just turn your phone off

Believe it or not, um, apart from my video that inshallah is going to be posted on the 23rd. I don't know when you guys might be watching this video, but inshallah I'm hoping to post this.

Believe it or not, when in on the topic of coincidences of Allah's uh, I met this incredible brother Gareth and he's been a Muslim for four years,

much more than I have, but he's been living in Saudi Arabia for 10 years.

Can you expand a little bit more on how you came about wanting to come and live in Saudi Arabia and how it has led you to Islam?

Alhamdulillah.

First and foremost, it was a great blessing for the viewers when they do see you and I were connected through a great mutual friend, a dear brother. Um,

and we were trying to make our paths cross for the past 48 hours to no avail.

And uh, subhan Allah, I walked to I walked to this area to pray and I've been praying in this area the last few days. Alhamdulillah. And

uh, I just saw you a few meters over to the side. So we we had a beautiful

the side. So we we had a beautiful prayer. Um, and as luck would have it,

prayer. Um, and as luck would have it, you I think were thinking of leaving.

Yes.

>> And I managed to catch you.

Alhamdulillah.

>> Uh, so as you mentioned, of Allah is something that is not up to you and I.

>> These things are out of our hands and they're in his hands. We can plan, but his plan is always going to prevail.

>> Yes.

>> Alhamdulillah. So

more specifically to your question around what brought me to Saudi Arabia.

Born and raised in South Africa and alhamdulillah South Africa was was very good to me. But there came to a time where I felt I needed to expand

more than anything from a career perspective. I also wanted to be in a

perspective. I also wanted to be in a more central location so I could travel more. Um, and then as a general

more. Um, and then as a general direction of the Middle East, ideally so that I could earn more, so that I could save more, so that I could fund further studies and further pursuits in my

career. And uh to be very honest with

career. And uh to be very honest with you, Saudi Arabia has been uh a gift that continues to give not only in

career advancement, not only in financial security and stability, but alhamdulillah, it was actually 3 years

ago I declared shihada and um so I I I didn't initially come here for the sake of Islam, but inshallah

I will stay here for the sake of Islam.

>> Alhamdulillah.

>> Allahbar. Um, the fact that you just said that you didn't come here for for Islam, but that now you're planning to stay here for the sake of Islam, for the

sake of Allahel, is just inspiring because although I'm really young, I'm only 20 years old, I've noticed that the more I try to do things and plan myself

different things.

The more I try and plan things in my life, the more they actually never work.

Subhan Allah. But the more random things happen and the more these random things turn out to be incredible things. Um,

Subhan Allah. Before I accepted Islam around 16, 17 years old, I got um, let's say pulled into the red pill kind of

movement. And alhamdulillah for that, of

movement. And alhamdulillah for that, of course. But during that period, I was I

course. But during that period, I was I learned about businesses or being your own boss and all of that stuff. And so I thought, "Wow, I'd love to be able to to

manage my own time, to earn my own money, right?" And so I decided to start

money, right?" And so I decided to start a social media marketing agency, right?

And I did it for a year. I did it for a year and a half and no success whatsoever. Just one client from the US

whatsoever. Just one client from the US who I worked with for free. and uh Allah Allahbar

2024 comes around Ramadan of 2024 which I believe was between March and April.

Alhamdulillah.

And I think to myself because through the whole red pill movement, you always think about, oh, what's the, you know, being a businessman, uh, being your own boss, uh, I need to be an investor. How can I

be the best? How can I make the best investment, right? And so then I started

investment, right? And so then I started to realize by that time I'd become a Muslim and I'd been a Muslim for just over a year, alhamdulillah.

And I thought to myself, if I actually want to be a big investor, I actually want to be the businessman that makes wise decisions, what is the best

decision that I can do now for this and the and that's when I realized Allahbar, this social media thing is not working for me. It's absolutely not, but I've

for me. It's absolutely not, but I've learned a few skills from it. Why not

just make a random video on YouTube of me wanting to prove Islam because I'm passionate about it and just see how it goes. Subhan Allah. On May the 5th,

goes. Subhan Allah. On May the 5th, 2024, I posted this video and I called it proving Islam in 9 minutes and 29 seconds as a revet. And Allahbar,

a month later, the channel just starts exploding. It goes super viral. And now

exploding. It goes super viral. And now

I'm here. I'm not earning enough to live. I'm absolutely not. But I trust

live. I'm absolutely not. But I trust Allahel that if he's given me this, it's for a reason and I trust in Allahel that at some point I may be able to earn whether it's from this or from something

else inshallah.

But just like you said, I didn't plan it. I just had an idea and I decided to

it. I just had an idea and I decided to do it cuz I was clueless. I was uh in a sense lost. I didn't know what to do and

sense lost. I didn't know what to do and randomly Allah guided me to that. And

from that this channel has improved my relationship with allahel so much in ways I can't even explain with the prophet sallallahu alaihi wasallam as

well although physically he's not alive in the bar he is so subhan allah

>> um if I can touch on something that you said there which I've learned from Peter Gold a great business mentor and himself

a rever vert from the age of 20.

