Open House, Open Recruitment

Open House, Open Recruitment

Adam stood in the doorway of the modest suburban home, surveying the interior with his critical eye and attention to detail. The house was perfect for a young family—three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a spacious backyard, and a quiet neighborhood. With the open house scheduled for the afternoon, he had only a few hours before people arrived to ensure everything was in order.

As he moved from room to room, straightening pillows and adjusting curtains, Adam noticed a box tucked away in the back of the closet in the master bedroom. Curious, he pulled it out and set it on the bed. The box was unmarked, but it had a strange weight to it that piqued his interest.

He opened the box, and inside, neatly folded, were several white soccer jerseys with green details. Adam lifted one out, inspecting it closely. The material was soft, almost inviting, with intricate green embroidery along the sleeves and collar. There was no brand tag, no indication of where it had come from.

Something about the jersey drew him in. Without really thinking, he slipped off his blazer and tie and unbuttoned his shirt, replacing it with the white jersey. The moment it touched his skin, a wave of warmth spread through his body, settling deep in his chest.

He stood still for a moment, puzzled by the sensation. His reflection in the bedroom mirror caught his eye, and as he looked at himself, Adam noticed subtle changes taking place. His hair, once light brown, darkened to a deep black. His skin tone shifted, taking on a warm, olive hue. His facial features sharpened, becoming more angular, with a prominent nose and a thicker beard that seemed to grow in seconds.

His heart raced as he watched the transformation in the mirror. His blue eyes darkened to a rich brown, and his neatly trimmed beard got thicker. Adam's clothes seemed to change as well—his dress pants and loafers replaced by a pair of tan trousers and sandals that complemented the white jersey.

He blinked, trying to reconcile the image in the mirror with his memory of himself. He felt different, not just physically but mentally. He realized he was no longer Adam Barnes, a real estate agent from Connecticut. His thoughts, his memories—they were shifting, rearranging themselves into something new.

The name that came to him was not Adam but Omar. He was a devout Muslim, a man who had lived his life with a sense of purpose and faith. The transformation had not just altered his appearance but his very identity. He felt a deep connection to his new self, as though he had always been Omar and the life of Adam was a distant, fading memory.

Omar looked down at the remaining jerseys in the box. A sense of duty welled up within him—these jerseys were meant to be shared. They held the power to transform, to bring others into the fold of faith. The open house was no longer just about selling a home; it was about offering something far greater.

He carefully laid out the jerseys on the dining room table, each one neatly folded and ready to be handed out. As the first guests for the open house arrived, he felt a calmness and sense of duty settle over him. He knew exactly what he needed to do.

Yo, peeps! Do you even notice anything in the lecture hall? Like, nah? Well, like, duh, that just totally proves that having chicks at the university would just be, like, such a major distraction, innit?

Hayun Wadud

It was hard for Tom Holland to imagine his life getting any better than it already was. Not even 30 years old, he was a multi-(multi-multi-)millionaire, global star of stage and screen, blessed with multitudes of talent and, not for nothing, an equally successful and famous girlfriend.

So when his agent told him a burgeoning group of movie studios based out of Saudi Arabia wanted Tom--and only Tom--to star in its first big-budget movie, Tom figured...why not? It's not like he had anything to lose.

When he arrived for the shoot, he was overwhelmed by the almost contradictory sense of humble majesty in the country. The people welcomed him, not because he was Spider-Man--almost as though they'd been waiting for him.

His benefactors, the producers, certainly had been awaiting his arrival. Their welcome for Tom had been lavish, no expense spared. But this was no Hollywood party. It was purely Saudi. Not a word of English was spoken, no one smoked or drank or swore. Prior to his arrival, Tom knew a handful of Arabic words osmosed through past conversations. He wasn't consciously aware when his mind began to think, and his tongue to speak, purely in Arabic.

"Nadeem," one of the producers called in Tom's direction. Tom responded; he wasn't sure why he knew he should answer to that name, if it even was a name...he just knew he should. "Nadeem," the prince/producer continued, "we are so glad to see you assimilating so well. Now you must fully immerse yourself in our culture and tradition." The prince paused. "For your acting role, of course."

Tom nodded. In unconscious Arabic, he replied, "Of course, brother. I will do whatever is needed."

Six Weeks Later

What had been needed, he was told, was to grow out his beard in accordance with Islamic custom. Tom obeyed without question, just as he did when he was taught that he must also keep his underarms and genital area free of hair. He made sure to observe strict modesty in his dress, throwing out the tank tops and shorts he'd packed for the trip to Saudi, ensuring his shoulders and legs were never exposed. Other customs he absorbed and assimilated without being told. He lowered his gaze in the presence of Saudi women. He exorcised all profanity from his vocabulary, sprinkled "alhamdulillah" and "inshallah" effortlessly throughout his speech, and forgot what pork had tasted like.

