Articles

MOSAICS IN THE HAGIA SOPHIAEmperor Alexandre Mosaic Hagia Sophia has this mosaic on the elephant foot pillar that carries the dome arch on the northern gallery. It depicts the emperor in a frontal posture while wearing the imperial crown ‘Camelaucum’..

Eid al-Fitr, also known as the “Festival of Breaking the Fast,” is one of the most important religious holidays celebrated by Muslims worldwide. It marks the end of Ramadan, the holy month of fasting, prayer, reflection, and community and lasts for t..

MUBARAK RAMADAN It fills me with great excitement to have this article published during the holy month of Ramadan and to have the opportunity to write about the most precious time of the year for Muslims. Since you are perusing this article, it impli..

SURAH AD-DUHAA: A CHAPTER OF COMFORT AND COMPASSION             Allah is the sole creator who bears the attributes of compassion, protector, bestower and so on. These attributes of His indicate His stance towards people when they are in need of help ..

THE ROLE OF MOSQUES AS COMMUNITY CENTERS             Mosques are worshiping places in Islam and they have a significant role in both daily life and in religious life. That is because they are not just places of prayer for Muslims as they serve vibran..

THE HISTORY OF HAGIA SOPHIA  In the year 330, Byzantion gained the status of the capital of the Roman Empire, rechristened as "Nova Roma" (New Rome) under the leadership of Emperor Constantine the Great. During this time Hagia Sophia emerged as a cor..

Prophet Noah Prophet Noah (peace be upon him) is one of the great Ulu l-'Azm (meaning the determined or steadfast) prophets. His name is mentioned 43 times in the Quran and a whole chapter of it is named after him. In Islam, the flood is called “the ..

IS IT REALLY COMPLICATED? - A HISTORY AND CONTEXT OF AN OPPRESSION  This article probably won’t raise a feeling of common sense in the hearts of supporters of Israel, considering the deaths of many innocent ones couldn’t. This is why my aim is to giv..

ON LIFE AND DEATH I generally think about how hard it is to live while I eat and travel. Everyone spends the time given to them in some way. Of course, there are also people who believe the concept of "living" is too burdening and do not want to cont..

The Hippodrome Square             When you’re in Istanbul, one of the first places you will visit will probably be the hippodrome square. From the Byzantine period to this day, the hippodrome square stands as an important point for historical and cul..

PERCHÉ L'ISLAM È L'ULTIMA RELIGIONE?La domanda principale di quest’articolo è piuttosto complicata, poiché implica che Allah abbia inviato più di una religione. Infatti, Allah ha inviato diverse rivelazioni e leggi a diverse nazioni, ma tutte contene..

THE REVELATIONThe Revelation, as a specific term, most commonly refers to revelation of a knowledge or a message to humanity from Allah through prophets. However, in its general meaning, it can also indicate the innate knowledge of creations or inspi..

SURAH AL-IKHLAS: ONENESS OF GOD Surah Al-Ikhlas is the 112th chapter of the Quran that carries a significant strength by emphasizing the oneness and uniqueness of Allah (God). The chapter consists of four verses, and it is frequently recited in the r..

PRINCES’ ISLANDS OF ISTANBUL             Princes’ Islands are nine small islands located in the Marmara Sea. Only four of them are inhabited and noteworthy to visit. The islands provide their visitors nice waters to swim and scenery to sightsee. You ..

THE PRESERVATION OF THE QURAN   The Quran is believed to be the final divine revelation from Allah that is conveyed to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) through the angel Gabriel. It is considered as the sacred scripture of Islam, the preservati..

THE MEANING OF LIFEWe humans, from the moment we are born, try to find the meaning of life, to understand it and to put it in a logical framework for us. Of course, these are not the kind of things we can do by reading from an article or hearing from..

Parks and Groves in Istanbul             Parks and groves are the perfect places to enjoy the greenery and get some air in a metropolis like Istanbul. Thankfully, Istanbul offers many beautiful parks and groves in which you can take some fresh air am..

PROPHET ABRAHAMProphet Abraham (peace be upon him) is one of the greatest prophets, whose story is an inspirational example for all believers. He is a prominent figure and forefather in Judaism, Christianity and Islam. He was given the title of “Khal..

CISTERNS IN ISTANBUL A cistern is an underground reservoir to store the rainwater with the purpose of providing freshwater to the city. Since Istanbul lacks freshwater supplies such as rivers, Byzantians relied on these cisterns to meet their needs a..

SURAH AL-QADR (THE NIGHT OF POWER)             Muslims, they all know the importance of the Quran in their lives. It is the word of Allah that guides them and helps them to lead a life that is pleasing to Him. Surah Al-Qadr is a chapter of the Quran ..