>> Subhan Allah. Um he has a great course called the the heart of design and there's a book attached to that too which I highly recommend for all Muslim entrepreneurs.

He speaks about the idea of designing and creating for remembrance and not for distraction.

>> Yes, >> if you look at all of big tech today and uh most of what controls what our eyes see. Um

see. Um they have unfortunately they have created weapons of mass destruction.

>> Um and so many people are more and more glued to screens and in the process of doing so whilst we are propagated the

idea of being constantly globally connected.

>> Yes. What I have found within myself and my close relationships is that in actual fact we are uh completely disconnected from ourselves.

>> Yes.

>> Uh and this is a a very very dangerous very very dangerous path to follow which again connects to what you had mentioned uh about taking the red pull or the path

of the red pull. Um and this is something that again is it's idolized to us as the path of success making uh

incredible amounts of wealth. Um, of

course there are many shrewd and um unjust integrity lacking business practices and business people that are idolized

um amongst many other issues that are uh fitna.

>> Yes.

>> Um so we have to guard ourselves from from this and we have to make conscious intention.

>> Yes. you know um keeping a good near in our heart.

>> Yes.

>> And inshallah in all of our endeavors we are clear in that in some way shape or form we are coming closer to Allah subhana wa tala.

>> Yes absolutely 100% agree. Um believe it or not Dr. Shadi uh Peter mentioned that he knew him. I don't know if you know

about him. uh Allah he's uh such a great

about him. uh Allah he's uh such a great sheh and um he was mentioning yesterday um he was

talking about something that was actually really really powerful and it is so in in line with what you've mentioned that unfortunately because of

screens because of I'm on YouTube and I'll admit YouTube is not a good thing if you scroll on it whether it's YouTube shorts if you constantly watch YouTube videos it's not good for you it it

really isn't. Sure, there are definitely

really isn't. Sure, there are definitely beneficial videos on there. I've learned

so much about Islam just from YouTube alone. But we need to learn to control

alone. But we need to learn to control ourselves, but unfortunately the way these apps are designed, the way things nowadays are designed, self-control is

almost impossible. It takes real

almost impossible. It takes real discipline to be able to to get self-control. I 100% do not have the

self-control. I 100% do not have the self-control that I would love to have.

But something that Dr. Shahi, he mentioned was that most people nowadays are atheist. ME most people nowadays are agnostic or most people

nowadays are actually born Muslim for example but are never really religious because they never ever are put in situations where they question

>> and whenever thoughts doubts come to their mind they don't thean tricks them of course but they don't decide to dive deep into that doubt they have and they immediately take out their phone and

start scrolling and the thought is gone forgotten and so what he mentioned Allah is that we need to learn to find seclusion. We need to learn to we don't

seclusion. We need to learn to we don't need to go on up on mountains, spend weeks uh all alone. We don't need to do that, but just every single day or not

not necessarily even every single day, but just finding a part of your day to dedicate 30 minutes to allahel and to yourself of course because sometimes you

get caught up so much in life and I'm sure you can 100% agree to this because you've got more experience than I have.

IC sometimes you get caught up in love so in life so much that you don't appreciate the moment.

>> One thing that I'm mentioning to so many people right now that are with me and Amir who's behind the the camera um is that everything's happened so

fast. Months ago when I knew that I was

fast. Months ago when I knew that I was going to that I was going to come for for Umra I thought I was a it's so far away can't wait for it to happen. But now that I'm

here, it's happened so fast that I almost feel as if I'm not appreciating the moment enough. And I feel as if that when I come back home, I realize that I didn't appreciate it. And I'll think to

myself, wow, I just love to come back, not just for the city itself of Medina, but just appreciate the moment itself.

And that's what seclusion does for you.

And as I mentioned, seclusion allows you to understand your the diseases in your heart. Everyone has diseases in their

heart. Everyone has diseases in their heart as we're imperfect beings unfortunately.

But fortunately on the other side Allahel knows that because he created us that way. And one of the things that in

that way. And one of the things that in the mentioning for Jum this Jum

alhamdulillah um was that Allahawel if he mentioned that Allahel if the human being if the insan were not to sin he would eliminate it completely

and create a new being that would sin and that would seek forgiveness.

So seclusion is great because it allows you to understand your problems, but it shouldn't be it shouldn't scare people to not want to be in seclusion because they realize their own mistakes

and they feel as if Allah can't forgive them because the whole point is when you feel regret that's also repentance and Allahel accepts repentance when there's

regret. That's sincere repentance. And

regret. That's sincere repentance. And

so one key takeaway could be for the people watching and for us all of course here is we need to spend more time in seclusion if we're not doing it already because

the real connection with allahel happens when you're actually speaking to him when you look up for example and you realize that being in Medina with the closest city to Jenna subhan Allah um and to the prophet sallallahu alaihi

wasallam the green dome is over there it's just incredible um anything else you'd want Inshallah >> you raise very very good points for such

a young man >> the uh French philosopher Pascal he said all of man's problem arise because he cannot sit in a room by himself for 30

minutes >> and uh unfortunately and concerningly so this is becoming more and more and more prevalent >> in our modern day times we live in a

society which is run by instant gratification um whereas if you look at all of the greatest successes throughout antiquity for millennia.

