02x02 - Can You Hear Me Now?

[bunniefuu]

[UTENSILS SCRAPING]

I was actually thinking maybe
we could say a prayer together

before we eat.

Are you trying to say grace?

I see them do it on
Country Music Channel.

No, i-it's not grace.

Sheikh Ali taught me this prayer,

and I thought maybe we could
do it together as a family.

Since when do you care
what we do as a family?

Should be close our
eyes or keep them open?

I think closed feels better.

Yeah, he didn't really
say anything about

open or closed eyes,

so I-I think it's... whatever you want.

Uh, people...

Um. [SPEAKING IN ARABIC]

I thought maybe we could talk
about stuff we're thankful for.

Stop.

Eat your meat before it gets cold.

I gotta go to the Center
to study with the sheikh.

We're doing a halukka.

I told him I'd see him tomorrow.

Mom, is this chicken halal?

What do you mean?

Like, w-where did you get it from?

I get it from the store.

Yeah, I know. I just
didn't know which store,

'cause sometimes you
go to the supermarket,

sometimes you go to the Nouri.

You know, I'm trying to be more careful

about what I'm eating.

Ramy, you're asking too many questions.


The chicken's really good, Mom.

It is halal.

I know it is. Even if it's not.

[FUNKY MUSIC]

♪ ♪

That water over there
is just done boiling.

Could you pour it in the
cups for me, please?

Yeah, sure.

Inshallah.

And then, brother, just add the mix.

Trying to see if these are the
kind that have gelatin in them.

It's not in the ingredients,

but sometimes they just stick
it in the preservatives.

Tetrasodium. Does that
have gelatin in it?

Um... not to my knowledge, sir.

But I could... I could look it up.

That's all right. Allah
knows my intentions.

It will enhance the taste, inshallah.

[MUTTERS INDISTINCTLY]

GROUP: [CHANTING]
No Sharia in New Jersey!

No Sharia in New Jersey!

No Sharia in New Jersey!

No Sharia...

Peace be upon you, brothers.

I know it's cold outside,

so brother Ramy and I made
you some hot chocolate.

- What? No. f*ck you.
- My pop is layin' out here.

He don't want to be
buried next to this sh*t.

Hey, man, don't... don't
talk to him like that.

It's okay. We understand.

We'll leave these right here.

If you want them, they're yours.

All right?

SHEIKH: Have a nice day.

- We ain't drinking that.
- Ain't drinking sh*t.

GROUP: [CHANTING]
No Sharia in New Jersey!

No Sharia in New Jersey!

SHEIKH: This space used to be a church,

but they were going to foreclose

and relieve them of the lease.

But the interpretation is
that we stole their church.

Yeah, maybe we should call the cops.

I don't know, that guy
seemed kind of violent,

and I feel like giving
them hot chocolate

maybe brings more of them, right?

If they know there's hot chocolate here,

then they just kind of
start coming, like...

Who's our example, Ramy?

Um...

There was a woman who used
to throw trash every day

outside the house of the holy Prophet.

- Peace be upon him.
- The Prophet.

- Peace be upon him.
- Yes.

He would walk outside.
She'd throw the trash.

He would clear the path.
Never said a word.

And one day, he came home.
There was no trash.

He got concerned.

He went over to the woman's home

and found that she was gravely ill.

He prayed for her,
nursed her back to health.

She was so overwhelmed
by this act of generosity,

she embraced our Prophet.
She accepted Islam.

If there's anything that
may show these men

that we're not their enemy,
it may be that hot chocolate.

S-so you think the hot chocolate

might make them Muslim?

Only God knows.

But they're not beyond our love.

In the meantime, just
pray for them, Ramy.

Y-yeah, inshallah.
I-I want to pray for them.

It's just... one of
those guys has a sign

that says the Prophet's a pedophile.

Do you believe the
Prophet was a pedophile?

- No, no, I...
- [SPEAKING ARABIC]

Deep down inside, I don't
think those men out there

believe that either.

But right now, they're just
so consumed by their fear.

I know it might seem odd
to pray for these people,

but trying to help those
who can't help themselves

is sometimes the only
path for our own heart.

"Help others, and Allah will
help you with your struggles."

Our bay'ah,

our bond requires that we try
to help those who are lost.

Ah... they're drinking
the hot chocolate.

He found the marshmallows.

Alhamdulillah.

Man, I knew this dude in med school.

He took the bay'ah.
He went down the Sufi path.

