4,299 research outputs found
A critical analysis of Christian responses to Islamic claims about the work of the Prophet Muhammad, ‘the Messenger of God’.
No full textThe aims of this study are to analyse critically the different Christian responses to the Islamic understanding of the work of Muhammad. Chapter one consists a short introduction leading to an appraisal of Muhammad which incorporates historical, hagiographal and Quranic source material, and in the light of relevant Christian and Muslim scholarship. The second chapter presents a summary critical analysis of Muhammad in Christian theological perspective, from 661 A.D. to modern times. Chapter three presents a critique of Christian responses to the Muslim allegations that the text of the Bible has been infected with corruption; and that Muhammad's advent and status are foretold in the unadulterated' scriptures, and in the Gospel of Barnabas. Chapter four examines the theological significance of the work of Muhammad for Christians. Thus, Jesus and Muhammad are critically assessed and contrasted in order to ascertain the importance, for Christians, of the Muslim claims in respect of Muhammad as ’the messenger of God’. Chapter five provides a critical evaluation of the various Christian responses to Muhammad. It is argued that many of the said responses have been entangled in myths and misperceptions which have severely distorted the true account of Muhammad's work. Consequently, many Christians have failed to appreciate the divine legitimacy of Muhammad's call to prophethood. Further, it is argued that Christians should accept that Muhammad is a genuine prophet, and the messenger of God. However, Muhammad's use of the power-structure in order to maintain Islam is in sharp contrast to Jesus’ decision to face the consequences of his ministry passively through faith in God. Accordingly, orthodox Christian belief in the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus provides another dimension to prophethood, where the messenger and the message become one, an identification which finds no parallel in Islam, and which, in the nature of the case, cannot find a parallel
The Lahawiyin: Identity and History in a Sudanese Arab Tribe
No full textThe Lahawiyin:
Identity and History in a Sudanese Arab Tribe
Tamador Ahmed Khalid Abdalla
Abstract
This thesis is concerned with the Lahawiyin of northern Sudan, and it explores
the relationship between identity and history in this Sudanese Arab tribe since
the late nineteenth century. The history of the Lahawiyin reveals continuous
crossings of borders and boundaries through a period of substantial political
and economic change, much of it driven by external forces.
The thesis demonstrates that the Lahawiyin Arab identity has been central to
the way that Lahawiyin leaders have sought to develop and maintain their
authority, and the ways in which ordinary Lahawiyin have tried to maintain a
particular way of life and patterns of social relations. Arab identity has been
used instrumentally to make claims or assert rights; but it has also shaped the
way in which Lahawiyin have understood their interests. The emphasis on
Arab identity has been closely linked to the prolonged campaign by some
Lahawiyin for a homeland (dar), and in the way that Lahawiyin have
negotiated their subordinate status within larger Arab confederations – first the
Kababish, then the Shukriyya. It has also shaped Lahawiyin relationships with
their own subordinates, particularly slaves. Though the Lahawiyin campaign
for a dar has not been successful, and their lifestyle of most Lahawiyin has
now changed irrevocably away from pastoralism, Arab identity has continued
to be important in current contests over the political status of potential leaders,
and the group as a whole.
The thesis makes use of a range of archival sources in the UK National
Archive, in Sudan Archive at Durham and at the National Records Office in
Khartoum. During the fieldwork various academic sources were consulted in
Khartoum and Gedarif which form an important aspect of the narratives
together with the many stories which were generated from the oral histories
told by the Lahawiyin.
Using these materials, the thesis discusses how the Lahawiyin, have utilized
their Arabness, and the way they present their history, to negotiate their status
with a series of regimes, from the Turco-Egyptian state of the nineteenth
century to the current regime of the National Congress Party
From damage to disaster: a study of vulnerability to flash flooding in urban Wadi Hadhramaut, Yemen.
