Believing

Articles

The Coronavirus Changed How Ramadan Looks. But It Will Not Change Our Faith In God

01 May 2020 | M. Fethullah Gulen | Issue 135 (May - Jun 2020)

Many yearly rituals of Ramadan will continue even as some change in deference to our social responsibility to respect God’s laws in the universe. ...

Self-Concealment (Talbis)

01 May 2020 | M. Fethullah Gulen | Issue 135 (May - Jun 2020)

Self-concealment means that the perfected servants of God who attribute to God whatever good or virtues that they may have, try to be known as ordi...

Jihad

07 March 2020 | The Fountain | Issue 134 (Mar - Apr 2020)

Question: Jihad is a significant concept in Islamic tradition, yet it is being misinterpreted and misrepresented in our times. What does it mean? W...

Verification (Tahqiq)

01 March 2020 | M. Fethullah Gulen | Issue 134 (Mar - Apr 2020)

In the language of Sufism, tahqiq (verification) means that not only does an initiate who has almost come to the final step of the journey know the...

I Seek Refuge in You…

01 January 2020 | The Fountain | Issue 133 (Jan - Feb 2020)

Question: Among things Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, sought refuge from were “knowledge, hearts, prayers, and eyes” according to one specifi...

Subsistence by God (Baqa Bi’llah)

01 January 2020 | M. Fethullah Gulen | Issue 133 (Jan - Feb 2020)

Subsistence by God denotes that the servant of God regards all existence, including him or herself, as being non-existent in and of itself, and dis...

Being Preoccupied with the Truth

01 November 2019 | Hikmet Isik | Issue 132 (Nov - Dec 2019)

Question: “Those who are not preoccupied with elevated goals will be consumed by lowly troubles.” What needs to be understood from this statement? ...

Annihilation in God (Fana Fi’llah)

01 November 2019 | M. Fethullah Gulen | Issue 132 (Nov - Dec 2019)

Fana (annihilation), which is the opposite of permanence, has connections with some of the other concepts in Sufism. For example, sincere repentanc...

Real Freedom

21 October 2019 | Hikmet Isik | Issue 131 (Sep - Oct 2019)

Question: “There is no greater title and position than servanthood to God. Even if there is, it must be freedom, which is actually another dimensio...

Knowledge of God (Ma‘rifa)

21 October 2019 | M. Fethullah Gulen | Issue 131 (Sep - Oct 2019)

Ma'rifa is a special knowledge that is acquired through reflective thought, sincere endeavor, using one’s conscience and inquiring into one’s inner...

Having Bad Opinion of Others: A Disease to Topple a Person

01 July 2019 | Hikmet Isik | Issue 130 (July - Aug 2019)

Question: Is having bad opinion of others actually self-inflicting? Answer: “When you hear a man say, ‘The people are ruined,’ he himself is the ...

Staying behind for Profound Knowledge

01 May 2019 | Hikmet Isik | Issue 129 (May - Jun 2019)

Question: What are the lessons today’s believers should draw from the following Divine message: “Believers should not go forth to war all together....

Intoxication and Sobriety (Sakr and Sahw)

01 May 2019 | M. Fethullah Gulen | Issue 129 (May - Jun 2019)

In the language of Sufism, sakr (intoxication) means that an initiate is enraptured by the rays of the manifestations of God’s “Facial” Light. His ...

The Smokeless Fire: Can We Explain the World of Jinn in Multi-Dimensional Logic?

01 May 2019 | Omar Bagasra / Anisah B. Bagasra | Issue 129 (May - Jun 2019)

Spatial dimensions and unseen reality, important in both science and religion, are areas that have perennially fascinated human beings. The quest f...

Hunt for Divine Manifestation

26 March 2019 | Hikmet Isik | Issue 127 (Jan - Feb 2019)

Divine manifestation (tajalli) is the attainment of inner light as a result of special Divine gifts. This is experienced by travelers on the way of...

Manifestation (Tajalli)

26 March 2019 | M. Fethullah Gulen | Issue 127 (Jan - Feb 2019)

Tajalli (manifestation), which has almost the same meaning as showing itself, display, and appearance, in the language of Sufism means being favore...

Boasting of One’s Rank, Reviling Others’ Genealogies

01 March 2019 | Hikmet Isik | Issue 128 (Mar - Apr 2019)

Question: Among the characteristics of “ignorance” that his followers would not completely abandon, the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, mentio...

Life (Hayah)

01 March 2019 | M. Fethullah Gulen | Issue 128 (Mar - Apr 2019)

Hayah, which can be translated as liveliness and being alive, means that a heart which is already dead because of ignorance, misguidance and unbeli...

The Powerful Elite and the Challenge of Truth

07 January 2019 | The Fountain | Issue 126 (Nov - Dec 2018)

Question: Why are the elite having difficulty in accepting truths? Answer: In every period of history, as well as today, there exists an oligarchi...

Mushahada (Observation)

07 January 2019 | M. Fethullah Gulen | Issue 126 (Nov - Dec 2018)

Mushahada (observation) means using insight to see in Divine Acts the Divine Names that give existence to them, and to become aware, in the manifes...

Repairing the Stronghold of Faith

16 October 2018 | M. Fethullah Gulen | Issue 125 (Sep - Oct 2018)

Question: Bediuzzaman says that the stronghold of faith has been damaged for years. What needs to be done to restore this stronghold? Answer: Rest...

Mukashafa (Disclosure)

16 October 2018 | M. Fethullah Gulen | Issue 125 (Sep - Oct 2018)

Mukashafa (derived from kashf, meaning discovering or unveiling) denotes that the Divine mysteries will be disclosed to those well-versed in the Di...

Talwin and Tamkin (Coloring and Self-Possession)

13 September 2018 | M. Fethullah Gulen | Issue 124 (July - Aug 2018)

Meaning coloring, taking on a color, painting, and presenting different views, talwin (coloring) in the Sufi language is an important degree belong...

How Is Baby Affected If The Parents’ Blood Types Do Not Match?

12 September 2018 | Lara Middleton | Issue 124 (July - Aug 2018)

Happy start Your blood type is one of the least important matters in your life unless you are in a medical situation where blood transfusion is ne...

Surur (Rejoicing)

08 July 2018 | M. Fethullah Gulen | Issue 123 (May - June 2018)

Meaning joy and delight, surur (rejoicing) is a kind of contentment that embraces a person from both within and without. Even though every conscien...

Waqt (Time)

01 January 2018 | M. Fethullah Gulen | Issue 121 (January - February 2018)

In the language of Islamic Sufism, waqt (time) denotes the time when the Divine gifts pour on a traveler to the Ultimate Truth in accordance with o...

Istighraq (Immersion)

01 September 2017 | M. Fethullah Gulen | Issue 119 (September - October 2017)

Literally meaning absorption, diving into, becoming deeply involved in, istighraq (immersion) denotes transportation by joy, oblivion of the world,...

Sincerity

01 September 2017 | M. Fethullah Gulen | Issue 119 (September - October 2017)

“Always intend to earn God’s good pleasure when performing your deeds, for God accepts deeds that are done purely for Himself.”[1] Question: How c...

Ightirab - Doubled Separation

01 July 2017 | M. Fethullah Gulen | Issue 118 (July - August 2017)

Ightirab (doubled separation) is a feeling resembling that which arises from falling into error after reform, or night following day, or the darkne...

