A Filipino-Emirati man recently talked about his Filipino heritage as well as how he grew to follow Islam from a young age. According to GMA News Online, Dubai resident Saeed Al Mehairi was born to an Emirati father and Filipina mother. In a video interview, Al Mehairi recalls his childhood days back in the Philippine countryside. He also expounds on his journey to accepting Islam. Al Mehairi tells GMA News that while he was born Muslim he grew up with his mother who did not convert to Islam. This made growing up difficult for the young man. It was only until he was a teenager that he decided to follow the path of Islam like his father. His father helped him get accustomed to Islamic traditions such as Salah (prayers) and fasting. However, he hasn't forgotten his Filipino roots and is in fact proud of it, GMA News reports. Talking about what he loves about Filipino culture, he said that he admired the Filipinos' jolly nature - he remarked that he rarely sees this in other nationalities. Al Mehairi works in Dubai's Emirates airline as a sales support manager. He can speak both Filipino and Arabic languages fluently. A father of one, Al Mehairi teaches his son both Filipino and Emirati traditions.
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