Original subtitles

[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. Fuck you. � My pop is layin' out here.

He don't want to be buried next to this shit.

� 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 shit.

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 fuck'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] Fuck's sake. Man.

This weird�ass guy keeps coming in here

every fucking 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 fuck 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�fucking�thou attitude.

You go pray for a couple weeks and you come back

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

Fuck off, all right? Fuck 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. Fuck it.

� My palms are sweaty. � Shut the fuck 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 violence, so t�that��I�I get that.

� Yeah, but why does somebody have to do this shit?

Why does someone have to go through all this shit?

I don't understand it, man.

I don't know why I was over in fucking 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 fucking killed Majid, man. I killed him.

� O�oh, your...

� I went into that building

and I just started fucking firing, man.

You just start fucking firing, firing.

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 shit.

You don't understand what I did.

� I mean, I definitely understand what you did.

� Yeah, but I fucking 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 killing 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 war.

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]

[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 shot.

� You don't even know who the fuck 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, pussy.

"Muss�lim."

� Pussy, Muslim. Pussy, Muslim.

DENNIS: Pussy, Muslim. � Muslim.

� Pussy, Muslim. � Yeah...

� Pussy 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 shit 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 fucking understand.

� Exactly, dude.

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

Hey, guys. How's it going?

� Fuck 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 shit.

� 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. 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]

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]

[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, fuck you!

� Islam is peace!

DENNIS: You got a fucking problem?

� Fuck you, man! � Huh?

Islam is peace! [overlapping shouts]

Fuck you, motherfucker!

[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! Fuck! Aah!

� No, no! Sir, sir!

Sir!

[overlapping chatter]

DENNIS: I'm sorry!

[Dennis moaning]

WOMAN: We need an ambulance.

52148 12th St.

Yes, Newark.

[Dennis sobbing]

Gosh, please hurry.

SHEIKH: [praying softly]

[Dennis sobs]