“Don’t marry someone you think you can make better. Marry someone you think will make you better”

Shaykh Omar Suleiman is a world-renowned Islamic scholar from New Orleans, Louisiana. Born and raised in America. His journey of seeking knowledge started in 2000 in the United Arab Emirates where he spent a few years at the feet of prestigious scholars such as Shaykh Tariq Ibn Rajah and Amr Al Sheshany. Since then he has sought knowledge and studied under Shaykh Salah As Sawy, Dr Hatem Al Haj, his father in law Shaykh Abul Abed, and Al Allamah Shaykh Omar Al Ashqar (rahimahullah).Shaykh Omar has two Bachelors degrees in Islamic Studies and in accounting, a Masters degree in Islamic Finance, and is currently pursuing a Phd in Islamic History from the Islamic University of Malaysia.

He previously served as Imam for Masjid Abu Bakr As-Siddique in New Orleans for 6 years and has since dedicated himself to fulltime teaching. He has taught with Mishkah University (formerly Sharia Academy) since 2008 under Shaykh Salah As Sawy and also currently serves as the director of the Islamic Learning Foundation in Texas, as well as an instructor for AlMaghrib Institute.

Upon returning to New Orleans, he served as the Imam of the Jefferson Muslim Association in New Orleans for 6 years and was also the Director of the ICNA Relief Muslims for Humanity Hurricane Katrina Relief effort. It was in this time that he was noted on a national level as being a strong advocate of community service, interfaith dialogue, and social justice. 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. He has since been a guest at various national functions to share his experiences in community building.

He now serves fulltime with Bayyinah Institute as the head of its history department and as an instructor in Quran, Hadeeth, and Tazkiyya studies. He also currently serves as the Resident Scholar of the Valley Ranch Islamic Center in Dallas Texas.