The sultanate of Zanzibar is technically closer to Africa than to the Arabian peninsula, it was a remnant of the Omani empire, with very thick Middle Eastern influence, and obviously Muslim culture.
His parents were of Indian Parsi background.
And Taleb is a Christian Arab, which are genetically distinct from the majority Muslim Arab population.
Citation needed, this might not be true for non-Maronites (like Taleb) and outside Lebanon.