Aromatherapy involved inhaling pleasant smells and is a non-medicinal form of treatment for various psychological disorders. A nice smell triggers hormones of happiness (serotonin, dopamine, oxytocin, and endorphin) and helps overcome depression by stimulating the brain. A smell disorder is a malfunction that might even indicate neurological and psychological illnesses. One of the most crucial parts of the brain that is impacted by Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s is the region that specializes in sense of smell. We mostly fail to notice what a blessing it is to be able to smell until we lose it. Otherwise, we are exposed to thousands of different smells every day.

Even minor issues with the nose can cause major inconveniences. Nasal congestion lessens the quality of everyday life: it is hard to sleep with a congested nose; even if you manage to fall sleep, the quality of sleep drops significantly.

The magnificent functions of the nose are as follows:

1. Sense of smell enables us to identify beneficial and harmful things and keep away from harmful ones. The nose helps spread the feeling of peace and happiness produced by nice smells that influence the spirit through the brain (olfaction).
2. The nose helps protect the respiratory passage from diseases by moistening and heating the inhaled air as it is carried to the lungs and cleaning foreign objects from the lungs with the mucus it secretes (inspiration and regulation).
3. It regulates the resonance of sound vibrations formed in the vocal cords, thereby virtually acting as loudspeakers (phonation).

These functions are miraculous, and yet we never contemplate them or their perfect engineering.

The nose: our body’s air-conditioning device

Before inhaled air reaches our lungs, it passes a turbulent current through the nose, which is by all means a perfect air-conditioning device and air filter.

Air that enters the nasal cavities through the nostrils flows through inner nasal canals to the nasopharynx (upper-frontal pharynx). It then flows down the pharynx to the larynx and finally to the lungs. Inside the nostrils are hairs that trap and filter dust, sand, pollen, and little bugs. Cleaned of these particles, air then passes through canals (meatus), which are anatomical engineering wonders in each nostril, and over turbinal structures (conchae) (Figure 1).

The exterior of these scroll-shaped canals in the nasal cavity are lined with a moist layer that secretes the fluid called mucus. Thanks to the magnificent architecture of the air conditioning chimney made up of these canals and folds, particles of dust are retained by this mucosa membrane. On this membrane there are also thin hairs (cilia) which constantly wave to and fro. This movement carries particles of dust not toward the lungs but toward the nostrils, which are then expelled when the person sneezes or blows the nose. If it were not for this precisely built structure, the inhaled air would directly go to the lungs without undergoing cleaning.

The inner working of the nose also heat or cool air, as necessary. The mucosa that lines the inside of the nose is rich in capillaries and mucus secretion. As inhaled air travels through the nose, it both warms up by absorbing heat from the blood in the mucosa veins and gains moisture by absorbing it from the mucosa. For example, when a person inhales through air from a room where the temperature is 20-22°C (68-71°F), the air heats up to 32-35°C (89-95°F) and becomes 95-98% moist by the time it reaches the larynx. If the same person breathes in through the mouth in the same room, the inhaled air can warm only up to 28–30°C (82-86°F) and reach a moisture point of 80-85%.

Without the nose, air would not be heated, moistened, and purified. The dusty, dirty, or cold air we inhale would directly go to the lungs, which would cause frequent illnesses in them and the upper respiratory tract.

How do we smell?

The nose is created with the ability to distinguish about ten thousand different smells. Its magnificent architecture is a perfect means of transport that facilitates the sense of smell in our brain, which is the real center of smell in our body. As this sense of smell function in our body, we take pleasure out of it in our soul.

The “smell molecules” communicated through the air first reach the receptors in the “olfactory epithelium” in the upper region of the nose that is equipped with a multitude of nerve cells. The stimulus that is converted into an electrical signal in this epithelium is conveyed to the smell center in the brain through olfactory nerves (Figure 2). All this process the smell molecules go through in the nose and the brain interact and impact with our soul in such a subtle way that we take delight and even be healed.

The sense of smell in certain animals (especially in dogs, moths, and some fish species) is hundreds of times more sensitive than in humans. For these animals, it is crucial for finding food and their survival.

The inability to perceive smells, or “smell blindness” (also called “anomia” in medicine), can be temporary or permanent depending on the underlying factor. Anomia is usually temporary in cases of the flu, cold, bad sinus congestion, or allergies. A decrease in olfactory sensitivity (hyposmia) can also be caused by nasal congestion, enlarged adenoids, nasal polyps, nasal deviations, or concha bullosa, which prevent air currents from reaching the olfactory region. The sense of smell usually recovers when these anatomical abnormalities are corrected; only in cases when duration of sinusitis is prolonged, namely when it becomes chronic, does loss of smell become permanent.

The impact of the nose on our voice quality

We can feel the effect of our nose on our voice quality, such as when the voice changes due to congestion or closing the nostrils with our fingers. Experienced physicians can immediately diagnose nasal congestion from the way a patient talks. Life is indeed an ordeal for people who cannot breathe easily through their noses.

Air cleared of germs

Nasal mucus is a slightly acidic secretion that carries an antibody called “immune globulin A” (IgA). Its slight acidity as well as the antibody in it allows the mucus to eliminate various germs, and the respiratory tracts are thus protected against perilous sources of illness.

The tiny sweeping hairs that line the interior of the nose can break down or stop working altogether because of certain germs, particularly viruses that cause the flu, filthy and dry air, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, and cigarette smoke. Because nasal cleaning is disrupted, disease-inducing microorganisms can easily cause upper respiratory tract inflammation and other serious infections.

 The nose’s role in taste

Smell is crucial for a better perception of taste. Indeed, when there is a problem with the function of smell, a person’s sense of taste suffers, too. Nice smells have a favorable impact on the sense of smell. If we could not detect the bad smell of a rotten, harmful food item, we would not be able to stop ourselves from eating it and harming our body.

The importance of smell is highlighted in religious traditions. It is reported that the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, mentioned putting on pleasant perfumes among other things that were the traditions of the messengers of God. Clippings from mush, camphor, amber or aloeswood were also burnt in the Prophet’s home for their pleasant scents.

