Not From Here

Jaafar Issa
  • 5.0 (46)
  • PERSONAL JOURNALS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

You don't feel like you belong here, you go home and don't feel like you belong there either. Congratulations, you're not from here. Join the club.

  1. Parenting Specialist: Married Women Are At Their Breaking Point (they're not okay)

    FEB 22

    Parenting Specialist: Married Women Are At Their Breaking Point (they're not okay)

    This episode is a straight conversation about what breaks homes from the inside: family dynamics, cultural expectations, and people crossing boundaries like it’s normal. Fatimah and I talk about the gap between parents and kids today, how mothers can unintentionally shape their sons in a way that harms his future marriage, and why in-laws end up controlling the household. We also get into broken marriages, the double standard between boys and girls, and what it takes to raise kids who can handle the real world without losing themselves. In this day and age there is a new way to parent kids and we have no idea what that is. Sponsors: 💆🏻‍♂️💆🏻‍♀️ Thrive Physical Therapy and Massage: Book your next session NOW! https://thrive1.simplybook.me/v2/#book +1 (313) 429-9079 ☕️ Detroit Perk Coffee: Try The Best Coffee In Town https://detroitperk.com/ Download the app: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/detroit... 🚗 Nasser Insurance Agency: Get a Quote on your Home, Auto, Business, & Life Insurance https://www.nasserinsuranceagency.com/ +1 (313) 899 - 7888 🏦 West Capital Lending: START BUILDING YOUR HOME’S EQUITY WITH WEST CAPITAL LENDING: https://heloc.westcapitallending.com/account/heloc/register?referrer=a5aab5a8-6bbf-4c7c-9b2b-3abef973d673 +1 (313) 367-4400 ⚖️ Hall Makled: When You Can’t Afford to Lose, Make the Right Call https://www.hallmakled.com/ +1 (313) 788-8888 Connect with Fatimah: https://www.instagram.com/fatimahybazzi/ https://www.youtube.com/@Fatimah-Bazzi Connect with Jaafar: https://www.instagram.com/podnotfromhere/ https://twitter.com/JaafarrIssa https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaafar-issa-8046a419b/v 00:00 Intro 02:08 Fatimah’s re-introduction 04:08 Living in a different generation 07:00 The gap between mothers and their kids 10:34 Ads 11:52 Mom channeling love from husband to son + Outlook on his wife 17:44 Psychological breakdown of the mothers 24:40 The Letter Test 31:44 Broken marriages 37:44 In-laws disrupting the household + challenging culture 48:04 How broken women treat their children 58:18 Double Standard between boys and girls 1:01:50 Ads 1:02:53 Men unrealistic in their pursuit for marriage 1:05:10 Training daughters for the real world 1:14:43 Reacting to parenting videos 1:28:10 How do we reclaim our kids

    1h 44m
  2. What Really Happens When a Muslim Gets Elected into a Political Position in the United States?

    FEB 16

    What Really Happens When a Muslim Gets Elected into a Political Position in the United States?

