Ihsan (Perfect Goodness)
Ihsan two literal meanings, doing something well and perfectly and doing someone a favor; it is sometimes used…
Belief
259 articles
The Four Bs of Religion
Some people assert that all religions are much the same, for better or for worse. Others will insist…
Seeking Forgiveness in the Service of God
Question: Why is seeking forgiveness needed even right after a good work in the service of God? It…
Dhikr (Recitation of God’s Names)
Literally meaning mentioning, remembrance, and recollection, in the terminology of the Sufis dhikr denotes regular recitation of one…
Building Social Capital for Development: The Role of Religious Values and Virtues
This paper investigates the benefits that religious values and virtues can bring to bear on building social capital…
Irada, Murid, and Murad (Will, the Willing One, and the Willed One)
Irada (will) is the mental power by which a person can direct his or her thoughts and actions…
Faith, Worship, and Social Responsibility: The Ideal Person in the Qur’an
As with other sacred texts, one of the most important subjects regarding the Qur’an concerns its interpretation or…
Qast and Azm (Decision And Resolution)
Qast means confidence, determination, choosing, and advancing straight toward a destination, thinking and reasoning moderately and deliberately, and…
Inbisat (Expansion)
Literally meaning growing larger and deeper, spreading and expanding, Sufis use inbisat to signify the relaxing of one’s…
Forgiveness: A Prophetic Example
The compelling conditions of our time offer human society two paths to choose from. We will either continue…
Rida (Resignation)-2
For ordinary people, resignation means not objecting to what God has willed for them. For those with a…
The Freedom of Religion, the Concept of War, and Gulen
Scholars have put forward varying ideas on the legitimacy of war in Islam. While there is consensus on…
Rida (Resignation)
Resignation means showing no rancor or rebellion against misfortune, and accepting all manifestations of destiny without complaint and…
Fasting on Ramadan and Yom Kippur
I am a Reform rabbi who has been studying Islam for more than 50 years. Reform Judaism is…
Sabr (Patience)
Sabr literally means enduring, bearing, and resisting pain; suffering and difficulty; and dealing calmly with problems. In more…