I remember, it was a time I was about to sign a film with Shahrukh Khan.
Nobody knew why I left that movie. So, this was after Secret Superstar.
I was going and I was journeying through certain things. I was events and the likes.
But there was a thing within me that was constantly bugging me that something is not right.
Asalaamu alaikum... How do you normally say it bro sorry?
salaam alaikum guys welcome to another episode of Smile to Jannah.
You're sick.
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What should we react to?
When you said that this is off the cuff bro,
I didn't think it's going to be that level off the cuff.
Alright guys so I'm joined by the main man. Some people refer to him as my twin.
And you know- they say some people they've got a good twin and an evil twin yeah.
I think I'm your evil twin.
You are one lab accident away from becoming a supervillain.
So bro- This is Nav.
You were on the channel 4 program bro.
What was this channel 4 program?
That was like about 10 years ago/ a couple of years ago.
I was on a program called Extremely British Muslims
and it basically followed me and my friend Wasim.
I had what they said five seconds of fame.
That's where the term Waz and Nav came up isn't it?
Something like that yeah.
And then the the real part of your career which is uh... you know my look alike.
Oh yeah... how's that how's that treating you?
Financially it's not benefiting me in any way uh shape or form.
Yeah let's not mention those. Not mentioning them things?
Are we still recording?
Oh yeah fantastic yeah I love being your twin yeah yeah yeah.
Oh yeah this is so embarrassing you know yeah Yeah mashaAllah.
oh man like- whoa- just... you know... don't go off the top you know.
Don't go on about it you know. I'm a humble guy you know.
I'll go to like halal shops and say- are you going to give me a discount because you know
i'm from smile2jannah.
woah, okay we're going back to the other way again.
You've gotta shown me to be like some sort humble- you know what i'm saying?
Crook wallahi you're you a crook.
All right guys so, what we're gonna do yeah, we're gonna react to a video of Zaira Wasim yeah.
Some of you probably know Zaira Wasim left the Bollywood scene.
She was in a movie called Dangal with Aamir khan: one of the three khans.
Yeah because I remember you were about to sign a movie with Shahrukh khan also right?
Yes I was.
And then that is the time when you said "no" right?
You said no I don't want to do it.
You know- and it's with anyone- it's not about him it's about;
i'm leaving Bollywood. Which is everyone's
dream. For mostly our generation.
So this was after Secret Superstar.
I was going and I was journeying through certain things. I was doing events and the likes.
But there was a thing within me that was constantly bugging me that something is not right.
I am a Muslim and if this thing is bugging me, why is it bugging me?
What is the problem? What is the... what is wrong that I'm doing?
So I thought about it and I said I... my heart knows that there is a creator.
My heart sincerely believes that there is only one God.
If you do love someone, you would obviously want to know what that person wants.
And similarly I thought that if Allah has created me, why is it that he has created me?
He cannot send you on this earth to not do anything and just chill and eat
and you know deny the reality.
So I thought about it I sat and I thought about it.
I understand there is a problem, now i want to search for knowledge.
So she left the whole music industry -okay- she was offered a role by the
-Shahrukh Khan. King Khan. SRK. -Say what?
Tusi Jaare ho. Tusse Na jao (lines from Kuch kuch hota hai) SRK?
He's the most popular- is he like the Brad Pitt of Bollywood?
Pretty much. Yo.
So for somebody to say no to him, yeah that's a big thing.
What are your first impressions of... knowing how the world is at the moment very...
"oh, once you get the money/ once you get the fame you've made it now".
Here is somebody -yeah- that has got that, but then she left it, like what was she doing?
You genuinely see that the love that somebody has for Islam. That they sacrifice what like you
know- this is a this is a bread and butter as well isn't it? This is how she earns a living?
Yeah. And this is her income and a lot of people from you know India and Pakistan a lot of us
don't come from rich families etc so you know getting that financial independence from
doing a career like this and the money that'll bring and you know the lifestyle changes etc and
then turn your back on it completely for the sake of your religion it's very amicable. I think it's
it's fantastic what the sister's done, especially you know when you're in the public limelight bro,
leaving that and going back into a private life- so I can imagine that she's like moved
away from social media and things like- yeah pretty much yeah- it's a massive it's like a
complete change of life, a complete change of culture like everything. Some celebrities
when they leave that lifestyle they need a coach like a therapist that helps them transition from
that life to the other life. Yeah I can imagine. But for her to do that, to leave money... bro she'd
even get practicing people coming and saying "yo you're doing good work and you're oh that's
amazing I've seen your movie and this and that" -yeah- so to go even past that... because even bro
why were you told to get good grades at school? So you can get a good job and you
know have a successful career and do it. Good job, why why do you need a good job to get what?