    Every time a Muslim enters politics, the question isn’t “What will they do?”, it’s “When will they sell out?” In this conversation, Abbas Alawieh and I dig into the distrust many Arabs and Muslims feel toward politicians, even when they’re “one of us.” We talk about how money actually functions in American politics, whether the system forces compromise, and why suspicion toward Muslims in authority didn’t come out of nowhere. We break down the real tension:
Can you change the law from the inside?
Should you always agree with “your” politician?
And what happens when foreign policy, party pressure, and community expectations collide? Sponsors: 💆🏻‍♂️💆🏻‍♀️ Thrive Physical Therapy and Massage: Book your next session NOW! https://thrive1.simplybook.me/v2/#book +1 (313) 429-9079 ☕️ Detroit Perk Coffee: Try The Best Coffee In Town https://detroitperk.com/ Download the app: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/detroit... 🚗 Nasser Insurance Agency: Get a Quote on your Home, Auto, Business, & Life Insurance https://www.nasserinsuranceagency.com/ +1 (313) 899 - 7888 🏦 West Capital Lending: START BUILDING YOUR HOME’S EQUITY WITH WEST CAPITAL LENDING: https://heloc.westcapitallending.com/account/heloc/register?referrer=a5aab5a8-6bbf-4c7c-9b2b-3abef973d673 +1 (313) 367-4400 ⚖️ Hall Makled: When You Can’t Afford to Lose, Make the Right Call https://www.hallmakled.com/ +1 (313) 788-8888 Connect with Abbas: https://www.instagram.com/abbasformi/ Connect with Jaafar: https://www.instagram.com/podnotfromhere/ https://twitter.com/JaafarrIssa https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaafar-issa-8046a419b/v 00:00 Intro 01:30 Who is Abbas? 06:17 Relationship with grandmother 13:57 Ads 15:42 How money functions in our politics 22:30 Arabs/Muslims that go into politics 39:58 Should you always agree with the politician? 50:42 Ads 51:55 Can you change the law? 57:51 Mayor Amer Ghaleb example 1:04:21 The Uncommitted campaign + Making real change 1:19:18 Pressure from both sides of the aisle 1:24:53 Abbas calling his grandmother after the win

    1h 32m
  3. Who Are the Biggest Losers in This World? / من هم الأخسرون أعمالًا؟ | Dr. Ali Abbas

    FEB 8

    Who Are the Biggest Losers in This World? / من هم الأخسرون أعمالًا؟ | Dr. Ali Abbas

    Who are the biggest losers in this world? The answer isn’t who you think and that’s the problem. In this episode of Not From Here, I sit down with Dr. Ali Abbas for a deep and uncomfortable conversation about the illusion of knowledge, false certainty, and why having more information hasn’t brought us more clarity. We unpack how information overload, conflicting experts, groupthink, and misplaced confidence have reshaped the modern mind. We talk about misguided effort, success without direction, and how people can believe they’re doing good while moving in the wrong direction socially, psychologically, and spiritually. This episode is about questioning certainty, resisting the downward pull of the group, and reclaiming responsibility in an age that rewards confidence more than truth. This conversation will challenge how you think, and how quickly you decide you’re right. من هم الأخسرون أعمالًا في هذه الدنيا؟ الجواب ليس كما تظن… وهنا تكمن المشكلة نغوص في حوار عميق وغير مريح مع د. علي عباس، مقدّم برنامج «ضوء»، حول وهم المعرفة، اليقين الزائف، ولماذا لم تؤدِّ كثرة المعلومات إلى مزيد من الوضوح نتحدث عن فيض المعلومات، تضارب الآراء، التفكير الجماعي، وكيف أعادت الثقة الزائدة تشكيل العقل المعاصر. نناقش الجهد بلا اتجاه، والنجاح الظاهري، وكيف يمكن للإنسان أن يظنّ أنه يفعل الخير بينما يسير في المسار الخطأ — اجتماعيًا، نفسيًا، وروحيًا. هذه الحلقة لا تقدّم إجابات جاهزة. بل تدعو إلى مساءلة اليقين، مقاومة الانجراف مع الجماعة، واستعادة المسؤولية في زمن يكافئ الثقة أكثر مما يكافئ الحقيقة. حلقة ستتحدّى طريقة تفكيرك… وسرعة حكمك. Sponsors: 💆🏻‍♂️💆🏻‍♀️ Thrive Physical Therapy and Massage: Book your next session NOW! https://thrive1.simplybook.me/v2/#book +1 (313) 429-9079 ☕️ Detroit Perk Coffee: Try The Best Coffee In Town https://detroitperk.com/ Download the app: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/detroit... 🚗 Nasser Insurance Agency: Get a Quote on your Home, Auto, Business, & Life Insurance https://www.nasserinsuranceagency.com/ +1 (313) 899 - 7888 🏦 West Capital Lending: START BUILDING YOUR HOME’S EQUITY WITH WEST CAPITAL LENDING: https://heloc.westcapitallending.com/account/heloc/register?referrer=a5aab5a8-6bbf-4c7c-9b2b-3abef973d673 +1 (313) 367-4400 ⚖️ Hall Makled: When You Can’t Afford to Lose, Make the Right Call https://www.hallmakled.com/ +1 (313) 788-8888 Connect with Dr. Ali: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/ali.abbas.lb/⁠ ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/ali-abbas-4a5367100/⁠ ⁠https://www.facebook.com/ali.majid.abbas⁠ Connect with Jaafar: https://www.instagram.com/podnotfromhere/ https://twitter.com/JaafarrIssa ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaafar-issa-8046a419b/v⁠ 00:00 – Intro 02:34 – Information Everywhere, Clarity Nowhere 07:40 – Being Busy Without Being Aligned 15:10 – Information Overload and the Loss of Focus 23:00 – The Illusion of Knowledge 25:41 – Ads 27:15 – Confidence Without Understanding 34:25 – AI, Answers Without Wisdom 41:35 – Misguided Effort and False Success 46:46 – Qur’an 18:103–104: When Effort Goes the Wrong Way 54:36 – Reading Religion Without Context 1:02:46 – When Misunderstood Knowledge Becomes Dangerous 1:12:19 – Changing the Inner State Without Denying Reality 1:16:54 – Ads 1:18:12 – Meaning, Du‘a, and Recognizing Open Doors 1:27:02 – Groupthink and the Psychology of the Herd 1:32:32 – Loyalty to the Group vs Loyalty to Truth 1:40:22 – Awareness, Responsibility, and the Cost of Certainty 1:47:52 – Closing Reflections: Confidence vs Clarity

