.

00:08:47.620 Like, my brother married a white revert sister. 0.90

00:08:50.560 Oh, okay.

00:08:51.100 So, my dad...

00:08:51.840 Yeah.

00:08:52.260 So, she's a revert as well. 0.66

00:08:53.260 So, my brother and her were both reasons.

00:08:55.200 My dad just thought, you know, he just loves this girl and he's just done it for this girl.

00:08:59.500 And they're all right.

00:09:00.120 They're not really blaming anyone.

00:09:01.200 They're just, you know, they're not really doing anything different.

00:09:04.260 You know what I mean?

00:09:04.760 It was only when I became Muslim that at first he was a bit...

00:09:08.660 He wasn't that happy.

00:09:11.120 Okay.

00:09:11.680 Okay.

00:09:12.120 So, when it was your brother, he was okay with it.

00:09:15.260 But when it was you, that's where he was like, okay.

00:09:18.860 Now, maybe the thing is, in his mind, he's thinking, okay, as a man, he's done it for this girl that he wants to marry.

00:09:24.800 But as a woman, maybe he believed that you're being oppressed, you know?

00:09:29.020 So, that's why, in his head, maybe he didn't like it.

00:09:32.100 Now, how did he find out that you accepted Islam?

00:09:35.680 And how did your relationship deteriorate from there?

00:09:37.640 So, when I first became Muslim, my dad was actually okay.

00:09:42.140 So, my dad was actually like, you know what?

00:09:45.100 If that's what you want to do, it's up to you.

00:09:46.540 If you want to live like a Pakistani religion, it's up to you. 1.00

00:09:48.880 My dad had this view of the Pakistani religion.

00:09:51.560 Yeah.

00:09:52.120 He was like, if you want to live a Pakistani religion, it's up to you, you know? 1.00

00:09:54.580 So, he was actually, he was all right at first.

00:09:57.460 And I remember he just didn't like the fact that I wouldn't go to the pub with him anymore.

00:10:02.200 I wouldn't go to his barbecues with his friends anymore.

00:10:05.460 It was these things that he started to find a bit he didn't really like.

00:10:10.480 But at this point, there was no problem.

00:10:12.280 There wasn't any dramatics.

00:10:13.480 He wasn't being horrible to me.

00:10:14.740 There wasn't anything like that.

00:10:17.020 He was completely fine.

00:10:18.500 We were very on good terms for at least three years.

00:10:21.900 Even when outside with me with naqab on, you know, naqab and everything, he was fine for a good three years.

00:10:27.040 It was only when he left my mum, separated from my mum, and he met a new woman who was part of the EDL.

00:10:33.660 And this is how this would be, that he began his journey with the EDL.

00:10:38.840 Okay.

00:10:40.460 Okay.

00:10:41.240 So, how was his treatment deteriorating in the context where first he was accepted, then he got divorced and remarried, and this person he remarried was involved with the EDL.

00:10:51.560 How was his treatment towards you?

00:10:53.260 Well, it started off with him just sending me messages in the nighttime, like strange messages, like what's going on in Syria, or what are muzzies up to in Afghanistan, and things like that. 0.94

00:11:06.440 Like muzzies. 1.00

00:11:06.940 He started saying things like muzzies and stuff like that.

00:11:09.480 And I'd say, you know, I don't know what happens in Afghanistan.

00:11:11.640 I don't have no idea.

00:11:12.400 I don't know what's going on in Syria.

00:11:13.380 And he's like, of course you do.

00:11:14.440 Lol.

00:11:14.900 Like, LOL.

00:11:15.740 Things like that.

00:11:16.320 And I'd be like, why is my dad sending me things like that for? 0.67

00:11:19.180 Like, you know, I didn't think he was ignorant.

00:11:22.140 My dad's always loved being English.

00:11:23.980 He's proud of England.

00:11:24.860 He's very patriotic.

00:11:25.940 And he doesn't like foreigners.

00:11:27.420 He never likes foreigners.

00:11:28.340 But he would never verbally, he would never vocalize it, sort of thing, you know.

00:11:32.920 And he would always say, oh, I'm not racist.

00:11:34.660 I've got black friends.

00:11:35.920 I've got Asian friends.

00:11:36.820 So he was very much that kind of person.

00:11:38.780 But for him to start vocalizing these things, it was very strange.

00:11:42.640 And then obviously I would try to say to my dad, like, you know, I don't know what's

00:11:44.940 going on in these countries.

00:11:45.620 And he'd say, yeah, you do.

00:11:46.580 You all do.

00:11:47.240 You're all in on it.

00:11:48.280 Things like that.

00:11:48.780 And I'd say, like, what do you mean?

00:11:51.100 And then he's like saying, you know, if someone should punch you in the face, if they see

00:11:55.360 a bin bag on your face, like that, you know, things like that.

00:11:57.700 And I was, it was just, it deprecated me that my own father was saying things like that.

00:12:01.680 And I would be like, you know, try and call him and message him and be like, dad, like, why

00:12:04.960 are you saying these things?

00:12:05.680 Like, that's just why?

00:12:06.760 I don't know.

00:12:07.160 So, and yeah, and basically I found out that he was going to a specific pub where they

00:12:12.520 all go together.

00:12:14.480 And basically they'd found out my dad has Muslim children.

00:12:18.140 So it become like my dad had to now show that he's basically not with us.

00:12:22.140 He's not with me and my brother.

00:12:23.500 He doesn't stand with me and my brother.

00:12:25.480 He's completely against my veil, against everything, you know?

00:12:29.220 So what would you say?

00:12:30.740 Like, would you say, obviously we know that your story is that after five years in boycotting

00:12:34.600 you, he came back, he accepted you.

