Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump may have angered many Muslims when he said that he would ban Muslim immigration to the United States, but a close Muslim business associate, Palestinian American Farouk Shami, says he suspects Trump would moderate his views if he were to become president.
Shami emigrated to the US from a village near Ramallah, Palestine, with only $75 in his pocket in 1986, and went on to build one of the nation's largest manufacturers of haircare products, Farouk Systems. His products have been featured on Trump's television shows and Shami says that he first met the property mogul when he sponsored Miss Teen USA, Miss USA and Miss Universe in 2003.
But, last year, Farouk withdrew sponsorship of Trump's Miss Universe pageants and Celebrity Apprentice over the candidate's comments about Mexican immigrants.
Now, however, he says he hopes to reconnect with Trump.
"As Trump becomes the Republican candidate, I plan to connect with him and donate to his campaign and try to get him Muslim votes," Shami told Al Jazeera.
"If we do that, he will be open for us and soften his talks about immigrants and Muslims."
"[What he says] is unconstitutional and he knows that," added Shami, who ran unsuccessfully in the Democratic primary for governor of Texas in 2010.
"[The] USA is a country of immigrants and he knows that first-hand.
"Media in [the] USA have been marketing anti-Islam for a long time, and much more since 9/11."
Shami said that he believes Trump has tapped into that sentiment among those who have been "brainwashed" to oppose Islam and immigration, but also believes he has support "from those who are tired of typical politicians".
Despite this, he added: "In my personal opinion, Trump does not believe in what he said."
"I am proud of my Muslim religion of love and peace, but at the same time I respect everyone's faith," Shami said, addressing those who have questioned or criticised his Muslim faith.
"In America, we are equal in front of God and the law, regardless of our faith, our colour or our origins. Politics is separate and has nothing to do with [religion]. That is how it should be."
Shami said he is also a friend of Texas Senator Ted Cruz, one of Trump's most critical rivals, but that he disagrees with Cruz "all the way", particularly on the issue of Israel and Palestine.
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http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2016/03/donald-trump-muslim-hair-magnate-160309095444474.html
