The Freshly Grounded Founder on Action, Showmanship, and Building With Baraka

Bismillah. Assalamu aalaykum. Welcome to the Baraka Blueprint podcast. And before I continue, I this is something I've been practicing for seven years. Um sometimes in front of the mirror and sometimes just, you know, when I have these intrusive thoughts, you know, and I just have to And welcome to Freshly Grounded, a brand new podcast. And why? Because we're in the freshly grounded studio with none other than brother Fa Chi, the man behind the freshly grounded, >> bro. Welcome. I appreciate you coming down, man. >> Thank you so much for well wanting to do this and thank you for being so hospitable. Thank you for welcoming us to the freshly grounded studio. Uh I have so so many questions like this is you know in my head right now what I'm thinking is like I'm like okay so I I have been like I've I've been doing this podcasting for some time >> mostly on and off like I've done a 2018 only audio and then like I've stopped for a very long time >> various excuses and this entire time like I've been listening to the freshly grounded like you know what this I think I'm hope and I pray and I hope there's going to be a moment where there's going to be a podcasting moment and there is freshly grounded there and oh my goodness I'm going to get I'm going to get a I'm going to get a review folks I'm going to get a review this is going to be very very interesting okay cool okay focus focus focus I've told >> I'm excited to have you man honestly it's lovely and we've obviously played some paddle together and stuff like that so uh it's it's lovely to finally be able to do a podcast man >> yeah I mean I've been looking forward to this subhan allah and uh you something that I have started to ask my guests recently in the very beginning and usually this sets the tone for how the conversation flows and especially it relates to the the goal that I have with the baraka blueprint that the goal that I have mainly is well it's the selfish reason if I'm going to be very honest with you I want to learn I want to maximize what I learn from people I'm doing this for myself if I'm going to be very honest this is my school this is my one access to lessons that I can learn from people and lessons that I can give from my mistakes to people. Usually that comes from stories. We love stories as people. So I guess I'm going to ask you the first question. Could you tell us a story, a moment that be if it has significant importance to you in your journey where you're at today or something that has taught you an important lesson or whatever you deem worthy and relevant to share with the audience. >> I have so many stories. I'm trying to like filter through them now to have a think about them. Um, one story that comes to mind instantly, I don't know if it's the best story, but you know, it's like I can only pick from what I got instantly comes to mind, right? Um and I think um it's what I learned about the importance of uh taking action and the importance of you could say hard work but more than hard work like action and the fact that you're um I don't know how to say this in a non like in a way that's like Islamically also um acceptable but the idea that your fate is in your hands not your actual fate. Obviously, we believe in the of Allah, but as in you can take action and you can take control of situations. You have perhaps responsibility is a better word than fate. And the story that comes to mind for me is >> um so my dad's been a businessman all his life. And so we've grown up around my dad being in business, always working for himself, and he's had various businesses. And so naturally, anybody here who is listening who is also an entrepreneur knows that there's ups and downs, right? So sometimes you have real successes and then sometimes you have tough times. And so we've grown up seeing that. We've seen great times and we've seen really rough times. And throughout all of it, what I've noticed is that my dad is an action taker. And that's what I've really taken from him. And there's one thing that I remember really clearly which was one evening um my dad you know was due to have us and we we went out as kids with him and we went for a lovely meal and and and and all these things and at the time he was running a business where and it was kind of like one of the like tougher times where he was like kind of getting a new business set up and his business one of the things that it required was uh the delivery of tickets. >> Okay. Um, and generally most businesses if they're doing this on a big scale and his competitors obviously they've got like teams of people you know this is like we were younger so it's not like how now I don't know there's like um it's as easy to get like corer services and stuff. >> Sure. >> And they were like time sensitive. You couldn't send them with royal mail and things like And so I just remember being with my dad and him he he took us for dinner and then him driving around London to different hotels uh hand delivering as a CEO of the business handd delivering these tickets to the reception desks of hotels for like the people who are staying in the hotels >> uh for like his customers and I don't know why that came to mind straight away as a story cuz it's not the most uh fascinating story but it reminded me I remember seeing that I remember waiting in the car while he just runs into the lobby and comes back out and I just remember thinking to myself, he is the guy who owns this business, is running this business, but he's also taking action. He's not expecting or he's not waiting around for the perfect opportunity to get the perfect deal with the perfect Korea company or something. He's not stopping his business from happening. And he's always been such a hard worker. He's always said, "Okay, what can I do with the ingredients that I have?" And he's taken action. And that I think taught me the importance of taking action yourself. Uh and I think that's a really important less lesson. Action is really really important. Hard work is important. Um but you know if there's one word then it's action that I think is like probably like the single ingredient that makes the difference between success and failure. So you know for me that story it makes perfect sense that you brought it up. I the reason why like I'll I'll tell you what like as an outsider looking in right this makes perfect sense to me now how freshly grounded feels like a family honestly >> okay >> like you are so in touch with like and you're you're you're very you know transparent with your audience you you make your audience feel like at home that they're part of this community this tribe >> and it Makes perfect sense to me subhan Allah that this is the influence that you had. May Allah bless your parents. >> And the one thing I am very very inspired by is you know what explains or what defines the success of a story and what makes it a success story. Now I guess the question is then I directly I would want to ask you take me to the bridge from this lesson to the freshly grounded. So what did that translate to when freshly grounded started this particular lesson? I think probably from that story what I take actually all the time in freshly grounded is kind of like the importance of not giving up because a person could give up if they felt like oh we haven't got the perfect you know coraer partnership or we haven't got the perfect distribution yet or we haven't got the perfect equipment we don't have the perfect studio you know for the last we had a fresh studio and And for the last 3 years, Fresh Ghana has been I've been recording it from my bedroom, right? And um I think like me recording Fresh Gh from my bedroom is the equivalent of my dad delivering tickets himself. >> 110%. >> Well, you can either give up and say we don't have the perfect studio or I don't have the perfect way to get these tickets delivered or you can say, you know what, I'm going to make do with I've got a car. Um and okay, fine. Like I and and you know, even in that story like my dad's priority has always been his kids, right? Right. And so he would not sacrifice one for the other. Um I mean there's many times he sacrifices he has sacrificed business for kids but as he wouldn't sacrifice his time with his kids for his business but he's been able to make it work right. It's like okay let take the kids out and then we'll do a nice drive around central London see London and then like kind of almost like a tour of London but just drop the tickets off in the meantime. Uh so yeah I think like it taught me the importance of like making do with the resources that you have. It's um >> I think what you're going to find in this episode is that pretty much most of the questions that you ask me uh the answers in some way are going to be related to my parents because actually uh yeah all of the good um that I have you know if any after Allah is is from my parents both of them my mom and my dad and they've taught me important lessons in life >> you I definitely want to touch on that as well because I think what I don't see as often today in the Muslim content creation sphere is the concentration or the focus on righteous upbringing and especially how that impacts the man and the brand that people are seeing today. >> Sure. and it's something that I have seen a lot from yourself and your brother bless the both of you and your families and of course it makes perfect sense that you and you translate these values or you you you use them as fuel that drives you to your your goals sub goals main goals it makes sense subhan Allah and of course it Makes perfect sense that you're attributing this to the very same team. >> Yeah. >> That installed those values. Of course. >> This is a blessing from Allah subhana tala and virtues that he gives to whomever he pleases. Many people aren't that lucky and it's very important to recognize that. And just like we earlier said the prophet sallallahu alaihi wasallam whoever doesn't thank the people does not thank Allahh. What better way is there to thank your parents than to mention your parents and to mention the virtues that they came with a kid? 110% I fully agree with you. I think you should >> I think you should do that much more as a matter of fact. I think we all should do that much more like one thing that and Ibraim doesn't sit with much but Ibraim should also be humble and honest and that is the fact that the one thing that has served me well in life there's one thing only one thing that has served me well in life Quran the fact that Allahh allowed me to memorize Quran >> and you got that from your mom right >> yes sir