00:12:36.400 So you guys went and went to get something to eat, got dessert.

00:12:40.880 That's an amazing feeling.

00:12:41.920 Do you think anything that you may have done that may have in his mind be like, you know

00:12:46.360 what?

00:12:47.500 This is my daughter.

00:12:48.400 Of course he would think that, but you know, would you say you gave him dawah?

00:12:51.160 Not just verbally.

00:12:53.280 Let's talk about something which is important because we do know that just after we discuss

00:12:58.520 this point, we're going to be discussing the traps reverts fall into.

00:13:01.840 And you was a part of a specific group.

00:13:04.420 You don't want me to mention, and I'm not going to mention because I was in a manner.

00:13:06.780 Um, and you was heavily influenced with them so much so that I actually blocked you.

00:13:12.120 I don't know.

00:13:12.580 Like, I actually remember that I blocked you.

00:13:15.060 Uh, we had a, and this is how Allah changes things around. 1.00

00:13:18.580 Um, and, and I was, I was looking for you when this, your story went viral.

00:13:22.260 I was looking for you and I was like, why can't I find an account?

00:13:24.500 Why can't I find an account?

00:13:25.640 And I realized that I had blocked you and then I unblocked you.

00:13:28.960 And then you mentioned to me, and we're going to come to that later.

00:13:32.360 But, um, what would you say, for example, um, do you think like your manners, was you

00:13:39.560 harsh with your dad in the context?

00:13:40.840 Like, you know, some people go through this phase where they're like, yeah, you know,

00:13:43.760 this kofar and this kind of attitude, or was you gentle?

00:13:46.820 What made you, do you think you played a role in your dad coming after five years?

00:13:50.320 Or do you think it was just his own experience where he joined the EDL and he thought, you

00:13:54.100 know what, this is actually nonsense.

00:13:55.240 And he may have come across some DAO videos, whoever it may be, from whoever, and that

00:14:00.460 may have changed his mind.

00:14:01.360 What do you think played a role in your dad doing a U-turn?

00:14:04.760 So, um, I don't want to take all the credit for it because obviously like his experience

00:14:08.460 with the EDL, I think it's what solidified his turning away from them, which I can talk

00:14:12.480 about later.

00:14:13.100 But, um, I would say that with my father, like I used to always buy him things that he

00:14:16.940 really liked.

00:14:17.460 So he, when he started to turn a bit strange with me, I'd always buy him oranges.

00:14:20.960 He loves oranges and that's such a small thing.

00:14:23.160 But my dad used to love these oranges from this Turkish shop.

00:14:25.780 And my dad always liked you to say, you know, when you, cause I used to live near this Turkish

00:14:28.700 shop and he'd say, whenever you go by there, could you get them for me?

00:14:31.020 So I was always like buying him these oranges and I'd text him, even if my dad was saying,

00:14:34.360 oh, you know, are you ever going to take that, um, that black bin bag off your head?

00:14:38.040 I'd respond and say, dad, do you want any more oranges?

00:14:40.600 I'm just at the shop.

00:14:41.920 I'll get them for you.

00:14:42.800 Like, how many do you want?

00:14:43.600 Like, I didn't actually respond to his like sort of insults.

00:14:47.040 I was just saying, no, dad, would you like me to buy these for you?

00:14:49.200 Like, and I remember once my dad was like, oh, I'm so tired.

00:14:52.660 Like I had a really late one last night.

00:14:54.540 I was drinking whatever.

00:14:55.580 And he was like, you know, um, but, um, are you, when you have your baby, is your baby

00:14:59.780 going to be a Muslim as well?

00:15:01.500 Right.

00:15:01.620 Which he already knew my kids were Muslim, but he was like, are they going to be a Muslim

00:15:04.780 as well?

00:15:05.260 And I said, oh, dad, would you like me to come and clean your flat for you?

00:15:08.540 So like, I would respond to him as nice as I could.

00:15:11.740 And I always offered to do things for him that I know he needed help with.

00:15:15.160 Um, so yeah, I would say like, I did try and keep that, that going, even when he, I didn't

00:15:20.260 speak to him for five years.

00:15:21.200 I'd always send him an email, like, hi dad, how are you?

00:15:23.620 And especially during lockdown, when the, when the pandemic came, I was locked down.

00:15:27.240 I said to my dad, look, I'm worried about you.

00:15:29.240 There's a lockdown.

00:15:30.040 Where are you?

00:15:30.660 Are you in this country?

00:15:31.600 Are you not like, I'm worried about you.

00:15:33.600 Um, can you call me?

00:15:34.640 Like I was worried that my dad might have COVID, you know, you know, you don't know.

00:15:38.140 Um, so I said, dad, look, if you have, like, if you have any symptoms, like make sure you

00:15:41.820 go to doctor, like, please like message me, call me.

00:15:44.300 I was like frantic, sending him a lot of messages and I didn't get any response.

00:15:48.000 And it literally was just two months ago, his response to me.

00:15:50.900 And it was just like, I'm okay now, you know, I'm fine.

00:15:53.420 I'm not, I've not got COVID and I was all right.

00:15:55.240 And he was just basically like, I'm sorry for everything I've said, everything I've done.

00:15:57.940 And I made a big mistake with my life and I, and I've wasted basically five years

00:16:01.780 of my life for nothing.

00:16:03.460 So I would say it was a part of me being gentle to him and being understanding and also just

00:16:11.620 loving my father.

00:16:12.300 I love him.

00:16:13.060 I think that's, that's amazing.

