Category Archives: Islam

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

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An Ode to a Snowflake – Inspired by the Risale-i Nur

O delicate jewel of the sky, Crafted by the Hand unseen, so high, You fall, a soft, pure messenger, A sign of mercy that we confer. In your fleeting form, you softly weave A thousand secrets we long to believe. … Continue reading

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I grew up Muslim in a Catholic community – and Mary represented common ground

I had just finished teaching a class on “The Muslim Mary”. Many non-Muslims who attended were puzzled to find out that Muslims had a connection with Mary at all, and had no knowledge of how important she is to our … Continue reading

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Death The Greatest Teacher: Three Life-Lessons From The Child I Lost

If you want advice – death is sufficient, says Muslim scholar Bediüzzaman Said Nursi. True. Every time I visit the gravesite of my sweet three-year-old Meryem, I am painfully awakened in new ways. Her love and light continue to sustain and strengthen … Continue reading

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The Hijra – Lessons from The First Muslim Migration for Today

This July Muslims entered their new Islamic year of 1446. Day one of the Islamic lunar calendar is based on a momentous event – the hijra or migration from Mecca to Medina in 622 CE. The early Muslim community who … Continue reading

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Three Qur’anic Concepts that Guide my Interreligious Life

My Muslim upbringing has deeply influenced my personal and academic life. Through my journey, I’ve discovered that while my values are rooted in my faith, engaging with other traditions has significantly broadened my perspective. This mutual learning process not only … Continue reading

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The Hajj: A Muslim Vision for the Interreligious Life

Community is a messy and wild business. As someone who loves her community deeply, sometimes my impulse is to withdraw and be in my own little bubble. It is not easy to get along, collaborate, communicate and cooperate. Giving up … Continue reading

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The Dead Teach Us Much About Life – A Muslim Experience of Memento Mori 

I wash dead bodies in my free time. Along with around seventy Muslim women, I volunteer to perform the last Islamic rites. It is a collective obligation in Islam: Some members in the community need to fulfill this religious duty … Continue reading

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Ramadan – Three Reasons Why All Can Appreciate this Muslim Season

Ramadan – the most joyous month for about two billion Muslims around the world – is around the corner. March 10/11 will mark the start of the holy season during which Muslims will begin to fast every day from dawn … Continue reading

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The Muslim Mary: A Symbol of Devotion, Virtue and Hope

For Christians, the contemplative Christmas season is over. Holy Week and Easter will soon be upon us. During these sacred observances, the figure of Mary looms large: from giving birth in a stable to keeping vigil at the foot of … Continue reading

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