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 3 of 4

  1. Aisha Bint Abu Bakr (ra) Part 1: The Early Years of Sacrifice

    · 1 h 15 min · Episode 100

    Growing up in a house of sacrifice, she was destined for a life of greatness. In this lecture, we cover her childhood up until her wedding when she would move into the most significant house in Madinah with our Beloved…

  2. Aisha bint Abu Bakr (ra) Part 2: The Love Story

    · 1 h 09 min · Episode 101

    The love the Prophet ﷺ had for her was unparalleled, and the lessons learned from their marriage serve as a timeless guide for every husband and wife. In this lecture, we focus on the marriage dynamics and position of…

  3. Aisha bint Abu Bakr (ra) Part 3: Slander and Death of the Prophet

    · 1 h 24 min · Episode 102

    Our mother was known for how beloved she was to the Prophet ﷺ which made her an easy target of the hypocrites. In her defense, Allah revealed verses of the Quran in the wake of the great slander known as hadithatul…

  4. Aisha bint Abu Bakr (ra) Part 4: Legacy and Life after Rasulallah ﷺ

    · 1 h 16 min · Episode 103

    The series finale on the remarkable legacy and life of Aisha (ra). What was her life like after the death of the beloved Prophet ﷺ, and what were her unique distinctions that live on until today.

  5. Hafsa bint Umar (ra): Saved by Devotion

    · 1 h 09 min · Episode 104

    A life marked by devotion that saw her through her multiple tragedies, and earned her the testimony of the greatest angel. The wife of our beloved Prophet ﷺ who was most noted for her private worship.

  6. Zaynab bint Jahsh (ra): The Longest Arm

    · 1 h 15 min · Episode 105

    She came from a noble background, had her marriage contracted by Allah himself in the noble Qur'an, and would be first to join our noble Prophet ﷺ after his death.

  7. Juwayriya bint al-Harith (ra): A Blessing to Her People

    · 58 min · S2 E106

    She was a distinguished woman due to her lineage, beauty, and nobility before Islam. But our mother would go on to be distinguished by a specific form of worship. She was a blessing to her people through her marriage…

  8. Safiyya bint Huyayy (ra): A Heart of Gold | The Firsts | Dr. Omar Suleiman

    · 1 h 01 min · S2 E107

    From the lineage of a noble Prophet, Safiyya was viewed with deep suspicion at times due to her roots. But she shined most with the Prophet ﷺ in regards to her love, care, and empathy.

  9. Maymunah bint al-Harith (ra): A Blessed Wedding | The Firsts | Dr. Omar Suleiman

    · 1 h 02 min · S2 E108

    Her marriage to the Prophet ﷺ coincided with a beautiful occasion, and her wedding was her most precious memory.

  10. Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman (ra): The Secret Keeper | The Firsts | Dr. Omar Suleiman

    · 1 h 14 min · S2 E109

    He was entrusted with the most sensitive of secrets due to the special sincerity he possessed. After the tragic death of his father, he lived as the trustee of this Ummah.

  11. Tufayl ibn Amr (ra): The Hidden Legend

    · 55 min · S2 E110

    Behind the conversion of Abu Huraira (ra) and the legacy he would leave behind is a hidden legend from the tribe of al-Daws named Tufayl ibn Amr (ra). While he narrates not a single hadith, his complete story is full…

  12. Abu Huraira (ra): The Preserver of Hadith

    · 1 h 15 min · S2 E111

    The most prolific narrator of ahadith from our beloved Prophet ﷺ, and the heart that Allah chose to give us access to the Sunnah like no other.

  13. Abu Musa al-Ash‘ari (ra): A Voice Like No Other

    · 1 h 08 min · S2 E112

    He came from Yemen as soon as he heard the call of the beloved Prophet ﷺ, then brought Islam back to Yemen. He distinguished himself by his love for the Qur’an, and his wisdom in judging all of his affairs by it's…

  14. Umm Ma’bad (ra): The Most Beautiful Description of the Prophet ﷺ

    · 33 min · S2 E113

    She was a Bedouin woman who served the traveler and wayfarer when suddenly her home was blessed with most beautiful guest of all ﷺ.

  15. Suraqa ibn Malik (ra): The Bounty Hunter

    · 16 min · S2 E114

    He went out as a disbeliever hunting the Prophet ﷺ for 100 camels, then came back a believer with the bracelets of the ruler of Persia. A remarkable story about prophecy even in vulnerability.

  16. Burayda ibn al-Husayb (ra): An Unlikely Convert

    · 13 min · S2 E115

    When the Prophet ﷺ suddenly encounters a chief of a nomad tribe during the Hijra, more people embrace Islam in the desert in an instant than at any point in the years preceding of the Prophetic call.