yes sir my mom was my teacher >> my dad was my repetition partner This is the one thing that I should be talking about. Every single thing like graphic design, branding, project management, breaking into corporate, um pretending to know certain skills to land certain roles like all of this all of this this entire skill set comes from your relationship with Quran. >> And all of that was installed in childhood from my parents. >> Of course. Of course. it honestly all of the topics like project management I shouldn't even talk about any of this I should be talking about the importance of having a friendship with the Quran and to appreciate your parents this this should technically be the thing that we should be talking about go with it seriously if if you're if every single answer that you have is that I'm going to be happy >> because at the end of the day like I told you the most important thing with the time with the time that I spend with the podcast is honestly I want to take the lesson for myself and I think I think I think this can definitely benefit at least one person watching this. Yes, I don't have the highest engagement if I'm going to be very very honest with you. But you know what? The fact that one person can implement this wisdom and make a life take a life-changing step. That that in itself is a huge win because we don't talk about often >> your parents have done many parents have done >> of course >> and many parents are trying to do it. >> Yes. Of course, >> children, the people they bring up, the the the the future adults, you know, these that wanted to be firemen and policemen and I remember still remember the costumes that we would want to have, you know, like these future adults, future project. I I didn't want to be a project manager or graphic designer when I was a kid. At least I wanted to be a football player. >> I don't know about you. um that is something that should always be talked about. >> Yeah. Yeah. Definitely, definitely. Definitely. >> Now, as a tangible person, you know, for me, that's um that also has, you know, um passion about podcasting. I mean, duh, this guy has a chatter box. Come on. Um there's there's one thing that I've always wanted to ask. Can you take me to the moment Freshly Grounded started? It's like let us live that moment. >> Yeah. Um, so I was sat on uh the dining table uh in my mom's house and I was going to get married I think like in about two or three months time. And so I had I had met my wife and it was like September time and my Nika was due for December and I was saving up for my wedding and then I just I just was so passionate about the idea. So like the the the thing that like um prefaces all of this is like the the pre the context, right? It's like when I had the thought and like what I wanted to do, but this is like the moment you asked about for the moment, right? >> Yes, sir. >> And so the moment was then I just was sat on the dining table and I went on to Amazon and I just added two microphones to the cart and uh the boom arms and I think like whatever I whatever I needed a it was the audio interface at the time was a task cam. I don't know if Task Cam still even exists like because now there's like roads and uh Blackmagic and all these different brands. I've not seen Task Cam in a while but Task Cam is what they used to use in TV back in the day. Um >> is it like a capture card of something? >> It was just like a audio interface where you put the XLR mics into. And so I ordered a task cam and added this all to car and come up to about 700 pound and for me£700 especially like a young I was 21 years old >> dude >> and about to go into marriage at 21 knowing that I have got a lot to save for not only in marriage but like the actual wedding itself. >> Yeah, of course. Um, but man, I just believed in the idea so much and I was like this. And I before I clicked purchase, I said to my mom, no, I purchased it. Sorry. Then I went upstairs and I said to my mom, I've either just made a decision that I'm going to really regret or it's going to be the start of like uh whatever. I said like the most like the biggest project I've done or the most important thing and I've taken action on something that could be like life-changing essentially. And it ended up being the latter. Uh I don't even know what made me say that cuz I don't often do something. I don't have to like buy something and then like make a profound statement, but for some reason I made a profound statement. I was like, you know, you hear about these like in the movies like or whatever. But no, you know, if I'm like anything else has like affected my life massively. >> I've taken a lifeanging decision. >> Yeah. I don't remember saying something profound, but I said something profound like I remember going upstairs, I've either done the worst thing I've ever done by spending £700 when at time I really can't afford to do that or I've made the best decision ever. So, this is going to be the first scene of the Freshly Grounded movie, by the way. Yeah. Yeah. Good. Fantastic. >> And um and so then that was it, man. And >> the the the microphones arrived, the task cam arrived, and I already had a little GoPro, so the episodes were shot on a GoPro with um you know, I cuz I thought like if we're doing podcast, the audio can't be um you can't negotiate on on on good audio, but but but it's okay if the quality of the camera isn't great. And so, we used a GoPro for the camera. Video wasn't great, but the audio was crisp from day one. and yeah XLRs and I everything was selftaught man and I would record the episodes at that time it was called the next phase in a podcast so it was started in September 2016 and it was called the next phase because my name is Fasil and it's like the idea was for so it was like helping all like it was for a community of people who are going into the next phase of their life which was essentially from jahalya to practicing Islam and >> wow okay >> and then that was a play on words because my name was people would people would call me fasa as like a nickname. And so it's like the next phase. Uh and so yeah, the first episode of the next phase I think was with Omar, my brother. And it was shot in my bedroom. Uh which was like the first like I think like 10 15 episodes were shot there >> with a GoPro, two mics and that's it. It just told >> a task somewhere. >> Yeah. Yeah. Task cam on the table and that's it. And then eventually I was able to move it. My brother very uh generously as he's always been his whole life uh allowed me to have some studio space in at the time he was running a marketing agency >> and then he needed another studio because uh they needed somewhere for everyone to work but then they needed another studio for production and so he allowed me to have like half of the production studio as a permanent bless >> I mean what made you believe in the idea What I mean what what made it so outstanding? >> Yeah. Um that's a good question. I think like all of us I think this is something that everybody can relate to, right? So take me away from this for a minute. Sure. >> I think we all have ideas that we're really passionate about that we that we have like this in thing like I need to follow this idea. >> And I think 90% of the time we don't do anything about it. >> And I want I've always worked to challenge that narrative because around me growing up I've seen that narrative be challenged. I've seen my mom go to university at 30, you know, as a mature student. I've seen my dad start a business, business do well, then it like slows down, start another business like he's just constantly following what he believes is the right thing. My mom following what she believes is the right thing. Uh, and then I've seen it, you know, with my siblings, my brother, you know, who I spent, you know, my whole life being, you know, his shadow. I've seen him have a curiosity and then follow it. And so, it's been around me. And so I don't want to be the person who has an idea who's so passionate about it. I mean I do my um you know my checks and balances I guess to an extent. We really like weak version of it. It's like does it feel right? Yeah. Um but um yeah I think like we don't do that enough. I we don't do enough of I'm passionate about this idea. I think it's going to work. I think it has a mission. I believe in it. Um and then follow it. Chase it. And then you know what? People don't really remember your failures much. I've had way more failures than I've had successes. But we get caught up on the idea that if it fails that people are going to remember or people going to think things, but they don't. People don't remember these things. They're busy with their own lives. >> So that was like the that's the reason if you want to look from a generic perspective, from a more zoomed in perspective and like uh a subjective perspective, what I thought was I was a at the time 20-year-old kid really uh traveling in to central London on a daily. my commute and I had just become like passionate about Islam and so I didn't want to listen to music anymore and my my I had a 1-hour commute on the on the tube on the underground. