Podcasts · Religion & Spirituality · History

The Firsts with Dr. Omar Suleiman

Yaqeen Institute

185 episodes · in order

The Firsts: The Forerunners of Islam is the series that visits trailblazers of the ummah. Those that rise to the occasion, and inspire a generation. Host Sh. Dr. Omar Suleiman dives into the stories of the giants who were the first of their kind in this world, and distinguished in the next. Listen in to revive the personalities buried in history.Let’s meet the Firsts. This series is brought to you by Yaqeen Institute for Islamic Research. We aim to make academic and Islamically-credible scholarship mainstream through accessible resources such as infographics, animations, podcasts, learning materials, and more. Visit www.yaqeeninstitute.org or download the Yaqeen app from the app store to continue dismantling doubts, nurturing conviction, and inspiring contribution, one truth at a time.

Episodes page 2 of 4

  1. Al-Shifa bint Abdullah (ra): The Healer and Scholar

    · 17 min · Episode 51

    Al-Shifa bint Abdullah (ra) taught Hafsa (ra) how to read, and many others how to heal and understand other complicated matters.

  2. Khunais ibn Hudhafah (ra): The First Husband of Hafsa (ra)

    · 11 min · Episode 52

    Khunais ibn Hudhafah (ra) was one of the earliest Muslims who would be the only member of his tribe fighting on the side of the Muslims in the battle of Badr.

  3. Abdullah ibn Hudhafah (ra): The Man Who Wouldn’t Flinch

    · 16 min · Episode 53

    Abdullah ibn Hudhafah was chosen by the Prophet ﷺ to face the most brutal emperor of his time. He was known for being unfazed by tyrants.

  4. Atika bint Zayd (ra) - The Wife of Many Martyrs

    · 19 min · Episode 54

    How many people would intercede as martyrs for the spouse that supported them in their courage? Listen and learn more about Atika bint Zayd (ra).

  5. Ayyash ibn Abi Rabiah (ra) - The Guilt Trip That Led To Captivity

    · 18 min · Episode 55

    Ayyash ibn Abi Rabiah (ra), the brother of Abu Jahl, was tricked into coming home out of love for his mother only to spend years in captivity for his refusal to disbelieve.

  6. Utbah Ibn Ghazwan (ra): The Humble Governor

    · 17 min · Episode 56

    Utbah Ibn Ghazwan was one of the first 10 people to embrace Islam. He lived to take it far into Iraq, yet he remained in a simple tent and preferred a life of obscurity. Tune in to episode 56 with Dr. Omar Suleiman.

  7. Shurahbil Ibn Hasana (ra): The Scribe and Commander

    · 12 min · Episode 57

    Shurahbil Ibn Hasana was a quiet soldier who spoke rarely but with great authority. Everyone knew his place, and he was never questioned by his peers. Tune in to episode 57 with Dr. Omar Suleiman.

  8. Abdullah Ibn Jahsh (ra): An Accepted Prayer

    · 17 min · Episode 58

    Abdullah Ibn Jahsh (ra) was the first Ameer in Islam and the only man to be buried in the same grave as Hamza (ra) in Uhud. Tune in to episode 58 with Dr. Omar Suleiman.

  9. Abu Ahmad Abd Ibn Jahsh (ra): The Other Blind Companion

    · 14 min · Episode 59

    He was a companion that roamed the valleys of Makkah without being able to see around him, but the truth penetrated his heart and his home deeply.

  10. Zaynab Bint Khuzayma (ra): The Mother of the Poor

    · 13 min · Episode 60

    She was the only other wife of the Prophet (saw) to be buried by his hands. She was known only by one beautiful trait: her charity.

  11. Ukasha ibn al-Mihsan (ra): He Beat You To It

    · 14 min · Episode 61

    Ukasha (ra) is synonymous with the idea of being ahead of the bunch. Learn about how he reached this position over time with an attitude of excellence.

  12. Nuaym Ibn Abdullah (ra): Redirecting History

    · 12 min · Episode 62

    The one who stopped Omar (ra) on his way to the house of his sister, also was heard in Paradise by the Prophet ﷺ.

  13. Subay'a Al-Aslamiyya (ra): The Iddah of a Widow

    · 16 min · Episode 63

    Subay'a Al-Aslamiyya (ra) was an early convert who, through her example, taught the Ummah about the 'iddah of a widow.

  14. Khalid Ibn Sa’id Ibn al-'As (ra): A Dream of the Prophet

    · 16 min · Episode 64

    Within hours of Abu Bakr (ra), he embraces Islam after seeing a dream of his father and the Prophet ﷺ that made guidance clear to him.

  15. Rayta Bint Al-Harith (ra): Poisoned on the Way

    · 11 min · Episode 65

    Rayta Bint Al-Harith is a woman we know very little about. She is one who embodies the struggle of those who died on their way to the promised land of Madinah.

