[person speaking Arabic]
MO: You're marrying Zainab today, all right?
It's happening.
- I just started having
some thoughts
about somebody else.
- Did you act on 'em?
RAMY: I feel guilty
about something that
I'm now realizing maybe--
maybe I should've told you.
- Amani, your cousin? - Yeah.
- Amani, who is in our wedding photos?
- Well, yeah, she's-- she's family.
- You broke my baby girl's heart.
- I was just trying to tell her the truth.
- Fuck you, Ramy!
You hurt people!
[engine turning over]
DR. WAKIM: Socrates famously remarked,
"An unexamined life is not worth living."
Sadly, many, if not most, human beings are born,
live, and die without ever examining their lives.
An honest examination of life raises fundamental questions.
How did I get here?
What is the purpose of life?
And what, if anything, lurks behind the curtain of death?
♪ ♪
RAMY: Do you believe in fate?
[lively music]
There's something about destiny
that's always felt hopeless.
It's like, no matter what I do, I'm just gonna be
where it was written for me to be.
So why do anything?
Why even try at all?
In Islam, we say inshallah.
And I always thought it meant, "If God wills it to be."
But as I got older, I realized the translation
is a little different.
It's more like, "If God willed it to be."
Past tense, 'cause it's already been chosen.
It's already been chosen, but we still have choice.
I-it's a concept beyond our understanding.
How can you choose what's already been chosen?
Only God could know.
Are we ever wrong or right?
Did I fuck up my life, or was it always gonna be fucked up?
Sometimes it feels like my only choice is...
if I'm gonna be smiling when I meet God.
♪ ♪
There's a passage in the Quran that gives me faith.
Allah says, "We created you in pairs."
And there's something so beautiful about that.
It's like, even if our fate's already been written,
all of our blessings, all of our downfalls,
it was written for us to be together in a pair.
We're not meant to be alone.
♪ ♪
That's what's so beautiful about marriage.
It feels like the best choice you've ever made,
but it also doesn't feel like a choice at all.
It's kind of like, the only thing
you really have to choose is the right ring.
- Wow, where'd you learn all that, kid?
You married?
- Uh, no, no, I'm not.
But, um, one day.
Inshallah, that's what we say
in--in our religion. FRANKIE: Inshallah.
This girl feels like fate.
She's Lebanese.
Her visa's running out,
then we meet and fall in love,
and now she gets to stay in America if I marry her.
Now, what are the chances of that timing?
- I-I mean, that--yeah, tha--that sounds like--
- Egypt. Egypt.
- One second.
YUVAL: Yo. I got something big.
I told Selim that we sold the watch to the Yemenis,
you and I, okay?
He flipped out 'cause they don't buy shit.
- I sold the watch to the Yemenis.
It took me, like, three weeks to close that deal.
- You, me, I mean, we both sold it.
We're like a team now.
We're like Moses and the Egyptians.
- You know that was, like,
a really fucked-up relationship?
- Yeah, but this one's gonna be better,
because they want to meet right now.
- Selim from the Diamond Club? He wants to meet me?
- Diamond Club, baby. We got to go now.
- Okay, yeah. Um...
Uh, sir, uh, my uncle's gonna ring you up,
but, please, tag us on Instagram when you propose?
- Beautiful culture you have here.
- You gonna buy this shit or what?
[lively music]
♪ ♪
[elevator bell dings]
RAMY: I spent the last two years taking us online.
We've got almost a million followers,
a-and soon we won't even be able to keep up with orders.
If we had just the access to your suppliers,
we could do something really special, you know?
We really want to work with the Diamond Club.
[both speaking Hebrew]
Now I got a warehouse with silver dragons
collecting dust.
- Oh, women love Arabic, okay?
You can't fuck in New York unless you know Rumi.
- Look, I-I don't understand everything you guys are saying.
But if we did this-- - Just give us a minute.
- Inshallah.
- It's very impressive what you did with Dunya.
- Thank you, sir, and, you know,
dunya actually means "this life" in--in Islam,
like--like, before-- - [speaking Arabic]
"The world to come."
