Omar Suleiman - Why Them and Not Me?

Omar SuleimanJanuary 31, 20240 comments

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Death & Afterlife Seerah Jannah Aqeedah Gratitude Patience Gaza & Current Events Companions of the Prophet

About this lecture

In this emotionally resonant lecture, Sheikh Omar Suleiman explores the phenomenon of "survivor's guilt" through the lens of Islamic history, drawing on the experiences of companions like Abd al-Rahman ibn Awf, Khabbab ibn al-Aratt, and Abu Bakr al-Siddiq after the Battle of Uhud and beyond. He distinguishes between doubt-driven guilt and the spiritually productive kind — one that asks not "why has Allah been unfair?" but "what does Allah expect of me now?" Ultimately, he reminds us that whether we are the persecuted or the comfortable bystander, every circumstance is designed by Allah to deepen our longing for Jannah.

Dr. Omar Suleiman is the Founder and President of the Yaqeen Institute for Islamic Research and an Adjunct Professor of Islamic Studies at Southern Methodist University. Born in New Orleans to Palestinian parents, he began traditional Islamic study in 2000, spending years learning in the UAE, Jordan, and Malaysia, and completed a PhD in Islamic Thought and Civilization from the International Islamic University of Malaysia. He served as Imam of the Jefferson Muslim Association in New Orleans, where he led interfaith rebuilding efforts after Hurricane Katrina, and is now resident scholar of the Valley Ranch Islamic Center in Irving, Texas, and Co-Chair Emeritus of Faith Forward Dallas. One of the most influential Muslim figures in America, he is known for his Ramadan series, civil rights activism, and prolific scholarship bridging tradition and contemporary life.

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