My name is Zaakirah and you are listening to the living legacy Podcast. I am a brand cultivating strategist, a cancer survivor and camera save my life in it podcast where we share stories featuring women that I admire. And lo behold you never know I may interview some of my favorite men. In this podcast you will learn about professionalism. You learn about business you learn about travel. I have traveled to 10 countries so far. And now it's my turn to teach you and inspire you to step outside of your comfort zone. Any suggestions you have any topic you want to discuss in the contest? Send me an email, leave a comment, please be sure to subscribe and download. Today podcast episode is all about Islam, the religion of peace, how it played a role in career and life. And this is actually my third episode with my first male guests who happened to be my father. He was share his life story of how religion has always played a role since his teenage years, how Islam came into his life, and how he converted to Islam and how it then shaped his his life, his businesses, his jobs, his marriages, his life as a father, and so on and so forth. I will also share with you some well known rappers, actor and comedian to either one Muslim, or have converted to Islam. This may be the longest episode, the most real episode and the most raw episode I have recorded yet. I don't even think I've talked about the thing that I will talk about in this episode outside of a journal or one on one conversation. If I've, you know, for example, going up if someone was asking me about this golf hour on my head, also known as a hijab, or if it would, the whole month of fact, the month of Ramadan and people were asking me questions about fasting. I will also tell you more about how I'm not a perfect Muslim and how I deal with that on a day to day basis. Because like any religion, like any form of practicing, it can be difficult. It can be difficult to be consistent, it can be difficult to maintain your connection to God. I just want to start off with staying. I am Akaka and I believe in God, this episode is really going to be all about education. There's so much going on in this world. And there's so many, you know, easy easy misconception there is there's a big word of Islamophobia. You know, and this episode, like all of my podcast episodes are all about positivity, about resilience, and adversity in Islam. Currently, image world has 1.5 almost 2 billion people who Practice the religion, maybe not it out loud, but they practice the religion. So one thing that I want to learn and one thing that I kind of take away If anything, no matter what challenges I'm facing into my own personal battle is that Islam is simple humanity not. So, you know, out of all the misconceptions and misunderstanding it's literally because there's just so much ignorance in this world. I've struggled with my identity as a Muslim because I've always been the only one growing up in in all of my school except for the one time I did go to an Islamic school also known as a private school for my fifth grade year while I was at that school, you know, I was I learned so much about, you know, a holy book of the Quran and I know so much about Joe many different coaches for me It helped me to really
develop those international relationships and friendships. It also helped me to be a humble human being. So even though as an adult, my photography class had two other Muslim females, who I became friends with and got along with, they learn so much from and no matter what, I just know that I will always be a Muslim because I choose the religion itself, because it makes me a better person. It's the reason why I am so fearless in a lot of other people's eyes. It's the reason why I still keep going, even when things are difficult in life and career in marriage, with my health, everything, because I literally have always just as I say, hand it over to God, you know, just like this one of my favorite song by India IV. It called I am not my hair, and ironically, it features AKon who is also a Muslim he was born in a predominantly Muslim country of Senegal which is in West Africa. The thing about modesty that that's the thing when it comes to Islamic wear or Islamic garb. The purpose for them is for modesty. Which means no tight fitting, no skin showing no boobs showing type of clothing items, but everyone is different and each his own but at least for me, I am comfortable with with if there are moments where Okay, I will get my hair done. I will wear it out does not make me any less than a Muslim who does not pray five times a day. You know it just to each its own with how you practice your religion. My parents were not strict in the sense of you must be a Muslim and if you're not a Muslim, we will abandon you. You know, because unfortunately there are some situation where there are people who have converted to Islam or they're called revert. They found the religion, they found that sense of peace on their own. But their own family disowned them. And that's unfortunate because Islam is supposed to be a religion of community of love and peace and happiness. But God is the most forgiving my dad we'll talk a little bit more about about you'll also know really a big difference between the word faith and religion because it's really a religion of religion is the way you live. What helps you to define your character you know, what helps you to remind yourself between the difference between right and wrong my parents converted to Islam so I would always just you know, talk about all the different code to the culture to first of all, being African American woman and then being a cancer survivor and then being hard of hearing
