If you've frequented Islamic websites and blogs over the past year, especially those geared towards youth, you may have come across links to videos of a close cropped young American Muslim speaking feverishly and comically into a webcam about the anomalies and quirks of Muslim life in the West. More accurately, if you haven't seen the young man in question, it would be something of a minor miracle. Since mid-2006, Californian Baba Ali has produced a series of 7-10 minute video clips of himself, edited in rapid fire soundbites, produced in association with a like-minded group of young Muslim filmmakers calling themselves Ummah Films. Skirting fine lines between (near) preachiness, offbeat humour, self-deprecation, and sincere earnestness, Ali's "The Reminder" series of videos has struck a chord with countless Muslim youth around the world facing the same questions he poses regarding marriage, extremism, and the norms of Islamic behaviour - in addition to his own anecdotes (such as the story of his converting to Islam). In the space of a year, he has arguably become the Muslim world's first bonafide Internet celebrity (erm, besides that Mahir guy and scary people with knives). Normally, producing video weblogs - or vlogs - would be seen as inconsequential in the age of the millions of contributions to MySpace and YouTube (even more so when some of the more popular ones turn out to be frauds). And for many over 30 or non-native English speakers, Ali's hyperkinetic delivery and youth-oriented message might struggle to make an impression. But to paraphrase an Elvis record, millions of fans (the ones who have viewed his collective episodes so far over two "seasons") can't be wrong. A recent visit by Ali to the UK resulted in overflowing and sold out crowds at University College London, where he was treated like a rock star. His videos have been translated into a host of different languages, including Russian, French, Indonesian, German, and Dutch. Ali finds himself at a loss to explain his sudden popularity, but is keen to make the best of it, especially for the kids - his "weakness." altmuslim's Zahed Amanullah recently spoke to Ali, who told us about his stand-up comedy attempt, e-mail conversions, and why politics are part of the problem.

You've struck quite a nerve with Muslim youth all over the world over the past year with your video weblogs. Did you ever conceive of being this influential?

Baba Ali: I never expected this, I never planned for this, and I never even thought that this was even possible. Especially with something as simple as sitting in front of a camera, pressing a little button, and not doing anything special other than talking, especially because the users have been spoken to so much in lectures and different talks.

I'm not a scholar. I don't think I'm qualified to give people fatwas or anything like that. I'm not going to pretend to be a scholar. I just try to tell people simple things in a nice way, inshallah, and at the end of the day when you think about it, that's what seems to work when friends advise you to do certain things.

I don't know how to explain it. When people have told me why they've been impacted by it they don't feel like they're being threatened or they don't feel like they're being lectured. It's almost like a friend giving advice in a nice way. So I think that's why they've been able to take it in. Alhamdulillah, it seems to be working!

But how did this all start?

This whole thing started out as an accident. It wasn't something that I was planning out. It was just something I was doing for friends. And then one friend told another friend. The next thing you know, you have millions of people watching. I'm still in shock to this day that all these people watch these little videos.

You mentioned just now that you're not a scholar. Have people criticised you for that, thinking that you may be pretending to be a scholar?

A lot of times I get comments with a "His beard isn't long enough, so why are we listening to him?" type of thing.

Really?

Yeah. Indirect messages like that. It shows you the level the ummah is thinking and unfortunately it doesn't matter how long your beard is, it's just to take advice. I'm not saying I'm right and everyone is wrong or vice versa. I'm just giving advice. Once we put our fingers in our ear and say we're not listening to anyone unless they look like this, then that's really low level thinking. But that's a very small percentage, less than 1% of the people that are watching.

I'm actually really, really surprised at the number of non-Muslims who give a positive response. I thought that after the whole 9/11 thing, because there'd be so many people that have negative thinking of Islam, that all I'd get was negative response from non-Muslims. That hasn't been true at all.

One of the things that strikes me about watching what you do - because, as you know, anyone could get in front of a webcam and spout off whatever they want to - is that you have a really great comedic sensibility. Have you ever thought of doing something like stand up comedy?

(Laughs) I get told that over and over again. And I said, "Ok, you know what? I'll try it one time." One day, I went and tried stand up comedy. It was the day of the [midterm] November elections here in the States where there was a 50% turnout here in California. So when I went to do standup, there was no one in the audience. The only thing that's worse than no one laughing is if there's no one in the audience! So there was a few comics, and they're not even paying attention. And the MC is distracted and I'm just sitting there talking to myself. So it was pretty bad. After that, I said "I'm not doing stand up comedy anymore!"