Ghurba (Separation)

01 May 2017 | M. Fethullah Gulen | Issue 117 (May - June 2017)

Literally meaning the state of being a foreigner, homelessness, loneliness, separation, and being a stranger in one’s own land, ghurba (separation)...

Wresting Jihad from the Jihadists

01 May 2016 | Sophia Pandya | Issue 111 (May - June 2016)

I departed Brussels a few days before the March 22, 2016, attacks which killed over thirty people, injured dozens, and terrorized that city. Ironic...

Spring’s Ballad

01 May 2016 | M. Fethullah Gulen | Issue 111 (May - June 2016)

When the time is due, you will see that a new spring has come. Roses bloom, nightingales sing, and tulips are all around. Flowers breathe out the...

Muslims, We Have to Critically Review Our Understanding of Islam

01 March 2016 | M. Fethullah Gulen | Issue 110 (March - April 2016)

I share profound frustration with a billion-and-a-half Muslims around the world at the fact that such groups commit terrorism while dressing up the...

Wajd (Ecstasy)

01 January 2016 | M. Fethullah Gulen | Issue 109 (January -February 2016)

Wajd (ecstasy) is overflowing with spiritual joy and enthusiasm, and rather than using reason, logic, or will, one follows the spiritual state in w...

Firasa (Discernment)

01 November 2015 | M. Fethullah Gulen | Issue 108 (November - December 2015)

Firasa (discernment) can be defined as profundity, productivity and coherence in thought and the forming of opinions, the ability to penetrate the ...

Hikma (Wisdom)

01 September 2015 | M. Fethullah Gulen | Issue 107 (September - October 2015)

Hikma (wisdom), meaning knowledge, the understanding of Divine commandments, philosophy, the real reasons for the existence of events and of things...

Ilm (Knowledge)

01 July 2015 | M. Fethullah Gulen | Issue 106 (July - August 2015)

Ilm, (knowledge) means information obtained through the human senses or through the Revelations or inspiration of God. It is also used to denote in...

Adab (Mannerliness)

01 May 2015 | M. Fethullah Gulen | Issue 105 (May - June 2015)

Its meaning covers being sensible and reasonable, well-behaved, well-mannered, treating people kindly. Adab (mannerliness) is used in the terminolo...

Altruism (I'thar)

01 March 2015 | M. Fethullah Gulen | Issue 104 (March - April 2015)

Altruism (i'thar), preferring others to oneself when doing a good deed, is, according to the moralists, giving precedence to the common interests o...

Freedom (Hurriya)

01 January 2015 | M. Fethullah Gulen | Issue 103 (January - February 2015)

The realization of every lawful desire without hindrance, freedom from any pressure, confinement, or subservience, the right to elect, to be electe...

Riyada (Austerity)

01 November 2014 | M. Fethullah Gulen | Issue 102 (November - December 2014)

Riyada (austerity), which we can describe as disciplining life, appetite and thirst, and sleeping and waking only in order to develop the feelings ...

Faqr and Ghina (Poverty and Richness)

01 September 2014 | M. Fethullah Gulen | Issue 101 (September - October 2014)

For Sufis, poverty means that an initiate claims possession of nothing and is freed from all kinds of attachment toward worldly things, and that on...

What Is In a Name?

01 September 2014 | Sumeyye Kocaman | Issue 101 (September - October 2014)

God's names were subject to various discussions and books. Arthur C. Clarke has written a science fiction story in 1953 titled, "The Nine Billion N...

Qabd and Bast (Contraction and Openness)

01 July 2014 | M. Fethullah Gulen | Issue 100 (July - August 2014)

Qabd (contraction) and bast (openness), emotions felt by almost everyone during their lives, relate especially to those who live their lives consci...

Dahsha and Hayra (Utter Astonishment and Amazement)

01 May 2014 | M. Fethullah Gulen | Issue 99 (May - June 2014)

Every traveler journeying in the valleys of love and zeal sometimes burns with the fire of love, and sometimes overflows with joy owing to the "win...

Jadhba and Injidhab (Attraction and the Feeling of Being Attracted toward God)

01 March 2014 | M. Fethullah Gulen | Issue 98 (March - April 2014)

In the language of Sufism, jadhba (attraction) means that a servant is attracted toward God by God Himself, purified thereby of human imperfection ...

Missing Pieces

01 March 2014 | Caroline Lancaster | Issue 98 (March - April 2014)

Once I could see God in one thing - even though it was the vastest, most mysterious, and perhaps most obvious example in creation - I was able to...

Shawq and Ishtiyaq (Joyful Zeal and Yearning)

01 January 2014 | M. Fethullah Gulen | Issue 97 (January - February 2014)

Zeal means turning to the Beloved with all inner and outer feelings, and locking out all appetites other than those one feels to meet with Him. In ...

Ashq (Ecstatic Love)

01 November 2013 | M. Fethullah Gulen | Issue 96 (November - December 2013)

'Ashq means intense love of and fondness for perfection, beauty, or physical charm. Sufis usually call this sort of love, for example, love for the...

Dispersing Hopelessness from the Depressive Thoughts: Is There Any Way?

01 September 2013 | Mucteba Muezzinoglu / Nate Emru Kiydal | Issue 95 (September - October 2013)

Depression is a major medical illness that causes feelings of dispassion and lessens productivity in individuals. It is usually manifested as a fee...

Mahabba (Love)

01 September 2013 | M. Fethullah Gulen | Issue 95 (September - October 2013)

Mahabba means fondness, tender and kind feelings, preference, and love. Love that affects and invades one’s feelings is called passion; love that i...

Ma'rifa (Spiritual Knowledge of God)

01 July 2013 | M. Fethullah Gulen | Issue 94 (July - August 2013)

Ma‘rifa literally denotes skill or talent, a special ability that belongs to certain people, and knowing by certain means. According to travelers o...

Qurb and Bu'd (Nearness and Remoteness)

01 May 2013 | M. Fethullah Gulen | Issue 93 (May - June 2013)

Nearness (qurb) means that one transcends corporeality in order to acquire perfect spirituality and proximity to God. Some interpret it as God's pr...

Sakina - Itmi’nan (Serenity and Peacefulness)

01 March 2013 | M. Fethullah Gulen | Issue 92 (March - April 2013)

Literally meaning calmness, silence, steadiness, solemnity, familiarity, the subsidence of the waves and tranquility, sakina (serenity) is the oppo...

Basira and Firasa

01 January 2013 | M. Fethullah Gulen | Issue 91 (January - February 2013)

Literally meaning perception, intelligence, discretion, evidence, and witness, insight (basira) is defined as having an eye of the heart open, deep...

Ihsan (Perfect Goodness)

01 November 2012 | M. Fethullah Gulen | Issue 90 (November - December 2012)

Ihsan two literal meanings, doing something well and perfectly and doing someone a favor; it is sometimes used in the Qur'an and the Sunna with eit...

Dhikr (Recitation of God's Names)

01 September 2012 | M. Fethullah Gulen | Issue 89 (September - October 2012)

Literally meaning mentioning, remembrance, and recollection, in the terminology of the Sufis dhikr denotes regular recitation of one or some of God...

