Habeeba Husain
Many think of Hollywood and showbusiness as the antithesis of Islam. It feels as though the former puts every impermissible, or haraam, act on display: adultery and fornication, alcohol, violence, and shirk, or associating partners with God.
“In that industry…you can have whatever religion you want. You can believe whatever you want,” said Amin Davis, a Canadian actor himself. “But at the end of the day, if you want to work in the business, your acting comes first and your beliefs come second.”
For Davis, religious beliefs were never emphasized growing up. Instead, his parents were involved in the arts. They ran a musical theater program for children, something Davis himself found joy in at an early age. He worked alongside names like Taraji P. Henson as a kid and went on to voice characters in popular children’s shows like Paw Patrol and Max & Ruby, as well as act in Rookie Blue and Heartland, among many other show credits.
Davis himself didn’t hold religious beliefs. In fact, he almost looked down upon those who did.
“I always believed that everybody [who had religious beliefs] accepted the fact that they were delusional in their belief…basically trying to find meaning in a meaningless world.” Davis said.
Davis, now Muslim, admits his original thinking was itself “silly.” Before accepting Islam, Davis felt that if there was a true religion sent to humankind by God, then everyone would be on that path because the signs for it would be too obvious.
“Because I saw the whole world following different things…I made that natural deduction in my head that there must be no religion that’s true,” he said.
A Mindset Shift
Davis had a change of mind and heart at 18 when a Jewish friend asked him about God. The interaction sparked a curiosity in him, and he then dove deep into researching religions.
He looked into Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. Davis was surprised to find that Islam was a continuation of the other Abrahamic faiths and not some foreign “other” that went against anything and everything familiar. The fact that the Prophet Muhammad (may the blessings and peace of God be upon him) was the final messenger who brought God’s preserved word in the Quran to the world made so much sense to him.
More than beliefs, Davis was attracted to the logic in Islam. He looked into every argument and counter-argument. At times, he even worried if he fell into the same delusions he was so critical of others falling into. But the scientific miracles within the Quran, among other things, were too undeniable.
“I didn’t really believe that people could be presented with the possibility of there actually being that purpose or of God existing or of true religion—I didn’t think people could be presented with that possibility and then turn away from it,” he said.
Davis would soon witness that possibility, however. He would share his findings with the people around him. Initially they took interest, but religious research wasn’t exactly the tea people wanted to talk about.
“It’s similar when it comes to politics,” Davis said. “A lot of people prefer comforting lies [rather] than the hard truth.”
But Davis was built differently. He didn’t see the point in discussing the mundane.
“If you don’t talk about [religion], you’re basically having meaningless conversations 24/7,” he said. “It didn’t make sense to even run away from this type of topic. It’s the most important topic in the world. It trumps everything else.”
A Career Shift
Upon embracing Islam, Davis initially shared the news with only his close circle. He informed his agent about what he was willing to do and not do at work. He’d find private places to pray, and most of the people on set weren’t aware of his conversion.
“I realized that [fear to share my Islam] came from my own previous ideas of what I thought about religious people. I thought religious people were intellectually inferior and delusional,” Davis said. “I didn’t want to share that I was Muslim… or religious because I felt like then, people would think that about me.”
When Davis went public with his Islam the following year, he was pleasantly surprised to find that most people respected it.
After meeting some prominent Muslim public figures, Davis entered the world of Islamic entertainment. He is still an artist—but instead of performing in musicals and on Hollywood sets, he produces projects of true benefit. He teaches people around the world through a stage show about Islamic history, and he composes Islamic songs, or nasheeds, about God that serve to remind listeners of faith:
“You could’ve searched for a thousand hours, wouldn’t have made a change
You could’ve looked for a thousand days and you would have stayed the same
It’s only by the will of God that you’re here today
Just remember who you are before you walk away.”– “Take Me Away” by Amin Davis
“The end goal for me isn’t entertainment,” Davis said. “The impact I want to make is gaining back confidence within the Muslim individual, to feel their religion isn’t some inferior thing that they have to be ashamed about.”
Davis’s mindset shift and career shift highlight the inspiring potential each person has within themselves. From looking down on religious people to thoroughly researching religion to eventually embracing Islam and subsequently separating from the mainstream entertainment industry, Amin Davis has found his purpose in life.
If you’re on a journey to discover real purpose in life, please reach out to 877-Why-Islam.
