Issue 27 (July - September 1999)

Sufism (tasawwuf) is the path followed by Sufis (adherents of Islamic mysticism) to reach the Truth-God. While this term usually expresses the theoretical or philosophical aspect of this search, its practical aspect is usually referred to as "being a dervish."  WHAT IS SUFISM? Sufism has been def…

The word "evolution" comes from the Latin verb volvere, meaning "to roll, wind, turn around, or twist around." In the last two centuries, the word has come to mean a "process of change from a simpler, or worse state to one that is higher, more complex, or better"1. Even though it may refer to socie…

For many, Islam and Christianity have little in common. More than a few Christians misperceive Islam as a religion of the sword and of oppression, while many Muslims see Christianity as permissive and rampant with sin. Yet, much of this misperception arises from the different emphases and vocabular…

Animals are spectacular creations. Not only do they have their unique shapes, sizes, colors, and attributes, but also they have incredible senses that enable them to survive and communicate in this world, in a very different (and superior) form than human beings. There are hundreds of thousands of…

During the last 5 years, there has been-and still is-an ongoing debate on how to exploit oil and gas reserves in newly-emerged Central Asian republics. The question is not restricted to business; it was a question of politics and strategy as well. Several countries have been actively involved in th…

The word "dialogue" derives from two roots: "dia" means "through" and "logos" comprises many overlapping semantic fields and signifies, among others, "word" and "meaning". For us the word dialogue, which is also used in music and literature, is particularly important because of its meaning of "deli…

Our sense of taste results from our tongue’s ability to identify sweet, salty, bitter, and sour substances. Different substances stimulate unique combinations of these four characteristics, and our tongue can distinguish subtleties in these combinations with great accuracy. Although our tongues can…

WHAT IS RADAR? Radar, a contraction of the words radio detection and ranging, is an electronic device for detecting and locating objects. It operates by transmitting a particular waveform pattern and detects the nature of the echo (return) signal.1 Radar is used to extend the capability of the man…

In the music world there is music and then there is "Kitaro's music." Thousands of listeners have gathered throughout the United States during the last few months to enjoy the unique sounds of Kitaro's last live tour of the millennium, "The New Millennium Tour." After re-scheduling a few times, I…

We can build a strong, healthy, and well-formed body through body-building exercises. This raises the following question: If we can "educate" our body through relatively simple body-building exercises, can we "educate" our mind through some mental exercises? Alexander Graham Bell, the famous inven…

Question The Prophet says that at the sixth week of the embryo's development in the mother's womb, God sends an angel who writes whether the person to come into the world will be righteous and prosperous or wicked and condemned. What does this mean, and how can we reconcile it with man's having f…

O brother who thinks of the pleasures of this world and suffers distress at illness! If this world were everlasting, and if on our way there was no death, and if the winds of separation and disease did not blow, and if there were no winters of the spirit in the calamitous and stormy future, I would…