Hakeem Archuleta’s journey from surfing the waves of 1950s California to embracing Islam and practicing prophetic medicine is a powerful testament to what happens when a sincere heart asks the Creator for guidance. His story proves that when you earnestly seek the truth, Allah delivers it to you, sometimes in as little as 20 minutes.
From Surfing to Seeking the Creator
As a musician and surfer, Hakeem would sing his prayers spontaneously, asking God for something more without knowing exactly what he was looking for. After about five days of this sincere supplication, he met a Muslim in Berkeley who simply explained the Five Pillars of Islam. The dawah took just 20 to 30 minutes because Hakeem had been searching for exactly this: a direct connection to the Creator with no intermediary, a complete way of life that fulfilled the longing every soul carries within.
“When someone simply explained to me what Islam was, the Five Pillars and so forth, it was pretty clear to me that is what I had been praying for.” — Hakeem Archuleta on discovering Islam
Feeding People as Dawah
- Hakeem’s teacher in Morocco advised: do not argue for Islam, just feed people and welcome them as guests
- After 9/11, he began hosting meals for 25 to 35 people, including non-Muslims, simply to build human connection
- His children would invite their non-Muslim friends to these gatherings, creating natural opportunities for dawah through hospitality
- This approach mirrors the Prophetic tradition of winning hearts through generosity and kindness rather than argument
Healing and Never Giving Up
“There is no known cancer that someone has not had victory over. All the difficulties we have are gifts for us when we can recognize them, understand them, and transmute them from obstacles into resources for wisdom and compassion.” — Hakeem Archuleta
Whether you are battling physical illness, emotional struggles, or spiritual emptiness, the message is the same: do not give up. By Allah’s design, every hardship contains the seed of growth and healing. Serve others, seek knowledge, maintain your connection with the Creator, and trust that the One who placed the longing in your heart also placed the answer within His creation. If you are searching, ask your Creator sincerely, and He will guide you just as He guided a California surfer to the beauty of Islam.