But here's the problem with stand up comedy which became challenging for me - and this is why I say I'm not a comedian - comics will make up stories to make people laugh. They'll say "One time I went here and I did this," when they never did that. People know they never did that. But I thought to myself after reading the hadith of the Prophet (SAW) that even the Prophet (SAW) made jokes, but he never lied in his jokes. So if I want to do anything, especially if I'm doing it for Islamic reasons, I can't use haram means to do something halal.

That's why I say I'm not a comedian. What you see is what you get. This is Ali being Ali. My friends who hang out with me, they don't even watch these videos. I have family members who are not into it because they know me already. This is nothing special. This is not an act or anything. And those that meet me at conferences and spend a weekend with me say, "Dude, you're exactly the way you are in your videos!" Yeah, that's how I am.

One of the things I noticed in all the topics you cover - you cover a lot of social issues, a lot of Islamic issues - you haven't really gone into politics like Palestine or the war in Iraq. Is there any reason for that?

These things are symptoms of our problem. Today it's Palestine, before it was Kashmir, then it was Kosovo. Before that it was Bosnia. The list goes on and on. Today it's Iraq, yesterday it was Afghanistan. It goes on and on and on. These are symptoms to our problem. At the end of the day, we have to go back to what the core problem is. And that's us following Islam.

Common sense [is] where generally human beings say if the door's locked, stop trying to open it because it's not going to open the second time you try to turn the knob. It's locked. It's common sense. Once it's locked, it's locked unless you have the key to open it.

We as Muslims need to go back to something called "Islamic sense" - a term I came up with. I think that's where we're lacking. We need to start from the very basics dealing with some issues. For some of my critics who say "Dude, talk about politics..." ...first of all, there's enough people talking about that. Who's talking about extravagant weddings? Who's talking about these culture vs. Islam issues? Who's talking about, not just the importance of hijab - which you will hear about, since many sisters talk about those subjects - but who's talking about the girls who aren't wearing hijab properly at Islamic conferences? Nobody!

And there's reasons why they can't talk about it. And I understand it. I can't talk about it right here in my circle of friends because it's, one, politically incorrect. Two, you'll be considered an outcast because they'll say "Who are you to judge us?" But when a random guy off the internet tells you something, you can't take it personally. That's what it comes down to. He's telling me exactly what I'm doing, and now it's between me and Allah (SWT) to change or continue doing things the way I'm doing. That's what it comes down to.

I noticed in the hijab episode you did - which you acknowledged might be controversial - in the comments on your site, even people who disagreed with you liked what you did.

Alhamdulillah. People often ask, "What's your inspiration for all this?" Some people are surprised because they're expecting me to say some comedian or something. And actually I tell them the Prophet (SAW). They look puzzled when I answer that question that way. I tell them the reason why is that the Prophet (SAW) dealt with different people in different ways. And he would give them dawah in such a way that it's not offensive, but in a smart way which impacted them. He understood how they thought.

For example, with the old lady who left trash in front of his house, he was patient with her. And with the great wrestler of that time, the Prophet (SAW) wrestled him three times because that's what [he] knew - he knew wrestling. He didn't say "Ok, let me go wrestle the old lady. I'll show her!" (Laughs). He knew how to deal with different people differently.

When you look at the situation today, the youth are on the internet. They're watching videos. Practicing or non-practicing Muslims will send you an interesting video, you'll send it to someone else saying "Check this out." That was my idea. If I can do something interesting enough, then inshallah, hopefully everyone else will get the message. Alhamdulillah, from a few thousand people, it became a few million. And this has been in less than a year.

You're affilliated with a group of individuals who are filmmakers in Ummah Films. Are you working on anything else with them to build on the audience that you have?

Well, this is a common misconception. There is no Ummah Films group of people. Originally, Ummah Films started out as a group of people and I tried to get people together to make films. This is how the whole Reminder series started. Each person was supposed to specialise in one thing. One guy would go learn directing, one guy would learn editing, another guy would learn how to write scripts. My job was to be the editor (though) I tried to do writing as well.

