Brother Ali (also known as Maliki Click) was born in 1972 in Southern California and raised in an Evangelical Christian family. His relationship with religion began confusingly from an early age, especially after his parents divorced when he was one year old. At the age of seven, his father—who had recently "given his life to Christ"—took him to an evangelical church, but the young boy ran away, terrified by the loud, screaming atmosphere.
## The Beginning of Theological Doubts
During his teenage years (age 14), theological questions began to surface while reading the Bible, where he noticed clear contradictions. Among the most prominent was the story of Jacob, which stated that "no man shall see me and live" (Exodus 33:20), while other texts narrated that Jacob wrestled with God and remained alive (Genesis 32:24-30). When he inquired with the pastor about this contradiction, he didn't receive a convincing answer, which increased his doubts.
## Deviation and Loss of Direction
After returning to live with his mother, Ali disconnected from religious practices and gradually began to deviate. He says about that period: "I was holding onto something that could be described as 'monotheism without direction,' without a moral compass." At the age of nineteen, he fell into bad company and participated in an armed robbery—despite having a job and money—driven by a sense of existential emptiness and the search for excitement.
## Prison: The Gateway to Islam
He was sentenced to 8-10 years in Walla Walla prison—one of Washington's toughest prisons. There, he automatically joined the Aryan Brotherhood (a racist prison gang). But the real transformation began when a Turkish prisoner named Omar caught his attention; Omar always sat with African-American Muslim prisoners.
## The Defining Moment
After months of observation, Omar approached him amidst apprehension, then surprised him by saying: "As-salamu alaykum." Da'wah (invitation to Islam) sessions began afterward, and Omar gifted him a copy of the Qur'an. The first thing that caught his attention was the presence of the same biblical figures (Moses, Jesus, Abraham). However, the Qur'an's unique rhetorical style impressed him.
## The Friday Prayer That Changed His Life
Omar invited him to attend Friday prayers. He faced resistance from the prison warden who warned him about "sitting with those niggers," but he insisted on attending. During his first Friday prayer, he was deeply moved by:
- **The Adhan (call to prayer)**: He initially thought it was a beautiful song
- **Wudu (ablution)**: External and internal purification before worship
- **Qur'an memorization**: Shocked to learn the Imam had memorized the entire Qur'an
- **Humility in prayer**: He saw tough men transform into humble, devoted worshippers before their Creator
But the most impactful moment was **during Sujood (prostration)**: "When they placed their foreheads on the ground, that was the moment my heart said: I will become Muslim today."
## The Declaration of Faith
In 1991, he uttered the Shahadah (declaration of faith) in prison. He says about that moment: "It was unreal... as if I was with God for the first time in my life... This is the reason I was born."
## The Heavy Price
When he told his father about converting to Islam, his father completely cut ties with him and disinherited him of an estimated $600,000 (a huge sum in the early 1990s). His relationship with his family remained strained for 15 years. He says about that decision: "There is something more important than money... something after this life."
## Life After Prison
After his release, two Saudi brothers (Khalid and Abdulrahman)—whom he later discovered were from the Prophet's household—helped him by living with him and teaching him Islam for a year. Today, he lives in Oklahoma City and works as a truck driver.
## Da'wah via TikTok
He owns a TikTok channel (@MalikiClick) with 372,000 followers, focusing on:
- Bringing back Muslims who have strayed from the religion
- Presenting an image of Islamic mercy and forgiveness
- Addressing misconceptions about Islam
He successfully brought 6 people to Islam directly, one of whom (Rob) subsequently brought 125 people to Islam within 6 months—Rob was on the verge of suicide before meeting Maliki.
## Dreams and Visions
He saw the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ twice in his dreams, and also saw Prophet Abraham (peace be upon him), where he was told that the footprint in the stone was from "your father Abraham."
## His Message to Christians
Brother Ali challenges Christians with pivotal theological questions:
- How could 99.9% of the prophets (who lived before Christ) believe in a salvation they didn't know about?
- Why doesn't Christ explicitly say in the Gospel, "I am God, so worship me"?
- How does the concept of the Trinity contradict "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one"?
## Ongoing Da'wah
He invites non-Muslims with a humanistic logic: "You don't need to practice Islam, but don't you want to know who we are? Don't you want to hear us?"
## Final Supplications
In conclusion, he expressed his wish: "O Allah, grant victory to the people of Palestine... and unite the Muslims." His story remains a testament to Islam's ability to change hearts even in the darkest circumstances and a reminder that guidance can come from where a person least expects it.
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