What made the Companions of the Prophet ﷺ special? How did the Prophet ﷺ educate and give tarbiyah to them? What are the merits and specialties of the Companions?

Lecture delivered at NJ Dawah Convention 2023.

Our relationship with ourselves, with others, and our destination in the next life all come down to one thing, the heart. The Companions, all took it within themselves to submit to the path of the Prophet (SAW) and we must all do the hard work, looking into our hearts.

The Sahabas’ relationship with the Qur’an was one of deep understanding and knowledge. It was not simply one of repetition; they understood what their Lord was trying to communicate to them.

How the Sahaba (ra) dealt with survivor’s guilt when reflecting on their companions who were killed, and how we can apply those lessons with the guilt we feel seeing the torment of the people of Gaza and Palestine as a whole.

Dr. Omar Suleiman recalls the story of ‘Ubadah ibn al-Samit RA when he was confronted by the racist ruler Al-Muqawqis during the conquest of Egypt.

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.

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’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 al-Siddiq (ra) was the ultimate “first”: quick to believe, quick to do good, never hesitant to follow the Prophet ﷺ, 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 ﷺ, and his unmatched legacy.

“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.”

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.

Prophet Muhammad’s ﷺ love for Ali ibn Abi Talib (ra) was immense. It is narrated that the Prophet ﷺ asked Allah to show love to those who love Ali and to show hate to those who hate Ali. Tune in to episode 6 of The Firsts as Sh. Omar Suleiman talks about the first child to embrace Islam, and the companion with more narrations about his virtues than any other.

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.

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.

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 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).

In this lecture, Shaykh Sulaiman Moola speaks about the importance of justice (adl’) in our lives. He takes us through examples from the life of the Prophet SAW and sahabas in regards to how they also were always just regardless on what the situation was.

Abdur-Rahman ibn Awf (may Allah be please with him) was one of the close companions of Prophet Muhammad (may peace and blessings be upon him) and his life story is certainly one worth studying and emulating. He was one of the first eight people to accept Islam.

How many of are youth are lost in the dunya? What are we doing about it?

We all know the story of Khliad ibn al Walid but do we know the story of his older brother Al Walid ibn Walid?

How inspiring can the life of Abu Bakr (ra) be for someone?

Learning leadership and humility from Umar ibn al Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him.

Shaykh Bilal Assad discusses women companions of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). He specifically discusses the life of the great woman named Barakah (ra).

Imam Khalid Latif discusses the poor relationships we have today due to society, social media and technology. How can we find true friends and true companionship in today’s world?

How can we truly improve ourselves as the days go on towards our ultimate goal of attaining jannah?

Mufti Menk explains why the Sahabah loved the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.

Othman has a resume that is unmatched in its generosity, humbleness, and unique accomplishments. It is necessary to understand these honors before we delve into his caliphate deeper. Some of these accomplishments and honors will refute some of the later accusations made against him by the rebels of his time.

This session will focus on the complaints of the rebels and his martyrdom. Special emphasis will be given on Othman’s insistence on not spilling Muslim blood and how that differs from the modern discourse & rhetoric that is used to devalue life and cheapen blood.

The greatest gift Othman ever gave the ummah was the compilation of the Quran which we read to this day. What was the process of the preservation of the Quran like? What is the significance of this process and why is it important today? Othman bin Affan was known to have an exemplary relationship with the Quran. We will take a step back and discuss how our relationship with the Quran is today and practical steps to improve it.

The standard of justice that Omar set during his khilafa was so remarkable, that Omar could be seen sleeping peacefully in public with no body guards. This session will focus on several of the difficult, sometimes controversial, decisions that he made which ultimately led to that peace and prosperity.

Whenever Muslims were in turbulent or chaotic times they drew inspiration from righteous people and leaders who revived the hearts of the ummah.

Mufti Hussain Kamani delivers a lecture inspiring us to learn and follow in the footsteps of the Sahabah, may Allah be pleased with them all. This lecture took place on Thursday 13th March 2014 at Masjid Khadijah & Islamic Center in Peterborough, UK.

Shaykh Abdul Rahman Chao discusses the life of Bilal (ra) around the Prophet Muhammad (s).

How can the youth be active in Islam? Dr. Altaf Husain cites the example of the sahaba, Musab ibn Umair, may Allah be pleased with him.

