– We have done a bit of digging up Tom, while you weren't here.
And I actually came across the video, 10 years ago. – I wasn't there, it wasn't me.
You look very different, TabarakAllah, MashaAllah.
This fitness enthusiast has really helped, Mashaallah.
You look to be different, I'm guessing you about 23 in this video that I'm going to show.
– Okay.
You're gonna find out, let's play the video.
– Tom Finch this is your life.
If these people were fasting I had to fast as well, AlhamduliLlah.
I fasted the last week of Ramadan. It was a start.
After telling my mother that I was going to be a Muslim,
she didn't look at me for almost a week.
Before speaking with her, I was happy that I found my religion.
After the prayer, research and thought, I invested to reach this decision.
After seeing how upset my mother was, I began to doubt whether I was making the right decision.
This was the woman who carried me in her womb for nine months
and cared for me as a child and given me everything I ever need.
As you guess, by this stage I was pretty upset.
After speaking with a friend,
I was back on track after establishing that the reasoning behind making this changes is for me.
Pleasing my parents is important
or pleasing my Creator was ultimately importance.
– Wow, wow, Allahu Akbar.
– SubhanAllah.
– Take us back to that moment,
what was it like?
– The first year.
– The first year, coming to your parents
and just saying, "Look, you know this is what I've chosen"
– I guess what gets me a bit emotional, I think the dynamic between me and my mother.
My mother is an amazing woman,
she's the most important person in my life.
And she didn't receive the news particularly well,
I think, in hindsight, she maybe understands it a bit better now,
along with probably a few other people.
It was very difficult for her,
in particular the first few years.
I think it actually took about three years for us to pull together a relationship
which was somewhat representative of what it used to be.
My mother was like carry any excuse for a party Finch,
like any Friday night she would be inviting my friends over for a party
or a barbeque or a get-together, I wouldn't even know about it.
"O, Finchy by the way, I am coming to your party"
"Okay, whatever you know, I'll see you there"
She's a machine.
– What do you think you know, didn't go to your advantage?
– I'll tell you what did work.
Grandkids. So when grandkids came, that changed the game, you know.
It's soften the hearts.
What didn't work well? – Yeah.
– I think probably not sharing more sooner with my mother.
I think you know, bringing someone along the journey.
If someone's important to you and you really want to make like a address a serious problem
that you have in your life, whether you know, it's a mental health issue or iman
or a faith issue or a health issue or whatever it is.
If you're going to make a big change in your life,
I think the wise approach is to you need a support team around you
and you need to bring people on their journey.
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