- Our traditions have a lot in common.
RAMY: Yeah, I-I've always felt that--
that we share this deep...
Christmas-less-ness, you know?
- Chri--huh?
- Like, uh--like, not celebrating Christmas, right?
Like--like, the whole country's--
this whole country's, like, worshipping Santa,
an--and we're like, "No, I don't think so.
This doesn't feel right," you know?
- Mm. - I remember being
in kindergarten.
Everyone's talking about Santa.
I look over at this kid Ari, and I'm like,
"Dude, we know the truth.
"You know, we know
this is just, like, a capitalist fucking lie."
Like, Santa's not-- he's not in the texts.
Like, none of them-- none of the--
none of the testaments.
- Over there, we have conflict.
But over here,
we see our brotherhood.
Ramy, do you believe in God?
- You know, I...
I-I used to, but I don't know.
So I'm just trying to do something to help my family,
a-and I'm not gonna let anything get in the way.
- Look, we don't do business with many,
but when we give you a job, we need our money quick.
And if you lose a client, the cash comes out of your pocket.
This is not online sales.
- I-I know. I know--I understand.
- Then we go to Israel on Sunday, huh?
- We go to--to where?
- Israel.
If you're joining us, there has to be trust, right?
The boss only meets in person in Israel.
- Right, I-I-I thought-- I just thought you said, like,
over there, there's prob-- but over here, we have the--
- Yeah, but we have to go over there to understand
what's going on over here.
[chuckles]
- Yeah.
- [speaking Arabic]
[upbeat music]
♪ ♪
NASEEM: Get up, and paper the block.
- Uncle Naseem, I'm over here trying to save us money,
and you're wasting it on flyers
that don't even look like you anymore.
- This is true. I'm much better-looking now.
- And that guy yesterday-- he was gonna by that ring.
It was expensive.
You didn't close the deal.
- I wasn't going to sell him. He's a fucking FBI.
- Yeah, yeah. Everyone's a fed or a--
or a pedophile that works for Obama, right?
That--that's the whole world?
- Why didn't you finish the sale yourself?
Be a man. No, you didn't.
- Because I was going to the Diamond Club, all right?
To meet with Selim.
- What? Who--how--how--
- That's the kind of relationship
that can actually help us.
NASEEM: Those guys are criminals.
Everything they do is unethical.
RAMY: "Unethical"?
Didn't you buy half our stuff from China?
- Made by Muslims.
- Are you talking about the--the Uyghur camps?
- A Muslim is a Muslim.
Habibi, it's okay.
Once we make a lot of money, we will free them.
- You just don't want to work with this guy
because he's Jewish-- admit it.
- I work with Jews all day, dum-dum.
Daniel.
Da--Daniel!
- I'm doing shit, Naseem.
NASEEM: This kid wants to work with Selim.
I tell him those guys are criminals.
Guess what he say.
He say I'm anti-Semitic.
Tell him. Tell him that he is brainwashed by Twitter.
- Kid, you can't. Those guys are the fucking Mob.
There's a price that comes with working with them
that you don't want to pay.
And your uncle is anti-Semitic. NASEEM: Wha...
How long I been working with you, huh?
- Doesn't mean you don't hate me.
- It's-- No, I hate Indians more.
The list is Indian, China, Dominican Republic, Jew, um,
and--and those people,
uh, the fucking island people-- Bahama?
- You hate people from the Bahamas?
- Yes, Bahama. They have no culture.
[lively music]
♪ ♪
- Salaam alaikum, Brother Hassan.
My name's Rasheed Islam.
I'm here today on behalf of--
- Look, we're here because you owe Zainab a lot of money.
We don't need the salaams.
RASHEED: Malika, we always need the salaams.
MALIKA: No, Rasheed, we don't always need the salaams.
You did some dirty shit. You got to pay up.
- Akhi,
Sister Malika is noting
that when you signed your marriage contract,
there was a mehr in place.
Due to the nature of the divorce,
you owe the full amount.
It's been over a year,
and Zainab's yet to receive payment.