00:16:14.660 You know, if we think about it, you know, the prophet, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, if

00:16:17.600 we look at him, you know, there was sahaba who accepted Islam without seeing miracles in 0.94

00:16:23.620 that context because they knew him to be the truthful.

00:16:25.680 I was reading a book, um, the eternal challenge, actually, Muhammad Ijah recommended it.

00:16:28.860 It's a brilliant book.

00:16:29.840 And if you think about it, if I would recommend anyone to read it as well, and they believed

00:16:34.540 in his message because they knew him, it was his character.

00:16:38.740 And this is so fundamental in the Dawah. 0.96

00:16:40.780 It was his character that they said, there's no way this person is lying because we know

00:16:45.620 him to be the truthful.

00:16:46.380 He's honest.

00:16:46.960 He's, he doesn't lie.

00:16:48.460 He's, you know, so much.

00:16:49.360 So his enemies, the Quraysh would leave their belongings with him. 1.00

00:16:53.000 And if you look at it, his character played such a massive role that when he said that

00:16:57.780 he's receiving revelation, they couldn't doubt that they couldn't say, you know what?

00:17:02.320 Is this man lying?

00:17:02.980 No, he's not a liar.

00:17:04.060 He's truthful.

00:17:04.620 Look at his character, amazing character.

00:17:07.080 So the thing is, it's so fundamental.

00:17:08.760 And I believe this is a fundamental because you, I believe played the massive role in him

00:17:13.420 coming because in his head, he's going to be thinking, and this is where I relate with

00:17:17.220 your story because I can remember times when my dad would open TV and see Bin Laden and 0.99

00:17:21.360 say, look, there's your friend.

00:17:22.640 He would literally say, look, these are your friends.

00:17:24.440 And he would, you know, say these remarks all the time.

00:17:28.200 And yes, sometimes you ignore it, but sometimes it gets to you, you know, so I understand where

00:17:31.940 you're coming from.

00:17:32.480 And I tried my best to fight that hate with love, you know, and I would sometimes go and

00:17:39.520 just like, you know, kiss him in the head and say that, you know, like I'm still me in

00:17:43.160 that context.

00:17:43.680 And I believe, and I saw, and I saw in him that this, this armed him every time he was

00:17:48.340 aggressive towards me verbally, there was only one time he was like physically once

00:17:53.500 he was, you know, but the thing is verbally, anytime he was like aggressive towards me,

00:17:57.960 I realized that the love and the kindness that I showed him disarmed him.

00:18:03.440 And I can remember a point in my life when my, when he was saying certain things to me

00:18:07.240 and my mom came and said, you know, like, what do you want from him?

00:18:10.140 Like, what does he do to you?

00:18:11.120 Look, look, I mean, look how you insult him 24 seven.

00:18:13.600 And I think that plays a massive role.

00:18:15.260 And I believe that did.

00:18:16.460 So when you asked your dad, dad, like what happened, you know, after five years, did

00:18:22.640 he tell you?

00:18:24.220 Yeah, he did.

00:18:25.040 He just said basically that he had a lot of problems with this specific group he was with

00:18:32.500 EDL.

00:18:33.240 And there was a lot of fights amongst the people because they're drinkers, you know, they go

00:18:36.340 to the pub, they go have a drink, you know, things get wild.

00:18:39.000 Um, and there's a lot of, um, yeah.

00:18:42.460 So they were getting into these altercations and, you know, fighting each other.

00:18:47.000 And my dad said, you know, some of them were making comments about your children are Muslim,

00:18:51.340 didn't let it go.

00:18:52.060 It was a big thing, you know?

00:18:53.260 And actually one thing that stood out to my dad was that basically they were ready to

00:18:57.180 basically jump on anyone.

00:19:00.020 So they were like, you know, if we see this person, we see this.

00:19:02.340 And my dad is not, my dad's not for hurting women and children.

00:19:06.400 Yeah.

00:19:07.120 And that's when my dad thought, this is not right.

00:19:09.900 Because my dad would say, you know what, we need to get, my dad would say, you know

00:19:12.440 what, we need to get the terrorists.

00:19:13.420 We need to get the bad people.

00:19:14.240 We need to get the ones that are basically trying to infiltrate this country, right? 1.00

00:19:16.660 What they agree with. 0.99

00:19:17.600 But when it came to, let's go and hurt that woman with a bin bag on her head. 1.00

00:19:21.220 My dad's like, is she really a terrorist? 1.00

00:19:24.340 I think she's just, she's just a Muslim woman. 1.00

00:19:26.560 She's not really a terrorist.

00:19:27.380 So I think that's what kind of was a turning point.

00:19:30.500 And obviously my dad must have remembered, you know, my treatment towards him and, you

00:19:34.160 know, that I was never bad to him.

00:19:35.460 And it's someone like me that they would actually start on, you know, someone like me.

00:19:40.040 I think, you know what, sister Amira, I believe your dad is, I believe, inshallah, your dad

00:19:45.500 would accept this time.

00:19:46.180 I can see it because I don't believe that he did not attack woman in hijab because he 1.00

00:19:51.000 thought, okay, that's my daughter.

00:19:53.140 I don't think he didn't do that because of that.

00:19:55.080 I believe he genuinely didn't do it because that's who he is.

00:19:59.420 He wouldn't attack woman.

00:20:00.680 He wouldn't want to harm.

00:20:01.880 And from what you've told me about him, he's gone through that.

00:20:05.840 And like, we know, like Omar ibn Khattab, like he was on his way to kill the Prophet, peace 0.99

00:20:10.580 be upon him, you know.

00:20:11.840 And I know there's some people say it's a weak story, but the thing is, he was on his

00:20:15.820 way and he had a U-turn.