  17. Abu Dujana (ra): The Red Bandana

    · 51 min · S2 E116

    Only one man was worthy of fighting with the sword of the Prophet ﷺ, and he proved that he would honor it in more ways than one. The story of Abu Dujana (ra) is a story of a man who displayed bravery in the most…

  18. Asim ibn Thabit (ra): Protector of Faith

    · 44 min · S2 E117

    Asim (ra) was one of the very first to protect our Prophet ﷺ, and of the most beloved companions of them all. Though he was pursued in vengence by an ambushing tribe, he was given a miracle through his last prayer…

  19. Khubayb ibn Addiy (ra): A Prisoner of Many Miracles

    · 51 min · S2 E118

    Khubayb (ra) is a man of many tragic firsts in Islam. But his story is also filled with many lessons of perseverance, ethics, and sincerity even in the midst of desperation. And for that Allah would bestow miracles…

  20. Saeed ibn Amir (ra): Haunted by Murder

    · 1 h 01 min · S2 E119

    He was a pious governor in Islam who would repent to Allah after witnessing the crucifixion of Khubayb (ra). How did Saeed and other companions who participated in the massacres of Bi'r Mauna and Al Rajee find their…

  21. Rabiah ibn Kab (ra): The Prophet’s Companion in Jannah

    · 51 min · S2 E120

    He fell in love with the Prophet ﷺ at first sight, lived in his blessed shadow until he died, and was promised his blessed companionship eternally in Paradise.

  22. Abu Saeed al Khudri (ra): The Jewel of Madinah

    · 58 min · S2 E121

    He was given the lofty title of the Mufti of Madinah for his rare combination of Hadith and Fiqh. He narrates over 1000 ahadith from the Prophet ﷺ, and lived a long life of devotion all in his home city of Madinah.

  23. Khalid ibn al-Walid (ra): Becoming the Sword of Allah

    · 1 h 14 min · S2 E122

    The story of how a feared enemy of Islam became it's greatest general.

  24. Khalid ibn al-Walid (ra): The Legendary Military General

    · 1 h 11 min · S2 E123

    After he became Muslim, he immediately became perhaps the greatest factor in the spread of Islam throughout the world. Learn about his military genius, his legacy and contributions, and his unexpected death.

  25. Amr ibn al-As (ra): His Wicked Father & “Better” Brother

    · 1 h 08 min · S2 E124

    Before understanding Amr ibn al-As (ra), you need to know about his father who was a staunch opponent of the Prophet ﷺ, and his brother Hisham (ra) who was a companion long before him, with a legendary story of his own.

  26. Amr ibn al-As (ra): From Rafah to Egypt

    · 1 h 19 min · S2 E125

    From his moments of opposing the Prophet ﷺ in practically every battle of Islam, and his seeking to remove the one place of refuge for the Muslims in Abyssinia, Amr (ra) doesn’t just turn a corner and embrace Islam,…

  27. Ikrimah ibn Abi Jahl (ra): The Pious Son of Pharoah

    · 53 min · S2 E126

    He was the son of the Pharoah of this Ummah who fought the Prophet ﷺ and his companions even up until the opening of Makkah. But through a journey of many twists and turns, came back to the Prophet ﷺ as one of his most…

  28. Abu Sufyan ibn Harb (ra): Forgiving the Enemy

    · 1 h 16 min · S2 E127

    For two decades he was a chief antagonist of the Prophet ﷺ, only to be forgiven and given a position of leadership for the sake of the greater cause.

  29. The Prophet ﷺ’s Brother: Abu Sufyan ibn al-Harith (ra)

    · 59 min · S2 E128

    He was the first cousin of the Prophet ﷺ, and his brother in that he was nursed by the same woman. He was one of the closest and most beloved people to him. When Islam came, he turned his back on the Prophet ﷺ and…

  30. Mothers of the Prophet ﷺ: Amina and Halima al-Sa’diyya

    · 1 h 04 min · S2 E129

    The Prophet ﷺ spent some of his earliest years with his foster mother Halima al-Sa’diyya (ra), and never forgot the love she nurtured him with. What was it like to find her again in his final years of life?

  31. Hakim ibn Hizam (ra): When Money Stops Mattering

    · 1 h 04 min · S2 E130

    The nephew of Khadijah (ra) and a core figure in the decade prior to the Prophet ﷺ receiving revelation. He held out on Islam because of his worldly focus, yet eventually embraced Islam and a new focus on the hereafter.

