Suhaib Webb is a contemporary American-Muslim educator, activist, and lecturer. His work bridges classical and contemporary Islamic thought, addressing issues of cultural, social and political relevance to Muslims in the West. After converting to Islam in 1992, Webb left his career in the music industry to pursue his passion in education. He earned a Bachelor’s in Education from the University of Central Oklahoma and received intensive private training in the Islamic Sciences under a renowned Muslim Scholar of Senegalese descent. Webb was hired as the Imam at the Islamic Society of Greater Oklahoma City, where he gave khutbas (sermons), taught religious classes, and provided counselling to families and young people; he also served as an Imam and resident scholar in communities across the U.S.
From 2004-2010, Suhaib Webb studied at the world’s preeminent Islamic institution of learning, Al-Azhar University, in the College of Shari`ah. During this time, after several years of studying the Arabic Language and the Islamic legal tradition, he also served as the head of the English Translation Department at Dar al-Ifta al-Misriyyah.
Outside of his studies at Al-Azhar, Suhaib Webb completed the memorization of the Quran in the city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia. He has been granted numerous traditional teaching licenses (ijazat), adhering to centuries-old Islamic scholarly practice of ensuring the highest standards of scholarship. Webb was named one of the 500 Most Influential Muslims in the World by the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Center in 2010.
Salaam alaikum Imam Suhaib,
Jazak Allahu Khair for this valuable post, I think it applies not only to converts, but all Muslims, so I hope everyone takes the time to download and listen. One thing that (IMHO) we need more of is Imams locally whose Jumah khutbahs revolve around what’s going on in our societies today. It seems that sometimes the khutbahs revolve around the same basic abstract concepts and do not address what our communities are experiencing today. I don’t want anyone to think I’m complaining, I do learn new and valuable information in jumah khutbahs alhamdullilah. However, it’s good to in corporate what is going on in the ummah and equip the community to handle situations as you have done here. I’m not a convert, but I felt that a lot of what you discuss here really connected.
I will second what Sr. Fuseina said above. I think I’ve experienced both – khutbahs that were in general addressing lessons that we can learn from given our early history, but I do recall several also that used those lessons to apply to today’s situations, especially in America. Yes, I do think more can be done in this regard of course.
I do think we always need this reminder of how to guide our new brothers and sisters. In many cases, they have given up their families or at least been forced to make many difficult adjustments with their families, so it should be, as Imam Webb stated, a gradual process, with lots of support, warmth, care, and understanding.
Imam Webb – ma’sha’allah, great talk my dear respected brother. I know that you are away from the States these days, but I must say I’m very proud that you are part of the American Muslim fold (not to mention the Ummah as a whole) and as you say, we have a lot of work to do, but I’m glad that we have you, among others, to guide through this critical time in our history. Jazak’Allahu Khairan for the valuable, informative and of course, entertaining talk. Ameen to your beautiful du’as.
jazakhallah khair shaykh Suhaib. Very true.
I have not had much joy since my shahada. I hope that not just converts listen to it.
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@ Sister Sabirah
I’m a revert too and It saddens me greatly to hear that you’ve not found joy since your shahada.
I don’t know where you are located … but … please feel free to contact me via my business website … and … Insha Allah … I can be a positive influence for you go forward … Insha Allah!