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Bridge Mania

Myrtle Bennett of Kansas City shot her husband John to death on September 29, 1929, over a bridge hand. Her husband had opened the bidding with one spade.

Reinterpretation of Islam in Turkey

Reinterpretation of Quran (and Hadith) is allowed in principle although no effective reinterpretation has ever taken place in the Muslim world.

Bullhe Shah and His Veil of “Meem�

One of the attributes of Allah is “Ahad,� meaning “One.� This is the spirit of monotheism. Ahmad is the name of prophet Muhammad.

Musharraf’s Days are Numbered

From all political portents, it seems it’s time for Musharraf to go. If he doesn’t leave voluntarily, he’ll be helped out by force – by the army of course.

Making a Mockery of Democracy

Waging democracy in the spirit of revenge is the worst form of democracy. This shows the type of democracy which Benazir Bhutto’s (BB) Peoples Party wanted to enforce in Pakistan.

Search for the God Particle

Pursuit of no other scientific theory has been so intensely single-minded nor so expensive, even the search for cure for cancer, as the search for Higgs boson or the god particle.

Political Quandary in Pakistan

You can install a political government by popular vote but there are no effective checks and balances to keep it on the straight, narrow and workable path.

Fair Game

Review of "My Life as a Spy, My Betrayal by the White House" By Valerie Plame Wilson

Will President Bush Invade Iran?

President Bush has raised the stakes by mentioning the possibility of World War III in a recent press conferences. He has declared the Iranian National Guards as terrorists.

Can Religious Leaders Redeem the Future of the World?

138 prominent Muslim scholars have written an open letter to Pope Benedict XVI calling for religious harmony between Christians and the Muslims.

General Colin Powell: Political Casualty of Iraq War

Can he make a comeback? Had he resigned, he would have stayed in the limelight as an elder statesman at the political front.

E-Mail Scams Trapping Gullible Victims

Why were all these people writing to me whom they didn’t really know although they pretended they did?

Mother Teresa’s Moment of Truth

Soon afterwards the doubts and skepticism, not about her missionary work but her faith, began to assail her mind and lasted until her death.

Rote Learning Vis-à-vis Physical Comprehension

It’s beautiful to design an experiment. It’s equally beautiful to construct a working theory from the empirical information.

Is America Ready for a Black President?

Obama is ahead of all the other candidates, both Democrat and Republican who are all white.

Whence Then is Evil?

Either God wants to abolish evil and cannot; or he can, but does not want to…If he cannot, he is impotent. If he can, but does not want to, he is wicked…

Carl Friedrich Gauss

It is said that Archimedes knew all the mathematics that was developed up to his time and some more. The same is said of Newton and Carl Gauss.

Daughters of Hajar

Hajar was Prophet Abraham’s wife and the mother of Ismael. Abraham took them to Mecca (at the site of the Masjad-al-Haram) and abandoned them there (at Allah’s command?). Identifying herself with Hajar, Asra chose to call her organization 'Dau

Burqa Vaganza – A Satirical Backlash

Burqa Vaganza satirized by showing “modern youth in veil going out on dates and generally sneaking out of educational institutions, offices and homes for discreet dalliances with friends of the opposite sex.” The conservatives have demanded to

In the beginning, God created the Heavens and the Earth

If religion is to follow the scientific lead, it then becomes falsifiable like science. When a religion becomes falsifiable, it loses its divine base and its God ceases to be as mighty as we conventionally believe It is.

Johannes Kepler – A Mysterious Cosmographist

He lived his life in poverty and misery but he immortalized himself by formulating his three laws of cosmology. He was a humble person who said, “there was nothing I could state that I could not also contradict.”

Sabre Rattling in the Persian Gulf

After the experience with the Iraq war and the cooked-up evidence pertaining to the weapons of mass destruction for which Iraq was invaded, the American public has become wary of the administration's intentions in the Middle East. It does not have stomach

Is “Strings” a Dud Theory?

String theory is criticized by its critics mainly because they claim that it doesn’t make any testable predictions. The few predictions that it does make are the ones which other existing theories had already made. So in their opinion, string theory

Last Gasp of the Imperial Misadventure

The American public is rightly concerned about the chaos in Iraq and they believe that it is not for American army to fight a civil war; let Iraqis sort out their problems themselves.

