Omar Suleiman (imam)

Imam
Omar Suleiman
Omar Suleiman, 2016
Born 1986 or 1987
New Orleans, Louisiana, United States[1]
Residence Irving, Texas, United States[1]
Nationality American
Alma mater International Islamic University Malaysia[2]
Occupation
  • Co-Chair of Faith Forward Dallas at Thanks Giving Square
  • President of the Yaqeen Institute for Islamic Research
  • Professor of Islamic Studies at Southern Methodist University
  • Resident Scholar at Valley Ranch Islamic Center
Years active 2000–present[2]
Known for Islamic Studies
Website Yaqeen Institute website

Omar Suleiman (born 1986 or 1987[3]) is an American Muslim scholar, civil rights activist and speaker. He is the Founder and President of the Yaqeen Institute for Islamic Research[4] professor of Islamic Studies at Southern Methodist University.[5] He is also the Resident Scholar of the Valley Ranch Islamic Center and the Co-Chair of Faith Forward Dallas at Thanks-Giving Square.[6][7] He has been featured in the rising stars section of Ozy Magazine and dubbed "The Religious Leader Dallas Needs" by the D Magazine.[8][9]

Suleiman’s career started in his hometown of New Orleans after his whole state was devastated by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. He served as the Imam of the Jefferson Muslim Association in New Orleans for 6 years and directed the “Muslims for Humanity” Hurricane Katrina Relief effort. During this time, he was noted on a national level as being a strong advocate of community service, interfaith dialogue, and social justice. During the same time, 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.[10]

Imam Omar Suleiman is also the founder of MUHSEN, a non-profit umbrella organization aiming to provide a more inclusive environment for Muslims with disabilities.[11]

In 2016, Suleiman delivered the invocation at the presidential memorial after the police shootings in Dallas alongside former President George W. Bush and President Barack Obama.[12]

In February 2017, Suleiman visited a Syrian refugee camp on the Jordan-Syria border, delivering aid with the Islamic group Helping Hand for Relief and Development.[13]

Suleiman gained attention in early March 2017 after ISIS called for his assassination in a propaganda film titled "Kill The Apostate Imams." The call was in response to a video Suleiman produced with Pastor Andrew Stoker of First United Methodist Church Dallas titled "An Imam, a Pastor and a Dream," in which Suleiman calls for unity among Christians and Muslims in the U.S. and around the world. Suleiman responded to the threat stating, "I believe that their venom needs to be condemned. They’ve hijacked my religion."[14]

Suleiman embraces social justice as a concept. He states that Donald Trump's presidency "fatigues" American citizens. He also "considers [himself] a student of Malcolm X" and believes that "his most important contribution to the revolution is his idea that the greatest casualty of the subjugation of African Americans was the loss of black consciousness". He compares American Muslims today to African Americans during the Civil Rights movement. He has expressed that "America is a work in progress" and needs to be changed. He said that he did not "celebrate the Fourth of July" in 2018. He supports a "radical response" to white supremacy and claims to be "extreme in my pursuit of justice. He believes that "Muslim theology can be a source of liberation."[15]

References

  1. 1 2 Solis, Dianne (15 March 2017). "Irving imam, who has denounced extremism, threatened in ISIS videos". Dallas News. Retrieved 18 March 2017.
  2. 1 2 "Shaykh Omar Suleiman (AlMaghrib Instructor)". Retrieved 18 March 2017.
  3. ↑ Abdelaziz, Rowaida (24 June 2017). "Google Search Is Doing Irreparable Harm To Muslims". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 27 June 2017.
  4. ↑ "Sh. Omar Suleiman". Yaqeeninstitute.org. Retrieved 2017-03-02.
  5. ↑ "Facult". smu.edu. Retrieved 2018-05-26.
  6. ↑ "Leadership – Valley Ranch Islamic Center". Valleyranchmasjid.org. 2014-06-20. Retrieved 2017-03-02.
  7. ↑ "Faith Forward Dallas | Thanks-Giving Square". Thanksgiving.org. Retrieved 2017-03-02.
  8. ↑ Ellin, Theo (2017-02-07). "The Man Trying to Turn Mosques Into Places of Sanctuary | Rising Stars". OZY. Retrieved 2017-03-02.
  9. ↑ Macon, Alex. "Omar Suleiman is the Religious Leader Dallas Needs Right Now". D Magazine. Retrieved 2017-03-02.
  10. ↑ "The Preacher". www.dmagazine.com. Retrieved 2018-05-26.
  11. ↑ "Founder of Muhsen". www.muhsen.org. Retrieved 2018-05-26.
  12. ↑ "This imam from Louisiana survived the Dallas shooting. He doesn't think America can wait to deal with race. | Public Radio International". Pri.org. 2016-07-13. Retrieved 2017-03-02.
  13. ↑ "Perspective on Syrian Refugees: Imam Omar Suleiman". Religion & Ethics Newsweekly. PBS. 10 February 2017. Retrieved 28 September 2017.
  14. ↑ Paul, Jeff (13 March 2017). "ISIS Calls For North Texas Imam's Assassination". CBS DFW. Retrieved 16 March 2017.
  15. ↑ "'A radical form of white supremacy deserves nothing less than a radical response'".


  • Suleiman, Omar (27 February 2017). "My Islam: Not Dogmatic Secularism Nor Religious Fanaticism". Muslim Matters. Retrieved 18 March 2017.
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