He never came back.

Third year, he stopped
practicing medicine,

he gave it all up.

I already stopped
practicing medicine, okay?

I already threw everything away.

Why are you so extreme
with everything, man?

Everything with you, dude.

You're, like, the most emotional,
extreme Muslim I've ever met.

You're extreme with girls.

It's like you're Ryan
Gosling in a movie.

It's always... it's like
a deep end with you.

You just go, all heart. I don't get it.

Let's just stop talking about me.

How are you?

What?

- W-what's going on with you?
- Hey, what's up, guys?

Ramy just asked me how I was doing.

What the f*ck's wrong with you?

What are you talking about?

You're the most self-obsessed
person I know!

All right? You don't really
care about how we feel.

You only ask when you want some.

But when you asked right now,

it's like you actually
meant it; it was weird.

I did mean it, man. Seriously.

How are you?

No. I'm not ready to tell you.

- WAITRESS: Hey, Mo.
- Yeah.

This guy at the counter
wants to talk to you.

He's literally not leaving me alone.

[WHISPERING] f*ck's sake. Man.

This weird-ass guy keeps coming in here

every f*cking couple of weeks.

Just a glass of water, lemons,
and then begs me for a job.

Why is he wearing a Verizon shirt?

MO: I don't know...
I think it's the last job

he had or something.

He came in here a few weeks ago

and told me his whole
sob story... I don't know.

Is Verizon selling Polos?
I'd get one, man.

You ever go in the store

and see the workers?
They look so comfortable.

What the f*ck is wrong with you?

Why won't you give him a job?
I mean, if he keeps coming?

I'm trying, okay? But there's a standard

that I have to uphold, okay?

And the guy's basically homeless.

Dude, if he's homeless,

that's even more reason
to help him, man.

We always talk about
being Muslim, right?

That means we gotta help other people.

We gotta make room
for them in our hearts.

We gotta pray for them

even more than we pray
for ourselves, right?

I appreciate your
holier-than-f*cking-thou attitude.

You go pray for a couple
weeks and you come back

like you're just, like,
"Oh, I'm such a saint."

f*ck off, all right?

- f*ck off.
- All right, you know what?

If you're not gonna help him,
I'm gonna talk to him and see

- if I can do something.
- MO: Ramy...

I have a bad feeling about this guy.

I just don't trust him. Okay?

I'm gonna go talk to him.

All right.

It's your life. f*ck it.

- My palms are sweaty.
- Shut the f*ck up.

Hey, man.

- Hey, I'm, uh, Ramy.
- What's up?

Dennis. You work with Mo?

Uh, no, no.

- I'm just... I'm just friends.
- Yeah, it's great to meet you.

- RAMY: Yeah.
- Um, I got a résumé here

if you want to check it out.

Got a lot of experience
doing technical work

if anything needs to be
fixed around the diner.

Uh, I can clean just about anything,

make it look brand-new.

Dude, it's cool. I don't need to see it.

I just, uh, wanted to get to know you.

Is this, like, uh...
part of the interview,

like a personality test or something?

No, it's not. I'm just curious.

Like, are you from around
here or you got family here?

I mean, I grew up in Wayne. Um...

Don't have much family left.

Just an uncle, but he moved
down to Florida with Camille.

I mean, I-I'm pretty close too.

Like, Wayne's a couple
towns over from me.

So you been... you been
living there the whole time?

Nah, I'm, uh, I'm actually kind
of between places right now,

you know, kind of trying
to figure that out.

But I can be anywhere.
You know, I'm never late, sir.

Are you, um...

are you hungry? You want...

you want something to eat?

[BELL DINGS]

This is good, man.

I haven't eaten chicken
like this in forever.

Been livin' off hot dogs from Roadside.

Me and my dog, I split
it with her... Boomer.

I got to save some of this,
actually. She loves chicken.

We'll... we'll get her some food to go.

Seriously, just eat the whole sandwich.

You're a kind man.

You are. You remind me of this guy,

Majid, I met in Iraq.

A really good man.

You... you were a soldier in Iraq?

Yeah, how did you know that?

I-I just figured it's not
really like a vacation spot,

- so...
- Yeah.

Hey, could you please tell Mo that,

you know, don't believe
them guys at Verizon.

That was a huge misunderstanding.

No, of course, yeah. I won't...

I-I'm not looking for much, you know.

I'll work for cheap.

I'm just trying to get myself
a spot for me and my dog

and get my meds,
that's it... nothing fancy.