AN ISTANBUL ROUTEIstanbul is a magical city offering various experiences to its visitors. Those who want to explore this beautiful city have different route options to set off and end their sightseeing. In this article, we will suggest a possible rou..

SURAH FATIHA: THE OPENING Surah Fatiha is the first chapter of the Holy Quran which is the reason it is called “The Opening”. It is a short chapter consisting of 7 verses in total. It is one of the first chapters of the Quran which is memorised by Mu..

THE HISTORICAL INNS AND BAZAARS OF ISTANBUL One of the most important points of Istanbul, which were trade centers in the past, were bazaars and inns. The bazaar and inn culture, which still continues to live today, retains its importance both as a t..

ADAM: THE STORY OF REAL FORGIVENESS  Adam is a highly crucial and debated figure both in human history and Islam even though we have a very little information about him. It is believed that he was the first human being and ancestor who was created by..

THE NECESSITY OF PROPHETHOOD  Islam tells us clearly that there is no deity to worship but Allah, who had given beginning and life to everything out of nothing. However, one may ask whether human beings could find the Almighty Allah by themselves or ..

 OTTOMAN TRACES IN ISTANBUL - 4 – PALACES The Ottoman Empire ruled for more than 600 years, leaving behind a rich historical legacy enjoyed by many people today. One such example would be the Ottoman palaces, once inhabited by Sultans and their famil..

 THE PILLAR OF RELIGION: SALAH   The Arabic word ibadah (worship) is derived from ‘abd and it means submission. According to Islam, worship and devotion to Allah (God), remembrance and glorification of him, trying to get closer to him, all kinds of a..

OTTOMAN TRACES IN lSTANBUL - 3 - COMPLEXES In Turkish, a kulliye is a social complex consisting of various buildings such as a teaching centre, soup kitchens, bakeries, a Turkish bath, an inn, hospital bazaar, shops and other venues offering communit..

DOES A WOMAN HAVE THE RIGHT TO CHOOSE HER HUSBAND? - WOMEN IN ISLAM 3 When Islam is mentioned, one of the first things people tend to think of is Muslim women. In this series of articles, we will try to answer questions about Muslim women. Does a wom..

STREET FOOD IN ISTANBULÇiğ Köfte Let’s celebrate bulgur! We can confidently assert that Çiğköfte is the most popular street food in Turkey. Almost the entire country is obsessed with this dish made from bulgur (cracked wheat). The main ingredient nev..

IS EVOLUTION THE EVIDENCE FOR ATHEISM?As believers, it is quite common for us to ponder all the varieties of life in nature and express our amazement at how beautifully Allah brought all of these into existence—and in such a way that they coexist in ..

ROMAN TRACES IN ISTANBUL-3   Stoudios Monastery   The Stoudios Monastery Church is the oldest surviving structure from the Byzantine period. It was built in 462 by a Roman aristocrat living in Constantinople. Located very close to the Golden Gate..

EID AL-ADHA (FESTIVAL OF SACRIFICE)Eid al-Adha (Festival of Sacrifice) is one of the two important festivals in Islam. Muslims who are financially able sacrifice ritually acceptable animals as an act of obedience and a commemoration of Prophet Abraha..

THE PROPHET AND CHILDREN As a prophet who was sent to all humanity, we have clear evidence that the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ believed children to be worthy of respect, mercy and love. He showed great care in his relationship with all children, in addition ..

WHAT ARE THESE STRUCTURES THAT WE SEE ALMOST EVERYWHERE IN ISTANBUL?These structures, which we come across almost every step of the way along the historical peninsula of Istanbul, are known as sebils, kiosks with public fountains. The word “sebil” is..

ARE WOMEN ALLOWED TO DRIVE IN ISLAM? - WOMEN IN ISLAM  2 When Islam is mentioned, one of the first things people tend to think of is Muslim women. In this series of articles, we will try to answer questions about Muslim women. Are women allowed to dr..

OTTOMAN TRACES IN ISTANBUL  - 2 – HAMAMS Bathhouses have been built in different civilisations since the early days of human history. They became especially popular in the Roman world. Turks also gave considerable importance to bathhouses, known as “..

ZAKAH AND SADAQAH Islam has five pillars that are obligatory on every Muslim. These are as follows: to recite the testimony of faith (known as shahadah), to pray salah (daily prayers, performed five times a day), to fast during Ramadan, to give zakah..

FOODS YOU SHOULD TRY IN ISTANBULBreakfastTurkish breakfast culture involves sampling from an extensive array of different flavours. This includes both salty food—like cheese of different kinds, and olives—and sweet food like honey and jam. Fresh cucu..

