Episode 3: Deen over Dunya

Host: James

Guest: Tyler D. – Author, Revert, Seeker

Tyler D. was raised in a Christian household where faith played a central role, but certain doctrines left him with lingering questions. After years of honest seeking, study, and spiritual reflection, he found clarity and peace in the direct, unambiguous message of Islam.

@runningfromdunya on IG and TikTok

His books are available at https://stan.store/RunningFromDunya

Runtime: 54 minutes

🎙️ Episode Summary:

“The real battlefield isn’t out there—it’s inside you.” — Tyler D.

In this heartfelt and wide-ranging conversation, James welcomes Tyler D., a fellow Muslim revert, author, and former trucker, to talk about the journey from Christianity to Islam, the role of inner jihad (spiritual struggle), and the challenges of living a grounded, God-centered life in modern America.

Tyler shares his deeply personal story of embracing Islam after 30 years as a practicing Christian. From questioning the Trinity as a child to eventually taking his shahadah, his journey highlights the power of sincere seeking, critical thinking, and spiritual honesty. Together, James and Tyler explore the real meaning of Islam, the importance of fellowship in both recovery and religion, and the overlapping struggles of addiction, temptation, and maintaining a disciplined spiritual practice in a society designed to distract.

From truck stops to tawheed, from sugar addiction to spiritual discernment, this episode is packed with authentic, unscripted reflections that speak to both reverts and long-time Muslims—as well as anyone navigating recovery, faith, and the pull of the dunya.

💡 Key Topics:

• Tyler’s path from Christianity to Islam—and the unanswered questions that led him there
• Media distortion and common misconceptions about Muslims in post-9/11 America
• Conversations with Christian family members after reverting
• How fellowship and spiritual companionship (suhba) help us stay grounded in the Deen
• The discipline of prayer, even while on the road as a trucker
• Navigating zuhd (detachment) and fitna (temptation) in social media and society
• The overlap between relapse in recovery and relapse into dunya
• Understanding the inner jihad (jihad al-nafs) as the truest spiritual battlefield
• Sugar, insulin, and the surprising parallels between addiction and dietary health
• Dawah in action: how Tyler uses his rideshare gig to distribute free Qurans and educate the public
• The origin of the world’s oldest university—and what that says about Islam and education

📚 Book Recommendations:

• The Clear Quran – recommended for English-speaking readers and those with Christian backgrounds
• Islam Belief and Teachings – by Gulam Sarwar one of the first books Tyler read during his reversion journey
• James’ website offers links to request a free physical or digital copy of the Quran at soberseekerpath.com