and so I I attended an Islamic school with great I got to strengthen my studies in the Arabic language which is the original language of the holy book, but At the same time, the thing about reading the holy book about, you know, if you can translate it to whatever language you speak in, you can pray in whatever language you speak, because God created all the languages so he knows when you're talking to him, it became more and more difficult. And I was living on my own as a young adult. Now, one of the things about Sam is that it really does protect his woman. The woman are not necessarily supposed to be alone on their own. They are encouraged to be married and not sleeping around and not dating around and not to be the man slave. That's not the purpose of marriage. Marriage is supposed to be a partnership, but because women are so important because women are so valuable, so much closer to God because they're the one to pretty much bring humans to the earth from God through the woman right. And so as a result when it comes to the month of the holy month of Ramadan, when you're fasting, you don't The most women if you are already on your Metro cycles, you're not required to fat. If you are carrying a child, you are not required. In fact, you have any other medical condition high blood pressure pcos you are not required to fast and fasting means from sunup to sundown eating and drinking nothing for 30 days. It would be good for me to live on my own. While I was in Maryland, I wasn't fully alone because I was near family I was near family members and friends sometimes it did get lonely because once again, I'm the only one it's literally just me, my mom, my dad in our religion, you know, so sometimes it does get lonely and of course the older I got the more understood why I was always just finding family members and friends I would find my sisters right because that's what we call each other we call each other brothers and sister because again, we are one but I would literally just finding sisters and my friends in it that I called the woman who looked out for me, you know whenever my mom was working, I'm going mentioned a few names that you may recognize who are rappers actors and comedians. A lot of them are African American, and you're going to run down a few names that you may recognize, who are actually Muslim. Make one
A Tribe Called Quest.
Dave Chappelle
ice cube.
Busta Rhymes, French Montana, DJ Khaled,. Mos Def, Lupe Fiasco. Now, there are plenty of other athletes such as, of course, Muhammad Ali, who converted then, mike tyson also converted Kareem Abdul Jabbar, converted as well. And then there's some stangard other singers who are Muslim. So Jermaine Jackson, now this one is 5050 5050 had it that Michael Jackson did take Shahada, which is the old That you say in order to accept Islam there was there's Zayn Malik, also known as saying he used to be in one direction. Mahershala ali who is known for how to tie the Green Book, a Luke Cage. He is married to a non Muslim but he converted another athlete attacking him a large one converted. They were a singer, European singer, who went by cat Stephen, but eventually converted to Islam and change it audit name to Yusuf Islam growing up. I listened to Yusuf Islam songs at summer camps. There was a point where I was in elementary school and every summer I had maybe just two summers I was able to go to a summer camp, which again also helped me to strengthen my being tempted my understanding of the holy work and those songs stay with me to the day, I automatically became a Muslim because I was born into the religion jsi the current US immigration laws requires you to automatically become a US citizen if you were born to be citizens. For example, if I have a child with my husband, who is a born man because he's from the predominantly Muslim country and the Gambia in West Africa also which is inside of a country of Senegal before the French and the British wanted to split it, they will automatically become Muslim. Now the thing about the you may be familiar with a lot of Muslim and non Muslim marriages. So there's examples like Amal and George Clooney amali the Muslim George not so much. Iman the at the model, even though she married David Bowie That one of the rare instances where the woman is a Muslim and the man is not with a man converts, as opposed to men as opposed to you know, accept Islam, but again teach it down at how much you practice it because the minimum the bare minimum you should do to claim that you are a Muslim is good prayer is being charitable age fulfilling hajj as well as fasting in Ramadan, but there are exceptions. You know, there are certain exceptions but older studying the Quran fasting there is I find that in Islam, fasting, giving charity, fulfilling part of pilgrimage, I truly believe that there is only one God and Muhammad is His Messenger. But there are also many, many prophets, Jesus the Prophet, travel into a Muslim country like my first Not only was my first African country, Ghana, but it was also originally a Muslim country because a lot of the slaves who were Muslim came from Ghana. So that was an eye opening, culturally religiously eye opening experience for me, because I had to learn firsthand the history that I've been reading from the book at home because they didn't always keep this history in school. And even though I personally do not play all five prayers.
