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Ahmad Hamade lost his brother Muhammad to suicide. In a community where this is taboo, where a death gets a post and then silence, he refused to stay quiet. In this episode, Ahmad sits down to talk about who Muhammad really was, what actually happened, and why we keep losing our men without seeing it coming. He opens up about the guilt of not knowing, the version of himself that died with his brother, and what he believes really happened in Muhammad's final moment. We get into the bag of bricks men are taught to carry in silence, the 8-minute rule that can pull someone back from the edge, the red flags most of us miss, and a direct message to the wives, mothers, and sisters who hold these men together. If you've ever loved a man who won't open up, or you are that man, watch this one all the way through. Connect with Ahmad: https://www.instagram.com/gunnysgarage1/ Connect with Jaafar: https://www.instagram.com/podnotfromhere/ https://twitter.com/JaafarrIssa https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaafar-issa-8046a419b/v Sponsors: 🏠Venture Title Agency: https://vtclosings.com/ 🛏️ Detroit Furniture: https://detfurniture.com/ 💆🏻‍♂️💆🏻‍♀️ Thrive Physical Therapy and Massage: https://thrive1.simplybook.me/v2/#book +1 (313) 429-9079 ☕️ Detroit Perk Coffee: https://detroitperk.com/ Download the app: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/detroit... ⚖️ Hall Makled: https://www.hallmakled.com/ +1 (313) 788-8888 00:00 – Intro 01:30 – Who Ahmad Sees in the Mirror, and Who Muhammad Saw 04:20 – The Bag of Bricks: What Men Are Actually Supposed to Carry 10:39 – Who Muhammad Was and What Happened to Him 15:02 – Ad Break 17:05 – Losing a Brother and the Version of Me That Died With Him 20:52 – Why I Refused to Stay Silent About This 23:33 – The 8-Minute Rule and How to Actually Show Up for Someone 38:47 – The Best People at Hiding It Are the Ones We Lose 43:32 – Ad Break 44:48 – Ask the Question Three Times 51:34 – A Message to the Wives, Mothers, and Sisters 53:34 – The Last Conversation I Wish I Had 56:08 – How Muhammad Wants to Be Remembered 1:02:33 – Was It a Mistake? What Ahmad Really Believes Happened

Najah Bazzy has spent 40+ years inside American hospitals, Iraqi refugee homes, and the living rooms of families most people never see. She's the founder of Zaman International, a CNN Hero, a nurse, a mother of four, and one of the most requested guests we've ever had on Not From Here. This conversation covers the questions she asks young people before they get married, why she thinks 60% of marriages are failing, what she found in the basement of a Dearborn hospital in 2002, and the 12-page document she wrote for her own funeral. We get into: * The moment under the Golden Gutter at the Kaaba that changed how she prays * Growing up in a "Sushi" household (Sunni father, Sunni mother) in 1960s Dearborn * The 1967 Detroit race riots through the eyes of a 7-year-old * How her family arrived in America 135+ years ago * The green disposition form that led to hundreds of Muslim babies being cremated * Her actual checklist of questions to ask before you marry someone * Why she thinks kitchens, privacy, and grandparents are the missing pieces * Point of entrance to point of exit: the leadership model she teaches young people * What she wants her kids to carry when she's gone Sponsors: 🏠Venture Title Agency: https://vtclosings.com/ 🛏️ Detroit Furniture: https://detfurniture.com/ 💆🏻‍♂️💆🏻‍♀️ Thrive Physical Therapy and Massage: https://thrive1.simplybook.me/v2/#book +1 (313) 429-9079 ☕️ Detroit Perk Coffee: https://detroitperk.com/ Download the app: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/detroit... ⚖️ Hall Makled: https://www.hallmakled.com/ +1 (313) 788-8888 Connect with Hajje Najah: https://www.instagram.com/zamaninternational/ Connect with Jaafar: https://www.instagram.com/podnotfromhere/ https://twitter.com/JaafarrIssa https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaafar-issa-8046a419b/v 0:00 Trailer & Intro 1:36 How Najah sees herself: servant first 4:30 The moment everything started 9:30 Growing up in a "Sushi" household (Sunni-Shia) 14:03 135 years in America: her family's arrival story 28:30 Nursing school, her mother, and pulling all-nighters 37:30 The Iraqi refugee family and the baby on the ventilator 47:32 The green disposition form and cremated babies 1:04:30 "Servant" vs. being created to serve 1:21:32 Why the kitchen matters and privacy in an age of social media 1:24:30 What's broken: divorce, discipline, and raising kids 1:31:30 Why she studied world religions 1:41:31 Zaman's cookie program and who it's really for 2:09:30 Lower brain vs. higher brain at the end of life 2:14:01 Point of entrance to point of exit

