Critical Study of Moral Teachings of Islam and Buddhism for Promotion of Global Peace

All ancient and contemporary religions of the world like Buddhism, Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Christianity, Jainism and Islam emphasizes and attempts to uphold the highest moral and ethical values in human society in order to produce discipline and good will. Some of the religions strictly command for proper observance and submission to the laws and cannons", whereas the other religions do not stipulate strict allegiance to its principals, yet they nourish and treat human emotions and direct them for the general good of the society. On the whole, all religions aim at moral and ethical uplift of human beings, to install positivity in them and imbues the spirit of sacrifice, equality, affection, brotherhood and justice in mankind. Thus, these all facts testify that all religions, with some differences of pattern, propagate the message of love, Peace, equality, brotherhood, justice, Harmony and equity in the material age and greed-ridden epoch where individual profits and benefit overwhelm collective cause and general welfare of mankind. What we have done here in this paper is not to establish that one religion is better than the other but to demonstrate that almost all world religions stand for love, peace and harmony. There is no doubt, that all religions preach and advocate positive harmony among human beings but the message of Holy Prophet (SAW) is the only example who gave practical aspect of these theories. However, this paper elaborates this reality by a detailed comparison of Islam and Buddhism.

Enhancement of Drought Tolerance in Sunflower Helianthus Annuus L. by Exogenous Application of Abscisic Acid

Studies to assess the response of spring planted sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) to exogenous application of abscisic acid following different irrigation schedules were carried out at the Agronomic Research Farm, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan were conducted for two consecutive years; 2008 and 2009. In one experiment, three irrigation schedules viz. four irrigations (25 DAS, bud initiation, flower initiation and achene formation), three irrigations (25 DAS, flower initiation and achene formation) and three irrigations (25 DAS, bud initiation, and achene formation) were subjected to exogenous application of different concentrations (0, 5μm and 10μm) of ABA at bud initiation or at flower initiation. In the 2 nd experiment different irrigation and ABA application schedules i.e. four irrigations (25 DAS, at bud initiation, at flower initiation and at achene formation) and no ABA, three irrigations (25 DAS, at flower initiation and at achene formation) and no ABA, three irrigations (25 DAS, at flower initiation and at achene formation) and ABA spray at bud initiation, three irrigations (25 DAS, at bud initiation and at achene formation) and no ABA, three irrigations(25 DAS, at bud initiation and at achene formation) and ABA spray at flower initiation were tested for three hybrids (DK-4040, S-278 and SF-187). The experiments were laid out in randomized complete block design with factorial arrangement and with three replications in each experiment. In the 1 st experiment exogenous application of 5μM ABA under drought at bud initiation stage significantly increased plant height, head diameter, number of achenes per head, 1000-achene weight, achene yield and oil yield over no ABA. It also improved water relations of sunflower by improving water potential and turgor pressure and decreased amount of compatible solutes which indicates that exogenous application of ABA was helpful in enhancing drought tolerance in sunflower. Foliar application of 5μM ABA at flower initiation under drought stress at this stage also increased plant height, head diameter, number of achenes per head, 1000-achene weight, achene yield and oil yield over no ABA but this increase was lesser than exogenous application of 5μM ABA at bud initiation after imposition of drought stress at this stage. In the 2 nd experiment exogenous application of ABA under drought at either stage (bud or flower initiation) was helpful in ameliorating drought stress in sunflower hybrids; however response was better when ABA was applied at bud initiation than at flower initiation. Sunflower hybrid DK-4040 showed better enhancement of drought tolerance by exogenous application of ABA than SF-187 and S-278 because it showed more improvement in agronomic parameters, growth, quality, water relations and compatible solutes.