Humans rarely consider their sense of smell. In fact, we tend to take it for granted. But through the nose’s perfect design, we are to smell and taste so much of the world around us, which is surely an everyday miracle.

Figure 1: The magnificent design of the anatomy of the nose

Figure 2: The awe-inspiring structure of the olfactory region

Sleep is a period of renewal that prepares us for the new day and enables our brain and body to perform duties that they cannot while awake.

Growing numbers of businesses are including good sleep in their wellness programs for their employees. Many of them now have sleep pods in their offices to improve productivity. In addition to diet, weight, exercise and smoking cessation, sleep wellness is now becoming part of our tools to prevent health problems; and this is a good thing.

Sleep is a period of renewal that prepares us for the new day and enables our brain and body to perform duties that they cannot while awake. Having a sufficient amount of high-quality sleep is vital for us to be healthier and to feel better during the day. Yet the number of people experiencing sleeping problems is on the rise.

The duration of healthy sleep varies from person to person. If the night’s sleep lacks quality –say, for instance because of frequent interruptions for the need to go to toilet – the total duration spend in bed extends. The craving or need for more sleep as a result becomes a sleep problem.

Sleep deprivation prevents certain brain functions that are enabled only during sleep. Sleep is necessary for learning and memory. Moreover, healthy sleep is crucial for appetite regulation, so insufficient sleep may result in weight gain.

In the general sense, sufficient and quality sleep is also essential for overcoming diseases and disorders. Therefore, many patients in the intensive care unit, especially those suffering from cerebral bleeding, edemas, or a heart attack, are put to sleep with drugs. Studies have shown that sleep is crucial for fast recovery of post-operational scars. It is essential that long hospital visits should be avoided so that the patient can have the much needed sleep.

Because metabolism slows down during sleep, all the bodily energy is redirected towards curing the brain and the body. Sleep is the time for repairing any part damaged during the day. Sufferers of sleep problems run a higher risk of developing illnesses such as Alzheimer’s and dementia. The number of neurons is important for memory as well. Their number decreases with age, weakening our memory. Age-related memory impairment stems from a breakdown of the brain’s communication network and can be prevented by healthy sleep. In addition, sleeplessness correlates with depression and cancer, too. The immune system also deteriorates in people experiencing sleep deprivation because it cannot be renewed and strengthened during sleep.

Coffee, tea, energy drinks, and other substances containing caffeine can prevent sleep for as long as six hours. That is, black coffee or strong tea you have in the afternoon may make it difficult for you to fall asleep at night. Similarly, if you have food that is high in fat and protein at a late dinner, you may experience problems drifting into sleep.

Working hours

Some people have to work at night so they can sleep during the daytime. People doing night shifts, for example doctors, nurses and police officers, frequently develop serious heart and brain problems. Our brains are created so as to stay asleep at night and awake during the day, so people who go to bed late at night experience more health problems. Sleeping during the day after a sleepless night leads to sleeplessness the following night. However, a nap (siesta) in the afternoon is extremely useful in that it virtually enables renewed morning freshness thanks to re-regulation of hormones.

Our body clocks are influenced by sunrise and sunset. Modern people are exposed to less sunlight during day and more artificial light at night, which has an impact on the time we fall asleep. Increased exposure to the morning sun and decreased exposure to artificial light (especially from phones and computers) can help our body clock readjust to a normal sleep schedule and hence help us sleep earlier.

Fixed waking hour

One of the most critical conditions for healthy sleep is to have a fixed waking hour. You should wake up at the same time no matter what time you went to bed the previous night. In fact, as a rule of thumb, you should get up from your bed at the same time in the morning whether it is weekend or weekday, work day or holiday, so that you can have a good sleep the following night.

The more tired you are when you go to bed, the harder it gets to drift into sleep. You should therefore avoid vigorous physical activity within a few hours before bedtime.

Contrary to widespread belief, reading books in bed, watching TV, or spending time on the mobile phone or computer makes it harder to fall asleep. Such activities should be done out of bed in another room, if possible, and the bed should be used for sleeping. In fact, sleeping somewhere other than your bed may also harm your healthy sleeping cycle.

Residents in big cities generally wake up very early to arrive at work or school on time and get back home quite late due to traffic. Sleeping late during the weekdays and waking up too early lead to an accumulation of sleeplessness, which needs to be made up for. Some research studies also have shown that late risers run higher health risks than early risers.

Certain regulations can be put into effect to help reduce sleep problems. For one thing, flexible working hours would enable more employees to start work later but more refreshed. Moreover, some businesses can arrange work schedules of their employees according to their body clocks. As a result, the performance and efficacy of the employees could be improved. Buildings can be made to let in more sunlight and thus dependence on blue light can be reduced.

Our need for sleep, daily and weekly, is more or less stable. This need is also related to your age. Sleep duration increases with your age: it peaks in your twenties and then your body clock tends to move back as you get on in years. As you get older, you need less sleep.

Sleep for physical formatting

Sleep used to be considered to be a time of rest until recently. Today, however, sleep is accepted as a time for restructuring and physical formatting. Snoring, sleep apnea, and frequent visits to the toilet prevent high quality sleep.

Growth hormones are produced the most during deep sleep. We should therefore be particularly careful about ensuring that children get enough and healthy (deep) sleep schedules.

Position

Sleep position is important, especially for the elderly. A position should be chosen that is least painful. For instance, the heart is believed to be more at ease when one sleeps on the right side. In this position, breathing takes place more through the left nostril rather than the right, enabling the sympathetic system to rest and the parasympathetic system to take over. When the parasympathetic system starts to work, drifting into sleep becomes easier and the duration as well as the quality of sleep increase. Sleeping on the right has been reported to be the tradition of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him.

