Issue 157 (Jan - Feb 2024)

The tragic events in the last quarter of 2023 have exhausted our hopes for a brighter future. With no power to change the course of events, we would like to start off 2024 with a prayer in the Lead Article, turning to the only One who has power to do so. In this long and heart-rending invocation, G…

O Lord! You are by no means obliged to accept our supplications; however, we are in need of this more than we truly realize. I ask You to accept our supplications and pleas and convey their acceptance into our hearts.Our hearts tremble with hunger and loneliness; saturate our hearts with faith and…

There are many mysterious aspects of animal behavior which keep mesmerizing scientists. Zoologists dedicate their research to unravel these mysteries, not only to gain insights for our improvement, but also to understand the similarities and differences between animal and human behaviors. A great m…

Yes, our Earth boasts a colossal mirror—an awe-inspiring wonder known as Salar de Uyuni, situated in South America. This expansive salt flat acts as a pristine reflector of the sky above, with a surreal ambiance that transports visitors into a realm reminiscent of a fantasy world. Adding to the all…

Throughout life, people seek the elusive formula for happiness. The myth of King Midas serves as a poignant illustration that controlling external circumstances does not necessarily lead to a fulfilled existence. Like many individuals, King Midas believed that amassing immense wealth would guarante…

Authored by Dr. Vincent N. Parrillo and Dr. Maboud Ansari, two American scholars specializing in sociology, Hearts and Minds: Hizmet Schools and Interethnic Relations, are on the bookshelves for readers’ perusal. Having heard of the ideals of Fethullah Gülen and the projects carried out by the Hizm…

This metaphoric Qur’anic expression concerns God’s Messenger’s unparalleled nearness to God during his Ascension. From the viewpoint of Sufism, it denotes rising beyond the horizons of Divine Acts and Names and reaching the peak of Attributes or even going beyond it. Reaching the peak of Attributes…

The question of what happens after we die is one that has been pondered by humans for centuries. Is there an afterlife? If so, what is it like? These are questions that have no easy answers, but they are questions worth asking. In his book, The Case for Heaven, Lee Strobel, a former award-winning l…

People all over the world, rely on modern medicine to cure diseases. Whether it is a simple painkiller for a headache, or medication needed for a chronic disease like hypertension, we are using medications produced by the current pharmaceutical industry on a regular basis. While consuming these med…

Electrons and quarks (the building blocks of protons and neutrons) have traditionally been regarded as the fundamental building blocks of matter. But, physicists now tell us that everything is made up of quantum fields, fluid-like substances spread throughout the entire universe. Quantum field theo…

“Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don’t resist them - that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like.” Lao Tzu In the beginning The parable of the Good Samaritan in the Christian tradition tells the story of a…

Emotions like resentment, enmity, hatred, and jealousy, which, if left unchecked, can render us morally blind, deaf, and heartless. These emotions have the power to transform humans into aggressive beasts and, in extreme cases, strip us of our humanity. Surveying our surroundings, it becomes eviden…

Plant-based diet promotes rapid heart benefits Landry MJ et al. Cardiometabolic Effects of Omnivorous vs Vegan Diets in Identical Twins. JAMA Network Open, November 2023. A vegan diet has been shown to significantly improve cardiovascular health in just eight weeks. A recent study utilized twenty…