You think your donation doesn't make a difference. You're wrong. In this episode, I sat down with Haj Emo to break down what's really happening on the ground in Lebanon right now, and more importantly, what your money actually does when it gets there. We're talking a million people displaced, medicine completely cut off, families sleeping in cars, rent going from $600 to $2,000 overnight, and organizations that won't help people because they're from the wrong village. Emo runs Amity, a nonprofit that delivered over 54,000 hot meals, 12,000 medical services, 35,000 articles of clothing, and 4,800 mattresses and blankets, in three weeks. He brought the receipts. He showed me what $10 does, what $100 does, and why the people who think their contribution is too small are the ones who need to give the most. Sponsors: 🏠Venture Title Agency: Close on your house with the best title agency! https://vtclosings.com/ 💆🏻‍♂️💆🏻‍♀️ Thrive Physical Therapy and Massage: Book your next session NOW! https://thrive1.simplybook.me/v2/#book +1 (313) 429-9079 ☕️ Detroit Perk Coffee: Try The Best Coffee In Town https://detroitperk.com/ Download the app: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/detroit... ⚖️ Hall Makled: When You Can’t Afford to Lose, Make the Right Call https://www.hallmakled.com/ +1 (313) 788-8888 Connect with Amad:
https://www.instagram.com/elzayatemo/ Donate through Amity: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/2649dc79-3c26-4fca-8941-21bd49584853 Connect with Jaafar: https://www.instagram.com/podnotfromhere/ https://twitter.com/JaafarrIssa https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaafar-issa-8046a419b/v 0:00 Intro 1:51 How Bad Is It on the Ground in Lebanon? 4:47 The Medicine Crisis 7:31 Shelter, Price Gouging & Displacement 8:55 Ad Break 9:53 Sectarianism Is Killing the Relief Effort 13:50 The Stadium They Turned Into Housing 16:50 Donor Fatigue & Trusting Where Your Money Goes 19:30 What Your $10, $100, and $1,000 Actually Does 23:00 It's a Marathon Not a Sprint 26:06 Ad Break 27:10 The Emotional Toll on the Diaspora 30:30 Looting, Tribalism & Moral Collapse in Wartime 35:00 Keep Giving

This episode was highly requested since the beginning of the war. What are we supposed to do here, living in the West, while our families and communities back home are living through a nightmare every single day? In this solo episode, I break down the psychology behind what you're feeling and why these are normal, documented responses to what we're going through. Then I explore what the research says about why some people break under this kind of pressure and others grow through it. And finally, what we can actually do about it. This podcast is a self-development tool. For me and for you. I learn from prepping these episodes and they make me a better person. I hope this one brings you value. If this resonated, leave a comment and let me know what solo episode topics you want next. Sponsors: 💆🏻‍♂️💆🏻‍♀️ Thrive Physical Therapy and Massage: Book your next session NOW! https://thrive1.simplybook.me/v2/#book +1 (313) 429-9079 ☕️ Detroit Perk Coffee: Try The Best Coffee In Town https://detroitperk.com/ Download the app: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/detroit... ⚖️ Hall Makled: When You Can’t Afford to Lose, Make the Right Call https://www.hallmakled.com/ +1 (313) 788-8888 Connect with Jaafar: https://www.instagram.com/podnotfromhere/ https://twitter.com/JaafarrIssa https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaafar-issa-8046a419b/v 00:00 — Intro 01:40 — How personal is this war to us? 03:05 — Learned Helplessness 06:28 — Compassion Fatigue 08:33 — Ad Break 09:54 — Why numbness doesn't mean you stopped caring 12:23 — Survivor's Guilt 15:04 — Why some people break and others grow 17:37 — Faith is not mysticism 18:46 — Post-Traumatic Growth 19:48 — Locus of Control 22:14 — So what can we actually do? 25:16 — Ad Break 25:49 — Moral Elevation: Your goodness is contagious 27:12 — Tawakkul 29:19 — Performative vs. meaningful action 31:53 — Why your donation matters more than you think 34:52 — Final message

