Organized through the collaboration of the Maqasid Institute (USA), the Istanbul Foundation for Science and Culture (Türkiye), and Hearts See (UK), the “Barla Universe Readings” program invites participants to re-read and re-understand the universe from the perspective of the Qur’an. This international retreat, held in the natural and spiritual atmosphere of Barla, approaches the universe […]
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This is the story of the Child of His Time.He was born in an era that mastered distraction. From a young age, he carried a quiet injury—hard to name. It wasn’t visible, yet it ached. A sensation not of pain, but of absence. A missing note in a familiar melody. A restlessness that did not […]
Continue ReadingIsparta, Turkey – July 2025 – The Maqasid Institute is hosting an extraordinary summer retreat, “Reading the Book of Nature,” from July 15-22, 2025, in the picturesque landscapes of Çamdağı and Barla, Isparta province, Turkey. This extraordinary retreat invites English-speaking Muslims, academics, and professionals to a spiritual and intellectual journey, exploring the Qur’anic concept of […]
Continue ReadingIn an era marked by rapid urbanization and digital overload, our connection to the natural world has never been more fragile. Recognizing this critical need, The Great Nature Magazine proudly announces a transformative partnership with Hearts SEE, an organization dedicated to restoring humanity’s intrinsic bond with nature and rekindling our spiritual fitrah. This collaboration promises […]
Continue ReadingWe live in strange times. You might ask, “How strange?” Compared to what? And what even is normal anymore? As a child, I believed adults had it all figured out—clear on where they were headed and why. But when I entered the corporate world in Paris in 2015, reality hit me hard. Not only was […]
Continue ReadingOn Saturday, October 26, 2024, I joined a group from Masjid Tawfiq in Bristol, UK, for a day in the serene countryside of Gloucestershire. The goal of this workshop was to reconnect with the wonders of Allah’s creation and to feel the Quran and hadith come alive in our hearts. This one-day workshop was titled […]
Continue ReadingNot long ago, I found myself lingering near a small neighborhood square being constructed outside my home. As I passed by, I saw workers digging holes into the ground, each about a meter wide, slicing through the concrete as if wounding the earth itself. Days later, I returned to the same spot, now filled with […]
Continue ReadingThe first ayah revealed in the Cave of Hira to Prophet Muhammad (SAW) was “Iqra.” The question that arises is: what to read? The ayah ends with a verb, which in Arabic is a transitive verb, indicating an action directed towards something, yet no specific object is mentioned. This teaches us that the command to […]
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