Banker of the Poor

Lasting peace cannot be achieved unless large population groups find ways in which to break out of poverty. Micro-credit is one such means. Development from below also serves to advance democracy and human rights.

Bio-Science at the Crossroads

If there ever was a time to call science into discipline, it was now. It was widely stated that contrary to the Biblical injunction, man was playing God. Cloning of humans meant that the natural process of insemination and procreation would be made redund

Swearing-in Ceremony with Hand on the Bible?

American civilization is not the Christian civilization. America’s constitution is secular which does not discriminate among religions and states upfront, “no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public tru

Which Islam?

Although many of us despise the western style secularism, western science and philosophy, western democracy, and modernity, we do not have any reasonable and pragmatic substitutes for them. The result is an intellectual schism.

Religious Conservatism and Science

Those who seriously object and obstruct the stem cell research do so on moral grounds. They know that the embryo from which the cells are obtained is destroyed in the process. Destruction of an embryo is tantamount to killing a human being.

Politics of the Mid-Term Elections

No wonder that the war on terror remains awry because much of it is fought to project the administration’s image against the democrats who are labeled as ‘cut and run’ strategists.

Subramanyan Chandrasekhar - an Astrophysicist Par Excellence

Although Chandra was bitter about Eddington’s treatment, they let “bygones be bygones” eventually. Eddington promoted Chandra’s election to the Royal Society in 1944. According to Eugene Parker, a colleague at University of Chicago

Revolt in Paradise

The ongoing debate on the policies of the President Bush’s administration seems to be reaching its ultimate boiling point before the mid-term elections.

Comprehending Time

We usually have an intuitive perception of time but when we are asked to explain what it is, we find ourselves at a loss to describe it consistently.

For the Heck of It

The critics and analysts have been trying to figure out what is common in existentialism and Bush’s faith as a re-born Christian. The main character in the novel, Meursault, shot and killed an Arab. The magistrate who was examining him was a true Ch

Postmortem of Israeli-Hezbollah War – What Next?

Although, according to Israeli sources, all of the reservists have been pulled out of Lebanon, the regular forces estimated at 8,000 to 10,000 soldiers still remain awaiting the arrival of the international peace-keeping force. The situation precarious.

Mission Accomplished II

Although nothing is still very certain; anything may happen to a shaky ceasefire negotiated by the UN, it is a hopeful sign that both sides are willing to observe truce as much as possible. Like the earlier UN resolutions, the current resolution also may

Condi's Waterloo

Her hard work has finally produced a resolution on which both US and France agree and which might be voted in the UN today.

Plan B in the Middle East

The rhetoric has thus somewhat toned down from branding it a ‘terrorist’ organization to calling it a militant group. Does it have any independent political clout to play any formal significant role in negotiating a UN resolution? No, it does

Winning by Losing in the Middle East

The ongoing war is not between Israel and any bona fide government of the Middle Eastern countries; it is between Israel and Hamas (a Sunni resistance group; it has won the elections in Palestine and has formed its government also) and Israel and Hizbulla

A New Middle East

The latest conflict has shown that the Arab and the Muslim world is not showing any signs of relenting and recognizing the state of Israel; they are becoming, on the other hand, more hardened and resisting. Given these realities, is there any chance for t

Baptism of Jesus Christ

Baptism before Jesus Christ was a simple act of immersion in the waters of River Jordan. Jesus was baptized in this way but an element of divine intervention was introduced in it asserting parting of the heaven, a dove descending from heaven and declaring

War on Terror – An Internal Front

But what to do with the terrorists who were arrested during the execution of these wars? Were they to be treated like the prisoners of war under the Geneva Conventions or were they to be dealt with differently? The administration

American Ambivalence on National Language

The American nation consists of immigrants from diverse countries. For fear of imposing any specific language and the associated culture on the diversity of the American population, the question of a national language is left in limbo

Was Jesus Christ Married?

Such speculations become more credible when they are viewed in the background of concerted efforts of the orthodox Christians to falsely tarnish Mary Magdalene’s character.

