Together We Shine in Dark Times

On the first Thursday of Ramadan, I was invited by my local Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson, who is a senior ranking member in congress, to offer an invocation on the day in which she would bring the Welcome Ramadan Resolution to the floor I had the blessing of working with her on. The day of the invocation, I received countless messages of support of what it meant to American Muslims, and particularly young ones, to witness that occasion. I spent the day with many members of congress who were also appreciative. Sadly, what followed was a coordinated smear campaign meant to silence American Muslim voices. Though the campaign led to threats against me and my family, and have been admittedly exhausting to deal with, I was heartened by the many who reached out and showed support and solidarity from the Muslim community and beyond.

While hundreds of articles were written with false attacks, the interfaith community in Dallas, the local press, Congresswoman Johnson, Congressman Colin Allred all rallied in solidarity to reject the vilification. I also was welcomed by the Washington Post to author an op-ed the very week after as a show of repudiation of the attempt to alienate American Muslims from places of influence. But more than any of that, I want to thank all of you for your duas, concern, and support. Many of the opportunities we have had to shift the narrative have come as a direct result of the work Yaqeen has been doing over the last few years which couldn’t have happened without you. Yaqeen Institute is making strides in places that Islam has never been seen with it’s true authentic beauty before. And more importantly, it’s empowering young Muslims to be confident about their faith in a way that allows them to be able to shine with their Islam even in the darkest of times. Jazakumullah khayr for your supplications and support, and I pray that Allah allow us to witness Laylatul Qadr in which our duas are answered for ourselves and for our Ummah.

Sincerely,
Sh. Omar Suleiman