We've been lied to about the Mediterranean diet. In this episode, licensed dietitian Zeinab Soueidan breaks down the biggest misconceptions around food, weight loss, and health. From detox myths and carb fear to the truth about Ozempic, emotional eating, and why the scale isn't the full picture. If you've ever struggled with dieting, cravings, or figuring out what actually works long term, this one's for you. Sponsors: 💆🏻‍♂️💆🏻‍♀️ Thrive Physical Therapy and Massage: Book your next session NOW! https://thrive1.simplybook.me/v2/#book +1 (313) 429-9079 ☕️ Detroit Perk Coffee: Try The Best Coffee In Town https://detroitperk.com/ Download the app: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/detroit... ⚖️ Hall Makled: When You Can’t Afford to Lose, Make the Right Call https://www.hallmakled.com/ +1 (313) 788-8888 Connect with Zeinab:
https://www.instagram.com/haydahealthy/ Connect with Jaafar: https://www.instagram.com/podnotfromhere/ https://twitter.com/JaafarrIssa https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaafar-issa-8046a419b/v 00:00 Intro 01:28 Who is Zeinab 03:05 Losing Home: Zeinab's Story from Gaza 06:00 "Clean" vs "Dirty" Food: The Toxic Labels 10:59 Ad Break 11:46 The Detox Myth & Dangerous Food Trends 17:22 Restrictive Diets & Why You Regain the Weight 21:34 The Mediterranean Diet Myth 28:42 Cutting Sugar: What Actually Happened 34:21 Building a System That Works 41:41 Move More Before You Eat Less 46:27 Why "Cheat Meals" Need a New Name 48:00 Ad Break 48:38 Weekend Indulging: Are You Ruining Your Progress? 54:20 PCOS, Insulin Resistance & Women's Health 58:50 Sleep, Stress & Why You Crave Junk 01:03:49 Ramadan, Delayed Gratification & Self-Control 01:09:34 The Truth About Ozempic 01:13:05 Beyond the Scale: What Actually Matters

We spend so much energy asking how people become capable of evil. The answer isn't as far from us as we think. Jeffrey Epstein didn't operate alone. He operated inside a network of powerful, wealthy, influential people who knew, looked away, and protected him. Netanyahu has millions of people who have walked every step of that road alongside him, justifying, rationalizing, cheering. These aren't monsters from another world. These are people who walked a road. Step by step. And they had company the entire way. In this episode I'm breaking down the psychology behind what's happening in the Muslim world right now, the sectarian divide, the dehumanization, the tribalism tearing the Ummah apart at the moment we need each other most. Sponsors: 💆🏻‍♂️💆🏻‍♀️ Thrive Physical Therapy and Massage: Book your next session NOW! https://thrive1.simplybook.me/v2/#book +1 (313) 429-9079 ☕️ Detroit Perk Coffee: Try The Best Coffee In Town https://detroitperk.com/ Download the app: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/detroit... ⚖️ Hall Makled: When You Can’t Afford to Lose, Make the Right Call https://www.hallmakled.com/ +1 (313) 788-8888 Connect with Jaafar: https://www.instagram.com/podnotfromhere/ https://twitter.com/JaafarrIssa https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaafar-issa-8046a419b/v

In this episode, I sit down with sleep doctor Dr. Miriam Jaziri for a real conversation about what sleep is actually doing for your brain, and why so many of us feel tired, foggy, and overstimulated even when we think we’re “getting enough.” We break down how learning and memory are shaped during sleep, what deep sleep vs REM vs light sleep really means, and how to interpret your wearable data without letting a “sleep score” control your life. We also get into the stuff nobody wants to admit: insomnia, waking up throughout the night, caffeine timing, late-night food, doomscrolling, and how the news cycle keeps your nervous system on high alert. We also discuss how to protect your rest during Ramadan, when your schedule shifts, your nights get longer, and your energy can crash if you don’t adapt intentionally. If you’ve been running on empty, this episode will help you understand your sleep, protect your focus, and build a routine that actually works. Sponsors: 💆🏻‍♂️💆🏻‍♀️ Thrive Physical Therapy and Massage: Book your next session NOW! https://thrive1.simplybook.me/v2/#book +1 (313) 429-9079 ☕️ Detroit Perk Coffee: Try The Best Coffee In Town https://detroitperk.com/ Download the app: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/detroit... 