Um... no, I know, man.
I really... I want to help you.

I-I feel like I should, and I
think I might know a place

where we can get you a job.

I-I can't guarantee it, but I-I'll try.

Oh, man... ha.

Uh, yeah, thank you. I'll do anything.

I'm going to introduce
you to the sheikh,

and I know there's gotta be something

- you can do at the Center.
- Yeah, thank you.

You know, you never
think you could end up

living in your car, but
it can happen to anyone.

Yeah.

[CALL TO PRAYER OVER LOUDSPEAKERS]

Ooh.

Ooh...

[MOANS] Oh...

- W-what's going on, man?
- Mm, I just... uh...

[EXHALES] Just give me one second, okay?

Yeah, yeah, what's happening?

- [CALL TO PRAYER CONTINUES]
- I just... I haven't heard

that prayer sound since Iraq,

and I'm looking at you,
and I'm seeing Majid.

It's just kind of bugging me out, man.

Well, yeah, no. That makes sense, right?

Majid was your friend, and...

the prayer goes off in
Iraq a lot, so I get that.

De... Dennis. Dennis, What's wrong, man?

DENNIS: When I hear that Allah sound,

it just... mm... makes me...
I don't know, man.

Just... it makes me want to act violent.

I mean, I get that, man.

The call to prayer has been,

you know, really
manipulated by the media.

And they tie it to v*olence,
so t-that... I-I get that.

Yeah, but why does somebody
have to do this sh*t?

Why does someone have
to go through all this sh*t?

I don't understand it, man.

I don't know why I was
over in f*cking Iraq.

It don't make no sense to me.

Yeah, I mean, it was...

it was probably 'cause of the oil.

But... but w-we need oil, man.

You know, everyone
always talks about Iraq

with some sort of conspiracy
theory where they're like,

"Oh, you know, we were only
over there because of the oil."

And it's like, well, yeah.
'Cause we needed it.

You know, like, everything runs on oil.

I f*cking k*lled Majid,
man. I k*lled him.

O-oh, your...

I went into that building

and I just started f*cking f*ring, man.

You just start f*cking f*ring, f*ring.

You hit anything that moves, man,
woman, dog... don't matter.

And then I just saw him,
man, and I did it to him.

I pulled the trigger, you know?

I don't deserve any forgiveness.

I don't deserve this sh*t.

You don't understand what I did.

I mean, I definitely
understand what you did.

Yeah, but I f*cking hurt people, man.

You know, everybody
deserves forgiveness.

This religion, this space,
it's all about forgiveness,

and I know that the sheikh's

gonna figure something
out for you, okay?

So I'm gonna go in there,
and I'll talk to him for you.

You can just stay out here and just...

just catch your breath
for a sec, all right?

- And, um...
- [EXHALES]

And maybe when you talk to him,

just don't mention a lot of this stuff.

Like, I'll give him... I'll give him,

you know... I'll fill
him in, but for you,

I-I don't want you to
think about this anymore.

I just want you to start
a new chapter, yeah?

Like... you can be new.

Oh, yeah, that's what I want, man.

I wanna be new.

[SNIFFLES]

Okay.

He just really needs someone
to give him a chance.

I-I've always felt that

in order to be the best
Muslims that we can be,

we have to help people
in need, you know?

And I know you and I have
talked about that a little bit,

and I just really think that
Dennis is in a vulnerable place

and someone has to give him a chance.

Okay, well, uh...
I think it's really nice.

It's kind of you that
you want to help him.

I just don't think we have room for him.

He really can do anything,
and he's just looking

for a little bit of money
to get by, you know,

just anything just to,
you know, have a meal.

Okay, well, maybe it's
just that I'm hesitant

to offer something to
someone who isn't a Muslim.

We have so many Muslims in need.

Zainab, you know it doesn't
matter if he's Muslim.

Yeah, Dad, I know that. It's just, uh...

we're fund-raising to
keep the doors open,

and the Sufi Center
barely has any money.

So are we really gonna
spend money on someone

who worked for the world's
most corrupt army?

He... he wasn't...
he wasn't really like a...

like a soldier-soldier,
you know what I mean?

Like, he wasn't, like, out,

you know, in the field
k*lling people or anything.

He was kind of one of those guys
who was, like, back at base,

you know those guys,
like, with the headphones.

They're just kind of, like, listening,

like he's kind of, like,
listening to the w*r.