When you lie in bed, gaps remain between the bed and our neck, waist and knees. These gaps may need to be filled particularly for the elderly and those who suffer from pain in one’s back or neck. Herniated discs have become more common in employees doing desk jobs. A pillow can be folded slightly to support the neck, or special pillows that take the shape of the head and neck can be used. It may not always be necessary to fill in the gaps but if you have backache or hernia it might be necessary to support the waist. The support of a small pillow can be helpful in some cases of knee problems. In other cases, a soft pillow placed between the knees can be helpful.

Numerous studies in recent years have reported that cupping (hijama) and foot reflexology therapy can increase sleep quality. These two methods reportedly help discharge excessive static electricity and psychological stress that have accumulated in the body and thus make it easier to drift into sleep.

Oversleeping is as dangerous as sleep deprivation. It has been found that people who sleep more than eight hours a day have a higher risk of heart failure. A Norwegian study has shown that sleep that is more than eight hours or less than four hours increases the risk of heart failure. Conducted at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, the study included 50,000 subjects aged 20-89 whose sleep patterns were monitored for 11 years. According to the results, people who slept more than eight hours or less than four hours had a 35 percent greater risk of dying from heart failure than people who sleep between six and eight hours. People who slept less than four hours were reported to have a 34 percent higher propensity for dying from heart failure.

It is important to make sure we have enough amount of sleep for both our physical and spiritual health; not more, not less. Having a siesta for 1-1.5 hours during the day can also prove useful. Oversleeping numbs the human mind, may bring gloom to the heart, and may cause us to lose our ability to make good judgments. Going to bed immediately after eating and drinking may also be a cause for various illnesses, including obesity.

References

1. Munshi, Neil. “Sleeping on the job can improve your work.” Financial Times, September 13, 2017.
2. Laugsand LE, Strand LB, Platou C, Vatten LJ, Janszky I, “Insomnia and the risk of incident heart failure: a population study”, Eur Heart J. 2014 Jun 1;35(21):1382-93. Epub 2013 Mar 5.

In the remarkable interfaith city of Urfa, the author is surprised by extraordinary generosity which exemplifies the city’s “living faith.”

Sanliurfa, known to the Turks as “Urfa the Glorious,” is often described as a city of many faiths. It is indeed glorious, for a more impressive interfaith site than this one would be hard to find outside of Jerusalem. Legend has it that Adam met Eve on the Göbekli Mound outside of town. The two sons of Abraham, Ishmael and Isaac, were born in nearby Harran. Isaac met his wife Rachel while drawing water at a well in Harran, and their love story charted the destiny of the world, for their descendants included Moses, King David and Jesus. The descendants of his brother, Ishmael, included Mohammed, founder of the Islamic faith. The name of Urfa is scattered countless times throughout the verses of the Old Testament. The city later became known as Edessa, seat of the first major Crusader state of the Outremer, established during the First Crusade of Baldwin II in 1096. Edessa became an important center for the spread of Christianity and the revival of Greek learning, through translations made here into Syriac, the local language spoken by Jesus, then into Arabic, and finally into Latin and the European languages.

On my recent visit to this very hot city in southeastern Turkey, I could not help but be impressed by the cultural, historical, spiritual and mystical atmosphere of this capital of many faiths. When I walked through the rose gardens of the Hasan Padishah Mosque on my way towards the Pool where Abraham’s Sacred Fish swam, I could feel the memory of the prophets of many faiths. As I trod on stones polished by centuries of Biblical footsteps, I observed the crowds coming on pilgrimage to the site, many of whom would continue on to Mecca to complete the Hajj.

Yet faith does not just lie in the historical past of Urfa. Today, it is still a city of living faith, as I recently experienced.

Urfa is dotted with several splendid bazaars, reached by narrow backstreets just wide enough for one donkey to pass. These bazaars echo with the sounds of Turkish, Kurdish, Persian, and Arabic. Djellabias, facial tattoos, keffiyeh scarves, Salvar pants, tee-shirts and tennis shoes all mix in a colorful jumble of traditions and cultures. I went to the Kazzaz Bazaar to watch the silk weavers and to hear the hammering of its famed coppersmiths. I went to the Sipahi Bazaar to admire the bright Kurdish rugs. I went to the Ucuzluk Bazaar to buy some isot pepper.

I had read about isot, the celebrated red pepper of Urfa, and was fascinated by it. What did it taste like, I wondered, and is it really as scorching hot as the infamous palate-exploding habanero pepper of my southwest United States? Just what is it that makes it so special – so special that the people of Urfa consume 70 tons of isot pepper in their kebabs per day? It is certain that it is not just the 46 degree centigrade (115 F) weather that heats up this city, but all that fiery red powdered fuel, too. Isot would also appear to have something more explosive than its blazing taste. A team of scientists from the University of Nottingham, in England, intrigued by the link between the heavy consumption of isot and the very low cancer rates in this area, has carried out research on the pepper. Their research has provided conclusive evidence that isot pepper does indeed possess substantial anti-cancer properties.

I stopped in a spice shop where I was immediately taken in hand by the young owner, Abdulhekim. A tower of colorful spice sacs made from striped kilims rose in a tower against the wall, many of them containing different varieties of isot. When I asked to buy some, I first received a lengthy and informed lesson on their different qualities and textures from Abdulhekim: wetter vs. drier, big flakes vs. small flakes, sweeter vs. smokier, and so on, including his confirmation of its proven effectiveness against cancer cells. Tea was shared, stories were exchanged, politics were discussed and jokes were told, for that is the way business is done in Turkey, even for a handful of pepper. He told me I definitely needed to purchase the most expensive variety; the “best quality kind” he assured me. He knew his stock, so I took his word, and I wanted the best quality for sure.

As he scooped out my order of the searing pepper flakes into a paper bag, I said in a low voice, “I am bringing this pepper back for my friend Enciğim who lives in America. She was sick this past year, but she has bravely finished her treatments and is healthy once again. But I would like her to eat some of this pepper every day to keep her that way, just like you do here in Urfa.”

