IŞIK ABLA was born in Istanbul, Turkey, and raised in a Muslim home. Throughout her life she experienced verbal and physical abuse, and found herself in an extremely violent abusive marriage to a Muslim man.
Işık earned a bachelor’s degree in literature, followed by an advanced business degree. She worked in high-ranking executive positions for some of the largest corporations in Turkey and traveled throughout Europe.
In 1996, she fled to America from her violent Muslim husband after he tried to kill her. After years of struggling to start her career all over again in a foreign country and failing in many areas of her personal life, Işık fell into a deep depression. She became suicidal.
On the day she was planning to end her life, she had a personal encounter with God.
That day, she surrendered her life to Jesus, and she received the supernatural healing and redemption of Jesus Christ.
From that moment on, her life remarkably changed for the better.
After receiving the Lord’s call to full-time ministry, she attended Ambassador’s Commission School of Ministry. Soon after her graduation, she became an ordained minister. She studied Biblical studies. Following she attended Yale and Harvard Universities for leadership training.
Today, Işık’s programs are broadcast in over 200 countries on six continents in multiple languages available to more than 700 million people.
Her message of hope, love, and redemption, found only in a loving God, resonates and continues to reach the Muslim world for Christ. As a Muslim background believer, she is uniquely positioned, knowing the culture, language, and social norms, to authentically and relationally share the good news of Jesus Christ to Muslims.