- Her $100,000, like, now. [speaking Arabic]
- No, I-I-I remember signing that.
It was--it was 50,000. - [speaking Arabic]
You also agreed to put down 50 racks...
- I-I don't--I don't have that right now.
- Well, just the mugaddam is okay for now, then,
if that's all you can do.
- I-I don't-- I don't have that either.
- Broke. Broke-ass.
- Look, if I could just talk to Zainab--
I've been trying to get her on the phone for over a year.
You know, it's not-- it's not right.
Like, w-we just got to have a conversation or something.
She can't just send you here.
- Ramy, you should really just sign a check.
- Sidi Ramy, you know where you stand.
It's not just about the money.
You're in spiritual debt.
- Yeah, but--but you're-- you're asking me for mo--
If it's spiritual, then can we just not charge so much?
- We'll be around when you're ready.
But don't take too long.
God's waiting.
Salaam.
MALIKA: Broke, just broke.
[car alarm beeps] MAYSA: [whispering in French]
FAROUK: Relax, Maysa.
MAYSA: I talked to the bank manager.
He said it's very bad.
We might have to sell the house.
RAMY: Mom, no, we--we won't.
It's okay. MAYSA: It's not okay.
Look at this, okay?
Here...
look.
DENA: I can't--
MAYSA: We can't see anything in this fucking light.
- These are energy-saving bulbs. [speaking Arabic]
- Yeah, but w-we really can't see anything, Dad.
- Just look closer.
- We owe all the credit cards, and with Shadi here,
it's like I have a third child suddenly, right?
There's only--the two of us working, only Ramy and myself. [speaking French]
- Mom, in a few weeks, I'm gonna take the bar,
and when I pass-- - Inshallah.
- Sure.
When I pass, I'm gonna get on a salary,
and I'm gonna help.
RAMY: I'm working on something, too.
There's this business opportunity in the district--
- Habibi, no, no, no, no. Stay wherever you are.
No business opportunities!
You know, the last time I heard this from your dad,
it's when he threw our money away.
Habibi, I'm not living in Egypt, okay?
That investment you made-- it's fucking shit.
- Why don't we just sell the house?
- What? DENA: Yeah, what if it's time?
We move out, get our own places,
and, um, live, you know, like, apart from each other.
That's not exactly what I had in mind.
- I'm not leaving this fucking house, okay?
SHADI: [crying softly, sniffles]
[knock at door]
RAMY: Yo, you, uh... - Yo.
- Is e--are you okay? Is everything all right?
- [sighs] Did you ever watch American Pie?
- Uh, yeah, it's-- it's been a while.
SHADI: It's my favorite.
It made me want to come to America.
But I just realized I never actually watched the movie.
- Wh--what are you talking about?
- In Egypt, a lot of the time, they edit out the sex scenes.
So I must've watched a version that was censored or some shit,
but I never actually saw the part where he-- [speaking Arabic]
Bangs the pie.
- Uh, yeah, I mean, I gue-- I guess it's technically
a-a sex scene.
- Growing up in Cairo, you always have this suspicion
that everyone in America knows something that you don't,
like you're stupid and the rest of the world is smart.
Like everyone knows about the pie
except for your dumb ass.
- Look, man, I-I-I know that it's been kind of a hard time,
but it's--it's--it's been a hard time for everybody.
And COVID hit the DJ community really hard,
but it's coming back.
- I-I don't want to be a DJ anymore.
Ever since I watched that fucking pie scene,
I knew that I had to rethink everything.
So I took some magic mushrooms,
and then I realized I miss God.
- Y-you did shrooms?
SHADI: When you came to Cairo,
I was so confused about how religious you were.
But being here, I actually miss the call to prayer.
It used to annoy me, but now I'm waking up
at 4:00 in the morning 'cause I don't hear it.
I'm waking up 'cause it's too fucking quiet.
- Look, the-- the way I was in Cairo,
I'm not like that anymore, okay?
I-I don't...
- I know. You've been so closed off.
I don't know everything that happened with you and Zainab.
I know you cheated on her, but I don't know with who.