NEW MUSEUM OF ISLAMIC CIVILISATIONS AT GRAND CAMLICA MOSQUE  The new museum of Istanbul was recently opened for visitors. It is located in Istanbul’s Grand Camlica Mosque Complex and constructed in a closed area of 10,000 square meters (107,639 squar..

WELCOMING THE SULTAN OF ELEVEN MONTHS Nowadays, Ramadan is a frequently heard word. It is the ninth month in the Muslim lunar calendar. Muslims observe this sacred month of  Ramadan to mark the time that Allah sent an angel to Prophet Muhammad to rev..

OTTOMAN TRACES IN ISTANBUL – 1 – FOUNTAINS An important part of Ottoman social and architectural history, fountains functioned as meeting places as well as water sources. The oldest water structures date back to Roman times. After the conquest of Ist..

WHIRLING DERVISHES   Everyone is familiar with the image of the whirling dervish, clad completely in white and spinning skillfully as if in a trance. However, the dervish is much more than a visual spectacle, dating back over 700 years as part of S..

ROMAN TRACES IN ISTANBUL-2   Istanbul has been the capital of two great empires, so it’s only natural that it has been the site of many historical masterpieces of architecture. One of these two great empires, the Roman Empire—which would later beco..

PROPHETHOOD IN ISLAM   One of the conditions of being a Muslim is to believe in the Prophets. This means to believe in their existence, to believe that Allah chose and sent them to people to guide them to the right path, and to believe that what th..

THE PROPHET ﷺ AS A HUSBAND As well as his divine role as a prophet, one thing we love to share about the Prophet ﷺ is that he lived a regular human life. Some of his roles included that of relative, father and husband. As others around him did at the..

TRANSPORTATION IN ISTANBUL Istanbul is one of Turkey’s most visited cities, offering numerous historical and cultural sites as well as entertainment venues. Fortunately, visitors can benefit from a broad range of transportation options for travelling..

ROMAN TRACES IN ISTANBUL-1   Istanbul has been the capital city of two great empires, so naturally it is the site of many historical masterpieces. One of these two great empires, the Roman Empire—which would later become the Byzantine Empire after ..

WHY IS ISLAM THE LAST RELIGION?   The main question of this essay is kind of tricky, since it implies that Allah has sent more than one religion. In fact, Allah sent different revelations and laws to different nations but they all contained the sam..

THE ISLAMIC STANCE TOWARDS DARWINIAN EVOLUTIONLiving as we do in a world thriving with life, from microscopic organisms to gigantic whales, It is no surprise that people have been trying to figure out the source of life since ancient times. These day..

IS RELIGION NECESSARY?   Excavations in Göbeklitepe reveal the existence of religion since the beginning of humanity. No matter how great the differences in their worship, people believed in the existence of a higher power and derived comfort from ..

What is Islam?             The word “Islam” comes from the Arabic root “aslama”, which means peace and submission; a practicing Muslim strives to submit whole-heartedly to God, thereby achieving peace in this life as well as in the Next.  "Mohammedan..

WOMEN IN ISLAM    Humans have a special place in the sight of Allah since they are intelligent, responsible and the most honorable of all creation. Of course, there are many reasons for the creation of humans as man and woman with different qualitie..

ISLAMIC FUNDAMENTALISM      The issue of religious fundamentalism is a trend that emerged firstly as a branch of Protestantism in America and then in all world religions after the emergence of the secularization paradigm. While some of these fundam..

WHY DO MUSLIMS FAST?   By now you have probably heard that Muslims have a month called Ramadhan during which they quit eating and drinking anything for a while everyday. You might have come across it on TV or in a YouTube video, or you may have a M..

WOMEN SCHOLARS IN ISLAM The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Seeking knowledge is obligatory upon every Muslim.” Therefore, seeking knowledge and getting an education is a must for every Muslim—and Muslim women are not an exception. Even though hi..

AISHA   As with all matters, the Prophet ﷺ was an exemplary man with regards to family life. Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, is one of the most important female figures in the history of Islam, known by the nickname habibah al rasullulah (belo..

MARY IN ISLAM Mary is such an important figure in Islam that an entire chapter in the Holy Qur’an is named after her. She is the only woman whose name is mentioned in the Qur’an in 34 verses, while even the name of the Prophet Muhammad is mentioned ..

JESUS IN ISLAM Muslims believe that Jesus (peace be upon Him) is one of the Prophets of Allah (God), who had been sent to guide the Children of Israel with a new scripture. In fact, belief in all of the Prophets and Messengers of Allah is a fundamen..