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> I didn't want to listen to music and I didn't want to listen to nasheeds. The reason I didn't want to listen to nasheed is because they felt too close to music for me at the time. Fair enough. >> And then I wasn't ready for Quran because I couldn't even read al Quran. >> Um and so >> I wasn't ready for it. I didn't know what I was listening to and so then I mean I could I did listen to Quran in bits but I wasn't ready for one hour like solid session at the time. >> I understand. >> So I would listen to podcasts that I discovered podcasts and at the time podcasts were just like BBC sport or like MMA podcasts. There was no such thing as you know entertainment podcasts right and so at the time I had this thought I was like well what and and I was also going through a shift in my life where I was I didn't really feel like I had many friends because I didn't feel like many people who related to me in terms of what I was now passionate about and I thought yeah at the time I thought people who were practicing Muslims were either all boring or old and I didn't want to be friends with old people and I didn't want to be friends with boring people. So I was like, well, I I didn't know what to do. And so I was like, maybe there's other people like me in the world who like think that they're cool. Um, uh, but are passion about Islam. And so I was like, maybe this thing that I listen to every day in my commute, maybe I can create something like this, but not about sport, but just about like my experiences and hopefully maybe other people will relate. And so that's why I started it from a granular perspective. What was the oh snap this is becoming something moment >> for me like alhamdulillah it was instant because if it wasn't Allah knows me right I'm such a zero to one guy I'm not one to 100 and so that's why I feel like I actually left at such a great point as well you know going off on a tangent because like you know I came in as the head of marketing the first marketing hire first non-technical hire and it was such an exciting project because it was when I came in it was 0 to1 it was like the product was great. They had built this amazing product and they done a lot of the zero to one but from marketing perspective it was at zero and the 0 to1 is the most fun phase for me and so kind of I when I was 2 and a half years in I could see it was really time for the one to 100. We had been able to take it to 10 million downloads um and really have a really powerful product that was like the leading app in the Muslim world. But um I think that's where my excitement often is is in that phase of of of helping brands and businesses go from zero to one. And so I think Allah knows that about me. And so we saw the success very quickly. I think like in our first month, >> Freshly Grounded anyway. So if we're talking about Freshly Grounded, which was February 2017, in the first month we hit number one in iTunes. At the at the time, there wasn't a podcast. It was called iTunes podcast. Exactly. And so we hit number one in our category. And for me that was like, okay, we have something here. >> No, I mean I was as I just asked my question, I said, wait, hold on. You're asking the question to the guy, he was approaching marriage and like as you were describing the story to me, like the the the the kid in me moment got so like lit up and happy when he said, "Oh, and I just, you know, added these couple more things at the cart." No, just extra stuff, right? That's it. Right. I mean, for me, like when I started my journey, it was it was the Blue Yeti mic. >> Yeah, >> that's it. Everything is over. Audacity Blue Yeti. >> And I didn't go full on. >> No, but that's great. And actually, like in hindsight, now you don't need anything, right? Like even an iPhone. >> Yeah. With Adobe Podcast AI and stuff, I mean like it can just enhance everything. >> Yeah. I know I it saved me from in one episode as a matter of fact. >> But isn't there something about that Blue Yeti like looking at it and it just feels official, right? It feels great like because everybody at the time they the guys who were doing well, they would have a Blue Yeti or or the equivalent. >> I bought it because it looked good. >> Yeah. Exactly. Yeah. >> And if I'm going to be very honest, >> but sometimes that's enough because you need to be your own supporter. And if that is the thing that's going to give you that psychological edge, then get it. Right. I I do that all the time. like um you know if something's just because of a look but psychologically it helps then do it. >> Oh my god. You just you just described a moment for me. >> Okay. >> There was a moment that I actually had recently and I I I thought I thought it was a it was a rush decision. I bought the Yeah. I I bought there was there was there was a shore mic that I saw. It looked nice. Shore M7 Plus. >> The the one that has like the lights around. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Now, honestly, I always wanted to have the SH SM7B. >> So, first of all, I'm always happy to geek out with you on tech, especially podcast tech, and I'm with you on the SM7V. I've always wanted it. And when we launched grounded this time around with funding, and we were like, we're going to do it properly. My I was getting the SM7V. I was like, I was like, the one thing we're doing is getting the SM7V, but I couldn't justify the price, man. I was like, >> neither could I. And like and I'm not like my my production studio, Sharifico Productions, is you know my it's not it's not even it's not even my living room. It's it's like a small part of the living room where my wife is okay with temporarily storing my stuff up until I have to hide them because you know they're not aesthetically pleasing. But I mean even then of course I mean the the dreams are there right and um it feels I I I feel at home because a dreamer is talking to a dreamer and a traveler is talking to a traveler. >> So >> but yeah I really couldn't justify the price either of the SM7B. Are you kidding me? But the M7 was looked fine. >> But when I recorded that first episode with that mic I just I felt something. >> That's important cuz life is a game of inches 100% that stuff. I understand it's about like something can give you the psychological edge >> to like up your performance especially when it comes to content creation and you know subh there's one thing that I wanted to touch on um you know because the reason subh and by the way for again may Allah put blessings and baraka in your wealth in your health in your family and in your path to success like I love rthics I love speaking >> what's rthics No rhetorics. No rhetoric. Okay. I'm sorry. I'm language barrier. I apologize. No, >> it's not language. It's just I suppose that's my bad. Sorry. >> No, it's completely fine. Uh we we just made up a new term. That's fantastic. >> That happens nowhere else except in the freshly grounded. >> It might be that your way of saying it is the correct way. Like I'm for someone who's a podcast, I'm so bad someone who loves words, I'm like quite bad with >> I've always heard people say rhetorical ability. So you know what? I stand corrected. >> This is where I'm going to flex. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. You know, it's important, sir. No. So, I love that. >> Why? Because ever since like as a kid, I would actually like I'm so sorry again. Well, face. I'm in your I'm in your house, Yani. In your as in like the studio. Subhan Allah. The guest needs to have adabani. So, I apologize if this is Yanni transgressing the limits of Edab. Uh, but I'm I'm a transparent person, so I'm going to say it. Um, when I was a kid, habibi, I used to like sometimes cringe inbah, >> okay, >> Sweden, be it Swedish translation or the way aut is presented, I would do that sometimes because there was always something off like I would like I don't know why there was something I was fixed on like oh why why is this said in this way? Why is and like has nothing to do with the content. >> Nothing to do with that. Ibrahim was a kid. Ibrahim still was still learning Annie. Ibrahim was still going through Bakar. What does Ibrahim know? It's not about the the Islamic side of thing. It's about just how something is presented. >> Which is why I absolutely love to talk about showmanship. >> And there's always one thing that I've dreamed of because like when I when I was in high school, >> showmanship is my favorite topic of all time. >> I can see and I hope to hear more about it. As a matter of fact, I I like I I feel like I'm lacking in this like No, no, no. Really, >> you're exuberating showmanship. >> Well, I'm happy to hear that. >> We could all take lessons from you in showmanship. Keep it coming, please. >> No, but you know why? Subhan Allah. Because But the reason why I'm I'm going on so many tangents. I'm so sorry. No, I'm doing it. The reason why is I feel that this is a frowned upon subject for some reason because many conflicted with and it's like no why you know in many of times and Allah subhana wa ta'ala um Allah subhanana wa ta'ala created the perfect community prophet sallallahu alaihi >> archetypes characters you know characters in a story. You have upholds and has that one archetype supporting another and another archetype. Many of them befit the role of the showman. >> Of course. Of course. being a great speaker, being eloquent, uh knowing, you know, when to turn it up, when to turn down. And there's, you know, so many things that we can think about, uh like um I believe it was who said that you should be like a child when you're at home with your wife and your kids, right? And so like this is this is example of like knowing when to be a showman. Being a showman is about knowing um it's about really what it is is uh emotional intelligence and wisdom and knowing when to be what uh when you and it's about being having the a tool set in your arsenal of for example being a great speaker um and being able to lead and uh having confidence and then also knowing what how to and when to have humility. This is all, you know, what we would say showmanship, knowing how to present things and stuff, right? >> Has that always been your thing? I think it's been important to me because I think I like the way things are presented and I um I guess it has if I think back to like childhood and stuff then I think of you know I remember being like five years old and being in a room with all my family and like dancing and singing in the middle of the room and loving seeing everybody be happy and knowing that I was able to provide that happiness >> or you know being in public speaking competitions as a kid in school and things like that. So those ingredients tell me that potentially it was something that I was interested in or passionate about. I don't always like display it in the best way, but that doesn't matter. I think what's important is knowing that that thing is important and seeing it in others and things like that. And I have so many questions. Okay, let me try to how am I going to ask this? I'll try this way type. Okay, I I I understand the role it plays. >> Mhm. >> I also understand the importance of it because I think it is a sign of excellence. >> Agreed. Yeah. And just like we find in the among other collections the 140 collection where there's a hadith relating to the prophet sallallahu alaihi wasallam Allah subhana wa ta'ala has prescribed excellence on everything >> everything and the best excellence is what worshiping Allah subhana wa ta'ala as though you see him and even though you don't see him verily he sees you >> like the second hadith and narration that is also mentioned in the 14 collection. >> Um so I definitely think it's a sign of excellence and I think that we as Muslims need to strive for excellence in every single thing that we do and I also think we misunderstand excellence. I think so. I think the reason why is because we hear the term excellent or excellence more often than not related to something that is executed flawlessly and appearing nice and has this outwards appearance. >> Sure. Like for example, I listened to this excellent episode