My dad will say this as well, but Islam with it within me my connection to God is strong because I'm always in conversion. Yeah, this is just gonna be a really good episode. Thank you for listening. If you have been listening to all five episodes so far, you've been subscribing and downloading episodes, thank you so much. Without you, I would not be continuing to do this I would not be continuing to share my story. So thank you for listening. If this is your first time, I hope you stick with me because we are going to go on a rollercoaster ride. The interview has so many gems. And you get to learn just how amazing my dad then also I'm truly my dad daughter. There are so many similarities which if you have been listening to previous episode you'll pick up on. You may hear some vehicles passing by in the background and it kind of add sound effects but my parents live in my dad's hometown of Etowah, Tennessee, but they live right along state highway. If you want to learn more about Islam, you can check out the podcast called one foot in the sink. The website is also called one foot in the sink dot com to hear more story about Muslim lifestyle and entrepreneurship. Those who have run a business and have reverted or converted to Islam.
My name is Abdul Haadee, Mohammad el in
what do you do
I'm retired.
did you do before you retired?
I did many things. I was commissioner of transportation for the city of Atlanta. also owned a transportation company at one time, most recently retired from driving a truck and owning a truck. retired from that about six years ago, and I have been retired since night since 2012.
Seven years now.
Wow. 2000 that day recently? Yes, time flies.
So
tell me about the time that those time that Islam
came into your life let me let me step back a few steps. Religion,
the formal
I'd have to even speak of formal religion. When did that First came come into my life. And that was part of the process of coming to as a mom. When I was 16 years old, I attended. There were there were there was an evangelist who passed about two years ago named Billy Graham. And I attended a Billy Graham Crusade for seven years. Prior to that, and then right after that, I had committed myself to become being a Christian minister. And seven days at that event, held in Columbus, Ohio, at Gillette Stadium, which was the major baseball team in Columbus at the time. Featured Billy Graham, and I attended that for seven days. And that was the beginning of my religious Odyssey. Now, Islam, I'm giving you that background that leads up to Islam after ending that Crusade for seven days. I returned to my home. My mother to time I should mention she lived in Columbus, Ohio, and I live with my grandparents. And Athens, Tennessee. And when I returned to have spend in summer up there with with her, she and my stepfather and my two brothers and when I returned to Tennessee at fall, I was at a time I was my first year high school I believe it was a my whole life change. And I made a commitment then to make religion, former religion. I really didn't know about Islam at the time, I really didn't know it. I didn't really know what it was, but the form of religion I like the set the setting. I like what they were trying to achieve. And I like what they were trying to accomplish. So when I returned to Athens, Tennessee at the time, my whole life changed. You know, proud of that. I've just another Well, I guess I wouldn't ordinarily have six two, 200 pounds. That's kind of large for My age.
I guess I was not I guess I was 13. As
soon as you hit puberty, you kind of had a
spike. Yeah. You know, my voice deepen when I was eight or nine years old. So when I returned to Athens, at the end of that summer, my whole sake of being changed, no longer use profanity into time. I don't think I could say two words. I say it. One of the four letter words. Okay. After I returned from that summer, sabbatical in Columbus, Ohio is a very Vision visit visual change. What everybody commented about, whoa, I've art Tabor. That was my name as a time had changed. You know, I became a dedicated athlete and became a dedicated student and stuff so far, what was really bad before I'm wasn't really a bad athlete before. But I've returned, returned to Columbus, me returned to Athens, Tennessee, and I rededicated myself to these things. Ironically, I think it was the summer that return. I was on the playground in Athens, Tennessee, at a high school, attended back in the day they were segregated High School, mostly, I think was the all African American so called African Americans. It's what we call then. And I heard a man young young fella named Maria Merrill. Welcome to I never forget his name. I didn't know who's three grades ahead of me. But he had spent his summer in Chicago. And he said he met some people in Chicago, some, some, some, some, as we call them African American people at the time. And he said that his interpretation was they really didn't like white people. That's that was unheard of what we were, you know, that was such a vast number. No, remember there was an integrated schools or anything at that time.