- I don't really think it matters with who,
and--and, uh, I just don't want to--
Just don't say anything about that to--to my parents or Dena.
SHADI: I don't judge you, bro.
I just don't want you to lose your light.
- Yeah.
Inshallah. - Inshallah.
♪ ♪
[door opens]
Allahu Akbar.
[door closes]
SINGER: [singing indistinctly]
[soft music playing]
♪ ♪
- Are you sure you don't want to try something different?
- Yeah, i-if you'd just stop talking,
then I can kind of get into it, you know?
- Oh. - Yeah, just give me a chance.
- Okay. - Yeah.
- It just seems like you have a problem.
You're not getting hard.
- Yeah, I'm--[sighs]
I-I'm just tired, okay? - Okay.
- Yeah. - Yeah.
Okay, yeah, me too.
- Yeah, I just, um-- - I should probably sleep.
- Yeah, yeah, let's just-- - Yep.
- Let's--yeah, let's sleep, and I feel like if--if we--
if we just kind of rest up,
and then--and then in the morning,
we'll have more energy, you know, and really kind of--
You know, I feel like we'll find it, you know?
- Like, you sleep here?
- Yeah.
- Um...
you know...
I, like, never have anyone sleep over.
It's a personal rule.
- O-okay, but it's-- it's just, like, I-I, um,
I live in Jersey, so it's really far.
- Yeah, New Jersey.
I'm really sorry about that.
- [stammers]
That, like, that I have to leave or that I live in Jersey?
- All of it, really.
♪ ♪
- Okay. - [yawns]
- Thanks, dude. It's fucking surging.
It's, like, $200 to get to Jersey.
- Dude, I'd pick you up anywhere,
especially Williamsburg.
This is the land of my people.
- You can't say that about everywhere you guys move.
- [chuckles] Yeah, Ramy.
Funny, Ramy--the funniest.
RAMY: No, I'm--I'm serious.
- Are you coming to Israel?
- I-I don't know, man. It's a lot to think about.
You didn't tell me anything about this.
YUVAL: I know that was pretty fucking intimidating,
but Selim's the man.
He picked me up from the Chabad Center
when I did my rehab, and ever since he put
this yarmulke on my head, I've been on fire.
I mean, I'm money right now.
- Okay, you know him.
What do we know about what's going on over there?
- His boss is my aunt, so, I mean--
- What? YUVAL: Yeah.
But she thinks I'm a big fuck-up,
so it's not like we have an in.
But if we prove to her that I'm not a fuck-up anymore--
I'm clean. I have a best friend--you.
Show her you. I mean, you're perfect.
You're the fucking-- I don't know--
Mo Salah of jewelry.
You can get generational wealth
and take care of your family.
And people will talk about us...
a Muslim and a Jew, the two best friends...
who helped each other,
oh, and then helped the world.
And we're gonna get you out of fucking Jersey.
I can't believe we have to drive to fucking Jersey.
You just want to sleep over? I got four beds.
- No, I-I-I don't.
- Queens. - I'm not sleeping over.
- Are you sure? We'll figure it out in the car.
[lively music]
♪ ♪
AHMED: Beautiful woman in a swim magazine.
[device beeps]
Mistress punishing her servant.
[device beeps] Transgender woman
with a cisgender woman in the office.
They were arguing over a work issue,
then there was more tension.
[device beeps] Bradley Cooper.
[device beeps]
Sarah, the girl who wouldn't let you ruin her life.
[device beeps]
January 6th rioter fake-masturbating
next to a portrait of Bill Clinton.
- Dude, what are we doing?
- I'm testing different stimuli.
I really thought Bradley Cooper would've stimulated you more.
- I-I don't think this is doing anything, man.
Maybe I just have, like, vitamin deficiency.
- You think a vitamin is what's keeping you from getting hard?
- I-I don't know. But you said that I'm healthy.
I've been exercising every day, but I can't get it up, dude.
It's happened with two girls now,
and--and porn's barely even doing anything.
- Look at this, man. This is an average brain.
The yellow spots are reward centers.