Irada, Murid, and Murad (Will, the Willing One, and the Willed One)

01 May 2012 | M. Fethullah Gulen | Issue 87 (May - June 2012)

Irada (will) is the mental power by which a person can direct his or her thoughts and actions and makes a choice between alternatives. Will has bee...

Qast and Azm (Decision And Resolution)

01 March 2012 | M. Fethullah Gulen | Issue 86 (March - April 2012)

Qast means confidence, determination, choosing, and advancing straight toward a destination, thinking and reasoning moderately and deliberately, an...

Inbisat (Expansion)

01 January 2012 | M. Fethullah Gulen | Issue 85 (January - February 2012)

Literally meaning growing larger and deeper, spreading and expanding, Sufis use inbisat to signify the relaxing of one's heart, to the extent allow...

Forgiveness: A Prophetic Example

01 November 2011 | Fatih Harpci | Issue 84 (November - December 2011)

The compelling conditions of our time offer human society two paths to choose from. We will either continue past enmities and stereotypes, or we wi...

Rida (Resignation)-2

01 November 2011 | M. Fethullah Gulen | Issue 84 (November - December 2011)

For ordinary people, resignation means not objecting to what God has willed for them. For those with a deeper spiritual knowledge of God, resignati...

The Freedom of Religion, the Concept of War, and Gulen

01 November 2011 | Ahmet Kurucan | Issue 84 (November - December 2011)

Scholars have put forward varying ideas on the legitimacy of war in Islam. While there is consensus on the prevention of atrocity and self-defense,...

Rida (Resignation)

01 September 2011 | M. Fethullah Gulen | Issue 83 (September - October 2011)

Resignation means showing no rancor or rebellion against misfortune, and accepting all manifestations of destiny without complaint and even better ...

Fasting on Ramadan and Yom Kippur

01 July 2011 | Allen S. Maller | Issue 82 (July - August 2011)

I am a Reform rabbi who has been studying Islam for more than 50 years. Reform Judaism is the largest branch of the three major denominations of Je...

Sabr (Patience)

01 July 2011 | M. Fethullah Gulen | Issue 82 (July - August 2011)

Sabr literally means enduring, bearing, and resisting pain; suffering and difficulty; and dealing calmly with problems. In more general terms it me...

Shukr (Thankfulness)

01 May 2011 | M. Fethullah Gulen | Issue 81 (May - June 2011)

Literally meaning gladness felt about and gratitude shown for the good done to one, Sufis use shukr to mean using one's body, abilities, feelings, ...

Haya (Modesty)

01 March 2011 | M. Fethullah Gulen | Issue 80 (March - April 2011)

Sufis use haya, which literally means shame, bashfulness, and refraining from saying or doing anything improper or indecent, to describe one who, o...

Sidq (Truthfulness)

01 January 2011 | M. Fethullah Gulen | Issue 79 (January - February 2011)

Meaning true thought, true words and true actions, sidq is reflected in the life of a traveler on the path to God as follows: he or she does not li...

Renewal in Belief: A Model for Modern Times

01 January 2011 | Colin Turner | Issue 79 (January - February 2011)

If the definitive history of twentieth century Islamic movements is ever written, one wonders whether its author would be both perspicacious and br...

Naturalistic Fallacy

01 November 2010 | Erkan Kurt | Issue 78 (November - December 2010)

As a metaphysical tenet of speculative philosophy naturalism suggests a worldview that is based on hypotheses that are directed towards an ultimate...

Reconstruction of the Daily Life through Islam

01 November 2010 | Mustafa Belge | Issue 78 (November - December 2010)

Adam woke up a little late in the morning, blaming himself for failing to wake up early, even though he had wanted to. He had a meeting that he had...

Futuwwa (Youth and Chivalry)

01 November 2010 | M. Fethullah Gulen | Issue 78 (November - December 2010)

They were young men who had believed in their Lord, and We increased them in guidance. And We strengthened their hearts, when they rose up and decl...

Humility (Tawadu)

01 September 2010 | M. Fethullah Gulen | Issue 77 (September - October 2010)

Tawadu (modesty and humility) is the opposite of arrogance, pride, and haughtiness. It can also be interpreted as one's awareness of one's real pos...

Career and Kids: Can I Have Both?

01 September 2010 | Safiye Arslan | Issue 77 (September - October 2010)

I was just sitting there hysterically crying and thinking what I would do now. It didn’t seem like a right time to have another baby in that point ...

Brittany's Spirit: A Legacy of Learning and Living

01 September 2010 | April Bollig | Issue 77 (September - October 2010)

It was a day not unlike any other typical school day. I got up at 5:30 a.m., caught the bus to high school at 6:20 a.m. and was in my second period...

Good Nature (Khuluq)

01 July 2010 | M. Fethullah Gulen | Issue 76 (July - August 2010)

Good nature, in addition to meaning temperament, disposition, and character, is a goal to which a traveler aspires, for it is the most important di...

Tawakkul, Taslim, Tafwiz, and Thiqa (Reliance, Surrender, Commitment, and Confidence)

01 May 2010 | M. Fethullah Gulen | Issue 75 (May - June 2010)

Reliance, surrender, commitment, and confidence are the four steps or stations of a spiritual journey beginning with reliance on (or trust in) God,...

Istiqama (Straightforwardness)

01 March 2010 | M. Fethullah Gulen | Issue 74 (March - April 2010)

People of truth have interpreted straightforwardness as avoiding all deviation and extremes, and as following in the footsteps of the Prophets, the...

Categorical Confusions Regarding Omnipotence of God

01 March 2010 | Nathan Ruler | Issue 74 (March - April 2010)

Judaism, Christianity and Islam, the three main monotheistic religions, describe God as an omnipotent, all-powerful agent. In other words, God has ...

Free Will and Foreknowledge in Augustine

01 January 2010 | Izzet Coban | Issue 73 (January - February 2010)

For those who accept the existence of God, He is a deity who infallibly foreknows the entire future. On the other hand, human beings have a psychol...

Faults in Belief and Fellowship

01 January 2010 | Hikmet Isik | Issue 73 (January - February 2010)

Question: Feelings of fellowship between people can be damaged because of some unexpected behavior, and thus good will towards one another can easi...

Ikhlas (Sincerity or Purity of Intention)

01 January 2010 | M. Fethullah Gulen | Issue 73 (January - February 2010)

Ikhlas has been interpreted as being upright, sincere, and pure; being distant from show and ostentation in one’s intention and conduct; and being ...

Mary

01 November 2009 | Ahmet Cetinkaya | Issue 72 (November - December 2009)

Maryam, or Mary, is the only woman mentioned by name in the Holy Qur’an. She is mentioned in twelve chapters of the Qur’an, a total of thirty-four ...

Muraqaba

01 November 2009 | M. Fethullah Gulen | Issue 72 (November - December 2009)

Muraqaba has been defined as watching, supervising, controlling, and living in the consciousness of being controlled (by God). Sufis take this furt...

'Ibada, 'Ubudiya, and 'Ubuda (Worship, Servanthood, and Deep Devotion)

01 September 2009 | M. Fethullah Gulen | Issue 71 (September - October 2009)

‘Ibada, ‘Ubudiya, and ‘Ubuda (Worship, Servanthood, and Deep Devotion)Although some view worship, servanthood, and devotion as synonymous, most Suf...

Did Jesus Have Brothers or Sisters?