I wrote my first script and I gave it to a bunch of brothers and asked them if they could make a film out of it so I could practice my editing. One month project became two months. Two months became three months. This was only a five minute video, by the way! After three months, I felt I was forgetting the stuff I was supposed to practice and learn. So I turned on my own camera to try to make something to edit. At the same time, I wanted to so something funny. And then I thought if I'm going to spend this much time editing, at least make it beneficial. I thought, let me talk about the stuff I see at jumah all the time - it was a Friday that I started. And the funny things at jumah, that was the pilot.

Are you going to continue, inshallah, the Reminder series? Could we expect more from you, perhaps?

Yeah, as long as I have topics to come up with or there are things that impact me, I will do it, inshallah. The common requests I get on e-mails and in the comments sections are "Do a video about this, do a video about that." I can't! I'm not a writer... I wish I was! To me it's like writing a diary or a journal - a video journal. I can't just make up a day if it didn't exist. Even the hijab one was about me going to Islamic conferences. It's not about telling people how to wear hijab properly.

There are now people in Ummah Films who are trying to work on other projects. But the entire Reminder series, I'm stuck doing it by myself. I write it, I edit it, I produce it.

As an American Muslim, are people from around the world who see you curious about someone like you who speaks about Islam with such conviction and so influentially?

Well, it's not that they don't let us practice [here], but it has become more difficult after 9/11 because of the misconceptions. Trials and tribulations make Muslims [into] non-Muslims and non-Muslims [into] Muslims. After 9/11, so many [non-Muslims] became Muslim and many Muslims became non-Muslim. It changed on both sides. To me, I'm really amazed when I get those e-mails saying "I just became Muslim from your videos."

Really?

Yeah, one participant in the London event came there to announce that she watched the videos and became Muslim. I was in shock! I get e-mails out there, but it didn't impact me as it did when a sister came live in front of the audience [to announce it]. Because my videos aren't made for non-Muslims. I'm talking about issues that Muslims go through. There's so many scholars and so many speakers that release dawah CDs or DVDs of lectures explaining the basics of Islam to people. But how many people are talking about the issues we go through? And not just overall issues, but issues that no one wants to talk about.

Being honest about things.

Exactly. You know sometimes there's politics involved. Forget the politics outside on the news. What about [politics in] the masjid? Say there's a fundraiser coming up to build a masjid. And a lot of the people who have money deal with riba. And the khatib that's going to be speaking that week wants to talk about riba and why it's haram. People in the masjid are like "Wait a second. Couldn't we do that khutba next week after the fundraiser's over because you may scare off these people? They don't want to talk about it.

You make a really good point. Honesty influences people more than giving a good face to everything. People want to see that Muslims are honest about their lives and that influences people better than just pretending everything is perfect.

Yeah. At the end of the day, that's what it comes down to, bro. I want to make sure that the topics that are being pushed under the rug... someone brings it up. Because people aren't bringing it up. If they were, I wouldn't have to talk about it. I'm not talking about how to do wudu because you'll hear that 101 times.

I went to one place - it was amazing - one brother said "Our imam at the masjid I go to is trying to beat the other imam at how fast we can finish the Quran [during Ramadan]. So we recite so fast that by the time we finish the Quran, we're all going to drive to the other masjid to finish the Quran with them too just to prove to them how fast we are."

What's the point? Even if you do a super-speed tarawih, you still have people outside complaining. I'm like "Where are you guys the rest of the year?" Suddenly tarawih became the most important prayer in the world. During the fard prayers there's the normal number of people there, even during Ramadan, but during tarawih it's filled. You would think this is the sunnah and this is the fard, not vice versa.

It's amazing. It's more of a cultural thing than an Islamic thing.

Anything else? You were mentioning before we started that you had an interview [today] with a Saudi classroom...

I do things like that which are, I guess, a little bit a break from the norm. The classroom from Saudi Arabia asked if I could sit down [with] the kids who have come across the videos. The teachers thought it would be kind of cool if [I] came on a videoconference and give some advice to the kids. So I said I'll try that. A lot of times I'm invited to certain places and I say no because of my schedule. But sometimes it's hard to say no when the invitation is sweet and the kid stuff, usually, is my weakness.

I've been a kid in school, in high school, and college - I grew up here and that's why I think I can relate to a lot of the stuff youth go through. I remember when I was in elementary school, we used to have these assemblies [where] some guy will come and talk and sometimes you'll have a really cool speaker. In an Islamic school in Northern California next week, they have an assembly and instead of announcing a speaker [they're] going to surprise people and just bring [me] down.