No full textThis research is a study of the changing vulnerability of three towns in the Wadi Hadhramaut, Yemen, to flash flooding. The predominant construction material of the towns, Seiyun, Shibam and Tarim, is the sun-dried mud-brick, a seemingly unpractical choice in an area where floods are expected annually. However, until recently, the vulnerability of the towns to flooding has been limited. The majority of the flood events in the Wadi Hadhramaut have caused little destruction within the towns, the damage being manifested in the collapse of a few houses. Reconstruction of damage caused by flooding has remained within the capability of the communities. Until recently, the protection of the towns has been through the practice of building on the raised ground beneath the mountains and on islands of colluvial material defined by channels on the flood plain. Weirs and channels in the wadi bed guide and disperse the flood waters so that their destructive effect is reduced. Mitigation has been provided by aspects of house construction, and traditions of co-operation within the communities. Unfortunately, as a result of the rapid and erratic process of urbanisation, the towns are becoming increasingly vulnerable to flash floods. The town planning principles of building on high ground and controlling flood waters have been affected by the pressing need to find more land on which to house the growing population. House construction has taken place at the edges of the flood channels. Agricultural lands that once absorbed flood waters have been developed into residential areas. Large suburbs have been developed in areas prone to inundation during major floods. These trends, coupled with the disruption caused by government intervention in community co-operation, have substantially increased the likelihood of a major flash flood causing a disaster in any one of these three towns
Influence of Cross-Section Shape and FRP Reinforcement Layout on Shear Capacity of Strengthened RC Beams
No full textThe evaluation of the shear capacity of an FRP-strengthened reinforced-concrete beam is challenging due to the complex interaction between different contributions provided by the concrete, steel stirrup and FRP reinforcement. The shape of the beam and the FRP inclination can have paramount importance that is not often recognized by the models that are suggested by codes. The interaction among different resisting mechanisms has a significant effect on the shear capacity of beams, since it can cause a reduction in the efficiency of some resisting mechanisms. A comparative study of the performance in the shear resistance assessment provided by three models with six different effectiveness factors (R) is performed, considering different cross-section shapes, FRP wrapping schemes, inclination and anchorage systems. The results revealed that the cross-section shape, the FRP inclination and the efficiency of the FRP anchorages have a significant effect on the shear strength of beams. The analysis results show that the three models are able to provide an accurate average estimation of shear strength (but with a coefficient of variation up to 0.35) when FRP reinforcement orthogonal to the beam axis is considered, while a significant underestimation (up to 19%) affected the results for inclined FRP reinforcement. Moreover, all the models underestimated the resistance of beams with a T section
Figure 5. Bootstrap consensus tree from W in The Matsucoccus Cockerell, 1909 of Florida (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha: Matsucoccidae): Potential pests of Florida pines
No full textFigure 5. Bootstrap consensus tree from W-IQ-TREE analysis. Node support values from left to right are standard ML bootstrap, ultrafast ML bootstrap, ultrafast MP bootstrap, and SH-aLRT. Support values labeled with a "*" have 100% support. Support values labeled with "-" have support lower than 50%. Support values with a "--" indicate that node was not recovered by an analysis. Numbers in parentheses indicate the number of individuals.Published as part of Ahmed, Muhammad Z., Ray, Charles H., Moore, Matthew R. & Miller, Douglass R., 2020, The Matsucoccus Cockerell, 1909 of Florida (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha: Matsucoccidae): Potential pests of Florida pines, pp. 1-31 in Insecta Mundi 2020 (810) on page 11, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.456541
The Effectiveness of Virtual R&D Teams in SMEs: Experiences of Malaysian SMEs
No full textThe number of small and medium enterprises (SMEs), especially those involved with research and development (R&D) programs and employed virtual teams to create the greatest competitive advantage from limited labor are increasing. Global and localized virtual R&D teams are believed to have a high potential for SMEs growth. Due to the fast growing complexity of the new product, coupled with new emerging opportunities of virtual teams, a collaborative approach is believed to be the future trend. This research explores the effectiveness of virtuality in SMEs virtual R&D teams. An online questionnaire emailed to Malaysian manufacturing SMEs and 74 usable questionnaires were received, representing a 20.8 percent return rate. To avoid the bias that may result from pre-suggested answer, a series of open-ended questions asked from expertise. This study based on analyzing an open-ended question; extract four main themes among expertise recommendations on the effectiveness of virtual teams for SMEs growth and performance. These are suitable for SMEs new product design manager to realize the key advantage and importance of virtual R&D teams in the process of NPD, which lead to increase the effectiveness of the new product's procedure.Virtual teams, New product development, Survey finding, Small and medium Enterprises.