This was in is
the this is this. This was obviously in about 1962. I believe the year was maybe 61 and 1961. And he said there were some people that he met up there, some some asiatics or may I'm African American, don't ever would you call them. us the time is the difference. Didn't even like white bread on the bread that we ate on bread. The new up to time was white slice bread. He said they ate brown bread and his interpretation respect that they they like black people so much a brown bread Of course now, later on I found that fleet variant and so forth. That was that first time Islam had really continues my mind. You know, I didn't think about that I had. I don't remember seeing him since then we were in different grade who just own a common playground. Now is a few weeks few years ago we had it's now a they integrated schools and 66 location high school now is a city park. And after sentencing, but that was the first contact I had with Muslims. Only recently I mean within the last three years, a friend of mine, a fellow who became a friend of mine, and has Go and continue to be a friend of mine today. His name is Dr. William Gibson. And he mentioned me he he and a fellow named kyer. Ewing Kaya, who later became a colonel or a lieutenant colonel in the Air Force and heat. Oh, wait. Dr. Gibson said, well, you were you were becoming a Muslim back in high school, and I had no knowledge of that. I had no knowledge to consciously except to know anything about Islam. I didn't know anything about Islam. I think I'm doing anything about Islam. But he said that today and that was a recent as three years ago, he said that Nyquist he and our friend came to be friend, and Lord blessed us with staying on this earth. For all the years he's 70 well 71 I'm 71 call year 71 and, and I Dr. gipsa 71. And so I guess and officially that began my Odyssey on the path to to Islam, and I continue on that path today.
So how old were you when you recall officially converting to Islam taking the shahada?
eventually I converted to Islam probably, and I think it was 1969. I think that 1970 and what it was I had been to Vietnam, I'd been to military, and so forth and to all had. My major in high school was theology. And I was, I was become a minister in the United Presbyterian Church, which my church of choice of the days but I went after going to military Going to Vietnam to go into military in general, had just been four years in the military and couple of years and National Guard, I think it was 1970 or 71, that they actually took my Shahada and accepted Islam. And of course, I'm still practicing Islam today. So, and I've gone through all the stages as far as its alarm is concerned, certain degree of studies. been ever since then I've been blessed in having Islam influenced all phases of my life.
So after you finish the conveyed this way,
this is 7171. So
by then you were settling into Atlanta,
where I grew up in little town called Etowah Tennessee, and that was about 140 miles from Atlanta. Atlanta was a big recruitment center. So I joined the military there in Atlanta in 19 and 65 Okay, so I mean, I was very familiar with Atlanta beforehand. Okay. But after I graduated from college in 19 73 from college, and Columbus, Ohio school called Franklin University, and then I moved to Atlanta, and 1974. Okay. And while I was in Atlanta was when I, when I accepted Islam and take my Shahada and so forth. And I accepted Islam and under the teachings of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad. It was called a nation of islam at that time. And that's where I first accepted Islam and first took me I wouldn't call it Shahada. Then we wrote we had, we didn't call the Shahada, and now thousands and hundreds of thousands, probably millions of people are benefiting from our including you, of course. because later on I met and my wife Qaeda. And and she had, she had accepted Islam under the Honorable Elijah Muhammad in New York under the same premise so that my acceptance of Islam was in 1971. And then that really began my Odyssey in Islam. And after several marriages and going separate continent, I'm here now.