00:20:19.060 And the Prophet ﷺ made dua for him that made one of the two be guided.

00:20:23.340 And Omar ibn Khattab, with his hate and vengeance, but deep inside, when you have an atom weight 0.86

00:20:28.600 of justice in your heart and you know that, you know, this is the truth, he changed.

00:20:33.840 And I believe, like, personally, inshallah, we make dua to Allah because Allah is the one

00:20:37.380 charging the hearts, of the hearts.

00:20:39.700 I believe your dad will come to Islam, inshallah.

00:20:41.880 And me, myself, hijab, we are at your service if your dad would like to speak, sit down,

00:20:46.360 go out, and I'm sure your brother's there.

00:20:47.980 You don't need us.

00:20:48.380 I'm just saying, you know, we're just here.

00:20:49.680 If anything's needed, your brother, my son, there's an amazing dao.

00:20:51.800 I'm sure your husband can do an amazing dao as well.

00:20:54.380 But if there's anything you need, we're at your service, sister.

00:20:57.260 Now, and that's a good way of, you know, like, Dino, what you mentioned about how you

00:21:01.060 treated him is a brilliant way for reverts who have come to Islam, the best way to deal 1.00

00:21:05.160 with your parents is adab, akhlaq.

00:21:07.200 They, they've brought you to this age.

00:21:09.360 They're a baby.

00:21:09.900 They, they don't want to learn anything from you.

00:21:11.800 But there's one thing that they can learn and have no choice but to learn is to observe

00:21:15.720 you because that's not something you can, it's not like, oh, I don't want to watch them.

00:21:19.220 Yeah.

00:21:19.480 You can say, I don't want to hear.

00:21:21.000 Don't talk to me.

00:21:21.600 No, don't educate me.

00:21:22.420 You don't know me better than, better than me.

00:21:24.100 But there's one thing that they can't stop.

00:21:26.400 They can stop you from talking, but they cannot stop you from being the true Muslim you are

00:21:31.280 and observing your akhlaq and adab and character, because that's something they

00:21:35.040 have to observe and they look at you.

00:21:36.500 And once that, once they see how Islam has made you amazing character and they've seen 0.90

00:21:42.440 the Tawheed because Aisha has said the prophet peace be upon him was the walking, talking

00:21:47.020 Quran.

00:21:47.880 They saw Tawheed in him because we have a lot of people and I'm going to slowly go to this

00:21:54.640 issue of this cult that you joined.

00:21:58.100 And if you think about it, you know, there's this emphasis on, you know, Tawheed, Tawheed,

00:22:03.780 you know, this person is misguided or this person is a kafir or whatever it may be. 0.61

00:22:07.880 It's that people think that Dawa is something that is verbalized in the context of there's

00:22:15.240 certain phraseologies of phrases that you have to repeat over and over again.

00:22:19.600 And I believe the best form of Dawa, like the prophet peace be upon him said, he said,

00:22:23.680 I came for nothing but to perfect good adab, you know, and the Salaf would say, the Salaf

00:22:28.780 would say, I would rather my son read a chapter on good akhlaq than 70 chapters on knowledge.

00:22:34.780 We know Imam Ahmed, when he used to give a talk, some say, you know, it might be exaggerated,

00:22:38.260 30,000 people would come to listen and one fourth or no, three, about 75% of people who

00:22:47.940 came, they came to observe his good akhlaq, good manners.

00:22:50.260 And if you read Al-Adab Al-Mufrad, you will see it. 0.87

00:22:54.300 Now, I just want to mention this because this is really important because you're a reaver,

00:22:57.440 yeah?

00:22:57.920 And I kind of had a rubbed shoulders with this, these kind of group of people.

00:23:06.260 What advice would you give?

00:23:07.700 And can you just briefly tell me if you're okay with it?

00:23:10.120 Because I know you said you're not comfortable.

00:23:11.880 And the reason you're not comfortable is not that you want to, you don't want to warn other

00:23:15.260 sisters or brothers, but it's because you're, you're feared that they might bully you or

00:23:19.960 whatever.

00:23:20.640 We know how toxic they can be.

00:23:24.000 How did you fall into this?

00:23:26.720 How do you think it changed you as a person?

00:23:29.180 Looking back now, what would you advise a reaver that's watching this who's come to Islam 1.00

00:23:33.980 new and they are actually being invited by this cult?

00:23:36.920 Like, tell me a bit about how you joined them.

00:23:41.620 So I would say that like, when you become Muslim, there's lots of different people.

00:23:45.260 People are trying to grab your attention at that time.

00:23:47.860 There's well-known groups, there's groups that are not really well-known.

00:23:50.720 And some of them are upon the truth, some of them are not.

00:23:52.920 Some of them, you know, some of them are just normal people.

00:23:54.760 They just want to get you, they just want a reaver, they just want to get you in.

00:23:57.280 And a lot of them probably mean well, but a lot of them sadly don't.

00:24:00.880 So I'd say, yeah, when I first became Muslim, some of the types of people that I met at

00:24:06.140 the time were like, you know, you need to come to this, you need to come to this mosque.

00:24:08.560 You need to come to this mosque and this is the mosque of the truth.

00:24:10.960 So you're like, okay, it's the truth, you know, I have to do it.

00:24:13.000 So you go to this mosque and you get there and everything's very, there's rules for everything.

00:24:17.480 Everything's a rule and a regulation.

00:24:18.900 You know what?

00:24:19.440 A lot of people, when they first become Muslim, some reverts have actually been at the lowest

00:24:23.800 part of their life to actually accept Islam. 0.86

00:24:26.120 So some people are coming to Islam with mental health issues.

