زواج المسيار: حقيقته و حكمه

The term “Nikah Misyar” (translated sometimes as “travellers’ marriage” or “marriage of convenience”) is not found in the Qur’an, Sunna or classical works of Islamic jurisprudence. It is a term that has been introduced recently. However, the concept can be found being discussed in the works of classical Muslim jurists (fuqaha). This is a marriage contract between a man and a woman, with the condition that the spouses give up one, two or several of their rights by their own free will. Some people consider that the misyar marriage can meet the needs of young people whose resources are too limited to settle down. However, there have been some (Sunni) scholars and organizations that have opposed the concept of Nikah Misyar altogether. As for the Islamic ruling concerning such marriages, there are two issues to consider: 1) Validity and permissibility; and 2) Appropriateness. Different scholars gave different opnions regarding these two imporatant issues. In this article, Nikah/zawaj Misyar was discussed in detail, describing different point of views and ruling in facvour and against Nikah Misyar.

The Heart Weight–Body Weight Coefficient in Kenyans Aged 14 Years and Above

Background: The heart size has traditionally been assessed using absolute reference weights. But the heart weight (HW) has been shown to depend on one’s body size hence a better measure is the ratio of the HW to the body weight (BW) – the HW-BW coefficient. Initially noted to be 0.43% and 0.40% in males and females respectively, recent studies have shown an increase of up to 0.51%. Objective: To determine the HW-BW coefficient in Kenyans aged 14 years and above. Methods: One hundred and four deceased Kenyans aged 14 years and above, with no heart or chronic lung disease, were recruited into the prospective cross-sectional study. Their ages, body lengths (BLs), BW and HW were recorded. Their body mass indices (BMI) and body surface areas (BSA) were also calculated. Results: There were 88 males and 16 females, all of African descent. Males had larger HW. The HW-BW ratio was 0.48% and 0.42% in males and females respectively. The difference in the value between the sexes was statistically significant. Among the males, there was a significant positive correlation between HW and all body indices as well as with age. Among the females, there was a significant positive correlation between HW and BSA and between HW and age. Recently generated HW-vs-BW and HW-vs-BSA charts from the UK were found unsuitable for the Kenyan context. Conclusions: The Kenyan HW-BW coefficient is lower than that recently documented in other parts of the world. Males have a larger coefficient than females. The HW is related to both size and age of an individual.