The Birdman of India

I had never heard of Salim Ali before in my life because I was not interested in the birds and bird-watching. Seabrook’s article intrigued my curiosity and I set out finding who the distinguished Indian ornithologist, Salim Ali, was...

A Challenge to Saudi Culture

’Keif-al-Hal’, a first Saudi budget and featured movie, has opened a tightly sealed door on entertainment in S. Arabia. If an accommodation can be created for movie-making in the Shariah, there is hope that other outdated injunctions can also

Theory and the Facts of Life

We should Islamize the western system of governance and root out the corruption. Corruption exists in the western countries also but it has not become the way of life; it has not sapped the vitality of social life

Inside the Resistance -- A Book Review

Zaki Chehab on the Fallujah insurgency: “The trouble started when a female teacher protested to a US marine when their school was made into a military base; the exchange got out of hand, and the marine forced her to lie on the ground'

The People's Poet

I don’t know if Ahmed Faraz was exiled by Zia-ul-Haq after his poem Mohasarah or earlier than that but Zia was a simple-minded soldier who could appreciate the antics of Shatrughan Sinha’s acting but not Faraz’s poetry

Idiosyncrasies of Some Great Scientists

Although they live in this world, they somehow belong to another one. It is idiosyncrasies which make them ‘human’. Think of Einstein: the picture of an unkempt shock of hair on the head of a mustached elderly man emerges

Apostasy and Islam

Abdul Rahman has been awarded the death sentence for converting to Christianity. Isn't there any room for individual choice in the Muslim world? There have been a few protests, but we must review the issue of apostasy and let the Quranic injunction prevai

The Islamic Scholar as Feminist

It is difficult for a person like Farzana Hassan not to draw hostile comments from different sources. But she has attracted a greater deal of appreciation for her work from those who are aware of her constructive contribution to humanity

Chance Encounter – Lasting Memories

Dr. Rao and his daughter were simple folks. He didn’t have any complex about him being a minister of the Indian government; she never let it out in any social conversation that her father was a minister. She was a kind of person you could easily ign

Temporary Marriage in Islam

In addition to mutah, there is another situation of temporary marriage in Islam called “Nikah Halala” which arises when a husband pronounces a triple talaq in quick succession in a fit of rage. This severs the matrimonial bond

Dilemma of Mixed Unions

The marriages in which there is absolutely no compromise and accommodation regarding the individuals’ religious backgrounds, culture and cultural practices, usually end up in acrimony, fiasco, or remain unduly in enduring and stressful relationships

The Yin and Yang of Domestic Surveillance

If this were so simple and straightforward, nobody would question it. But, it’s not. Yes, the president has the authority for domestic eavesdropping but it needs to be endorsed by the FISA

The 'h' Index – A Measure of Quality of Scientific Research

If a scientist has received a Nobel Prize, he doesn’t need any other measure for the quality of his/her research work.It is however desirable to have a convenient measure to describe and quantify the quality of research of other lesser scientists

Happy Holidays Versus Merry Christmas

Christian sensibilities are hurt if Christmas greetings are not made specific. Even though the US has a secular constitution, the majority of the population is historically Christian

Cut and Run

The clamor to “cut and run” became louder. The opponents of war are more and more convinced that the situation in Iraq is more similar to Vietnam than different from it. And it is equally “un-winnable” and unrewarding.

Global Warming and Hurricanes

Therefore there are not many conclusive and definitive studies of the effects of global warming on hurricanes. However, there is a preponderance of consensus that the global warming

Dr. Khalid Sohail: A Pilgrim’s Progress

The first emotional trauma in his growing-up years was of the wet dreams. God was always with him in his thoughts even when he wanted privacy.

Caught in a Rove: Will Bush Fight it?

What goes around does indeed come around. I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby, Jr., the alter-ego of Vice President Dick Cheney and his Chief of Staff “was indicted Friday (October 28) on charges of obstruction of justice, making a false statement

Chickens are Coming Home to Roost

According to washingtonpost.com, “John Hannah, an aide to Cheney and one of two dozen people questioned in the CIA leak case, has told friends in recent months he is worried he may be implicated by the investigation, according to two U.S. officials.

Can Condi take on Hillary?