🚗 Nasser Insurance Agency: Get a Quote on your Home, Auto, Business, & Life Insurance https://www.nasserinsuranceagency.com/ +1 (313) 899 - 7888 🏦 West Capital Lending: START BUILDING YOUR HOME’S EQUITY WITH WEST CAPITAL LENDING: https://heloc.westcapitallending.com/account/heloc/register?referrer=a5aab5a8-6bbf-4c7c-9b2b-3abef973d673 +1 (313) 367-4400 ⚖️ Hall Makled: When You Can’t Afford to Lose, Make the Right Call https://www.hallmakled.com/ +1 (313) 788-8888 Connect with Jaafar: https://www.instagram.com/podnotfromhere/ https://twitter.com/JaafarrIssa https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaafar-issa-8046a419b/v 00:00 Intro 01:42 Who is Dr. Miriam 06:04 Learning happens during sleep 07:48 Sleep through culture’s lens 12:07 How accurate are your wearables? 19:01 Ads 20:04 Deep Sleep, REM Sleep, Light Sleep 21:28 How long should your naps be 22:31 Caffeine 26:48 Insomnia (When you can’t fall asleep) 33:07 Night Owl vs Early Bird 37:21 Society isn’t optimized for sleep 38:51 Waking up a lot during the night 42:12 Food and your sleep quality 50:51 Ads 51:59 Doomscrolling before sleep 54:28 Watching the news 57:56 How your bedroom should be 1:03:49 Ramadan and Sleep 1:21:40 Closing thoughts

This episode is a straight conversation about what breaks homes from the inside: family dynamics, cultural expectations, and people crossing boundaries like it’s normal. Fatimah and I talk about the gap between parents and kids today, how mothers can unintentionally shape their sons in a way that harms his future marriage, and why in-laws end up controlling the household. We also get into broken marriages, the double standard between boys and girls, and what it takes to raise kids who can handle the real world without losing themselves. In this day and age there is a new way to parent kids and we have no idea what that is. Sponsors: 💆🏻‍♂️💆🏻‍♀️ Thrive Physical Therapy and Massage: Book your next session NOW! https://thrive1.simplybook.me/v2/#book +1 (313) 429-9079 ☕️ Detroit Perk Coffee: Try The Best Coffee In Town https://detroitperk.com/ Download the app: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/detroit... 🚗 Nasser Insurance Agency: Get a Quote on your Home, Auto, Business, & Life Insurance https://www.nasserinsuranceagency.com/ +1 (313) 899 - 7888 🏦 West Capital Lending: START BUILDING YOUR HOME’S EQUITY WITH WEST CAPITAL LENDING: https://heloc.westcapitallending.com/account/heloc/register?referrer=a5aab5a8-6bbf-4c7c-9b2b-3abef973d673 +1 (313) 367-4400 ⚖️ Hall Makled: When You Can’t Afford to Lose, Make the Right Call https://www.hallmakled.com/ +1 (313) 788-8888 Connect with Fatimah: https://www.instagram.com/fatimahybazzi/ https://www.youtube.com/@Fatimah-Bazzi Connect with Jaafar: https://www.instagram.com/podnotfromhere/ https://twitter.com/JaafarrIssa https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaafar-issa-8046a419b/v 00:00 Intro 02:08 Fatimah’s re-introduction 04:08 Living in a different generation 07:00 The gap between mothers and their kids 10:34 Ads 11:52 Mom channeling love from husband to son + Outlook on his wife 17:44 Psychological breakdown of the mothers 24:40 The Letter Test 31:44 Broken marriages 37:44 In-laws disrupting the household + challenging culture 48:04 How broken women treat their children 58:18 Double Standard between boys and girls 1:01:50 Ads 1:02:53 Men unrealistic in their pursuit for marriage 1:05:10 Training daughters for the real world 1:14:43 Reacting to parenting videos 1:28:10 How do we reclaim our kids

Every time a Muslim enters politics, the question isn’t “What will they do?”, it’s “When will they sell out?” In this conversation, Abbas Alawieh and I dig into the distrust many Arabs and Muslims feel toward politicians, even when they’re “one of us.” We talk about how money actually functions in American politics, whether the system forces compromise, and why suspicion toward Muslims in authority didn’t come out of nowhere. We break down the real tension:
Can you change the law from the inside?
Should you always agree with “your” politician?
