فکر اقبال کے تناظر میں تہذیبی تصادم

A thorough critical analysis of human history highlights that the clash of civilizations centered on themes of conflict, war, and struggle. Historical experts use the word encounter to interpret or explain these relations among civilizations. Trade played a vital role in flourishing these ties, however, conflict and encounter have also been a part of almost all the phases or eras of human history. Developing nations have always looked up to the western world as a role model of economic and military progression, but this philosophy has also resulted in the escalation of tensions among these nations. World peace faces daunting challenges and is one of the most talked-about human concerns in the present times. Islam is currently being challenged by the western world in terms of the right interpretation of religious teachings and the true message of the Holy Quran and Sunnah. Islam is still struggling to make its mark in the present world order, particularly after the 9/11 incident which painted Muslims as terrorists and fundamentalists. It is quite evident that the world is divided into factions or groups, where one group is the torchbearer of Islam and religious teachings, while the second group endorses western ideals or secularism. According to Samuel Huntington, it won’t be wrong to say that the next ideological challenge that the world faces after the ultimate demise of the Soviet Union is Islam and the prospective clash between the East and the West in the 21st century will be the most discussed topic. The present-day relationship between the East and the West is based upon rivalry. This conflict is not a new area of research and is centuries old. The only solution to this problem is to promote global peace and harmony and facilitate dialogue among nations. This would help in creating a social system that can center on values, harmony, peace, and love. Also, Iqbal’s philosophy can act as a guiding stone and can help in resolving this crisis. Iqbal’s universal social reconstruction theory highlights how different civilizations can live together and can facilitate constructive dialogue to improve civilizational ties. This article aims to incorporate the teachings of Iqbal, especially the universal social reconstruction theory to propose solutions for inter-civilizational clashes. This article aims to use the teachings of Iqbal as a beacon of light to promote constructive dialogue and peaceful coexistence among the two dominant sides of the world, resultantly leading in much prosperous and peaceful world order. 

Vitamin D Levels in Black African Adults at the Aga Khan University Hospital Nairobi

Introduction: Vitamin D has been known for centuries for its benefits in bone health. Recent observational studies have however demonstrated its benefits in infectious diseases such as tuberculosis and non-communicable diseases such as diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular diseases and cancer. This has led to a dramatic increase in testing among adults. The cut-offs for vitamin D deficiency have been debated for decades and the current cut off is derived from a Caucasian population. Studies done among black African adults in Africa are few and have shown that vitamin D deficiency ranges from 5-91%. In view of the difference in skin colour, latitude and vitamin D binding protein, these values might be misleading. A few cut- offs have correlated vitamin D deficiency to physiological markers such as parathyroid hormone (PTH), calcium and phosphate with varying results. Objectives: This study was carried out to determine the proportion of healthy black African adults at AKUHN who were classified as 25(OH)D deficient using the current cut-off of 20ng/ml and to correlate this with markers of physiological deficiency, dietary intake of vitamin D rich foods and sunshine exposure. Methods: This was a cross sectional study carried out among blood donors at AKUHN from March to May 2015. Blood was taken from consecutively recruited participants who gave informed consent and filled a questionnaire. Vitamin D levels were assayed and correlated with PTH, calcium and phosphate. Results: A total of 258 individuals were recruited for the study. The proportion of study participants who had a 25(OH)D level of <20ng/ml thus classified as vitamin D deficient was 17.4% (95% C.I 12.73-22.07). The 25(OH)D level that coincided with a significant increase in PTH was 30ng/ml. There was no statistically significant difference in calcium and inorganic phosphate levels between Vitamin D deficient and non-deficient individuals (U=3788 p 0.06, U=4299 p 0.499). vi Males were less likely to be vitamin D deficient (O.R 0.48 (C.I 0.233-0.993) p 0.04). Sunshine exposure for ≥3 hours reduced the odds of being Vitamin D deficient though this was not statistically significant after multivariate regression analysis. The use of sunscreen and dietary intake of oily fish didn’t reduce the odds of one being vitamin D deficient. Conclusion: This study highlights the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in a healthy black African population based on a widely adopted cut off. Given that calcium and phosphate levels didn’t differ between vitamin D deficient and non-deficient individuals, the appropriateness of