    2h 3m
  4. Rashida Tlaib: No-one Can Prepare You For What You See In Congress

    FEB 2

    Rashida Tlaib: No-one Can Prepare You For What You See In Congress

    In this episode of Not From Here, I sit down with Rashida Tlaib for a wide-ranging conversation about family, pressure, and power. We talk about growing up as the eldest of 14 in a working-class immigrant household, the responsibility that comes with being “meant for more,” and the exhaustion that builds when public life never really shuts off. Rashida walks through what people rarely see inside Congress, the intimidation that comes with challenging powerful interests, and how the last election shifted the relationship between the Democratic Party and Arab and Muslim communities. We also get into the personal toll, on family, faith, and identity, and where she believes the country is heading next. Sponsors: 💆🏻‍♂️💆🏻‍♀️ Thrive Physical Therapy and Massage: Book your next session NOW! https://thrive1.simplybook.me/v2/#book +1 (313) 429-9079 ☕️ Detroit Perk Coffee: Try The Best Coffee In Town https://detroitperk.com/ Download the app: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/detroit... 🚗 Nasser Insurance Agency: Get a Quote on your Home, Auto, Business, & Life Insurance https://www.nasserinsuranceagency.com/ +1 (313) 899 - 7888 🏦 West Capital Lending: START BUILDING YOUR HOME’S EQUITY WITH WEST CAPITAL LENDING: https://heloc.westcapitallending.com/account/heloc/register?referrer=a5aab5a8-6bbf-4c7c-9b2b-3abef973d673 +1 (313) 367-4400 ⚖️ Hall Makled: When You Can’t Afford to Lose, Make the Right Call https://www.hallmakled.com/ +1 (313) 788-8888 Connect with Rashida: https://www.instagram.com/rashidatlaib/ Connect with Jaafar: https://www.instagram.com/jaafarrissa/ https://twitter.com/JaafarrIssa https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaafar-issa-8046a419b/v 00:00 Intro 02:21 Who is Rashida 04:44 The “Crazy Lunatic” 12:37 Family dynamic in a house of 14 siblings 14:12 Ads 16:12 Being meant for more 20:39 Handling exhaustion + pain 28:44 Family back home celebrating 32:52 Intimidation from Congress 36:56 What people don’t know about Congress 40:24 Trump winning Dearborn 44:50 Ads 46:12 Losing faith in the Democratic Party 53:13 The NY Times headline 57:23 The hidden toll of Rashida’s career 1:15:32 The future of America

