Religion and Science: The Institute on Religion in an Age of Science, Inc., will convene on July 29-August 4, 2001. The topic, Human Meaning in a Technological Culture, will explore and evaluate how these powerful [information and biotechnoloy] technologies redefine, for better and for worse, human identity and meaning, as well as ideas about reality and God. www.iras.org.

Call for Papers: The European Society for the Study of Science and Theology (ESSSAT) has issued a call for papers. Details about its conference, to be held during March 19-24, 2002, are now available. www.esssat.org.

The Future of Religion? The World Network of Religious Futurists will meet in Minneapolis, MN, July 29-31, 2001. Attendees are scholars and activists from around the world who study the future of their religious tradition in view of world civilization. www.wfs.org.

Interesting Books: Mariano Artigas, The Mind of the Universe: Understanding Science and Religion; Robert Herrmann (ed.), Expanding Humanity’s Vision of God: New Thoughts on Science and Religion; Arnold Benz, The Future of the Universe: Chance, Chaos, God?; Ted Peters (ed.), Science and Theology: The New

Consonance; Ian Barbour, When Science Meets Religion; Reuven Firestone, Children of Abraham: An Introduction to Judaism for Muslims; Khalid Duran, Children of Abraham: An Introduction to Islam for Jews; Michael Shermer, How We Believe: The Search for God in an Age of Science. www.amazon.com.

African History in for a Rewrite: Professor John Hunwick and Northwestern University have received a $1 million Ford Foundation grant to study sub-Saharan Africa’s written traditions. In 1999, Hunwick discovered 3,000 Arabic manuscripts held by a Timbuktu family since 1592. He hopes to prove sub-Saharan Africans were not illiterate, and therefore uncivilized, before European colonialism. www.chicago-tribune.com.

In Society

Patent Fight Ended: Last year, 2.5 million Africans died from AIDS because they could not afford medicine. Large pharmaceutical companies, citing intellectual property rights, went to court to block South Africa’s efforts to get a WTO wavier to import far cheaper generic drugs on the grounds of national emergency. The companies withdrew their case on April 19, 2001, claiming that harsh international criticism was not a factor. http://dailynews.netscape.com.

Human Trafficking: The recent deaths of 58 out of 60 illegal Chinese immigrants in Europe highlights the problem of human trafficking. The UN estimates that those involved make $8 billion to $12.3 billion annually in profits. www.cnn.com.

Patenting Gene Data: Biotechnology firms are seeking exclusive ownership of the pure scientific formulas that represent genes. Critics claim this would make any recording and storing of formulas illegal without the patent holder’s permission, effectively ending some genetic research. At least 16 such patents are now pending at the Canadian Patent Office, and similar ones in America and elsewhere. Legal scholars and intellectual property experts fear that the free flow of genetic knowledge and innovation is at stake. www.nationalpost.com.

New Data Transmission Record: French and Japanese engineers have squeezed more than 10 trillion bits per second through single optical fibers. This record capacity equals about 150 million simultaneous phone conversations. www.techreview.com.

In Science

Return to Mars: NASA launched its Mars Odyssey orbiter on April 7, 2001. When it lands on Mars during October 2001, it will map the surface’s chemical and mineral makeup, determine Mar’s radiation level and how it might affect future astronauts, locate near-surface water, and map mineral deposits from past water activity. www.nasa/gov.

A Biological First: Biologists have mapped the entire genetic code of Arabidopsis thaliana, a plant belonging to the mustard family. Scientists expect applications in agriculture (the genetic manipulation of rice, wheat, and other crops) and medicine (many medicines come from plants). www.popsi.com.

RNA Chips: RNA switches clustered on a gold-coated silicon surface can identify different strains of E.coli found in bacterial cultures. Scientists hope to develop RNA chips that can reveal the molecular composition of complex mixtures better than current DNA biochips. Future uses are seen in detecting drugs, toxins, metabolites, proteins, and nucleic acids. www.techreview.com.

New Cancer Treatment: Molecularly targeted therapy drugs recognize and attack specific molecules unique to specific cancers. The model drug leading the way is Glivec (STI571), which fights CML, a cancer characterized by excessive white blood cell overproduction. Such drugs are designed by working backward from a known abnormal molecule specific to a certain type of cancer, and thus have a limited use. Glivec is getting a priority FDA review. http://abcnews.go.com.

Virtual Reality Update: Computer scientists affiliated with the National Tele-Immersion Initiative have produced a prototype virtual office. Digital cameras that monitor movements from various angles, head-mounted tracking gear, polarized glasses, and screens mounted at right angles to your desk allow you to see your colleague’s office. All images are life-size and 3D. www.popsci.com.

The governor explained the reason why he came to his office late in the morning:

It is not proper to explain it, but since you want me to, I consent to do it: I do not have any servants and my wife is ill. I knead the dough myself and make the bread, and only after doing other work at home am I able to leave for my office.

In answer to the second complaint of the people, the governor said:

Although it is not proper to explain this either, I will explain it since you want me to. I spend all my day among them to attend to their work and needs. When it is night, shall I not worship my Lord and accuse myself before Him for what I did during the long day?

The third complaint of the people was that Sa’id ibn ‘Amir stayed at home one day a week and did not come out among the people. The governor answered that complaint:

As I said before, I do not have any servants and my wife is ill. I have only one suit of clothes and wash it on that day. That is why I cannot go out among them one day in the week.

The last complaint was that the governor sometimes lost his senses and almost went mad. The explanation was as follows:

When Hubayb was martyred by the Makkan polytheists I had not yet become a Muslim and was present on the scene. [Hubayb was among the deputation the Prophet, upon him be peace and blessings, sent to the tribes of Adal and al-Qarah to teach them the Qur’an upon their request. However, when the deputation halted to have a rest in the area where the Hudayl tribe lived, and while sleeping, they were all at once attacked by the Hudayli unbelievers. Three of the deputation were martyred, the rest, among whom were Hubayb and Zayd ibn Dasina were submitted to the Makkans. The Makkans kept Hubayb and Zayd as prisoners for some time and then took them out of the city to kill them.] When Hubayb was about to be killed, Abu Sufyan stepped forward and said to him:

I adjure you by God, Hubayb, don’t you wish that Muhammad was with us now in your place so that we might cut off his head, and that you were with your family?’

‘By God,’ said Hubayb, ‘let alone wishing that Muhammad were here in my place so that I were with my family, I do not wish that even a thorn should hurt his foot in Madina.’

Abu Sufyan was astonished by this answer. He turned to those present, and said:

‘By God, I swear I have never seen a man who was so loved as Muhammad’s Companions love him.’

I could have helped Hubayb then, but since I was then among those who associated partners with God, I did not. So, whenever I remember this event, thinking that God will never forgive me, I lose my senses and go almost mad.

‘Umar, may God be pleased with him, was content with his governor’s conduct and gave him one thousand gold pieces to meet his needs. However, the pious, righteous governor turned to his wife and said: ‘Let us spend this for a day when we will need it more than at any other time. Let us distribute it among those poorer than us.’

The governor handed the gold pieces to one among his family to distribute them among the poor, which he did.

Almost all the governors of Caliph ‘Umar were of a like quality in belief, conduct and understanding of administration. God-fearing, piety and righteousness were the lights by which they made their decisions and conducted their lives. It was the golden age in human history, or ‘the Happy Time’ as it is called in Islamic tradition.