"TODAY" ON OUR SIRIUS CHANNEL XM 108.
>>> NOW TO A SPECIAL PASSOVER AND EASTER WEEK SERIES WE CALL
SOUL SEARCHING TODAY. >> WE TELL YOU ABOUT A WOMAN
USING HER PASSION OF COOKING TO BRING DIFFERENT FAITHS TO THE
TABLE. CRAIG MELVIN HAS HER STORY, GOOD
MORNING. >> GOOD MORNING.
NICE TO SEE YOU THIS MORNING. OUR FAITH CAN DIVIDE US BUT ALSO
GIVE US A REASON TO COME TOGETHER.
ONE MUSLIM WOMAN IS OPENING UP HER HOME AND ENGAGING HER
COMMUNITY THROUGH FOOD. >> FAITH IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT
PART OF MY LIFE AS DEMONSTRATED BY THE HIJAB I WEAR SO VISIBLY
FOR PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT I AM A MUSLIM.
AND I AM PROUD TO BE A MUSLIM. AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I
PRACTICE EVERY DAY. AND I HOLD IT NEAR AND DEAR TO
MY HEART. >> CALLING FOR A TOTAL AND
COMPLETE SHUTDOWN OF MUSLIMS ENTERING THE UNITED STATES.
>> DURING THE PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN, AMERICAN-BORN MUSLIM
AMANDA SAAB, FELT THE RHETORIC TOWARDS MUSLIMS HAD BECOME
INCREASINGLY UNCOMFORTABLE. >> I DID CRY.
I WAS LIKE, OH, MY GOSH, I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS IS HAPPENING.
I WAS FEELING, LIKE, I NEEDED TO DO SOMETHING BECAUSE I WAS KIND
OF FEELING HELPLESS WHILE WATCHING THE NEWS.
AND ALL OF THE THINGS THAT WERE BEING SAID ABOUT MUSLIMS AND
AMERICAN-MUSLIMS, AND I WANTED TO CREATE MY OWN PLATFORM TO
SHARE MY EXPERIENCES. HELLO!
>> Reporter: SAAB AND HER HUSBAND, HUSSEIN, TOOK A BOLD
STEP AND OPENED UP THEIR HOME TO TOTAL STRANGERS THROUGH SOCIAL
MEDIA AND CREATED A MOVEMENT, DINNER WITH YOUR MUSLIM
NEIGHBOR. >> I LOVE COOKING.
LIKE, THERE'S NO BETTER WAY, I THINK, TO SHOW AND WELCOME
SOMEBODY INTO YOUR HOME THAN BY BREAKING BREAD AND SHARING A
MEAL. >> Reporter: THEIR GUESTS ARE
FROM DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS. >> REACHING OUT TO OUR BLACK
BROTHERS AND SISTERS TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE REPRESENTED, OUR
CHRISTIAN BROTHERS AND SISTERS, OUR JEWISH BROTHERS AND SISTERS,
SOMEONE FROM THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY, JUST SO WE HAVE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR THEIR EXPERIENCES.
AND WE CAN SHARE AND LEARN FROM ONE ANOTHER.
>> Reporter: THE MEAL STARTS WITH A PRAYER.
>> WE ALWAYS START WITH A PRAYER.
AND IT IS A TRADITIONAL MUSLIM PRAYER.
BUT I THINK IT ALSO HELPS NORMALIZE AMERICAN-MUSLIMS, MANY
PEOPLE IN THEIR FAITH TRADITIONS SAY A PRAYER BEFORE A MEAL.
SO I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO BE TRUE TO OUR CUSTOMS AND BELIEFS
AT THESE DINNERS. >> AMEN.
THANK YOU. >> ISLAM WOULDN'T BE WHERE IT
WAS TODAY IF IT WASN'T FOR A STRONG, SUCCESSFUL WOMAN.
MY FAITH PLAYS INTO MY DINNERS BECAUSE I'M SHOWING PEOPLE WHAT
AMERICAN-MUSLIMS ARE LIKE, WHAT ISLAM IS LIKE, TO BE HOSPITABLE
AND GENEROUS AND KIND TO OUR NEIGHBORS.