So how has Islam shaped your businesses,
businesses? But financial businesses?
entrepreneur
is everything. One thing that Islam has led me to led me to was, I don't look at everything far as money. Okay, now before I really looked at anything as far as Bottom line, hundred thousand dollar million dollars. Well, I've led this llama became more conscious in terms of what impact I would have had on on certain things. For instance, when I came to Atlanta now prior to coming to Atlanta, I was just kind of I was going to college in Columbus, Ohio, and meanwhile, I drove a city bus. If everything was good, and to make it in me, that's what it was. Then I studied Franklin University I studied business administration government that I want to win the business become be formerly become become a member of business. I like I want to learn how to do business. I graduated with a four year program in two years and three months ago, I really want to get out school I'm tired going to been bombed education by A lot of years and so forth. But when I came to Atlanta, I had a whole different view. Islam had influenced me to have an entirely different view about it. I came to Atlanta, first applied for a job at JC Penney, but it was one of the big companies in a nation at the time. Yes, the system was going through an economic downturn. We've heard that several of them was having since you since your life and before so I couldn't get a job. So I also discovered that that time that I didn't know that there was such a big difference between Christians and Muslims. I was very naive Christians and Muslims at that time, and I found out once I declared my for Islam and our course up, yeah, I didn't keep a secret although I was. I wouldn't. Wasn't swap enough to keep the secret. I tell everybody I'm a Muslim. So then I discovered that was really easy. Even though I had I didn't didn't have a criminal record, didn't have any new things about that would keep me from getting a job outside of my skin color. And I discovered that then I had taken on not on the obstacle skin color, but in in some system, I considered to be a tremendous asset, but it seemed to be too simple and obstacle and you are a Christian. I mean, you were a Muslim, Muslim, say now, and they really didn't have a preference. They didn't prefer masum over Christian or even even extend. So I found out that with knops ago, so at the time, I said, I use my business background to open my own business. Okay, and I decided to go into text camp, got my taxi cab, and a friend of mine told me Me, you'd like to dry. We do still do. And he said he was from Washington DC. He was living in Washington. He was an ex marine and everything. And he said, One day I heard that one. I can't pass this test that they gave people in Washington become cab driver. He said, I can't pass it. He said, I know you're good at passing tests and doing this and that. I live in Atlanta, I went down to City Hall, public safety really, to police station, and I was fired past all required tests. And about a week and a half later, I was
driving a taxi. Okay. But in in about another seven days, I bought my own car.
My first car was a Ford pair, but my first my my first car. My first taxi was a Ford or Ford Fairlane. That was, that was a car bug and Taxi, okay, and I'd grow for a company called car fire. And that was traditionally a black company that was formed during the time of Martin Luther King, and was during the time when asiatics are African American founding integrated transportation system at work, and they wouldn't go sit on the back of the bus and it goes back to so carpa hire was formed as a company to help back people get around. Okay, so I bought that company made sense to me. I work for it intentionally. So then I began to learn very swiftly by the business vehicle for hire taxi cab, which also covered that later on. They include horse and buggy IDs and limousines at the time moved on into the taxi cab. So that was the first business That I had mentioned the you know, it goes on to some more things we can discuss later by that first business from say that open
so this is probably it's maybe it's on track but off track at the same time but how many cars have you own since then?
I do a taxi cabs. You mean just regular automobiles,
all kinds of automobiles and
probably 1520
maybe maybe more than that. They keep in mind that at one time only eight taxi cab for one time. So that would be good to include this. Any cars and I bought my first car when I was 17. Yeah. Which is a Ford. sunliner you know you haven't heard those convertibles above in 2000. It was a 1957 Ford as a hard top but it would fold into the trunk and become a convertible But they don't even make them they couldn't make a ondemand for four or five years ago, the first car that purchase Okay,
and so I guess we can fast forward a little bit but how did Islam save your life as a father, boy,
back attacked Islam? I never didn't tend to get married never. I mean I couldn't even proceed being married. When I accepted Islam, I said, Well, I shouldn't be married. If I want to have a family, I should be married and have a wife and have children. So Islam, what was everything as far as me making a decision to even be married in the first place? and shape? It was it was 10 a mountain and Mike's in my acceptance of family life and fatherhood.
