The Firsts
Religion & Spirituality Podcas
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.
Location:
United States
Description:
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.
Language:
English
Episodes
Umm Kulthum bt. Ali (ra): Daughter of Nobility and Tragedy
7/16/2025
“O daughter of the noble ones!” This was the way to address the younger granddaughter of the Prophet ﷺ, Umm Kulthum bint Ali (ra).
She was a woman of piety, like her mother Fatima (ra). In the glimpses we have into her life, we see her marrying Umar (ra) and then the sons of Ja’far (ra), stepping in to help a traveling woman give birth, patiently enduring the martyrdom of many loved ones, and dying alongside her son.
Duration:00:23:14
Zaynab bint Ali (ra): A Voice of Courage
7/8/2025
A granddaughter of the Prophet ﷺ, exemplary for her patience, courage and generosity. She established institutions to support the poor, elderly, and disabled. She persevered after the painful massacre of her family at Karbala, and eloquently spoke truth to power.
Zaynab bint Ali (ra) is from the great women of the Ahl al-Bayt and is an enduring role model for every generation of Muslims.
Duration:00:45:36
Husayn ibn Ali (ra): Redefining Victory in Karbala
7/1/2025
Who is Husayn (ra)? The beloved grandson of the Prophet ﷺ, a role model for believers in their pursuits of justice, and the master of the youth of Jannah.
Dr. Omar Suleiman explores his life in depth: his birth and childhood, his grandfather ﷺ's love for him, his sense of justice, his service to the ummah, his tragic martyrdom at Karbala, and the lessons his story teaches us today.
Duration:01:27:30
Hasan ibn Ali (ra): The Beloved Grandson of the Prophet ﷺ
6/26/2025
The Prophet ﷺ called his grandson a sayyid, and indeed, Hasan (ra) was a master among men.
Explore the life and legacy of Hasan ibn Ali (ra) in rich detail: his joyous birth, the Prophet ﷺ’s love for him, his unique personality and generosity, his worship and many Hajj journeys, his leadership as the fifth caliph, and his reconciliation and reuniting of the ummah.
Duration:01:20:03
Ammar ibn Yasir (ra): Sacrifice After Trauma
6/24/2025
The son of the first martyrs, a martyr himself, and the father of a martyr. Ammar ibn Yasir (ra) was part of a family chosen by Allah for shahadah.
Learn his inspiring story, from being one of the first Muslims; facing torture and witnessing the martyrdom of his parents, Sumayyah (ra) and Yasir (ra); building masajid and fighting battles alongside the Prophet ﷺ; and ultimately sacrificing his life for the truth, a path that his son Muhammad (rh) would follow after him.
Duration:01:07:29
Tamim al-Dari (ra): The Palestinian Sahabi That Met Dajjal
6/23/2025
A Palestinian companion of the Prophet ﷺ. The first to light up masjids with oil lamps. He loved the Qur’an. He famously met the Dajjal. This is the story of the incredible Tamim al-Dari (ra).
Duration:00:55:58
Adi ibn Hatim al-Tai (ra): From Christian King to Companion
6/17/2025
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 famous man become one of Islam’s closest companions?
Duration:00:48:11
Jarir ibn Abdullah (ra): The Yusuf of This Ummah
6/17/2025
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 persuasion.
Duration:00:53:46
Abbad ibn Bishr (ra): The Friend of the Qur’an
4/2/2025
Duration:00:41:50
Thabit ibn Qays (ra): Promised Jannah After A Sin
4/2/2025
Duration:00:43:29
Zayd ibn al-Khattab (ra): The Quiet Brother of Omar (ra)
4/2/2025
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 this ummah?
Duration:00:57:07
Ka’b ibn Zuhayr (ra): The Story of the First Burda
1/8/2025
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 ﷺ’s power grows, the world is closing in on the poet. Where will he go?
Duration:00:51:20
Tulayha ibn Khuwaylid (ra): From False Prophet to Shaheed
1/8/2025
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 surprised at how his story ended.
Duration:00:57:57
A Foiled Conspiracy: Umayr ibn Wahb (ra) & Safwan ibn Umayyah (ra)
1/8/2025
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.
Duration:01:02:46
Muhammad ibn Maslama (ra): The Knight of Rasulullah ﷺ
1/8/2025
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?
Duration:01:09:32
Thumama ibn Uthal (ra): The most powerful Muslim of his time?
1/8/2025
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.
Duration:00:55:38
Abu Mahdhura (ra): The Kid Who Mocked Adhan
1/1/2025
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 Prophetic lens, we gain new insight into how he brought the best out of people even in the worst of times.
Duration:00:16:34
The Children of Ta’if Who Stoned the Prophet ﷺ
1/1/2025
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 the brutal order to stone him? Since the Prophet ﷺ had hope in their Islam, did he get to see the fruit of that hope in his lifetime?
Duration:00:20:12
The Jinn Who Became Muslim
12/17/2024
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?
Duration:00:25:21
Abu Bakra (ra): The Freed Slave of Allah
12/17/2024
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.
Duration:00:28:26