When he finished weighing out the pepper and wrapping it up, I took out my wallet to pay. He flicked his head up in the emphatic Turkish gesture to say “No!” He brushed my wallet away and placed the package in my hands.

“This is a gift. This is my gift to your friend. May Allah’s mercy and the city of Urfa and its pepper keep her healthy and strong for many, many years to come. That is my wish for this gift. Take it home to her from me.”

Yes, all the way from the dawn of time until today, Urfa is a glorious city of living faith.

Original Article: Mak, G.K. & Weiss, S., Nature Neuroscience 13, 753 (2010).

Motherhood or maternal recognition is well characterized by associated brain plasticity during both early development and adulthood. Unlike motherhood, paternal-offspring recognition and its related brain plasticity is poorly understood. A group from University of Calgary designed a set of experiments to test whether father mice can recognize their own infants once they’ve reached adulthood. They exposed adult males to their own and genetically unrelated infants for 2 days. The fathers were tested for adult offspring recognition six weeks later. Assay compared the time spent by the fathers with their own and unrelated offsprings. Results showed that although the father mice show similar parenting behavior toward both sets of infants (own and adopted), they only recognize their own pups as adults. Paternal recognition is associated with increased prolactin (a hormone primarily associated to lactation), mediated neurogenesis in the olfactory bulb, and hippocampus, a major component of mammalian brain. These newly generated neurons are important for the formation of socially relevant olfactory memories. Authors also found that the fathers must physically interact with the infants in order to recognize them later. This is confirmed by some control experiments in which fathers are only allowed to see, smell or hear infants through a wire mesh barrier which was not sufficient to induce neurogenesis. One of the socially relevant benefits of paternal recognition of the infants as adults is to avoid incest interactions which cause inbreeding depression.

2- Recently revealed hideous effects of smoking on children

Original Articles: Brion, M.J. et al., Pediatrics 126, e57 (2010) & Kwok, M.K. et al., Pediatrics 126, e46 (2010).

Smoking is bad for our health, but apparently it may also have subtle, yet far-reaching consequences on our children according to two recent studies. The first study reports that mothers who smoke during pregnancy are more likely to have children with psychological problems. A related study presents evidence that babies who develop in the presence of second-hand smoke (from their fathers) may develop weight problems. Dr. Mary-Jo Brion of the University of Bristol tells “Babies exposed to smoke (in the womb) may be prone to rule breaking, such as lying, cheating, bullying, and disobedience in later years” and adds “To some extent it is somewhat surprising that … maternal smoking may also directly impact child behaviors from exposing the fetus to tobacco in utero.” The other study suggests that smoking around expecting mothers (even when the mother herself is not smoking) also affects the child: higher childhood weight appears to be clearly correlated with paternal smoking. “To protect their children, fathers should avoid smoking from conception onward,” says Dr. Mary Schooling of the University of Hong Kong. Furthermore, smoking mothers should not be too surprised to see their children “disobey” when they tell them not to smoke.

3- Exposure to certain wavelengths of light resets the body clock

Original Article: Gooley, J.J. et al., Science Translational Medicine 2, 31ra33 (2010).

With the introduction of high-tech gadgets into our lives, our daily functions have changed drastically. As opposed to old-fashioned bed-time reading of an “actual” book made of paper, we fiddle with our iphones or ipads or notebooks or channel surf on our bedside TVs before going to sleep. A recent study revealed that exposure to certain wavelengths of light, such as those from laptops or TVs, would negatively influence our circadian rhythms (daily rhythmic activity cycle) by resetting our body clocks (e.g., keeping us awake when we should be sleeping). The feeling of sleepiness at night time is triggered by the secretion of a hormone called melatonin. It had been known that exposure of blue light to the eye’s photoreceptor system located in the ganglion cells suppresses the melatonin secretion, therefore stimulating alertness. In their recent work, researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital showed that green light exposure of a different cell population on the eyes – cone cells – also resets the body clock by suppressing melatonin secretion. The senior author of the paper, Dr. Steven Lockley, said in an interview that “we need to think about the entire spectrum of light when designing light therapy or lightning designs to boost alertness or induce sleepiness.” The moral of the story is to be more vigilant about our interaction with fancy electronic gadgets at night if we want to have a healthy and relaxing sleep.

4- Poor teachers may impede good students

Original Articles: Taylor, J. et al., Science 328, 512 (2010).

Scholars know that educational environment, including both tasks and the social environment of a classroom, affects children’s achievement just as much as genetic factors. But the teacher plays a main role, because the quality of the educational environment depends on teachers’ performances. A new study underlined the importance of qualified teachers and how they can make a difference in education. The researchers examined the influence of teacher quality by studying 280 identical and 526 fraternal twin pairs in the first and second grades in different Florida schools representing a diverse environment. Identical twins share 100 percent of their genes and fraternal twins share half, and some of the twins were taught by the same teacher but some were in different classes. The researchers used an Oral Reading Fluency test which is based on how many words in a paragraph a child can accurately read in a minute in order to assess the reading skills of children. The researchers recorded the reading scores of students in the beginning of the semester and at the end of the semester, and they followed the students’ improvements during the year. To measure teacher quality, they used the scores of twins’ classmates. By studying twins’ groups, researchers were able to eliminate some other factors such as genetics and socio-economic conditions. According to the findings, the teachers played a role in “moderating” students’ achievements, and they helped the students to grow to their full potential. When teacher quality is very low, genetic variance is constricted, whereas, when teacher quality is very high, genetic variance blooms. As the study’s lead author, Jeanette Taylor, said “Better teachers provide an environment that allows children to reach their potential.”

