ISRA Academy Podcast

In this conversation, Dr Zuleyha Keskin speaks with Dr Omer Atilla Ergi, who offers four recommendations for atheists and those questioning belief in God. Rather than approaching the topic as a debate, Dr Ergi encourages a more reflective and open-minded approach: being objective, examining the emotional dimension of disbelief, considering Pascal’s Wager, and applying Occam’s Razor when thinking about competing explanations for existence. 00:00 Introduction 00:39 Recommendation 1: Be objective 07:45 Recommendation 2: Don’t fight with a God that you think doesn’t exist 14:01 Recommendation 3: Consider Pascal’s Wager 23:47 Recommendation 4: Consider Occam’s Razor

In this conversation, Zeynep Yuksel speaks with Dr Zuleyha Keskin about the label “part-time Muslim.” Why we use it, what we actually mean by it, and whether it is a helpful or healthy way to speak about people’s faith. Timestamps: 00:00 Why do people use the term “part-time” Muslim? 04:26 How faith and practice play out 06:54 Everyone can see someone else as a “part-time” Muslim 11:48 Labels impact people 14:25 Committing sins does not take you outside the religion

Raising daughters in a Western context comes with challenges that are not always immediately visible. In this conversation, Zeynep speaks with Dr Zuleyha Keskin about how parents can help Muslim girls develop the confidence, resilience and inner strength needed to remain grounded in their faith. 00:00 Introduction 00:30 One of the biggest challenges 04:36 Being Muslim requires a lot of strength 07:58 The challenges are socially more subtle 13:55 Your daughter should be able to come to you for anything

In this follow-up discussion, Dr Zuleyha Keskin and Dr Omer Atilla Ergi respond to Neil deGrasse Tyson’s arguments about God, particularly in light of the many questions and comments raised after the first episode. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 00:25 Summary of Neil deGrasse Tyson’s main argument 01:19 Why Neil deGrasse Tyson’s belief — or lack of belief — matters 05:12 Why the question of God and suffering comes up so often 07:15 How agnosticism leaves the door open to dialogue 11:18 Why is there suffering? 16:08 Why do humans experience pain and hardship? 21:39 Does God create evil? 24:32 The biggest mistake in deGrasse Tyson’s argument

What changes when doing good no longer feels like a constant battle, but begins to come from within? In this episode of our series on The 7 Levels of the Nafs, Prof Mehmet Ozalp and Dr Zuleyha Keskin explore Nafs al-Mulhamah — the Inspired Self. 📌 Timestamps 00:00 Introduction 03:20 The Qur’anic basis for Nafs al-Mulhamah 07:45 Intrinsic motivation at this level 10:36 Weight training analogy 14:22 Salah at this level 20:12 Is Nafs al-Mulhamah explicitly mentioned in the Qur’an? 22:35 Why is Nafs al-Mulhamah so important? 24:35 The impact of society on reaching higher levels 31:30 Why knowledge is so important at this level This episode is part of our series on The 7 Levels of the Nafs, exploring the journey of spiritual purification and inner transformation in Islam.