the other day and this excellent podcast and then when I send you that link and you're going to see this production and of course like because we're as human beings I mean we're simple limited tangible beings. We were going to link it more more so to the apparent and the external skeletal structure and not so much necessarily the content. It's always the content that is the best. I'm going to be perfectly candid with you. The best ever episode that I have ever listened to, the one that has been executed excellently is an episode in in a podcast that is known as Arabic podcast where one guest dctor talked about the Quranic compass. The reason why it is excellent is purely the content. Hearing and listening to this episode changed the way I see the Quran. Changed the way I understand the Quran. I have been alhamdulillah and with the efforts of my parents and I've been a of the Quran for 16 years and after 16 years this is the first time I understand the Quran in a different way. So excellence I think can also be your path to that execution. And I think and the reason why this is very important for me, Subhan Allah, is the thing that stopped me from building that one brand as if it means something in the grand scheme of things. Let's be honest with ourselves, right? But still, I mean, like the one thing that stopped me from taking on so many journeys is my misunderstanding of excellence. >> Wow. >> So, can we go back to 2018 metaphorically? >> What would you say to that person? >> 2018 being so like the start of G. No, >> that person who is, you know, like stopping themselves because of their their misunderstanding of excellence. Like you today, you see that person, there are people today that do that. Let's be honest. No. >> What would you tell these people? >> I think what I would just tell them is that how you do anything is how you do everything. So, you have to take care of the small things because I I I I kind of don't like using this quote because the fact that it comes from a movie, but I just it's just so powerful for me, which is why I said earlier, which is that life is a game of inches. And um >> I haven't actually seen the movie, which is hilarious. I've just seen like the motivational talk >> Which movie is it? >> It's from a movie called Any Given Sunday, and it's Aluccino giving this speech. It's like he's like in he's like the coach of a football team and um I I don't know if it's a true story or not. Um but he's given the halftime speech or something like this. And again, I've never seen the movie. I don't recommend anyone to watch it, but I do think that the saying stuck with me and it was like this what I just said about how you do anything. It should be how you do everything. And um but what he says in it is that life is a game of inches. And I think that's so true because it's like if you do everything with excellence, um those small inches add up >> to becoming like your next big move or whatever. And um so we we should look at life like that. >> Really life is the long game. And um I'm not great at always looking at longterm and long-term solutions and you know thinking long term. But one thing that I that I think benefits me longterm is that I try my best and we all flawed to try and do even the small things well if I can. That doesn't mean I'm a perfectionist. I'm actually the opposite of a perfectionist. I a fresh guy wouldn't be here today if I was a perfectionist. You know, we've released episodes with unmastered audio and you know bent video and we still do and that's because it's important to me that we get things out. Um, so I don't want to confuse like you said excellence with perfection. >> Um, >> but I think excellence is is more of a a mindset. It's is more like how you approach things and how you think of things and how you do things as opposed to how they are received or what the outcome is. >> I think for me, >> so Oh no, he's got up. Okay. And he's back. >> Yeah. I thought you going to get prop or something. >> Oh, freshly freshly ground. The baraka blueprint is not there yet. >> But the Baraka blueprint definitely has some things to be inspired by. >> So, um yeah, know I definitely have ideas and many of them are inspired by the by by the freshly grounded. I just didn't have the courage to take them yet. >> So, um I'm looking forward to that. So, apologies. I don't know what is happening to my voice, but you know what? Let's just let's just keep rolling because we said we're not going to be perfectionists, >> Exactly. Yeah. Face line, I have, you know, as an observer and as a curious person, sometimes, you know, curiosity can play to my disadvantage or I perceive that to be the case. Uh but like it doesn't stop the curiosity because this dude is always going to be curious like let's not kid ourselves, right? So out of curiosity I mean like and just I I love when I love something when I love a project I don't just want to consume it in its intended way. Like for example freshly grounded right is a podcast. You tune in, you listen to the episodes, you watch the episodes. So, I mean, I I because I love Freshly Grounded and it's a it's it's a project and a and a and a show and a and a family and a and an ecosystem and a media production studio and all of the other things you can add to it that is near and dear for me because I mean it helped me through many difficult times and I mean even subhan Allah uh if there are people that are listening to this by the way from from from from my time that that I was more active in 2018 in Sweden. Competence Poddan, a Swedish podcast, competence podcast or like a skill podcast. >> Literally the first episode, I think it's I think it's still there. It was a Swedish podcast again. So I said and I told I still remember I told my co the co-founder and co-host I told him listen I'm going to be very honest with you. I'm sitting with this huge bias like this. I have a bias like a very strong bias and my bias is like >> I want to replicate Freshly Grounded. I want to have the Swedish Freshly Grounded. I I don't care that people are going to see through that. And the thing that stopped it unfortunately was my lack of consistency. >> But you know what? It helps people. Subhan Allah. Wonating to the W sending donations and stuff. this helped me uh through a difficult conversation or this helped me when I was dealing with this bad situation. So again, I want to I want to stress on the fact I I know we said no no praising Yani there is this podcast that I know I don't know maybe you heard of it FG um is near and dear to me subhan Allah so I try to assess and dissect and understand the values there's one value or one pillar there are actually three pillars I want to touch on first one is transparency Yeah, >> this is something that has that I'm trying to learn from. So that's why like I usually say in my episodes I say this podcast is an experiment. Everything is an experiment. Everything that I present the content is just an experiment and I'm the test subject. I'm the main test subject. I want to conduct an experiment, you know, from lessons that I have learned or from areas that I'm, you know, trying to learn from or journeys that I'm, you know, embarking on. Maybe they'll work, maybe they'll fail. And being the test subject, I want the audience to learn from this. You know, if I'm going to be very honest with you, um, many of times I find that difficult. I find I find I find like a tremendous difficulty of you know balancing transparency performance and you know just making up this huge mixture of content. What how do you do it? >> Transparency. >> Yes sir. and like without without affecting the other artifacts of this pyramid or structure, whatever we want to call it. >> I think like you, I wear my heart on my sleeve and so there's a a naturalness to just being someone who talks, someone who I don't know how to do uh how to um be somebody else or something and something freeing about being yourself. And so my natural personality is um is like to just be open and sometimes that can work to my disadvantage. But I think that the one place it works to my advantage is that you know freshly grounded for the on our website I don't know if it's still there. I think it is like the headline said content that you relate to and if you're relatable by default you have to be transparent right otherwise how people can't relate to somebody that they don't know. And so I kind of like was like, well, people are just going to get all of me. We said to you earlier when you were filming your vlog, I said, I'm more comfortable around cameras than I am around people. I've been around cameras all my life, right? Because I chose to pick one up when I was 12 years old or whatever. Um, so I think transparency is like the only way to have sustainability is like, okay, look, this is who I am. Like I'm flawed. I have there's pros, there's cons, but like you'll get all of me. And um and it's I think just like a natural thing. Um I would say though about transparency uh that like I said it comes up to a disadvantage and I actually admire people who are able to kind of keep a level of like decorum which I think sometimes I struggle with. Uh but I have one story about this idea of it it being like somewhat natural to me. So um when I was in university I had a card I had a Voxil Astra and um I was in a shopping center and uh the main shopping center Cardiff is called St. David's. >> Uh or in Welsh it's called Dwisand and uh I don't know if I did if I pronounced it well. Uh and so like most shopping centers or malls, you know when you're going into the car park and it's got like it's like swirly like that. >> Yeah. Yeah. I was going down there and I just like and it's so close. You just saw this you're going to scrape your car. Oh, you see those marks and you think, "Oh my gosh, there's people who have scraped their cars along here." And one time that was me. So I was like driving through and I like scraped my car like massively and just huge scratch on the front left of my car. >> Now I'm not someone who's like super um into cars. >> Uh so I guess it didn't like upset me or ruin my day, but it was a bit annoying I guess. Like, but the thing that was more scary for me was like I was just like I didn't want to upset my dad because if my dad saw it, I wouldn't want him to like feel like I like I don't know like being like um uh >> careless. Yeah. With the car or whatever. >> And so what I had said to myself foolishly was right like I'm not going to tell my dad about this. >> And even if my dad sees it, like >> what does this here? >> Yeah. like I'll find some some kind of like way to not >> tell him what happened, right? And