The worth and sanctity attributed to a time or a land are essentially related to the Will of God. This Divine Will brings along countless benefits and examples of wisdom for the creation. We mark certain points in history with significant events and commemorate their anniversary every year; likewise some cities, towns, or any other location are highly regarded with respect to the symbolic, spiritual, or historical value of an outstanding person who lived there. The blessed dates of Islam also have their roots in the Will of God, coming each time as a means of infinite Mercy that pours down on us. The blessed days, nights, and months are each a distinctive sign of Islam; they are especially precious not only for believers, but for the entire universe. All creation, in both the Heavens and on the Earth display the utmost respect for these blessed times in due fashion with their sanctity. They are precious not for any monetary value of this world; they are a most profitable trade fair for our enterprise, providing the best opportunity for investment. It is an absolute win- win situation where even the temporal life of this world benefits from the serene, peaceful atmosphere and the spiritual contentment that is an innate part of the blessed months. The lead article of this issue underlines this topic, with all its lofty implications. In the Belief section the exceptional example of Bediuzzaman Said Nursi is portrayed, with his outstanding devotion to prayer and worship during the Blessed Three Months, as reflected in his letters to students of the Risale-i Nur.
“The Sinning Forelock” reports the astounding story of Phineas Gage, who survived what should have been a fatal work accident, only receiving a serious wound to the frontal lobes of his brain. Although this accident took place in 1848, Gage remains a mysterious a record in the history of medicine. What is more interesting and what is related to the outlook of The Fountain is that a change-or deterioration, to be more precise-in the personality of Gage occurred after the accident; a man who had been an honest individual with an exemplary character, became irritable and rude. Such changes were clues to scientists that helped to determine what roles the different parts of the brain played.
The Journalists and Writers Foundation, Istanbul, added another link to its successful chain of international organizations. Having first started with domestic nationwide events in Turkey, the foundation has taken giant steps to become the organizers for conferences covering the entire globe. “From Terrorism to Global Ethic: Religions and Peace” was the title of the last meeting of Dialogue Eurasia Platform, which operates under the J&W Foundation. As the meeting was organized together with the Institute of Oriental Studies at Russian Academy of Natural Sciences, Moscow was chosen as the venue for an interfaith and dialogue meeting that took place June 7-8. Mehmet Yilmaz reports on this event for us.
We wish you all our readers a blissful and beneficial experience in the Blessed Three Months, which are just around the corner.
