How Nur ad-Din Zengi United Sham | The Salahuddin Generation | Ep. 4 | Dr. Hassan Elwan

Imad ad-Din Zengi revives hope by capturing Edessa, but is quickly assassinated, causing new despair. His son, Nur ad-Din, emerges: a king raised by scholars.He shifts the state from power (dawla) to faith (din) and abolishes all unjust taxes. But can he truly unite Damascus and Aleppo before the Second Crusade returns for revenge?

Leaders were rising—and being buried.But behind the chaos, scholars were laying foundations history rarely credits.This episode reveals the scholarly blueprint that produced Salahuddin—from Ibn Khashab’s urgent resistance to Imam al-Ghazali’s generational reform.

Some of the most important battles in life are fought in silence—against Shaytan, against envy, and within our own hearts. This lecture explores the quiet daily struggles that shape our faith, character, and resilience. Learn how to protect your heart, resist unseen opposition, and stay grounded in sincerity while striving for success—all for the sake of Allah.

Palestine has led many to Islam. Just in the last few weeks, long-term activist for Palestine, Robert Martin, embraced the faith after many years of working among Muslims. In this Gaza Diaries interview with Dr. Omar Suleiman, Martin recalls his earliest visits to the Holy Land, when he was warmly welcomed everywhere he went, to his recent experience on the Freedom Flotilla.

Social media is built to be addictive. It harms our mental health and damages our self-worth. We all know this...but it's still so hard to disconnect. Join Dr. Tesneem Alkiek and host Qaanitah Hunter to explore the dangers (and some of the benefits) that social media adds to our lives and learn practical ways to build a healthier relationship with it 

Before Jerusalem fell, something else collapsed first.The First Crusade wasn’t won because the Crusaders were stronger or more numerous. It succeeded through discipline, organization, and psychological warfare—while the Muslim world was divided by rival rulers, short-term thinking, and emotional reactions without strategy.This episode traces that collapse from Europe’s mobilization to Antioch, Ma‘arra, and the fall of Jerusalem in 1099.More importantly, it asks the uncomfortable question history leaves behind:why did sincere people keep losing?

Allah tests His servants in different ways, and what may feel like punishment can often be a path to growth, purification, and deeper faith. In this khutbah, Dr. Omar Suleiman explains how challenges can serve as a form of refinement, drawing you closer to Allah and shaping you into a better believer. 

Is hustle culture toxic? Like so much else, it’s a confusing mix of good and bad. Ambition, hard work, and high aspirations are noble, but they need to be kept in perspective. When our goals for the dunya start to outweigh our efforts for the akhirah, or when we push ourselves so hard we burn out, it’s time to stop and ask: Why? In this episode of Real Talk, reflect with Dr. Tesneem Alkiek on why culture pushes us to work so hard and whether that’s really the best way forward.

What does Islam say about karma? In what ways do our past actions affect our present and future? Listen to this khutbah by Dr. Omar Suleiman to gain deeper insight on the connections between our actions and their consequences.

Is Islam defined by men? It’s a question many Muslim women wrestle with—but maybe it’s the wrong question to begin with. Women have played an indispensable role in shaping the Islamic tradition. From hadith transmitters and legal scholars to the teachers of imams, Muslim women were never sidelined by the religion itself—even if some voices have drowned them out. In this episode, Dr. Tesneem Alkiek and host Qaanitah Hunter reframe the conversation, reminding us that while the path forward may not always be easy, it’s always there.