so um and I was like I was like certain on this like right I'm like I'm going to stay for and then I came out from uni one weekend and parked my car and then I went out with my dad went out in his car and so then when he came home to went to drop me home he looked at the he looked at my car and he goes he's like what happened and I went I was in a car park and I WAS DRIVING AND I SCRATCHED THE WHOLE CAR. YEAH, like it's like I can't do it. I just like spilled it out. So I that's just me, man. Like I just can't you ask my wife like I just I can't hide my emotions. And my brother says to me it's a huge disadvantage as well. Like as in advantage or disadvantage, but I remember my brother and my sister as well saying to me like that, you know, when you walk into a room, you can either light the whole room up with your energy or you can bring the whole room down. They won't tell that you're like stressed. And they was like, you need to be conscious of that because you can. So it has its advantages and disadvantages. You know, this serves as a great segue to another another value, another pillar that I wanted to touch on. And again, um not praising people, we gave a promise. We have to >> I know this guy. >> Okay. Um, alhamdulillah this there this there's something that I really respect about this brother and it's the fact that he Yiani presents let's say presents Yiani so that we can keep the brother calm Yiani ad >> no seriously like man I I really can't keep this up there's one thing that I love about your content >> the the fact that you're emphasizing on adab I think it's not being talked about often and I think it's a big problem >> I don't do it because I feel like I have the adab. So just as a >> no problem. No, I'm I'm >> but I do see the importance of and I think that we heavily heavily heavily uh look past it, ignore it. We don't prioritize it. >> And um the prophet sallallahu alaihi wasallam was it came down to talk character. Um >> a character is something that weighs heavily on the scales. Um and I think it's a real shame. It's a real shame that we we don't focus other I don't have the perfect other but I do see its importance and I I have seen its benefits when either I have on an off chance been able to >> carry good character in a certain situation or which is much more common I've been on the receiving end of somebody else's good character and I've I've been the beneficiary of it a lot >> you know subhah I mean it it can it can make or break one's day it can make or break a partnership it can make or break a friendship. It can make or break so many aspects of life. >> And Subhan Allah, sometimes the best dawa is your sometimes the best calling to Islam and especially tying this into uh the next phase. >> Yeah. And my my first project was was an Islamic podcast called the truth within because I felt that and and and I'm getting to the to the link here. Uh but of course as a podcaster you have to go tangent and you know go around like this. Everyone tells me you never get to the point. So I'm very sorry. So see you in two hours in anyway. >> I'm like >> amazing. Yes. So I started the podcast truth within in Swedish. Why? Because I felt that this the dwa content and explaining the objective truth of Islam and the truth within and the fact that this is the fra and I I didn't see fra content that much in English even let alone Swedish. So I said okay. And the the one thing that I see is that whenever I I I refer people say, "Oh, well, I've I've seen this amazing video that explains this amazing concept or I think this is going to help us in our da journey." I've been doing street daw for a very long time back then. So, I emphasized the importance of upskilling. upskilling duat. Upskilling duat in terms of sitting with this arsenal of knowledge or to the to the very least that we're able to defend our religion and to be able to explain it without compromising on its values. So I keep sending people content and they keep telling me, "Oh, but it's in English." So like I remember I was pissed and I was like, "Okay, you know what? Fine. I have notes. I'll just translate them and I'll just, you know, just sit and record with my Blue Yeti I focused on one thing only theory knowledge. Knowledge why did I start anyway? So the point is I guess what I'm trying to say is the one thing that I keep thinking about is why didn't I focus on adab because I think this was the problem. The main problem was not the lack of knowledge. That that wasn't the main problem. The main problem wasn't that we didn't have good enough arguments to to to rebut certain critics. Sure that can always be upskilled. But one thing that was very difficult to change was the composition of character. >> Well, the problem is that that's that a lot of that starts, you know, incredibly young age, right? Like it comes from the parents. And so if we can even just improve um the generation of parents and our own adab, then maybe we can teach our children that, right? cuz like a lot of the personality traits that we have they get ingrained in you from when you're a child. I remember a story about uh when again it was I was before six years old and the reason I I a lot of my stories I tell are either pre or post six and that's because I we moved house at six when I was six and so if it's in the old house then I know I was between the ages of zero and six okay >> u and so this was in the old house so I don't know how old I was but I was not as the oldest I could have possibly have been was six >> you have to forgive me I a stuffy nose. >> Yeah, it's completely fine. >> I I have a stuffy throats, so I mean, hey, nice. >> Um, so growing up in this house, we had a really difficult neighbor. She was um she would like uh just cause us a lot of hassle. She's very horrible. She's this old woman >> and she would be rude to us when we leave the house. She'd be rude to our mom and I remember she would like throw stones at our window. One time she broke our window and that was so we had a we were living in a two-bedroom flat on the ground floor. My mom and dad had one room and then me, my brother and my sister all shared the other room and she the but our room was facing you know the street and so she was she she broke our window with stones and stuff like that. She's a real horrible person um >> to us at the time. And then I remember one day after years of just dealing with you know difficulty from her uh we saw a stretcher come and take her in an ambulance and she had passed away and the next uh time we were in I remember being in the living room and like I said I was about maybe four or five years old and my mom was leading us in Jamaat in prayer and after the prayer she said guys make sure you make dua for that woman who just passed And I remember thinking to myself like she's caused us hell, you know, for all my life basically. And cuz I was only so young. I still remember thinking this even at that age. Yet my mom has like as soon as she passed away, every mom's asked us to make dua for her. And that is something that you those memories are memories that you don't forget. But they're memories that they that's what shapes a different character, right? That's something that I now to this day like will try and instill in my children. my my my in fact like um my children will ask questions like that right like about people or things um and I try and give them that lesson of like being good to being good to people >> then let's talk about family in that case >> yeah I could talk about family all day long man >> because this is where I mean this is where it all starts right >> the the the the building blocks of our brand of who is who is Ibraim who's Abdman who is who I mean anyone really there's one thing subhan allah and I um I remember one of the one of the episodes that I was rewinding a lot subhan allah is your episode with raising humans >> I was rewinding it left right and than her. I mean, I was because the thing is, subh, look, I'm um I'm a kid myself. So, Allahh hasn't destined for me to have kids yet. And >> may you pious, healthy children. And one thing because like I keep I keep sitting and saying you know what you know I I need to I need to take this opportunity to learn and you know like just ask all the questions I have and like one thing that really scares me is I mean I don't want to end up in a situation where you know I provide a net negative impact to society because at the end of the day I mean your your children your your project. >> Yeah. Yes. Your investment. Yeah. >> Yeah. It's your investment. I mean, it it it can be an asset or a liability. >> First of all, I I can't I can't afford to be a liability myself, let alone produce liabilities, bro. That's a problem, right? >> So, I guess again, that's why I started listening to Raising Humans a lot. and one of the podcasts I absolutely love Allah Mubarak and your episode in it was one I kept rewinding a lot. Uh so again I'll stick to only one of the reasons Yani and that and that one reason is because I loved the interaction between the two of you. >> Okay. Yeah, Muhammad is a great guy. >> Muhammad is a fantastic guy. May Allah bless him and his family. I mean, >> and you guys talked about like not only the like for example the methodology of upbringing and you actually even changed my mind when it comes to a certain topic which is about bringing your kids to the masid. >> Because I actually I I actually fought with people about this topic in Sweden. >> Okay. came to that point because like I was genuinely upset on how some people could react very violently to when you know certain noises being heard. And I would always say but I mean the the hearing the the the the the the laughs and the and the screams of children is a blessing because that means they're being brought up in the house of Allah. you know, up until I started thinking about, well, hold on a second. Is this a net positive or a net negative impact on the community? That is like when you said that, it was like changed everything. Subhan Allah. Uh but that's one of the things the main topic that I wanted to get to was and it's one thing again do not praise one another for very Allah knows which one of you is godfearing but one thing I really need to give credit to you subhan Allah is how much you talk about family how much you talk about like like the the proximity and closeness of hearts like how close your hearts are to one other especially with your brother and especially how you praise your parents. May May Allah bless your entire family. >> So I guess the question I have for you and this is mainly again for selfish reasons. I want to learn this because