Imam Omar Suleiman is the Founder and President of the Yaqeen Institute for Islamic Research and a professor of Islamic Studies at Southern Methodist University. He’s also the resident scholar of the Valley Ranch Islamic Center, and Co-Chair of Faith Forward Dallas at Thanks-Giving Square, a multi-faith alliance for peace and justice.
Originally from New Orleans, LA, he began his journey of traditional Islamic learning in the year 2000 and has spent years studying in the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Malaysia, etc. Upon becoming certified in various traditional sciences, he completed a Bachelor’s degree in Islamic law, a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, a Master’s degree in Islamic Finance, a Master’s Degree in Political History, and is in the process of completing his PhD from the International Islamic University of Malaysia in Islamic Thought and Civilization.
His career started in his hometown of New Orleans where he served as the Imam of the Jefferson Muslim Association in New Orleans for 6 years and directed the ICNA Relief “Muslims for Humanity” Hurricane Katrina Relief effort. It was in this time that he was noted on a national level as being a strong advocate of community service, interfaith dialogue, and social justice. He co-founded the East Jefferson Interfaith Clergy Association and was awarded for his outstanding civic achievement by the Mayor and City Council of New Orleans in 2010.
He then moved to Dallas and became the Resident Scholar of the Valley Ranch Islamic Center in 2013 and more recently, Co-Chair of Faith Forward Dallas at Thanks-Giving Square. In Dallas, he has been a noted leader and voice for peace, and has partaken as a representative of the Muslim Community in many city functions. He has since been a guest at various national functions to share his experiences in community building.
Shaykh Omar most recently founded the Yaqeen Institute for Islamic Research which is a think tank that focuses on instilling conviction based on Islamic texts, and producing contribution. He also founded M.U.H.S.E.N (Muslims Understanding and Helping Special Education Needs), a nonprofit umbrella organization serving the community to establish a more inclusive “Special Friendly” environment for our Brothers & Sisters of all Disabilities.
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Today’s du'a from Imam ibn al-Jawzi encourages us to do good and to share knowledge, then invoke Allah swt with our good deeds in prayer. [ Day 11 Du'a] إِلَهِيْ لَا تُعَذِّبْ لِسَاناً يُخْبِرُ عَنْكَ، وَلا عَيْناً تَنْظُرُ إِلَى عُلُوْمٍ تَدُلُّ عَلَيْكَ ، وَلا يَداً تَكْتُبُ حَدِيْثَ رَسُوْلِكَ؛ فَبِعِزَّتِكَ لا تُدْخِلَنِي النَّارَ “My God, do not punish a tongue that informs about You, nor an eye that looks upon (Islamic) sciences which point to You, nor a hand that writes the traditions of ...
This episode discusses a du'a that Ibrahim ibn Adham made upon bearing witness to Allah swt’s power, and how it may help us to frame difficult situations in more positive light. [ Day 10 Du'a ] أَرَيْتَنَا قُدْرَتَكَ فَأَرِنَا عَفْوَكَ “You have shown us Your power, so show us Your forgiveness.”
In today’s episode, Sh. Omar Suleiman talks about the supplication of Abdulrahman ibn ‘Auf, one of the richest men at the time of the Prophet ﷺ, and how to refrain from the temptations of greed ourselves. [ Day 9 Du'a ] اللَّهُمَّ قِنِي شُحَّ نَفْسِي “O Allah, protect me from the greed of my soul!”
Sh. Omar Suleiman identifies a du'a by Asmaa bint Abi Bakr for her son, illustrating the power of du'a from mothers and those who are oppressed. [ Day 8 Du'a ] اللَّهُمَّ ارْحَمْ طُوْلَ ذَلِكَ القِيِامَ فِي اللَّيْلِ الطَّوِيْلِ، وَذَلِكَ النَّحِيْبُ وَالظَّمَأُ فِي هَوَاجِرِ المَدِيْنَةِ وَمَكَّةَ، وَبِرَّهُ بِأَبِيْهِ وِبِيْ. اللَّهُمَّ قَدْ سَلَّمْتُهُ لِأَمْرِكَ فِيْهِ، وَرَضِيْتُ بِمَا قَضَيْتَ فَأَثِبْنِي فِي عَبْدِ اللهِ ثَوَابَ الصَّابِرِيْنَ الشَّاكِرِيْنَ “O Allah, have mercy on his le...
Today’s episode covers the du'a of Hudhaifa ibn al-Yaman, whose love of Allah swt inspires us to love Him and ask Him for his love. [ Day 7 Du'a] اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنْ صَبَاحِ النَّارِ وَمِنْ مَسَائِهَا ، وَلمَّا نَزَلَ بِهِ المَوْتُ قَالَ: هَذِهِ آخِرُ سَاعَةٍ مِنْ الدُّنْيَا، اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّكَ تَعْلَمُ أَنِّيْ أُحِبُّكَ فَبَارِكْ لِيْ فِي لِقَائِكَ “O Allah, I seek shelter with You from mornings and evenings in the Hellfire.” “This is my last hour in this world. O Allah, You kn...