Democratic Welfare State as Visualised by the Quaid-i-Azam
No full textThe Quaid-i-Azam, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, is known more for his political achievements than for his socio-economic thought. Last two decades, however, have seen a continuous flow of books containing his speeches, statements, messages, interviews, discussions in pre-independence legislative bodies and addresses in the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan. Even a cursory look at this vast literature shows that he was not only concerned with the political aspect of sub-continent’s independence movement but also consistently expressed his views regarding the socio-economic uplift of masses in general and Muslim society in particular. These views in their bare essentials reflect a remarkable continuity of approach from the earlier days of his political career to the period he occupied the position of Governor General of Pakistan. Actually, he became more and more expressive and forthright as the prospects of Pakistan coming into existence became bright. When Pakistan finally appeared as a sovereign nation on the map of the world, he openly rejected the prevailing economic system as having failed to do justice between man and man and to eradicate friction from the international field.
On the base pressure of 3D turbulent bluff body wakes with sharp separation
No full textParticle Image Velocimetry (PIV) and pressure measurements are used to study the turbulent wake of Ahmed bluff body. A cavity on the base is created to control the base pressure and modify the recirculating bubble and its equilibrium
Contribution of Services Sector in the Economy of Pakistan
No full textThe services sector has provided steady support to Pakistan’s economic growth. It share in GDP now stands a more than 50 percent. The paper analyses its continuation in the growth of the economy in general and the development of trade and genera tion of employment in particular. The study identifies the bottlenecks in its growth and suggest measures to remove them. A set of policy reforms has been suggested to make the sector more effective in the growth of the national economy.Services Sector, Industry, Employment, Financial Institutions and Pakistan’s Economy
Matsucoccus Cockerell 1909
No full textKey to Matsucoccus species from the eastern U.S. based on adult females 1. Venter with two sizes of setae; setae anterior of hind coxae and in medial areas of abdomen noticeably longer than other ventral setae......................................................... 2 — Venter with one size of ventral setae; setae anterior of hind coxae approximately same length as other ventral setae.............................................. M. alabamae Morrison (Fig. 6) 2(1). Cicatrices present on metathorax or abdominal segment I..................................... 4 — Cicatrices absent from metathorax and abdominal segment I.................................. 3 3(2). Cicatrices present in four rows on abdominal segments III–VI; cicatrices greater than 15 µm in diameter; with less than 100 cicatrices................................... M. macrocicatrices Richards — Cicatrices present in five rows on abdominal segments II–VI; cicatrices less than 15 µm in diameter; with more than 100 cicatrices....................................... M. matsumurae (Kuwana) 4(2). With 20–32 multilocular pores; with 170–378 cicatrices; cicatrices in medial and mediolateral areas, but not in lateral areas......................................... M. gallicolus Morrison (Fig. 10) — With 36–72 multilocular pores; with 437–900 cicatrices; cicatrices in medial, mediolateral, and lateral areas on some segments................ M. krystalae Ahmed and Miller, new species (Fig. 12)Published as part of Ahmed, Muhammad Z., Ray, Charles H., Moore, Matthew R. & Miller, Douglass R., 2020, The Matsucoccus Cockerell, 1909 of Florida (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha: Matsucoccidae): Potential pests of Florida pines, pp. 1-31 in Insecta Mundi 2020 (810) on page 8, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.456541
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