That's actually kind of cool. My audience [will be] 8 year olds to 14 year olds. Most people would say "Oh, I need 5,000 people, I need my entourage." Me? I'll sleep in the masjid, I don't care.

Thanks for the referral. I saw a couple of his videos on YouTube, and I have to say this young fellow is very talented.
(I liked the "flying while Muslim" video)

He is talented, but I'd hope that he'd get a bit more nuanced- when you're talking to elementary school kids, this very simplistic form works well, but for adolescents, who need to be learning how to make adult decisions, it's not enough to simply say that one person's perspective the only possible one, which he unwittingly suggests in several episodes.

Salaam

I like this brother. He seems really down to earth and funny. We need that!

I agree with the observation Nakia makes above regarding the appeal of this being the over simplifyication.

He does have a talent to talk fast and his histrionics are fun to watch. However when he says things like people convert to Islam in Prisons because they are free from distractions, he is not even skimming the surface! Race, religion, history, hatred of the white man, perceived or real injustices...these are some of the reasons. Not just the fact that they are away from distractions.

Ali insists he cannot do comedy because it involves lying. But in a way, isn't this whole act of 'dude this, and dude that' also a lie? Who are we kidding here, this guy is a very serious man who has serious ideas on how the world should be.

This is no different from Christian Rock. What they - the fanatical Christians - do is appropriate a very popular life-style that is actually the anti-thesis of what they believe in, to spread the message to the people who love pop-culture. As with all hypocritical ideas this will back-fire - I don't know how or when or where, but watch for it.

Who could have know Reverend Haggard would end up being the subject of a song called 'Meth and Man-ass on a sunday morning'?! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MDQkXodLyY

He is good, Mashallah!

Weisskoph's comment have got to be amongst the paranoid and ill informed rants I've seen here. Comparing Christian Rock and a disgraced evangelical Christian with a young man who simply makes videos explaining his faith is nothing short of a lazy and cheap communal attack.
Note how he plays the race card by claiming that "hatred of the white man" is a reason for conversion to a faith which has plenty of white followers.

Quite obviously, some fool here does not know that in the USA, starting from the time of Farakhan and Malcolm X, race has been the most important factor in the spread of Islam.

Muhamed Ali, another black celebrity who converted with fanfare, said he was influenced by the "Muhammad Speaks" newspaper from a Muslim in Chicago, and a 45 rpm record by Minister Louis X (later Farrakhan) called "A White Man's Heaven is a Black Man's Hell".

But I doubt if an idiot like this Bush would know all this - just as the real Bush does not have a clue so also this fool who takes his name!

Weisskopf,

Instead of saying that "race" has been the most important factor in the spread of Islam why not say that "racism" against blacks historically made many people question the racism of some mainstream Christian organizations or the idea that non-white people were spiritually and ethically inferior. Not to mention that many slaves brought to America were Muslim...I happen to know African-American Muslims in their 60s who were raised Muslim and who were never involved in the Nation of Islam or any type of orthodox black nationalism.

You speak of Malcolm X and Muhammed Ali at the moment of their conversion but what has made many people who began in the Nation of Islam "continue" as Muslims beyond the Nation of Islam is not race but the message of community and equality that they find in Islam.

Many ex-Nation of Islam members I have talked to have told me that they never really bought into the racial aspects of the NOI but that they were happy to be apart of something that raised their esteem and made them feel valuable.

"Ali insists he cannot do comedy because it involves lying. But in a way, isn't this whole act of 'dude this, and dude that' also a lie? Who are we kidding here, this guy is a very serious man who has serious ideas on how the world should be."

Um, I'm not really getting your point here. Are you suggesting that people who are religious should never speak because of their worldview? Your suspicion of Ali is telling in that it assumes that behind every Muslim comedian, actress, singer, playwright, what have you, who talks about their religion is a sinister being trying to "take over". It is grossly unfair.

I've been following Ali for awhile and what I, and my Muslim friends appreciate, is that feeling that you have experienced the things that he is talking about. Muslim teenagers, who often feel isolated and invisible, connect to him.

Although, I don't listen to Christian Rock, I have been to "alternative" praise sessions with Christian musician friends. What I found was a group of young people attempting to form community in new ways. Some were more conservative than others but I did not find them to be hidden fascists.

