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.

Dr Zuleyha Keskin speaks with Dr Omer Atilla Ergi about the scientific, philosophical, and theological questions surrounding the beginning of the universe. The conversation explores the limits of current cosmological theories and what the universe’s beginning may imply for deeper questions about creation, causation, and the possibility of something coming from nothing. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 05:43 Scientific answer about before the Big Bang 12:02 Theories about the universe are speculative 17:01 Stephen Hawking’s discomfort with the Big Bang singularity 23:52 Nothing pops into existence from nothingness

Can destiny and free will coexist? If everything is already known and determined by Allah, are we truly free to make our own choices? In this episode of the Risale-i Nur Series, Dr Omer Atilla Ergi explores these questions through Said Nursi’s 26th Word (Treatise on Divine Determining), examining the relationship between divine destiny (qadar), human free will and personal responsibility.

In this episode of our Risale-i Nur Series, Dr Omer Atilla Ergi reads and explains the Second Flash, reflecting on the story of Prophet Ayyub (AS) and the deeper wisdom behind illness, hardship and patience. A powerful reminder that illness can become a means of spiritual growth, reflection and drawing closer to Allah.

What happens when we begin to recognise our faults, question our behaviour, and hold ourselves accountable? In this episode of our series on The 7 Levels of the Nafs, Prof Mehmet Ozalp and Dr Zuleyha Keskin explore Nafs al-Lawwamah — the Self-Reproaching Self. 📌 Timestamps 00:00 Introduction 02:52 Three things that bring us into Nafs al-Lawwamah 06:28 Why Allah swears by this level of the nafs 12:20 Low self-worth and muhasabah 14:20 Traps of this level 21:46 Three key strategies for dealing with sin 24:33 Feeling hypocrisy at this level 36:50 If we lapse at this level, there’s still hope 41:55 Key take-home messages 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.

Dr Suleyman Sertkaya explores the historical and Qur’anic context behind the Prophet Muhammad’s ﷺ military engagements in Madinah. The discussion examines why permission to fight was given, the objectives behind military expeditions, and how the Prophet’s actions are often misunderstood when removed from their broader context. 📌 Timestamps 00:00 Foundation steps the Prophet took in Madinah 07:56 Muir: The Prophet has a violent personality in Madinah 14:55 Many sīrah books focus on battles during the Madinah period 22:08 Human beings tend towards adventure and action 25:23 The Prophet was guided by revelation: what the Qur’an says 41:28 Why was permission given to fight in Madinah? 49:57 Objectives of permission to fight 52:55 Objectives of sariyyas (expeditions) 58:22 Conclusion

In this episode, Dr Omer Atilla Ergi explores Said Nursi’s Addendum to the Fifteenth Word, where Nursi recounts an inner dialogue with Satan concerning the Qur’an. Through a series of doubts and responses, the discussion examines claims that the Qur’an resembles human speech and that people can produce words similar to it. Timestamps 00:00 Introduction 03:30 Said Nursi: “Satan whispering into my heart” 07:38 Satan: “Think of the Qur’an as neither the word of God nor the word of a human” 17:52 Satan: “The Qur’an resembles human speech” 33:00 Satan: “People say similar things to the Qur’an”

In discussions about faith and atheism, the conversation is often shaped not only by evidence, but also by the way arguments are constructed. In this episode, Dr Zuleyha Keskin speaks with Dr Omer Atilla Ergi about several common logical fallacies that frequently appear in arguments against belief in God. Together, they explore how these fallacies influence public discourse and why clear reasoning is essential when discussing questions of faith. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 04:27 Argument from ignorance 11:38 Shifting the burden of proof 21:56 Nietzsche: As modernity and science advance, belief in God declines 25:37 They fight with the God in their imagination Both Dr Omer Atilla Ergi and Dr Zuleyha Keskin teach in the Islamic Studies courses offered by ISRA Academy. For more info: https://www.isra.org.au/uni-courses/

More than 1,400 years ago, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ established the Charter of Madinah, bringing diverse religious, tribal and cultural communities together under a shared framework. Dr Suleyman Sertkaya explores its principles of coexistence, religious freedom, cultural autonomy and shared responsibility and argues that this historic document can solve many of the problems we’re facing today. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 04:16 The last 100 years: turmoil after turmoil 15:17 Recognition of every community in Madinah 18:47 A timeless and ideal document 21:30 Everyone participates 24:00 Religious and cultural autonomy for each group 25:38 The Prophet ﷺ as mediator rather than judge 31:00 Islamic laws are binding upon Muslims only 34:25 The Charter as an overarching framework 37:15 Recognition of cultural differences and autonomy 40:23 Madinah as a protected territory and one ummah 46:35 Concluding comments

This episode is part of the Risale-i Nur Series

Mental health is discussed more openly than ever before, yet many Muslims still hesitate to speak about their struggles or seek support. Does experiencing anxiety, sadness or emotional distress mean our faith is weak? And what role can therapy play alongside faith? Timestamps 00:00 Introduction 00:16 Why some Muslims are ashamed to experience certain emotions 03:08 Why Muslims shy away from therapy 05:14 Do faith and therapy serve the same purpose? 12:02 A message for someone struggling with their mental health This conversation is intended for educational purposes only and should not be taken as personal psychological or medical advice. If you are experiencing persistent or severe distress, please seek support from an appropriately qualified health professional.

This episode part of the the Risale-i Nur series.

In this episode, Dr Zuleyha Keskin speaks with Dr Omer Atilla Ergi about one of the most enduring questions of our time: are science and religion really in conflict? They explore the historical relationship between faith and scientific inquiry, challenge common misconceptions about Islam and science, and discuss why the deeper we understand the universe, the more profound its mysteries become. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 02:15 Emergence of naturalism 05:03 Many classical scholars were scientists as well 10:37 God of everything, not God of gaps 14:54 Life is the biggest mystery 21:17 God is the author of the Qur’an and the universe

Raising daughters in a Western context comes with challenges that are not always obvious. In this conversation, Zeynep speaks with Dr Zuleyha Keskin about helping Muslim girls develop the confidence, resilience and inner strength needed to remain grounded in their faith. They discuss the subtle social pressures young Muslim women face, the importance of building trust and creating a relationship in which daughters feel safe speaking openly. Timestamps 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 conversation, Ustadh Ahmet Ozturk speaks with Professor Mehmet Ozalp about the deeper meaning and spiritual significance of Bismillah — “In the name of Allah.” This is a thoughtful conversation on faith, creation, dependence on Allah, and the spiritual power contained in words we often say without fully reflecting on their meaning. Timestamps 00:00 Introduction 01:00 We don’t say Basmala enough 02:34 Basmala is the summary of the Qur’an 09:40 Everything cooperates to support life 15:43 Humankind being created in the “image of God” 20:50 Tapping into the power of God with Basmala

If God needs nothing, why did He create the universe? And if He is completely self-sufficient, why does He ask us to worship Him? In this episode, Dr Zuleyha Keskin speaks with Dr Omer Atilla Ergi about Allah's absolute independence, the purpose of creation, and why worship benefits us, not God. Together they explore how worship is ultimately a process of purification and spiritual growth. Timestamps 00:00 Introduction 04:49 It’s the talent that results in an outcome 10:10 Humans are agents of need and we compare 15:55 Response to “Why does God need our worship?” 21:15 Purification process