>> SO WHY DO MUSLIM WOMEN CHOOSE TO WEAR HIJAB?
>> I THINK A CONSISTENT QUESTION AT EVERY SINGLE DINNER HAS BEEN
ABOUT HIJAB AND WHAT IT MEANS FOR MUSLIM WOMEN WHO COVER.
IT EMPOWERS ME, IT REALLY DOES. IT HAS PEOPLE GET TO KNOW ME
BASED ON MY PERSONALITY, NOT ON MY LOOKS AND I LOVE IT.
IT'S MY FLAG FOR MY RELIGION AND IT'S BEAUTIFUL.
>> DO YOU THINK NOW IS LIKE A GOOD TIME FOR REFORM?
>> WHY DO YOU THINK THAT HAS OCCURRED?
>> I THINK WE'RE OKAY WITH BEING VULNERABLE AND PUT OURSELVES IN
A POSITION TO BE ASKED DIFFICULT QUESTIONS.
>> ISLAM IS NOT BELIEVING IN IMPOSING ANYTHING ON ANYONE.
>> HUSSEIN AND I ARE TWO AMERICAN-MUSLIMS, WE ARE NOT
PRACTICING SCHOLARS, WE ARE JUST PEOPLE WHO PRACTICE A DIFFERENT
FAITH. >> IT WAS GREAT.
>> I DON'T REGRET COMING AT ALL. I FEEL LIKE I NEED TO KEEP IN
TOUCH WITH THESE PEOPLE. >> I THINK PEOPLE AFTER THEY
LEAVE THE DINNER FEEL M MORE COMFORTABLE IN TALKING ABOUT
THINGS THAT ARE SOMETIMES TABOO. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING.
>> Reporter: SAAB AND HER HUSBAND HAVE HOSTED 12 DINNERS
SO FAR. >> WE HAVE GOTTEN INVITATIONS
BACK TO THEIR HOMES AND TO THEIR PLACES OF WORSHIP.
SO I THINK IT'S A LIFELONG FRIENDSHIP BECAUSE WE SHARED
SOMETHING SO SPECIAL. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> THIS IS FOR YOU. >> Reporter: BY BRINGING
NEIGHBORS OF DIFFERENT FAITHS TOGETHER, THE SAABS HOPE TO
SHARE MORE UNDERSTANDING OF EACH OTHER.
>> I THINK IT'S ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE TO KNOW THAT WE CAN
MAKE EVEN THE SMALLEST DIFFERENCE IN OUR OWN LITTLE
COMMUNITY. I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT
AMERICAN-MUSLIMS ARE JUST LIKE ALL OTHER AMERICANS.
WE'RE IN THIS TOGETHER. AND I THINK THE SUCCESS OF THIS
COUNTRY AND OUR WORLD IS IN OUR UNITY AND DIVERSITY AND
EMBRACING THAT. >> SO AS YOU CAN SEE, AMANDA AND
HUSSEIN, EVEN GIVE THEIR GUESTS DESSERTS AS THEY LEAVE.
THE DINNERS HAVE BEEN SUCH A SUCCESS, THEY ARE NOW WORKING ON
A "HOW-TO GUIDE" TO HELP OTHERS HOST DINNERS.
FOOD ALWAYS BRINGS US TOGETHER. >> IT'S A GREAT WAY TO ASK
QUESTIONS YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO ASK OTHERWISE.
>> VERY APPROACHABLE IN THAT SENTIMENT.
>> AND THEY HAVE BECOME FRIENDS! >> IF YOU'RE THERE AND CURIOUS
AND WANTING TO MAKE THAT CONNECTION, THAT SETS A NICE
TONE TO IT. AND LIKE YOU SAID, FOOD.
FOOD IS GOOD. >> FOOD, MUSIC, OCCASIONALLY A
LITTLE ALCOHOL. THERE ARE VERY FEW THINGS THAT
BRING US TOGETHER. >> LET ME GET THIS RIGHT, NOW
YOU'RE DOING FOOD BRINGING