Muslims are yearning for heroes in our community. So much that the recent event that took place between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor has showed this. Shaykh Yaser Birjas reminds us of real heroes from our past that we should look up to for inspiration.

Sometimes we feel that living up to the Prophet (s) or the Sahaba (ra) is hard or impossible. But is it really? Imam Omar Suleiman discusses this.

Who was Bilal ibn Rabah? As the country celebrates Black History Month, and Bilal: A New Breed of Hero, hits theaters all around, we look into the full biography of a man who has inspired millions with his unshakeable faith and determination.

An amazing Friday sermon by Sh. AbdurRaheem McCarthy about the Story of Hanzalah & Abu Bakr. Khutbah at Bin Zaid Masjid.

Lecture about Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas (may Allah be pleased with him) from the Light Upon Light 7 conference in the Birmingham, UK in December 2017

Lecture about Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) from the Light Upon Light 7 conference in the Birmingham, UK in December 2017

Lecture about Abdur Rahman ibn Awf (may Allah be pleased with him) from the Light Upon Light 7 conference in the Birmingham, UK in December 2017

Lecture about Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) from the Light Upon Light 7 conference in the Birmingham, UK in December 2017

Who are the Sahaba? What did they do? What is their history? Shaykh Abdur-Raheem McCarthy explains. May Allah be pleased with all the companions.

Daughter of Abu Bakr (RA), sister of A’isha (RA) and mother of Abdullah ibn Zaid. Mufti Abdur-Rahman ibn Yusuf covers the life of this great woman Asma’ bint Abu Bakr (RA).

The Khilafa of Sayyidina Ali – The Mortal Choice – Shaykh Abdal Hakim Murad

Sayyidina Ali ibn Abi Talib was the fourth Khalifa of Islam. He had the distinction of being both the son-in-law and the cousin of the Holy Prophet, upon him be peace. He is, with Fatima, the ancestor of the Ahl al-Bayt, the People of the Prophetic House.

He was characterised by martial skill, by inward depth, and by an immense erudition in religious knowledge. Of him, Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal said: ‘Khilafa was not an ornament for him, he was an ornament for khilafa.’

The Khilafa of Sayyidina Uthman The Wisdom and the Agony – Shaykh Abdal hakim Murad

Sayyidina Uthman ibn Affan was the third Khalifa of Islam. He was known as the ‘Man of the Two Lights’, because he was the only man in history known to have married two daughters of a Prophet.

Uthman was famed for his good looks and immense generosity, and also for his spiritual closeness to the Holy Prophet of Islam, who included him among the ten who were assured of Paradise. He commanded the armies of Islam during an age of miraculous conquest and victory in East and West.

But he remained famously humble, and his sermons brought people to tears. He said: ‘I am astounded at four people: he who knows the world to be temporary, and still chases after it; he who is certain of death and yet makes no plans for it; he who believes in hell, and yet commits sins; and he who believes in Allah, and yet seeks the help of others.’

Sayyidina Umar ibn al-Khattab, known as al-Faruq, ‘the Discerner’, was the second of the four Rightly-Guided Caliphs. One of the greatest rulers in world history, he laid down the institutions of a solid Muslim government. Under his farsighted leadership, armies moved in every direction to liberate neighbouring lands.

Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, was passionate in his devotion to the Din of Islam and establishing Allah’s laws among His servants.

He was also a man of prayer and fasting, who paid little attention to the temporary pleasures of the world. He said: ‘No part of Allah’s wealth is allowed to Umar, save two garments: one for the winter, and the other for summer, and what I need to take me to Umra and the Hajj. My provisions for my family are those of an ordinary man of Quraysh, neither the wealthiest nor the poorest. After that, I am just a man from among the Muslims.’

Shaykh Abdur-Raheem McCarthy discusses a story with Umar ibn Al Khattab.

A far-sighted and deeply religious man, Abu Bakr al-Siddiq was the first adult free convert to Islam, and became a major narrator of Hadith and a fountainhead of spiritual wisdom.

He also became the first Khalifa of the Holy Prophet ﷺ. Facing rebellions by followers of false prophets, he reestablished the unity of Arabia under Islam.