Let me give you some everyday examples. For instance, most customer complaints (eighty percent) stem from a very few reasons (twenty percent). Eighty percent of problems in a company are caused by twenty percent of the employees. This idea is often applied to data such as sales figures: twenty percent of clients are responsible for eighty percent of sales volume. Eighty percent of our expenditure, stems from twenty percent of the items we buy. If we can differentiate cheap items from expensive items, then, we can develop ways to save on our shopping. We need to realize that we make eighty percent of our phone calls to the same twenty percent of our acquaintances. If we look at the clothes we wear, we realize that eighty percent of the time we wear the same twenty percent of them. We can also use this principle to plan our daily schedule and to order things according to their importance. For example, we may calculate the length of the time to do something and determine the importance of the thing we are to do. We calculate the percentages according to all the things waiting to be done. Later, with twenty percent of our time, we put our attention and energy into the things which carry eighty percent of the importance. We leave the things with twenty percent importance to later because those things require eighty percent of our time. What needs to be observed here is that quality is preferred over quantity. Some of us postpone tasks which can be done in a short time, due to the belief that we can somehow do it later. According to the Pareto Principle, it is not a good idea to delay things which are important in terms of quality even if they take a bit of our time to carry out.

Bediüzzaman used this rule very intelligently in his works in terms ofat explaining the wisdom behind seeming realities. manay-Ii harfi. For example, in the answer to the second question under the Twelfth Letter, Bediüzzaman uses the Pareto Principle persuasively as an answer to the following question: “As sending Prophets has caused many or even most people to become unbelievers because of Satan’s seduction, how can you say that creating evil things and acts is good, that raising Prophets is a mercy for humanity?”

In this answer, Bediüzzaman emphasizes the importance of quality over quantity. According to him, quantity has no importance in relation to quality. Moreover, Bediüzzaman shows that it is not an evil to lose atheists and hypocrites, who are many but less important in terms of quality, when you compare them with prophets, saints, and the righteous who are few, in terms of quantity. It is interesting that he uses a twenty percent to eighty percent ratio in each of his two examples:

“As quality is always far more important than quantity, we should consider only qualitative values in making our judgment. To cite an example: 100 date-stones are worth only 100 cents until they are planted and grow into palm trees. But if only 20 grow into trees and the remaining 80 rot because of over-watering, how can you say it is an evil to plant and water them? Everyone would agree that it is wholly good to have 20 trees at the expense of 80 date-stones, since 20 trees will give 20,000 date-stones.

Again, 100 peacock eggs are worth maybe 500 cents. But if she sits on the eggs and only 20 hatch, who can say it is an evil that 80 eggs were spoiled in return for 20 peacocks? On the contrary, it is wholly good to have 20 peacocks at the expense of 80 eggs, because the 20 peacocks will be worth far more than the eggs and will lay more eggs.”

In another example, Bediüzzaman explains why he remained distant from politics in the Thirteenth Letter as a response to the third question:

“…We are travelers in this world. Basing myself on the Qur’an’s light, I say that humanity has reached a marsh in this century. Whole caravans of humanity are trying, with great difficulty, to advance in this putrid marsh. A small minority follow a safe way and some have extricated themselves, but the majority continues to flail around in the dark. Although 20 percent of this majority seems quite happy with this struggle, mistaking its dirt and filth for musk and ambergris, whereas the other 80 percent knows that it is in a filthy marsh but cannot see the safe path (leading them out). We must bring that majority out of the marsh. To do so, we must use a mace to knock the 20 percent back to its senses or provide the 80 percent with a light to see a way to safety. I see that most people hold maces, but almost no one gives light to the helpless 80 percent. If some still have light, they are not trusted because they also carry maces. People are afraid of being beaten after being drawn to the light. Besides, the light may be extinguished

if the mace is broken.”

In this example, Bediüzzaman states that the first thing that needs to be done for those who have deviated from the right path is to show them the Qur’anic truths instead of helping them through politics which is associated with hitting someone on the head. Again it is interesting to see that Bediüzzaman used the Pareto Principle to explain the example. Bediüzzaman considers human beings to be walking in a dark swamp. Moreover, he believes that the priority is to enlighten most of the people’s road (eighty percent) with a small (twenty percent) effort, rather than to help a small number of people (twenty percent) with a large amount of political power (eighty percent of effort).

In the Twenty-Eighth Letter’s seventh matter, Bediüzzaman emphasizes that twenty percent of scholars surpasses the other eighty percent in terms of quality while he is examining how strong truths seem weak in the hands of weak people: “Eighty percent of mankind are not investigative scholars who can penetrate to reality, recognize reality as reality and accept it as such. They rather accept matters by way of imitation, which they hear from acceptable and reliable people, in consequence of their good opinions of them.”

Therefore, it is possible to say that Bediüzzaman, an investigative observer, found the Pareto Principle without using any contemporary methods such as surveys. Besides being known as an eminent Islamic Scholar and Saint of Islam admired by most of the people, Bediüzzaman use of mathematics, physics, astronomy, and sociology in the Risale-i Nur show us how to contemplate the universe using modern science.

Persuasion through Probability in the Risale-i Nur

Bediüzzaman often uses mathematical logic and probability in his works which were written to save the faith from evil (thought). For instance, under the section on the stratagems of Satan in the Twenty-Ninth Letter, Bediüzzaman states how harmful it can be if you use the feeling of fear against its purpose of creation. He gives an example of how he persuaded a person, who had to fear of drowning, to embark on a boat willingly without any fear through giving an excellent example of probability:

An important man (may God’s mercy be upon him) was afraid to travel by boat. One evening, we went to Galata bridge to take the ferry to Eyup.

He did not want to get on, saying that he feared he would drown. When I asked him how many boats were in the Golden Horn, he replied that there might be as many as one thousand. When I asked him how many boats sank each year, he replied usually one or two, and sometimes none.

I made this analogy: “Since a year has 365 days, your chance of drowning is 1:365,000. Why does such a small chance scare you?” I asked: “How much longer do you expect to live?” He answered: “Maybe 10 years; I am old already.” I contunied: “As there are 3,650 days in 10 years, your chance of dying today is 1:3,650. But since we do not know when we will die, you could die at any time. So repent and weep! Write your last will and testament!”

