Are You Giving Allah Your Leftovers? | Khutbah by Dr. Omar Suleiman

When was the last time you actually showed up for Allah?Allah says in Surah Al-Ahqaf: "We accept from them the best of what they did." Not the most. Not the longest. The best.Ihsan is excellence in action and showing up for Allah the way He deserves, with your full heart, not whatever energy survived the day. And khushu in salah isn't a gift some people are born with. It's something you have to choose to give.In this jummah khutbah, Dr. Omar Suleiman reflects on what ikhlas in worship actually looks like, why you can go through the motions of salah for years without ever really arriving, and how one moment of true presence with Allah can outweigh a lifetime of routine.If your worship has started to feel empty, this is where you start.00:00 Introduction & Opening Praise00:25 The Trial of Ibrahim (AS)02:49 How Allah Receives Our Deeds04:41 The Du'a at the Kaaba07:52 Am I Giving Allah My Best?08:48 The Condition for Acceptance09:58 Allah's Mercy Multiplied11:06 Acceptance on the Day of Judgment15:05 Prioritizing Allah with Your Time17:16 Giving What You Love Most18:45 Closing Du'a & Prayer

Allah controls what you’re allowed to see. And sometimes, He lets the wicked see exactly what they want to.This Easter, the world is reflecting on the story of Jesus. The Quran tells us directly: “They did not kill him, nor did they crucify him, but it was made to appear so to them.” (Surah An-Nisa, Verse 157). Allah didn’t just protect Isa (Jesus). He constructed an illusion. And they fell for it completely.This is the reality of Istidraj — when Allah allows the wicked to believe they are winning, gradually drawing them toward accountability while they remain completely unaware.So why does Allah do this? We see it today.In the rise of authoritarian power. In the silence of the international community. In every moment where injustice appears to go unanswered. And we see it in ourselves, when we think we’ve gotten away with something and nothing happens.In this Khutbah, Dr. Omar Suleiman explains why what you’re witnessing right now is not the full picture.

The Sunni-Shia divide is among the most consequential fault lines in Islamic history — yet it is rarely examined with the care and precision it deserves. In this opening episode of Deep Dive: Iran, Imam Tom Facchine returns to the formative period following the death of the Prophet ﷺ, tracing the theological disputes, political tensions, and communal fractures that gave rise to Shia Islam as a distinct tradition. Drawing on primary hadith sources, this episode resists both the polemical impulse to weaponize sectarian differences and the revisionist tendencies to minimize it. The goal is neither condemnation nor uncritical solidarity — but an informed understanding of where these divisions come from and what they actually mean.00:00 Is Iran a Hero or a Sectarian Monster?00:44 Two Extremes: Polemic vs. Erasure04:16 Finding the Middle Ground on Sectarianism05:14 Shi'ism: A Whisper That Grew Into a Shout07:09 Fatima (RA)'s Inheritance and the First Fracture09:08 Why Did Ali (RA) Delay His Oath of Allegiance?13:29 What the Hadith Actually Says — and Doesn't18:21 The Council, Abdurrahman (RA), and Uthman (RA)'s Election21:37 Was Uthman (RA) a Puppet? Debunking the Conspiracy32:20 The Cult of Personality Around Ali (RA)34:31 Three Traumas That Changed Everything35:04 The Assassination of Uthman (RA) and Civil War36:00 Hasan (RA)'s Conditional Abdication to Muawiyah (RA)37:12 Karbala: The Wound That Never Healed38:27 Post-Karbala: Revolt, Repentance, and Revenge41:28 The Kaysanites: The First Identifiable Shia Sect42:51 Ghadir Khumm and the Revisionist Origin Story52:12 Do Twelver Sources Claim the Quran Is Corrupted?53:42 Attacking the Companions as an Act of Worship58:41 Honest Critique: The Responsibility of Every Muslim01:03:23 Wala and Bara: Loyalty Has a Gradient01:07:53 Do We Have Solidarity With the Muslims of Iran?01:09:25 Good Fences Make Good Neighbors

When life feels unbearable, remember this: Allah never places a burden on any soul greater than it can bear. Faith isn't only for the easy seasons of life. True worship means turning to Allah in your darkest moments and your brightest ones.In this khutbah, Dr. Omar Suleiman explores why Allah tests those He loves, how to maintain strong faith when you're at your breaking point, and practical ways to find peace and perseverance through hardship.

What are you keeping your angels busy with? What are they building for you in Jannah, brick by brick, with the dhikr that you make every day? And how does dhikr give you the strength and courage in this life to do the right thing? Dr. Omar Suleiman and Sh. Yaser Birjas continue to discuss gems on the benefits of dhikr (remembrance of Allah) that are outlined by Ibn al-Qayyim (rh) in his book Al-Wabil al-Sayyib min al-Kalim al-Tayyib (available in English translation under the titles “The Invocation of God” or “Remembrance of the Most Merciful”). 

“How can you neglect to remember the One Who never neglects to remember you?” Never discourage the dhikr of Allah for yourself or others, for that is a way of showing enmity to Allah and depriving yourself of the great reward of even just being present in the gatherings of remembrance.

What is ma’iyyah (with-ness) of Allah, and how do you gain it? And how can we avoid the pitfalls of our dhikr becoming mere lip service, a pursuit of spiritual ecstasy, or something that feels like a cheat code? Dr. Omar Suleiman and Sh. Yaser Birjas continue to discuss gems on the benefits of dhikr (remembrance of Allah) that are outlined by Ibn al-Qayyim (rh) in his book Al-Wabil al-Sayyib min al-Kalim al-Tayyib (available in English translation under the titles “The Invocation of God” or “Remembrance of the Most Merciful”).

While the ummah searches for Laylatul Qadr, Masjid Al-Aqsa stands in silence. A place loved by the prophets, honored by Allah, and sacred to the hearts of believers—yet closed to those who long to pray within it.In these blessed nights, as we raise our hands in duʿa and seek Allah’s mercy, let our hearts remember Al-Aqsa. Feel its absence. Let your duʿa reach it. May Allah protect it, honor it, and allow the believers to return to it again.

What is the connection between dhikr and light? What does the Verse of Light mean for our lives? And how do we build a life of anticipating meeting Allah and seeing Him in Jannah?Dr. Omar Suleiman and Sh. Yaser Birjas continue to discuss gems on the benefits of dhikr (remembrance of Allah) that are outlined by Ibn al-Qayyim (rh) in his book Al-Wabil al-Sayyib min al-Kalim al-Tayyib (available in English translation under the titles “The Invocation of God” or “Remembrance of the Most Merciful”). 

What is the tawbah that Allah never rejects? Many of us struggle with guilt, wondering if our prayers for forgiveness are actually being heard. In today’s khutbah, Dr. Omar Suleiman explains the spiritual mechanics of Allah’s forgiveness and why admitting your sins is the key to unlocking divine mercy.00:00 Opening Praise and Salawat00:27 The Prophetic Duʿa of Repentance02:20 The Secret of Tawbah05:26 Admitting the Sin Without Excuses06:19 Regret vs Despair in Repentance09:13 Adam vs Iblis: Blame and Divine Decree12:57 Reopening Old Wrongs and Making Things Right15:20 Recognizing the Only One Who Forgives18:09 Closing Reflections and Duʿa