Baba Ali's coming to ISNA this weekend

Bismillah ar-Rahmaan ar-Raheem,

Ummah Films is coming to ISNA this weekend InshAllah. This year the Ummah Films booth will located at #1500 (see above). Just hang a right as soon as you enter the bazaar, and you'll see us a the corner booth InshAllah. We got approved for the film festival and we hope to show at a combination of both Season 1 & 2 videos and at least one new videos InshAllah. Our spot in the Film Festival is between 12pm to 1pm.

They also have asked me to MC the entertainment show. In London, my audience was about 850. A few weeks ago in Toronto, it was nearly 1000 people. This weekend at ISNA, they're telling me its about 6000 people attending the entertainment show so its going to be interesting. Its starts at 10pm on Sunday night and ends close to midnight.

At our booth, we have the new Ummah Films DVD set and the famous Ummah Films shirts InshAllah. I have four interviews lined up there but otherwise you'll catch me at the booth InshAllah so I hope to see you all there.

JazakAllah khair for everyone's support

Online chat with Baba Ali on Saturday, August 25

Bismillah ar-Rahmaan ar-Raheem,

Online chat with Baba Ali on Saturday, August 25 at :

15:00 GMT.
10:00 am US/Central
8:00 am US/Pacific
11:00 am US/Eastern

IslamOnline.net will open the platform for the audience so they can send their questions to Baba Ali. Yosra Moustafa, Family zone's editor, and Rasha Mohammad, Islamonline.net's editorial secretary, will moderate the session from Cairo. Feel free to send them any questions ahead of time at: ioleditorial@islam-online.net

The New Guy

Bismillah ar-Rahmaan ar-Raheem,

Asalaamu Alaikum everyone!

I'm the new guy just giving an introduction. A little bit about myself: I'm Indian by birth, Muslim by faith, filmmaker by choice :-)

I got the opportunity to speak with Ali and Yusuf. I really liked what they are doing and the aspirations they have. I'm confident that I can help in pushing Ummah Films to the next level with your support and above all the tawfeeq of Allah (swt).

New Video: Ummah Films Update

Bismillah ar-Rahmaan ar-Raheem,

Profits made from Ummah Films DVDs and T-shirts go back towards the Ummah Films project or donated to worthy cause. JazakAllah khair for all your support

If you are interested in the DVD, you can buy it by click here

New Ummah Films DVD is here!!

Bismillah ar-Rahmaan ar-Raheem,

Another prayer rug? Seriously, how many more times can you give someone a prayer rug for Eid? Next time you give them a gift, give them something different. If you someone who is fan of Ummah Films, then we got a gift suggestion for you. Yes, the NEW Ummah Films DVD Gift Set is here!

Get ALL 18 Ummah Films' Season 1 & 2 Reminder videos in a beautifully package DVD set. No more mom & dad surrounding your monitor! The special two disc set contains over 3 hours of footage (one hour of exclusive extras in this package). That includes the Baba Ali interview on Islam Channel's "Saturday Night Live" show, the post interview after the "Evening with Ali" show, and three unreleased Ummah Films Reminder videos:



Living Single in Dream World
This video is about the challenges one goes while trying to get married. It covers everything from the fantasy topics of older sisters asking for ridiculously high Mahr (Dowries) to single brothers talking about marrying numbers 2, 3, & 4
(key word: single).

The Marriage Interviews
Women can complain all they want about the lack of good men available out there to marry but they have one advantage guys don't have: Men knocking on their doors asking for their hands. How cool is that? Well, that it all sounds good on paper but many sisters find they attract the wrong type of brothers. The videos talks about the many types of characters that may knock on your door for marriage: The Arrogant Guy, Mr. Insecurity, The Shady Brother, and of course The Slave Driver.

Special Q&A video
Baba Ali answers viewer's questions via video and of course, his sense of humor. Is your name really Baba Ali? What do you as your day job? Do you have any stalkers? Yes, he does get funny questions but he also has funny answers to them

If you know someone that likes the Ummah Films Reminder Series, this beautifully designed Ummah Films DVD set will not only keep them entertained and reminded but it will make a great gift InshAllah. Give them the gift that they will use and benefit from InshAllah.

As an introductory price, we are selling this special Ummah Films DVD set for only $19 (retail price - $24). This offer is only for a limited time so order your copy today InshAllah!.



Goto the Ummah Films store to purchase the new Ummah Films DVD set.

**Note: Profits made from Ummah Films DVDs and T-shirts go back towards the Ummah Films project or donated to worthy cause.

Remember, shipping is a flat rate so the price doesn't increase no matter how many items your order.

Ummah Films coming to Toronto this weekend, eh?

Bismillah ar-Rahmaan ar-Raheem,

I accepted the invitation from MuslimFest to attend their event this year in Mississauga (near Toronto), Canada InshAllah. Last year, I sent the $25,000 Muslim Wedding video and Alhamdulillah it won first prize in their Film Festival. This year, I have been invited as a guest to MuslimFest so its going to be an interesting event InshAllah so I hope to see you all there this weekend on August 11th.

I will be hosting an Ummah Films film screening and a special workshop teaching how I make the Reminder videos. Seating is limited so make sure you get there early so you can get in (workshop class limit is only 30 people).