  16. Anisa, Al-Numan, and Amir (ra): On A Boat From Abysinnia

    · 12 min · Episode 66

    Anisa, Al-Numan, and Amir are early companions (ra) who joined the Prophet ﷺ by boat from Abysinnia years later after the Hijra.

  17. Amir Ibn Fuhayra (ra): The Guide on the Hijrah

    · 17 min · Episode 67

    Amir Ibn Fuhayra (ra) was the one man who was with the Prophet ﷺ and Abu Bakr (ra) throughout the Hijrah, and was lifted to the heavens while the enemy looked on.

  18. Zinneera (ra) and Aflah (ra): The Tortured Ones | The Firsts

    · 11 min · Episode 68

    Zinneera (ra) and Aflah (ra) were slaves who were tortured in the harshest of ways, yet refused to relinquish their faith even for a moment.

  19. Umm Kulthum Bint Uqbah Ibn Abi Muayt (ra): The Enemy’s Daughter | The Firsts

    · 13 min · Episode 69

    Umm Kulthum Bint Uqbah Ibn Abi Muayt (ra) was the daughter of the man who humiliated the Prophet ﷺ in front of Fatima (ra), and the only woman who made Hijrah alone.

  20. Mihja, Umayr, and Ubayda (ra): The Martyrs of Badr | The Firsts

    · 12 min · Episode 70

    Mihja, Umar, and Ubayda (ra) were migrants from Makkah, veterans of Badr, and the first martyrs of Islam in battle.

  21. New! Sincerely Yours, a talk show by Yaqeen Institute!

    · 0:30 · Bonus

    Access the new podcast channel here! https://yqn.io/sincerely-yours-podcast Did you ever wish you knew the scholars, preachers and teachers of Islam better? What if you could get to know on a more personal level? Join…

  22. Loving the Ansar

    · 1 h 10 min · Episode 71

    What made the Ansar the most beloved of people to the Prophet ﷺ, and what is the history behind this blessed group?

  23. As’ad Ibn Zurara (ra): The First Convert of Madinah

    · 40 min · Episode 72

    As’ad Ibn Zurarar is the young chief who paved the way for the Ansar to embrace their Prophet ﷺ and became the ultimate “first” in almost every category from the people of Madinah.

  24. Usayd Ibn Hudayr (ra): Transformed by the Quran

    · 50 min · Episode 73

    From the moment he heard the Quran, his face changed and his heart turned towards Allah and his messenger ﷺ in a way that made him beloved to the righteous in the heavens and in the earth.

  25. Sa'ad Ibn Muadh (ra): The Man Who Shook The Throne

    · 56 min · Episode 74

    There is no other man from the Ansar who commanded greater respect and authority from the Prophet ﷺ and his companions, and no other man about whom it was said the throne of Allah shook at his death.

  26. Sa'ad Ibn Ubadah (ra): The Generous Chief

    · 1 h 00 min · Episode 75

    He was the man who operated the equivalent of a soup kitchen in Madinah, and led with courage and generosity without fear of persecution or poverty.

  27. Umm Sulaym (ra): Her Dowry Was Islam

    · 1 h 00 min · Episode 76

  28. Anas ibn Malik (ra): In Service of the Beloved

    · 1 h 15 min · Episode 77

    The heartwarming story of the beloved servant of the Prophet ﷺ who became more like a son to him.

  29. Umm Haram (ra): When Dreams Come True

    · 1 h 01 min · Episode 78

    Introducing the aunts and uncles of Anas (ra) to properly appreciate this family of sacrifice, with emphasis on the life and vision of Umm Haram (ra).

  30. Ubadah ibn al-Samit (ra): A Man Equal to a Thousand Men

    · 59 min · Episode 79

    Ubahada inb al-Samit (ra) was a leader who immediately inspired awe in others and established Islam in so many ways in different parts of the world.

  31. Al Bara’ Ibn Malik (ra): The Underestimated Hero

    · 52 min · Episode 80

    Al Bara’ Ibn Malik (ra) was a man who people looked down upon, but that led the way with his courage in some of the most pivotal battles of Islam.

  32. Abu Ayyub Al Ansari (ra): The Host of the Prophet

    · 1 h 02 min · Episode 81

    Abu Ayyub Al Ansari (ra) was a man who loved the Prophet ﷺ with all of his heart, and gave his home and life to his cause.