  32. When Allah Guided the Children of Abu Lahab

    · 1 h 07 min · S2 E131

    The only enemy of the Prophet ﷺ mentioned by name in the Quran, yet his own children became Muslim and would read about their father’s punishment. The incredible story of the believing children of the Prophet ﷺ's uncle…

  33. The Most Honored Man By The Prophet ﷺ

    · 1 h 19 min · S2 E132

    If you saw him in Madinah, you would be taken aback by how he was honored by the Prophet ﷺ and the companions like no other human being, and if you heard him speak then you would know he was special. The last uncle of…

  34. Urwa ibn Masud (ra): The Chief Who Resembled Isa (as)

    · 47 min

    A noble leader with a striking presence, he initially resisted the call of Islam and was a chief negotiator from Quraysh to the Prophet ﷺ in Hudaybiyyah. But when Islam entered his heart, he sought to lead his people…

  35. The Prophet ﷺ’s Bodyguard: Mughira ibn Shu‘ba (ra)

    · 31 min

    He came to Islam after a severely checkered past, but never let his flaws stop him from assuming his place in the presence of the Prophet ﷺ. He used his strength and sense of movement to monitor the Prophet’s every…

  36. Addas (ra) of Ta’if: The Brother of Yunus (as)

    · 39 min

    As the Prophet ﷺ lay battered and beaten in the garden after Ta’if, Allah sent him this one special slave who would be the only known human convert on the worst day of the Prophet ﷺ’s life.

  37. The Jinn Who Became Muslim

    · 25 min

    Imagine the first Muslims, but amongst the Jinn. Who were the first converts amongst them, and how did that happen? When did Allah send them? And what was the connection of the Jinn Muslims to the rejectors of Ta’if?

  38. Abu Bakra (ra): The Freed Slave of Allah

    · 28 min

    So often confused for Abu Bakr as-Siddiq (ra), this prolific narrator of hadith escaped Ta’if in such a unique way that he was named after this incident. After this lecture, you will never read his name as a typo again.

  39. Abu Mahdhura (ra): The Kid Who Mocked Adhan

    · 17 min

    As the Prophet ﷺ left the siege of Ta’if, a group of youth were making fun of the adhan. The Prophet ﷺ saw past their mockery and stuck to his hope of their becoming Muslim. In one of the most beautiful stories of the…

  40. The Children of Ta’if Who Stoned the Prophet ﷺ

    · 20 min

    Imagine having stoned the Prophet ﷺ as a child, only to realize who he was as an adult. How do you even become Muslim on that day? Were any of the children even listening to what he was saying while they carried out…

  41. A Foiled Conspiracy: Umayr ibn Wahb (ra) & Safwan ibn Umayyah (ra)

    · 1 h 03 min

    After the Battle of Badr, two cousins secretly conspired to kill the Prophet ﷺ. Neither of them could have predicted where this conspiracy would eventually take them.

  42. Muhammad ibn Maslama (ra): The Knight of Rasulullah ﷺ

    · 1 h 10 min

    He was named Muhammad before Islam. He was the knight of the Messenger ﷺ. He was the guardian of Madinah. He was the caliph's investigator. Who was he?

  43. Thumama ibn Uthal (ra): The most powerful Muslim of his time?

    · 56 min

    The Quraysh abuse a man who is performing umrah. But they quickly realize the consequences, because he may have been the most powerful Muslim in the world at the time.

  44. Ka’b ibn Zuhayr (ra): The Story of the First Burda

    · 51 min

    Prior to his conversion, Ka’b ibn Zuhayr (ra) is responsible for the latest diss tracks coming out about Islam. He’s insulting the Prophet ﷺ, the Muslims, and making implications about Muslim women. But as the Prophet…

  45. Tulayha ibn Khuwaylid (ra): From False Prophet to Shaheed

    · 58 min

    Is your faith journey complicated? Wait until you hear this story. He embraced Islam. Then he left it. Then he committed the worst sins. He thought he could repent again. After so many twists and turns, you might be…

  46. Zayd ibn al-Khattab (ra): The Quiet Brother of Omar (ra)

    · 57 min

    Siblings with very different personalities can serve Islam in their own ways. Omar ibn al khattab (ra) was outspoken and larger-than-life. What about his older brother, Zayd ibn al-Khattab (ra), the silent giant of…

  47. Thabit ibn Qays (ra): Promised Jannah After A Sin

    · 43 min

  48. Abbad ibn Bishr (ra): The Friend of the Qur’an

    · 42 min

  49. Adi ibn Hatim al-Tai (ra): From Christian King to Companion

    · 48 min

    The son of Hatim al-Tai, one of the most famous figures in Arab history, walks into the Prophet ﷺ’s room in Madinah. What happened next transformed the heart of this Christian king. How did the son of Arabia’s most…

  50. Jarir ibn Abdullah (ra): The Yusuf of This Ummah

    · 54 min

    How beautiful would you be if an angel wiped your face? It happened to Jarir ibn Abdullah (ra), a Yemeni companion of the Prophet ﷺ. He was called “the Yusuf of this ummah.” But he had another special gift—the power of…

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