They asked me to MC the comedy show that night. It will be my first time MCing and my first time at MuslimFest so its all going to be new me. On the menu, they have both Aman Ali and Preacher Moss. Amir Suliman has also been invited to share some of his poetry as well.

Finally, I hope to release the new Ummah Films DVD set there InshAllah which will not only feature both Season 1 and Season 2 videos in DVD quality, but it will also have three unreleased Reminder videos (not on YouTube), and two special interviews I did in the UK about the Reminder videos. Basically, the DVD set is packed with over 3 hours of footage so if you want one, make sure you grab one early because I only got 100 of them. The dual disk DVD set retails for $24 but at the event they'll going to be selling at a special introductory price of only $19 (Fisibilillah Discount has already been implemented so please save your negotiating skills :))

Note: I don't make a penny from the profits so when you purchase the Reminder DVD set, you're helping the project, not me. My efforts with Ummah Films is done on a volunteer basis but just like any project, there are expenses so the DVD and T-shirt sales help us pay for those expenses.

Since I'm traveling there, I am limited on the quantity of things I will be bringing with me. In other words, the items are limited so if you want something, don't wait till the last minute. In our last event, 165 shirts went in 30 minutes. You can tell who the last minute shoppers are, because they're not wearing the right size. Basically, if you see a larger guy wearing a small Ummah Films shirt, you know he is a last minute shopper. do you know what i'm sayin' :)

I'm only bringing 144 shirts (100 short sleeve and 44 long sleeve)..that's it.

See you guys this weekend InshAllah

Ummah Films Touring Dates

Bismillah ar-Rahmaan ar-Raheem,

I'm still getting calls and emails regarding my schedule for the Ummah Films screenings so I figured it would best to post it on the blog. I have been invited to Egypt, Australia, and Saudi Arabia but nothing is definite yet. Once something does get confirmed, then I'll post it on the blog. Otherwise, I'm just posting only the events that have been confirmed below. Unfortunately, I am unable to accept the majority of invitation because believe it or not, I have a normal job during the week and I'm trying to live a normal life. As you can imagine, working during the week and traveling every weekend, can quickly burn you out.

Almost all the Reminder videos are filmed late night (when everyone else is sleeping here) in order to reduce the possibility of the project becoming a burden upon others. Alhamdulillah, it has been a fun ride and I have enjoyed making these videos for myself and this Ummah. My favorite part of all the traveling thus far has been meeting my brothers & sisters around the world. Alhamdulillah, if there is one thing I can say about my experience thus far is that there is so many good people with big hearts in this Ummah. Alhamdulillah. It is truly an honor being a Muslim.

Honestly, I really don't do anything special at these events. Basically, I just show some of the Reminder videos and give my comments. Sometimes I give a talk about something and other times, I may do something unique (like a workshop or class). With every invitation, I give them my disclaimer but yet they still invite me lol. The coolest part of the whole experience is seeing the wide types of people who show up at these events. In one event, most of my audience was between the ages of 8 to 10 years olds (when they said "young audience" I didn't think they were that young lol but it was still cool) and another event one table had the Muslim Hip Hop brothers and the next table over had Salafi Brothers (not something you see type of people you see at the same event). In that same event you have both non-Hijabies and Niqabies. Finally, in a few of my events, I notice many nonMuslims in attendance which I found interesting. I mean I don't really explain Islam in my videos but what I learned is that non-Muslims see from the videos that we are human just like everyone else with our own problems and isues but with the difference that we see Islam as our solution, which may be the reason that they become curious about Islam. Alhamdulilalh, I have received many emails about people becoming curious about Islam from the videos which was the first step of them later converting to Islam. I can't take any credit for it though because the hearts are truly in the hands of Allah (swt). All we can do is try to be good examples InshAllah and leave the rest in the hands of Allah (swt). I continue to strive to improve my faults and try to become a better Muslim.

Anyways, here is my upcoming schedule from August to November InshAllah: (once again, I purposely try to leave certain weekends open so I visit family, spend time with friends, etc.):

August 11th (Toronto, Canada)
August 25th (San Francisco, CA)
August 31st (Chicago, IL)
September (Ramadan so I'm trying not to schedule anything)
October 12th, (Boston,MA)
November 24th & 25th (London, England)
November 31st (Tampa, FL)

JazakAllah khair

If you need to contact Ummah Films, please email info@ummahfilms.com

your brother in Islam,

Ali

Workshop @ MuslimFest

Bismillah ar-Rahmaan ar-Raheem,

I was asked to give a workshop at MuslimFest. A long time ago, I was a kindergarten teacher (yeah Kindergarten!) but its been ages since I done any teaching. Anyways, in the workshop at MuslimFest I planning to show the process of making one of the Reminder videos. So they'll be setting up a camera, light, and a chair. I'm going to be bringing one of my scripts from a previous videos InshAllah and I'm going to spice up the session by having volunteers in the class do the lines instead of me. That would be cool huh? Since we only have an hour and video editing needs to be done as well, we'll be limited to doing just one part of one of the scripts. If everything goes smoothly, I hope to edit the video on the spot and show it at the Comedy show later that night InshAllah. Now I have figure out which script and which part would be ideal for the class to do :) (any suggestions?)

On a side note, the organizers have notified me that the class can only fit 30 people so its going to be based on who gets there first. Whoever does make it, I think we're going to have some fun!

MuslimFest is on August 11th (Canada)