See how small the yellow is? - Yeah.
AHMED: This is your brain. Look how big the yellow is.
- So li--like, I'm extra happy?
- No, you're overstimulated.
This is a heroin addict's brain.
Looks just like yours.
Are you watching horse porn?
- Horse porn? No, dude.
Can you stop talking to me like I'm a drug addict or something?
Everybody watches porn. - It's the Muslim drug.
We don't drink. We don't do cocaine.
We porn.
Remember when you told me you watch porn
because you didn't want to have sex?
That's how it starts, man.
When you don't think you'll be with someone in real life,
you pile all your emotions into your fantasy.
You had sex with a hijabi from the mosque.
You cheated on your wife with your cousin.
All your relationships sound like porn.
- Not all of them, man. I've--I've--I've been in love.
I loved Zainab, uh, Sarah.
- You don't know what love is, man.
All your values are twisted.
You wear jewelry with the Quran on it,
and you're not even praying.
I feel like you're gonna start celebrating Halloween next.
- Well, Halloween's not haram. - Shut up.
I just ran you through images for an hour.
The only time your brain spiked
was when it was something extreme.
Once you get away from all this overstimulation,
your brain's gonna calm down.
And if you're gonna keep having sex,
at least be in a real relationship--
someone who means something to you.
You need love,
then you'll get hard.
SARAH: It's been so long.
RAMY: I-I know. What have you been up to?
I-I saw on Instagram that you started a nonprofit.
SARAH: Yeah, it's been, like, two years,
and we're also creating a system
to help unhoused youth in New York.
- That's amazing. Li--like homeless kids, yeah?
- Well, we say "unhoused" now. It's their preference.
- I mean, isn't their preference
just, like, to have a house?
- What?
- Like, if I was a homeless kid
and I had a wish, I-I feel like I'd just want
somewhere to live instead of, like, a-a new term, or...
- Well, the communities we work with appreciate it.
"Homeless" has a negative connotation.
I think we should listen to them.
RAMY: No, no, no, no, I get it.
I mean, it's like, uh, you know,
"Home is where the heart is," actually.
So you know, my--my mom has one of those plaques...
[laughs] That says that in the kitchen.
Um-- - That's nice.
- But, um...
I-I-I actually-- I always support the unhoused
when I can. - Mm.
- Yeah, like--like, I always put money in the cup,
even though my uncle tells me not to.
- Your uncle tells you not to donate?
- Yeah, he, uh--he thinks
that homeless people aren't really homeless,
or--or unhoused.
Um, like--like, he thinks they're just doing it
to avoid taxes.
You know, he's saying that they get all that money,
and they don't have to give any to the government,
which is technically true, but everything's, like,
a conspiracy theory for him, you know?
Every day I'm with him at work,
and he's just saying all this crazy shit,
and I got to defend people.
Like, that's what I'm doing, just...
SARAH: Yeah. - Defending people.
SARAH: Ramy, I'm so surprised
that you're still working with him.
I always thought that was something you were doing
till you, like, figured something else out.
[both chuckle] - Yeah, I-I-I thought so, too,
but, um--but I'm good at it,
and in the last couple years,
my--my parents have really needed the money,
and--and so it's been good
to--to actually make some.
And we're growing it. It--it--it's wild.
Like, there's this supplier on the block.
They don't work with anybody, and they might work with us.
- Whoa, great. RAMY: Yeah, it's complicated.
Like, there's all this stuff they want.
You know, they--they get a cut of everything we make,
and I got to go to Israel to meet them if--if we do it.
- Well, you're not going, right?
- I don't--I mean-- SARAH: Aren't you BDS?
I mean, your uncle is, obviously.
- We--we--we work with a lot of people, an--and so it's, uh--
- Look, I-I went on birthright.
I saw how they pretend like nothing's happening
in the settlements. RAMY: No, I-I-I know,
but I'm not gonna go-- I'm not gonna go, like,
meet with the government or something.
- [chuckles] - It's just people.
- Uh-huh. - Like, that would be like
if--if someone judged us just 'cause,
you know, Trump or some shit.