He became a byword for humble rulership. When he assumed the leadership he said: “If I am right, help me. If I am wrong, correct me. I shall strengthen the weak man among you until he enjoys his rights. I shall weaken the strong man among you until I have taken what is due from him. Obey me for as long as I obey Allah and His prophet; but if I disobey them, then disobey me.”

Ustadh AbdelRahman Murphy gives a khutbah on the topic “Success of the Sahaba”.

Shaykh Kamal discusses the religious path of the companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).

There is a concept that glory comes to this Ummah through approaching only the movers and shakers of society. But The Prophet (pbuh) said we are provided for in accordance with how we view the weak in our society. It is a complete paradigm shift and provides a road map to gaining the help of the Creator. It also stretches far beyond financially supporting the weak.

“There has certainly been for you in the Messenger of Allah an excellent pattern for anyone whose hope is in Allah and the Last Day and [who] remembers Allah often. “(Al-Quran 33:21) In today’s world, society has created these imaginary and fictional superheroes which are nothing but the work of fantasy. Movie superstars, Sportsmen, celebrities who may present a nice picture on the outside, but often found to be bankrupt on the inside. On the contrary, the Prophet (saw) himself was the superhero we all aspire to be like. He raised giants among his Sahaba who were the examples every Muslim should look up to. What makes a superhero a superhero? Do we truly know the giants from our history?

Shaykh Bilal Assad tells the story of the female sahaba known as Barakah.

Mufti Hussain Kamani shares many examples from the life of the Prophet (s) and the sahaba on how they balanced their life from seeking knowledge, to their familial responsibility, working to provide for themselves and their families and the general community and society.

Shaykh Omar explains that the lives of the Prophets, the Sahabas and great scholars of the past give us a wide variety of examples of different situations in life and types of people that we should follow.

In this lecture by Imam Safi Khan, discover the concept of yaqeen, of confidence in Allah, and how to imbibe its features to help you stay away from depression and to move forward in life. This lecture covers examples from the lives of Abu Bakr, Khalid ibn Waleed, and the mother of Musa.

What is beautiful to us may not be beautiful to Allah. And what we consider unattractive may indeed be beloved to Allah and His Messenger (peace be upon him).

Shaykh Omar Suleiman’s session at the Road to Revival Conference, presented by Rutgers New Brunswick Muslims’ Student Association on January 29th, 2012.

In this khutbah, Imam Zaid Shakir discusses 3 things we can learn from Abu Bakr on how to be good leaders.

When the beloved Rasul passed away, the believers felt the enormity of their loss as some shed tears while others felt muddled and hopeless. Many of those who had falsely claimed to have embraced Islam were quick to revert back to ignorance. Driven by rare intrepidity, the four khulafaa upheld the flag of our deen, more than 14 centuries later their words are quoted and their lives are highly revered. Paragons of matchless virtue, faith, and character, their leadership skills remain unprecedented, may Allah be forever pleased with them. Join us as we journey through the past and study the characteristics that defined these individuals with practical applications to our own lives.

This lecture is from “JIMAS Conference 2010: Healing the Heart – Strengthening our Dignity”. The lecture is entitled “Battlefield Heart: The Assault of Sins” and is introduced by Shaykh Abu Muntasir (Chief Executive of JIMAS) and delivered by Shaykh Hesham al-Awadi (Kuwait).

The talk is the about Mercy. The speaker touches the hearts with stories of the companins and how they never lost hope in the Mercy of Allah. This lecture inspires us to repentance (Tawbah) and to make a change for the better.

JIMAS is a UK registered charity that supports educational and charitable activities for both Muslims and non-Muslims. It is entirely run on voluntary donations – so please support us. For more information please visit our website http://www.jimas.org

The Prophet Muhammad, peace upon him, is reported to have said, “If there were a prophet after me it would be Umar.” In this lecture, the President of the Islamic Society of North America, Imam Mohammed Magid, will examine the life and times of Umar bin al-Khattab, with special emphasis of his brilliant legal thinking, the mercy those rulings involve and the relevance for today’s Muslims, especially those of us here in the West.

Peace and blessings be upon him.

The life of the great companion and second Khalifa Umar ibn Al-Khattab.

What makes the companions so unique and special compared to others during the time of the Prophet (saas)? What did they do in their youth? Why is it important to study them?

Shaykh Zahir Mahmood discusses the life of the companion Saad ibn Abi Waqqas, may Allah be pleased with him.