And what happens when foreign policy, party pressure, and community expectations collide? Sponsors: 💆🏻‍♂️💆🏻‍♀️ Thrive Physical Therapy and Massage: Book your next session NOW! https://thrive1.simplybook.me/v2/#book +1 (313) 429-9079 ☕️ Detroit Perk Coffee: Try The Best Coffee In Town https://detroitperk.com/ Download the app: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/detroit... 🚗 Nasser Insurance Agency: Get a Quote on your Home, Auto, Business, & Life Insurance https://www.nasserinsuranceagency.com/ +1 (313) 899 - 7888 🏦 West Capital Lending: START BUILDING YOUR HOME’S EQUITY WITH WEST CAPITAL LENDING: https://heloc.westcapitallending.com/account/heloc/register?referrer=a5aab5a8-6bbf-4c7c-9b2b-3abef973d673 +1 (313) 367-4400 ⚖️ Hall Makled: When You Can’t Afford to Lose, Make the Right Call https://www.hallmakled.com/ +1 (313) 788-8888 Connect with Abbas: https://www.instagram.com/abbasformi/ Connect with Jaafar: https://www.instagram.com/podnotfromhere/ https://twitter.com/JaafarrIssa https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaafar-issa-8046a419b/v 00:00 Intro 01:30 Who is Abbas? 06:17 Relationship with grandmother 13:57 Ads 15:42 How money functions in our politics 22:30 Arabs/Muslims that go into politics 39:58 Should you always agree with the politician? 50:42 Ads 51:55 Can you change the law? 57:51 Mayor Amer Ghaleb example 1:04:21 The Uncommitted campaign + Making real change 1:19:18 Pressure from both sides of the aisle 1:24:53 Abbas calling his grandmother after the win

Who are the biggest losers in this world? The answer isn’t who you think and that’s the problem. In this episode of Not From Here, I sit down with Dr. Ali Abbas for a deep and uncomfortable conversation about the illusion of knowledge, false certainty, and why having more information hasn’t brought us more clarity. We unpack how information overload, conflicting experts, groupthink, and misplaced confidence have reshaped the modern mind. We talk about misguided effort, success without direction, and how people can believe they’re doing good while moving in the wrong direction socially, psychologically, and spiritually. This episode is about questioning certainty, resisting the downward pull of the group, and reclaiming responsibility in an age that rewards confidence more than truth. This conversation will challenge how you think, and how quickly you decide you’re right. من هم الأخسرون أعمالًا في هذه الدنيا؟ الجواب ليس كما تظن… وهنا تكمن المشكلة نغوص في حوار عميق وغير مريح مع د. علي عباس، مقدّم برنامج «ضوء»، حول وهم المعرفة، اليقين الزائف، ولماذا لم تؤدِّ كثرة المعلومات إلى مزيد من الوضوح نتحدث عن فيض المعلومات، تضارب الآراء، التفكير الجماعي، وكيف أعادت الثقة الزائدة تشكيل العقل المعاصر. نناقش الجهد بلا اتجاه، والنجاح الظاهري، وكيف يمكن للإنسان أن يظنّ أنه يفعل الخير بينما يسير في المسار الخطأ — اجتماعيًا، نفسيًا، وروحيًا. هذه الحلقة لا تقدّم إجابات جاهزة. بل تدعو إلى مساءلة اليقين، مقاومة الانجراف مع الجماعة، واستعادة المسؤولية في زمن يكافئ الثقة أكثر مما يكافئ الحقيقة. حلقة ستتحدّى طريقة تفكيرك… وسرعة حكمك. Sponsors: 💆🏻‍♂️💆🏻‍♀️ Thrive Physical Therapy and Massage: Book your next session NOW! https://thrive1.simplybook.me/v2/#book +1 (313) 429-9079 ☕️ Detroit Perk Coffee: Try The Best Coffee In Town https://detroitperk.com/ Download the app: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/detroit... 🚗 Nasser Insurance Agency: Get a Quote on your Home, Auto, Business, & Life Insurance https://www.nasserinsuranceagency.com/ +1 (313) 899 - 7888 🏦 West Capital Lending: START BUILDING YOUR HOME’S EQUITY WITH WEST CAPITAL LENDING: https://heloc.westcapitallending.com/account/heloc/register?referrer=a5aab5a8-6bbf-4c7c-9b2b-3abef973d673 +1 (313) 367-4400 ⚖️ Hall Makled: When You Can’t Afford to Lose, Make the Right Call https://www.hallmakled.com/ +1 (313) 788-8888 Connect with Dr. Ali: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/ali.abbas.lb/⁠ ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/ali-abbas-4a5367100/⁠ ⁠https://www.facebook.com/ali.majid.abbas⁠ Connect with Jaafar: https://www.instagram.com/podnotfromhere/ https://twitter.com/JaafarrIssa ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaafar-issa-8046a419b/v⁠ 00:00 – Intro 02:34 – Information Everywhere, Clarity Nowhere 07:40 – Being Busy Without Being Aligned 15:10 – Information Overload and the Loss of Focus 23:00 – The Illusion of Knowledge 25:41 – Ads 27:15 – Confidence Without Understanding 34:25 – AI, Answers Without Wisdom 41:35 – Misguided Effort and False Success 46:46 – Qur’an 18:103–104: When Effort Goes the Wrong Way 54:36 – Reading Religion Without Context 1:02:46 – When Misunderstood Knowledge Becomes Dangerous 1:12:19 – Changing the Inner State Without Denying Reality 1:16:54 – Ads 1:18:12 – Meaning, Du‘a, and Recognizing Open Doors 1:27:02 – Groupthink and the Psychology of the Herd 1:32:32 – Loyalty to the Group vs Loyalty to Truth 1:40:22 – Awareness, Responsibility, and the Cost of Certainty 1:47:52 – Closing Reflections: Confidence vs Clarity

In this episode of Not From Here, I sit down with Rashida Tlaib for a wide-ranging conversation about family, pressure, and power. We talk about growing up as the eldest of 14 in a working-class immigrant household, the responsibility that comes with being “meant for more,” and the exhaustion that builds when public life never really shuts off. Rashida walks through what people rarely see inside Congress, the intimidation that comes with challenging powerful interests, and how the last election shifted the relationship between the Democratic Party and Arab and Muslim communities. We also get into the personal toll, on family, faith, and identity, and where she believes the country is heading next. Sponsors: 💆🏻‍♂️💆🏻‍♀️ Thrive Physical Therapy and Massage: Book your next session NOW! https://thrive1.simplybook.me/v2/#book +1 (313) 429-9079 ☕️ Detroit Perk Coffee: Try The Best Coffee In Town https://detroitperk.com/ Download the app: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/detroit... 🚗 Nasser Insurance Agency: Get a Quote on your Home, Auto, Business, & Life Insurance https://www.nasserinsuranceagency.com/ +1 (313) 899 - 7888 🏦 West Capital Lending: START BUILDING YOUR HOME’S EQUITY WITH WEST CAPITAL LENDING: https://heloc.westcapitallending.com/account/heloc/register?referrer=a5aab5a8-6bbf-4c7c-9b2b-3abef973d673 +1 (313) 367-4400 ⚖️ Hall Makled: When You Can’t Afford to Lose, Make the Right Call https://www.hallmakled.com/ +1 (313) 788-8888 Connect with Rashida: https://www.instagram.com/rashidatlaib/ Connect with Jaafar: https://www.instagram.com/jaafarrissa/ https://twitter.com/JaafarrIssa https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaafar-issa-8046a419b/v 00:00 Intro 02:21 Who is Rashida 04:44 The “Crazy Lunatic” 12:37 Family dynamic in a house of 14 siblings 14:12 Ads 16:12 Being meant for more 20:39 Handling exhaustion + pain 28:44 Family back home celebrating 32:52 Intimidation from Congress 36:56 What people don’t know about Congress 40:24 Trump winning Dearborn 44:50 Ads 46:12 Losing faith in the Democratic Party 53:13 The NY Times headline 57:23 The hidden toll of Rashida’s career 1:15:32 The future of America

Hsen Farhat stayed in his Lebanese village during 66 days of war—not because he had to, but because the animals needed him. While bombs fell and neighbors fled, Hussein fed abandoned goats, rescued cats from rubble, and played Minecraft at night with his cousin. In the silence of an empty village, facing death daily, he discovered something unexpected: the most peaceful period of his life. This isn't a typical war story. The things that you’ll hear, you’ve probably never heard before from anyone who stayed in a war zone. Hussein talks about: * Why he stayed when everyone else left * Taking care of 80+ cats during airstrikes * The strange peace that came with accepting death * How loss taught him to love more, not less * Climbing Everest one year after the war * Breaking out of comfort zones to unlock your potential A conversation about war, animals, adventure, discipline, and what it truly means to love life. Sponsors: 💆🏻‍♂️💆🏻‍♀️ Thrive Physical Therapy and Massage: Book your next session NOW! https://thrive1.simplybook.me/v2/#book +1 (313) 429-9079 ☕️ Detroit Perk Coffee: Try The Best Coffee In Town https://detroitperk.com/ Download the app: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/detroit... 