Life, Values & Legacy: Our Chat with Sami Bey

Sami Bey shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Sami, we’re thrilled to have you with us today. Before we jump into your intro and the heart of the interview, let’s start with a bit of an ice breaker: Have any recent moments made you laugh or feel proud?
Of course… those minutes when I joke with my two daughters… like when I tell a joke and they give me a funny response that makes me laugh, and makes me feel how they both grow up day by day! How and when does this happen?

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I am a comic artist, and illustrator. I think I am one of the few artists who color comics with watercolors after the world has turned to digital coloring.. I think that watercolors and brush strokes give a greater sense of life to paintings and drawings. And I think that I am proud of being the Egyptian comics artist who has been able to work globally.
My entry into art was as a hobby and love for drawing, and I started in 1996.. But I worked in journalism and literature all my life, until economic and social conditions occurred in Egypt in 2011, and my work stopped few years later, so I returned to drawing in 2020 and have devoted myself completely to it until now.
The journey was not easy at all. During only two years, I worked on improving and developing my style, to suit what is required globally now, and working to provide quality that is close to what is available and a price that is less than what is offered, all of this amidst attempts to provide for my family, in light of bad economic conditions.
You should always see the new as much as possible, and understand what is required and what attracts others.
There are religious and moral obligations to which I am bound, which made me refuse many jobs, even though they are more valuable than others.
As for the lessons I’ve learned along the way, the most important one is that – unfortunately – the world does indeed operate in terms of self-interest.
I just hope that some will remember that there was once an Egyptian comic artist named Sami Bey, who presented good art that many enjoyed, without degradation or perversion.. Rather, his art was valuable and respected.

Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What breaks the bonds between people—and what restores them?
What breaks the bonds between people is money… or self-interest. Look at a family when ties between members are severed; a son no longer asks about his parents because he wants something they won’t give him. Look at siblings when they separate because of an inheritance dispute. Friends aren’t immune to this. Look at partners who invested their efforts in building and making a business successful, only to then conspire against each other to seize control! What can restore those bonds? Perhaps it’s anything other than money! Other than self-interest and personal gain.
Perhaps something very simple, like nostalgia for the past, the memory of a warm drink on a cold day… that makes hearts yearn for that moment to be relived!

Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Certainly, this happened once in my entire life when my two daughters were still young, but my trust in God Almighty and my fear for them in the days to come made me quickly gather my scattered thoughts and decide firmly that it would never happen again, God willing.

Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? What do you believe is true but cannot prove?
The one thing I do not merely believe, but know to be true, is God. For me, faith is not blind—it is the most rational conclusion when I look at life, creation, and the human experience.

Everyone has the right to hold whatever beliefs they choose, and personally, I cannot accept the idea that humanity arose by chance, like rain falling on a mushroom and humankind emerging. The possibility that such chance could have produced not just one human being, but two complete beings—male and female—is simply unbelievable.

Consider this: scientists estimate that around 1.2 to 2.5 million species have already been discovered on Earth, while the total number of living species is thought to be about 8.7 million, most of them still unknown. What kind of “fungus” could account for such vast diversity? To me, it is far more rational to see wisdom and design behind creation.

People say we no longer live in an age of miracles. Yet every hour, about 15,000 births take place worldwide—each one a miracle beyond our ability to replicate in laboratories. We cannot manufacture sperm and eggs themselves, let alone the mystery of their union.

More than 1,447 years ago, the Qur’an described the stages of human creation in the womb with striking accuracy:
*“Then We made the Nutfah into a clot (a piece of thick coagulated blood), then We made the clot into a little lump of flesh, then We made out of that little lump of flesh bones, then We clothed the bones with flesh, and then We brought it forth as another creation. So blessed be Allah, the Best of creators.”*
(Surah Al-Mu’minun, 23:14)

Here, *Nutfah* refers to the sperm, and *another creation* refers to the soul being breathed into the body.
Modern science only began to discover sperm and the ovum less than 350 years ago, and imaging the embryo’s development became possible only about 70 years ago. To me, this is not coincidence but revelation. It affirms that God exists, that He revealed the Qur’an with complete knowledge, and that He sent prophets—Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad (peace be upon them)—to guide humanity.

Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. Could you give everything your best, even if no one ever praised you for it?
Yes, absolutely. At its core, giving comes from the will to give.
When you offer charity to a homeless person, you do not expect gratitude; you do it seeking God’s pleasure, or at least to feel that your life has meaning—that you are more than just a statistic.
When you give to your children, it is out of love, and duty, without expecting anything in return.
The world would be a far better place if we all gave without seeking reward or recognition—not even appreciation.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sami.bey.art
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sami.bey.art

Image Credits
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