Anisah - all that you say about racism is true. No argument there about why they(black people) stayed muslim after conversion either. Though there are a lot of black people who converted to Islam in jail, who revert back to a life of crime and drugs when they get out, and nobody talks of them.

When I referred to race bing an important factor I was talking specifically of people in prison who convert in America. You can kid yourself all you want but a whole of black men take up islam as a statement against white culture more than because they suddenly discovered peace. Have you ever wondered why there are not as many Hispanics in prison converting?

As for Ali Baba, what I mean when I say he is a very serious guy is that behind all this playfulness is a deadly serious world view that when expressed will probably be not that far away from the more rigid views of Islam out there. Baba Ali is still a very young man. I am sure when Louis Farrakhan started, he was idolized for his Islamic credentials before his womanizing and corruption became well known.

Perhaps this is what they mean when they warn of false prophets. Many get taken in by a sense of easy-going American street talking by this guy into thinking he is not at all like the fire-breathing mullahs. Or for that matter into thinking that though he is well aware of all the 'fun' aspects of being an American, he is a pious muslim and will not stray. Well, like I said, give it time...

In the meantime, just for shits and giggles, watch the Youtube link I sent earlier for a few laughs about a man who was as popular as this guy, if not more, for being a pious Christian!

And by the way, I am not just suspicious of every Muslim comedian or actor, I am suspicious of all religious preachers and proselytizers, and anybody who hints that they are better than others. Especially those who conceal themselves by masking themselves in pop-culture - whether it is Rock music or hip-hop gestures or surf-talk.

Guys like this are no different from Rush Limbaugh who will sit there and speak about everything as long as nobody asks any questions! This Ali Baba also will pretty soon look like any other fanatic preacher if someone pins him down with some simple questions about what he thinks of women in Islam or people who are not Muslims.

In fact that whole long interval of laughing uncontrollably when his friends told him they were muslims is a dead giveaway. You may not see what I am seeing, but then you are a little dazzled by his cleverness. As we say in Germany 'Warte nur und Alles wird Ruhig!'

Now, I am guessing someone here will call me a Nazi soon!

"Have you ever wondered why there are not as many Hispanics in prison converting?"

Um, Weisskopf you are really out of touch with currents within Muslim American communities. Hispanics in prison not converting...sorry this is not true. Simply google Hispanics or Latinos and Islam and you will be astounded by what you read.

Also I happen to know quite a lot about prisons and Islam (have visited more than my share in my lifetime, not to mention I know a few Muslim chaplains intimately) and the hate whitey mentality you talk about is not as prevalent as you are assuming. In fact, many of the prisoners find studying Qur'an and Arabic to be esteem building. One of the prisons I visited had intensive training in Arabic grammar, tajweed, etc. that would rival a university. It is the time to learn that is so paramount for both men and women who are incarcerated. I've met a lot of Christian prisoners too! I really am wondering what you base your thoughts on?

I am not dazzled by Ali Baba. I just don't think he's all the things you say. Your analysis just seems very heavy handed and preemptive.

Ok Anisah. Whatever you say. I have never been to a prison or known any criminals - reformed or otherwise. If you say Hispanics are converting also I say 'goody for Islam!' The more criminals convert, the better! In a few years we should not only have a completely crime free America but a pious one as well! Not to mention jocular and comedic mullahs! AND THEN...I am breathless with excitement here...AND THEN we can save the millions we waste today on jails and then...we can disband the military too! Yippeee! Glory glory halleluah...ooops is it ok to sing infidel songs in your soon to be 'Islamic States of America'?

That person Naika had it right when he/she suspected something was wrong. I can understand why you don't like me being a wet blanket here. But then, everyone likes to talk of wanting to see through fakery but when the time comes, they would rather throw out the skeptic in the room. Otherwise, we would not have charlatans all over the world cropping up at regular intervals.... Jim Jones, Koresh, Farrakhan, Osama, Hitler, Limbaugh, who's that guy on the Fox network - I forget......on and on....people should know better than to get taken in but the truth is like the magician says 'magic works because people WANT to be fooled!'

Though, you are right ; ali Baba is not in the same league.

Wow. You are insane. You managed to stick to the thread for a nano second.

"Don't like you"? no, sir. I don't care about you. I come to AltMuslim for news and other stories. I comment hoping for conversation with sensible, intelligent folk but alas a pyscho is always lurking...

Peace to you my friend.

And you too! or should I be politically correct and say 'wa alikum salaam?'