So what does having Faith mean to you, not religion, but faith,
no big difference. Big, big, big, big difference between faith and religion, or faith and faith has nothing to do with religion. Faith is me. Which when you believe in something that was a song a few years ago. Marvin Gaye, when you believe in love, Stevie Wonder, when you believe in things that you don't really, you know, can touch. That's faith, when you believe in things that lead you forward, and that you really can't prove, and you really can't accept something far, that's faith, be able to move and to do do execute actions based on things in the Indus in your nice in your soul and in your head and not have anybody to confirm that that's paid
and what the Completely thing about being an American
Britain today the American system. No, it's not. Man, American Muslim was no different than if I was too much to me now. My personal feelings is no different than if I lived in communist Russia. I lived in Bulgaria now in America, the system is very, in my opinion very adverse to Islam. Okay. And and it's very not very adverse. I've learned some things, historically wise, it varies. But in far as I'm concerned, and this system is, is basically a Christian system. It's not that this country is a Christian country. It's not the setup under the premise of being a Christian, but they accept Christianity and as a big again, that's my opinion between Christianity And his mom, both of them are based supposedly on faith. Okay. Okay. But both of them are good Christian are good Muslim. You know, faith is what really keeps us there. It's the gasoline and petroleum that keeps faith keeps religion going. Yeah. But is a whole lot different, a lot of difference in our work in difference between Islam and Christianity, and that in a way stands in, you know, in opposition to each other to one another.
So we're jumping around a bit, but of course, after I was born, so I was born, and then you know, there were complications. There was surgery, there was cancer involved. How did that um, I guess you could, as you say, put the fuel to keep you going. How it is that Between my health complications and, you know, keeping Islam in the forefront, how did that play that role?
Well, as far as your birth and your so called challenges as far as health and stuff, Islam, it was was it was a great four in there. Okay. Now, that was a lot of reasons to go and there's no nobody's ever really told me but tell us why you have health challenges this man, but of course I always felt it had a lot to do with the what I was exposed to in Vietnam. You know, we're exposed to things in Vietnam that no human being hadn't been exposed to before, um, in terms of chemicals in terms of stress levels and so forth and so on. I just mom really helped me really helped me as far as gaining the interest Strength and mineva to seek out knowledge that will show us the way as far as your health and even my relationship with kaitos. Sir, I've seen a lot of people, you know, I mean, they were so depressed. I've seen people with children, which would same retinoblastoma, same as them get through that lives were just decimated. Yeah, under the strain of a child having, you know, this is cancer, visit childhood cancer. I mean, cancers fairly common in America is not exceptional, but it's fairly common, but people's ability to deal with varies from one to another. So Islam has been a tremendous help as far as me dealing with our child cancer.
So we did move a lot you know, our going out but what is up
only reason only reason the only that I'm a nomadic person that nomadic meaning. I'm a person. I like to live in different places. You know, I mean, it's, I consider my home is where my head is like the temptations used to say. And so moving to me was kind of natural, but the reason that we moved in 100% of the cases was to deal with your cancer as, as one. I Met Your Mother and Atlanta. Your mother was born and raised in New York. Okay, so we met on the move. Okay. So, and I moved from Columbus, Ohio to Atlanta to get involved in a better situation. And, of course, I did get involved and better situation and your mother, I believe, I believe very reasons for moving from, from New York to Atlanta was the same situation. Nor to time. So now when we were with you, the only reason that we ever moved was to better the situation as far as you were concerned parts. Healthcare is concerned. I fired maybe maybe first as we moved from Athens to Chattanooga, and that was be near a Masjid religious community. Father were no people of our religion, and FMCSA. Now, the reason that mother wound if an essence of what was called that I had made that decision, there was a time I decided to drive a truck. Your mother couldn't work. I mean, she could work. She her job would basically take care of you for six or seven, eight years of life, you know, so that that's why I couldn't make the amount of money I thought we needed. And eventually we moved to Chattanooga. That was a reason for that moment, but that was not. It wasn't a sense move. Really. Doctors When in Chattanooga, but we had access to doctors in Chattanooga, when access to doctors in Atlanta, where access to doctors in Knoxville. So in a sense that was because of you is that what that was basically, for religious purposes outside of that ever ever moved with your health lead? Yeah.