🚗 Nasser Insurance Agency: Get a Quote on your Home, Auto, Business, & Life Insurance https://www.nasserinsuranceagency.com/ +1 (313) 899 - 7888 🏦 West Capital Lending: START BUILDING YOUR HOME’S EQUITY WITH WEST CAPITAL LENDING: https://heloc.westcapitallending.com/account/heloc/register?referrer=a5aab5a8-6bbf-4c7c-9b2b-3abef973d673 +1 (313) 367-4400 ⚖️ Hall Makled: When You Can’t Afford to Lose, Make the Right Call https://www.hallmakled.com/ +1 (313) 788-8888 Connect with Hsen: https://www.instagram.com/_hsenfarhat_/ Connect with Jaafar: https://www.instagram.com/jaafarrissa/ https://twitter.com/JaafarrIssa https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaafar-issa-8046a419b/ 0:00 Intro 2:24 Who is Hussein Farhat? 8:35 Let's Talk About the War 11:36 Heading Back to the Village 17:42 Why Did You Stay? 21:27 Taking Care of the Animals 25:36 Deciding to Stay Together or Die Together 31:06 The Most Peaceful Period of His Life 36:24 Loss and Death During the War 42:43 How the War Changed Him 47:29 Things That Weren't Shown in the Media 53:30 Life After the War 56:36 The Day the War Ended 1:03:09 Love After Loss 1:06:09 The Everest Adventure 1:13:56 What Do You Want People to Learn? 1:16:24 Breaking Out of Comfort Zones 1:20:35 The Broken Lebanese Mentality

Courtney Bonneau, one of the only foreign journalists who chose to live and work in South Lebanon for the past few years, documenting life inside war, grief, and political collapse. We talk about why she chose this path, what it costs to live inside other people’s trauma, and how photojournalism changes when you’re no longer just observing history, but living inside it. We unpack the American worldview on global politics, how media narratives distort reality, and why even well-intentioned Americans often misunderstand the Middle East. Courtney reflects on what it means to witness the real-world consequences of power, ideology, and political language up close. We also talk about grief, death, borders, fear, faith, and what happens when curiosity turns into responsibility. The world of mainstream media does not want you to listen to this conversation. Sponsors: 💆🏻‍♂️💆🏻‍♀️ Thrive Physical Therapy and Massage: Book your next session NOW! https://thrive1.simplybook.me/v2/#book +1 (313) 429-9079 ☕️ Detroit Perk Coffee: Try The Best Coffee In Town https://detroitperk.com/ Download the app: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/detroit... 🚗 Nasser Insurance Agency: Get a Quote on your Home, Auto, Business, & Life Insurance https://www.nasserinsuranceagency.com/ +1 (313) 899 - 7888 🏦 West Capital Lending: START BUILDING YOUR HOME’S EQUITY WITH WEST CAPITAL LENDING: https://heloc.westcapitallending.com/account/heloc/register?referrer=a5aab5a8-6bbf-4c7c-9b2b-3abef973d673 +1 (313) 367-4400 ⚖️ Hall Makled: When You Can’t Afford to Lose, Make the Right Call https://www.hallmakled.com/ +1 (313) 788-8888 Connect with Courtney: https://x.com/cbonneauimages https://www.instagram.com/courtneybonneauphotography/ Connect with Jaafar: https://www.instagram.com/jaafarrissa/ https://twitter.com/JaafarrIssa https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaafar-issa-8046a419b/ 00:00 Intro 02:37 Who is Courtney + How did she end up in Lebanon 05:48 Courtney’s “Why” 11:10 Ads 12:36 Photojournalism 15:13 The Consequences 17:45 Zionist Culture 21:45 Shifting American Narrative on Middle Eastern Politics 28:25 Atheism 32:35 Fear at the border 37:46 Grief & Death 41:10 Ads 43:14 “What’s next?” 48:20 The fruits of your labor 51:15 How the Lebanese Community Plays into Israel’s Hand

There are Muslim kids in foster care right now growing up without their faith, their culture, or any real sense of belonging and most people have no idea it’s happening. In this episode of Not From Here, I sit down with Ranya Shbeib, co-founder of the Muslim Foster Care Association, to talk about what actually happens when Muslim children enter a system that doesn't understand them. We talk about identity being slowly stripped away. About kids learning to adapt by staying quiet. About faith becoming something they stop practicing because no one around them knows how to hold it. Ranya isn’t speaking in theory. She’s a foster parent. She works inside the system. She’s seen what gets ignored, minimized, and normalized. This conversation isn’t meant to scare you. It’s meant to wake you up. Because these kids don’t get a second childhood. Sponsors: 💆🏻‍♂️💆🏻‍♀️ Thrive Physical Therapy and Massage: Book your next session NOW! https://thrive1.simplybook.me/v2/#book +1 (313) 429-9079 ☕️ Detroit Perk Coffee: Try The Best Coffee In Town https://detroitperk.com/ Download the app: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/detroit... 