After six weeks in Saudi, Tom was eager to get going on the movie shoot. Over lunch with the producers, he humbly--almost sheepishly--asked when his job would begin. "Soon, Nadeem," one of the princes said in response; Tom had long since become accustomed to being called Nadeem. He thought of it as a term of endearment. "We are working behind the scenes to prepare for your role. I promise you, Nadeem, it will be the role of a lifetime inshallah."

Tom beamed at that. Somehow, instinctually, he knew it to be true.

One Year Later

Another glorious day in Saudi Arabia. Another gift from Allah to one of his humblest, most loyal servants. These days Nadeem al-Fasih bore vague memories of a life other than his, a life filled with reckless excess, hedonistic indulgence and an utter disregard for God and the Quran. But those memories, if they had even been real, were merely echoes, as though they accounted for an alternate version of him from some other universe.

Nadeem was no hedonist, no infidel by any means. He was the kingdom's foremost ambassador to the godless Western world, almost like a movie star among the Muslim faith. At just 22 years old he had a prominence typically reserved for only the highest ranking members of the royal family. Although, like many Saudis, Nadeem had some royal blood in his veins, he had not been particularly highborn. Now, though, he was the face of Saudi Arabia across the earth.

And that face came with a charismatic, powerful voice, a deep and resonant Arab lilt that made effective dawah wherever he went. It wasn't rare for Nadeem to return from a trip abroad and inform the royal family that yet another nation-state had reverted to Islam, its people embracing their superior Arab heritage and devoting themselves to Allah. In just his first full year of global dawah, Nadeem was primarily responsible for converting what had been Great Britain into the United Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, even unifying Ireland in the process under the Islamic flag. He had garnered the international nickname "Hayun Wadud" for his innate ability to turn cities and townships rife with internal conflict and division into friendly Muslim neighborhoods.

Despite that, as he walked with his brothers to Friday prayers, Nadeem felt no pride nor inflation of ego. He felt what any good Muslim should feel--submission to Allah and an ever-growing desire to help more and more avoid the fate of hellfire and join him and his brothers, sisters and wives in the birthright of Islam.

The Awakening of Destiny - Chapter 3: The Encounter

The sands of time shifted once more, and the horizon of your world blurred and folded, bringing forth a figure from an era long past. My arrival in 2024 was not a mere coincidence; it was a significant event orchestrated by forces beyond your comprehension. I, Sayyid Hassan al-Fatimi, an indomitable figure from history, had crossed the boundaries of time with a singular purpose—to guide you, Omar, in your transformation.

When our paths finally crossed, it was in a setting where the ancient and modern worlds collided—a dramatic, almost surreal landscape where the echoes of my time intertwined with the realities of yours. The moment was charged with an energy that could only be described as otherworldly. You stood there, a young man whose life had just begun to take shape under the influence of the Arabization movement, and I stood before you, a figure from a time long forgotten, yet ever present in the currents of history.

As our eyes met, I saw the questions, the doubts, and the curiosity that swirled within you. My presence was overwhelming, a force that seemed to defy the very fabric of the world you knew. Yet, within that overwhelming presence, there was something more—something familiar, something that resonated deeply within your soul.

I began to speak, my voice carrying the weight of centuries, filled with the wisdom and experience of countless generations. Each word I uttered seemed to reverberate through you, solidifying the path you had begun to tread. I spoke to you of the movement that had already started to reshape your identity, of the power that lay within the name you now bore—Omar. I revealed to you the true nature of the Arabization movement, a force that had silently expanded its influence across time and space, and your role within it.

As I spoke, you felt a fire ignite within you—a fire of purpose that burned brighter with each passing moment. The doubts and uncertainties that had plagued you began to fade, replaced by a sense of clarity and determination. It was as if your purpose and my mission were intertwined, bound together by the invisible threads of fate.

I could see it in your eyes, Omar—the deep connection you felt to me, to the movement, to the destiny that now awaited you. This was no longer just a journey of self-discovery; it was a calling, a responsibility that you could not, and would not, turn away from.

In that moment, you understood that your transformation was not just about adopting new practices or beliefs; it was about becoming a leader, a guide for others who would follow in your footsteps. The fire of purpose that I had ignited within you would continue to burn, driving you forward, shaping you into the man you were destined to become.

Our encounter marked the beginning of a new chapter in your life, Omar. The ancient wisdom I imparted to you would be the foundation upon which you would build your future, and the future of the movement. Together, we would continue to reshape the world, one step at a time, one soul at a time, until the vision of Arabization was fully realized.

And so, with our paths now intertwined, you and I would walk forward into the unknown, guided by the fire of purpose, driven by the power of the name you now bore. The encounter had set the stage for the next phase of your transformation, and there was no turning back. You were no longer just a boy; you were Omar, and the world would soon know your name.

The Awakening of Destiny - Chapter 1: The Awakening of Omar The Awakening of Destiny - Chapter 2: The Silent Transformation The Awakening of Destiny - Chapter 3: The Encounter