So do you think that every place we move we always try to find a Moscow Master?
Always, always always and but exception problem is here, you know, but we both have a pretty we both been set Arabia for Hodge I said we've become really this dabish I know it's kind of I kind of hesitate to say established in religion because you never you never really are established you got a Muslim sometimes been Muslim for 40 years then more and more best, that person who was who was accepted a week ago You know God God each individual according to his own, but a lot has chosen for him that determines how advance he is but uh, but we never would move anymore and not not ours llamas with us now we have a lovely is like a travel trailer motorhome isn't it kind of travels with you.
Tell me about your decision to become a moment.
Well, I didn't know what a more was. I met a fella named Jeff Burrell. Jethro, first name, last name e l same as mine. And I met him and when I was driving taxi cab, we became very close friends. He was a technician he fixed TVs. This back in the day when TVs couldn't be fixed. And he was very, very, very guy. So he introduced me to Bob Moore's in Atlanta. Okay, and I was I was known as Monday. duo had D Mohammed at the time that our originally born with the name Arthur L. Tabor. Okay. Well, I legally changed it in the late latter 70s to Abdul Hadi Mohammed. And so I was as a ma and I didn't know what I did. I didn't have any idea what it was I'd heard. But he introduced me to what more what a more was, you know, and how Morris function and introduced me to a lot of people mad men, who were more as a whole community of people who were Moore's. And I learned for the first time that Moore's and Muslims, they, they, they were different than Muslims, our Muslim people from the Far East, you know, from civil Arabia from from Pakistan from Syria. Doesn't all new people are new for Muslim but he introduced me to hope and he and I became very close knit until I'm now once I became Commissioner He and I wouldn't it's close he drove a cab and it was sort of it wasn't really spoken but my whole my whole environment change once I became a commissioner I had a whole different but but not not not understanding my friends My friends are still people in text and business but I had different objectives then that may lead me toward certain things you know. And
me Yeah, so
So yeah, when did you officially become
2012 legally became a more in 2012.
So where do you perceive to be the most common misconception about Islam?
Well,
asked me for misconception. I'll speak for myself. Now. In the beginning, I never had missing it. I don't consider myself I didn't have it. I'm not a person. Who perceives thing? I don't see much of a difference, even though I think all of us approaches a certain degree, but I never did assume before I became a more Muslim, I was Christian, a good Christian. You know, I was, I was preparing to lead my life in Christian service, you know, and I never could see, I would hear people talk about Muslims in a negative sense. And I never could figure that out. This is after I became aware, I forgot of the military and I'd here and I tried to join the it's still a Christian organization in Atlanta. I forget the name of his school is interfaith seminary ism. And I was going to join one time and the tone that of course, October was Muslim. They said, Well, we can't, can't join us if you're Muslim. Why? And are they give me an answer. So, but I began to wonder then so I didn't try to join they might need joining them. I wanted to, I had a BS degree. So I wanted to get, you know, advanced degree, you know, so and so I didn't join, but therefore set me at one accord. It didn't take me long to find out why. But, but But so, when I speak about misconception, I think as the word misconception means that you had a conception to begin with. Then you have a misconception meaning your is, is of key, you know, so I think a lot of the conception is that, number one, you try to compare it to Christianity, and there's no comparison. This is no comparison outside but if you find out his mom is away Life and that's what makes us different is not a religious more formal thing. You know, farmbot mayman is a way so is a way that your whole life is changed, you know, and I don't think Christianity is that way, not, like I said, asked me from a certain degree of authority because I was a Christian. You know, I'm good Christian. So I think that a lot of the misconception of Islam is really the prejudice on the part of the Christian. You know, I see people comment on social media, as in this industry, why they would feel that way and would we go out of their way to comment about that, because that's not true come from, they'd be speaking degree of Christianity, and I'd be speaking from a degree of a Muslim, but I've been both a true Christian and a true Muslim. And that was an I often think it's the same thing that Diamond bill Collier, and one thing I felt when in high school, and we should have loved religious groups we had. We had, we were the leading religious force in our school. We were nice. I teach from Athens. Yeah, I used to go to Baptist Church to go to Methodist church I used to go to sometimes civic organizations and stuff. And I used to tell the man, the more I learned it, I didn't know nothing about it.