01 September 2009 | Ahmet Cetinkaya | Issue 71 (September - October 2009)

The pregnancy of Mary, the greatest example of purity, was a miracle of God and a wonder of divine creation, and the birth of Jesus, peace be upon ...

Islam as a Religion of Love and Peace

01 July 2009 | Huseyin Algul | Issue 70 (July - August 2009)

The definition of Islam The root of the word Islam, silm, refers to "making peace, being in a mutually peaceful environment, greetings, rescue, sa...

Wara' (Abstinence)

01 July 2009 | M. Fethullah Gulen | Issue 70 (July - August 2009)

Wara' relates to both the inner and outer aspects of a believer's life and conduct. A traveler on the path of wara' must reach the peaks of taqwa...

Taqwa (Piety)

01 May 2009 | M. Fethullah Gulen | Issue 69 (May - June 2009)

Taqwa is derived from wiqaya, which means self-defense and avoidance. Sufis define it as protecting oneself from God’s punishment by performing His...

How Finite Becomes Infinite

01 May 2009 | Vedat Akyuz | Issue 69 (May - June 2009)

Followers of the Abrahamic religions-Muslims, Christians, and Jews in general-believe in an eternal life after death, in one form or another, and t...

Zuhd (Asceticism)

01 March 2009 | M. Fethullah Gulen | Issue 68 (March - April 2009)

Zuhd, which literally means renouncing worldly pleasures and resisting carnal desires, is defined by Sufis as indifference to worldly appetites, li...

Raja (Hope or Expectation)

01 January 2009 | M. Fethullah Gulen | Issue 67 (January - February 2009)

For a Sufi, Raja means waiting for that which he or she wholeheartedly desires to come into existence, acceptance of good deeds, and forgiveness of...

Women and the Qur'anic Prescriptions

01 November 2008 | Fulya Celik | Issue 66 (November - December 2008)

One of the most sensitive and oft-debated issues with regard to Islam concerns the status and role of women in society. Arguably one of the aspects...

Time Management in the Life of the Prophet Muhammad

01 November 2008 | Yuksel A. Aslandogan | Issue 66 (November - December 2008)

In the preface to his book The 100: A Ranking of the Most Influential Persons in History, Michael Hart noted the supreme success of the Prophet Muh...

Khawf and Khashya (Fear and Reverence)

01 November 2008 | M. Fethullah Gulen | Issue 66 (November - December 2008)

In Sufism, khawf (fear) denotes abstaining not only from all that is forbidden, but also from deeds from which it is advisable to refrain. It also ...

Modest Dress in Abrahamic Traditions

01 November 2008 | Eren Tatari | Issue 66 (November - December 2008)

One of the questions I am most commonly posed in the United States is about the way I dress. Why do Muslim women cover themselves from head to toe?...

On the Perfecting of a Prophet

01 September 2008 | Kathleen St.onge | Issue 65 (September - October 2008)

It is one of the articles of faith of Islam to believe in the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. So when anyone casts a shadow on his character, ...

Fasting in Ramadan and Developing Self-Control

01 September 2008 | Yuksel A. Aslandogan | Issue 65 (September - October 2008)

Ramadan is the 9th month of the Islamic lunar calendar. It is a special month of the year for over one billion Muslims throughout the world. It is ...

Huzn (Sadness or Sorrow)

01 September 2008 | M. Fethullah Gulen | Issue 65 (September - October 2008)

Sufis use the word huzn (sadness) as the opposite of rejoicing and joy, and to express the pain one suffers while fulfilling his or her duties and ...

The Fundamental Spiritual Benefit of Fasting

01 September 2008 | Mehmet Ozalp | Issue 65 (September - October 2008)

The prime goal of Islamic spirituality is to establish an intimate and personal closeness to God. While the beliefs of Islam direct a Muslim along ...

The Appeal of the Qur'an to Observation and Reason

01 July 2008 | Yuksel A. Aslandogan | Issue 64 (July - August 2008)

Humans are endowed with the faculties of reason and intellect, and to ask them to abandon their intellectual faculties in developing their faith an...

Is the Suffering in the World in Agreement with God's Mercy?

01 July 2008 | Mesut Sahin | Issue 64 (July - August 2008)

To some individuals who want to believe, in particular, young minds, the pain and suffering that exist in the world today do not seem to be compati...

Qalb (Heart) - 2

01 July 2008 | M. Fethullah Gulen | Issue 64 (July - August 2008)

Belief is the life of the heart; worship is the blood flowing in its veins; and reflection, self-supervision, and self-criticism are the foundation...

Qalb (Heart) - 1

01 May 2008 | M. Fethullah Gulen | Issue 63 (May - June 2008)

In the words of Ibrahim Haqqi of Erzurum: The heart is the home of God; purify it from whatever is other than HimSo that the All-Merciful may de...

Belief in God: A Matter of Life and Death

01 March 2008 | Sophia Gallant | Issue 62 (March - April 2008)

Odd as such a question might sound, do you think God is still alive in the twenty-first century? Do we need Him? Is He still our “ultimate concern”...

A Brief Introduction to the Noble Qur'an

01 March 2008 | Joseph Clay | Issue 62 (March - April 2008)

Islam is a fast growing religion in the West. For the last few decades, there has been growing curiosity about the Qur’an, the holy book of Muslims...

Hal and Maqam (State and Station)

01 March 2008 | M. Fethullah Gulen | Issue 62 (March - April 2008)

Hal (state) denotes experiencing in one’s inner world the “breaths” blowing from the realms beyond the world, and feeling the difference between th...

Islam and Democracy: A Critical Perspective on a Misconstrued Relationship

01 January 2008 | A. Kadir Yildirim | Issue 61 (January - February 2008)

Nowadays, there is hardly any topic in the field of political science more interesting than the question of the relationship between Islam and demo...

Halwat and Uzlat (Privacy And Seclusion)

01 January 2008 | M. Fethullah Gulen | Issue 61 (January - February 2008)

Literally meaning solitude and living alone, halwat and ‘uzlat (privacy and seclusion) within the context of Sufism denote an initiate’s going into...

The Nature of the Closeness of God

01 January 2008 | Sophia Gallant | Issue 61 (January - February 2008)

Is God close to human beings? If so, how close is He? Or is defining Him in terms of His distance from the creation impossible? Perhaps we should q...

Firar and I'tisam (Fleeing and Taking Shelter)

01 October 2007 | M. Fethullah Gulen | Issue 60 (October - December 2007)

Firar, which literally means to run away from something, is used in Sufism to denote the journey from the created to the Creator, sheltering from t...

Attaining Knowledge of God

01 October 2007 | Eren Tatari | Issue 60 (October - December 2007)

Every human being is endowed with an inquisitive nature; there is an innate quest to find answers to the existential questions: Where did I come fr...

Islam and Work

01 October 2007 | Muhsin Toprak | Issue 60 (October - December 2007)

A person is not a machine that can remain indifferent to their surroundings. It is a duty for every person to work for their parents and relatives ...

The Disconnection between Philosophy and Qur'anic Wisdom

01 July 2007 | Taha Abdel Rahman | Issue 59 (July - September 2007)

Abstract, rational inquiry does not permit a combination between philosophy and religious wisdom1 and rules that such is impossible. Actual reality...