>> There are people who have played long-term games >> with long-term people. Um because the true benefits acrew to us as time goes

on and as compounding comes into play.

Um so this is certainly a cornerstone that you know keeps me steadfast especially when many people around me are uh in the rat race or chasing the

instant gratification. I try to maintain

instant gratification. I try to maintain and uphold um a certain degree of steadfastness but keeping a long-term mindset >> absolutely >> in in all things.

>> Absolutely.

>> Uh on the note of of silence just to double click on that.

>> Yes. I

did not know this before coming to faith but from a mental health perspective and a physical health perspective, the the act

as well as the art of prayer >> has been something that I'm quite sure had I not come to faith um I would not have been cured from many of problems

>> and we speak about these fitna and we speak about these sins which we are born with. Yes. And it is our our duty and

with. Yes. And it is our our duty and subhana wa ta'ala he loves it when we repent.

>> Absolutely. when we make uh so you know when when I'm in prayer the word salah

I understand roots from or the root word within that is sidi which means to connect >> and and what we're connecting to

is Allah Allahbar >> um so really if if you look at this and then you consider Consider that there are five mandatory prayers for us on a daily basis.

>> Yes.

uh throughout those five prayers.

If we are present in those prayers and if we are um if we have subb in those prayers, >> we most likely accumulate

more than 20 minutes a day of just silent solitude, sitting with yourself, being with the King of Kings, Subhan Waala.

Um, and what I've learned through my years in Islam is that for every disease of the heart,

the the fra has a solution for it.

>> There is a cure.

>> Everything that is natural to us be that from black seed >> which is a superfood as well as raman

pomegranate as well as honey. uh

everything that is given to us from >> it is really these are the things that we should be having on a regular basis because these are are the cures.

>> Um and everything that is ordained for us, everything that is obligatory for us, >> it is obligatory for a reason.

>> Yes.

>> There is no coincidences. There is no chances. It's it's not by chance that

chances. It's it's not by chance that you're supposed to pray five times a day.

>> Exactly.

>> It's for your own your own good.

>> Exactly. Um, and so in that sense, I I would only emphasize that at the very least, we must do our very best to

maintain and to uphold the five pillars.

>> Yes.

>> Of Islam.

>> Yes.

>> And of course, alhamdulillah, if you look at those uh to fast is only once a year.

>> Yes.

>> And it's only for one month of the year.

to make Hajj is only once in your lifetime if you're physically and financially capable.

>> Exactly.

>> Right. As reverts, as brothers, making shahada is >> that's it.

>> Right. Thereafter,

if we look at salah, we are awake for the most part from it's very very easy.

>> Exactly. really really easy. Yes.

>> And uh so perhaps the place where we need to put the most emphasis is towards uh salah >> when we're praying fud

>> because this is probably the the area that many of us miss and I I say that from my own personal experience.

Um and I also say that with direct experience that when I'm keeping my fud prayer, alhamdulillah, everything is

getting better. Alhamdulillah.

getting better. Alhamdulillah.

>> So really if if we um if we keep our dean if we're consistent um I believe very strongly that our heart will be purified.

>> Yes.

>> Perfect brother. Um to end the video of course

brother. Um to end the video of course uh I just wanted to mention uh as I mentioned before actually at the start this convers conversation is actually not planned and me and Gareth have been

trying to meet up over the past 48 hours uh with to no avail. But Allah's plan is better than ours. There's no doubt about that. Alhamdulillah.

that. Alhamdulillah.

Just know that if you are going through whatever hardship in in your life, just like Gareth mentioned, if you know that your relationship with Allah is broken, mend it. And the way to

mend it is through your five daily salah. Most people if it if it has to do

salah. Most people if it if it has to do with their salah the salas that they skip the most are not only should you know that there's a hadith by the prophet sallallahu alaihi

wasallam that whoever skips it's as if he has lost his wealth and his family but it's the foundation for the day honestly

whenever you wake up for faj and you stay awake for it after it subhan allah the blessings you see during your entire Hey, it's incredible. They they they

really are. So, I mention it a lot in my

really are. So, I mention it a lot in my videos. For those who watch my videos

videos. For those who watch my videos often, you've heard me say this, but I don't think some of you have actually understood this that and I'm sure you're

going to agree with this. Don't treat

fajer like voluntary prayers. know that

fortunately, not unfortunately, you have no choice but to pray it. And although

it may seem hard to pray at first, although it may seem difficult to get up early in the morning, you just want to go to bed, know that one day it will pay

off either in this or in the or maybe even in both inshallah.

So may Allahel grant us that which is best for us.

May Allahel forgive all our sins even those that we remember that we've forgotten about the major the minor the public and the private and the

intentional and the unintentional ones and may Allah grant us a thank