Seeing the truth in my words, he got on the boat even though trembling. On the boat, I told him: “God Almighty placed fear in our nature so that we might preserve our life, not ruin it. He did not give us fear to make life an unbearable burden full of pain and torment. If there is a risk of 1:2 or 1:3 or 1:4, or at most 1:5 or 6, it may be permissible and tolerable to fear and avoid the risk. But to fear a chance of 1:20, 1:30, or 1:40 is groundless suspicion, a sort of paranoia that changes life into a torment.”

The month of Ramadan is an opportunity to put free will to a test for Muslims across the world. By fasting from dawn to sunset, Muslims do not only stay away from food, they are also expected to attain the most virtuous conduct by being generous in the heart as well as in charity, by shutting off their mind sand tongues to evil thoughts and words, and by appreciating every bit of food and water, the value of which we normally ignore. The Questions and Answers section in this issue focuses on this blessed month with a special emphasis on habitualizing the discipline we become accustomed to during Ramadan.

Ramadan is also a time for realizing the differences among multicultural societies. Many Muslims invite their non-Muslim neighbors to share fast-breaking dinners with them. Trish Madigan, a Dominican sister from Australia, illustrates how much she has learned from Islam in her article on such occasions, and she stresses that there are many issues that both Muslims and Christians can “resonate with” if they step forward to explore each other’s faiths.

Another example of sharing comes from Abdullah Aymaz. In his article, Aymaz recounts an interesting story of Ottoman donations to the Irish people who were desperately suffering due to the Great Hunger in the 1840s. The Ottoman sultan, not daunted by political or logistical obstacles, or the long distance,sent five ships full of food to Ireland. This act of charity is still being commemorated in gratitude by the Irish. This article narrates a great example of a humanitarian service in which no discrimination sullied the feeling of sharing.

This month’s issue also contains remarkable topics from biology, astronomy, and physics. In “Hearing for Deaf Ears” we will learn how the ear functions

and discover a new technology for those who cannot hear: Cochlear Implant (CI) systems. In “What Makes Planets Revolve Around the Sun” we will be presented with interesting data about solar activity, and in “Thoughts on Matter and Anti-Matter” we will be taken on a thought-provoking journey in atom.

We wish you a blissful Ramadan.

They did this within their own families as well, developing parent-child relationships, child rearing, values and beliefs, and other systems. If a society cannot develop one or more socially acceptable systems by which to raise its young people, its continued existence is called into question.

Like everything else, systems are dynamic and evolving. A major ingredient for a successful system-wide change is sufficient time to adapt. We hear of animal species dying out and indigenous peoples losing their culture because they could nol adapt fast enough. However, some people are impatient with the pace of change. They want to speed it up, by force if necessary. One man enforced rapid national change through decree and enforced it with raw power: Pol Pot, leader of Cambodia’s Khmer Rouge. The results, nol surprisingly, were beyond belief.

Other Utopians, among them Plato and Sir Thomas More, confined their utopias to books. Ironically, a close reading of their texts or those of the self-proclaimed utopian societies that have emerged probably would encourage people to flee from them. Why? Because they are grounded in suppressing individuality in the name of pursuing “Ihe greater good”-usually at any cost. But what else is a man or a woman if not an individual? To insist upon being an individual under the Khmer Rouge literally meant instant death. We can only speculate how the inhabitants of Plato’s or Sir Thomas More’s ideal societies would deal with non-conformists.

In the scientific realm, scientists are devising artificial systems to improve our quality of life. One example is the electronic nose, which can be used to detect spoiled food and air quality, assist doctors and nurses in medical diagnoses, and help the military clear land mines. Another example is that of superconductivity. Using various combinations of elements, wires, and temperatures, scientists erect elaborate structures that result in supercomputers, mag-lev trains, SQUIDS (used to study the brain), particle accelerators, and other devices

One artificial system that has spread like wildfire in many countries is e-mail. Once the preserve of the American government and military, it is now an established part of many people’s and businesses’ daily routine. Although far from perfect, the current system seems to function rather well.

And then there are the more abstract systems that shape a culture: religion, one’s conception of how and why the universe functions, why things were created, what being civilized means, and how one can live a moral life. Some civilizations define themselves and are defined by-their religion. During the Middle Ages, Christian Europe applied this standard to the Muslim world. The resulting stereotypes and misunderstandings, despite calls for mutual understanding and acceptance, are alive today and color all relations between these two civilizations.

We hope that you enjoy this issue and, as always, look forward to your comments.

Since the mid-1980s, there has been increasing interest in developing so-called “electronic noses” (e-noses), that is, electronic instruments that can detect and recognize simple and complex odors.1 And since the mid-1990s, nearly 20 years after the concept was originally published, the commercialization of e-noses has started to take place. The main reasons for this delay were the complex nature of the problem and the need for advanced technologies. However, the recent development of microsensor technology has led to low-cost integrated chemical sensors and application-specific microprocessing devices. This, coupled with our greater understanding of artificial intelligence, has allowed us to construct electronic instruments that perform in a manner similar to our own olfactory system.

E-noses are now being developed as systems for the automated detection and classification of odors, vapors, and gases. They are generally composed of a chemical sensing system (e.g., sensor array or spectrometer) and a pattern recognition system, such as an artificial neural network (ANN). At Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), e-noses use ANN technology for the automated identification of volatile chemicals used in environmental and medical applications.2

The electronic nose works as follows. While a chemical vapor or odor is blown over a sensor array, sensor signals are digitized and fed into a computer. The ANN (implemented in software) then identifies the chemical. The benefits of e-noses include compactness, portability, real-time analysis, and automation.

FOOD INDUSTRY APPLICATIONS

Currently, the largest market for e-noses is the food industry. In some instances, e-noses can augment or replace panels of human experts and can reduce the amount of analytical chemistry performed in food production, especially when only qualitative results will do.

An electronic smelling device is a valuable tool for analyzing whether a product has gone bad. Potential applications of e-noses in the food industry are numerous: inspecting and grading food quality by odor; inspecting fish and beverage containers; controlling fermentation, automated flavoring, and microwave cooking; monitoring the ripening of cheese; verifying if orange juice is natural and/or fresh; testing plastic wrap for containing the odor of onions; and classifying grains and blueberry ripeness.