00:24:28.360 Some people come to Islam at a really low point.

00:24:30.460 They're not ready to be forced into a whole life of rules and stuff.

00:24:33.560 They know that God is one and that he has messengers, you know, and they've accepted the truth

00:24:37.860 of the oneness of Allah and all these messengers.

00:24:40.000 Just to touch upon what you said, Aisha had said, if the Quran was to come down with halal

00:24:45.460 and haram, nobody would become a Muslim.

00:24:48.140 This is so important because we do things the opposite way.

00:24:50.120 That's haram.

00:24:50.960 First, you put, you give, increase the iman. 0.97

00:24:54.940 Once iman enters the hut, that person would leave the haram himself. 0.93

00:24:58.980 And, but these people, they're a whole different level, but carry on sister.

00:25:01.380 Yeah.

00:25:01.460 I just wanted to add that there.

00:25:03.400 Yeah.

00:25:03.780 Some people come to Islam and they're still in a relationship.

00:25:06.260 Some people come to Islam, they still got addiction. 1.00

00:25:08.660 So it's this very, like this way.

00:25:11.880 Okay.

00:25:12.040 Now you're, now you're Muslim. 0.99

00:25:13.280 There's all these rules and regulations you have to follow.

00:25:14.720 And if you're not, you're going to be kicked out.

00:25:16.240 And basically we're going to let you know that you're kicked out and you're not going 0.78

00:25:18.400 to come back here and we're basically going to make your life hell.

00:25:20.280 So that's the sort of thing I experienced personally.

00:25:24.080 And it's like, it's, it's not, it's not fruitful from my experience and all the sisters that

00:25:29.600 I've come into contact with over the eight, nine years, it's not fruitful at all.

00:25:32.700 And you find that a lot of people who join this very, very strict way, they actually can't

00:25:37.440 live their own rigid, the way they're trying to teach other people to live so rigid, they

00:25:41.920 can't live it, live it themselves.

00:25:43.360 They can't.

00:25:44.580 And the prophet peace be upon him said, if you overburden yourself, you basically, if you

00:25:48.940 go to extremes, it will overtake you.

00:25:51.240 Basically it would, it's like carrying a big mountain on your shoulders.

00:25:55.020 It's going to destroy you.

00:25:56.100 It's going to, you know, the thing is here, this is what happens.

00:25:59.180 And like you said, they come to a point, what they preach, they can't do it because it's

00:26:05.880 in near impossible.

00:26:07.680 And the sight of Allah, Allah says it's hateful in the sight of Allah that you preach something

00:26:10.980 that you yourself don't do.

00:26:12.960 Yeah.

00:26:13.420 Would you say that?

00:26:14.360 Because I believe like they're the cancer of this Ummah. 0.97

00:26:16.340 Genuinely, I believe they are the cancer because, and anyone that comes to Islam, I don't 1.00

00:26:20.460 know if you've seen anyone that comes to Islam, I specifically tell them, be careful because 1.00

00:26:25.180 you know what's sad to me is that somebody who's coming to Islam and seeing the beauty 1.00

00:26:29.060 of Islam, joining this cult or joining this group and be like, and some, they leave Islam.

00:26:34.820 Some of them follow the deen, most of them follow the deen.

00:26:37.080 And some of them, they totally leave Islam and they are left with this perception of Islam.

00:26:42.000 Islam, did you feel like you was, when you joined them, did your character change?

00:26:47.120 Would you say you saw changes in yourself or your surroundings?

00:26:51.100 See, the thing is with me, I've always been quite like a strong person.

00:26:54.760 So when I was, when I was in their company and I was sort of going to these masjids and 1.00

00:26:58.460 I was hearing these things on the speaker and the chokbah on the Fridays and stuff, I

00:27:02.460 was sitting next to me.

00:27:03.980 I was literally the sister next to me.

00:27:05.640 I was saying to her, do you believe in this?

00:27:07.420 Does this sound right to you?

00:27:08.460 Is this, are we not allowed to, sorry, are we not allowed to go to another masjid?

00:27:12.480 Why are these people bad?

00:27:13.460 And I was basically, cause they were talking about, and she, and it was the imam's wife

00:27:16.600 and she, and she was sat next to me, his pal, I remember, she said, yes, this is the

00:27:21.080 huck.

00:27:21.520 This is the truth.

00:27:22.180 And I was like, oh, okay.

00:27:23.480 And I just, I went home that day and I was like, none of it seems right.

00:27:26.560 Why are they so angry?

00:27:27.360 Why is it so angry?

00:27:28.100 Why are they screaming on the microphone about other people?

00:27:30.640 I don't know.

00:27:31.320 Yeah.

00:27:31.940 So they were screaming like on the microphone.

00:27:34.260 And I was like, this is, and so basically I then went to do my research.

00:27:38.460 And I started reading my own thing and doing my own thing.

00:27:41.420 And then I moved to East London.

00:27:42.940 I was like, you know what?

00:27:43.660 This Muslim area, I'm going to move to East London. 1.00

00:27:45.180 So I learned a completely different view of Islam, living in East London, going to White 1.00

00:27:48.800 Chapel Masjid.

00:27:49.660 And so when I returned back to where I'm from, Reading, when I returned back, basically

00:27:54.420 they were like, you know, you're, you're now upon misguidance, you're upon Vidah, you've

00:27:58.180 learned this.

00:27:58.560 And I was like, well, actually, no, I've gone to study at Tayyib and I've learned, I've

00:28:01.320 learned how to read, I've learned how to read the Quran.

00:28:03.640 So I think I'm all right.

00:28:04.700 Wow.