Many of them will vote for her not necessarily because they genuinely love her but because their hatred for Hillary and her husband knows no bounds and exceeds their love for Condi.

Flying Spaghetti Monsterism

In the mean time, a new theory of intelligent design, which I call intelligent design II, has sprouted. The creator of this theory is Bobby Henderson who is a graduate of Oregon State University with a degree in physics. He propounded this satirical theor

Seemingly, God is Angry at America

In the past, people used to give human sacrifices to appease their angry gods. God of America has already taken His toll in New Orleans and other Gulf cities so, thank God, nobody probably has to offer any more sacrifices to appease His anger.

Ba Ba Black Sheep – Bogeyman Blair

The Iraq war and the terrorism are commonplace topics of discourse and discussion even at the dinner tables. Even the growing- up kids are familiar with them. For them, Tony’s Pizza may not be very offbeat; probably they would relate to it quite eas

Save Me from My Well Wishers

Save me from my well wishers because they are killing me with kindness. September 9, 2005 was my last day at work. I went a little later than the usual to my office that morning.

Decline of Science in the Muslim World

They (Muslims) tried to find reasons and rationale for every thing in religious terms. This mode of thinking which some like to call Islamic occasionalism is part of the collective psyche of the orthodox Muslim world and has existed from the very beginnin

Was Muslim Astronomy the Harbinger of Copernicanism?

In as much as the mathematization of the planetary movement was concerned, the Musilm (Arab) contribution cannot be ignored particularly in view of the fact that they developed trigonometry, algebra, and spherical trigonometry, and this knowledge was fund

Fraud and Forgery in Science

Fraud and forgery is rare in the science world but it’s there.

Einstein’s Love Life

In spite of his marriage to Elsa, Einstein sought sexual favors from other women also. In the early 1920s, he fell in love with a friend’s niece. To keep her in Berlin, he hired her as a secretary. Elsa permitted Albert to see his mistress twice a w

Paleoanthropology and Evolution of Humankind

The idea of descent from a common ancestor was given by Charles Darwin in 1850s. This idea was so revolutionary that almost all the scientists who were trying to understand the biological evolution accepted

Age of the Earth and Its Measures

As a footnote, I started this essay with an ayat from the Quran, which enjoined people to study the signs of God. Ironically, it is the non-Muslim world that followed this injunction, studied the signs of nature, and developed the human knowledge to its p

Trivia of “Potty-Parity”

Woman! Thy name is social conversation (even in the restrooms while in concert with God).

Twenty Years After

Despite this gloomy view, many young physicists are attracted by the galore of the string theory and they have staked their careers on the possibility of shining light on the dark areas in the theory. There is another attractive feature of the string theo

Intelligent Design or Accident?

The critics do not pick so much on evolutionary process, it is the mechanism of Darwin’s natural selection, which is targeted. Had there been a convincing proof (empirical evidence) of this mechanism, the critics would have been silenced.

NPT Is As Good As Dead

The member nuclear states need to set example by retrenching their nuclear arsenals and abandoning their plans for developing further nuclear weapons before they can seriously hope to rein-in the other member states aspiring to go nuclear.

Did Wallace forestall Darwin?

As the historical facts bear out, (Alfred Russel) Wallace did not forestall Darwin in formulating the theory of natural selection but he did rattle Darwin to the extent of enervation, and forced his hand to publish his research immediately. ....

Who’s Afraid of a Large Black Man?

...It is quite appropriate too because now in his mature wisdom, he can lead; he can show the way and there may be millions who want to follow his lead. Although there are others who think he’s the same old loudmouth that he was when he played in th

Intelligent Design versus Natural Selection

Both parties interpret the scientific data from their own vantage point and seek support for their respective positions. But it is only the scientists who collect such data not only to refute the creationists but to do what they normally do, namely, to ad

Book: The Buddha of Suburbia

In Kureishi, the line between sex and pornography is rather thin, which seems to be growing ever thinner and thinner. He started as a pornography writer impersonating himself as a French female. Nothing succeeds like success (or sex)...