you also Allah talk about your kids. You're you're the family that you're building Allah bro. Do you how do you build a family that ultimately provides let's start simple net positive impact on the um >> okay I I I have to start this by saying that so for context I'm uh I have three boys and so uh that in itself is you know a whole thing uh three boys who are 64 and one and so naturally being in that I'm just constantly on camera a big part of my messaging online has has ended up navigating towards my journey of of raising them. Um, and I'm very passionate about raising them and trying to raise them in the right way. Um, but in in so doing because I am the public facing one, I don't want to give the wrong impression and so we we have to speak about my wife and it's is very important because Though I am the public facing one and though I speak a lot about raising my kids, um it would be impossible uh for me to be able to instill the morals and ethics that I want to instill in my children if it wasn't for my wife doing all of the heavy lifting. So I get to come in and do the bits that are important to me, which are these morals and ethics and stuff like that, while actually the the real person who's doing all of the work so that I could just come in and sprinkle this salt on top is actually my wife. And I see her every single day. So, um, sometimes like completely drained at the end of the day because we have a one-year-old who, you know, has allergies to milk and is like trying to like navigate between how to like make sure that he's well and um then a six-year-old who's, you know, um, like discovering life now and asking these really difficult questions and really passionate and about his, you know, coloring pens remaining his and a four-year-old who's flipping off the sofa onto the one-year-old. So it's like so and she's she's the one who's you know I'm here at work and when I come home sometimes work um naturally ends up sometimes spilling over and I try to segregate my time well and I think for the most part I do a good job at it and but there's no doubt that you know from 5:00 in the morning until 7:00 at night you know 95% of the effort is by my wife And she's an amazing mom, like an amazing mom. You know, she would sit with them and she would get feedback from the teachers that they need to improve their reading and then all of a sudden you could just hear her, you know, I can hear her just reading with the kids and making sure or like there's challenges like my four-year-old doesn't love going to school and she'll sit with him and she'll work it through with why don't you like going to school? Um, and she's patient with a one-year-old who's just attached to her by I would say by the hip, but he's not to by the ankle. He's like just like and um yet she still does such an incredible job. And no matter how difficult the day is for her, the children are always fed. Um the pack lunches are always made. Um they're always given love and attention. They taken out. You know, when I have a meeting or something like that and I'm at home, um no m even if she's drained, she take all three of them, right? We're going to the park. We're going for a walk. And you never hear her complain. So 95% of the work is done by her. And then I can then sprinkle in what's important to me, which is I want them to be raised with this these morals, these ethics, this this is I want this to be important to them. I want them to uh be like have these um important traits. And that's just the salt of all of her hard work that I get to add. and then I get to claim all of it on social media and be like this is how I'm raising my kids but actually it's her. So that is I know I went a bit a bit long there but it's really important that I mention that because I don't I don't say that enough. Now to answer your actual question which is uh >> I love this by the way. Thank you for and now now I'm comfortable in my elements by the way. Perfect. >> We we the question was um what was the question? >> No problem. The question was, and I I I I actually think you answered it very very well. I'm more than happy if you keep elaborating on it, of course, but the question was, how do you raise a household that ends up giving a net positive impact on the Muslim woman? >> Okay. So I am passionate about this and and I think the answer is that it is um you have to have a real real importance on really strong uh morals, ethics, habits and uh character traits and your kids, right? And so you have to be stern on these. I am a kid with my kids. However, I'm incredibly stern on the things that are important. Uh, and those things that are important, other parents may feel that are not that important, but I've um I I I think they're incredibly important. I'm strong on them. And so um they could be things like I don't know, man. Like words like you know, not saying bad words. Um not saying rude words. Um, not lying. Uh, not that's a really big one. Like I'd rather you tell me the truth. You'd get in more trouble. You'll get in less trouble for telling the truth and that being wrong than you would for lying. >> especially if you scratch your car. >> My dad, but look at my dad's reaction to that. Like he didn't even bo like >> he I wasn't scared of his reaction. Um, I just didn't want to let him down. and um and that's so I don't I don't think I overreact with my kids you know uh but it's the truth the truth is very important >> um things like that like you know my son he started saying wah a lot my six-year-old because he's um in school right and so like he's like he's like wah you going to cut my hair today and like by the way I cut my kids hair which is why their haircuts always awful um and that's and I I said to him it's like don't say one law for everything you know, you're saying Allah's name, you don't need to just everything you say about Allah, say Allah. And he's like, is it wrong? No, it's not wrong. Right? It's like, but you don't need to just use it so loosely. >> Um, so these things are important to me. Um, how they, you know, being answering back to their mom, answering back to their dad, uh, you know, you can't do that. Uh, you know, just answering back in general, things like that. Like so I think morals, ethics, um the Quran, the Quran has a very strong uh placeholder in our in our house and it's important and we emphasize its importance. Um, you know, somebody says, "Alhamdulillah, you know, there should be some, you know, the other." So, I'll say something funny. Um, the other day my So, my four-year-old, they have a bunk bed and we sent them to bed. They go to bed. By the way, routine as well. Like a net positive like uh family, how to create like first of all, you have to have sanity. And sanity comes from routine. My kids are in routine so that me and my wife can have a sanity so we can have an evening. We're not up till 1:00 in the morning with our kids. So, we're not losing it. That's so important. >> Explain sanity. Sorry. What do you mean by sanity? >> It's like for us to be able to be the best parents. We ourselves need a break. We need to have our mental health. And to have that break, we need to the kids need to be in routine. My kids do not run the household. You know, they don't We are their parents. They are not ours. If they're not going to be up to 1:00 a.m. It's not an option. >> Subhan Allah. >> Right. But let me just go back to the the funny thing. Right. So uh we sent them to bed and then we thought they were asleep and then I we just heard um Khalil dancers we heard K going >> Zaku Zaku and that's what he calls Zachary right >> yeah Zaku Zaku and Zachary is not answering and then he kept doing it at one point like his mom shouts upstairs he's like clear like what's going on she's like he goes Zaku's not answering me and she's like yeah he's probably asleep what do you need and he goes I sneezed and said alhamdulillah and he's not saying >> legend. I said my wife is like from say yeah but I've said it okay like he's like okay but like this the fact that it's so important to him you know that makes me proud right because like I've instilled the importance of these things yeah like sometimes it works with disadvantage like um I remember um he went outside my yesterday uh again I took him to the masjid two days ago for he he wanted to come with me and so we were going to and He we go as soon as we leave the house he looks outside and he goes Abu I goes yeah he goes so is the shaitan here like right now like I didn't even tell him that by the way I'm I do not believe in teaching your children aboutan like this early but my father-in-law may Allah bless him has this way where he just like how he speaks to adults is how he speaks to kids and so he's taught them all about the shaitan right and so like they've obviously learned the shaitan is out of time so he's like so is thean Yeah. I'm like >> right now. >> Yeah. Like clearly you do not need to worry about that. Just like get on the scooter. >> Yeah. But it's but like you know these things are like the fact that they speak about these things is you know nice like but it's like they're not secret like they're not swearing and stuff. May Allah bless your family. choosing your teammates, installing routines >> and understanding the core values. >> Yeah. By the way, another thing I want to praise my wife on is that I have very strong values that I want to instead of my children and it can be overbearing sometimes and I know that and sometimes she might even not necessarily disagree but at least be like okay like you know you don't you know um it might not be that it might it might be like a bit much sometimes. yet she, you know, she'll back me and I think like that and and I see that and that's important to me and I notic that and so then I also that also makes me not take it for granted which means I don't overdo it. I I will turn it down where I can turn it down. Um I will let them slide with things that maybe aren't that important because I on the things that really matter to me even you know she will back it and she will defend it. Um, for example, um, teaching them Quran from an early age. Um, my wife of course, bro, is not against the Quran in any way, shape, or form. >> Of course. >> But like, if I'm teaching, if at 3 years old or four years old, I'm already trying to get them to memorize something. This is not um something that they need to be doing at that age or, you know, at four or five or whatever. And um, I don't need to be so intense with it. And um so but you know even now even though that's not something that she like you know she's allowed me to take lead on that but but even if that's something like