Issue 142 (Jul - Aug 2021)

We are social creatures that depend upon one another for survival, happiness, and sustenance. On the macro level we work together to establish whole economies and societies, and at the micro level we come together to form communities that nurture our most basic needs. A sense of belonging, and feel…

For us to be able to fully perceive the holy days, it is first necessary that our spirits and consciences are ready to feel such music and poetry from the heavens and beyond. Those whose inner depths, outward experiences, and colors of life are only skin-deep seek truth not in their souls but elsew…

Think of a kitchen. This kitchen has a blender for blending, an oven for cooking, a fridge for cooling, utensils for eating, a dishwasher for cleaning, pans for frying, jars for storing, peelers for peeling, etc. It has a full line of tools, gadgets, and appliances for the sole purpose of helping u…

In 1832, 100 km off the coast of Argentina, Charles Darwin observed numerous tiny crimson spiders, sized 2-3 mm, riding the breeze from the sea and then sticking onto the ropes and sails of the HMS Beagle, the ship on which he was touring around the world. He wondered how it would be possible for s…

In the language of Sufism, farq (distinguishing) has been interpreted as making a clear distinction between unity and multiplicity. To give a longer and more explicit definition, distinguishing means the discernment of the created, despite having perfect knowledge of the Creator, and despite being…

The terms translated in English as “worship,” “servanthood,” and “devotion” are taken from Arabic and possess a long history in the Islamic tradition. In particular, they have been commented upon by Sufi teachers and theoreticians down through the ages. Fethullah Gülen has appropriated this traditi…

The famous Greek physician Galen of Pergamon (129-200 CE) used to organize picnics and camps for himself and his patients on what is now called Kozak Plateau near Bergama in present-day Turkey, famous for its pine trees and nut pines. It is told that Galen named the pineal gland "conarium" because…

With the fire of grief, ever burning inside, This humble heart of mine cherishes you day and night. *** With its grief and worries plunging into sweet dreams, My heart aches, O please, look at this servant once *** Seeing you—be it a dream—is the sweetest purpose Your very state and attitude, m…

When I visited Thailand years ago, I had the pleasure of tasting about 20 different types of exotic, tropical fruits like pineapple and mango, some of which were first in my life. Each had a unique color, shape, smell, and taste. It occurred to me then that there were plants and fruits in places th…

“Quick, the cord’s wrapped around her neck. Twice!” I remember my numb feet in the stirrups. I remember the nurses on either side of me. I remember seeing my baby’s little purple head in the mirror, cone-shaped and strange. The doctor’s hand whirred around it in two circles, concise and quick. But…

Question: What are the points to be considered while seeking to have a fair perspective of Prophet Muhammad? There are extensive literature and sources that explore the different aspects of the noble Prophet’s life, attributes of his Prophethood, and his general human qualities. Undoubtedly, those…

Is hair graying reversible? Rosenberg et al. Quantitative mapping of human hair greying and reversal in relation to life stress. eLife, June 2021. A new study has found that the old rumor about why our hair turns gray is proven to have a scientific basis. Humans tend to lose hair color the older…

American history is lined with clear examples of overt racism from slavery to the implementation of the Jim Crow Laws, and many other examples that have taken years of struggling to dismantle. However far we seem to have come current events such as the killing of Black individuals including Emmet T…

Democritus (460-370 BC), an ancient Greek philosopher, described the human being as “a world in miniature” akin to a microcosm. A human being is an image of the cosmos (macrocosm) that surrounds us by virtue of containing all the facets of reality: body, mind, and spirit. The Stoic approach underst…