“Dasht-e-Tanhai” wins a Prize for Nadeem Aslam

His is a story of Pakistani conservatism in a liberated ambience of England, a story of a civilization clash within a family of blended values of liberalism and orthodoxy. “Eimaan mujhe rokay hai, tau khainchay haiy mujhe kufr” (Faith is compe

Brou’ha ha on “The Da Vinci Code”

“Not the Son of God?” a shocked Neveu asked. “Jesus’ establishment as the “Son of God’ was officially proposed and voted on by the Council of Nicaea,” explained Teabing. “..establishing Christ’s divini

What is Secularism?

Many still think or like to think that secularism is essentially atheism or godlessness. While many secularists (freethinkers) are Individually indeed atheists and agnostics, secularism by itself doesn’t

Prize and Prejudice

According to Helge Kragh (2), “Until 1922, Einstein had been nominated no fewer than 62 times, and only one of the nominations mentioned the photoelectric effect specifically. The Swedish physicist who wrote the report on Einstein’s theory of

Planting Democracy in the World – A Mantra for Freedom

I realized for the first time in my life in the U.S. that I had some basic rights; such a thought had never crossed my mind when I was in Pakistan where a police constable could, at will, rob you of your rights, if you thought you had any, and dignity.

Iran at the Crossroads – Bombs or Butter?

If any sticks and carrots policy is to become credible and viable for Iran, it must include effective and transparent curbs on Israel. Israel is a greater potential and perceivable threat to Iran and its neighbors than the U.S.

Extraordinary Rendition - A Tool for Torture

Torture does not yield any reliable information. The victim who is brutalized beyond endurance will confess to any thing which the tormentors want. What is the practical use of such information? It is not reliable; it’s worse than no information.

Parveen Babi Passed Away

Parveen was a glamorous actress who brought charm and unique attraction to the Bollywood film screen. The first time I saw her was in Kranti.

A Critique of Philosophical Thought in Pakistan

The worst non-filthy curse in our day-to-day vocabulary is the word ’atheist’. In Urdu, we use ’dahriya’ and ’zindique’ for it. We condemn atheism without....

What is Islamization of Science?

If science developed by Muslim scientists is to be called Islamic science, sure, it can be created if the Muslim scientists concentrate and produce some original work in scienc. But this sort of symbolization is apocryphal...

What Does It Mean to be a Muslim in a Secular Country?

The younger generation that is born and bred in the western secular countries is exposed to much broader influences ...

Book: Intimacy

His life is made complex by his desire to be loved and cared for by his wife, Susan, and his attraction for his girl friend, Nina....

Bishop Spong’s Critique of the Traditional Christianity

Apropos of crucifixion of God together with Jesus Christ, Spong (9) remarked, “..any god who can be killed ought to be killed.”....

Bhatti’s “Behzti (Dishonor)” hurts Sikh Sensitivities

But then the play wouldn’t have created a (publicity) storm; it would probably not have attracted much attention. One of the facts of modern

Some of My Mentors in Professional Life

When I opened his paper, my heart jumped into my throat and I was overcome by excitement. The point of departure of Henderson’s paper was the same as that of mine (Einstein’s bed load formula)...

Cosmological Fantasies

We are at a stage where we can construct sophisticated mathematical theories and successfully use them for making predictions but are unable to have realistic insights into the physical reality of the predicted events and phenomena. Considered in this ...

Jacques Derrida, Founder of Deconstruction, is Dead

..Make it your last question because it sends deconstruction into paroxysm of rage. Yet the theory of deconstruction was the rage...

The New Beginning

My story is the story of many thousands of other people on both sides of the line. I regard myself lucky in one way that my family and I didn’t suffer any loss of limb....

Physical Theory and Empirical Verification

As more and more diverse phenomena were related in the threads of mathematical theories, these theories became ever more sophisticated and complex. For this reason, they were getting....

Of Brane New World!

It has been the most cherished dream of man ever since he evolved into homosapien to comprehend the world in which he lived...

Deep Roots of Religious Orthodoxy

...The Church resisted the change in its geocentric belief due to Galileo’s efforts but the Christian religion accepted Galileo’s view nonetheless and the Pope formalized its recognition after more than three hundreds of poignant silence.....

Death of a Renowned Urdu Literati

He was a distinguished writer after the generation of Manto, Bedi, and Krishan Chandar.

