الاصابہ فی تمییز الصحابہ میں نماز و روزے سے متعلقہ روایاتِ اَحکام کا تحقیقی جائزہ Research Review of the Traditions of Rulings on Prayer and Fasting in Al-Aṣābah Fī Tamīz al-Ṣaḥābah

The book “Al-Aṣābah Fī Tamīz al-Ṣaḥābah” is a famous book of Ibn Ḥajar ‘Asqalānī on the life and contribution of the Companions. This book is quoted as a reference to decide the status of companions. It would not be wrong to call it the encyclopedia of the companions of the Holy Prophetﷺ. Apart from its status as a reference book regarding the companions this book encompasses the Seerah of Holy Prophet in a detailed and well composed manner. The distinction of the book is not hidden from the experts of science and research. In the book and other similar books, the life of the companions was discussed and the biography of the Prophet ﷺwas also described, but another aspect that remained unexplored in these books is the virtues and commandments mentioned in it. There are also narrations about virtues. In this paper the researcher has evaluated the Hadiths related to prayer and fasting that are narrated in Al-Aṣābah Fī Tamīz al-Ṣaḥābah. The evaluation comprises of authenticity of narrators and text, narrators’ mutual association or disassociation and the final decree about the authenticity of a hadith in the light of all available evidences.

An Exploration of Active Listening Skills in Medical Doctors

An exploratory study was conducted to assess the active listening skills of medical doctors working in Rawalpindi and Islamabad. One hundred and fifty three medical doctors were included in the study. Self perception of their active listening skills was first recorded, followed by a standard listening skills test developed by Kentucky University. After the test, the participants were exposed to a listening skills workshop developed by the Nanzan University, Japan, and retested by the Kentucky Comprehensive Listening Test. The data were collected and analysed. The results revealed that 68.0% of medical doctors had a high level of self perception. The actual scores in the pre intervention listening skills test showed 56.9% of the medical doctors to possess high listening skills. After the listening skills workshop, the number of medical doctors having high level of listening skills rose to 59.5%. A strong association was found between self perception and ethnicity and type of practice of the medical doctors. Similarly strong association was witnessed between the actual active listening of medical doctors and many of the independent variables. The Short Term Listening improved from 59.5% to 62.7%, and Short Term Listening with Rehearsal from 56.9% to 63.4% after the intervention. However, Short Term Listening with Distraction decreased from 55.6% to 51.6%, and Listening with Comprehension from 58.8% to 55.6% in the post intervention case. Strong association was visible between the components of listening test and the many of the independent variables. In light of the findings of the study, it is recommended that medical doctors need to improve their communication skills especially active listening skills. This requires incorporation of active listening skills training in their curriculum.