So I said, the more I learned,
I see more similarity, and I do different I don't understand why the difference becomes so large over a period of time, and a lot of similarities almost or overlook, you know, and I said, I don't understand this, but I 1716 years old, and, and here I'm sitting number 17 Two years old now, I feel the same way. Versus now, Ashley Moore's just as true. And they study the same book, you know, and, and I could have done most of the people of color. Yeah. And they emphasize CO, that they don't they don't necessarily dislike people who are not the same color, but they're a little hesitant against, you know, against European Europeans. Christianity is filled before their own their salvation, and they look at it that way. So, yeah, so I don't see a diversity more than Muslims. More as Christians, I mean, more than Muslims. I don't, I don't see it. And I've said it many times, of course, and I said, I used to get there. And, you know, I'm not saying I know more than they know, but I've been, I've walked the path that they haven't more so Have I have a certain amount of authority when I speak of those things?
So what would be your advice to those who are recently converted to Islam or even considering coming
there with? I want to say Shakespeare, but it says above all things to that own self be true. There's there's a quote, and I'm saying you here, they have to have a true and clear vision of what you believe. And when you converge them you don't, you know, now you could have people saying, I had a sister, a woman who was not a Christian in Atlanta then that really knew she was a drove a band for services that I wouldn't know that. Like I said, My job was was, was overseeing all the chats he was sitting in Atlanta, so I knew her I knew her a newer and in that position, but She was a friend of Ed hope which Jim opens brother. And she told me one time she's very Christian. She said, Oh, I'm a Christian. Now, I don't need to know. None of my none knows. And I listened. I said the last time I told her, that is probably probably part of the problem, because people won't accept as a mom, they won't accept Christianity, they want to set Judaism. They won't accept Buddhism, and they think they know everything, and they don't. They don't. So I'd say keep an open mind. I used to be a DJ and Atlanta says keep an open mind. But don't let your brains fall out. You he's in this show. I just said a catchy phrase. But you know, yeah, I think he's right. You know, caught you do need to keep your mind open. Because Oh, I lost my dollar. I mean, God, as has all kinds of information going through your head. You can't even see information swirling around in here. Yeah, like we don't even know as yeah Looks like we have the pictures on the wall the most of the day that you are right there a lot of people here no longer radar and spear, you know, but this spirit of a spear. And we we we individually don't even have a kind of our preconception of death, you know, is is so far off? We think we know and we don't know but yet to really keep an open mind which is brain thought you got to keep your logic you know he had to keep all this in mind you know so,
you know you can read the English version, the commentary
and it would be based on English speaking person, a person who may have been trained in English. Yeah, but one thing I learned from the Moore's is English. The words in English have such a vast meaning. But just be sure so don't be sitting around thinking you got everything when you don't have everything. Getting back around. I need to question to us what what do you do but person is recently? More or less white? Yes. Recently converted to a religion individually mostly about Islam that's been about Christianity or somebody wanted to mention some of the ones I didn't mention, but you have to be sure because your soul this thing here so your mass event I got you ain't through you know somebody's calling boom boom boom kill everybody and a half you ain't through it don't end with when one wants a blood stop so your body gets tight now I don't mean
in a dead easy it dead easy.
Thank you daddy.
Well, who called me daddy?
Okay, however, you're welcome maam. Thank you very much for the interview.
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