Meet the Latino Muslim father who is working to revive Prophetic manhood through Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Dr. Hernán Guadalupe is not a new face in the Muslim community, particularly along the East Coast, where he is known for combining physical training with spiritual and character development. An engineer by day and the owner of a martial arts gym by night, he dedicates his time to promoting health, discipline, and purposeful living among youth and families. As he explains, “My goal is to revive an awareness of grappling as part of our Islamic tradition and reconnect manhood with the Prophetic model. In a time when we have become more sedentary and less attentive to health, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu offers both practical discipline and a meaningful spiritual connection.”
Dr. Guadalupe has practiced and taught Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu since 2009, though his martial arts journey began much earlier. He began training at age eight in various disciplines, including Kung Fu and Taekwondo. While working at Darussalam/Al-Huda School in College Park, Maryland, he trained at Aqabah Karate, a martial arts program in the same community. There, he earned a black belt and later taught Tang Soo Do. During this period, he also began learning Jiu-Jitsu at academies across Maryland, gradually integrating grappling techniques into his karate classes. He expanded his teaching to community centers throughout Maryland and offered informal sessions in his basement and garage, where he built a loyal and growing group of students.
As the dedicated space in his home became too tight, Dr. Guadalupe opened a physical location for his martial arts school, Rollstar Jiu-Jitsu Academy (MD), in 2022. Drawing inspiration from the Sunnah, he decorated the gym with the well-known hadith: “The strong one is not the good wrestler, but the one who controls his anger” (Sahih Bukhari 6114, Sahih Muslim 2609). This timely teaching from the lips of Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, serves as a reminder that true strength is found in self-discipline and exemplary behavior. Dr. Guadalupe said the prophetic statement is “the essence of Jiu-Jitsu.” He explained, “Jiu-Jitsu has more to do with controlling yourself than controlling your opponent. When you learn to manage your emotions and tame your ego, you allow technique to take over instead of reacting with anger or brute force, which often leads to frustration, exhaustion, and defeat.”
Today, under his tutelage, Rollstar MD has produced two black belts, four brown belts, three purple belts, over a dozen blue belts, and countless white belts across various stages of the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu five-belt system. While many of Dr. Guadalupe’s students are Muslim, a significant portion of the student body is not, and this diversity sets his school apart. Dr. Guadalupe welcomes students from all levels and backgrounds and consistently promotes shared values such as respect and dignity, self-control, humility, discipline, compassion, and strong family bonds, creating an environment that emphasizes character development alongside physical training. He not only considers himself a coach, but also a mentor and advisor to his students. His easy-going, approachable nature has paid off, with some of his earliest students still training alongside him more than sixteen years later.
Reviving a Sunnah
Over the years, Dr. Guadalupe noticed striking parallels between Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and grappling practices mentioned in the Prophetic tradition. “Grappling is one of the oldest sports in human history, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu has brought it back into the mainstream in a practical, accessible way,” he explained. “I see a natural connection between grappling and our Islamic heritage. It strengthens the body, sharpens the mind, and helps a person understand their strengths, weaknesses, and ego on a much deeper level.” This observation led him to develop a community-focused initiative called the Gentle Heart, Gentle Art project, through which he promotes a mindset rooted in Islamic values “where humility, discipline, brotherhood, and inner strength meet the mat.”
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is often called “the gentle art” for its defensive nature and use of leverage to defeat opponents. Dr. Guadalupe likens it to the Islamic concept of purifying the heart by protecting it from external corruption and overpowering the ego. His aim is to revive the role of grappling, both physical and spiritual, in the Muslim community to build a generation of strong hearts and bodies. He is especially focused on cultivating this mindset in youth, including his own children, to instill discipline and healthy habits from an early age.
In June 2025, he launched a series of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu clinics called the “Deen and Defense Series” hosted at local Islamic centers. “We've had numerous sessions talking about the importance of grappling as a sunnah,” Dr. Guadalupe said, “as well as talking about its importance in our Islamic heritage and how it should play a major role in our lives as Muslims in today's time.” He described following up his presentations with practical self-defense applications so that the community members can experience jiu-jitsu in action. Fathers and sons often participate together in these sessions, making them a perfect opportunity to bond as they learn about physical training and spiritual development.
Grappling with Faith
Historically, physical readiness was an essential part of Muslim life. In pre-Islamic Arabia, tribal conflicts were common, and as Islam spread, Muslims were often required to defend themselves and the growing community. Across centuries, from early Muslim societies to later periods marked by external threats, maintaining physical conditioning was understood as a responsibility. Strength was cultivated in men and women alike to protect children, families, uphold justice, and preserve communal safety. Gentle Heart Gentle Art is a way to revive that tradition that unites faith and fortitude.
One of the stories Dr. Guadalupe often references during his talks comes directly from the life of the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him. More than fourteen centuries ago, a renowned wrestler challenged the Prophet to a grappling match, declaring that if he were defeated, he would consider his message. To the challenger’s surprise, the Prophet overcame him not once, but multiple times. Although the man initially dismissed the result, the encounter left a deep impression, and he later accepted Islam, recognizing Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, as the Messenger of Allah (Sunan Abi Dawud 4078; At-Tirmidhi 1784). More than a test of physical might, this encounter demonstrated that true strength comes from faith, integrity, and reliance on Allah. The corporeal submission on the ground mirrored a deeper spiritual submission to the Creator, who is the ultimate source of all power.
This timeless example of grappling as a means to cultivate discipline, humility, and reliance on Allah serves as a central inspiration for Dr. Guadalupe. Just as the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, demonstrated that true strength combines skill with faith, Dr. Guadalupe has sought to create a contemporary space where youth and adults can develop both their bodies and their characters. “It’s a physical sport that will keep you healthy, and it’s also a mental sport that keeps you aware and challenges your way of thinking at the same time,” he explained.
At its heart, Gentle Heart Gentle Art reflects the vision of a Muslim father who recognized a gap in his community and chose to respond with intention. Seeing the need for spaces where youth could grow stronger not only physically, but also spiritually and emotionally, Dr. Guadalupe created an approach that reconnects movement with purpose. In a time when many young people are increasingly sedentary and disconnected from their bodies, initiatives like this remind families of the importance of encouraging activities that nurture discipline, self-awareness, and resilience. Through martial arts training grounded in faith, youth are offered a path toward healthy living, emotional regulation, and focused strength, reinforcing the idea that cultivating the heart is just as important as conditioning the body.
Follow Rollstar Jiu Jitsu Academy: @Rollstar.MD
For more inspiration on the intersection of Islamic tradition and martial arts, follow Gentle Heart Gentle Art on social media: @gentle_heart_gentle_art
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