Issue 25 (January - March 1999)

At this time when we experience occasions, of much sorrow and some contentment, we sense the promise in the advent of Ramadan, the month of mercy and forgiveness. In the climate of this month of light, we feel both spring and autumn at the same time in our inner worlds, seasons of lovely expectatio…

Euthanasia is one of the most widely discussed issues among health care professionals as well as ordinary people. While supporting and practising euthanasia was an exceptional and extreme view in the beginning it became to be perceived as a ‘matter of choice’ during the course of the time. Although…

The desire to investigate the secrets of knowledge and cognition goes back to ancient times. The Egyptians, during the seventh century BC, wondered which was the earliest form of language and how language is built up. It took more than two thousand years though for psychology to be distinguished fr…

1. Individual and society as victim While it is true that crimes committed against an individual usually affect society as well, in many cases it is the victims whose rights are directly violated (Udeh 1990, p.l94). Since they suffer directly from the crime, they should have a role in the process…

I. INTRODUCTION Although it is difficult to explain the concept of understanding briefly, we will try to give a brief account of its meaning and consequences in the context of teaching from the viewpoint of constructivist learning. Is it sensible to assume that ‘Everything which has been taught h…

Evolution is seen as the only scientific explanation of how life began and developed on earth. Creation, by contrast, is regarded as only a religious belief and therefore as unscientific. The theory of evolution, allegedly supported by much scientific evidence and containing very few questions stil…

Glory be to God! How thin is the veil between the manifest and inner, invisible dimensions of existence, while how great is the distance between them! How short, yet, how long is the way between the world and the Hereafter! How fine, yet, how thick, is the veil between knowledge and ignorance! How…

Social Darwinism refers to the attempts to utilize the evolutionary theory of Darwin to give descriptions of society or prescriptions for its best constitution. According to that theory, there is a struggle for existence among animals and plants which results in evolutionary change. This change is…

My chief aim was to stress how precious the perspective of ma‘rifa is, not only as the dimension of realized wisdom within the Islamic tradition, but also as an antidote to so much of what passes for intellectual progress in the modern world. I offered twelve polar contrasts between the two perspec…

The arguments for the existence of man’s free will Before passing on the arguments for the existence of man’s free will, we should point out: Most of the Western orientalists accuse Islam of being fatalistic. Whereas, except a small sect-Jabriya-no one in the history of Islam has defended fatalis…

Over the last two decades telecommunications technology has evolved dramatically from analog to the new digital systems. Where once only voice transmission possible, new services such as video telephony, video-conferencing, video-on-demand, home education and TV distribution with totally different…

Islam strictly forbids spying into people’s sins and secrets and backbiting. It also forbids talking ill of people behind their backs. The Quran declares: O you who believe! Refrain from cherishing suspicions about others for some of such suspicions are a grave sin, and do not spy. And let some of…