Using human odor panels to evaluate and control the quality of raw materials or finished products is extremely labor intensive, time consuming, expensive, and error prone. E-noses can quickly identify a characteristic odor classified as “good” or “bad” by the odor panel, thereby decreasing the workload, improving throughput, and reducing the cost of screening many samples at different stages of the manufacturing process. The system is applied easily to the manufacture and quality control of perfumes, cosmetics, and fine chemicals, as well as to packaging, monitoring environmental quality, the automotive industry, medical and diagnostic matters, and microbial classification.

ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING

The PNNL is exploring the technologies required to perform cost-effective environmental restoration and waste management. This effort includes developing portable, inexpensive systems that can identify contaminants in the field in real time. Environmental applications of e-noses include identifying toxic wastes and household odors; analyzing fuel mixtures; detecting oil leaks; monitoring air quality, factory emissions, and hazardous chemicals; and testing ground water for odors.

MEDICAL APPLICATIONS

Since the sense of smell is important for physicians, an e-nose can be used as a diagnostic tool to examine bodily odors (e.g., breath, wounds, bodily fluids, etc.) and identify possible problems. Odors in the breath can indicate gastrointestinal, sinus, and liver problems, as well as infections and diabetes. Infected wounds and tissues emit distinctive odors, and odors coming from such bodily fluids as blood and urine can indicate liver and bladder problems. Currently, an e-nose for examining wound-related infections is being tested at South Manchester University Hospital.

In similar applications, ANNs have been used to track glucose levels in diabetics, determine ion levels in bodily fluids, and detect such pathological conditions as tuberculosis.

While the inclusion of visual, aural, and tactile senses into telepresent systems is widespread, the sense of smell has been largely ignored. PNNL recently proposed a more futuristic application of e-noses for telesurgery. In this application, an e-nose would identify odors in a remote surgical environment. These identified odors then would be transmitted electronically to another site, where an odor generation system would recreate them.

The next decade should see the cost of e-noses fall dramatically, with the result that they will be used not only in industry but also in everyday life. They can be used, for example, to detect tainted foods in the refrigerator, ensure clean clothes in the washing machine, detect poor air quality in the car, and perhaps even help us monitor our own health.

FOOTNOTES

1. J. W. Gardner and P. N. Bartlett, Electronic Noses (Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press, 1999).
2. http://www.ivanhoe.com/docs/backissues/electronicnose.html.

People like to be seen to be busy. If we’re busy, we’re important; if we’re not busy, we’re embarrassed to admit it. Responsibility has become a sign of status. It gives us security, makes us feel good and is a nice excuse for occupying ourselves with priorities.

Most of the time we think that priorities are urgent. Being caught up in doing urgent tasks is like an addiction. It rules us and we don’t make time to ask if they’re really necessary. As a result, the gap between our clock and our compass, our time and our sense of direction, continues to widen. In fact, rather than doing a lot of work in a little amount of time, it is more important to do the right work in the right direction. Instead of spending our lives continually watching our clocks, we should occasionally glance at our compass.

‘Which activities do you believe will give positive results when done thoroughly and persistently?’

This question was put to thousands of people and the answers were grouped under these seven headings:

1- Increasing the quality of communication with people.

2- Making better preparation.

3- Making better planning and organization.

4- Making oneself tow the line.

5- Evaluating new opportunities.

6- Developing oneself.

7- Training others by giving them authority.

So why don’t people do these things? Maybe because they cannot be classed (or paid) as urgent tasks. Precisely because there is no pressure on us to do these things, it’s especially important to set aside time and give attention to them.

To Live, Love, Learn and Be Remembered Kindly

We have a physical need to live peacefully, a social need to love and be loved, a mental need to develop ourselves through learning and, by leaving behind a material or spiritual inheritance, a need to be remembered kindly.

These needs play a very important role in the quality of our lives. For example, let’s look at these questions: Do you have enough energy and physical capacity all day long? Or are there some things you would like to do but can’t because you’re tired, sick or inconvenienced?

Are you financially secure? Can you meet your own needs and put aside something for the future? Or, even though you work for many hours, are you still in debt?

Do you have healthy and fulfilling relationships with others? Are you able to work with others in a beneficial way to achieve common purposes? Or do you see yourself as alien, lonely, and distant from people you like, or unable to work well with others for reasons of misunderstanding, insincerity, back-biting, suspicion or shame?

Are you continually learning, developing yourself, and gaining fresh perspectives and new capabilities? Or do you feel unused, useless? Are there things you want to do but can’t because you don’t have the necessary education or talent?

Do you have a clear sense of direction, purpose or mission that inspires you and gives you energy? Or are you confused about what matters and what you really want to do in life?

Some needs are of literally vital importance. When they are not met, the quality of life declines, our energy and attention seem to be swallowed up by a black hole and we become addicted to urgent tasks.

But a man who meets his physical, social, mental and spiritual needs begins to burn internally with a flame of service. He turns such needs as money education, health and love into resources that will increase his capacity for service.

This person runs to help meet the physical, social, mental and spiritual needs of those in need. He serves saying ‘Yes!’ from his heart. This ‘Yes’ enables him to say ‘No’ to unnecessary jobs.

Roger Merrill speaks of an experience he had in one of his ‘Principle Centered Leadership’ programs: ‘One of those attending the course came up to me and said he wanted to talk about something. We sat on a terrace overlooking a beautiful lake and golf course. While looking at the man, I tried to guess what kind of problem he might have. He had an impressive personality. In his fifties, he was the vice-president of an international company and had a nice family. He was an active participant in the program and easily comprehended the topics. He made this confession: ‘This whole week live felt extremely uncomfortable. Everything began with that Monday evening exercise.’ Then he spoke to me about his life.