🚗 Nasser Insurance Agency: Get a Quote on your Home, Auto, Business, & Life Insurance https://www.nasserinsuranceagency.com/ +1 (313) 899 - 7888 🏦 Mortgage Connections: START BUILDING YOUR HOME’S EQUITY WITH MORTGAGE CONNECTIONS: https://heloc.westcapitallending.com/account/heloc/register?referrer=a5aab5a8-6bbf-4c7c-9b2b-3abef973d673 https://themortgageconnect.com/ +1 (313) 367-4400 ⚖️ Hall Makled: When You Can’t Afford to Lose, Make the Right Call https://www.hallmakled.com/ +1 (313) 788-8888 Connect with Ranya: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/ranya-shbeib-835744139/⁠ Connect with Jaafar: https://www.instagram.com/jaafarrissa/ https://twitter.com/JaafarrIssa https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaafar-issa-8046a419b/ Follow the pod: https://www.instagram.com/podnotfromhere/ Join the family & Subscribe! 00:00 Intro 2:50 The forgotten kids 8:12 What muslim kids in foster care go through 11:46 Ads 13:35 The most difficult kids to place | Foster care vs adoption 18:16 The trauma of these children 21:22 How Ranya entered this world 27:52 A foster child’s first day + balancing your own kids 38:46 Getting the license + Working with Muslim kids in foster care 42:33 Ads 44:06 What Muslim kids need 48:51 Mental health issue 40:16 The most difficult part for Ranya 55:30 The misconceptions about foster care 1:02:04 How the landscape of Muslim kids in foster care has changed

Giving back is something most people believe in. Fewer people build their lives around it. In this episode of Not From Here, I sit down with Hussein Darwish for a conversation about purpose, responsibility, and how service shows up in everyday life. We talk about how pain can shape direction, how skills carry weight, and how helping others becomes part of the way you move through the world. We get into a medical mission to Lebanon, how it came together, the challenges on the ground, and the people whose lives were affected by it. That experience opens a wider conversation about dignity, access, and the quiet impact of showing up for others. This episode is for anyone ending the year thinking about meaning, direction, and contribution. It’s about using what you have, where you are, to make someone else’s life a little lighter. As 2026 approaches, this conversation is a reminder to put giving back on your calendar, in your goals, and in the way you plan your life. Service doesn’t happen by accident. It becomes real when you treat it with the same seriousness as your career, your finances, and your personal growth. Go into the new year asking a simple question: who benefits from the way I live? Sponsors: 💆🏻‍♂️💆🏻‍♀️ Thrive Physical Therapy and Massage: Book your next session NOW! https://thrive1.simplybook.me/v2/#book +1 (313) 429-9079 ☕️ Detroit Perk Coffee: Try The Best Coffee In Town https://detroitperk.com/ Download the app: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/detroit... 🚗 Nasser Insurance Agency: Get a Quote on your Home, Auto, Business, & Life Insurance https://www.nasserinsuranceagency.com/ +1 (313) 899 - 7888 🏦 Mortgage Connections: START BUILDING YOUR HOME’S EQUITY WITH MORTGAGE CONNECTIONS: https://heloc.westcapitallending.com/account/heloc/register?referrer=a5aab5a8-6bbf-4c7c-9b2b-3abef973d673 https://themortgageconnect.com/ +1 (313) 367-4400 ⚖️ Hall Makled: When You Can’t Afford to Lose, Make the Right Call https://www.hallmakled.com/ +1 (313) 788-8888 Connect with Jaafar: https://www.instagram.com/jaafarrissa/ https://twitter.com/JaafarrIssa https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaafar-issa-8046a419b/ Follow the pod: https://www.instagram.com/podnotfromhere/ Join the family & Subscribe! Get 30 Days FREE with your Whoop: https://join.whoop.com/notfromhere 00:00 Intro 02:55 Who is Hussein? 05:15 Finding purpose through pain 22:54 Ads 24:40 The Medical Mission to Lebanon: Why? 34:54 How the mission came to life 44:14 The obstacles during the medical mission 58:11 The stories behind the patients on the mission 1:10:17 Ads 1:11:39 The power of giving back 1:26:12 Streamlining medical missions