  33. Abdullah ibn Salam (ra): The Righteous Rabbi

    · 1 h 04 min · Episode 82

    Abdullah ibn Salam moved to Madinah in anticipation of the arrival of the Prophet ﷺ, and went on to become one of the greatest companions to ever live. A scholar who knew multiple scriptures, and was promised paradise…

  34. Salman Al Farsi (ra): The Truth Seeker

    · 1 h 09 min · Episode 83

    Dr. Omar Suleiman talks about the journey of truth that took the son of a Zoroastrian chief from Persia, through the churches of Syria and Iraq, to eventually becoming one of the most beloved companions of the Prophet…

  35. Salman Al Farsi (ra): Back to Persia

    · 1 h 12 min · Episode 84

    Part 2 of the journey of Salman (ra) with Dr. Omar Suleiman takes us through the events that led this noble companion from the trenches of Madinah back to the heart of the Persian empire.

  36. Abu Darda (ra): The Scholar Who Wouldn't Sleep

    · 1 h 11 min · Episode 85

    He was the man who the companions used to say was the most sincere amongst them in combining knowledge and action. Dr. Omar Suleiman talks about Abu Darda (RA) and a legacy of scholarship, spirituality, and wisdom that…

  37. Abdullah Ibn Rawahah (ra): The Warrior Poet

    · 57 min · Episode 86

    Dr. Omar Suleiman talks about Abdullah Ibn Rawahah (ra), who with his piety as remarkable as his poetry, was the first of the poets who defended the Prophet ﷺ and most noted for his virtues.

  38. Ka'ab Ibn Malik (ra): The Greatest Story of Repentance

    · 1 h 09 min · Episode 87

    Ka'ab Ibn Malik (ra) was an eloquent poet who was silenced and then elevated through his story to be the most narrated about repenter in the history of Islam.

  39. Hassan ibn Thabit (ra): The Master of All Poets

    · 56 min · Episode 88

    Hassan ibn Thabit (ra) was the most talented of poets, aided by Jibreel (as) as he defended the Prophet ﷺ against his enemies. While that same tongue fell into tragic error, we honor him for his years of service to…

  40. Nusaybah bint Ka'ab (ra): The Woman Warrior

    · 1 h 04 min · Episode 89

    Nusaybah bint Ka'ab (ra) embodied sacrifice in every way, and would be seen defending the Prophet ﷺ from every direction. Every one in her family followed her noble example.

  41. Zayd ibn Thabit (ra): The Scribe of the Prophet ﷺ

    · 1 h 06 min · Episode 90

    He was a young genius when the Prophet ﷺ came to Madinah, and now shares a reward in the recitation of every Muslim due to his compiling of the Quran.

  42. Muadh Ibn Jabal (ra): Most Knowledgeable & Beloved

    · 1 h 27 min · Episode 91

    The young scholar who was described by Prophet ﷺ as the most knowledgeable of this Ummah in halal and haram, and who was told by the Prophet ﷺ that he loved him for Allah.

  43. Ubayy ibn Ka’b (ra): The Master of all Reciters

    · 1 h 01 min · Episode 92

    The greatest reciter of the Quran, and the Imam of Madinah during the reign of the rightly guided Khulafa.

  44. Umm Waraqa bint Abdullah (ra): The Martyred Hafidha

    · 12 min · Episode 93

    A woman who excelled in every way, memorized the Quran, and sought martyrdom even in her home.

  45. Asma Bint Yazid (ra): The Orator of the Women

    · 20 min · Episode 94

    A look at the unique characteristics of the Asma’s of Madinah, with emphasis on Asma bint Yazid. They refused to be left out of any reward, and expressed the desire to be by the side of the Prophet (saw) in every…

  46. Amr ibn Al Jamuh (ra): No Limping in Jannah

    · 18 min · Episode 95

    He was the chief of his tribe, and a devoted idol worshipper. But when he embraced Islam, he would stop at nothing to get to Jannah even though he had a disability.

  47. Abdullah ibn Abdullah ibn Ubayy (ra): The son of the Chief Hypocrite

    · 10 min · Episode 96

    While his father undermined the Prophet (Saw) at every juncture, he served alongside the Prophet (saw) in his most difficult moments. He was the opposite of his father, and opposed him when he hurt the Prophet (saw).

  48. Hanzala Ibn Abi Amr (ra) and Jameela (ra): When Angels Bathe You

    · 8:37 · Episode 97

    They were the children of hypocrites who got married the night before Uhud. What followed was a miracle unique to Hanzala (ra), and a child who lived his father’s legacy.

  49. Jabir ibn Abdullah (ra): The Orphan With 7 Sisters

    · 1 h 09 min · Episode 98

    His father was of the first to embrace Islam, and he was the last companion to die in Madinah. He was left early on to care for many sisters, yet ended up being one of the caretakers of this Ummah.

  50. Kulthum ibn al-Hadm (ra) & Sa'ad ibn Khaythamah (ra): The Hosts of Masjid Quba

    · 47 min · Episode 99

    Allah praised them in the Quran for their piety and love to be purified. Each one of them had an incredibly beautiful story of sacrifice that was oft-repeated amongst the Companions.

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