00:28:05.300 Wow.

00:28:05.740 Wow.

00:28:06.000 Say that again. 0.71

00:28:06.540 Say that again. 0.71

00:28:07.360 Repeat that again.

00:28:09.220 No, I went and studied at Tayyib in East London and I, I learned how to read and I learned

00:28:13.660 to read the Quran.

00:28:14.680 Yeah.

00:28:14.900 So I said, I think I'm doing quite well, actually.

00:28:16.840 I don't, I don't actually need it.

00:28:17.840 Look at this sister. 1.00

00:28:18.820 They're saying to you, are you up on innovation?

00:28:20.780 You went and used that time that you would have been busy calling your innovator, innovator,

00:28:25.000 mobtari, mobtari, too concerned about other people and darkening your heart.

00:28:27.960 You connected to the Quran.

00:28:29.760 You learned to read and that, wallahi, if that's misguidance, I would love to be on

00:28:34.120 misguidance.

00:28:34.840 I'll be the biggest, call me the Ali Bidah.

00:28:36.900 Wallahi, if that's misguidance that you're connecting, and I'm not saying they're directly

00:28:40.420 saying that, but you spent your time so wisely that you got connected to the book of Allah

00:28:43.980 and you freed yourself from them.

00:28:45.560 SubhanAllah.

00:28:46.420 I don't want to make, you know, there was two messages.

00:28:50.400 Did you scroll up?

00:28:51.460 You know, there was two messages that you sent.

00:28:53.180 When you sent those, I knew at that moment of time, I think you was with them.

00:28:58.160 Should I read it?

00:28:58.760 I don't want to, I can cut this bit out if you want, yeah?

00:29:00.280 But this is what you sent me, yeah?

00:29:01.260 I don't want to, I don't want to make you like a thing.

00:29:03.720 It was nothing, it was nothing, Deepa.

00:29:05.080 He was like, Ali drama, always got some drama going on.

00:29:08.820 And when you were, when you were Ali drama, sister, that's, that's, that's something that 0.94

00:29:12.860 a nickname they've given to me.

00:29:13.980 Like Ali needs dawah, alhamdulillah, and Ali drama.

00:29:17.240 So I was scrolling up and I was saying, why did I block the sister?

00:29:20.860 But you see, subhanAllah, look where you're now, sister. 0.98

00:29:23.440 And back then, and we all make mistakes, like don't get twisted.

00:29:25.940 I'm so sorry.

00:29:27.100 No, don't get twisted.

00:29:28.080 Wallahi, sister, believe me, the moment when I heard your dad's story and that you left

00:29:32.980 them, to me, it's like the moment you leave them, I know your eyes have opened, you know,

00:29:37.580 and, and we can communicate and talk.

00:29:39.460 May Allah bless you, wallahi.

00:29:40.380 And subhanAllah, it's, it's, what, how would you, what advice would you give to a revert 1.00

00:29:47.300 to be careful to these groups?

00:29:50.060 What would you say, specifically sisters, because sisters, sadly, with these groups as

00:29:54.800 well, they do get used and passed around.

00:29:57.540 I'm not saying all, I'm going to be just, I'm not going to say they all do that.

00:30:00.440 That's, that's, I have to fear Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. 1.00

00:30:02.700 But they, they, some of them are known to marry sisters and divorce them, marry sisters

00:30:09.060 and divorce them.

00:30:09.980 And wallahi, it's as if they are carrying jahiliyyah, what they would do in jahiliyyah 0.98

00:30:14.420 into Islam in a halal way of marrying and divorcing.

00:30:18.160 They, it's as if they hunt for reverts.

00:30:20.460 It's as if, wallahi, it's, it's as if they literally go and hunt for those who have that 1.00

00:30:25.880 lifestyle.

00:30:26.360 Because if you think about it, it's a bit like a gang.

00:30:28.140 It's like blood in, blood out.

00:30:29.460 And there's things that they do.

00:30:30.660 It's like they've adopted, adopted this jahiliyyah culture and brought it to Islam and 0.99

00:30:35.560 made their little thing.

00:30:36.700 And, and there's many scholars, I mean, many scholars, the grand mufti of, uh, Sheikh

00:30:41.860 Al-Sheikh, um, they've, they've, they've, these people reference them and these people

00:30:46.920 warn against these individuals.

00:30:49.700 Yeah.

00:30:50.140 And this behavior is sort of unheard of when you go to the Muslim countries, um, Egypt

00:30:53.940 or Saudi Arabia, these, these people are unheard of and this behavior is unheard of.

00:30:59.820 And this is not something that, um, that they do in Muslim countries at all. 0.71

00:31:03.240 It's completely just an isolated group.

00:31:05.200 Basically, it's not an isolated case, but it's not a group of people doing these things.

00:31:09.600 So, yeah, I have definitely experienced it.

00:31:11.280 And, um, Alhamdulillah, I didn't marry anyone that's like that.

00:31:14.740 Yeah.

00:31:15.060 I, I saw very quick.

00:31:17.980 Yeah.

00:31:18.940 That's good.

00:31:19.400 You know what I want to do?

00:31:20.340 Let's get away from the negativity and anyone, all the sisters or brothers who have come

00:31:24.440 to Islam, be very careful to being called into groups and all this kind of stuff.

00:31:28.020 Be very careful, inshallah.

00:31:29.960 Personally, I recommend people to watch people like Sheikh Tahir White, uh, Sheikh, uh, Mufti

00:31:34.960 Munir, uh, you know, they're, they're very balanced and, and let's make it very clear.

00:31:39.240 The Salafi community, we don't want to put all of them in the same bag. 1.00

00:31:42.280 They're not.