Watch the segment where Baba ali mimics the interaction between father and child. The father is portrayed as a bumbling idiot with a thick accent and the child uses extensive inner city slang and gesticulation. Is there a bias here....you think? Can't the Muslim dads and moms who came from some other country speak intelligently to kids about religion? Teach them to be practicing muslims as well as blend in with dignity and individuality? I know a few 2nd and 3rd generation Indians (boys and girls) who went to school with me in the US who are not influenced by hip-hop at all but they are not overly zealous religious people either. Of course, I confess, I don't know their religions, but then, that is the point. Who cares! Religion is not what gave them a sense of self, it is their parentage.

Is it an 'all or nothing' approach only that will work, as Baba seems to suggest? By the way doesn't it bother anyone of you that he mocks black culture so much? Not to mention using black symbolism as the stereotype for troubled youths - and the redemption from that being to pray five times and wear a hijaab all the time!

Weisskoph, you're spamming the comment section with quasi-racist nonsense. Whats wrong with Ali using comedy? How many of his videos have you seen? You sound like a very ignorant and stupid American.
Muhammed Ali is a Sunni Muslim who gave up the N.O.I. doctrine back in the early 1980s. He is a champion to people all across the globe. Take your prejudice and conspiracy theories elsewhere.

Weisskopf,

Ali is an Internet rock star. Muslims and non-Muslims alike love this kid because he's genuine, has a good heart, is a person of faith and good humor, and it all shows in the vids.

As far as the rapper gestures, I have to tell you that this is now part of international youth culture. I teach affluent Catholic kids in the 'burbs, and they go to their proms wearing 1K+ gowns and flashing gangsta signs to each other! It's just the current thing a la mode, that's all. They all do it now, all the kids. ALL of them. EVERYWHERE. (it's goofy, but what can you do. We used to flash peace symbols. While wearing Nehru jackets. Now THAT was goofy.)

Ali has done more to increase dialogue and friendship amongst people than anyone else has since Carter went to Camp David. What have you done to get people to like and understand each other more?

Go view the vid from the Dutch girl who admitted online that she hated and feared Muslims before Baba came along, and she's gotten over a lot of that because of his vids.

The Almighty has many messengers and helpers. Some of them speak from pulpits. Some are on YouTube. Ali just fell into this, which is pretty typical of how the prophets were called. Read your scriptures! This is how the prophets are called. Not planning it, not even wanting it, just going about their business and then, bada bing--or Baba Bing, in this case--they find themselves doing prophetic things.

He's got a good message that is applicable to many faiths. His theme is that you do things from the heart, putting God first in all that you do. How can anyone argue with that. By their fruits shall you know them. He's bringing people together, and encouraging them; building up, not tearing down. He's good people.

WE LOVE BABA ALI!!!

Signed, DemiJersey, a Christian fan

There we have it - as I had predicted, Baba Ali has been declared to be a 'prophet' by Demi! The first step towards baba ali's divinity has been taken.

As for the dutch girl, I am sure there are many many more who will think highly of Baba ali. That does not prove anything but my point that they are all dazzled. People like this dutch girl who swing from one extreme to another do not represent well thought out actions. These are the actions of the mesmerized and bewildered.

In the first place, it takes a weak mind to 'hate' someone just because they are of another religion as she says she hated muslims before. Such people either end up doing cowardly things like hate crimes or end up going to the other extreme and converting, and possibly end up doing hate crimes against their old religion! Ahem - Shoe Bomber? Ried? Remember? Not to mention the other guy - al Hindi who used to be a Hindu but became al qaeda?

The point of all this is that people are swayed easily by images that captivate them. Hitler swayed millions, as did many other dictator, or many of these 'swami' guys from India or wherever they come from. They may start out as good guys but fame has an effect on the mind that is not easy to resist.

Numbers don't mean a thing when it comes to such masses - especially in the cyber world. There are many such vacuous minded 'rock stars' on the internet. How many people remember the dancing baby that was all the rage a few years ago?

Personally, since you asked about it, I have done nothing to bring anyone together because I believe people can think for themselves and nobody needs my help to think.

You don't see the condescending nature of such people as Baba ali because you are still under the spell. As I said earlier - give it time and watch Baba ali do or say something disastrous. I bet you will look back at this dialog and wonder how on earth did you, a devout man with great insight, get taken in when it was so obvious to an infidel fool like me!