Tafakkur (Reflection)

01 July 2007 | M. Fethullah Gulen | Issue 59 (July - September 2007)

Tafakkur literally means to think on a subject deeply, systematically, and in great detail. In this context, it signifies reflection, which is the ...

The Relationship between Physical Cleanliness and Moral Purity

01 July 2007 | Salih Uslu | Issue 59 (July - September 2007)

Cleanliness is virtue shared by all people and societies. Physical cleanliness and moral purity are highly encouraged by religions, particularly be...

Rethinking Islamic Philosophy and Theology

01 July 2007 | The Fountain | Issue 59 (July - September 2007)

There are not many scholars interested in Islamic philosophy and theology in the West. Despite this fact, there has been an increasing interest in ...

Holy Sources of Human Dignity

01 April 2007 | Halim Calis | Issue 58 (April - June 2007)

In the Holy Scriptures we can find vital instructions to reach peace and harmony in both our individual and social lives. The multicultural structu...

Muhasaba (Self-Criticism or Self-Interrogation)

01 April 2007 | M. Fethullah Gulen | Issue 58 (April - June 2007)

The word muhasaba literally means reckoning, settling accounts, and self-interrogation. In a spiritual context, however, it takes on the additional...

Issues Raised in the Aftermath of the Cartoon Offense

01 January 2007 | Sefik Hikmet Toprak | Issue 57 (January - March 2007)

The offensive editorial cartoons published in a Danish newspaper started a controversy that eventually led to protests all around the world. Howeve...

Tawba (Repentance), Inaba (Sincere Penitence), and Awba (Turning to God in Contrition)

01 January 2007 | M. Fethullah Gulen | Issue 57 (January - March 2007)

I HAVE REPENTED AND TURNED TO GOD SO SINCERELY THAT I WILL NOT BREAK [THE VOW OF REPENTANCE] UNTIL MY SOUL LEAVES MY BODY. ( RUMI) Tawba (rep...

The Meaning of Jihad and its Implications in the World Today

01 October 2006 | Evan Radford | Issue 56 (October - December 2006)

The first revelation Muhammad ever received from God was “Read!” (Ali 1672). That was a fitting command for the final prophet of Islam to receive, ...

A Nanowindow to the Thirtieth Word

01 October 2006 | C.t. Jeff Yavuz | Issue 56 (October - December 2006)

The Second Aim of the Thirtieth Word in the Risale-i Nur collection accurately describes the true meaning that lies behind the creation and the rea...

The Preservation of Equilibrium among Divine Truths

01 July 2006 | Prof.dr. Ramadan Al-buti | Issue 55 (July - September 2006)

Bediuzzaman Said Nursi has carried out long profound research on the Qur’an. In fact, his studies, bearing the name Risale-i Nur (The Epistles of L...

Reflections on The Struggle of Life

01 July 2006 | Mehmet A. Ozturk | Issue 55 (July - September 2006)

WHILE BEING CONTINUOUSLY BUSY WITH, OR EVEN OVERWHELMED BY, THE NECESSITIES OF MODERN LIFE HAVE YOU EVER REFLECTED UPON WHAT ALMIGHTY OFFERS US T...

Nursi on Materialism

01 April 2006 | Kamran Mofid | Issue 54 (April - June 2006)

Materialism is an ideological movement that destroys spiritual values and distances people from religion. Today, sadly, a vast majority of the soci...

The Acknowledgment of God: The Only Cure to Our Spiritual Poverty

01 January 2006 | Kamran Mofid | Issue 53 (January - March 2006)

One of the main causes of today's global disorder is the absence of justice and the rise in the false religion of materialism. When justice disappe...

Radiating Compassion and Love in a Student of an Eternal Teacher

01 January 2006 | Alphonse Dougan | Issue 53 (January - March 2006)

“When the full moon shines on a clear night, What would it have to fear of the dogs or their barking? The dogs continue to do what they are suppo...

Fasting: A Divine Treatment For Body and Soul

01 October 2005 | Adam Asar | Issue 52 (October - December 2005)

Fasting is a school for the training of both the physical body and the soul, and it has numerous merits and benefits. However, just as with any oth...

Reflections on The Third Flash of Bediuzzaman Said Nursi

01 October 2005 | Michael David Graskemper | Issue 52 (October - December 2005)

In the Third Flash of his Risale-i Nur Collection, Bediuzzaman Said Nursi offers a reflection on the Sufi phrase: “The Enduring One (al-Baqi), He i...

Parables in the Quran

01 October 2005 | Alphonse Dougan | Issue 52 (October - December 2005)

The Qur’an pursues the following goals: To teach humanity about the unity of God, resurrection and life after death, the messengers, worship, and j...

The Bamboo of Islam

01 October 2005 | Musa Hub | Issue 52 (October - December 2005)

Some personalities are like bamboo, very hard, very tough; they wait, they make one wait, but eventually they compensate for their slow start ver...

Einstein As a Believer

01 July 2005 | H. Huseyin Erdem | Issue 51 (July - September 2005)

“My feeling is insofar religious as I am imbued with the consciousness of the insufficiency of the human mind to understand deeply the harmony o...

The Blessed Three Months in The Life of Bediuzzaman Said Nursi

01 July 2005 | Hakan Yesilova | Issue 51 (July - September 2005)

The wonder of the age, Bediuzzaman Said Nursi, had an exceptional life of worship. There are many accounts reported by his students about his sorro...

Good and Evil in Islam

01 April 2005 | Alphonse Dougan | Issue 50 (April - June 2005)

The relationship between good and evil has always intrigued people, and it is one of the central principles upon which religious doctrine and belie...

The Creation of Evil is not Evil: Nursi's Theological Approach to the Existence of Evil

01 April 2005 | Dr. Zeki Saritoprak | Issue 50 (April - June 2005)

The recent tsunami and the devastation that it caused-the deaths of more than 300,000 people and the creation of millions of homeless-have raised t...

Love: the Reason for the Creation of the Universe

01 January 2005 | Dr. Zeki Saritoprak | Issue 49 (January - March 2005)

Said Nursi frames his treatise of the Twenty-Fourth Word in his collection of words on a well known Qur’anic verse that discusses God’s beautiful n...

Prayer An Inexhaustible Treasure for the Human Spirit (A Nursi Reader)

01 October 2004 | Dr. Zeki Saritoprak | Issue 48 (October - December 2004)

There are two Arabic words that describe the nature of prayer. The word “salat” describes prayer through words and performance, such as bowing and ...

Rumi and the Sema

01 July 2004 | Mehmet Seker | Issue 47 (July - September 2004)

I - JALALADDIN AL-RUMI Introduction The human being is equipped in the best possible way, both materially and spiritually. The human is able to a...

A Nursi Reader - A Message for times of illness

01 July 2004 | Emrah Altunkaya | Issue 47 (July - September 2004)

Although a large portion of the population in all societies is afflicted by a major illness or calamity sometime in their life, most people try not...

The Book of Daniel

01 April 2004 | Mustafa Tabanli | Issue 46 (April - June 2004)

In this work we focus on the character analysis of Daniel as a man chosen by God. The King James’s Bible was used as the main text. We have tried t...

A Nursi Reader - Be Kind to Your Parents

01 April 2004 | Dr. Zeki Saritoprak | Issue 46 (April - June 2004)

In this series of articles, A Nursi Reader, the aim is to present the thoughts of the famous Islamic scholar Bediuzzaman Said Nursi (1877-1960) on ...

