04/08/2016 – The Pen Magazine

We strongly condemn the villainous coup attempt

04/08/201621/11/2016 The Pen

“We strongly condemn the villainous coup attempt that has targeted the integrity, unity, solidarity, peace, stability, security, and independence of our motherland, Turkey. We ask our Lord, Allah swt, to strengthen our unity and solidarity that we have had against these coup plotters as an entire nation. We thank our security forces and beloved nation who have stood tall in this honourable fight, and all of our brothers and sisters who have supported this fight with their verbal and actual prayers. We ask Allah’s mercy to be on our brothers…

Frugality and extravagance: an Islamic perspective

04/08/201621/11/2016 Marifatul Haq Yasini

Marifatul Haq Yasini The current economic world order has brought a degree of prosperity for some segments of the society in different parts of the globe. However, the damaging consequences of this order prevail over its productivity. It has produced a society, which believes and practices a wasteful and extravagant life-style rather than a moderate and frugal life that is desired by our Creator from us. Living an extravagant life is contrary to the basic principles of Islam. In fact, it means showing ungratefulness to Allah (swt) for the bounties…

Tolerance in Islam: the case of Al-Andalus

04/08/201604/08/2016 Gökhan Göl

Gökhan Göl History of Conquest of Iberian Peninsula Al-Andalus was the Muslim territory in the Iberian Peninsula and is known for being the center of tolerance in Europe during the dark Middle Ages, times of many religious and political strife. The name of the territory means in Arabic “Land of Vandals” and was applied to most of the Iberian Peninsula, even entire of it. The conquest of the Iberian Peninsula took place during the Umayyad dynasty in 711. In 710, Musa b. Nusayr, the governor of Ifriqiyah (the name for…

Bediuzzaman’s advices to the Members of Parliament

04/08/201604/08/2016 Mustafa Topöz

Mustafa Topöz After the Independence War, Imam Bediuzzaman Said Nursi, for the sake of Qur’an, Islam and motherland, publishes and distributes a declaration composed of 10 articles in 1923 for the then MPs who are unfortunately in the flush of victory, overcome with slackness, and careless against, first, five daily prayers and symbols of Islam. He also reads the declaration to all the MPs in a session in the parliament. Imam Bediuzzaman, who has heroically struggled against the British occupation forces in Istanbul, goes to Ankara in November of 1922…

Why should I learn the Qur’an?

04/08/201604/08/2016 The Pen

Our Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) says in his hadith; “The best amongst you is he who learns the Qur’an and teaches it.” (Bukhari, Fadhail ul Qur’an, 21) In another hadith; “A believer, who recites the Qur’an and acts on it, is like an orange (utrujjah) which tastes nice and smells nice. And the example of the believer who does not recite the Qur’an but acts on it is like a date that tastes sweet but has no smell. And the example of the hypocrite who recites the Qur’an is like a sweet…

Meaning of the life and how it gains value

04/08/201624/05/2018 Muhammed Yumurtacı

Today, we will read a part [from Risale-i Nur] addressing the heart, rather than the mind. From “ayat al hasbiyya” –that is, the verse of hasbunallah wa ni’mal wakiil- It is a kind of explanation of our Ustaz [Bediuzzaman Said Nursi]. A beautiful piece that tells the meaning of the life, that how the life gains value when we look at it in the name of Allah. Let’s read and try to get benefit. The fifth degree of the luminous verse ‘حسبنا الله ونعم الوكيل’ (For us Allah suffices) “Another…

Principles of raising children

04/08/201608/11/2016 The Pen

From Majmu’a Rasail Imam Ghazali According to Imam Ghazali (ra), child education starts with birth; because personalities of parents have influence on their child’s future personality. He put special emphasis on moral education and expressed his opinions on the subject. In the introduction to his “Golden Principles of Raising Children,” Imam Ghazali first calls child “Allah’s trust given to parents.” He describes the heart of a child as “a nice, clean, and simple mirror capable of accepting the influence of all types of impressions and influences.” A child’s heart can…

Do not be on your own to be the people of salvation

04/08/201616/06/2017 Hüsrev Erdaş

At the end of times -akhir zaman- we live in a very dangerous sea and try to save our life from its fatal waves. In this situation, we firstly need a life ring. However, this is not enough if we are alone and do not know where we will swim. After that we have to swim towards safety island with the others in the sea and join the people of salvation (ahl an-najat). In this hypothetical short story there are three main metaphors (sea, salvation and island). The sea and…

Evidences for the existence of Allah

04/08/201621/11/2016 İdris Tüzün

İdris Tüzün Islam, with its whole truths, is based on the principles of faith; the principles of faith are based on “faith in Allah” which is the very first and the most important one. The faith in Allah (swt) underpins all the religious matters. 1- Importance of proving the existence of Allah Throughout the history of humanity, even though people worshiped the Sun, stars, stones and idols, it has been hardly seen that they denied the existence of Allah (swt). All the prophets from Adam (puh) to Muhammad (pbuh) fought…