SARAH: Well, they kind of can.
I mean, a lot of people love everything that man said.
[chuckles] - Right.
I-I just think that maybe if people worked together,
that's how change can happen.
- Do you really believe that?
- I don't know, okay? I-I just--I'm not really
in a situation where I can be nonprofit.
- What are you trying to say?
- I'm saying that everything that you're doing is amazing,
and you don't have to worry about making money.
- [scoffs] Yeah, and--and you think that's the only reason
I care about people? - That's not what I'm saying.
I'm--I'm just saying it's like anything, right?
Like--like eating organic?
Yeah, obviously, but it's expensive.
Most people can't afford that.
- Yeah, I'm not talking about shopping at Whole Foods.
Anyone can think organic.
- That's something that a rich person would say.
You know what I'm saying?
- Do you even like me?
- What?
- I just don't think you like me,
and I think you called me to fuck.
- Sarah, w-we're just having a fucking conversation.
Like, it's not a-- - Yeah, yeah, I don't--
I don't--I'm gonna go.
But, uh, yeah.
[indistinct chatter]
- [chuckles]
[indistinct shouting in the distance]
- Sorry, I, uh, know this is kind of crazy,
but do you happen to have an extra cartridge?
RAMY: Um, yeah, actually. LYNDSEY: Oh, thank you so much.
RAMY: Yeah, no problem. LYNDSEY: Can I get you a drink?
RAMY: No, I'm--I'm good. I'm good, thanks.
- Cool necklace, man. I love Arabic.
- Uh, thanks. Yeah, my, um--
my company makes them. - [speaking Arabic]
- Yeah, that--tha-- that's cool, man.
IAN: It's really fine print, though.
I can't read it all. - It's--it's Quran.
It's called the Fatiha. - Ah.
That's a banger. - That's why you don't drink.
- Yeah. LYNDSEY: I've actually been
doing some sun salutations for my own faith--
really similar to your rituals.
RAMY: Okay, yeah, what--what-- what faith is that?
- I'm a witch.
- Okay.
Yeah. [clears throat]
- I feel like people don't get us.
- Sorry, uh, us?
- Both our groups are so misunderstood.
- Yeah, uh, when--
when, uh-- when did you become a-a witch?
- During the pandemic.
- Yeah, yeah, 'cause I-I kind of--
I kind of feel like it's not the same--
like, any of it, really.
Like, I don't--I don't really see how it's the same--
like, I don't, you--like, you didn't really grow up
with that feeling like everything you did
was gonna send you to hell, right?
Did you have that?
Do witches have guilt about anything, or...
did you grow up thinking, like, entire groups of people
and countries hated you, or... - No, I-I--
- Oh, well, no, right, 'cause you just became a witch, right?
Like, you just woke up one day,
and you were like, "I'm a witch,"
an--and now we're the same, like, we have the same--
Wha--what have you--wha--what have you guys been through,
like, the witch community?
Like, the--like, Salem? Is that the thing?
Like, that really fucked you guys up, or?
But I don't--I don't even-- I don't even blame you.
Like, if--if I grew up the way
that you did, I-I-I'd believe in magic.
Like, I'm sure everything you wanted, you got.
So, fuck, yeah. I would think that I was,
like, Harry Potter, honestly. - Habibi--
RAMY: Yeah, I'm not-- I'm not your habibi, bro.
- Take a breath. [inhales deeply]
Think about that passage on your neck.
Oh, this isn't the Fatiha. This is Ayat Al-Kursi.
- Yeah, don't fucking touch me, dude.
- No, no, no, I know. It's fine Arabic print.
I can understand why you might've--
- Dude, I told you not to fucking--
LYNDSEY: [gasps]
[patrons shouting]
- Fucking let go of me, man.
Shh.
It's okay, habibi.
[door slams]
- Mom...
why's Dad sleeping on the couch?
- He's comfortable. Don't worry about it.
Everything is okay.
Here. [speaking Arabic]
[lively music]
♪ ♪
SINGER: [singing in Arabic]
♪ ♪