Omar Suleiman

How do we manage our spirituality and mental health during the Coronavirus outbreak? The outbreak of COVID-19 is stressful for people and communities. In addition to fear of the risk of the disease itself, voluntary social isolation, mosque and school closures, and shifts in working situations can take a toll on our spirituality and mental well-being. Join Yaqeen Founder & President Sh. Omar Suleiman and authors of the Trauma series Sarah Sultan LPC, LMHC and Najwa Awad, LCSWC as they provide practical tips on how to nurture our faith and mental health during a time of fear and uncertainty.

In light of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, Sh. Omar Suleiman delivers a special lecture on the Amwas plague, the first plague to claim the lives of hundreds of Sahaba and thousands of people in the 7th century. He highlights lessons we can learn from that time period and offers some spiritual gems that are relevant to us today.

Abu Bakr - Part 3 There Will Never Be Another One Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was keen to remember and honor “the firsts” for their support, suffering, and sincerity. Abu Bakr’s (ra) honor surpassed everyone’s, including that of Umar ibn al Khattab (ra). He surpassed everyone by a distance that no one could ever catch up to. His status is sanctified as the first after the prophets. Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said the sun has never risen or set on anyone, after the prophets, that is better than Abu Bakr, and that he will be the first to enter Paradise in his nation.

Abu Bakr_ Setting His Own Standards Abu Bakr's (ra) character is best described by the words of Ali (ra), 'he is the first to every good'. Abu Bakr (ra) was the ultimate trendsetter, the fastest to do the good deed. In episode 10 of The Firsts, Sh. Omar Suleiman continues to talk about Abu Bakr (ra) and his elevation in the pursuit of good. The standards that he set and the inspiration that he had to achieve the good deed and how we can learn from him in setting our own goals and placing a higher standard on ourselves and actions.

Abu Bakr_ Second to None in the Pursuit of God Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (ra) was the ultimate "first": quick to believe, quick to do good, never hesitant to follow the Prophet ï·º, and had a natural instinct toward good. In Episode 9 of The Firsts, Sh. Omar Suleiman describes the noble character of Abu Bakr (ra), his friendship with the Prophet ï·º, and his unmatched legacy.

Ali and Fatima_ From Love to the Pain of Death Many came to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, asking whom he loved the most, including Ali (ra) and Fatima (ra). He had the most eloquent answer, while maintaining his character of honesty. Even though Fatima was very dear to him and his heart was very attached to her, he didn’t want to answer in a way that would hurt Ali, whom he loved as his own son. He looked at Ali and said, 'She is more beloved to me than you, but you are more precious to me than her', making them both very happy." Tune in to episode 8 of The Firsts as Sh. Omar Suleiman continues to talk about the love between Ali and Fatima and the love they had with Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to the pain that was felt after the passing of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and the passing of Fatima (ra).

What's in a name? Sh. Omar Suleiman discusses the etiquette of how we deal with one another from the prohibition of mockery of names outlined in Surat al-Hujaraat to the names we give our children.

Why do we grieve and what can we learn from celebrity deaths? Sh. Omar Suleiman addresses the recent death of basketball legend, Kobe Bryant, and why celebrity deaths affect us so much as well as what we can learn from moments like these.

The First Family - Ali (ra) and Fatima (ra) Both Ali and Fatima were raised by the beloved Prophet ﷺ and had a special place in his heart. They were married by the Prophet ﷺ then counseled by him. Through their blessed marriage, a community came together and a community remains inspired. They faced obstacles that we all face in our marriage but by the guidance of Allah, the advice of the Prophet ﷺ, and the faith in their hearts, they were able to pull through and leave behind one of the greatest examples of a marriage ever to exist. And in studying this blessed family, we get to see our Prophet ﷺ in a new light: as a loving father, grandfather, and father in law.

Both Ali and Fatima were raised by the beloved Prophet ﷺ and had a special place in his heart. They were married by the Prophet ﷺ then counseled by him. Through their blessed marriage, a community came together and a community remains inspired. They faced obstacles that we all face in our marriage but by the guidance of Allah, the advice of the Prophet ﷺ, and the faith in their hearts, they were able to pull through and leave behind one of the greatest examples of a marriage ever to exist. And in studying this blessed family, we get to see our Prophet ﷺ in a new light: as a loving father, grandfather, and father in law.

Ali ibn Abi Talib (ra) - courageous and steadfast In episode 5 of the Firsts, Sh. Omar Suleiman introduces us to Barakah Bint Thalaba, or Umm Ayman, the woman who never stopped caring. Umm Ayman was a second mother to the Prophet ﷺ after his mother passed. Not only is she the second woman to accept Islam, she is the only woman to have been with him from his birth till his death.

Umm Ayman_ The Woman Who Never Stopped Caring In episode 5 of the Firsts, Sh. Omar Suleiman introduces us to Barakah Bint Thalaba, or Umm Ayman, the woman who never stopped caring. Umm Ayman was a second mother to the Prophet ï·º after his mother passed. Not only is she the second woman to accept Islam, she is the only woman to have been with him from his birth till his death.

Khadijah_ His First Love, Our First Mother In episode 4 of the Firsts, dive into the many “firsts” accomplished by the best woman of her time, Kadijah bint Khuwaylid (ra), the Prophet Muhammad’s (pbuh) first love and wife. Sh. Omar Suleiman describes the relationship and love between Khadijah (ra) and the Prophet (pbuh), her support, and her station as the first woman to become Muslim.

Waraqa Ibn Nawfal_ The First to Confirm Prophethood We find Waraqa in the seerah and at the very beginning of Sahih Bukhari, but with little beyond his death - making the rest of his life a mystery. Who was he before that? What is his story? What is his status? Sh. Omar Suleiman tells the story of Waraqa Ibn Nawfal, the first to confirm the prophethood.

Zaid Ibn Amr (ra)_ A One Man Ummah Zaid Ibn Amr Ibn Nufaid (ra) is an absolutely remarkable figure in the history of Islam and has a story unlike any other from the companions of the Prophet ﷺ. Aside from being a monotheist before the coming of Islam, he would guide people to what pleased Allah based on intuition and fitrah (natural disposition).

Trendsetters, Revivers, and Strangers Who are The Firsts? There are forerunners in every age and circumstance. They rise to the occasion, and inspire a generation. They are the firsts that are chosen to lead the way for humanity. In this series, we will go through not only the famous firsts in Islamic history, but the firsts that are distinguished in the hereafter. Join Sh. Omar Suleiman weekly as he dives into the significance of these figures with emphasis on how they dealt with being the firsts of their kind, and how we can aspire to be like them. To kick off the lecture series, Sh. Omar Suleiman describes the 5 categories of firsts in the Qur’an and Sunnah.

In the midst of a major battle, the prophet notices a bird distressed about her baby. The prophet instructed it's child be returned to the mother. This is position that Islam gives a mother. Even when the mother bears no resemblance to us, it's status remains the highest in Islam. Imam Omar provides insight into this status in his khutbah and explains by providing examples of mothers of great Muslim leaders. In a time when the word 'mother' is used to belittle women and circumstances, our beloved Imam illuminates her role in our lives in the dunya and the Aakhirah. This khutbah is insightful in elucidating Muslims  failure to stand up and defend mothers across the globe who are bleeding tears and blood for the children of their wombs. It is time to increase our knowledge of our responsibility towards womankind and to expedite our efforts to protect and support all mothers of the world.