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Category Archives: Bediüzzaman-Said-Nursi
Teaching about 9/11 – A Muslim Mother’s Plea to Educators
Zeyneb Sayilgan, Ph.D. Last year on 9/11, my then 5th grade daughter returned home from school visibly distressed. I became worried. “What happened?”- I asked. She urged me to sit down and watch a video with her. Her social studies … Continue reading
Posted in Bediüzzaman-Said-Nursi, Community, Death, God, Interreligious Education, Islam, Prophet-Muhammad, Quran, Ramadan, Risale-i Nur
Tagged Bediüzzaman-Said-Nursi, Death, Faith, God, Grief, History, Islam, Prophet-Muhammad, Quran, Religion
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Welcoming Ramadan 2026: Five Songs on My Playlist Capturing this Holy Month
Zeyneb Sayılgan, Ph.D. Every year, Ramadan arrives in my home before the crescent moon is officially announced. It arrives in sound. A few days before the month begins, my daughter presses play. The first notes drift through the house, and … Continue reading
Posted in Bediüzzaman-Said-Nursi, Community, God, Islam, Prophet-Muhammad, Quran, Ramadan, Risale-i Nur
Tagged Bediüzzaman-Said-Nursi, Faith, Fasting, God, Hadith, Islam, Prophet-Muhammad, Quran, Ramadan, Religion, Risale-i Nur
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Mary to the Rescue – How the Mother of Jesus saved the first Muslim Refugees
Zeyneb Sayılgan, Ph.D. I return often to an important event from the very beginning of Islamic history, because it refuses to let me give in to despair. At a time when Muslim immigrants and refugees are routinely dehumanized and demonized … Continue reading
Posted in Bediüzzaman-Said-Nursi, Community, God, Immigration, Interreligious Education, Islam, Jesus, Mary, Prophet-Muhammad, Quran, Risale-i Nur
Tagged Bediüzzaman-Said-Nursi, Christianity, Faith, God, Islam, Jesus, Mary, Migration, Prophet-Muhammad, Quran, Religion, Risale-i Nur
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Islamophobia in the Classroom: Memories of a Muslim Student
by Zeyneb Sayılgan, Ph.D. Being bullied in school is a painful experience. When this injury is inflicted by teachers, though, it reaches another level. Your trust in adults who are supposed to nurture, guide and protect you is fundamentally shaken. … Continue reading
Posted in Bediüzzaman-Said-Nursi, Community, God, Islam, Prophet-Muhammad, Quran, Risale-i Nur
Tagged Bediüzzaman-Said-Nursi, God, Hadith, History, Islam, Islamophobia, Malcolm X, politics, Prophet-Muhammad, Quran, Religion, Risale-i Nur
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Pope Leo in Türkiye: Deepening Christian-Muslim Understanding
Pope Leo is visiting Türkiye – a country I call home and to which I have taken many Christian students to explore our shared religious history. Of course, Nicea (modern day Iznik) is a must visit destination in that regard. … Continue reading
Posted in Bediüzzaman-Said-Nursi, Community, Jesus, Mary, Prayer, Prophet-Muhammad, Quran
Tagged Islam, Religion
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Nostra Aetate at 60 – A Muslim Reflects on its Enduring Call to Mutual Understanding
Akdamar Church in Van – Türkiye I grew up as a Muslim child of immigrants in Germany in the beautiful city of Mainz. Surrounded by a rich Catholic culture, I often felt the weight of being seen as “other.” I … Continue reading
Posted in Bediüzzaman-Said-Nursi, Community, God, Islam, Jesus, Mary, Prophet-Muhammad, Quran, Risale-i Nur
Tagged Christianity, Islam, Quran, Religion
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World Happiness Report 2025: A Muslim Reflection
Zeyneb Sayılgan, PhD My young daughter often asks me at bedtime about my favorite childhood memories. As I share them with her, I have come to realize they often involve other people. Playing outside in nature with the neighborhood children … Continue reading
Posted in Bediüzzaman-Said-Nursi, Community, God, Islam, Quran
Tagged Bediüzzaman-Said-Nursi, Community, Faith, God, Happiness, Islam, Prophet-Muhammad, Quran, Religion
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The Muslim Jesus: A Reflection During Easter
Muslims love Jesus, something unknown to most non-Muslims. I know many Muslims who are named after ‘Isa—the Qur’anic name for Jesus. When remembering him and other messengers of God, Muslims pronounce the formula of reverence: “God’s peace be upon him … Continue reading
Posted in Bediüzzaman-Said-Nursi, Community, God, Islam, Jesus, Mary, Quran, Risale-i Nur
Tagged Christianity, Faith, Islam, Jesus
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The Prayer of a Flower
O Lord of all flowers, all plants, the earth and the skies, and the worlds… I was once a lifeless seed from your creation; you gave me life. You accepted my prayers and made me a flower. You shaped me … Continue reading
Posted in Bediüzzaman-Said-Nursi, God, Islam, Prayer, Quran, Risale-i Nur
Tagged Faith, God, Prayer
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Ramadan 2025: Nourishment for the Human Soul
Ramadan is a time of spiritual growth and deep human connection, offering a path to inner and communal transformation. Ramadan, the holiest and most anticipated month in the Islamic calendar, is just around the corner. This weekend, nearly two billion … Continue reading