And then he just did, like, other stuff.

If anything, he's really
more of a listener guy.

Ramy is right, Zainab.

We're not here to judge
people for their pasts.

If the brother is sincerely
seeking to be of service...

Ramy, if you can vouch for this brother

and you know him, then all right.

I-I can. I mean, uh, Dennis is, uh...

he's like my brother.

You know, with how connected I feel.

A brother I just met, but that's Islam.

And I just know that, um,
we could really help him out.

Well, then, it's settled.

Beautiful intention, brother. Inshallah,

way to take initiative.

When is this, uh, Dennis stopping by?

Uh, he's outside.

Great.

[RUSTLING]

[SOFT MUSIC]

♪ ♪

_

RAMY: Hey. Salam.

Salam, Ramy.

I was just coming to see Dennis.

- How's everything going?
- I am an idiot... [LAUGHS] okay?

- Yeah.
- W-what do you mean?

Uh, Dennis, he is actually amazing.

[SIGHS]

I-I feel really guilty not
hiring him right away.

He built a wheelchair ramp
without anyone asking

just 'cause he saw an
older member coming in.

So thank you for
challenging my thoughts.

No one usually steps up to me

'cause I'm the daughter
of the sheikh and all,

so thanks for that.

Yeah, I mean, look, I...

For me, it's just about
honesty, you know,

doesn't really matter
who or what or where.

It's just, like, rise up
to it and everything.

So, uh... but I'm really
glad it's working out.

- Okay.
- Yeah.

- Um, is he here?
- Yeah, yeah.

- He's in the back.
- Okay, cool.

- That makes sense.
- Okay. Bye.

Salam.

RAMY: As-salamu alaykum, bro.

Ramy, how you doing, man?

Hey, this looks great, man.

Thank you.

RAMY: Zainab said you've been
doing everything around here.

Oh, yeah. Nah, I mean, it feels
good to be doing something.

I wanted to bring Boomer here,

but they said no dogs in the mosque.

Yeah. Sheikh, check out
the shelf Dennis built.

Oh... Mashallah. [CHUCKLES]

Born builder.

DENNIS: I found some good
wood and sanded it down.

You know, I actually always
wanted to be a carpenter

like Jesus.

I know you guys don't believe
in Jesus, it's just that...

Oh, Brother Dennis, every
Muslim believes in Jesus.

Yeah, we actually think
Jesus is gonna come back.

Well, I-I'm definitely down
for a Jesus comeback.

Well, it would mean it was
the end of the world, but...

Oh.

Yeah.

RAMY: Dude, I'm telling you,

everyone at the Center loves him.

Seriously, like, all he needed

was for someone to give him a sh*t.

You don't even know who
the f*ck the Center is.

You don't know who Sheikh Ali is.

You don't know whose sheikh he is.

You're just committing to anything, man?

You gotta be careful where
you get your din from, man.

This, uh, burger, Mo,
this is the best...

best burger I ever had in my life.

Yeah, it's because it's halal, you know.

Really? Man, that's why it's so good.

Everything that's good is "Muz-lim."

It's, uh, it's "Muss-lim."

What'd I say? I said "Muz-lim."

I don't know where the Z came from.

It's, like, very irritating.
It's not projected at you.

But they've added Zs on it.

You know, it's a soft
S, like, uh, p*ssy.

"Muss-lim."

p*ssy, Muslim. p*ssy, Muslim.

- DENNIS: p*ssy, Muslim.
- Muslim.

- p*ssy, Muslim.
- Yeah...

- p*ssy Muslim?
- I think there's other ways

to learn this, though.

This is where we are now, isn't it?

Okay, what I'm trying to say is that,

you know, since I've been back,

Muslims have been so good to me.

You know, you bring me to the mosque.

You introduce me to all these people.

You know, I'm making
all these new friends,

and I'm just starting to think that,

I don't know, maybe I want
to become Muslim too.

Like, I want to be halal.

Ah...

Dude, yeah. I mean, really?

DENNIS: Yeah. And I'm just...

like, can I?

Am I allowed? Am I allowed?

Yeah, of course, man.

I mean, if you want, you
can come to Friday prayers

and you can take the
Shahada right before.

I mean, it's super quick,
like, anyone can do it.

Maybe too quick, you know?

Maybe you should read a few books.

No, no, no. I'm ready.

- MO: Make sure you're okay.
- I-I-I know I'm ready.

After... after all this,
I know. I'm ready.