A Brief Overview of Islam

01 January 2004 | M. Fethullah Gulen | Issue 45 (January - March 2004)

The word 'Islam' literally stems from the root 's-l-m' and the words 'silm' and 'salamah' which mean peace, and which indicate the 'submission' or ...

Making Meaning with an Islamic Wordview

01 January 2004 | Steven Krauss | Issue 45 (January - March 2004)

The role of meaning is of paramount importance in human life (Frankl, 1963). Human beings have a natural inclination to understand and make sense o...

Is the Creation of Evil Evil?

01 January 2004 | Bediuzzaman Said Nursi | Issue 45 (January - March 2004)

TWELFTH LETTER The creation of evil is in no way evil, it is the committing of evil that is evil. Man is endowed with free will and God enables ma...

The Concept of Prayer in Said Nursi's Works

01 January 2004 | Suleyman Eris | Issue 45 (January - March 2004)

One of the most famous Turkish Islamic scholars of the last century was Said Nursi. Nursi, who had a great influence on Turkish people, wrote over ...

Purpose of Creation

01 October 2003 | Erin J. Carlson | Issue 44 (October - December 2003)

hy was I created? What am I to do with my life? Why did God send the prophets? Human beings have always been intrigued by the answers to these ques...

Worshiping

01 October 2003 | Bediuzzaman Said Nursi | Issue 44 (October - December 2003)

TWENTY-FOURTH WORD The Second Fruit of the Fifth Branch soul! Worship is not the introduction to additional rewards, but the result of previous b...

Ramadan

01 October 2003 | Mehmet Seker | Issue 44 (October - December 2003)

The month of Ramadan is a special time full of God's blessings and great wonders. The Holy Qur'an was revealed and therefore Prophet Muhammad's (pb...

The Miracles of Jesus

01 October 2003 | Resit Haylamaz | Issue 44 (October - December 2003)

Amiracle is defined as an extraordinary event that would not be possible under normal conditions and one that is realized by God through the prophe...

Islamic Gardens: Growing Cosmological Ideals

01 July 2003 | Sara Provins | Issue 43 (July - September 2003)

If a random group of people were asked about their concept of heaven, it is likely that a wide variety of answers would be received. According to L...

Transforming Hardship into Mercy

01 July 2003 | Bediuzzaman Said Nursi | Issue 43 (July - September 2003)

In His name, be He glorified! Prisoners, especially those who are young, need the Risale-i Nur as much as they need bread. Young people, following...

Prophets as Teachers

01 April 2003 | Alphonse Dougan | Issue 42 (April - June 2003)

Prophets are the spiritual teachers of humanity. As the people selected by God to deliver His message to humanity, they were exemplary educators an...

The Twelfth Word

01 April 2003 | Bediuzzaman Said Nursi | Issue 42 (April - June 2003)

This Word presents a brief comparison between the Qur'an's sacred wisdom and human philosophy, a concise summary of the Qur'anic instruction and ...

The Divine Name of All-Just

01 January 2003 | Bediuzzaman Said Nursi | Issue 41 (January - March 2003)

One point concerning this verse and one manifestation of the Name of All-Just, which is a Greatest Name or one of the six lights comprising the Gre...

Women and their Legal Rights in Monotheistic Religions

01 January 2003 | Dr. Sherif Muhammad | Issue 41 (January - March 2003)

Introduction Eve’s fault? Eve’s legacy Shameful daughters Female education Unclean and impure women Bearing witness Vows A wife’s propert...

The Holy Month of Ramadan

01 October 2002 | Bediuzzaman Said Nursi | Issue 40 (October - December 2002)

The month of Ramadan in which the Qur'an was revealed, a guidance for humanity, clear signs of guidance and the criterion. (2:158) First point...

Christianity in the Qur'anic Prospect

01 July 2002 | Huseyin Faruk Coskun | Issue 39 (July - September 2002)

This article discusses how the Quran interprets Christianity. However, before we get started, I would like to remind readers of the four essential ...

Religion and the Environment

01 July 2002 | April Thompson | Issue 39 (July - September 2002)

When Rev. Sally Bingham steps up to the pulpit at San Francisco's Grace Cathedral, her mission isn't to save souls, but to save the environment. Th...

Prayer

01 July 2002 | Sebnem Unlu | Issue 39 (July - September 2002)

Prayer is a call, an entreaty from the small to the great, from below to above, from Earth and other terrestrial bodies to beyond the heavens. It i...

The Four Significant Truths

01 July 2002 | Bediuzzaman Said Nursi | Issue 39 (July - September 2002)

Third truth This world and its pleasures are a heavy burden. No one (except the corrupt in spirit) is contented with it. Rather than suffering fro...

Everything in the Environment Reflects God

01 April 2002 | Bediuzzaman Said Nursi | Issue 38 (April - June 2002)

The All-Wise Creator has made the vegetable and animal kingdoms-particularly the small ones-one of the broadest arenas for displaying His Power and...

The Search for Truth

01 April 2002 | David Chamber | Issue 38 (April - June 2002)

Truth is to believe and to believe is to see the truth. Sometimes the truth is behind walls, beyond time, in the past, or buried deeply. But no mat...

Christian and Islamic Viewpoints on The Prayer of Jabez

01 April 2002 | Josep Clay | Issue 38 (April - June 2002)

Recently, The Prayer of Jabez became a best seller. Some ministries and Bible study groups are studying it enthusiastically, and many people give...

Thirteenth Word

01 January 2002 | Bediuzzaman Said Nursi | Issue 37 (January - March 2002)

He: A point of Divine Unity* In His Name, be He glorified. There is nothing but it glorifies Him with praise. My dear and faithful brothers an...

Understanding Islam

01 January 2002 | Charles A. Kimball | Issue 37 (January - March 2002)

Christianity and Islam are the two largest religious traditions. Both are global in scope. Together, the adherents of these two communities of fait...

Greed and Its Consequences

01 January 2002 | Bediuzzaman Said Nursi | Issue 37 (January - March 2002)

O people of belief, now you understand how harmful enmity is. Greed is another great disease, and just as harmful for Islam’s [social] life, for it...

The Distortion of an Image

01 January 2002 | Turkan Akman | Issue 37 (January - March 2002)

The origin of the debate The Biblical account, found in Genesis 2:4-3:24, has been fundamental in religious and social life. As a primal depiction...

A Comparative Approach to Islam and Democracy

01 October 2001 | M. Fethullah Gulen | Issue 37 (January - March 2002)

Fethullah Gulen has spent much of his life as a religious teacher in Turkey. He is author of more than forty books, most of them best-sellers in ...

The Perils of Nationalism

01 October 2001 | Bediuzzaman Said Nursi | Issue 36 (October - December 2001)

Third matter Nationalism or ethnic differences have been unleashed in this [twentieth] century, particularly by European officials following the w...

Why Darwinism Remains Popular

01 July 2001 | M. Fethullah Gulen | Issue 35 (July - September 2001)

It is hard to find another theory that has been so discredited by scientists, and yet is still believed in by so many people, as Darwinism. Th...

Remember Mary in the Book

01 July 2001 | Turkan Akman | Issue 35 (July - September 2001)

The Qur'an informs us of former Prophets and religious figures sent by God to proclaim His Oneness. Islam requires Muslims to acknowledge and respe...