    1h 23m
  5. I Lived in A War Zone To Feed Abandoned Animals | Hsen Farhat

    JAN 26

    I Lived in A War Zone To Feed Abandoned Animals | Hsen Farhat

    Hsen Farhat stayed in his Lebanese village during 66 days of war—not because he had to, but because the animals needed him. While bombs fell and neighbors fled, Hussein fed abandoned goats, rescued cats from rubble, and played Minecraft at night with his cousin. In the silence of an empty village, facing death daily, he discovered something unexpected: the most peaceful period of his life. This isn't a typical war story. The things that you’ll hear, you’ve probably never heard before from anyone who stayed in a war zone. Hussein talks about: * Why he stayed when everyone else left * Taking care of 80+ cats during airstrikes * The strange peace that came with accepting death * How loss taught him to love more, not less * Climbing Everest one year after the war * Breaking out of comfort zones to unlock your potential A conversation about war, animals, adventure, discipline, and what it truly means to love life. Sponsors: 💆🏻‍♂️💆🏻‍♀️ Thrive Physical Therapy and Massage: Book your next session NOW! https://thrive1.simplybook.me/v2/#book +1 (313) 429-9079 ☕️ Detroit Perk Coffee: Try The Best Coffee In Town https://detroitperk.com/ Download the app: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/detroit... 🚗 Nasser Insurance Agency: Get a Quote on your Home, Auto, Business, & Life Insurance https://www.nasserinsuranceagency.com/ +1 (313) 899 - 7888 🏦 West Capital Lending: START BUILDING YOUR HOME’S EQUITY WITH WEST CAPITAL LENDING: https://heloc.westcapitallending.com/account/heloc/register?referrer=a5aab5a8-6bbf-4c7c-9b2b-3abef973d673 +1 (313) 367-4400 ⚖️ Hall Makled: When You Can’t Afford to Lose, Make the Right Call https://www.hallmakled.com/ +1 (313) 788-8888 Connect with Hsen: https://www.instagram.com/_hsenfarhat_/ Connect with Jaafar: https://www.instagram.com/jaafarrissa/ https://twitter.com/JaafarrIssa https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaafar-issa-8046a419b/ 0:00 Intro 2:24 Who is Hussein Farhat? 8:35 Let's Talk About the War 11:36 Heading Back to the Village 17:42 Why Did You Stay? 21:27 Taking Care of the Animals 25:36 Deciding to Stay Together or Die Together 31:06 The Most Peaceful Period of His Life 36:24 Loss and Death During the War 42:43 How the War Changed Him 47:29 Things That Weren't Shown in the Media 53:30 Life After the War 56:36 The Day the War Ended 1:03:09 Love After Loss 1:06:09 The Everest Adventure 1:13:56 What Do You Want People to Learn? 1:16:24 Breaking Out of Comfort Zones 1:20:35 The Broken Lebanese Mentality

    1h 24m
  6. The Only Foreign Journalist in Southern Lebanon Finally Speaks Out | Courtney Bonneau

    JAN 19

    The Only Foreign Journalist in Southern Lebanon Finally Speaks Out | Courtney Bonneau