Mo, if I go, will you come too?

- Me?
- DENNIS: You.

Okay, yeah.

He'll come, yeah. He'll come.

MO: Of course. Yeah.

PROTESTORS: No Sharia in New Jersey!

No Sharia in New Jersey.
No Sharia in New Jersey.

These guys were here last week.

This would never happen
in my masjid, bro.

I mean, taking over a church
is just such a rookie move.

DENNIS: Ah, this sh*t
really pisses me off.

I'm sorry, I don't mean to cuss,
but it sounds ridiculous.

It's okay, man. We're just
going to go in and pray.

DENNIS: I got this CD
on how to be a Muslim.

It said that Islam is
a religion of peace.

- They don't f*cking understand.
- Exactly, dude.

That's why we just gotta be
really nice to them, yeah?

Hey, guys. How's it going?

- f*ck off, Osama.
- Osama?

Come on, that's so wack, dude.
There's this other dude.

Khalid Sheikh Mohammed.
That guy's crazy, dude.

That guy, he wrote a letter
in prison... it was wild.

- It had some good points, though...
- All right, let's just go inside.

AHMED: ... the defiance!

MO: [SIGHS]

Praying side to side like this?

Some new-age sh*t.

Yeah, dude, there's no
weird women's section

thrown in the back or downstairs.

Everyone's together.
It's just like Mecca.

You never been to Mecca.

Yeah, but I... I've seen it online.

Ramy, this is a nice place, man.

It's actually a great space.

Yazmina might want to come here.

She hates the other mosque.
But she'll dig this.

- Yeah.
- Thank you, beloved.

- MO: I don't like your face.
- I'm humbled

because today we are so fortunate

and blessed to have two
amongst our congregation

who will take the Shahada today.

Takbir.

CONGREGATION: Allahu akbar.

Brother Dennis, Brother Jerome, please.

[PROTESTERS' CHANTING
CONTINUES IN BACKGROUND]

Repeat after me.

[SPEAKING ARABIC]

[CONVERTS REPEAT IN ARABIC]

SHEIKH: There is no God but God.

Inshallah, let us welcome
our two new brothers

to this community with
the most open of arms.

Takbir.

CONGREGATION: Allahu akbar.

Congratulations, Brother.

- I'm so happy for you, brother.
- [CHANTING CONTINUES]

Congratulations.

Everyone up for prayer, please.

Straight lines. Thank you.

RAMY: Congrats, man. You okay?

- DENNIS: Yeah.
- RAMY: Yeah? Okay.

[SHEIKH SINGING IN ARABIC]

[CHANTING CONTINUES IN DISTANCE]

[SHEIKH SINGING IN ARABIC]

[DRAMATIC MUSIC]

PROTESTORS: No Sharia in New Jersey!

- [CONGREGATION RESPONDS]
- PROTESTORS: No sharia in New Jersey!

[SHEIKH SINGING IN ARABIC]

♪ ♪

PROTESTORS: No Sharia in New Jersey!

No Sharia in New Jersey.

[CHANTING CONTINUES]

[MUSIC INTENSIFIES]

♪ ♪

[WHISPERING]

PROTESTORS: No Sharia in New Jersey!

No Sharia in New Jersey!
No Sharia in New Jersey!

No Sharia in New Jersey!

♪ ♪

Allahu akbar!

Allahu akbar!

Allahu akbar!

Islam is peace!

- MAN: Hey, f*ck you!
- Islam is peace!

- DENNIS: You got a f*cking problem?
- f*ck you, man!

- Huh? Islam is peace!
- [OVERLAPPING SHOUTS]

- f*ck you, m*therf*cker!
- [OVERLAPPING CHATTER]

DENNIS: Islam is peace!

Aaah!

- Easy, bro.
- Stop!

[OVERLAPPING SHOUTING]

Dennis, Dennis!

Dennis! Dennis, stop! Dennis, stop!

Stop, stop, stop! It's me, it's me!

It's me! It's me!
It's okay! It's me! It's me!

- It's me!
- DENNIS: Aah!

Aah! f*ck! Aah!

No, no! Sir, sir!

Sir!

- [OVERLAPPING CHATTER]
- DENNIS: I'm sorry!

[DENNIS MOANING]

WOMAN: We need an ambulance.

th St.

Yes, Newark.

[DENNIS SOBBING]

Gosh, please hurry.

SHEIKH: [PRAYING SOFTLY]

[DENNIS SOBS]