He grew up in a small town. He had been a good student and was active in social activities. In college he had taken on active responsibilities in many clubs and programs. Later he got a job and got married, their first child was born, he went abroad on business trips, he got promotions, they moved to a new house, they had a second child, he was promoted to vice-president. While listening to [all this], I was waiting for the problem, the catastrophe that had turned his life upside- down.

Finally he came to the point:

The problem is this: My life is full of wonderful things, a beautiful house, a good car a good job and a life full of responsibility. But if you tell me to think carefully about my life and to reveal what is really important to me, I couldn’t answer you.

As a youth, a university student and a young man, I had been busy with something most of my life. I wanted to make a real difference in this world and make a meaningful contribution to it.

When I started thinking about what was the most important thing to me, this feeling, this ideal-I don’t know how, but it got lost. It was as if I had deluded myself with a feeling of security. I hadn’t made a difference. I hadn’t taught my children how to make a difference. I only watched as my life flowed by.

Then a change took place in his face, and he continued:

But I made a decision. I decided to get in touch with a foundation that I had worked with before. They were giving unbelievable help to people in the third-world. I wanted to be a part of it.

There was a light in his eyes and a meaning of fixed purpose in his words. He had gained a tremendous amount of energy. The quality of his last few years before retirement and later years, the quality of his life and the lives of people in many places all over the world was going to be better. He would be able to leave a valuable legacy behind.’

The Difference Between Principles and Values

On a farm, productivity can’t be obtained with ‘fast and temporary precautions’. If seeds are not planted on time, and if hoeing, fertilizing, watering and spraying are neglected all year, it’s unrealistic to expect to get plentiful produce one day.

There is a basic difference between a social system and a natural system. The social system is built on values while the natural system is built on principles. In the short run, ‘fast and temporary precautions’ can be of benefit, but, in the long run, the ‘Law of Agriculture’ is operative in every realm of life. After years have passed the heart reaps what it has sown. Anyway a great number of problems arise from trying to harvest things that haven’t been sown.

In another seminar the following took place: ‘I joined a seminar where information regarding the subject of time was given. At one point the person giving the seminar said, “Yes, now I’m going to give a small exam.” He took a big jar with a wide mouth from under his table. Then he put beside it a large plate filled with rocks the size of a fist and asked, “How many of these rocks can we put in this jar?” After we made some guesses he said, “OK, let’s see.” He threw one rock into the jar, and then another, and another. I don’t remember how many but the jar was full. He asked us if the jar was full. Looking at the rocks, we all answered, “Full.”

‘Then he took a cup of pebbles out from under the table. The pebbles filled the spaces between the rocks. Smiling, he again asked, “Is the jar full?” This time we said, “We guess not.”“Good”, he said and took a small bucket of sand from under the table and emptied it into the jar. The sand filled up the empty spaces. He asked one more time whether or not the jar was full. “It’s not full!” we all shouted. “Good,” he said and took a pitcher of water and poured it into the far. Then he asked what kind of lesson could be learned from this. Someone replied, “There are empty spaces in life, and we can fill them if we want to.” He said, “No,” and continued, “The real point is: If we hadn’t put in the first rocks, could we have added the others? Because most people act with the paradigm the more, the beter in order to do a lot in a short time, they fill up their time as much as possible. But if the things we do are not really what are important to us, does it matter how much more we work?’”

So this means that what we should put first in the jar of life are not ordinary tasks, but principles and activities that give us vision and mission and develop and renew us. After that man will be surprised to see what else he’s able to put in the empty spaces.

Being Able to be the Leader in our life

Managers deal with processes, and leaders deal with targets. Managers work ‘in’ the system, and leaders work ‘above’ it. Managers consider if they have done work in the right way, and leaders consider if they have done the right work. In a sense managers climb a ladder leaning on a wall. The number of steps on the ladder, its length and speed of climbing are important to them. For a leader it’s important whether or not the ladder is leaning against the right wall. Climbing a ladder leaning on the wrong wall can cost a man a lot. This true story is an example:

Many years ago a man told his friends and neighbors that his goal was to earn one million dollars that year. He was an innovator believing in the motto, Give me a good idea, and I’m ready to sell a million of them. Developing a kind of toy and getting the patent, he began to travel all over the country to market it. From time to time he would take one of his children with him for a few weeks. His wife would complain about the situation and say, ‘When the children come back from traveling with you, they neglect their prayers and don’t do their homework. They have fun for a whole week. You’re not helping them so why don’t you leave them at home?’

Finally a year passed. The man announced that he had reached his goal. He had earned a million dollars. However, a short time later he divorced his wife. Two of his children began to use drugs. The other lost his reason and fell into a depression. The whole family was torn apart. The man had set only one goal and made all his calculations according to that. But he hadn’t calculated the total cost. One million dollars had cost him a rot.

What Chinese Bamboo Has to Tell Us

After Chinese bamboo is planted, it develops underground for four years. Above ground only a small shoot can be seen. In the fifth year it grows to a height of 25 meters above ground.

Those who can be leaders in life, those who spend their lives centered on principles, know that they cannot get easy results. They are willing to pay a heavy price because they believe they will eventually get results.

They are patient, calm, humble and determined, like the soil. They know they cannot reach a valuable result with worthless means. It is in our own hands to be born again, escape conditioning and listen to the voice of our conscience.

Regardless of the results, it is possible to listen, not to this or that, or the noise of the crowd, but to the voice of our conscience and act accordingly. Then we won’t fear the results. Time will become our friend, not our enemy, because life will offer us the sweet fruit of the produce we patiently and carefully sowed and cultivated. In such a life, time is not expended, it turns into investment. The cultural heritage we leave to following generations will increase.

As Bryant S. Hinckley said:

Service to others is an attribute of great characters. It pins the Medal of Honor on the disciples. It is a line separating the two big groups of this world: those who help to contribute and those who become an obstacle and only consume. How much better it is to give than receive. Serving others is a delicate virtue. Giving courage, showing interest, removing fear, raising hope in hearts, in short, to love and show it is the most valuable service to mankind.