The Inner Struggle to Do the Right Thing — A Conversation with Dr. Jihad Turk
In this powerful and deeply personal conversation, Dr. Habib Boerger sits down with Dr. Jihad Turk, founding president of Bayan Islamic graduate school, to explore the beauty of religion when it is lived with depth, discipline, and love.
Dr. Turk shares his journey as a Palestinian-American growing up in Arizona, the shock of his parents’ divorce that propelled him into spiritual seeking, his formative studies in Medina and Iran, and the ecstatic experiences that anchored his faith. He shares an experience of feeling truly seen by the Divine. Together, Habib and Jihad reflect on how those moments sustain us for a lifetime.
They explore:
The true meaning of jihad as the struggle to do the right thing
Spirituality vs. religion — and why religion, “when done right,” can deepen the soul
The importance of practice, discipline, and community
Interfaith education as a path toward healing and peace
Founding Bayan Islamic graduate school in partnership with Claremont School of Theology
Mystical moments at the Dome of the Rock and in Hebron at the resting place of Abraham
This episode is about inner peace in a fractured world. It is about cracking the door open. It is about finding your keel in the storm. And it is about remembering that the deepest struggle is not against others — but within ourselves.