Four Short Signs Alluding to Divine Unity

01 July 2001 | Bediuzzaman Said Nursi | Issue 35 (July - September 2001)

First Sign O worshipper of causes! Imagine that you see a splendid palace being built of different, marvelous jewels. However, some of these jewe...

Islam Misunderstood Throughout the World

01 April 2001 | James A. Bill | Issue 34 (April - June 2001)

One of the three leading monotheistic religions in the world, Islam is a civilization practiced by 1.2 billion people. Easily the world's fastest g...

An Allegory of the Divine System

01 April 2001 | Bediuzzaman Said Nursi | Issue 34 (April - June 2001)

Two people travel together. At a fork in the road, they ask a wise old man which way to take. He replies: "The right fork requires observing the ro...

The Meaning of Life

01 January 2001 | M. Fethullah Gulen | Issue 33 (January - March 2001)

Are all of life's hardships worth enduring? The answer depends on what our goal is in living. In fact, understanding life's purpose is a slow and a...

The Light of Belief and The Darkness of Unbelief

01 January 2001 | Bediuzzaman Said Nursi | Issue 33 (January - March 2001)

Surely We created humanity of the best pattern. Then We reduced humanity to the lowest of the low, except for those who believe and do good deeds...

Religion and Human Conflict

01 January 2001 | Alphonse Dougan | Issue 33 (January - March 2001)

People disillusioned by false practices of faith, as well as the nonreligious, argue that religion brings only fear, misery, and bloodshed to human...

Science and Religion:Between Friction and Harmony

01 October 2000 | Alphonse Dougan | Issue 32 (October - December 2000)

Can science and religion coexist? Can an inquisitive mind adopt any religion? Are faith and scientific inquiry incompatible? Is religion a set of d...

Human Perfection

01 October 2000 | Bediuzzaman Said Nursi | Issue 32 (October - December 2000)

Human beings resemble tender children. Our strength originates in our weakness, and our power in our impotence. All creation has been subjugated to...

An Ideal Society

01 October 2000 | M. Fethullah Gulen | Issue 32 (October - December 2000)

Groups formed by disorganized and sinful (disobedient) individuals are merely crowds with no esthetic values, people far from the thought of doing ...

Spirituality and Religion in the Workplace

01 July 2000 | Yasemin Acikel | Issue 31 (July - September 2000)

What is the meaning of work in my life? Does my work contribute something meaningful to society? Is it reasonable to expect to have a job in which ...

Islam's Tolerance Toward Christians

01 July 2000 | Suat Yildirim | Issue 31 (July - September 2000)

The Qur’an calls Christians and Jews “the People of the Book,” meaning those who have a Divinely revealed holy hook that they follow. Toward the en...

Human Perfection

01 July 2000 | Bediuzzaman Said Nursi | Issue 31 (July - September 2000)

Are we meant to be more than just intelligent animals? With respect to action and bodily endeavors, we are no more than weak animals or helpless c...

Humanity's Progress to Happiness and Decline to Misery

01 April 2000 | Bediuzzaman Said Nursi | Issue 30 (April - June 2000)

[Humanity has been created on the most excellent pattern and given the most comprehensive abilities. As a result, all of us have been cast into a...

The Divine Name Of Most Holy

01 October 1999 | Bediuzzaman Said Nursi | Issue 28 (October - December 1999)

The universe is a vast, constantly working factory, and the earth is a hostel and guesthouse continually filled and emptied. Generally factories, h...

Victim Rights in Islam and Western Legal Systems: A Comparative Anlysis

01 January 1999 | H. Ibrahim Hatip | Issue 25 (January - March 1999)

1. Individual and society as victim While it is true that crimes committed against an individual usually affect society as well, in many cases it...

Reflections on Man and Life

01 January 1999 | Bediuzzaman Said Nursi | Issue 25 (January - March 1999)

Glory be to God! How thin is the veil between the manifest and inner, invisible dimensions of existence, while how great is the distance between th...

Reflections on the Existence and Unity of the Creator

01 October 1998 | Bediuzzaman Said Nursi | Issue 24 (October - December 1998)

The seven heavens and the earth and all in them glorify Him. There is nothing that does not glorify him. (Qur’an 17.44) According to the meani...

Reflections on the Existence and Unity of the Creator

01 April 1998 | Bediuzzaman Said Nursi | Issue 22 (April - June 1998)

Beware, only in the remembrance of God do hearts find rest. Only through recognizing their One Creator can all spirits and hearts be delivered fro...

Reflections on The Existence and Unity of The Creater

01 January 1998 | Bediuzzaman Said Nursi | Issue 21 (January - March 1998)

Creatures come into existence easily and, although of various kinds and species, resemble one another in many ways. They are spread out on the eart...

Reflections on the Existence and Unity of the Creator

01 July 1997 | The Fountain | Issue 19 (July - September 1997)

Creatures come into existence easily and, although of various kinds and species, resemble one another in many ways. They are spread out on the eart...

The World Wide Messianic Mission Attributed To Jesus Christ Toward the End of Time

01 April 1997 | Mahmud Al-hakem | Issue 18 (April - June 1997)

Some of the first converts to Islam were subjected to the severest persecutions in Makka. They bore them patiently and never thought of retaliation...

Reflections on The Existence of The Creator

01 January 1997 | Bediuzzaman Said Nursi | Issue 17 (January - March 1997)

In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate. All praise be to the Lord of the Worlds, and peace and blessings be upon the master of the Me...

Reflections On The Existence Of The Creator

01 October 1996 | The Fountain | Issue 16 (October - December 1996)

The heavens and earth and whatever is in and between them point in different tongues to the same fact, namely, the acts and operations of a Single ...

Reflections On The Existence Of The Creator

01 July 1996 | The Fountain | Issue 15 (July - September 1996)

Every thing and every being in the universe prays in the language particular to itself, either of disposition and potential or neediness or helples...

Reflections On The Existence of The Creator

01 April 1996 | The Fountain | Issue 14 (April - June 1996)

In winter, the visible signs of vigorous plant and animal life all but disappear. Trees have lost all of their leaves, insects have said farewell t...

Mary and Prophet Jesus

01 January 1996 | Ahmet Guc | Issue 13 (January - March 1996)

‘O Mary! God gives you glad tidings of a Word from Him: his name is the Messiah [Christ] Jesus son of Mary, honoured in this world and in the Herea...

Reflections On The Existence Of The Creator (Issue 13)

01 January 1996 | The Fountain | Issue 13 (January - March 1996)

All living creatures are formed out of the same elements. You were completely unknown to the whole world nine months before your birth. Like everyb...

On The Existence Of The Creator

01 October 1995 | Bediuzzaman Said Nursi | Issue 12 (October - December 1995)

In this world, many kinds and colours and varieties of beauty are exhibited. Looking closely, we see that all things, and in particular all living ...

A Commentary For Contemporary World: The Twelfth Word

01 July 1995 | Bediuzzaman Said Nursi | Issue 11 (July - September 1995)

In the Name of God, the Merciful, the CompassionateWhoever has been given the Wisdom, certainly he has been given much good The following cons...

Meditations On A Verse Of The Book

04 January 1995 | Bediuzzaman Said Nursi | Issue 10 (April - June 1995)

In the verse just quoted are eleven phrases; each of them affirms the Divine Unity and carries a message of happy tidings for believers. Each messa...

