Tag Archives: Prophet-Muhammad

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

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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

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Hajj 2025 – The Ancient United Nations Assembly 

The hajj – the pilgrimage season which is attended by almost three million Muslims every year – is around the corner. With people from around 180 countries, this sacred ritual of Islam remains the largest gathering of humanity to this … Continue reading

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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

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On Motherhood: Finding Fortitude In The Prophet Muhammad’s Teachings

Mom, Anne, Mutti, Daye – I have said “mother” in all of the four languages I grew up with.  Yet, it was only after I became a mother myself that I truly understood the depth and the meaning of what motherhood … 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 Grieving Prophet – How this Muslim Mother finds Comfort in Muhammad’s Sorrow

He buried his own six children. Three of them died in infancy and three others in young adulthood. His only surviving child – daughter Fatima – died six months after him. Prophet Muhammad was no stranger to death. His father … 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 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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