The Sunnah Guy on His Viral Formula and the Heart of Dawah
In the crowded world of social media, few have mastered the art of impactful short-form content like Shoaib Hussain, better known as The Sunnah Guy. With over 2.9 million followers, he has produced some of the most viral Islamic reels on Instagram, changing the way Muslims engage with digital dawah.
We sat down with Shoaib to uncover the blueprint behind his success. From his deeply personal journey back to Islam to his meticulous content creation process, this is the story of how one person’s struggle became a source of inspiration for millions. Whether you’re an aspiring creator or simply seeking inspiration, his journey offers a masterclass in authenticity, strategy, and the power of a sincere message.
The Spark of Inspiration: A Journey from Doubt to Conviction
Every journey has a starting point. For Shoaib, it began at 18, a time marked by a profound identity crisis and overwhelming intellectual doubts. While playing high-level football and surrounded by non-Muslim peers, he found himself grappling with existential questions that shook him to his core.
“The pain I don’t wish upon my worst enemy,” he recalls. “It was a pain I could feel mentally, spiritually, and physically in my heart. I would feel this deep, deep sense of loneliness, this loss, this sorrow.”
During this turbulent period, his safe haven was listening to lectures from speakers like Sheikh Bilal Assad. Through a family connection in Melbourne, Australia, Shoaib received a personal video message from the Sheikh. That small, heartfelt gesture became the catalyst he desperately needed.
“Those intellectual doubts were just a means of my putting my head into sujud with sincerity. And through that connection with Allah is what I discovered… the greatest gift any human can ever receive, which is a relationship of humility with your Lord.”
Years later, Shoaib met Sheikh Bilal Assad in person, sharing how that single video propelled him onto his path. It was a full-circle moment, underscoring a powerful lesson: sometimes the remedy for intellectual doubt isn’t a philosophical argument, but a simple touch to the heart.
From Local Community to Global Reach: The Birth of a Content Creator
Fueled by a newfound conviction, Shoaib felt an intense desire to share the message of Islam. His initial efforts were grassroots and deeply personal.
- Street Dawah: He would approach strangers on the street to discuss the purpose of life.
- Community Building: He established a local brotherhood, organising retreats, camps, and activities to support young Muslims and new reverts.
When the COVID-19 pandemic brought in-person activities to a halt, Shoaib pivoted. He picked up a camera to “scratch his itch” for dawah, channelling his energy into the digital world. He started by creating Islamic short films and even produced one of the first UK-based independent Islamic movies shown in cinemas, Two Sides. This process forced him to master the entire production lifecycle from scripting and lighting to editing and promotion.
With these skills, a wealth of public speaking experience, and a clear mission, The Sunnah Guy was born.
The Viral Blueprint: A Step-by-Step Guide to Creating Impactful Content
Shoaib’s content doesn’t go viral by accident. It’s the result of a refined, strategic process built on understanding human psychology and social media algorithms. Here is his step-by-step blueprint for aspiring Muslim content creators.
Step 1: Idea Generation and Curation
The process begins with knowing your core message. For Shoaib, it’s simple: “My mission in life is to get to Jannah and take as many people as I can with me.”
- Identify Your Passion: What message makes a lump form in your throat? Start there and work backward.
- Curate Your Feed: Follow pages that align with your message to stay inspired.
- Capture Ideas Instantly: Use a dedicated WhatsApp chat with yourself to send voice notes of random thoughts and observations as they come.
- Batch and Transcribe: Set aside time to review your voice notes. Use an AI tool (like Otter.ai or Noota) to transcribe the good ones into text, creating a bank of raw script ideas.
Step 2: Scripting for Success: The Three-Part Formula
Once you have a base script, polish it using Shoaib’s three-part structure designed for maximum engagement and shareability.
1. The Hook (First 3 Seconds)
Your hook must grab attention immediately. It should be simple, universally understood, and create curiosity. Shoaib’s goal is to create a hook so intriguing that “my son sat from across the room… wants to come run across and sit in my lap and watch the video.”
2. The Engagement (The Middle)
Deliver your core message clearly and concisely. Avoid tangents. The goal is to hold the initial curiosity you built with the hook and guide the viewer smoothly toward the conclusion.
3. The Sharable Ending (The Payoff)
The ending is the most critical part. It must provide a profound payoff that makes people want to share the video. “People share content that represents their identity,” Shoaib explains. End with a powerful quote or a “wow” moment that makes viewers feel proud to associate it with their own profile.
The Viral Formula in Action
Shoaib’s most-viewed reel (50M+ views) about fathers perfectly illustrates this formula:
– Visual & Audio Hook: “One day you will bury your father,” paired with imagery of a grave being filled.
– Engagement: Simple, relatable visuals of him sitting on a bench.
– Shareable Ending: “…and that is the day you will realise that you buried the only man that wanted to see you do better than him.” This profound, universally true statement is what drives millions of shares.
Expanding the Message: Reaching a Universal Audience
Recently, Shoaib made a strategic shift to make his content more accessible to a universal audience, including non-Muslims. This involved:
- Adapting Language: Using words like “God” and “Almighty” to connect with a broader audience while still openly identifying as a Muslim creator.
- Refining Aesthetics: Paying closer attention to his appearance and production quality to create content people feel comfortable sharing.
The results have been staggering. In just three months, he gained 800,000 new followers, with 60-80% being non-Muslims. This approach has led to countless messages from people of all backgrounds expressing interest in Islam, including an Australian man nicknamed “Wombat” who recently took his shahada after connecting with Shoaib online.
The Guiding Principles: Staying Authentic and Intentional
Success in content creation brings immense responsibility. Shoaib emphasises the importance of having clear principles to stay grounded. For all Muslim content creators, he advises:
- Focus on Substance, Not Views: “I don’t thirst over views,” he says. His goal is to create substance-based content that genuinely helps people.
- Avoid Controversy for Clout: He has a firm rule not to speak about other people or leverage controversy for attention. The message should stand on its own.
- Package Your Message with Care: Learn from mistakes. How you say something is as important as what you say. Your tone and delivery determine if a message is received with an open heart.
- Constantly Check Your Intention: The ultimate goal is to please Allah and bring people closer to Him. Never lose sight of that.
The Ripple Effect of Sincere Dawah
Shoaib Hussain’s journey began with the feeling that a single video message gave him. Today, his own 30-second reels are creating a similar ripple effect across the globe. His story is a powerful reminder for all Muslim content creators: people may forget your exact words, but they will never forget how you made them feel.
By combining a sincere intention with a smart, strategic approach, you can create content that not only performs well but also has an everlasting impact. As Shoaib concludes, sincerity is “a pursuit, not a destination.” The goal is to stay on that path, creating content that matters long after the views have faded.