    Courtney Bonneau, one of the only foreign journalists who chose to live and work in South Lebanon for the past few years, documenting life inside war, grief, and political collapse. We talk about why she chose this path, what it costs to live inside other people’s trauma, and how photojournalism changes when you’re no longer just observing history, but living inside it. We unpack the American worldview on global politics, how media narratives distort reality, and why even well-intentioned Americans often misunderstand the Middle East. Courtney reflects on what it means to witness the real-world consequences of power, ideology, and political language up close. We also talk about grief, death, borders, fear, faith, and what happens when curiosity turns into responsibility. The world of mainstream media does not want you to listen to this conversation. Sponsors: 💆🏻‍♂️💆🏻‍♀️ Thrive Physical Therapy and Massage: Book your next session NOW! https://thrive1.simplybook.me/v2/#book +1 (313) 429-9079 ☕️ Detroit Perk Coffee: Try The Best Coffee In Town https://detroitperk.com/ Download the app: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/detroit... 🚗 Nasser Insurance Agency: Get a Quote on your Home, Auto, Business, & Life Insurance https://www.nasserinsuranceagency.com/ +1 (313) 899 - 7888 🏦 West Capital Lending: START BUILDING YOUR HOME’S EQUITY WITH WEST CAPITAL LENDING: https://heloc.westcapitallending.com/account/heloc/register?referrer=a5aab5a8-6bbf-4c7c-9b2b-3abef973d673 +1 (313) 367-4400 ⚖️ Hall Makled: When You Can’t Afford to Lose, Make the Right Call https://www.hallmakled.com/ +1 (313) 788-8888 Connect with Courtney: https://x.com/cbonneauimages https://www.instagram.com/courtneybonneauphotography/ Connect with Jaafar: https://www.instagram.com/jaafarrissa/ https://twitter.com/JaafarrIssa https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaafar-issa-8046a419b/ 00:00 Intro 02:37 Who is Courtney + How did she end up in Lebanon 05:48 Courtney’s “Why” 11:10 Ads 12:36 Photojournalism 15:13 The Consequences 17:45 Zionist Culture 21:45 Shifting American Narrative on Middle Eastern Politics 28:25 Atheism 32:35 Fear at the border 37:46 Grief & Death 41:10 Ads 43:14 “What’s next?” 48:20 The fruits of your labor 51:15 How the Lebanese Community Plays into Israel’s Hand

    55 min
  7. Muslim Foster Care Expert: The Muslim Community's Forgotten Kids

    JAN 12

    Muslim Foster Care Expert: The Muslim Community's Forgotten Kids

    There are Muslim kids in foster care right now growing up without their faith, their culture, or any real sense of belonging and most people have no idea it’s happening. In this episode of Not From Here, I sit down with Ranya Shbeib, co-founder of the Muslim Foster Care Association, to talk about what actually happens when Muslim children enter a system that doesn't understand them. We talk about identity being slowly stripped away. About kids learning to adapt by staying quiet. About faith becoming something they stop practicing because no one around them knows how to hold it. Ranya isn’t speaking in theory. She’s a foster parent. She works inside the system. She’s seen what gets ignored, minimized, and normalized. This conversation isn’t meant to scare you. It’s meant to wake you up. Because these kids don’t get a second childhood. Sponsors: 💆🏻‍♂️💆🏻‍♀️ Thrive Physical Therapy and Massage: Book your next session NOW! https://thrive1.simplybook.me/v2/#book +1 (313) 429-9079 ☕️ Detroit Perk Coffee: Try The Best Coffee In Town https://detroitperk.com/ Download the app: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/detroit... 🚗 Nasser Insurance Agency: Get a Quote on your Home, Auto, Business, & Life Insurance https://www.nasserinsuranceagency.com/ +1 (313) 899 - 7888 🏦 Mortgage Connections: START BUILDING YOUR HOME’S EQUITY WITH MORTGAGE CONNECTIONS: https://heloc.westcapitallending.com/account/heloc/register?referrer=a5aab5a8-6bbf-4c7c-9b2b-3abef973d673 https://themortgageconnect.com/ +1 (313) 367-4400 ⚖️ Hall Makled: When You Can’t Afford to Lose, Make the Right Call https://www.hallmakled.com/ +1 (313) 788-8888 Connect with Ranya: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/ranya-shbeib-835744139/⁠ Connect with Jaafar: https://www.instagram.com/jaafarrissa/ https://twitter.com/JaafarrIssa https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaafar-issa-8046a419b/ Follow the pod: https://www.instagram.com/podnotfromhere/ Join the family & Subscribe! 00:00 Intro 2:50 The forgotten kids 8:12 What muslim kids in foster care go through 11:46 Ads 13:35 The most difficult kids to place | Foster care vs adoption 18:16 The trauma of these children 21:22 How Ranya entered this world 27:52 A foster child’s first day + balancing your own kids 38:46 Getting the license + Working with Muslim kids in foster care 42:33 Ads 44:06 What Muslim kids need 48:51 Mental health issue 40:16 The most difficult part for Ranya 55:30 The misconceptions about foster care 1:02:04 How the landscape of Muslim kids in foster care has changed