00:31:42.780 Yeah.

00:31:43.520 Uh, we believe the, the, the methodology of our Salafi brothers is on the haq, um, even

00:31:49.440 though we may differ on certain things, but the thing is that to put all of them in

00:31:53.260 the same basket, I want to make that very clear that they're not the same, you know,

00:31:55.680 you know, and many people, subhanallah, that I recommend to follow, but let's move away 1.00

00:32:01.620 from that, inshallah.

00:32:03.080 How's your dad?

00:32:03.940 Like, I'll be honest, your dad.

00:32:05.680 One thing that I would say about the revert that are coming to Islam and they're new to 1.00

00:32:10.980 Islam, I would say that the best thing for them to do is to independently study.

00:32:15.240 So go to an Institute, study in a reputable Institute, rather than going to a specific

00:32:19.340 group or trying to find which group you should be in, go to an Institute, go to Taibun, go

00:32:24.120 to Al-Madinah college, go to institutes, places that you can actually learn independently and

00:32:28.600 study alongside people that will actually aid you and support you.

00:32:32.740 And they're all there sort of doing the same thing.

00:32:34.380 And you're, you're not there to, it's not about anyone else.

00:32:37.020 It's about yourself.

00:32:37.620 So I would say that, you know, becoming Muslim is about self-refinement. 1.00

00:32:42.000 It's not about what other people are doing because Allah's not going to ask you about 1.00

00:32:44.560 what other people are doing.

00:32:45.440 It's actually about yourself and refining yourself and making your, your whole focus in your

00:32:50.380 life should be yourself because it's the same as saying, I always say to myself, when you

00:32:54.180 point the finger, you've always got four pointed back at you.

00:32:56.860 Yeah, exactly.

00:32:57.860 Okay.

00:32:58.280 Yeah.

00:32:58.500 So yeah.

00:32:59.880 So how was your dad?

00:33:01.060 Like, for example, is he, would you say he's close to Islam?

00:33:04.740 Is he closer to the grandkids?

00:33:06.340 Has he met your husband?

00:33:10.000 Yeah.

00:33:10.480 So my dad hasn't actually met the kids, sadly.

00:33:13.380 He's met the baby.

00:33:14.520 We haven't met the kids.

00:33:15.660 Our first meeting, it was quite emotional and it was, yeah.

00:33:21.120 So our first meeting, because my dad hasn't met two of my kids, his grandchildren.

00:33:24.360 He hasn't met two of my children, sadly, because I've had them in the time that he was away,

00:33:29.120 you know, which is quite sad.

00:33:30.320 But yeah, so he's met the youngest.

00:33:32.620 He met the baby.

00:33:33.060 I took her with me to meet with him.

00:33:35.880 And so far, he hasn't seen anyone else yet.

00:33:38.600 So inshallah in the future.

00:33:40.580 But he definitely wants to in the future, inshallah.

00:33:42.420 That's amazing, you know, subhanAllah. 0.98

00:33:45.100 Yeah.

00:33:45.360 I don't know any, any last words that you would give, you know, you know, it's an amazing

00:33:52.140 story.

00:33:52.480 I'll be honest with you.

00:33:52.880 It is very heart touching.

00:33:53.780 Um, and I know, and I know how it is, how it feels, you know, to have the fear of, you

00:33:58.120 know, losing them as disbelievers, you know, um, and living with that fear day in, day out,

00:34:02.900 you know, um, I know how it feels, you know, that's why I felt really close to your story.

00:34:07.620 Um, yeah.

00:34:09.440 What, what advice would you give?

00:34:11.000 Maybe, I think we have already given, but maybe last words on reverts and how to deal

00:34:15.700 with their family.

00:34:16.820 What advice would you give them?

00:34:19.440 I'd always say like with your family, just keep trying.

00:34:22.000 And like I said, like in the video, like the video that went viral, like it was quite cliche,

00:34:26.020 but it's true.

00:34:26.500 Never lose hope because if my dad can, like anyone can, like my dad was literally in a group

00:34:31.500 of people who are against the Muslims in his country.

00:34:34.040 Like they're just against everything that we stand for and my dad completely changed

00:34:37.920 his part.

00:34:38.400 And it was actually at that moment when he was alone, like he wasn't with that woman

00:34:41.380 anymore.

00:34:41.840 He was alone.

00:34:43.120 Um, my dad no longer had these people around.

00:34:45.060 That's when he sat and reflected on his life.

00:34:47.100 Um, so if my dad can have this reflection moment, like anyone can.

00:34:51.460 So I just say like, always just be kind to parents.

00:34:53.640 Like there's this kid's cartoon.

00:34:55.540 My, my daughter's watched Jackie, Jackie and friends.

00:34:57.800 And he always says, yeah, like be good guys and be kind to your parents.

00:35:01.540 Like, and it's literally, I always say the same thing.

00:35:03.280 Like just be kind to your parents is literally it because there's nothing they could, they

00:35:07.120 could never be horrible to you when you're being so kind to them.

00:35:09.240 You know, my dad's like proof of it.

00:35:11.040 My dad's a typical skinhead tattoos everywhere.

00:35:13.220 English guy, you know?

00:35:14.700 Um, and you know, he, he now is fine with Islam.

00:35:18.820 He's happy and he's just happy to be back in contact with me.

00:35:22.200 And he even gave me some gifts.

00:35:24.100 I forgot to mention this before.

00:35:25.340 And when we left the day, yeah.

00:35:28.100 Yeah.

00:35:28.420 When we left that day, he was really proud of himself.

00:35:30.820 He was so, he was so pleased.