Today’s episode is about the sincere du'a of Abdullah ibn Mas’oud, on the beautiful occasion when the Prophet ﷺ listened to his prayers to be among his companions. [ Day 6 Du'a ] اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّيْ أَسْأَلُكَ إِيْمَانًا لا يَرْتَدُّ ، وَنِعِيْمًا لا يَنْفَدُ ، وَمُرَافَقَةَ نَبِيِّكَ مُحَمَّدٍ ـ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ـ فِي أَعْلَى جَنَّةِ الخُلْدِ “O Allah, I ask You for faith that does not unravel, and delight that never depletes, and the companionship of Your prophet Muhammad ﷺ in th...
A du’a can make even the most unlikely circumstances occur, such as in the case of Umar and his martyrdom. [ Du'a Day 5 ] اللهُمَّ ارْزٌقْنِيْ شَهَادَةً فِيْ سَبِيْلِكَ وَاجْعَلْ مَوْتِيْ فِيْ بَلَدِ رَسُوْلِكَ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ اللَّهُمَّ لا تَجْعَلْ قَتْلِيْ عَلَى يَدِ عَبْدٍ سَجَدَ لَكَ سَجْدَةً يَحَاجُّنِيْ بِهَا يَوْمَ القِيَامَةِ “O Allah I ask you to be accepted as a martyr in the city of your Prophet.” “O Allah, do not let my killing be at the hand of someone who ever prost...
In this episode, we observe the du’a of a complicated character, Abdul Malik ibn Marwan, and how we can improve the quality of our du’as when asking for forgiveness from Allah swt. [ Day 4 Du'a ] يَا رَبِّ إِنَّ ذُنُوْبِي عَظِيْمَةٌ ، وَإِنَّ قَلِيْلَ عَفْوِكَ أَعْظَمُ مِنْهَا ، اللَّهُمَّ فَامْحِ بِقَلِيْلِ عَفْوِكَ عَظِيْمَ ذُنُوْبِي “My Lord, my sins are enormous, but a little of Your forgiveness is greater than them. O Allah, so erase with a little of Your forgiveness my enormous sins.”...
Sh. Omar Suleiman discusses the power of making covenants with Allah swt through the prayer of Abdullah ibn Mas’oud, and the sincerity covenants can bring to your own du'a. [ Day 3 Du'a ] اللهُمَّ فَاطِرَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضَ ، عَالمَ الغَيْبِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ ، إِنِّي أَعْهَدُ إَلَيْكَ فِي هَذِهِ الحَيَاةِ الدُنْيَا : إِنَّكَ إِنْ تَكِلْنِي إِلَى نَفْسِيْ تُقَرِّبُنِي مِنْ الشَّرِّ ، وَتُبَاعِدُنِي مِنْ الخَيْرِ ، وَإِنِّي إِنْ أَثِقُ إِلَّا بِرَحْمَتِكَ فَاجْعَلْهُ لِي عِنْدَكَ عَهْدَاً تُؤَ...
In Hadith #35, of the 40 Hadiths on Social Justice Series, Sh. Omar Suleiman describes how the Prophet(s) dealt with those with mental illness, disabilities, and special needs.
In today’s episode, we examine the importance of persistent du'a, like that of Habiba al Adawiya, and how to get personal with Allah SWT. [ Day 2 Du'a ] إِلَهِي غَارَت النُّجُوْمُ، وَنَامَت العُيُوْنُ وَغَلَّقَت المُلُوْكُ أَبْوَابَهَا، وَبَابُكَ مَفْتُوْحٌ، وَخَلا كُلُ حَبِيْبٍ بِحَبِيْبِهِ، وَهَذَا مَقَامِي بَيْنَ يَدَيْكَ “O Allah, the stars have vanished, the eyes have slept, the kings have locked their doors, and Your door remains open. Every lover has found privacy with their beloved, and ...
Hadith #25 - Justice Between Parents & Children | 40 Hadiths on Social Justice How do we uphold Islam's honoring of the parents without sanctioning injustice towards children?
Hadith #23: Why is Riba Haram? | 40 Hadiths on Social Justice A thorough look at the harms of usury to society and why it's so strongly prohibited in Islam. Download lecture notes here: http://bit.ly/2zwo4R3
In the first episode of the Prayers of the Pious series, Sh. Omar Suleiman considers the righteous dua that Abu Bakr made at the end of his lifetime. [ Day 1 Du'a ] اللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْ خَيْرَ زَمَانِيْ آخِرَهُ، وَخَيْرَ عَمَلِيْ خَوَاتِمَهُ، وَخَيْرَ أَيَّامِيْ يِوْمَ أَلقَاكَ “O Allah, let the best of my lifetime be its ending, and my best deed be that which I seal [my life with], and the best of my days the day I meet You.”
