EP 004: Islamic Center of Wheaton | Shaykh Omer Haqqani

Mad Mamluks talk to Sheikh Omer about Islamic Center of Wheaton (ICW) and it's relationship with a city that is known as the Evangelical Christian capital of America. We also discuss with him the controversy surrounding the Wheaton College professor who wore a Hijab to protest the rising Islamophobic atmosphere in the world. Sh. Omer Haqqani was raised in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia for the earlier part of his life.  While living there he memorized most of the Quran while attending regular school.  He moved to the United States along with his family when he was in 7th grade and finished the memorization when he was in 8th grade.  While attending high school at Glenbard East he felt that with so many Muslim Students in the school there should be a club/organization for them to meet and get to know each other hence Glenbard East High School MSA was co-founded by him.  After graduating High School and while attending college he was active in giving khutbahs on various University campuses and some Masajid.  Soon an opportunity presented itself to him to travel and further his knowledge about Islam.  He attended University of Damascus in Damascus, Syria where he was enrolled in an advance Arabic language program.  In addition to that he sat and benefited among several of the well known Scholars in Damascus such as Sh. Noor ud deen Itr and Sh. Ramadan Bouti.  He also traveled to Jordan, Lebanon, and back to Saudi Arabia in pursuit of knowledge.  In the end he settled down by attending the renowned institute of Darul Uloom Nadwatul Ulema in Lucknow, India and graduated from there with a degree in Shariah.  Since his return to the United States in 2007 he has been working as an IT professional for some of the major corporations here in downtown Chicago while volunteering at most of the major masajids in the Chicago-land area.  He regularly delivers Jummah khutbahs and conducts other  talks/programs at Downtown Islamic Center, Islamic community center of Desplaines, Islamic Center of Wheaton, Islamic Foundation, Masjid al Jummah, and Masjid al Huda. He is Married and is blessed with two Sons.  He can be reached at [email protected]