00:35:32.300 Like he had a car and his boot full of all these boxes of toys and whatever he had.

00:35:36.900 And he said, look, back for the kids.

00:35:38.800 He was like, he said, I've never been able to give them anything.

00:35:41.020 And I've bought stuff for you.

00:35:42.220 And then he was trying to show me.

00:35:43.340 And he's like, look, go home and have Eid on me. 0.93

00:35:45.420 Go and do your Eid on me. 1.00

00:35:47.160 Make sure you tell the kids that granddad got this for you, for them for Eid.

00:35:50.700 And he was like, I know they probably don't know me as a granddad and I want them to,

00:35:54.000 but please tell them it's for Eid.

00:35:56.080 And it was just so innocent and sweet because he generally thought that you can have Eid at any time.

00:36:00.520 So I didn't say anything.

00:36:01.340 I was like, dad, that's amazing.

00:36:02.520 Thank you.

00:36:02.880 They're going to love it.

00:36:03.480 It's going to be the best Eid they ever had. 0.81

00:36:04.940 And he was just so happy.

00:36:06.400 And he, when I got home, he was saying like, you know, please show me like all their Eid stuff

00:36:09.660 that I've given them, make videos and pictures and stuff.

00:36:12.160 And he's actually got a picture of me on his wall in his, in his living room now,

00:36:15.600 like in my nafab, believe it or not, in my nafab.

00:36:18.720 Yeah, in my nafab and with pictures of my kids with their hijabs on,

00:36:24.020 he's actually got them in his living room on his wall.

00:36:25.740 And he used to say like, the face veil was a bin bag and it's horrible.

00:36:29.540 And, you know, these headscarves are like Taliban cloths, you call them Taliban bedsheets. 0.99

00:36:34.620 He said Taliban bedsheets, headscarves and stuff, you know.

00:36:36.900 So it's true, if my dad can change, anyone, anyone can change.

00:36:41.880 And it's really, it's really that simple.

00:36:43.700 That's amazing, man.

00:36:44.240 That's amazing.

00:36:44.860 I'll be honest, I've got a feeling he's going to accept Islam, you know.

00:36:48.440 If you can see the stuff that he's doing, how he's talking, the stuff you're telling me,

00:36:53.820 he's very close.

00:36:54.500 I will take full advantage of this.

00:36:56.500 And like I said before, sister, if you need, we will travel there.

00:36:59.220 Like Reading, wherever it is, you know, we will come there and sit with him.

00:37:03.920 Just take advantage of this because, inshallah, because I can see like Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala's guidance,

00:37:08.600 you know, and he's taking that on board as well, inshallah.

00:37:12.200 And yeah, subhanahu wa ta'ala, it's absolutely amazing.

00:37:16.180 It's a really heart-touching story.

00:37:18.520 And yeah, may Allah bless you, inshallah, for your time.

00:37:21.080 There's one thing I was going to touch upon, but I totally forgot.

00:37:22.940 But yeah, so what I would say is, sister, may Allah bless you, inshallah.

00:37:26.840 I'm going to, let me wrap you up. 0.82

00:37:29.580 I'm going to send the video to you when we've edited it.

00:37:32.400 You go through it and you tell us what you think, yeah?

00:37:35.560 Yeah, that's fine.

00:37:36.700 Yeah.

00:37:37.420 So brothers and sisters, inshallah, I hope you enjoyed that video, inshallah.

00:37:40.540 As you can see, we touched upon a lot of topics, inshallah,

00:37:43.500 and I hope you guys have learned and benefited from that as well.

00:37:46.180 And, oh, this is what I was going to say.

00:37:47.940 Alhamdulillah, it's good that we end on this note.

00:37:49.360 But it's that, and this goes with me because I've always learned this as well.

00:37:54.720 Anytime, and because you're saying like, if my dad can change, anyone can change.

00:37:59.960 The reason here is because anytime you doubt yourself,

00:38:04.660 be it that you're committing major sins, you're not praying salah,

00:38:07.680 you're away from Islam, whatever it may be, or parents, whatever. 0.97

00:38:12.240 Anytime you doubt yourself, like anytime you say, you know what, I can't do this.

00:38:16.480 Remember who Allah is, because you can't, that's true, you're weak. 1.00

00:38:21.640 Allah says we created mankind weak, but never, ever forget who your Lord is.

00:38:26.120 So when you say this to me, when you say, okay, if my dad can come to Islam, 0.68

00:38:29.400 you know what it is, sister?

00:38:30.120 It's how magnificent Allah is and how we do not fully fathom that.

00:38:34.160 Anytime you think this person will come to Islam, Allah has created heavens and the earth. 1.00

00:38:38.020 Is it hard for Allah to guide your father or my father?

00:38:40.860 No, it's not.

00:38:41.420 So the thing is, anytime we have a doubt within ourself, you know what, my dad won't work,

00:38:46.640 my dad won't accept Islam, A, B, C, D, you know what, refer to Allah, 1.00

00:38:50.640 because Allah can change hearts.

00:38:53.540 And that's what I'll end on, inshallah.

00:38:54.740 Bravo and sisters, hope you enjoyed it.

00:38:55.760 Share with your friends and family, inshallah, and make dua for the sister's family,

00:39:00.180 her husband, her kids, and her father, inshallah.

00:39:02.560 And maybe in a couple of months, maybe she'll do a post and say,

00:39:05.760 you know what, my dad just accepted Islam and we wait to see that day.

00:39:08.380 Assalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.

Ali Dawah - July 06, 2021

BLOCKED ON INSTAGRAM, HER FATHERS ACCEPTANCE & HOW SHE CAME TO ISLAM - INTERVIEW

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