The rokura, the rupees, the maal, the Wonga. The Taka- for my Bengali brothers.
Okay. So money is obviously a big motivation for people to do whatever they're doing.
From a small age it's been indoctrinated into us. That's why we're going into school, that's the
whole reason for our education. It's not to become a good person, it's so we can get a
job and survive. And uh understanding from what you said the sister was at the peak of a career and I
can only make dua that she's as successful in terms of Deen and Aakira as the same as she was
with the dunya perspective inshaAllah. And you know what, I also pray that Allah gives us similar
love- because you know when you love somebody? -yeah- like I know you know you have... I love you bro
You know what I'm saying? Yeah, like that. I mean it's just like at that level
That I don't think the people can... I'm struggling to control like you know my love for you right now.
I love you too much. Like it's too much yeah yeah. You know what some people do
in relationships bro that they are willing to go to another country just for their beloved
you know going from their home to a totally different way of life -yeah- they're willing to
sacrifice their jobs -yeah- yeah they're willing to sacrifice their comfortable nature just because
they love this individual. And obviously we know that true love, the love that actually gives
back is Allah because any other love that you have whether it's parents children or husband or wife
they're going to die, they're going to eventually burn out. It's eternal love I think that's the word
you're looking for. That's right! That's not like a cheesy Bollywood song. That's right! We fall in
love with temporary things and wonder why happiness doesn't last and when somebody
sacrifices everything that they've got in this world and everything that they've worked and
set out to achieve and once they've even achieved that and then just to turn a complete
blind eye to it and go and focus on your deen and learning your religion and completely
moving away from social media as such. The thing is that we all have that gap or void within us.
Yeah- that only Allah and his religion can fill, why because Allah has created us like that yeah.
The problem comes when we have that void but we've distanced ourselves from our creator
with excuses like 'the problem of evil' or 'there's too many religions' or 'there's too many sects'
or whatever the excuse may be yeah, but when it comes to everything and anything else, oh we spend
ages trying to find the right shampoo, the right the pair of trainers, we get loads of options but
when it comes to religion... no no no I can't make that effort yeah but that void when you start
filling it with money with fame with other things, it's just like a car with the wrong type of petrol
it might last a couple of minutes or push start or whatnot but on the motorway you're finished.
And that's the thing with practicing people you may not have big bank accounts and big
buildings but you're able to sleep in peace of course and you'd rather be not famous in this
world and be famous amongst the angels and with Allah- that's right- see, dropped that lyric there.
you know what I'm saying? Yeah? Where's the light? Drop some bars bro, drop some bars. Why is there a
siren on? Because it makes us look cool and like ruffians. Knock em come out, they're not ready for this.
Rough around the edges I don't speak the most eloquent. Inner city kid my lifestyle wasn't
elegant (okay) So many people try so hard to be relevant knowing when to speak is a sign
of intelligence. I worship the Lord of all atoms, all elements, my role model's born in the year of
The Elephants. "I'm Muslim" I say proud no hesitance, some of us have lost a backbone in our skeleton,
(spineless) I'll share some home truths for those who don't know, those Khadija's
turned into Kadz and Mohammed's turn into Mos. Don't make fun of their bros that wear kamees
& thowbs they put their own sisters off of wearing modest clothes. If anyone slips up they're the first
to expose got an excuse for yourself but no excuse for your bro or your sis, right simple times I
reminisce, I remember chipping in for a doner meat and chips (nice) these days you can't eat your food before
Instagram pics try to validate our life with all these likes and these hits. Need that dopamine
hit we addicts need a fix and it's mad how the whole world's at our fingertip. But we can't relate
to others on a personal level, social media has got us thinking we're special. Petty differences
that we can't seem to settle these days your own bro will sting you like a nettle, where I'm
from there's no flowers or rose petals. Kids are killing each other with pieces of metal, brothers
are weighed down by the dust in their vessel. Will they take in my cry without no base and a treble?
Everybody's trying to be the next Frank Lucas, we've got names like Isa but be moving like Judas.
Yo woohoo.