What does a former Christian entertainer who worked alongside Grammy-winning producers, spent a decade in the music industry, and once considered music his entire identity have in common with nearly two billion Muslims across the globe? The answer, according to Imam Isa — a revert to Islam now serving communities as a travelling Imam — is the same restless search for purpose that drives every human soul. In this wide-ranging conversation on TheDeenShow, Imam Isa opens up about his three-step journey from Christianity to Islam, addresses the top five questions he gets asked as a former Christian who embraced the faith, tackles the hot-button topic of tattoos from an Islamic perspective, and breaks down what Donald Trump’s famous “knock on wood” moment reveals about the human need for the Divine.
From the Entertainment Industry to the Imam’s Pulpit: A Three-Step Journey to Islam
Born and raised Christian, Imam Isa spent his formative years playing bass guitar and working as a sound engineer at live concert venues — even collaborating with the engineer behind one of Jay-Z’s Grammy-winning records. But beneath the music, the performances, and the industry access, he describes his pre-Islam life as “a journey from one physical pleasure to the next, just trying to pass the time.” The turning point came through a three-tiered process that he says anyone genuinely seeking truth can follow: first, meeting a Muslim whose character was undeniable (in his case, his own older brother — a former missionary-in-training who had embraced Islam); second, accepting the challenge to read the Quran, which produced a reading experience unlike any book he had ever encountered; and third, researching the life of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ — whose ability to transform a society with limited means and whose legacy endures fourteen centuries later left him convinced of the truth of this message. On the question of tattoos, a growing trend Imam Isa witnessed first-hand in the entertainment world, he notes that Islam’s guidance is both firm and compassionate: permanent body modification is discouraged, but the tradition of henna offers a beautiful, flexible, and temporary alternative that satisfies the human desire for self-expression without making an irreversible commitment.
- Three steps to Islam: Meet a Muslim of good character → Read the Quran with an open heart → Study the life of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ
- Da’wah (inviting to Islam) is not about forcing change — it is about delivering the message with honesty and good character; God alone changes hearts
- Tattoos in Islam: Permanent tattoos are prohibited, but henna (temporary body art) is a permissible and celebrated Islamic alternative
- Islam and Jesus (Isa, peace be upon him): Muslims love and revere Jesus as a mighty Messenger of God — the name “Isa” in Arabic is the Islamic name for Jesus, and Muslims are among his staunchest defenders
- Culture vs. Islam: New Muslims often confuse cultural practices (clothing styles, customs) with Islamic obligations — learning to distinguish the two is part of the journey
“When I became Muslim it was the first time in my life that someone turned on the lights in a dark room — and that room had been dark for 25 years of my life. When the lights came on I didn’t know what I was looking at yet, but I could see, and I didn’t want the light to go off.” — Imam Isa
Superstitions, Surrender, and the Real Purpose of Life
One of the episode’s most thought-provoking moments comes courtesy of a clip of Donald Trump — then a presidential candidate — who, when asked about his health, instinctively said “knock on wood” without once attributing his wellbeing to God. Imam Isa uses this as a teachable moment about tawakkul — complete trust and reliance on Allah. He explains that superstitions like knocking on wood, lucky shirts, or throwing salt over one’s shoulder are symptoms of a deeper spiritual disconnect: when a person does not truly internalise that Allah alone controls all affairs, the human fitrah (innate nature) still searches for something to place trust in — even a piece of wood. The discussion deepens into one of the Quran’s most striking arguments: that even self-described atheists, when faced with genuine mortal danger at sea or in crisis, instinctively call out to the One True God. This, Imam Isa argues, is proof that monotheism is not learned — it is hardwired into the human soul. On the persistent misconception equating Islam with terrorism, he responds with clarity and calm: with nearly two billion Muslims on Earth, every large community will have individuals who go astray — but those bad apples do not define the tree. The solution, he insists, is simple: get to know a Muslim personally.
- “Knock on wood” and superstitions trace back to pagan traditions and reflect an absence of tawakkul — the Islamic principle of complete reliance on Allah
- The fitrah (innate human nature) inclines every soul toward the Creator — even those who claim no faith call on God instinctively in moments of genuine crisis
- Islam means submission and surrender to the will of the Creator — and it is precisely through that surrender that a believer finds lasting inner peace
- Jesus (peace be upon him) in the Bible (John 17:3) says: “This is salvation, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus whom You have sent” — a statement Imam Isa notes mirrors the Islamic Shahada in its essence
- Islam and terrorism: Nearly two billion Muslims worldwide — judging the faith by its worst actors is like judging any institution by its outliers; meet a Muslim and discover the reality
- Purpose of life: Family, career, and wealth are means, not the ultimate goal — the true purpose is to earn the pleasure of the Creator of the heavens and the earth
“To be a Muslim — to be someone who has surrendered and submitted to the will of God — is to be in harmony with everything around you and to be a benefit to everything around you.” — Imam Isa
At its heart, this conversation is an invitation — not to abandon one’s past, but to examine it honestly. Imam Isa’s story is a mirror held up to anyone who has sought meaning in music, entertainment, relationships, or even superstition, only to find those wells running dry. Islam does not ask a person to erase who they are; it asks them to discover who they were always meant to be. Whether you are a lifelong seeker, someone carrying misconceptions about this faith, or a Muslim looking to strengthen your own conviction and share it with others, the message of this episode is timeless: look beyond the noise, open the Quran, study the life of the final Prophet ﷺ, and ask sincerely — your Creator is closer to you than you think, and the light is already waiting to be switched on.
