Role of Islamic System of Education in Moral Behavior and Spiritual Identity of Muslims

Humans have always had the curiosity to know themselves, to know the world around them, and to know their place in the world. Morality, spirituality and religion are closely intertwined, ‘certain moral ideas became united with certain religious and spiritual ideas to such an extent as to become indistinct from them’. The role of religion in educational institutions is one of the most sensitive and volatile topics on the political and legal landscape now a days especially in country like Pakistan which has been created on religious ideology. The Islamic Way of Life is based on this unique approach to life and a peculiar concept of man's place in the Universe. Islam has provided mankind with the highest possible standard of morality. This moral code, which is both straightforward and practical, provides the individual with innumerable ways to embark upon and then continues the path of moral evolution. By making divine revelation the primary source of knowledge, moral standards are made permanent and stable. The first part of the paper is about the relationship between education and its role as spiritual and moral tool of training. Second part deals with the concept of education in Islam and third part will present types of knowledge in Islam and their application as moral and spiritual tool of education. Last part will give moral and spiritual training methodology in Islamic education. The relationships between ‘moral’, ‘spiritual’ and ‘religious’ seem to be akin to the relationships between the cluster ‘social’, ‘human’ and ‘political’. In each of these clusters, only beings of the kind appropriately described by the middle term can engage in activities which could be properly described by the first and third terms. Islam as religion of spirituality and morality gives a frame work to educate and train the students in modeling their life as more moral and spiritual with practical application in this life and success in the hereafter. The chief characteristic of the Islamic Concept of Life is that it does not admit a conflict, nay, not even a significant separation between life-spiritual and life-mundane. It does not confine itself merely in purifying the spiritual and the moral life of man in the limited sense of the word. Its domain extends to the entire gamut of life. It wants to would individual life as well as the social order in healthy patterns, so that the Kingdom of God may really be established on the earth and so that peace contentment and well-being may fill the world as water f ills the oceans.  

Molecular and Serological Approach for the Detection of Trypanosoma Sp. in Blood Samples of Equines and Camels from Southern Punjab Pakistan

The present study was designed to compare the sensitivity and specificity of different parasitological and molecular techniques for the detection of Trypanosoma sp. during different seasonsof year 2013 in equines and camels of Dera Ghazi Khan District and to determine the risk factors associated with the spread of trypanosomiasis. The objective of this project was to demonstrate the effect of Trypanosoma sp. on complete blood count (CBC) and selected serum biochemical parameters in camels, horses and donkeys from Southern Punjab (Pakistan). A total of 858 blood samples (291 camels, 284 horses and 283 donkeys) were collected and were subjected to blood smear examination, hematocrit centrifugation technique and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) (by amplifying kinetoplast maxicircle DNA) to determine the prevalence of trypanosomiasis in collected samples. Blood samples were also analyzed for complete blood count and selected serum biochemical parameters (Total Protein, Creatinine, Alanine Transferase (ALT), Aspartate Transferase (AST) and Triglycerides). Out of 291 camel blood samples, 28 (9.62%) generated a 164 bp DNA fragment specific for Trypanosoma sp. Only 6 blood samples from camels (2.1%) were found positive through microscopic examination while 13 (4.46%) were positive for Microhematocrit centrifugation technique. Out of 284 blood samples from horses 16 (5.63%) samples were found Trypanosoma sp. positive by PCR. Only 5 blood samples (1.8%) were found positive through microscopic examination while 9 (3.17%) blood samples from horses were positive for Microhematocrit centrifugation technique. Out of 283 blood samples of donkeys, 19 (6.71%) samples amplified a 164 bp DNA fragment specific for Trypanosoma sp. while only 7 blood samples (2.5%) were found positive through microscopic examination and 9 (3.18%) were found positive for Microhematocrit centrifugation technique. Seasonal prevalence through PCR was 6.9% (5/72) in spring, 13.7% (10/73) in summer, 9.7% (7/72) in autumn and 8.1% (6/74) in winter in camels. Seasonal prevalence through PCR was 4.2% (3/72) in spring, 5.9% (4/68) in summer, 7.04% (5/71) in autumn and 5.48% (4/73) in winter in horses. In donkeys, seasonal prevalence through PCR was 4.76% (3/65) in spring, 8.22% (6/73) in summer, 8.45% (6/71) in autumn and 5.41% (4/74) in winter. No significant association (P˃0.05) of disease was observed with age of all studied animals. Trypanosomiasis was also found not to be associated (P˃0.05) with the gender of equines and camels during present study. A significant increase was detected in white blood cells (WBC) (P˂0.001), neutrophils(P˂0.004) and ALT(P˂0.028) in Trypanosoma sp. positive as compared to the Trypanosoma sp. negative blood samples while a significant decrease in red blood cells (RBC) (P˂0.001), hemoglobin (P˂0.001), lymphocytes (P˂0.003) and packed cell volume (P˂0.001) was observed in blood samples of camels. In horse blood samples, there was also significant increase in WBC (P˂0.001), neutrophils (P˂0.001) and ALT (P˂0.032) and a significant decrease (P˂0.001) in RBC, hemoglobin (P˂0.001), lymphocytes (P˂0.021) and packed cell volume was observed in parasite positive as compared to the parasite negative blood samples. In donkeys, a significant increase was detected in WBC (P˂0.002), neutrophils (P˂0.001) and ALT (P˂0.019) in Trypanosoma sp. positive as compared to the Trypanosoma sp. negative blood samples while a significant decrease in RBC (P˂0.001), hemoglobin (P˂0.003), lymphocytes (P˂0.001) and packed cell volume (P˂0.003) was observed. In conclusion, PCR was found more reliable and sensitive technique than the blood smear examination and microhematocrit centrifugation technique for Trypanosoma sp. detection in blood samples of equines and camels and it is recommended to be used for Trypanosoma sp. detection in epidemiological surveys and control policies in livestock sector to minimize economic losses.