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- Welcoming Ramadan 2026: Five Songs on My Playlist Capturing this Holy Month
- Mary to the Rescue – How the Mother of Jesus saved the first Muslim Refugees
- Islamophobia in the Classroom: Memories of a Muslim Student
- Pope Leo in Türkiye: Deepening Christian-Muslim Understanding
- Nostra Aetate at 60 – A Muslim Reflects on its Enduring Call to Mutual Understanding
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Tag Archives: Religion
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, 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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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
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
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
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
Zeyneb Sayılgan 