Sheikh Omar Suleiman is the current Imam of Masjid Abu Bakr As-Siddique in New Orleans, LA and a sitting member of the ICNA Shariah Council. Born and raised in the United States, he embarked on his journey to study traditional Islamic sciences in 2000 in the United Arab Emirates primarily under the instruction of Sheikh Tariq Ibn Rajah and other scholars from Umm Al Qura such as Sheikh Amr Al Shishany and Sheikh Saleem Ziad for 3 years. He has also greatly benefitted from the wisdom and teachings of Dr Salah As-Sawy, Dr Hatem Al Haj, and his wifes father, Sheikh Husam Mubarak. May Allah preserve them all.
Afterwards, he completed his Bachelor’s degree in Islamic Jurisprudence with honors from IOU, Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from UNO, and is currently pursuing his Masters degree from the University of Wales in the field of “The Fiqh of Minorities” for which he is authoring a thesis on the comprehensive integration of Muslims into Western society without compromising their faith.
He is a frequent lecturer and keynote speaker at national conferences and conventions on a variety of subjects. He is also a speaker for the Citizen Dialogue program of the US State Department which trains foreign diplomats and audiences in the study of Islam.
He has served as ICNA Relief’s Outreach Director in Louisiana since 2005. He is very active in engaging non Muslim audiences through university events and activities and several church invitations.
In 2008, he helped found the East Jefferson Interfaith Clergy Association of which he currently sits on the steering committee.