Lahore ka Jughraphiah

..The elders have described the essence of all this research in these curt and expressive words: Lahore is Lahore. If you cannot find Lahore from this descrption, it only proves that your education is defective and inteeligence questionable...

Book: A New Christianity for a New World

He has, many a time, come close to the borderline and hesitated to overstep into non-belief, agnosticism, or even atheism;...

Science versus Non-Science

Generally, even a neat and tidy scientific theory bound together with immaculate logic does not get published or if published does not receive acceptability until it is verified by actual observations or laboratory data. Exceptions are there but ..

Abdus Salam - The Miracle Scientist of Pakistan

To some people, Salam’s genius was a kind of mystery. His approach to the problems that he worked on could be illusive and not self-evident...

When did Freethought Cease in the Muslim World?

The period in which rationalism was tangled with orthodox thought lasted for about four to five hundred years. In spite of the stresses and strains, this was a very productive period of intellectualism in the Muslim world...

Tragic Deaths of Three Great Scientists

The great era of Greek mathematical science, which began with the birth of a man, ended with the death of a woman.

Book: The Veil and the Male Elite: A Feminist Interpretation of Women`s Rights in Islam

When I finished writing this book I had come to understand one thing: if women`s rights are a problem for some modern Muslim men, it is neither because of the Koran nor the Prophet, nor the Islamic tradition, but simply because those rights conflict with

Origins of Hijab

After the conquest of Mecca, the Muslims were practically the unchallenged rulers of Arabia and the social conditions in Medina were also not menacing for the women. But, since hijab had been formally ordained by the Quran, there was no going back...

Will the String Theory Tie Them All Together?

...It is a very strange research career, in a way. So far, I’ve spent something like 17 years working on a theory for which there is essentially no direct experimental support. It’s a very precarious way to live and to work....

Is the November Election Kerry’s to Lose?

Spontaniety and passion are missing from his (Kerry’s) speeches. He is more like a ’cheerleader’ than a candidate contesting for the highest office....

Catharsis of Iraq War

You cannot hope to coax or coerce reliable information from the detainees by degrading them absolutely and abjectly, Forcing them to curse their own religion!...

Creeping Toward a Conspiracy?

..It appears that sexual humiliation was not an arbitrary concoction of the interrogators; they didn't do it for ’kicks’ and titillation. It was...

Writing the Encyclopedia of Britannica on the Head of a Pin

Feynman was not only a great scientist, but he was a great seer and a sage also. He could perceive and think of objects which ordinary scientists found hard to imagine.

More Outraged By the Outrage

The scandal is still unraveling; it’s going to get worse and put President Bush’s administration under increased pressure. President Bush apologized....

Facing the Music

President of the United States of America is the most powerful person in our planet. However, the American system of governance is even more powerful....

Lengthening Shadows of Iraq War

From all portents and signs, it appears that the coalition armies have not yet turned the corner in Iraq war; the shadows of the war continue lengthening and the end is not in sight.

Limitations of Science

Science does not have answers to all the questions ... Religion may not be true in every thing ... we need other things to have a harmonious life.

Semantics of “Historical” and “Actionable”

The intention of sending this memo to the president would obviously appear that it contained actionable information. But the White House read it otherwise.

Book: Against All Enemies: Inside America`s War on Terror

Okay, Dick, Condi said, "you`re the crisis manager, what do you recommend." She and I had discussed what we would do if and when another terrorist attack hit....

Quantum Computer - New Technology for the New Century

The quantum logic is different from the classical logic. The Schrodinger cat can be dead, alive, or dead and alive at the same time........

Metaphysical Obfuscation in the Islamic World

The more meaningless a metaphysical description is, truer it seems.

Who is a Muslim?

...there were two qualifications: that you believe in one God and that you believe Muhammad was a prophet...

Is Physical Science Socially Constructed?

Physical science has its own methodology and tests of verification and validation.

What Was There Before the Big Bang?

The essence of new developments in cosmology is hard to describe comprehensibly in non-technical language. Much of it sounds like stories from the fairy land....

Is Science without Religion really Lame

Science generally inculcates a sense of humility in the scientists who are overwhelmed by the realization how little they know about nature and our universe...