you know sometimes like you know let them be kids right like but still if like my son goes to her and he's like trying to revise his Quran or something >> she will sit and she will revise with him and she'll read to him and she'll read with him and she'll like you know so it's still that thing of okay like may maybe for her it's like maybe I would have started them at 6:00 and not five right >> but if he's coming to me at 5 or 4 and he was signing to me like she'll you know she'll give them that time and she'll she'll do that with him so you know she I can I see how much she backs everything and I think that that's important as well because as a you as parents cuz parenting is two people who have been raised in different ways coming together to raise kids. So you have your own set of morals and ethics and so you have to um you have to you have different morals and ethics and ways that you want to raise kids and so you have to you have to find a balance between the two and that's important and she does a really good job at doing that >> and also different methodologies. >> Yeah. Completely different methodologies. Yeah. You know, subh and even the Arabs, they say what they say between winning the hearts and breaking the hearts is a very thin line that is called method manner. >> Yeah. Manners. Yeah. Yeah. >> And um Subhan Allah. And it's like like they they asked this sheh um what's what's the hookum on the person who doesn't pray? What is what what is what is the what like which as in like the the person who raised the question it feels as if like okay what which box do I put them in >> and the sheh being so clever says the h and the the the ruling is to take him to the masjid >> you know or for example when and the Arabs they especially of of of olden age uh especially looking back at zahaba they they they are exemplary In that they asked who is who is older? You or the prophet sallallahu alaihi wasallam. Now the the word older in Arabic usually is referred to as translating it literally means who has the greater age. >> But the word who is greater also. >> Yeah answered very beautifully. He said he is greater than me but I was born before him. >> You know and I think manner and methodology is also very important especially when you know teammates are coming together to this very interesting and I think the most important project. >> Yes. >> Family. >> Yeah. Of course, I mean it's non-negotiable to have again like this is as an outsider looking in not somebody with experience just you know just thinking out of whatever sanity comes across right I mean it makes perfect sense that even if there would be a disagreement in methodology at the end of the day the two of you are the authority >> two of you are the government you know because this the government shouldn't be shaky in front of the civilians >> right >> so all I can Subhanah bless you. Bless your wife. Bless your children. Bless your families. >> And I know we're running out of time. I actually actually went way over the time and I really really do apologize. So I want to ask for your permission for one thing. >> Um would it be possible to end with rapid fire questions? >> Of course. Yes. >> Fantastic. This is amazing. >> I'm not I don't know how good I'll be at like just Well, let's try. Let's be very honest with ourselves podcaster to podcaster. Of course, we're not going to be straight. Are you kidding me? We're not going to be straightforward. I mean, like, >> you're going to tell me about that one time in Manchester where something stories. >> Yeah. I By the way, and I would love that. And I would I mean I I'll piggyback right on that as well. >> All right. Let's see. Let's see how we do. >> Let's see how we do. Okay. Yeah. Salam. Should we start simple? I'm not. No. Why should we start simple? It's it's it's it's a freshly grounded. I mean, okay. So, what's your favorite freshly grounded episode of all time? >> Boom. >> Who am I going to let down? He's thinking now. >> Who Who do I so many, bro? Like, it's it's so hard to say like, oh man, >> people learn how political. You know why? Because it depends on the context. But, okay, I'll try my best. Um, there's an episode I did with Hon and Kareem in our old studio where we were ordering like food and just talking and it was just nice just talk to the brothers, talk to my two best friends. >> Did you pick up the food like in the middle of the recording? I remember the episode. Yeah. >> So, that episode I think was is like generic. If you make me choose one, then I'll say that one. Actually, this is one of the more wholesome episodes because I I had I I think you broke a misconception of mine when I listened to that episode. >> That you can't eat on camera. >> Sorry. >> No, no, no. I eat away. I mean like as in like it was so transparent. It was so honest. like you guys went oh let let the guy in and stuff like it was so it was that's why like for example I I I saw the episode the other day where like everybody entered in like this entire family brother may Allah bless him was there you know and then your brother Omar comes in just suddenly takes a chair you know I was like I love that so they're trying to get me to stop doing >> I love that as well >> yeah this thing like let's just like have everything perfect and then press record I'm like no like just get it on and just let people come sit down I've got I've got a battle to fight with these guys for Yeah, we're gone. Okay. So, that's >> Okay. Okay. Good. Good. >> Ooh. Okay. Okay. Uh, besides besides the Baraka blueprint, of course. Um, one guest that you really want to have in the podcast. >> Uh, it changes all the time. Right now, I would say I don't think about this much. Oh, right now I want to get Bal Assad. Allahbar. Allahbar. What a collab. That would be Subhan Allah. Okay. You take notes of course. >> You take notes. Like you you record and document and everything. You're a note takingaking person. I'm sorry. >> Not really. >> Really? Oh, then that question is not going to make sense. >> Ask it. >> Okay. Listen. Notion. Apple notes. Physical notebook or something else. >> Apple notes. >> Yeah. Keep it simple. Yeah, I'm really in the Apple ecosystem. Yeah, Apple notes, Apple reminders, Apple calendar. I don't even use Google calendar. Apple calendar. >> Hello. Okay, I respect that. I respect >> Are you a planner or an improviser? I think I know the answer. Okay. >> Yes. Salam. Okay. Uh, this is a useless question. We know the answer to it. Of course, you're he's going to record the early shift soon. Why should I ask him? Are you a more Are you a morning person or a night owl? It's >> not It's not called the late shift. It's called the early shift. tune in to the early shift 7 a.m. UK time and 11 a.m. GST. >> Ta. Okay. What is the most overrated advice in podcasting? >> Overrated. >> Oo, that's a good question. The most overrated advice something. It has to be something to do with money. um basically any advice to do with money even though like I guess we have done that as well but and I tell you the reason why is because a lot of advice is about money but really ultimately our risk is in the hands of Allah. So >> there's not enough emphasis on reliance upon Allah. >> What is one thing every podcaster should stop doing? >> Saying um I do that all the time. like yeah >> yeah I actually as a as a person who occasionally says the I actually agree with you I have to stop myself so many times by the way >> that's so annoying man what is one thing every podcaster should start doing >> I'm going to say start saying sorry go ahead I like what you I think any podcast should start trying to get stories out of their guests cuz I like what you did there and I think that's I think you're right like people do love stories and I don't know why I don't emphasize more asking my guests to come with stories or asking them to tell stories because anytime I write a speech for for a public speaking gig I always started with a story because I know how important stories are so I think that's what every podcaster should do >> I mean the storytelling framework is very very impactful It can move people. People are attracted to brands that tell an interesting story. >> People are drawn to stories. >> Best story is the story that Allah gave us. Given you the best stories. >> So yeah, I love storytelling. But thank you for the advice. This is something I actually learned this by >> Thank you. Yes. Let's pretend this is from me. Okay, good. Nice. Um, I was going to ask you, I actually prepared this question and I was like looking forward to ask it, but you answered it so well. I was gonna ask you, what is one creative risk that you took that really paid off? I wonder. >> Yeah. Yeah. Probably probably FG there's been lots, right? Like I think risk is a really important risk is really important. You have to take a lot of risks at all the time and they do pay off. They do pay off. What would you tell FA in 2016? Have better spending habits. I'm still trying to improve with that. >> Hook and sink. >> My relationship with money is not good. >> Takes one to no one. >> Stop laughing. >> Okay. They haven't figured that one out. But you know what? >> I don't even like luxury. Like I drive a Mitsubishi. I I have I have these. You see these Traxxer bottoms? >> I have um two of this exact one. >> Legends. >> And then I have two more of this in a different color. And then I have My point is in total like Gym Shark Traxer Bottoms I have about like I think it's like 11. And so I my point is is that I don't like I just wear like the same mainly I wear the same clothes. Um I drive a Mitsubishi. I have the same pair of socks but just loads of the same one. Um >> I'm not a trainer guy so I don't spend a lot of trainers. >> In fact like my last few trainers were all gifted to me. Um so it's not like luxury but it's like my perception of finances could be better. Like I could be a better saver and more like I could be more frugal. which I'm not. So, it's not extravagance, but it's just like bad habits. >> But, but but you don't need that, you know, because he's got the paddle skills to pay the bills. >> No, I don't. I don't. I make zero money from paddle. >> Yeah, but the skills pay the bills. >> I wish they did. >> Allah. >> Yeah. Yeah, exactly. Yeah, >> that's good. >> Yeah. No, no, of course. Wait, is it voice? That one is Sulman's wife. Yeah. >> Legend. >> You'll be interviewing him soon on the bar. I'll tell you that >> He's the next He's the next star if he >> He is the Of course. Of course. I'm I was going to ask I I had one comment about subh that I said something that I don't like about this contest which is I don't