A Commentary On The Contemporary World

01 January 1995 | Bediuzzaman Said Nursi | Issue 9 (January - March 1995)

Vision Of Light In the holy month of Ramadan, I experienced, in a different mood, one of the many radiances of mystery of the light-diffusing vers...

Reincarnation Undressing The Fallacies

01 January 1995 | M. Fethullah Gulen | Issue 9 (January - March 1995)

Belief in some form of this doctrine of endless cycles of birth, death and re-birth, can be found in almost all societies, primitive or sophisticat...

A Commentary On The Contemporary World

10 January 1994 | M. Fethullah Gulen | Issue 8 (October - December 1994)

Kinds Of Prayer In His NameThere is nothing that does not glorify Him with praise.In the Name of God, the Merciful, the CompassionateSay (O Muha...

The Concept of Parity in The Quran

10 January 1994 | Dr. H. Nurbaki | Issue 8 (October - December 1994)

Reflect on the following words of the Qur'an: Glory be to Him who created in pairs all things that the earth produces as well as their own kind (s...

Towards the World of the Righteous Servants

07 January 1994 | M. Fethullah Gulen | Issue 7 (July - September 1994)

God promises the final inheritance of the earth to His righteous servants. So, in order to have a right to this promised inheritance, there must be...

A Commentary on the Contemporary World

07 January 1994 | Bediuzzaman Said Nursi | Issue 7 (July - September 1994)

In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate and we pray Him for succour. In His name, glory be to Him. There is nothing that does not glo...

English Converts to Islam

07 January 1994 | A. Kose | Issue 7 (July - September 1994)

The current number of English converts to Islam is estimated at around 3,000-5,000 and their number seems to be relatively increasing (McHugh, 1990...

A Commentary on the Contemporary World

04 January 1994 | Bediuzzaman Said Nursi | Issue 6 (April - June 1994)

In the Name of God the Merciful the Compassionate Glory be to God whenever you reach evening and whenever you rise in the morning, and all praise i...

The Quranic Consept of History and Western Philosphies of History

04 January 1994 | Ali Unal | Issue 6 (April - June 1994)

I wonder whether it is a scepticism to see a political purpose behind some philosophies produced in the West during the last few centuries. Whether...

A Commentary on the Contemporary World

01 January 1994 | Bediuzzaman Said Nursi | Issue 5 (January - March 1994)

THE DOOR TO HUMAN HAPPINESS Belief in the All-Mighty Creator and the belief in the Hereafter are alike precious, since it is through them that the...

The Main Factors in the Spread of Islam

10 January 1993 | Ali Unal | Issue 4 (October - December 1993)

Islam, in the tenth century, was the main religion, or at least, the religion of the majority of peoples in an area covering more than half of the ...

A Commentary On The Contemporary World

10 January 1993 | Bediuzzaman Said Nursi | Issue 4 (October - December 1993)

Fifth Remark Man has been sent to this world as a guest with a special responsibility, and endowed with important potentials. He has been assigned...

Man and Religion

07 January 1993 | Ali Unal | Issue 3 (July - September 1993)

At birth man has no conscious knowledge about himself or about the environment around him; nevertheless, he is not an alien but fitted for the worl...

A Commentary On The Contemporary World

07 January 1993 | The Fountain | Issue 3 (July - September 1993)

Third Remark Man, with respect to action and bodily endeavors, is no more than a weak animal, a helpless creature. So limited a circle is the real...

Containing five comments with respect to man's happiness and misery

04 January 1993 | Bediuzzaman Said Nursi | Issue 2 (April - June 1993)

Man is created on the best pattern of creation and has been given a comprehensive disposition. Therefore he has been sent to an arena of trial wher...

The Necessity of Religion

01 January 1993 | Bediuzzaman Said Nursi | Issue 1 (January - March 1993)

To understand the world and the spirit of man in it; to understand the nature and the worth of religion to man; to understand how, if there is no r...

Wudu: a prescription for good health

01 January 1993 | Dr. H. Nurbaki | Issue 1 (January - March 1993)

O believers, when you stand for prayer, wash your faces, and your hands up to the elbows, and wipe your heads, and wash your feet up to the ankle...

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Believing

Articles

To Believe or Not to Believe

Atheists

How to Respond to Oppression

Individuality (Tafrid)

The Weight of Our Assumptions About Others - 2

The Existence of God

Isolation (Tajrid)

The Weight of Our Assumptions About Others - 1

Finding and Existence (Wujud) - 2

The Coronavirus Changed How Ramadan Looks. But It Will Not Change Our Faith In God

Self-Concealment (Talbis)

Jihad

Verification (Tahqiq)

I Seek Refuge in You…

Subsistence by God (Baqa Bi’llah)

Being Preoccupied with the Truth

Annihilation in God (Fana Fi’llah)

Real Freedom

Knowledge of God (Ma‘rifa)

Having Bad Opinion of Others: A Disease to Topple a Person

Staying behind for Profound Knowledge

Intoxication and Sobriety (Sakr and Sahw)

The Smokeless Fire: Can We Explain the World of Jinn in Multi-Dimensional Logic?

Hunt for Divine Manifestation

Manifestation (Tajalli)

Boasting of One’s Rank, Reviling Others’ Genealogies

Life (Hayah)

The Powerful Elite and the Challenge of Truth

Mushahada (Observation)

Repairing the Stronghold of Faith

Mukashafa (Disclosure)

Talwin and Tamkin (Coloring and Self-Possession)

How Is Baby Affected If The Parents’ Blood Types Do Not Match?

Surur (Rejoicing)

Waqt (Time)

Istighraq (Immersion)

Sincerity

Ightirab - Doubled Separation

Ghurba (Separation)

Wresting Jihad from the Jihadists

Spring’s Ballad

Muslims, We Have to Critically Review Our Understanding of Islam

Wajd (Ecstasy)

Firasa (Discernment)

Hikma (Wisdom)

Ilm (Knowledge)

Adab (Mannerliness)

Altruism (I'thar)

Freedom (Hurriya)

Riyada (Austerity)

Faqr and Ghina (Poverty and Richness)

What Is In a Name?

Qabd and Bast (Contraction and Openness)

Dahsha and Hayra (Utter Astonishment and Amazement)

Jadhba and Injidhab (Attraction and the Feeling of Being Attracted toward God)

Missing Pieces

Shawq and Ishtiyaq (Joyful Zeal and Yearning)

Ashq (Ecstatic Love)

Dispersing Hopelessness from the Depressive Thoughts: Is There Any Way?

Mahabba (Love)

Ma'rifa (Spiritual Knowledge of God)

Qurb and Bu'd (Nearness and Remoteness)

Sakina - Itmi’nan (Serenity and Peacefulness)

Basira and Firasa

Ihsan (Perfect Goodness)

Dhikr (Recitation of God's Names)

Irada, Murid, and Murad (Will, the Willing One, and the Willed One)

Qast and Azm (Decision And Resolution)

Inbisat (Expansion)

Forgiveness: A Prophetic Example

Rida (Resignation)-2

The Freedom of Religion, the Concept of War, and Gulen

Rida (Resignation)

Fasting on Ramadan and Yom Kippur

Sabr (Patience)

Shukr (Thankfulness)