    1h 13m
  8. What Do We Owe Each Other as Human Beings? | Dr. Hussein Darwiche

    12/21/2025

    What Do We Owe Each Other as Human Beings? | Dr. Hussein Darwiche

    Giving back is something most people believe in. Fewer people build their lives around it. In this episode of Not From Here, I sit down with Hussein Darwish for a conversation about purpose, responsibility, and how service shows up in everyday life. We talk about how pain can shape direction, how skills carry weight, and how helping others becomes part of the way you move through the world. We get into a medical mission to Lebanon, how it came together, the challenges on the ground, and the people whose lives were affected by it. That experience opens a wider conversation about dignity, access, and the quiet impact of showing up for others. This episode is for anyone ending the year thinking about meaning, direction, and contribution. It’s about using what you have, where you are, to make someone else’s life a little lighter. As 2026 approaches, this conversation is a reminder to put giving back on your calendar, in your goals, and in the way you plan your life. Service doesn’t happen by accident. It becomes real when you treat it with the same seriousness as your career, your finances, and your personal growth. Go into the new year asking a simple question: who benefits from the way I live? Sponsors: 💆🏻‍♂️💆🏻‍♀️ Thrive Physical Therapy and Massage: Book your next session NOW! https://thrive1.simplybook.me/v2/#book +1 (313) 429-9079 ☕️ Detroit Perk Coffee: Try The Best Coffee In Town https://detroitperk.com/ Download the app: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/detroit... 🚗 Nasser Insurance Agency: Get a Quote on your Home, Auto, Business, & Life Insurance https://www.nasserinsuranceagency.com/ +1 (313) 899 - 7888 🏦 Mortgage Connections: START BUILDING YOUR HOME’S EQUITY WITH MORTGAGE CONNECTIONS: https://heloc.westcapitallending.com/account/heloc/register?referrer=a5aab5a8-6bbf-4c7c-9b2b-3abef973d673 https://themortgageconnect.com/ +1 (313) 367-4400 ⚖️ Hall Makled: When You Can’t Afford to Lose, Make the Right Call https://www.hallmakled.com/ +1 (313) 788-8888 Connect with Jaafar: https://www.instagram.com/jaafarrissa/ https://twitter.com/JaafarrIssa https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaafar-issa-8046a419b/ Follow the pod: https://www.instagram.com/podnotfromhere/ Join the family & Subscribe! Get 30 Days FREE with your Whoop: https://join.whoop.com/notfromhere 00:00 Intro 02:55 Who is Hussein? 05:15 Finding purpose through pain 22:54 Ads 24:40 The Medical Mission to Lebanon: Why? 34:54 How the mission came to life 44:14 The obstacles during the medical mission 58:11 The stories behind the patients on the mission 1:10:17 Ads 1:11:39 The power of giving back 1:26:12 Streamlining medical missions

    1h 33m
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5
out of 5
46 Ratings

About

You don't feel like you belong here, you go home and don't feel like you belong there either. Congratulations, you're not from here. Join the club.

Information

  • Creator
    Jaafar Issa
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    136

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