see more of it. >> I want to see more of. >> Yeah. Yeah. You know, you'll be seeing more of >> I'm looking forward to >> just warming him up. May may may Allah may Allah bless our brother and his family and his path to success and all of us. >> What is the funniest freshly grounded moment? >> Funniest freshly grounded moment. Um >> man, I don't think I have these things at the top of my dome. But >> man, your intro was the most iconic by the way, might I add. >> Okay, thank you. Yeah, I think like anytime I get with Sam, >> it's just like for me so much fun. Yeah. And Sam, by the way, like still loves FG, loves FG Audience, talks about all the time. And so anytime we get an opportunity to record together, we we do. I'm actually going to London soon, so maybe try and get an episode in. But yeah, like anything with Sam is just like just so funny, man. And Ka, like Ka's sense of humor is so aligned with mine. Like I can't be with Ka for more than 90 seconds without laughing. He just >> Ka is a legend. I love spending time with K. >> His humor is so particular, but it's just perfectly in tuned with mine. >> Yes. We're thinking the exact same. >> I see. I see. The synergy is unreal. >> Yeah. Like he's just just such great humor, man. And I I miss him, man. Like a lot. Like this week he's been sick and so I I just need to be around him like a little bit just so I just get that dose of that and then like I'm good. But like I haven't had it this week so it's a bit annoying. >> No, I have a confession to make. any I told my friend I said, "Hey, bro. >> Uh, I'm I'm going to meet I'm like I when when when uh I was invited to pedal, man, I was so excited. I remember I was calling my family. I was calling my friends. I was like, "Guys, guys." I was like I was I was there was that one friend in Sweden. I thought, "Bro, guess what?" He's like, "What?" And I didn't even know if he knew freshly grounded. I was like, "Hey, I'm going to meet the guys fresh." He's like, "What?" Allah humb you mean Kaya. I swear to I was like >> so Kaya's not going to be there. Um but okay, >> he's co-host. Yeah, >> Kaya's a legend. May Allah bless him and his family. You know what I love about Ka is um what I really love about Ka >> is that he is open >> and honest about his own faults and so sincere about them like how we all should be cuz everyone is flawed and not saying that he has faults but he himself is always the first person to say it agree which is what I find amazing yet >> he has the gold standard when it comes to ethics morals because he is so conscious to make sure he's truthful. So conscious to make sure that what he's saying or doing is right by Allah. Like when I brought him aboard an FG, I was like, look, there's certain things that we try and do like we we don't we try our best to make sure we're not lying. We're not joking, we're lying. We try not to cause a fit in there's enough fitten, you know, in the Muslim scene. We don't want to create more. We're not really controversial. All of these things he's just aligned with every single one. And you know that's what I like about Kai because I'll tell you what you can't get in life is perfect people. And so the next best thing I think we want is people who are transparent, constantly trying to prove themselves, have the gold standard for ethics and morals and will police themselves before you police them. Like so you know they will be like man that like I'm I'm like that this thing I struggle with this thing I'm like every every week right he does football on like what Thursdays Friday >> and Sundays as well. >> Yeah. Every Friday he comes to the office, he's like, "Guys, man, I'm just so flawed. Like, I I just let my temper get to me, man." It's like, it's so endearing to see that. >> Kaya says that. >> Kaya. >> Yeah. Yeah, >> bro. I played with Kaya football. >> Oh, >> no. No, he does not have that at all. He's harsh himself, which is actually commendable. >> Kaya is actually and I I Bro, look, it takes a lot of patience to be my teammate. I'm horrible at football. Oh, really? >> And he usually is my teammate. >> And the guy, Subhan Allah, has to do the work of like five people. >> He He'll be happy to hear that. >> And he never I've never heard him angry. >> Oh, I don't think you played with K >> I have played football with K a couple of times. Yanni. >> He'll be he'll be grateful to hear that. >> What was the most emotional guest moment you had in the in the Freshly Grounded? It was when we had uh Sunonny Araf on the podcast first time and he was talking about the death of his 5-year-old daughter >> and that was really emotional. >> What is one moment in your life that humbled you? >> One moment I get humbled on it daily. One moment um in my life that really humbled me. Um it was a conversation I had with Yahi. I was sat in the car and I was speaking to him and I was just saying to him like um the negative comments online are like were getting to me at that point like um because when you put yourself out there online you have to accept that you're going to get positive comments and negative comments. Nobody's free from it. >> And at the time I felt like the negative comments were like hurting me. >> Okay. And so I spoke to him and he humbled me and he said even Allah hasn't stopped people from talking bad about him. They say that he has a son which is one of the >> and he said if Allah hasn't stopped that about himself and he can he's in control of all things then who are me and you and I thought subhan Allah this is true this is just part of life. So what is one pivotal moment that changed your direction? >> Getting married but for the better. It changed me for the better because um I thought what I thought that what I wanted in a or what I wanted in a wife was somebody who is like an extreme extrovert because I'm an extreme extrovert. >> Uhhuh. But Allah knew that what I needed was someone who's going to bring me back to reality and someone who is um big on privacy and someone who is uh very well morled and and stuff like this and someone who doesn't talk about others and because because you and I are naturally talkers, right? We could talk for days. >> Yes, we can. If we're put in an environment where somebody encourages that and lights the wrong fire, we could find ourselves talking about all of a sudden gossiping, talking about people and things like that. And so who's closer to you than anyways? Your your spouse, right? Someone you go home to them. So imagine if if I had a spouse who was like the type of person who just loves a gossip. I no matter how strong my man is, I could go home and then I'm, you know, we're chilling at night time. It's like, oh, this person did this, this person did. And our personality, we would love it. We like, oh, and then what? We love this story. >> And so um what Allah gave me in marriage was reality discipline. Uh I you know I feel like I want to um I was doing at the time before around or before I was married I was also being a bit silly on camera all the time >> and I think that's part of my personality. Um, and I think that's okay to an extent, but I think also you want to being married made me realize that I want to protect my wife's honor as well. And you know, people around her obviously know that her husband is who her husband is. >> Um, and so I don't want her to go to a gathering or something where she feels like a bit embarrassed because he just did a video where he like, you know, was I don't know had like painted his hair green or something. Like I I would do anything really like cuz I'm just so comfortable with the camera or whatever, right? But it's like I mean I still do silly things. Yesterday's on yesterday's live stream I like arose from underneath the desk. >> That was that was legendary by the way. >> That was legendary. >> So I think she allows me to be silly, right? Like I think she's given up on the idea. I'm going to be completely >> otherwise the clip with Mo Ali with you and Sam wouldn't have happened. >> But that one Yeah. back then. >> Yeah. But also by the way also it changes direction of my life in the sense I do try and think like okay like let me have some try because yeah >> what is your baraka blueprint? My baraka blueprint is in and of itself constantly trying to think about baraka and trying to think what is the thing that pleases Allah in this thing and that will bring about baraka. I love that you called your podcast a baraka blueprint because the blueprint is baraka. I've said previously I'll say it again is that we try and think of what is the right way to do this what is the right way to do that what's the right formula for this what's the right algorithm for this but the best algorithm the best formula is the formula that Allah has given us the algorithm that Allah has given us and that is the blue the formula of blue of baraka the algorithm of baraka if we just follow that we'll be fine so that means that sometimes an opportunity seems really great but it's there's haram in it and you don't understand why but the baraka blueprint is to leave that thing and not do it and I guarantee something else would come around. I had a moment like that recently uh where something happened where I had to make a decision with the wrong thing or the right thing. Actually, it wasn't even the wrong thing or the right thing. is like the better thing to do or to like claim your what you what you want like what you desire and it would have been both options were halal by the way but it was like either do this or like be have better character and I chose the latter which I don't always do but I chose latter and like that day um the opportunity that I missed by choosing the latter uh Allah gave me that exact same opportunity in another way That's the part of our blueprint, bro. That's choosing the right thing. And Allah was like, "You chose the right thing. Don't worry. I'm going to give it to you anyway." That literally happened to me two days ago. And those reminders just like your iman. Thank you so much for for this amazing meaningful conversation educational for me and I believe fully educational for the audience. May Allah bless you and reward you immensely for the groundwork that you and your brother Omar subh have put and that allows for any people that are navigating this journey like myself >> to you know to find strength to find comfort and to have this >> you know guidance and inspiration that you know what this >> I I think I can do this you you've really inspired me and you keep doing that subhan Allah >> you keep doing what you're doing as well it's incredible to see >> appreciate that may Allah bless you thank Can't wait. Enjoy, man.