On Monday 14 September, I sat down with social media influencer Chris Primod – a 34-year-old convert to Islam who has built one of Australia’s more unlikely online platforms.
Part comedian, part wellness entrepreneur and social justice voice, Mr Primod discussed his journey to Islam, its toll on his life and business, and why he keeps speaking out.
Brought up in Campbelltown, Chris Primod was raised by his Maltese Catholic mother.
His father was an atheist he saw only every second weekend.
School ended abruptly – he was expelled in year nine – and life accelerated quickly when he became a father at 16, shelving dreams of career or study.
Chris’ path to Islam wasn’t sparked by any single event, but a slow accumulation of observations.
Growing up alongside Muslim friends, he noticed a stark contrast between their amiable, unassuming nature and the fearful portrayal of Islam in the media during the rise of ISIS.
A blunt but well-meant correction from a Muslim friend – telling him to “do the research” before commenting on social media – pushed him to visit his local mosque, where an imam handed him a Quran and told him to read it thoroughly before asking questions.
What began as a search for knowledge became something more intense.
Opening the Quran randomly, the first verse he recalls reading spoke of humanity’s lack of knowledge except what God had taught it – a moment which gave him affirmation.
Chris Primod (right) with fellow convert to Islam, dual code rugby international Sonny Bill Williams.
Over three months of reflection, his conviction grew.
Chris eventually took the shahada over the phone, pulling over on the side of the road – a decision he made alone, without any pre-planning.
Family reaction was mixed but never hostile.
Today, he is raising his five children Islamically, and tries to lead by example rather than push his faith onto others.
Chris (pictured, right, in feature image with community leader, film-maker and dawah figure Ahmed Bassel) says embracing Islam has reshaped his life – discipline, temperament and a renewed sense of purpose around family and faith, including a greater role helping around the house and in parenting, drawing inspiration from the Prophet Muhammad (s).
His online career began almost by accident, filming comedic videos during downtime in a mental health job.
One prank video went viral, though police and TikTok moderators weren’t as impressed.
He rebuilt his following during COVID-19, interviewing an internationally cited American cardiologist critical of vaccine mandates – a video that drew millions of views and cost him his job after he refused vaccination himself.
That period cemented his following on Instagram, where he now has around 106,000 followers, though he acknowledges losing roughly 200 a day recently.
Chris with AMUST community journalist and fellow convert John Mahoney.
His podcast, The Primodcast, has become a platform for wide-ranging conversations, though Chris kept his faith separate from his content – until recently.
Since the Bondi tragedy, he says he has watched an orchestrated shift toward anti-Muslim content online, and decided to speak out – despite most of his audience being non-Muslim.
Over 90 percent of his following has long identified as right-wing, and many know little about Islam beyond out-of-context clips online.
He believes this gives him a unique view of how Islamophobia spreads – coordinated networks pushing clips to go viral, and loaded terms like “taqiyya,” used to dismiss any Muslim who defends the faith as lying.
He points to similar distortions around “jihad” – reduced to violence despite also meaning everyday struggle, like working to provide for one’s family – and “Sharia,” which he calls a manufactured fear with no path to displacing Australian law.
The cost has been significant, both in followers and income.
His business has faced coordinated negative reviews and a spike in fraudulent chargebacks.
Chris with another high profile convert, Palestine advocate Robert Martin.
He says he has also been threatened over his comments, yet remains resolute.
Despite the strain, Chris says his faith has changed how he handles stress, trusting that “what’s meant to hit you won’t miss you.”
A man of fearless conviction and principle, he intends to keep speaking out on issues like Gaza, framing it as conscience over popularity – one follower reconsidering, he says, is worth the cost.
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