Book: The Meme Machine

....meme is so ubiquitous; it shows up at all the unlikely places, In fact the world is full of memes...

Dark Mysteries of Our Mysterious Universe

The dark energy story began in 1998 when astronomers reported that the most distant galaxies seemed to be receding far faster than calculations predicted

Bald Angel

So manto despite being brash, outspoken, and intellectually honest and unihibited, did respect implicitly certain values, certain personalities, and certain traditions.

Can Science Survive?

It rains because God wills it, And God has created the sun to provide heat and daylight...

Book: Islam under Siege

There will be a time when your religion will be like a hot piece of coal in the palm of your hand; you will not be able to hold it.

Religion without Science is Blind

Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind -- Albert Einstein

Book: Dude, Where’s My Country

..life as we knew it changed for ever..

Free Thought is Key to Progress

Aazadi-e-afkar sey haiy unn ki tabahi, Rakhtay naheen jo fikr-o-tadabbar ka saleeq
(If a person is forbidden from indulging in free thought, how he can acquire the skills and the right attitude for free thinking)

Book: Mirza Ghalib - A creative Biography

The book clearly shows the depth and profundity of author`s comprehension of the Urdu idiom and poetic metaphors. She...

Conflict of Science with Theocracy

Although all the various governments in the Muslim countries are not constitutionally theocratic in structure, all of them do indeed have constitutional provisions forbidding divergence from the fundamental beliefs based on religious tradition and the Hol

Square Pegs in Round Holes

I had the chance of cursorily looking at Rasheed Talib’s recent post on Chowk, “My Perspective on Islam”, and was attracted to find out more about him. He had also previously posted another article on Islam with a title of “Islam i

Sheedah Badma’ash

Abdul Rasheed Butt and I were class fellows at high school in the senior years. Our School was an Islamia School but was more popularly called the “Khudd School” – a hole of a school

Sufi, Practice Love Because Mathematics is Difficult

Sufi’s real name was Muhammad Afzal. I met him for the first time when I went to Islamia College, Railway Road, Lahore, for my Faculty of Science (F.Sc.) education in 1951.

Book: Fashionable Nonsense: Postmodern Intellectuals` Abuse of Science

The authors explain their objective for writing the book under review as follows...

Book: The Ghost in the Universe: God in Light of Modern Science

Some years ago, in what must have been one of my (Edis`s) less sane moments, I decided to begin writing a book about science, religion, and philososphy. I found writing it even more rewarding than I anticipated - I learned a lot, and changed my mind on no

Ali G and his Bling - Bling

The first time I came across Ali G was in.....

Quandary in Quantum Mechanics

Quantum mechanics began in a cloud of doubts and hesitation and these doubts still remain

The Metaphysics of Religion

Much of the metaphysics appears to be meaningless to a materialisitic way of thinking.

Book: The Mission: Waging War and Keeping Peace with America`s Military

Dana Priest`s new book, The Mission, is the hottest cake in the market and the political circles.

From Childhood to Youth

translation

Kaleidoscope of Human Life

The greatest creation of human minds is the ''words''......

Three Hard Questions and Quest for Their Solution

Why can't I go out to play? Because, it might rain....Can the chain of explanation stop somewher, with God perhaps,..

Saveray Jo Kal Aankh Meri Khuli

When a jackal is hounded by death, he heads towards the city...

Foreword of Aag ka Dariya

There is such a well-established chain of rumors about this novel that any refutation of them is beyond me.

Skeptical And Counter-Skeptical Trends In Medieval Islam

There are hundreds of religions in the world, each one of them claiming to be the only true religion

Intellectual Diversity of Human Thought

Man is a rational animal and is ensnared in his own web.

Mable and Me

Mable was in Girls College. We had one class common at the Cambridge University

Regarding the Stupid White Men

Subjugation and domination of others, is part of the human psyche

Uchro, Muchro, Kuchro

The uchro sessions are not indeed in vain

A Mathematical Genius

The story of John Forbes Nash Jr.

End of Physics

The Theory of Everything, if you dare to be bold

Mohammad Gill

• Articles on Chowk: 160
• First article: May 20, 2001
• Latest article: May 2, 2008
• Times read on Chowk: 1521791